Crafty Mermaid

Coming towards the end of summer and my pregnancy I started to run out of clothes that fit. I really hadn't factored in that unless you buy or make tents they mightn't last the full pregnancy. Doh!  This fabric with the embroidery was a gift from BM's Pakistani friends from a trip home. Its a lovely light Weight cotton. I used cashmerettes Springfield top and extended the length. ( http://www.cashmerette.com/ ) I had two lengths of the fabric - one with the embroidery and another without but a slight darker colourway.  So I was able to have a little fun with the binding. To keep the embroidery intact I seamed the front.  I wish this pattern had front darts (and not just bust ones) as I normally find it very shapeless -though the back is lovely due to the extra seaming there.  And bonus handkerchiefs with the leftover cotton. I practiced my rolled hem (so proud!) 

Wow. This post has been a long time coming - at least 7 months, given BoJ's date of arrival. (That's bundle of joy btw!) I was suffering through summer earlier this year and needed to expand my maternity wardrobe. Really wasn't keen on buying more so shopped my stash and hacked a previously hacked to fit me pattern.   I used my blank canvas (free!) t shirt pattern to quickly create three tees. Extended the length at the front and roushed (why can't I think of the correct term?) it up so there was belly expanding space at the front. The extra fabric is a little clearer in the pink tee as the basting stitch was left in for the photo.  Green and yellow fabrics from levana and no idea where the pink was from. Unfortunately I forgot to reduce the neckband for the pink tee as the pattern piece is too big. But remembered on the others. 

I haven't been on a card making binge for a while. Just making up cards as needed and it seems there's been quite a few highs and lows over the last few months. Welcoming new friends into the world. Thanking the lovely Midwives and hospital staff for their help with our bundle of joy's entrance to the world and saying farewell to family and friend's family. 

After finishing a  mammoth blanket last year  and the mid sized blanket in that post too, I still had some left over wool I needed to use up.  I used a hexagon pattern with a bubble stitch and mixed up the colours on most of the hexs.  Really pleased with how it turned out but the sewing in of the ends was an absolute pain.   It felt immensely satistfying to finish off the balls. Although I did end up with quite a few pink ones so have put those aside with some other wool for a currently on the hook blanket make.  The bubble stitch is fun - I don't think the photos do it justice as the 3D element is a nice addition.  Below is the back- hopefully you can see the difference. I also finished a buggy blanket for our daughter just before she was born (and I do mean just before as I was finishing it hooking and sewing in ends at the start of labour! Thankfully it was finished in time and kept her toasty on the wa...

Over the years I've purchased quite a bit of quilting fabric.  I think every new sewist does.  The prints are great.  But then I slowly realised that their not great for clothing in terms of drape or the size of the print is a bit strange for clothing too.  So in a completely unsurprizing turn of events, I've started to destash my quilting fabrics by making quilts - strange, no? I'm rather pleased with my straight line sewing in this instance (I have high asprirations! But seriously most of those squares lined up at the corners - Woohoo!  That's a win in my book) The Dr Suess fabric was purchased when a quilting shop in marsden village went out of business. So it's been sitting around for a while. I hand tied the quilt to sew it to the backing with white wool. The backing (and batting) is orange fleece I bought for outdoor blankets at our wedding. Yes, I've stock piled those too! Bound in white with some left over scraps for inte...

I'm moving my sewing room into our guest room so our daughter has her own room. This week has been a lot of sorting but I found a little time to experiment with wrapping this evening. Made the sorting so much more enjoyable!

My lovely daughter arrived earlier this year and we're so thrilled to get to know her more and more. She's a good 'un and unsurprisingly the center of our world since then. I have however managed to make a few bits and pieces  in the meantime but posting hasn't been keeping up!  I found a little time today to make a spare change mat so we can deep clean our other one.   Fox waterproof fabric on one side (from my visit to downtown LA last year) and a fat quarter and some spare orange on the other. It's padded with an old hand towel.    I roughly measured the towel. Then sewed three of the four sides before turning the right way around and finished with a strip of the fat quarter. I've plans to make another 'proper' one with real padding that folds up and also stores the nappies etc. but there's a few more things in my queue first!