[with love Heidi]

I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on the Tania culottes, I’ve been eyeing the pattern ever since they came out but I was so far out of the size range at the time that I didn’t even bother. Finally my waist is in the sizing, so it’s on my “thinking about” list.
I’ve just finished a lullaby jacket from fleece with matching footie pants from Ottobre. There are at least 6 babies due in the first six months of this year between my friends! I’ll be doing lots of baby sewing in the next few months to stock the present stash!

[Tamara]

Heidi I think the design is interesting and just by looking at the pattern, I am expecting them to sew up easily and fast. I will have to ask Imogen her thoughts on fit and ease of wear etc because they are for her. I will never fit into the size range possibly ever – possibly.

So one is cut out and the next is ready to be cut and both will be sewn assembly line style as I have other things to post and the parcel has to go by Thursday.

[thejennigirl]

Wish me luck. My oldest has the school’s 8th grade Renaissance Fair tomorrow, and I am scrambling to put together a Crusader costume. We made a quick run to WalMart last night, and scored some white flannel and red felt for a tunic, and his faux chain mail is being created with large gauge black tulle layered over a silver metallic costume fabric. I am currently drafting the “chain mail” shirt and hood patterns. It took a bit of convincing, but I finally got him to agree to reusing the faux leather belt and shin guards from his viking costume from this past fall’s viking festival.

[Tamara]

@the jennigirl, it sounds as though your children have lotsof opportunities to dress up for themed events – which is better than being stuck at home doing nothing😀 Good luck😀

I have finally gotten the chance to start sewing the culottes for Imogen, from the Megan Nielsen Tania culottes pattern. I am up to inserting the zippers and even though I am going very slow, they are rather fast and very straight forward to put together.

I also have the short jumpsuit waiting to be sewn up and three Briar t shirts.

And THEN I have turn around and make a pair of boardshorts for Noah has, even though the town pool is not functioning due to refurbishment, the school is still going ahead with swimming carnival practise in another town. So because this is happening Monday when I will be away from home, I have two days to get something sorted😳.

I think I need lady luck over here too😜

[Tamara]

@thejennigirl how did the costume go?

I have almost finished the culottes. i have had many interruptions and disruptions that have put the sewing on the back burner. I just have the waistband facings to stitch down and they’re done.

Imogen needs a new swimsuit and in a hurry, so I have downloaded some Jalie patterns pdf style and plan to make tge swim shorts and tank top, plus a rash top from a t shirt pattern so that she can join in the weekend activities at the pool and beach without having anymore unfortunate situations😱.
I have had swimwear lycra in the stash for quite a while but with little opportunity and time to actually sew them. Now is my chance.

So I hope to do a sewing spree and by tomorrow sometime I can send them to her.

[thejennigirl]

I should have updated with pictures, eh?

I didn’t have enough time to make and finish the chain mail shirt, but he claimed that the shirt would have been too uncomfortable and itchy after he wore the fitted chain mail hood all day. I am glad the weather was beautiful and unseasonably warm on Thursday for the fair itself, as there was no school on Friday, Saturday saw -18F temps, Sunday was only 6F for a high, Monday was a holiday, and we woke up Tuesday morning to 2 brand new feet of lake effect snow and canceled school.

Happily, he was quite pleased with his costume, and was very proud of the fact that his was not rented or purchased online. He claimed his to be more authentic. I’m happy if he’s happy, lol

[Tamara]

I can see where he gets the required authenticity label from – handmade in renaissance period and definitely not hired or bought online – unless if it was claimed from the property of another during a take over maybe?

Sometimes the time gets away from us and the ideas we have just have to be replaced with simpler versions.

I managed to make a rash top complete with shelf bra and swimshorts today. I consider this quite a triumphant moment as I have been wanting to make swimsuits for a while and have had the fabric there but just haven’t managed it. Until of course when your daughter’s house mother says she had a slight malfunction winth the current costume! Not to mention the adamance of applying sunscreen twice but still looking like a tomato by the end of the excursion.

Well, mum has saved the day, or shoukd I say weekend, on this one. I have a tankini top and another pair of swimshorts cut out and ready to sew. I will have no choice but to use contrasting thread on this one as they are a deep shade of red and I have no thread that is a complete match. So I am thinking just stick with the black and take your time this time to avoid any rush jobs – I admit I just sent a rush job to her! She might even have a few stray thread to snip off before wearing them. I made it with five minutes to spare before racing into to do a school pick up and a post of the parcel.

