Tree smock

Sometimes "stupidity" actually works out. All the hand sewing on the bias binding and the hems ended up with a not-too-shabby smock. I'd want one too, if I could figure out how to make the pattern. I can imagine us walking down the street with my mini-me in tow.


I used some Superbuzzy fabric for the hem and the bias bindings.

It looks really good with a pair of thick linen navy trousers that I got for the bub. Unfortunately, she's now asleep, otherwise I was going to get her to model the new outfit. Maybe tomorrow....

And since it turned out so cute, I'm going to make another one for this winter's wardrobe.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

The ecstasy and the agony

I love this Clover bias tape maker. Those Clover folks definitely know how to make my life easier. I could never find the right colour or weight of shop-bought bias ever and have had to make do so many times in the past. I saw this a fortnight ago at Spotlight and was immediately taken with convenience of making my own. And then there were the other ideas that were clamouring for attention....like using it on the corduroy smocks.


Of course, all lightbulb moments have their equally nutter flipsides. The first baby smock was entirely machine sewn, which was why I could finish one within a few hours. This one, aside from altering the pattern (what was I thinking?!), has a lot of hand sewing involved.

Because the bias is half the width of the trim I used in the first smock, I stupidly thought I'll hand sew it.....tiny outfit.....shouldn't take long, right? Wrong! So all I've got to show today is some unfinished business.

Also, thought to pass on the source of the cute japanese Thumbelina fabric that I showed you in the previous post. Lots of super duper cute fabric, its like looking at cute craft fabric nirvana. I'm already addicted.

Another late night of agony, folks!

In the works

Not really, but its all in my head....the intentions, that is. So many things to make and so so little time....like this collection of patterns.

I feel a bit weird whenever I post a stack of fabric on this ere blog....because if you look back to all the past stacks I've shown, they don't exactly match up to the finished projects. I haven't shown you the disasters and there's a growing pile of half-baked ones sitting in a box next to me.

I also had to show you some lovely Karen Walker fabric that I got from Tessutti's (sorry, couldn't find a website). There's enough to make the "wendy" blouse on the top pattern above.

As usual, I've been hoarding supplies with the intention of making a half dozen or so projects. There's enough to keep me and this blog occupied for the rest of the year, I think.

And on the subject of blogs, while I love knowing about new updates to my fave blogs on Bloglines, it has a few shortcomings. I find that I tend to read them in the bloglines viewer frame, instead of in the actual context of the blog. So the overall visual effect that the author was going for is a little lost on the reader - me, especially if the photos have been layed out a certain way. Also, without the visual cue of the "comments" button at the bottom of the blog posts, I'm likely to just click on to the next blog. Once I noticed what was happening, I started opening separate browser windows....a lot slower, but I'm back to commenting again.

So, in the works is a blouse for me and some corduroy smocks for the bub....which I hope to start today....after I get off this machine.

Oh, okay then!

Holding pattern

I feel like I'm in limbo at the moment....more like in between large projects, the culmination of the monza quilt top and the next huge one, which is finding a job (blech!). So its going to be lots of small, quick projects for the next few months, nothing that will need my intense concentration, because I'll need to focus on the hunt. Although, I can probably fit in a small doll quilt in there or a small painting....or two. No deadline this time!

Anyway, here's my offering for today....my first self-designed stuffie. I have renewed admiration for the likes of Hilary and Jhoanna...their stuffed toys are so well designed and well proportioned.


The sizings are a bit off and the arm ends are too square, but I actually drew out the pattern for once, instead of winging it. And this was real fun to make, so to pass the time, I'll probably make a few more just to use up the wool stash, after I've adjusted the pattern, of course.

I also need to post about some recent mail goodness I received from Helene from a swap we did. I was only expecting the front three toile fabrics, but she also threw in the lovely printed silk and the nice blue furry braid trim.

Thanks so much, Helene, and I hope my package made it safely to you.

Okay, I'm off to post another swap package before I miss the deadline...yikes!

Edit: The geezer's comment on the stuffie was "Hmmm, not as cute as the other ones you made. I won't give that to any kids!"....and so ends my aspiring ambition to be a stuffed toy designer.

Coming up for air

Hello folks! My what a great invention blog breaks are! I salute whoever came up with that idea...where does it say anyway that one had to be religious about writing a blog? Consistent is good, but religious....nah.

And I got a lot done, even though I still found time to read up on my fave crafty blogs. I managed to finish the quilt top and backing two days ago. It is now in the queue for the long-arm machinist as we speak and hopefully, will be back for binding within eight weeks. That seems like a long time, but I think I need to not see it for a while or I'll just worry about the mistakes I made....like the squaring and the flattening. Anyway, I can't do anything about it now.

While I was in withdrawal over the absence of the quilt, I sewed up a cover for some moleskin cahiers that I had lying around. I'm one of those people who're forever writing notes and lists in little journals. My current one is soon to run out of pages and this is the replacement.

Also in the works is this baby smock I finished this afternoon. Its still a bit big on her and a tad too pink for me. Anyhow, its the first experiment in sewing small clothes. Geez, I thought the arm holes weren't going to fit on my sewing machine and I would've had to do hand stitching. A quick project is a good one for me.

I know now where to make the adjustments for the next smock, so I can start cutting into the more expensive fabric.

One last look and a better photo of the quilt top, I think, although that puckering on the top is causing me some minor palpitations...hmmm.

I can feel it, I can taste it

Yes, I'm almost there, folks! The last few blocks and the sashing left to do on the humungous quilt top....then I can go back to having a tidy sunroom, while it gets machine-quilted. I couldn't really attempt to do that job myself, not if I want to use the quilt this winter.

