une veste pour moi!

I spied this pattern a month or 2 ago on sale for about $3 US so grabbed it and a couple more to make the posting worth while, I think I was actually looking for a jacket pattern for a polar fleece for Amelia to wear to guides and spotted this along the way...

Then Spotlight BEGGED me to spend money with a ridiculous percentage off fabric so this jacket, with it's 5 metres of pure wool went from being close to $200 to under $100 with the lining. I ran the jacket passed my teacher at sewing classes a few weeks ago and asked if she could help me make it, I think I just needed her as a backstop and a confidence booster. I won't say I couldn't have done it without her but I needed her this afternoon in my lounge room! The lining was tricky, I had no idea how to put it in so I totally winged it, I'm happy though and that is the main thing!

 Looking very pregnant (I AM NOT PREGNANT!!!!) this is with the scarf wrapped over.

And the scarf one up one down. I think the lining on the scarf might have been a mistake because it is quite slippery but it will be super warm! I might add a toggle and loop to the front, still thinking on that one...

This week's projects are...

finish Mrs. C's cushions
tidy up the owl skirt
add an appliqued owl to the from of a t-shirt
make a 'hacky sack' for a party prop for next weekend
look at Amelia's fleece (although with the plaster on her arm I have a few weeks breathing space before that is absolutely needed!)
cut out 2 winter nighties
cut out a skirt for Amelia

And if I get something sewn - BONUS!

more finishes...

It would appear life has been getting in the way of many things and when I posted the broken elbow (which doesn't need surgery! yahoo!!) last night I noticed a few blanks so here goes...

The cushions... I have made 5 of them, just have 2 more button holes to do and 2 buttons to sew on.

Yoga mat bags... I made 9 thin mat bags and 18 fat/thick mat bags to sell as a fundraiser for school.

 These are the skinny mat bags...

 This is the custom bag for a school mum and her yoga business, it matches her logo and colours perfectly!

And these are the thick mat bags...

I sold 8 and had a customer order for one in specific colours (decided to pay myself properly for that one as I used more expensive fabric). There has also been a few other people who have approached me about places they think they might sell which is nice. Need to get my head around Amelia and her arm before I take something else on.

The pattern for the thick mat is one I made up myself, based on the Amy Butler one. I have also 'perfected' sewing them together and am feeling pretty darn happy and proud of myself!

This weeks sewing class I am planning on making, or at least starting to make, a coat/jacket for myself. I love my fortnightly sewing afternoons, I love the women, the down time, the laughter and the learning. Maybe one day, in all that spare time I have I might... nah... oh maybe I will... who knows!

unlucky and lucky

What a weekend...

Friday afternoon Miss M and her mum came over for what seems to be a regular Friday afterchool cuppa, something I look forward to. The girls play and we get to chat, always SO much to catch up on and have a few laughs over. We were getting into my fabric stash when I heard something that didn't sound quite right, sounded very much like 'Go and get my mum' and saw a very shaken Miss M at the back door and heard the screams from the garden. Amelia on her back, wimpering and screaming but not crying (does that make sense?). I tried to work out what had happened then I saw her elbow and thought 'yeah, no, don't think it should be that shape'.

Managed to get Amelia to stand upright, more screams, walking, more wimpering, inside and put a sling on her. How on EARTH I knew we had a sling, or where it was is beyond me...

Miss M's Mum was busy locking up the back door and I was grabbing anything I thought we would need, jackets, shoes, handbag and phone. Then I went on auto pilot. Had to get her to a Dr and fast. NO idea how to get to the big hospital, just knew there was a Dr at the bottom of the hill and how to get there. I knew there would be parking so that is where I headed.

I rang Stef en route and asked if he could confirm the Dr's did x-rays. Then he rang me back and I filled in the blanks. He left work and I cancelled our 2nd batch of afternoon tea visitors...

To cut a long story short, a little bit of waiting, a lot more wimpering, some apologies (no idea why she thought she was in trouble!), an x-ray or 6 and an enormous amount more of screaming, we headed to the hospital. 2 hours later we were heading home with a suspected broken elbow in a backslab pending more x-rays and a visit to the ortopaedic surgeon this week with the Dr's words going around in my head 'I don't think the end of the humerous bone should really look like that'

 Finally she can see the funny side to the collar and cuff, it has to be removed each time she gets dressed or undressed so, I have called it her horn... she was being quite silly tonight and laughing, first time in 3 days we have had a smile...

Going to school proved to be a bit of a challenge in the clothing department. Tunic was easy but the shirt wasn't, the sleeves are too narrow. I decided to unpick the sleeve of one of her blouses (which she can't wear next year as they won't be 'current') and made her a kimono wrap style top to keep her shoulder and top of her arm warm. Works really well! I should hem it but need to buy some yellow cotton...

 Then there was another issue with the blazer hanging off one shoulder issue and not being able to wear a jumper. So, for warmth, I made this ponch and finged it with gold tiny pom poms. I totally winged this, made it up as I went along but you know what, it works, she is warm and that is all I care about!

Unlucky little girl, lucky her mum is a bit crafty though!

A few finishes...

It has been a while and I have been busy, very busy with Dad visiting and various other obstacles (like having money stolen from my wallet followed by part of the school burning down!). In all of these punctuations in my creative time one thing is abundantly clear, sewing is my stress relief. I am a b!tch if I don't get to sew!

I have all but finished the pillows for my friends gift, just 2 button holes to tackle and an iron and I can tick that one off the to do list.

I have 9 more yoga mat bags almost finished for a fundraiser for the school and then on to some book bags for open day.

 This is the fabric for the Yoga/book bags - plus a bit from the scraps bag in the sewing cupboard too... more on those tomorrow...

Then back to the polar fleece jacket for Madam to wear for guides (but with the bitter winds we have at the moment I might be tempted to up that on the list to sew tomorrow afternoon...)

Other projects for this week are 2 winter nighties... for my sewing class is a new jacket for me...

I made a few skirts for friends of Amelia as gifts...

 Babushka Dolls for Miss Maggie

 Bright flowers for Miss Sarah

 

Owls for Miss Rachel

 Ruffled scarf to go with Miss Maggie's skirt - but not to go 'with it' to go as part of the pressie!

 Yoga mat bag for my pearl lady in NZ being modelled by Amelia wearing an Oliver + S lazy days skirt I whipped up in summer!

 On the chair...

And this little beauty was made by my clever little girl at a school holiday sewing class she attended. There was a choice of a babushka doll, an owl, write your name or this one. The head, body and feet are on piece, the kimono (sleeves are on upside down - whoops mummy...!) and the hair make the cut out bits. Then hand stitching around the hair and kimono to keep them in place, I did the toes but the rest was done by madam. The top stitching we marked dots at where she had to go in and out with the stitches and I expected  to have to unpick threads and re thread needles but nope, she managed the sewing by herself, I just had to tie the knots.

She is half way through sewing a felt mobile as well, no idea when we will get that completed at the moment but it will be 'blogged' when it is done!