Birthday Child Chair Cover

So... we have a new teacher this year, our first and I have some trepidation about the way things will work out but I am sure it will be fine. Roped into helping on Friday cover books and stuff I was part of a conversation that went something like...

Mrs T: 'I hear you are a pretty good sewer'
Me: 'um yes, I am not bad... but the quilt was done largely with Cherry as well, my partner in quilty crime'
Mrs T: 'Well, I need a few things sewn, could you (looking at me) do them for me please?'
Me: 'Sure, depends on what they are but I am sure it won't be a problem!'
Mrs T: 'Well, I need curtains for this room because the glare prevents the interactive white board from working and being seen by the children, we don't want to block out the light but we do need to block out the glare and in the 'take out' (special work room) we need the same as Daniel will be doing a lot of his work there and he can't handle the glare either.'
Me: 'This room might be a challenge but sure, I will give it a whirl'
Mrs T: 'the other thing I would like, is something to put over the back of a chair for when it is the child's birthday, to make them feel special.'
Me: 'Easy! I'd love to do that'.

And I did. No pattern, no anything just winged it and I hope it will fit the school chairs!

Had enormous fun with some of the stitches on my new machine, kept it simple and unisex. Fingers crossed she likes it! (and it fits the chairs). Now to design one and make them to sell!

Crochet Roll

I have a friend who I love dearly and she's just knitted me the cutest beanie imaginable! In a recent get together she showed some jealousy towards another friend and her crochet roll... more the crochet roll than the friend!

Then I went to Spotlight and spotted some pretty ace fabric, ideal for this project.

After asking the question in a sewing group if anyone knew of a tutorial I was pointed to this one. It was a good tutorial, easy enough but the instructions for the ribbon placement and how to were a bit vague (which in hindsight I 'should' really have been able to understand). From start to finish probably took me about an hour and a half but the next one I make will be much quicker!

Now to make something for the third part of the trio and I can get their pressies off to them.

Used a rainbow chevron drill for the lining

and the needle pocket

All wrapped up ready to gift!

Lazy Days

2nd of Jan and 2 sewing projects down... I also did a repair on a skirt that has been bugging me and in my mending pile since last summer...

Amelia will pretty much only wear a skirt or a dress. Forget skorts, shorts, jeans or leggings (unless they are under a skirt), it is a skirt or nothing. Since Mel from One Crafty Mumma had a sew-a-long for the Oliver+S lazy days skirts waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2009 I have been making these skirts for Amelia. It won't be too much longer a WOF will go around her but while it does I am running with making them as they are cheap and quick!

I have modified the pattern a little to suit us, Amelia prefers ribbon to a contrasting fabric at the bottom of the skirt. I am not so keen on the rough edge of the ribbon and keep meaning to remember to do the seams differently , clearly forgetting.

This is a Kaffe Fasset fabric I have had for about a year and bought solely for this project. It is s fun and fresh and all the colours Amelia loves! I sat down after breakfast was cleared away and just went for it while they were potting a tree I gave Amelia for Christmas.

It needs a press and it can then be worn but from woe to go took about half an hour. LOVE quick projects like this!

Xmas Place Mats

Back tracking... last project for 2013...

Ages ago I saw these place mats and they have stuck in my mind but I haven't had any time to execute making them. With 12 guests for dinner on Xmas Eve I wanted to give them something special to remember what I hoped would be a great night.

Ours...

Stef's brothers family

Eddy was Stef's best man and Kasia was my flower girl...

Luke and Jess we met at our dog park, we see them almost every day and we have become friends. Our 3 dogs get on REALLY well too! 

All 12 mats

 They are a bit dodgy and the binding leaves a lot to be desired but a press made them look better. I had fun making them and learnt a lot. Had they not been so rushed I would have done a better job I think. Amelia and I chose the fabrics for the mats based on personality or occupation. That was the best and most fun part I think!

As it happens, it was a BRILLIANT night and everyone LOVED the place mats!...

First project 2014!

Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be great. It has to be better than 2013 for us, that's for sure.

So, a Xmas pressie to return, some headphones to replace and some coffee to replenish saw us at Chatswood Chase today, sadly 2 of the 3 stores we needed weren't open so we had a bite of morning tea and headed home. As we were heading back to the car Stef asked Amelia and I what we'd like to do for the afternoon then suggested sewing! (I secretly think he is sucking up for something...).

