[meleliza]

Ha! No running out of room here. After baby 3#, I splurged on really lovely – and large – Pottery Barn baskets. They have sweet Peter Rabbit liners, so no worries about getting sick of them, with the kids’ names embroidered. And most importantly, plenty of room for goodies!

They get a small chocolate bunny, a little buttercream egg, some of the good pectin jelly beans from a favorite family chocolitier in business over 100 years in a tiny shop in Old City. I round it off with some little craft projects, small toys and always a classic book. Oh, and a few Peeps. It’s not an Easter Basket without Peeps. With any luck, the Easter Bunny picked up some extra for mom. 🙂

I just started cutting a 2+2 blouse in some old Lisette lawn. I think I’ll make small pile of sure fire things before I dive into anything else for me. I probably won’t get any time for it tomorrow with all the Easter stuff, but maybe on Monday if hubby takes the day off.

Here’s wishing you all a little something nice in your baskets too!

[with love Heidi]

Yes Meleiza dump would probably be the word. And I’ve never seen the tip shops anywhere but where I live now, but they are a bit institution here. Maybe its all the greenies! I got the small floral fabric I used as the bodice in my latest Tea Party dress from there a while ago. Although it sounds like they might be back in WA now Justsewit?

[Tamara]

Oh Tassie and the Greenies! I’m somewhat grumbling under my breath when I say that in light of recent news regarding animal rights groups and drones! They aren’t all over the top however and I do admire the spunk and lengths people go to turn someone else’s trash into treasure, something of which I still haven’t got the hang of and me being amongst the folk who save things because “ya never know”. Some farm folk are a thrifty lot – mil used to go down to our tip (because we certainly don’t cart our rubbish into town via a dump truck) and rummage through to rescue her chinese containers or icecream containers after one of my sils did a clean out – I was never game!

As far as the tip shop is concerned though, I have heard of them even though the one in town is a DIY service – nicknamed the local Kmart! I do believe there is one in Perth but not sure. We have the roadside pick ups and people go along and pick up all sorts of nicknacks from peoples’ verges, but not me as we’d need a trailer every time we went to the city and the car doesn’t have a tow hitch.

In terms of sewing today, well, with the dog barking like mad all night long I have had no intention of doing any actual sewing but I have been endeavouring to cut things out. Unfortunately, I think I picked up a bug that had me running to the… you know, we won’t go into that. But I did manage to make a list of all the things I aspire to make. And boy is it extensive!

I was also trying to locate two issues of Ottobre design that I possess – found one and the other is still AWOL and that I am sure has a great boy’s jacket pattern in it that I am dying to make N for winter – think you could class it as a pea coat but whatever it is so cool and the model looks a bit like him!

Tomorrow hopefully I will get busy cutting, after a very peaceful night’s sleep!

[Tamara]

So I now have three long sleeved sketchbook shirts size 10 cut out and am plucking up the courage to cut a third from rather gorgeous seahorse fabric and team it with grey trousers. Then I may have time to do three pairs of trousers (including the grey ones) by the time the roast is… Well roasted.

Been watching Downtown Abbey reruns and am now wrestling with visions of long sleeved Croquet peplum tops in white and pink striped cotton! Just might ya know!

[Robin]

Tamara, I think the seahorse shirt is going to be fantastic. The colours are very masculine and the print is unusual. What a great break from stripes, checks and solids. Encourage this self expression while you can. (This coming from the woman whose husband only wears blue dress shirts with the occasional stripe thrown in.)

[Sarvi]

I went on a Japanese book jag for a bit but now I am very eager to get back to my unfinished roller skate and messenger bags. I think I am due for another round of Music Class blouses, next — I’m really eager to make a project where somebody else has already figured everything out for me and I know everything will fit perfectly, with a gorgeous finish 🙂

[Tamara]

Thanks Robin, my son is only 7 yet doesn’t stray from blue but will accept a print like the shirt I made him for Easter was his choice. He likes the seahorses and I did purchase it with him in mind because I love the way the print looks somewhat inconspicuous. I actually thought it looked unisex – i have some left over and thought of making a skirt or using it to part line my daughters blazer when I get to it.

