Fab Friday...

Today I am finalizing a mending job for a lovely lady I met through the Australian Nappy Network.

It's okay Katrina I haven't forgotten you, the elastic in your nappies is nearly finished!!

I am also working on some of those things I said I would do for my week off.

I bought this pattern a couple of years ago at the op-shop, its an old spotlight "get creative" pattern. 

Its a very basic pant, and once I've tested it out and know that it fits well, I will add pockets, belt loops and other lovely pants essentials that aren't included in the pattern paper. I have enough fabric here for 3 pairs of pants and have one pair cut, interfaced and ready to sew up later today.

I also have to re-make a batch of mini cheesecakes. I decided (and mentioned on facebook) that I would make some mini cheesecakes for calisthenics morning tea (for the mums) on Saturday. The Mr stole 3 from the batch for himself and the guys at work yesterday and today took the rest of the batch cos they all wanted more! So I'm looking forward to making a bunch of little cheesecakes today too. I also bought an awesome tool to help me when I am baking them (trust me, when I tell you about this, you will be excited and want one!)

What are you guys up to this lovely Friday? Are you mending? Baking? Sewing? Painting? Relaxing? I'd love to hear what you are up to!

Stitch - Stitch - Stitch

This is nearly finished now and is complete with some very cute embroidery to go with this appliqué. 

I hope to finish off the gorgeous item tomorrow with its final finishing touches and get a pic up for you all to see!!

The Weekend...

This weekend is an incredibly long one in our house. Mick is a tradie so he has Saturday through Wednesday off for work so I decided that yesterday I would relax as well. 

As its my first market of the year next Sunday, I thought I might relish in my last weekend off, since I have finished my orders for the week :) So yesterday afternoon, I traced off and cut out this pattern, whilst watching Harry Potter with my family. 

My original plan when I bought this pattern was to make the mini dress. But when I measured myself, I needed to add 3" to the length for it to be the length it was on the cover, so I am making the"dress" from this pattern as it will sit at the mini dress length for me... Oh the joys of being 5'11"!! (I also measure a medium bust, large waist and small hips!... hows that for a weird body shape for you?!?!)

Anyway, so I hope to sew this up today... I also spent yesterday reading this book which I had half finished and lost. But now it is done and I'm onto the next one in the series. I am determined to finish them before the last movie comes out so I know what is happening. I am slightly addicted!

I've also been watching the Auctions very closely :) Make sure you go and bid on them to support this good cause :)

Sew Up Wednesday

Today is Sew Up Wednesday. So I am currently TRYING to sew some things up! But right now I'm still cutting.  Does anyone else just get sick of cutting? I have cut for the entire day today, soakers, microfleece, PUL for under Minky and I'm about to cut into some more of the cotton from the other day.

The best part of my day today was heading into Spotlight. Desperate need for more boy fabric... again... And was horrified to not find the clearance bin where it was the other day to get some more of this fabric...

I reached desperation point, cursing myself for not getting more of it last week, and eventually chose a different print that I really wasn't happy with. I was on my way to pay for the other fabrics in my hand and then I SAW IT!! Hidden underneath some random poplin on a shelf nowhere near where it should have been. (Do you think someone else was trying to hide it?) And I snapped up the last 2 meters. Now I have plenty to do some cute little things with and it was still $5 per meter. 

What a wonderful day. Now how to get these children to eat their dinner and go to bed... ARGH!! 

My Creative Space

Hello my lovely readers!

So today in my creative space I have been cutting out nappies again, nothing too exciting... but I have, however been in alot of discussion in the last few days about how people arrange their home offices / studios.

Mine... Hmm... I would like to say that I am AIMING to be organised. I have massive shelves installed and have finally acquired a table that I don't have to fold up every week when I pack the car for the market. 

I have, also discovered that I need far more storage than that which I have and am working on putting in more shelving in my sewing room, mainly by making room by removing the spare bed...  I also think that I need some plastic tubs to store different sized nappy cuts (small or large, and soon NB and XL) to clear up space to have more stuff on a shelf.

I have hidden the majority of the mess... Of course I need more space for my stationary and paperwork and I would LOVE to be able to move my cutting into my studio as well so that I can close the door at the end of the work day.

