A new toy

I'm a basic kind of sewer.
(hmm, should that be sewing person rather than plumping poop pipe?!?!?!)
When a dressmaker friend mentioned a "gather foot" my jaw dropped. "Really?? Can you buy those ?? What, no two rows of big stitches and mind numbing fiddling as you pull the gathers and space them out ?????"
I did the happy dance - how cool! And this is it.
It does look a little Steam Punk but eventually (after fiddling, screwing, unscrewing, swearing, breaking a needle and swearing some more) it fits and works! One skirt for the eldest girl hot off the press (Yep, that is an elastic waist - what can I say, I'm lazy).

And she refused to model it as she had more pressing things to do ... apparently. Hmm I wonder if she'll wear it ????

And a little story to share... I introduced a very clever girlfriend (who sews like a dream) to Amitie during the week. Whilst we were dawdling around oohing and aahing and making plans for many bolts of fabric, her husband called. She told him she was with me in a fabric shop. He scoffed and said "phew! better a fabric shop than a shoe shop." Ha! He has no idea!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

Jenny

Quilt number 4 - done

All finished and waiting to be delivered to the most scrumptious little nephew.

I popped into Amitie on Thursday intending to buy plain blue for the binding but Jenny convinced me to try something else. After pulling out a couple she found the blue checks and I looked at her in disbelief. She folded it over on the bias and "bingo!" it was perfect. I nearly fainted when she said suggested doing the binding on the bias but it was so simple (with her tips) and really effective. - Thanks Jenny & Judy, you're awesome!

And because it was a Thursday at Amitie, this clever cookie just happened to be there teaching a class.
And I haven't shared with you that I was lucky enough to win a giveaway of some lovely fabric from this lovely lady the other week. Check it out here. Thanks Andi - you are also in the awesome chick category!

Now what will I do for number 5 ???

(I finished it 2 days ago and am a bit lost without one to play with - is this the begining of a quilting addiction .......)

The not so naughty skirt

It is out of the naughty corner and finished.

But...

you know when you first hold the bolt of fabric in your hand and get the image in your head (and inside your head you're jumping around going "this is just fabulous darrrling!", "yes, it will be stunning, amazing, divine, sophisticated yet practical, the beginning of the new you!")-or maybe that's just me?

and you make it and,

hmmmm,

it is OK, nice, fine but just not quite as "fabulous darrrling" as you had anticipated ....

(And yes, its Melbourne so there is a lot of black - this is my attempt at introducing colour into my wardrobe!)

Aaaaah ... and the routine returned

Today is Tuesday

Today two kids are at school and one is at a long kinder session.

Today I am going to:

• enjoy a quiet cuppa


• listen to any music I want to


• eat chocolate covered raspberries that the lovely Mr delivered from a Sydney trip last night (must leave some for the him & the kids, must leave some for him and the kids, must leave...)


• pull out the naughty skirt and try to make it fit me


• try to work through the pile of half done sewing things that is growing in the cupboard (so I don't feel guilty about starting something else)


• probably dance and jump around like a looney because of the sugar rush ... or maybe just because I can.
  

Aaah ....

My budding florist...

Ok, it is school holidays.

For reasons that I won't bore you with we've spent most of it housebound (think hospitals and a spot of internal renovations of the secret lady bits - all good now, thanks for asking).

So, I admit I had to push the kids outside away from TV, etc (and yes, it did cross my mind that I could lock the door after them .....).

There was MUCH whinging and complaining (which was muffled by the glass - I was inside!)

Then, after some outside pottering and playing, my lovely biggest girl presented this beautiful masterpiece and announced that she wanted to post it to her Nan (who is now at home in country Victoria recovering from her big, get rid of that bloody, crappy, cancer stuff operation) to make sure she's feeling better.

Aaawww. Kids, gotta love em!

It's a jungle in here...

Child - "For my animal party I'm going to be a leopard!"
Mother - "But we don't have a leopard costume - how about one of the dress-ups we do have?"
Child - "No, I think I'll be a leopard. You can just make one."
Silence as kid smiles and walks off, Mother rolls eyes and proceeds to contemplate design options in head - secretly loving it! And the kid knows it.......

Little animals also need a jungle to walk through (made with some skills learnt at the machine quilting course that I did at Amitie recently -AMAZING! LOVED IT! Really not very good at it! I have so much to learn!)

15 other little animal friends came to share and were the most delightful group of 4 & 5 year olds ever.

Lots of smiles, games, cake and lollies (and Mum & Dad needing a nanna nap afterwards!)