This will give me room to finally start all those other projects I've been putting off. Also, I already have this baby smock-to-be waiting in the wings.


I spotted the cute bias trim at Material Obsession today, while I was shopping for the sashing fabric. What can I say? It was begging to go home with me. I justified the purchase in my mind, thinking that I'll be using it right away for a version of this smock (from this book) for the bub. The things we do!

Time for some crafting frenzy over here, as I'm seriously eager to see the almost-end of the quilt. There's still the binding to do....gah!

I'm going to take a week's blog break......to focus and get into the zone. I'll see you all next week! I promise to show the crafty results!

Gratuitous cute

This is meant to be a craft blog! So what are photos of the bub plastered over here again? Well, for one thing I've been meaning to take a photo of this lovely hand knitted cardigan that my sister's boyfriend's mum (I'm sure there's an official word for this familial relationship) made when the bub was still a floating blob inside me.



I can't knit for nuts. My one and only attempt resulted in a rather wonky and fugly swatch of a scarf....a swarf? So, any hand knitted gifts coming our way are very, very appreciated. It definitely fits her now and just in time for the cooler weather.

Also, I must offer my apologies for the infrequent posts. I do mean to visit with a new crafty story at least four times a week, but I'm finding my hands full nowadays with general busyness over the still hobbling husband, the newly crawling bub and the keeping of the home. Fortunately, the geezer can now place some weight on the plaster casted ankle, so he's been able to do more of his own thing around the flat.

Craftwise has been of the boring sort lately. I had this old duvet cover that had seen me moving out of my parent's house through my twenties up until now. I didn't even notice that I've been carting around it with me through various residences in my mispent youth. Anyway, its made of the nicest cotton percale and very smooth, soft...I couldn't bear to put it in the rubbish. So I've cut it up and one side will make up the back of the monza quilt.

Bonus! The colour even compliments the Freshcut fabric on the front!

I've also been sewing up the hems of a few of the bub's trousers to be let out when she gets taller....like I said, boring. And I also unpicked these felt flowers from one of the said trousers. Why? Its easier to pair unembellished tan trousers with every single colour top in her wardrobe.

Oh yeah! I'm also reading this new acquisition. I received some Borders vouchers recently and they've been burning a hole in my wallet.

For a bit of fun, I added a circular piece of yellow felt, some french knots and attached one of the felt flowers to the base of a small baby-size clip. Ta da!............Hmmm, can't really see it from this angle. But, trust me. Its cute!

Lazy days

Yes, I've decided to have a lazy one....oh maybe some crafting later on, if I'm up to it. I just finished the mammoth task of moving all of my favourite craft blog links to Bloglines. They've become unwieldy, folks. There's too many of you talented people and I'm still adding more everyday. It was a great excuse to clean up all the inactive blog links even though my eyes are exhausted... and my finger's got mouse click RSI.

Even lunch was a bit indulgent...chocolate croissant and a cup of chai....yep, who needs a dessert course, when the sweets will do well as the mains?

Now I'll just settle in for some daytime teevee (blah!)....Dr Phil, anyone? Later, I'll dive into this stack of new mags. Funny how the magazine obsession just moves with each life phase, from Vogue & Lucky....to Cosmopolitan Pregnancy.....and now Domino & Martha Stewart Living. To think of all the fabric and art supplies I could've bought with the dosh I've forked out on magazines. Awww, the thought!

By forty

Any number ending with a zero or a five is a milestone age for me. Its always been that way....and having turned recently into one of those milestone numbers (35, if you must know), my mind is pondering on the next set of goal posts to direct my efforts.

I'm not talking about the annual resolutions at the beginning of the year....must cut down chocolate consumption or must jog around the block an extra five times....not those. I'm thinking more of the kind of goal-setting that I used to do when I was a young lass starting out. Fifteen years ago, I had plotted out a plan to have moved out of the family home, meet the man of my dreams, have a successful (by my standards) career and have married, each by a certain age but not necessarily in that order. You know what? I think I may have achieved them all, maybe not to how I initially envisaged, because real life does get in the way occasionally. For one thing, the original man of my dreams wasn't the one I eventually married. But the one I've willingly chained myself to is a hundred times better than the supposed "dream" guy.

This time around I'm making a list of everything I'd like to have achieved by the next milestone number...the dreaded four-oh. So for the next five years, this is the list I'll be going back to look at. Hopefully, blogger lasts that long!

• Be in a creative position professionally and still have fun doing it (this needs to be more specific, but I'll do that off the blog)
• Move out of this flat and into a house with a yard...so that the kids and animals can roam
• I mentioned "kids" plural, so yes I'd love another little tyke but not just yet. I'll need to work on the geezer lots to get this done
• Move to Brisbane and make new friends in a nice neighbourhood
• Settle in the house that we'll be living in for the rest of our lives
• Spend lots of time with the bub while she's growing up. These first five years are the formative ones, after all
• Slow down
• Go travelling overseas....either Europe again or North America
• Get back into sewing some of my own and the bub's clothes

That should do for a start!

As an aside, ever since I started crafting in earnest months ago whilst I was still pregnant, I've found a new appreciation for all things handmade. Independently crafted items hold more personality and seem to me much more infused with "life". So please meet May the Stumpy Bunny, a new present for the bub from Maritza's etsy shop. She's a more refreshing and charming addition next to the mass produced toys on the bub's shelf.

Geez, that was a serious post! Slap me next time.