I have also spent the last few days downloading, installing and eventually figuring out how to run, shopping cart software so I can make a more efficient, easily navigated and used website for WeePantz, there is nothing wrong with my website now, I LOVE my website, I just feel there's a need for a new way of doing things, something I am learning more and more lately with new stockists and more market dates coming up, things are changing around here and I am thinking much more about grown up things like cash flow and marketing.

The software is pretty easy to use, and considering I wrote my current website from code, I'm hoping it will be much easier to get this online... hoping... **crossing fingers**

I've been working hard making so many nappies! I just love the fact that I get to sell my creations and that people (not just my mum, although my mum's opinion is very good too) love them! 

I've also been doing alot of organising for Reusable Nappy Week. 

Organising a meet up and 2 static displays, and I'm on the home stretch now! 

Also, last night, I made muesli bars... I cant figure out how I'm going to get them out of the pan... yes... I should have used baking paper, but I didn't...

 IDEAS?? HELP??

for more spaces head over here... 

Sew Up Wednesday.

The past few weeks I have been taking part in " "Sew up wednesday on Crafty Mamas on Facebook. This is the first time Ive actually blogged about it...

Last week was mending the gaping holes in Mick's work pants... really not that interesting!!

The week before... I cant remember... probably nappies... as with most of my crafting of late!

Today I have been cutting microfleece. Fun Fun... I also had some time to work on these new bibs. :)

Sorry for the camera phone image, I will get some new photos taken soon. If you would like to buy one of these beautiful new lady bird garden bibs, simply click the button below. :)

Also, don't forget to email about pre-ordering our new nappies too, they are nearly ready, there's no sense missing out!

 

Naughty little Blogger!

I am currently the most neglectful blogger in existence. I do have excuses though which I will hopefully be able to shed more light on soon as I have been talking to some stores about stocking WeePantz. And very soon hope to be announcing my first official stockist.

I have also been accepted to start selling at a few new markets :) and that is something I am very excited about, but the last few months of the year are now OFFICIALLY booked out for me. Very busy, but busy is the way I like life. Especially since my PND I learned that if I dont get bored, then I wont give the depression headspace, very important for me, because (as my therapist put it) I tend to make the depression like a cd on repeat and struggle to move on once it is taking charge of my mind. So busy is GREAT!

So as I said, I am forever busy with WeePantz really taking off, so I dont make it into the forums much anymore. In fact at all, which is very sad, but I am still reading the blogs of my beautiful sewing friends when I can. And have met a few new bloggy crafters lately as well :). I hope all of my crafty friends still pop by here every so often as well. :)

A few things Ive been up to...

Well mainly sewing nappies, wetbags and bibs to be honest. I have a focus group sample to finish by friday of 14 nappies, and a market on Sunday so I hope to make at least 30 nappies this week. I am well on the way to completing that goal too. :)

Ive been doing alot of organising for Reusable Nappy Week. Not many of you know that I am the Australian Nappy Network coordinator for Victoria, so its also the business end of the year RNW wise and I am organising static displays and an information session.

I have been baking... yes... that is something I am constantly doing isnt it? Yesterday I made eclairs... DELISH!! Im not an eclair person, but I filled them with yummy custard cream and I think the fact that they were nice and fresh and crisp made them just delicious!

I tried a few recipes for this, but I found that winging it in the end and using my own judgement worked the best. I watched a video on making choux pastry, and noted their consistency prior to baking, so made the butter, water flour mix, allowed it to cool and then added one egg at a time until I reached the right consistency. I think the recipe called for 2 eggs and I used 1 and a bit, Im not sure if perhaps my eggs are just bigger than theirs...

I have been sequinning as well. Ruth's callisthenics competitions are about to start, so its the home run now with costumes with the first comp in 2 weeks.

I'll show you all finished photos when I have them. I may have to wait until after comps, as she is not really meant to be wearing them until then aside from fittings. But the costumes have definitely been an educational journey with sewing on my first sequins. The red outfit pictured above took me quite a long time to finish. I also sewed lycra for the first time. LOTS of googling before even putting pattern to fabric there as I was so afraid!

