Tweaking

I did some tweaking with the buttons on Jemima's capelet this morning. It sits quite a bit better now and the buttons are now sewn on with cotton, not wool. Much better.

Capelets for all!

I finished MY capelet (another from Leila and Ben) last night after a very long wrung out kind of day. I get these atypical migraines once in a while where I lose my vision and sensation down one side of my body. If the migraine biz is in the left lobe of my brain I also lose my ability to speak. Quite unnerving for anyone, but as a speech pathologist also strangely interesting as I figure out what neurological pathway is being affected. A bit nerdy, yes. When I first had one of these migraines, I thought I was having a stroke and was very freaked out. Yesterday, it must have been the right lobe as I got left numbness and kept bumping into things.

I managed to catch it early with panadol and a lie down and a very kind mother of mine who took Caleb to preschool and Jemima off my hands for the day. 

So am feeling a little fuzzy today, and thought this photo was therefore appropriate.

But anyway, back to capelets. After making Jem's about a week ago, I found this one came together very quickly. I am loving crochet as the ultimate pick-up-and-go craft, and have taken to it a lot more easily than knitting. I have yarn for another of these for a little friend... who knows where it will end. 

Eye Spy... my karaoke moment

I wish I could sing like Colbie. I don't think I would want to take to the stage, I would just delight in my own voice

around the house as I vacuum or sing the children a lullaby. 

This is my favourite song of the moment and singing along to. Not technically a karaoke moment, but authentic 

karaoke moments are few and far between for me..

This is what I am more often listening to, but actually I don't mind it. Especially when Jemmie sings a long. 

Sooooper cute.

Thank you to Erin for the theme and to Cindy for hosting as always!

Skirt Alert!

A little while ago I mentioned I was keen to get a but more curviness going on in my sewing to match my hour glass figure. Quite a few people commented that they too are of the classic hour glass persuasion, so I know that you all understand the challenges of sewing clothes that are fitted. I do so love the smock, I cannot deny. I love the way it conceals my squishy tummy, but I must confess I look a little on the with-child side when I wear one.

(PS I am really bad at having my picture taken- you can almost read the thought bubble, "what shall I do with my hands??")

This skirt is from Sew U by Wendy Mullin. It is the largest size that you can make which surprised me. I wear an aussie size 12 to give you an idea of how big the pattern goes. The skirt is a little roomy, but is very comfortable. It was my first attempt at sewing in a zipper, and with the help of the book, you know what? Not so hard. (At least not so hard if you aren't demanding absolute perfection.) I also learned about using weights to help cut out pattern pieces rather than pinning all the pattern pieces to the fabric. So much easier. I learned a few interesting things actually, Wendy is like the textiles teacher I never had.

The instructions for this pattern are pretty clear, but probably better if you read through the whole book first before you attempt to make something if you are a bit of a beginner like me. 

Another thing I like about the book is she gives some information and ideas about design features to customise your garment. I stuck to the basics for this as I haven't made a lot of adult clothing. The belt loop instructions for the skirt were a little lacking for my liking, but I just made something up which was quick and seems so far to have worked out OK. I used a satin ribbon as a belt here, but I think I will make a sash out of the same fabric too. I sewed some beautiful mother of pearl vintage buttons that are the shape of a flower to the front belt loops too. I think I will do one like this from Angry Chicken too. Lord knows I have enough buttons around this place.

There are 2 other patterns in the book: a button up shirt and a pair of pants. I don't tend to wear button up shirts, and I don't find pants all that comfortable, so I don't know if I am as keen to make these. But there are certainly more skirts in my future. For. sure.

Eye Spy... green

A very well timed eye spy theme from Trashalou this week, as Chris and I have spent the weekend among the rolling green hills of Berry and it's surrounds.

The kids had a weekend with my mum and had a super great time, and while we spent a fair bit of time talking about them, and missing them, it was really nice to spend some time just the two of us. Everywhere we went the food was amazing, and everywhere you looked there was something beautiful.

We spent some money too (or actually on reflection, I was the one who spent most of the money.) I especially loved the craft shop "Sew and Tell" where I spied Weekend Sewing (among other things) and snapped it up.

You may notice I haven't posted anything since last Sunday and this is why... 

I spied this adorable caplet on Lisa's blog, and after checking in with her about how hard it was, I bought it from Leila and Ben and had a go. I have never unravelled so much yarn in my entire life! It was a pretty consuming project as I have all of a handful-of-granny-squares-experience in crochet, but after a lot of perseverance and laughing at my own incompetence, I cracked it and am now making one for myself! The Leila and Ben etsy shop is pretty sweet. And they have great customer service too!

Eye Spy... what I am reading now

I would really really like to be able to sew clothes for myself, but my figure makes that difficult being of the hour glass variety. Anything that's a bit easier and less fitted, ie smockish, is a bit of a disaster for me. The above blouse is something I made from a Simplicity pattern last year, just wasn't my thing in the end. After a few months (when the emotional attachment had worn off) I gave it away. The new owner might even iron it... 

When Chris went to the US, he brought me back the Sew U books by Wendy Mullin. I started "properly reading" the first one this morning after tea and toast in bed (Happy Mother's Day!!). I think it should be a good start to sewing for grown ups... I've sewn a bunch of stuff, but mostly straight lines, so curving it up will be good for me.

Thanks Monique for the theme! Pop over to Cindy's place to see what others are reading.

Thank you for the memories

I was flicking through old photo albums- circa late 70s/early 80s and was thinking about how some of these fashions have made a comeback, at least in blogland if not Best and Less. Or perhaps they are just classics, that have never gone out of style. Many of these were sewn by my mother I think.

I love pinafores, embroidered blouses, oversized sunnies, knee high socks, t-bar mary janes, simple sandals...

Not as keen on the brown skivvy and jeans and vacuum packed tummy tee with short shorts. I wonder what I dress my kids in that they will look back on in 2 or 3 decades and shudder/rejoice?

More wedding bells (and a sneaky granny)

I managed to drag myself away from the grannies for long enough to paint a new portrait for a new family in the making. This came together quite quickly, but I am not sure about it. I never like anything I have painted for at least a few weeks afterwards. 

On it's completion I popped outside and sat in the sun for a simple granny fix. I am pretty sure I am not changing colours properly so I need to look into that. I also made a mistake in this one. And I wasn't even watching TV. My intention is to have enough (maybe by the end of winter!) to put together a throw rug, so mistakes shouldn't be all that obvious in the long run!

Chair with flair

I am a firm believer in the key to home organisation is: a place for everything and everything in its place. So... I wish I could actually find a place for everything and put everything away. I don't think that will ever happen, but it is easier now in this little corner of my home. But... it still doesn't vacuum and mop itself. 

I made this chair bag using a "how to" pamphlet from Spotlight and some fabric from this stash. As soon as I saw this fabric peeking out at me from the plastic bag, I knew I loved it, but I had no idea what to do with it. It is a medium weight fabric I would say. I now have a short table runner in this fabric as well from when I didn't measure my chair properly the first time around. Hehehe.