I ended up cutting five sketchbook shirts yesterday, two solid blue, one seahorse, one pindot and one Parson Gray which I also believe is a very masculine print and using black which again isn’t something I do for my blonde headed boy. They are all chosen by him so, trusting the judgement, I am confident they will all by fun shirts to make and see worn.

Today I plan to cut out three more pairs of Field Trip pants in a size 10 and if I have the energy, will move on to a couple of field trip t shirts and will run the trench coat pattern by him also for approval. That will make about 11 items to work on but they are needed as even though the weather is still in the mid 30’s, we will be having cooler weather before you know it and I for once want to be prepared. I will spend the rest of the week up until Saturday working on as many items as I can before working on cutting out things for the girl.

Sarvi, such a good experience to go out on a limb and then go ack to what you know really works. I have a few Japanese books but never used the, because I don’t have a clue as to what they are saying and it was pre Ottobre design magazine with the minus the seam allowance thing. I think I made one top and that was it. but they are fun to step outside the square with, especially when one doesn’t speak the lingo.

[Nicole]

I just have the hand sewing and button holes to do on Zara’a blazer-yippee!

Next up is a rugger and trackies for Jed.

I am cutting out the Lisette Souvenir blouse out of B&W gingham and some Portfolio trousers in a super stretchy linen/lycra for me!

I am trying to decide the next item for Tilly,will it be a red gingham 2+2 blouse or a red spotty Book Report dress. Something for kindy either way.

Tamara,you have so much cut out,you must get sewing or your little man will grow!

(I have been there and blogged it,in verse no less)!

[meleliza]

Gingham will be perfect! I just saw some nice gingham at the fabric shop yesterday, but I’ve now got the attaché ready to trace and cut today – in Liberty! I found some china silk I liked for the lining. I just have to figure out how I’m going to finish all those princess seams. Today is the last day of Easter break, so I suppose I’ll have to get ready for school, bleh. I cut a 2+2 blouse for Catherine too and another blouse for her. And I have plans for a Nani Iro sundress for myself. Yikes, my sewing eyes may be bigger than my stomach.

[Tamara]

Precisely why I cut multiple shirts and pants, so that he can have clothes that fit, but he has already gone through a growth phase, hence the real need to do size 10’s. His winter school pants look more three quarter length on him this year so the need is a great one.

The pants will take a little longer to do but the shirts are now really quick so I am confident the pile can be sewn in a week. That is with a minimum of four hours of sewing everyday.

[Sarvi]

Ha! I know what you mean, Meleliza — I think I have more projects cut than I can actually finish any time in the near future. BUt all that sewing sounds lovely. What’s the sundress pattern?

Nicole is so right, that has actually happened to me before, the kid outgrowing clothes it took me too long to finish!

[Sarvi]

Ha! I know what you mean, Meleliza — I think I have more projects cut than I can actually finish any time in the near future. BUt all that sewing sounds lovely. What’s the sundress pattern?

Nicole is so right, that has actually happened to me before, the kid outgrowing clothes it took me too long to finish!

[Nicole]

I used to pre-cut a lot of things but found I was forgetting it or by the time I got to it it I wanted to sew something else!

Except for school uniforms,I still bulk cut and sew those(yawn).

Very excited to see your Attache dress Melanie. My friend from Sweden sent me that pattern.

PS I love that you call your Catherine ‘Kitty’. Very ‘Jane Austin’,thats where I got Lidia from.

[meleliza]

Yes, I think that’s where I got it from, though she’s actually Catherine from Wuthering Heights, which was my very favorite book as a child. Plus, many of my favorite Shakespeare plays were full of Kates.

The sundress is S2703. I have a really surprising pretty spring dress gap in my wardrobe. I’d like to make a little bolero jacket to wear with it. I cut most of the attaché and lining today and tried out that hairline seam finish on the scraps. It works really well over even the steep bust curve.

[Maggie]

I was given a curtain that I am turning into a school days coat. Today I struggled with snaps. I bought a couple handbag snaps, but they are too bulky. So I drove over to another fabric store. They stock the sew-in snaps I want, but only had one left. ARGG!

I bought the one. I guess I don’t need them until the coat is done. My free fabric is not making for an easy coat after all.