Snapshot Sunday

Some sweet cherry dungarees on the way.

Rainbow Batik quilt- Finished!

Kids love it. I dont. 'nuff said about it I think.

I used a batik on the back too, its chocolate brown with orange/yellow sunflowers on it. The binding is also a batik in black. Its not really the right binding, but it was a batik that I would never use for anything else so I figured it may as well be used up on the Batik quilt.

I am not sure what it is I dont like about this quilt. I do like the design- so I *think* it might just be batik fabrics? I am not that confident with them. I have seen some stunning batik quilts, but the majority just dont do it for me. I would like to retry this quite design with a typical "mordern" collection of ecclectic prints on a white sashing. I think it would work really well. Maybe I will execute it next time I need to make a cot sized quilt.

Jazz Pants- Kwik Sew 3498

These a great little pattern for girls pants. The rise is nice and low, just how my girls like it, and the fit and look is just like the store bought ones. In addition they are SUPER quick to sew together. I took about 2.5 hours to make all 5 pairs, from cutting out to last seam. Some of the pants I stitched a turned up hem and some I treated with a rolled hem.

Rainbow batik update

I had to put this aside for a couple of weeks while I worked on some tin whistle orders. Last night, after I completed the 5 pairs of navy jazz pants, I finished off the quilting on this quilt by stitching free-hand flowers into the sashing and borders.

I sewed in all the thread ends while I watched the 80's classic "St Elmo's Fire". What a flashback- Mmmmmmm Judd Neilson! Sorry where was I? Binding! Binding next and then she is done.

Tin whistle Dec/Jan

Redondo skirts

Pinny with adjustable waistband

Shorts

(so you recognise these from Snapshot sunday 2 weeks ago?)

Pram liner for Silver cross Dazzle

Hangbag

Pram liner and stowable blanket

Ottobre for me

The latest Ottobre magazine turned up in my mailbox late last week and I was immediately drawn to some of the older girls patters. They are sized right up to children (teenager?) 170cm tall and because I happen to be a bit vertically challenged and I wondered if I could make them up for me.

This "double Dots" Jersey Tunic, Pattern 31 from Ottobre 1/2010. I made size 170cm and am 167cm tall myself, with a C to D cup in the bust.

I made 3 modifications:

(1) shortened the skirt by about 2 inches because I didnt quite have enough fabric.
(2) I added about 0.5 inch of length to the bodice before I attached the grey band. I did this just to give myself more room in the bust- I was worried that the band might sit right on my bust IYKWIM. Adding the length here also meant that I had to add the same amount to the upper sleeve (so the sleeve band would sit at the right height relative to the bodice band) and subract some length from the bell sleeve at the bottom (so the sleeve didnt end up too long). PHEW! It was a bit of fiddling and, ironically, I dont think any of that modification was necessary as there is plenty of booby room and the band sits well under my bust.
(3) After I had completed the outfit I felt the front neck opening sat too high. Its great for kids but I dont mind showing off a bit of cleavage ya know? So I took t-shirt of mine that had a scoop neck shape I liked and I used this to cut one into the Ottobre top. I then rebound it. (most of the pic's show the origional neck binding but I have included one with the lower scoop neck).

The fit is quite roomy, which I was surpised at, as I really do not have the figure of a svelte and toned teenager ;) If you are around 170 cm tall and not too large in the bust then I highly recomend making some of the ottobre girls wear for yourlself :)

Snap shot sunday

Elizabeth needs some navy blue "jazz pants" for school. I could go to Best and Less and buy them for $7 a pair, but I have 5 metres of navy jersy knit fabric so I should use it up right?

Snapshot Sunday

Oh goodness me! Two Snapshot Sunday posts in a row. That means I am not sewing enough! At least I have school holidays to blame.

I have spent the weekend building up some stock for Red Feathers. This is what I was working on right right before blogging. Boys shorts with Echino Cars in Blue.

And this was yesterdays effort; four Redondo skirts.

Snapshot Sunday

I am working on boys shorts- some are orders some to sell in the shop.

Little baby girl

Yesterday I just had an intense need to make something cute and small and preferably something ottobre. So I flicked through my mags untl inspiration took and then put together this little outfit for a friends baby girl.

Arent the little nappy pants just TO DIE FOR? Such a sweet garment and so so simple to make. These are from Ottobre 2/2005 and its pattern 1, Baby's ruffled panties. The pattern called for ruffles accross the bum, but I thought the velvety stretch velour didnt need any embellishment.

Here is some of the neck and back button detail in the little swing top. This pattern is from Ottobre 1/2009 and its pattern 7, "Kukkopilli" raglan sleeve tunic. This came together very easily and as a combo with the pants I think it makes a quick pressie that you can stash bust to complete.

Snapshot Sunday

This weekend I have made some nice progress on the rainbow batik quilt. I am doing some free motion quilting all over it- this is the largest quilt I have attempted to stipple and so far I think its working out pretty nicely. I am stippling in each of the rainbow blocks and for the sashing I am hoping to be brave enough to FMQ some daisies- but maybe in yellow so the mistakes dont stand out too much.

Overall I am happy with the shape of my stipple and the consistancy of stitch length. Or put it this way I think I am progessing nicely with this skill as its still anywhere from really good. The only thing I am kicking myself about is the little bits of brown bobbin thread peeping through onto the top of the quilt. I made the classic beginner mistake of using two different threadweights and colours for the top thread and the bobbin :blush: I wont be doing that again!

Other crafty goodness

Here are some other bits and pieces I have been making over the last few weeks.

I made some potholders/trivets/coasters as last minute Christmas gifts. I had lots of fun with these and just made them up on the fly with fabric scraps/wadding. I mainly wanted to practice fine FMQ so I purposefully pieced the blocks to create small and interesting spaces to quilt in.

This gift is a trivet and coaster set made from quilters cotton and natural homespun

Some little flowers in the yellow sashing

I dont think you can see but I did some tiny stipple on the white of the owl piece.

A friend has been having a heck of a time finding a good qulity chair bag (which her child is required to supply at her school) so she if I would make one. The ones supplies in the shops cost $30 each! and so far, my friend reports, they have all fallen apart very quickly. Of course, I couldnt just make a chair bag, I had to make a beautiful one with extra 'bits' designed to impress the owners classmates. LOL.

On the front of the chair bag I added a pocket with pen slots and a ruler holder.

There's probably a good WAHM business in this if someone one was so inclined.I think I used about $10 of fabric and maybe an hour of my time (and most of that was spent pondering the design) .

I may have blogged this already? Its a lazyday hat for my oldest girl Elizabeth. She picked the fabrics herself from my stash.

And finally! a lazyday hat for me.