Before we packed the sewing away for Xmas I put some order into the projects bagging fabric and patterns with 'view' to be made with fabric choice. The mending or adjusting pile needs an afternoon but there are 'things' madam is hanging to be made; pyjama's, a night dress, a dresses and a skirt. And they get priority (apparently). I let Amelia choose what she would like made first and she chose PJ's...

I have made this Simplicity pattern in many forms in the past few years, summer, gifts, winter, nightdresses and one PJ's in 2 different fabrics because I misread the pattern...!

From cutting to sewing up the legs I think took me under 3 hours. We decided against the frills on the legs and the bow on the shirt (we couldn't tie it properly). I made them in a size 14 (her measurements according to the pattern said she was between a 12 and a 14) but in hindsight it is too big... It will do her a few years! The pants especially, they are more like harem pants than PJ bottoms but she loves them!!!

Excuse all the cr@p in the back ground, we are yet to tackle 'operation get all the Christmas gifts in the bedroom'. Haven't had the right head space to do it...

I also did a quick and dodgy repair on my favourite casual shorts... tomorrow, a skirt maybe?

End of year catch up...

It has been an insane year, busy and quiet, productive and unproductive... one thing is for certain, I am not sad to see the back of 2013! There has been so much unrest these past few months I don't think I have ever felt quite so torn and mashed up inside.

Here was the list I posted of things to do in 2013...

So left from 2012 I have

Blossom Creek complete block 2 (oh so close), then 3, 4 and do the log cabining
Make some fabric table runners to sell in the 'shop'
Placemats to go with the cushions I made  for Coral's b'day
Blouse for me 
Over skirt for my sari skirt so I will wear the skirt and it won't sit in the wardrobe...
Fabric placemats for us for outside
Apron for Katie

And the things I know are on the list for 2013

Stitch in the ditch the jelly roll quilt 
Make my Material Obsession Dotty for Dresden quilt 
Do something with all fabric that I have got back from the rainbow swaps I was in in 2012!
A beach bag from a charm swap
A table runner from the Christmas swap
Christmas placemats
A replacement ironing board cover for Laura I think with the charm squares (I mean I have 4 of each swap to play with, there will be no shortage of rainbows in our house!)  - BOUGHT one, it was just easier...

Have come up with some other goodies to sell in the shop as well - keeping those under wraps for the time being.
A couple of loose tops to wear in Raro in March - we went, I didn't sew anything, well I did but it just looked like  tent.
Winter nighties for Missy
Another full circle skirt/dress for Missy and one for her friend MMV

Hmm... it would appear 2012 list has largely gone untouched too! But on the up side I did do 2 teachers quilts, 2 Kiwi quilts
2 baby quilts
A bucket load of charity quilt sewing
A BOM quilt that takes a month to finish each block and there were 2 blocks each month and a bunch of other stuff that wasn't on the list!

So 2014

Blossom Creek complete block 2 (oh so close), then 3, 4 and do the log cabining
Make some fabric table runners to sell in the 'shop' & get the other stuff sewn!
Place mats to go with the cushions I made  for Coral's b'day
Blouse for me 
Over skirt for my sari skirt so I will wear the skirt and it won't sit in the wardrobe...
Fabric place mats for us for outside
Apron for Katie
A beach bag from a charm swap
A table runner from the Christmas swap
Another full circle skirt/dress for Missy and one for her friend MMV

And...

Pillow cases to go with the Dresden quilt
Finish the BOM quilt
Summer nighties for Missy 
The cathedral window kit I bought at the quilt fair
Tula Pink 100 modern blocks quilt
2 crochet rolls for 2 very good friends...
master binding

I think that is plenty to keep me busy and out of trouble this year. Perhaps I should print this out to keep an eye on it...

Charity Quilting

There's been some horrific bush fires in Sydney in recent weeks, over 200 houses lost. 200 families without homes or possessions. It really is quite sad. A few weeks ago I met a lovely lady Susanne via a Facebook request for a quilting bee to be held at one of our local public hospitals to make quilts for the baby's and children who for what ever reason find themselves in hospital for an extended period of time. I couldn't make the bee unfortunately but I could take some packs from Susanne and sew them. With the help of my buddies at my quilting group we made 14 quilts which wasn't a bad effort! Here's 9 of them!

So when she put a call out for quilts to be made for the bush fire victims I knew the packs would be organised and simple and the tops would come together quickly. I made the top in about 2 and a half hours and finished this at home. I hope it gives comfort to someone in the mountains next winter.

 I love the backing fabric, it looks like a giraffe!