Amongst that, I have finished my winter coat, which I started a long time ago. It worked out so well and I will update the blog with pics soon I hope! 

I also completed (well my version of complete) the coffee date dress. I had to add so much to the pattern due to my height and also my bust (which is by no means ample) that Im not sure it still is classed as the original pattern, but I will give credit where it is due :) I was STUMPED by the all in one facing, it was slightly crazy, but now that I have figured it out, I am sure I will do this style of facing again as its easy once you know how!

I have also been doing the usual parenting tasks. Oliver is getting very cheeky now and is learning how to push his mother's buttons to make her cranky! Ruth is turning into a gorgeous, and very strong willed little girl and loves her callisthenics and also her reading. 

So I will tentatively say that I am back. I hope to attempt to be regular blogging when I can to keep you all updated. But for now, I am off to put the nappies on to wash, bake some bread and maybe eat an eclair hee hee. Then I need to update the website. 

Catch you all later.

My Creative Space

Today my space is on my bed curled up with a hot cup of tea and fabric that I am cutting out for appliqué.

Its a lovely snuggly escape from the kids who are driving me INSANE with the school holidays on and Olly getting his first 3 molars all at the same time. 

I have also this week completed a couple of tasks. Oh you lovely readers probably thought I had been kidnapped or something... well in some description I was probably kidnapped by my sewing machine. I have a market this Sunday so its all stations go with the mass sewing spree!

I have finally completed the first batch of wet bags for the shop . Mind you, with the lack of computer time around here lately I haven't had time to upload them to the actual store, but you can view all of the designs on my facebook page.

I also took part in a stitched postcard swap recently, this is a scanned image of the front of my card. It was my first ever stitched postcard, and I am SUCH an ametuer when it comes to hand stitching and hand appliqué. But I really enjoyed it so much and will probably complete some more stitched post cards in the future. I will do a post about the swap when my card arrives. It is coming from the USA so it might take a little while to get here :)

Anyway, so lots happening here, I am also working on costumes for Ruthie's callisthenics costumes, but I wont be able to show photos of those until after the first competition I don't think. Just the rules. But they are very involved and I do believe I HATE sequins and also Lycra in general. But they are really going to look great when I finally get them finished.

Once again I do apologise for my long gaps between posts. I am spending so much time at the sewing machine that when I'm not there, I am generally feeding the children, at the gym or cleaning my house which most of the time even when cleaned up looks like a small atomic bomb hit it with the kids pulling the toys out as soon as I put them away!

Until next time... I'm hoping it wont be such a long gap this time!

Now I'm off to stop whining about my un-updated website and update it!!!! For more creative spaces head over here

A Pretty Little Pouch

I have been dying to make up a pouch with Toni's Zippered Pouch Tutorial. One of my daughter's friends turned 6 this week and she will be having her party tomorrow afternoon and Ruth wanted to give her a little pouch for her little things she has. (okay so I may have swayed her slightly :p ).

Anyway... so I did it! I made not only the zippered pouch, but I also did my first ever piece of patchworking on the front panel. Im very impressed and the hand embroidery was really like a breath of fresh air after all the sequining I have been doing for Ruth's Calisthenics costumes.

The front of the pouch, the back is a panel of the bird fabric you see on the right hand side here.

Close up of my embroidery. :) I really am a fan of stem stitch, ever since I learned to do it I always use it for lettering, I like how it hugs the curves.

The inside fabric is some floral print that I had laying around, I used it at Christmas time for some market dresses.

Anyway... So I was really impressed with the tutorial, it was very well explained and pictured :) and its such a fantastic little project to use up some of my scraps! Look out for more of these in the future!

My Creative Space

 Today in the space there is a massive pile of nappies ready to be finished for my store stocking on Tuesday Night. I am putting up the preview tomorrow morning, so in order to upload it in time, its gotta be ready! and had photos taken of it etc etc etc.... So thats pretty much taking over everything right now...

The Jacket, from last week well its still in the process of being finished. It has taken a slight detour of the back burner while I finish off this stuff for the shop. 

I have also printed out this pattern to make myself a dress. Apparently all of my clothes are around 3 years old (pre Olly pregnancy) so they are all falling apart at once. Some of them have lasted about 5 or 6 years, so its a good stint, but its time for new stuff, so I will get sewing!

