Saturday, 14 November, 2009 at 1:12 pm
· Filed under children's clothing, kids clothing
Take one invitation to a disco 7th birthday party. Add a request for sparkles. Search out some lycra and stretch foil sequin remnants from GJs Discount Fabrics. Mix in New Look 6797, entirely inspired by a disco party top made by Nikki.
And you end up with this:
Clare decided to have the ties knotted at the back rather than at the front.
The sequinned fabric can be a little scratchy, so it is underlined and bound in the hot pink lycra on the top and some stretchy slinky gold something I found in the stash for the skirt. I left the sleeves as is – a little bit sheer, and not too scratchy because of the loose flutter shape.
A leftover piece of fabric made a super quick headband – cut to length and tied. She was very happy and has headed off to the party with a huge smile on her face. Apparently “Groovy Girl” is going to be there providing some dancing lessons, and there will be a mirror ball. Oh to be six years old turning seven!
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Friday, 13 November, 2009 at 6:53 am
· Filed under crochet, vintage crochet
More designs from the same pattern book I showed you last week. Once again, very crochetable today.
I especially like the tops in the bottom photo. What about you?
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Tuesday, 10 November, 2009 at 5:35 pm
· Filed under children's clothing, kids clothing
Now this is what I called a tried and true pattern! You can see earlier versions here and here and even here. And I suspect that it is going to get another whirl to make Christmas presents for my cousin’s daughter. This is View D/E, made in a size 1 for my skinny little Stella (who is almost two and a half years old but has no fat on her whatsoever).
The fabric is yet more of the $2 per metre bargain cotton from Spotlight you’ve seen before here, with the facing in a superb Kaffe Fassett print that matched perfectly.
And the most exciting part? Stella wore it today and I even managed to snap a quick photo.
Perfect for today’s very hot weather!
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Monday, 9 November, 2009 at 8:19 pm
· Filed under children's clothing, kids clothing
New Look 6281 is now out of print, sadly. I made this pattern for Clare a couple of times when she was much younger, and pulled it out late last week to give myself a quick-fix satisfying dress to sew for Stella.
The main fabrics are all Kaffe Fassett quilting cottons, and I wish I could remember what the lining stripe is! It’s such an easy pattern to put together but looks quite effective with the fabric blocking. The bodice is lined, so armholes and neck are smoothly finished, and there’s a simple (vintage) button and loop at the back.
Sadly, Stella is not half as compliant as Clare when it comes to modelling my latest creations. Maybe one day I’ll get a photo of her wearing this! Summer seems to have started early here in Melbourne, so dresses like this are ideal.
I’m a little behind with blogging/tweeting/emails at the moment, so my apologies. Busy sewing/crocheting/keeping house/working/ferrying children/catching up in real life. Steadily working my way through my pre-Christmas list. And regularly going to the gym – gasp! I’m actually enjoying it. Now, pick yourself up from the floor! Four visits a week, one with a personal trainer who makes me work HARD. Starting to feel some muscles developing and maybe even a little less flab. One month down, here’s hoping that I can keep up the momentum.
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Saturday, 7 November, 2009 at 4:55 pm
· Filed under vintage crochet
Whoops, I missed Friday! So here is Vintage crochet Saturday.
Fashionable peasant styling with the gently gathered neckline, beautiful lace pattern, not sure about the colour. Otherwise, definitely crochetable!
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Tuesday, 3 November, 2009 at 2:35 pm
· Filed under Around the block, patchwork
Lynn sent us gorgeous Wonderland fabric to make zig zag blocks for her this month. As usual, I practised first with some Kaffe Fasset fabrics.
I did some maths to get this to be a 12.5″ block, since most of my practice blocks are 12.5″. It’s all flying geese units – I found plenty of tutorials on the internet to help me figure out how to make them. I recalculated to make a 15.5″ block for Lynn, but barely had enough of three of the fabrics I’d chosen (moral of the story – choose different fabrics if there is barely enough of some but plenty of others).
They were great fabrics to work with, but I’m not completely happy with my own efforts here. It’s a little smaller than required too. Hmmmm.
Fortunately, the other zig zag block I made went a little more smoothly. My first practice wasn’t quite right.
This block is based on the ones designed by Kathy Doughty for her “Fractured” quilt that was in a recent issue of Down Under Quilts. I modified it to use four fabrics instead of two and also made it a four by four block rather than three by three. My next try was more successful, since I’d figured out how to stack and shift the fabrics to get the result I wanted. I also made it a bit smaller, to give a 12.5″ block.
A little bit more maths later to get a 15.5″ block, and I was thrilled with how Lynn’s block turned out.
I really hope that she likes them and I am sure that her quilt is going to look superb – her bold choice of fabrics and design work together quite dramatically!
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Monday, 2 November, 2009 at 8:19 pm
· Filed under Around the block, patchwork
Since I set the other Around the Block participants the task of making me blocks containing whirling, spinning or pointy things, I figured that I’d better have a go at it myself. I started with some practice blocks. Flying geese units:
and a pinwheel in a square:
Then I launched into the “real” fabric.
After which I promptly ran out of the fabric I needed to complete the second block. I’m hoping to come across some more of that orange ribbon flower fabric to finish it off eventually. If not, I’ll make it again with other bits and pieces. Lesson learned – when in a quilting bee, send out WAY more fabric than you think people will need. I’ve been very excited to see the other blocks participants have made for me already – and November has only just begun!
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Sunday, 1 November, 2009 at 4:51 pm
· Filed under Sunday Stash, fabric stash, yarn stash
This week’s Sunday Stash is a gift from the very generous Peggy.
My blog was the first one that Peggy came across, back around the time that Stella was born. She has been unfailingly sweet to me ever since, and clearly she knows me well – just see what she sent me! Fabric, including those saturated tones of Kaffe Fassett, fantastic black and white Michael Miller damask, crochet books and magazines, and gorgeous green cotton yarn. All with a beautiful card. Thank you so much Peggy for thinking of me and for brightening my week. You are one of life’s special people.
For more Sunday stashers pop over and visit Tamara.
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Friday, 30 October, 2009 at 7:19 pm
· Filed under vintage crochet
I would totally wear one of these vests. Maybe without the fringe. And definitely styled differently. But I would wear one!
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Thursday, 29 October, 2009 at 5:03 pm
· Filed under WIP, miscellaneous, planned projects, work in progress
About time that I played along with Kirsty’s My creative space. There is plenty in mine this week!
Check out those piles of fabric! I am trying to get lots of clothes cut out for the girls. Cutting out is half the work of making anything. The fabrics laid out on the table are options for dresses for Stella – the patterns to go with them are on the right. The fabrics in the pile at the back of the table have patterns allocated to them already. Some of them are for Clare and some are for Stella. At the back of the photo you can see some of the blocks that have already arrived back from the Around the Block quilting bee.
And when you swivel around 180 degrees you see this.
Pattern pieces, fabric and interfacing for a pattern I’m testing; the iron all set up as usual, patiently waiting for me to do the pile of ironing that’s on the couch there; crocheted cushion fronts requiring backs; basted quilt all ready for quilting; some clothes that need de-pilling.
Pop on over here to visit some more creative spaces.
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