Getting My Sew on...

I don't get a lot of time to sew these days, so my machine has gone sadly neglected under the dining room table, however I did whip up this little blanket recently.

I made the flower out of two yo-yo's and a button. I thought it was pretty darn cute.

A friend of mine recently lost a baby late in her pregnancy, which was a terribly sad thing that happened to a lovely couple. I had brought this fabric for her months ago as she loves yellow. I felt it was fitting to still give her the blanket to remember her little one at this very hard time for her.
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My Blankies

As I have mentioned in the past, I have been making some baby blankets for friends who are having babies.

My original plan was to make a blanket similar to this one that I found on Etsy

however I decided the applique giraffe was out of my skill level, so I went with just a basic design of fabric with minky fabric on the back.

Having never sewn minky I was a bit shocked by how hard it actually was. It is stretchy and moves really easily, and was just a general pain in the toosh. A quick google search revealed that I am not the only one who complained about this, and apparently the trick is to use pins. LOTS OF PINS. Once I got the hang of it, it was rather easy to do.

So I made another one. And another.

(Note I didn't make the bottom two blankets, I brought those on Etsy and used them as a template for size)

I did manage to make a blanket for myself though, in orange dots to match my burp cloths. All in all I am quite happy with how they turned out.
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Burping up the Goods

Everyone I speak to of late tells me to buy terry nappies to use as burp cloths, and whilst I have followed their advice, they aren't the most attractive things ever.

I am thinking of making some of my own burp cloths with some of the large stash of fabric I have brought recently, taking inspiration from these pretties

Cosy Things

Kimoley

I will let you know how I go making my own cloths, it could be interesting!
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Blankies

I have a thing for baby blankets currently, I have been on a roll making a heap for friends babies (mainly because I know what they are having, which makes it easier to pick fabric).

However, as soon as I have our baby, I am loving these fabrics to make blankets with. 

Which is most likely not going to happen because I am sure I will have other things happening in the household. Dammit, I really wish I found out the babies gender all those weeks ago now!

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Quilts

I was so excited the day my fabric arrived from FatQuarterShop that I rang my mum and asked if we could start my quilt that weekend. Luckily she was on days off, and was more than willing.

A looooong three weeks later she presented me with this beautiful sight

Isn't she amazing? I love it
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Cot Valance

I always had grand plans of making a cot valance following John and Sherry's tutorial on how to make a cot skirt. It was all sorted in my head. I measured the height I required for the cot, and ordered the fabric and waited for its arrival.

There was just one small detail I forgot: to measure the width of the cot and make sure the material was wide enough. Opps! I was adamant that the stripes had to be vertical.

So a join would be required. But I didn't want the join on show - so I went to Plan B.

I figured a simple box pleat would be fairly simple and easy to do, and I managed to get it so that the seam was hidden behind a pleat. I just measured the required width of the cot, added an extra 30cm for the pleat, and made sure the seam was in that section. Easy peasy!

Not bad for a first attempt if I do say so myself.

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Ate. Cooked. Brought

Telle, over at Fat Mum Slim recently blogged about and article she read in the sunday paper a few weeks back, and has since made her own. I thought I might follow suite, as i look forward what she has to say on a monday (and every other day ending in a y ;) ) It is such a cute little segment.

ate: a very unhealthy weekend in our household, it all started with a sausage in bread for breakfast, as i hobbled to the chemist for more bandages, following with chips, chocolate and softdrink for the 4 hour journey to the sister in laws house. Am on a diet now.

cooked: absolutly nothing. The closest I came to cooking was chopping kabana at the sister in laws house for nibbles before dinner. The husband made dinner last night. Must say, i like this not cooking thing.

brought: besides the bucket load of junk food, on the way home from the dentist on Friday, i brought some traditional vanilla slices for desert, from the french bakery in Ballarat. Love that shop.

So what did you eat, cook, and buy (food wise) for the weekend.

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Calling all sewing blogs

Being winter, I tend to spend a lot of time indoors, and I feel the husband is tiring of my renovating talk, so I have turned to sewing.

Now, I am far from a sewer. It took me half an hour to work out how to change the stitch size yesterday on my 5 year old machine (the button was staring me in the face). But I enjoy making basic things, like toys for kids, or simple clothing.

So do you know any simple sewing blogs that I could stalk? Pin It

Laundry

This is our laundry currently

As you can see, it is in our bathroom, and when we renovated we kept it there. We plan to put doors on the cupboard, but two years on, we still havent quite got around to it.

But, along with the doors, it has always been a bit bland. So I am thinking of giving it a bit of a spruce up. I am thinking of painting the wall with the same green we have used on the walls in the bathroom (Metallic Earth Edge by Dulux).

But I am trying to come up with other ways to make it a bit more interesting. So off to my favourite place: Etsy

Decal from A Hint of Chic Boutique

Decal from A Sticky Place

Decal from It's Written on the Wall

Ironing Board Cover from City Chic Country Mouse

And I am thinking I can make a version of this in some fabric I have at home. I am currently using my bra bag to hold my pegs, and I need it back soon before my husband kills me for buying more bras

Idea stolen from Nanu

What do you think? What do you suggest?

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How a duck become a giraffe

The best thing about my job is having Friday's off. I love it, especially when it has rained all day and night (thank you god, Victoria needed it, and we need more if it's not too much trouble). So, with no tv to watch, and nothing good to do at home, I went to my mums' for the day.

Being the clever little thing I am, I took my Giraffe pattern and material with me.

Now my mum is a shift worker, and had just come off night shift, so I possibly didnt pick my day too well, but for the little sense she made, I didnt do too badly. Besides stuffing the boddy with batting rather than stuffing (she said the bag by the window in the sewing room...clearly I picked the wrong bag). 

But I am proud to say that I cut, sewed, stuffed, and made eyes and ears for my giraffes with no assistance from my ever-so-tallented mother. However, I have left Gertie (as it shall now be known) with her to sew up his stuffing holes, as she is far better at that kind of thing than I am.

And this was the result

Not too bad, despite the wonky ears. Will post a finished photo when he is done

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Turning into my mother

It's official. Besides looking like my mother, I am turning into her as well.

I have just spend 2 hours browsing Esty for fabric. As well has haivng some fabric delivered tonight. And buying more tonight. And a sewing pattern.

Yup, just call me Ruthie.

But because I like sharing with you, i shall show you my stash

Melly & Me Giraffe Pattern

Alexander Henry Camden Fair Fabric

Joel Dewberry Aviary Fabric

I am also planning on making some of the bibs I posted about a few weeks ago. Now to find a weekend when my mummy is home to sew it all for me help me with it ;)

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I am a crafting goddess...well least I think I could be.

I am not a crafty person. I have a huge storage tub in our spare room of half started crafts. More often than not, i see something and think "I could make that", when really I should be thinking "I should buy that".

So today when on etsy, I found these bibs from this blog

A cute turkey

a cute cupcake birthday one (I am considering this for my niece's birthday)

A letter (I am considering a W for my nephew William

And the worlds cutest duck bib, with matching hat!!!

Now, I could make these. I really could. But maybe it would be easier to just buy them. But where is the fun in that? Pin It