The cut out swimsuit can wait for a little while because it is now my turn! I know I have facings to sew down on the tania culottes but that is for a “sit in front of the telly watching the Friday night who dunnit”. I have a wrap dress I am dying to sew and then a Lisette shirt dress I really really want to sew. And if I can make these two things before I head back to Perth in a couple of weeks, I will be a very happy girl indeed!

[Nicole]

I have just finished two Liesl+Co Bento tees for my daughter, Zara (16).
One is in a very light knit which sewing the neck line nearly gave me a nervous breakdown (but turned out beautifully) and the other a weighty, draping cotton/modal.
Both look stunning paired with the two pairs of CityGym shorts I #queuejump sewed for her so she has something new for SurfCamp.

What have you finished sewing Lovely Peep’s? What is next?

[with love Heidi]

Those Bento tees sound lovely and perfect for surf camp.
I’ve been sewing lullaby layette pants and jackets. I’m up to 2 jackets and I’m on my third pair of pants. I think I’ll made a tea party playsuit next, as there are so many babies on the way!

[Masha Richart]

Looking forward to seeing the tees, Nicole.

I am halfway through a quilt (my first!) for a friend’s baby. I took a break to participate in Kids Clothes Week. I’ve made a peplum School Bus Tee and two sets of interlock pjs for my boys (using the Playtime Legging, Field Trip Tee and School Bus Tee patterns). I have a knit top cut out using the Library pattern but it is not going quite right. Thinking about buying the Mini Hudson pattern to make some new comfy pants for my son (who just potty trained in three days, yay for only one in diapers at our house!).

[Tamara]

This week I made a Library dress from Amy Butler love fabric (the one with the bouquets) in size 12-18 months for Chloë and a traveller dress to fit me in navy linen and used red thread to attach the buttons.

I have to finish three t shirts – Megan Neilsen Briar and a simplicity playsuit for my eldest.

The Bento tee is on the list to be lengthened into a dress.

[Tamara]

I botched a Briar t shirt today😕. Will have to try again. I have printed out the metro tee pattern (again) and will lengthen this to a dress and use it with the magenta knit with little sequins, in a bid to have something Taylor Swift would wear for a themed dinner on Wednesday night. This will be a size medium for the eldest girl.

I am currently sewing the simplicity playsuit in a colourful cotton from Spotlight.

And I have fingers and toes crossed of also sewing a zoo themed butterfly top to go with a red sailboat skirt I made last night.

There are other things but I might not have that many hours in today to make them.

[Tamara]

The sewing machines are coming on holiday with me! The playsuit was mucked up as I attached the front to the back pieces and totally forgot about the shoulder pieces! I think I threw the scraps out and I realised I didn’t cut all the facing pieces.

I am going to try and get some more of this print as the shorts side of the playsuit were all done.

I have some denim with little hearts on it that I was saving to make a Gallery dress for the eldest but I might see if it will fit this pattern onto it and make one from this fabric instead. Either that or just not make one?!

The little animal butterfly top is still in pieces as is the croquet dress.

BUT! I did manage to sew a t shirt dress. Not from the magenta sequined knit but from this beautiful printed scuba I had bought for myself before realising the stretch wasn’t enough for the pattern. I used the Metro tshirt pattern and lengthend it by 10.5 inches to hit above the knee of my 13 year old. It is very colourful and I think she will love it as she loves colourful clothing right now.

I love it when things come together the way one plans.

[lattemama]

I changed up a Metro tee to have a waterfall neckline last year and I have now made my second one (with a third in the pipe line as I’m still undecided on the colour of the second one).

I was super pleased with the first version of the waterfall neckline so I didn’t make any changes to it other than cutting a long sleeve but that was because I bought enough fabric this time to cut a long sleeve.

I have some cosplay sewing to do as well. (Cosplay = costume play) Sofia wants to be Mal from Disney Descendants for a convention I’m taking her to in May. Lots of zippers and studs involved in that. Wish me luck!

[with love Heidi]

That waterfall neckline sounds interesting, I would like to see it. I discover I like waterfall cardigans after making the Swoon one last year.
I’m finally adding elastic to the waists of 2 pairs of denim layette pants. I feel like I haven’t sewn much in the last week or so, hoping to get back to it this weekend.