I have also been procrastinating at times cooking up a storm in the kitchen, I made crumpets on Tuesday... DELICIOUS! But I need to work on it, perhaps that will be today's procrastination baking adventure, and Soup (cauliflower, and can you believe it is the only meal my son has devoured in about a month! he is very off his food right now so just snacking) and Casserole yesterday and at 5am this morning whipped up some muffins for Ruth to take to school for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea.

So busy busy, and I cant find my camera cord which will allow me to share all of my beautiful work with you! But rest assured, when I find it, you will see...

More Creative Spaces HERE.

Pattern Frustration

Okay so my jacket is coming along swimmingly, but for the moment, is at a standstill so I can get a few nappies sewn otherwise the store will be empty on store stocking! The coat is NOT the source of my frustration.

Quite a while ago, I downloaded the coffee date dress pattern from Burda Style. This dress is really cute and I am was looking forward to making it for myself. I went out yesterday and bought some lovely grey fabric which I will team with a black sash, Im not really a bright colours person. I prefer my black, grey, navy, white and like to accentuate with the occasional splash of colour with accessories. My lovely boyfriend tells me it is because I am emo.... (yes I used to be in a rock band).

Anyway, back to the source of my frustration... prior to printing the pattern I decided to have a quick look at the sizing chart. Let me paste a copy of it here for you for reference...

Women's Size Chart

Burda size		32	34	36	38	40
US Size		0	2	4	6	8
Height	Inches CM	66 1/4 168	66 1/4 168	66 1/4 168	66 1/4 168	66 1/4 168
Bust	Inches CM	30 76	31 1/5 80	33 84	34 3/4 88	36 1/4 92
Waist	Inches CM	23 58	24 1/2 62	26 66	27 3/4 70	29 1/4 74
Hip	Inches CM	32 1/2 78	34 86	35 1/2 90	37 94	38 3/4 98
Back Length	Inches CM	15 3/4 40	16 40 1/2	16 1/4 41	16 1/2 41 1/2	16 1/6 42
Sleeve length	Inches CM	23 1/4 59	23 1/4 59	23 1/4 59	23 3/4 60	23 3/4 60
Neck width	Inches CM	13 33	13 1/2 34	14 1/4 35	14 1/2 36	14 3/4 37
Side leg length	Inches CM	39 3/4 101	40 1/4 102	40 1/4 102	40 3/4 103	41 104
Front waist length	Inches CM	16 1/2 42	17 43	17 1/4 44	17 3/4 45	18 1/4 46
Bust point	Inches CM	9 1/2 24	9 7/8 25	10 1/4 26	10 3/4 27	11 1/8 28
Upper arm circumference	Inches CM	9 7/8 25	10 1/4 26	10 3/4 27	11 1/8 28	11 1/2 29

Okay so the source of my frustration? I thought for sure I would be a 40.. that would give me lots of room for my 

height, I am a size 14 in Australia.

Height... apparently everyone is 168cm... yeah I am 180cm tall... what about all those supermodels out there Burda style?!?!

and apparently i am a few cm too big around the bust, waist and all for size 40. I am not sure why... I was under the impression that a size 40 was equivalent to a size 20 not a size 12! I am so confused! I have seen women who are larger than me (especially in the bust) in dresses that they have made from this pattern... 

So now... I have to print the pattern and then add 12cm in length... to be tall enough! I wouldnt think that a size 14 is an unreasonable size to cater for... and perhaps I am too tall to wear nice clothes after all... 

I will not let this conquer me though... I will alter the pattern and it will look awesome on me... you just wait and see.

So the question is... do I print out the pattern and just HOPE that it fits or do I do a whole revamp of the pattern?

Ahh what is a girl to do??


Edited to add:
After much deliberation I have re looked at the pattern and it goes up to a size 42. Which is equivalent to my measurements and an Australian size 14. So we will cross our fingers. I will check out the length when I have finished printing the pattern and perhaps add to it from there. No doubt I would have to add length anyway as running and bending to pick up a 2 year old is really un lady like things to be doing and therefore not short dress activities!