Posts from — June 2008

Miss Zoe was invited to her kinder friend’s 4th birthday party on the weekend, and I grabbed the chance to finally sew something out of all the gorgeous fabric I recently received from the US. This little bag is just big enough to fit office paper or a colouring book, and is packed ready with a crayon roll and cute “Very Hungry Caterpillar” colouring book ready to grab on the way out to dinner or a meeting to keep a little one entertained.

Here’s my little lady all dressed up for the party and modelling the gift!

I am so pleased with how this one turned out I plan to make several more. I just need to finish another project that is taking way longer than I expected….

My first applique is finished!!

It was actually the thought of putting super cute pictures all over my daughter’s t-shirts that first took me to a fabric store and led to this creative spurt in my life. Unfortunately after I had ironed seven teeny tiny odd shaped handbags onto Zoe’s top (yes I know it only looks like six, but there’s one hiding in the bottom corner of the top) I found out just how much fun the sewing part of applique can be (or not!). I’ve been pretty good at finishing projects, but this is one I found difficult to even look at after the two holes I put in the top on my first attempt. Last week I finally gathered the courage to finish it off using my brand new sewing machine and it’s not so bad after all. Here’s a close up:

I’m still in love with the idea of applique and Zoe could really do with a few new tops so I hope to have attempt number two finished a bit faster (and with a little less heartache!) this time.

I picked up this stunning Japanese fabric at the store where I did my overlocking course and whipped up this skirt using a pattern from a Japanese pattern book. I am so thrilled with how it’s turned out, and it was seriously quick to make. Best of all I didn’t have to trace off a pattern from the scary Japanese pattern sheet because the skirt is made form four rectangles of fabric sewn together. The underskirt is made from denim which at present very stiff and makes the skirt stick out as though it has petticoats under it. I’m hoping this will soften as it is washed.

Here’s a picture of Zoe in her new skirt:

Here is a picture of the inside of the skirt. Aint those seems stunning!

And here’s a picture of Zoe tuckered out on the couch after a day visiting friends (this is a rare shot I tell you!).

My mum made me this ironing board cover when I first moved out with my hubby eleven years ago. She cut the pattern from her own, which she cut from the previous one she owned, and I think I would have to back another generation to find the original. As you can see, mine was looking pretty sad after eleven years and a couple of botched applique attempts (yes the bit of paper stuck there is from when I had the sticky side facing down instead of up). I found some bright Marimekko inspired fabric at Spotlight last week and decided it was just what I needed to spruce up my tired old ironing board (residing in my tired old laundry -don’t you just love that peeling wall paper!). Here’s the finished product:

Doesn’t that just make you want to run and do some ironing? I should add that if you peek underneath you’ll see some beautifully overlocked edges (I love my overlocker!). Now I seriously have ironing to do….

Well I’ve had them both a couple of weeks now, but I only just got pictures of the beauties Whilst I have been dreaming of a new machine and an overlocker, I wasn’t planning on buying either until the birthday/Christmas end of the year. But when I found these two going for a song in the Trading Post late one night I felt I needed to seize the moment (and a big thanks to my lovely husband for being a seize the moment kind of guy ). I have had a lot to learn these last two weeks, but was helped yesterday by an overlocking course at a local fabric store. Here’s my first creation:
Miss Zoe refuses to wear it, but I don’t mind. It’s the inside seems that make me so proud! After my disastrous previous attempt at stretch sewing this looks a million dollars to me (see post below for the sad story of my first stretch nightie).

I have been admiring fabric online for some time now, and although I have filled various shopping carts several times, I’ve always managed to walk away from the computer without having spent a cent. Then I found fabric on Etsy…

Here is what the postie brought me over the last couple of days:

Plus….

and:

(the fabric is draped over my chairs so that I can admire it no matter where I sit in the room!)

What can I say -this is the most beautiful fabric I have ever touched in my life. I just wish I could touch it before I buy it. When I buy fabric touching it and turning it over as I picture what I’ll make with it is part of the joy. I can’t complain too much though – imagine before airmail and the internet -I would have been choosing from a book and waiting months for it to arrive. Thank-you to the internet and to airmail for bringing this stunning fabric into my life just 7 days after I clicked ‘buy’! Now I have some serious sewing to do

I finally got the backing fabric off the little aprons that dropped dye on everything and replaced it. Actually it was only the red that ran, but the others had to wait until the production line was up and running again. Above are a sample of three I’ve made (Zoe wears one each meal time instead of a bib, and her cousins have put in an order). Below is Miss Zoe doing some cooking in one of her favourites.