[Sarvi]

Roundtheworldgirl, I love that your kid considers mama-mades a desirable reward! Lucky her and lucky you 🙂 I think mine just doesn’t understand that clothes are something you can buy, rather than make, especially since I don’t take her with me if I buy underwear or jeans or what have you.

[Masha Richart]

It is a recent development, Sarvi 🙂 I haven’t really bought her many clothes in about a year so most of her wardrobe is sewn and she is starting to associate my sewing with new clothes for her. She has recently begun to enjoy choosing fabrics out of my stash. I think it helps that she goes to school and sees all the different things everyone wears – it is inspiring her to try new things (pants!) and colors (not pink or purple!).

[Mama_Knowles]

How clever of you Roundtheworldgirl! I’ll have to try the sticker chart for all my kids, it just might work with them too.

Sarah’s costume is all done but the bloomer/petticoat. they should be a quick sew but I want to add ribbon to them so I must go to the store first. I have started cutting out Sarah’s coat as well but Caspian really needs mittens and I only have pink small ones from his older sister. I am making black ones to go with his costume and they should match his coat fairly well. I will have to make Sarah and Garrett mittens too. I love winter sewing! : )

[Tamara]

I did a bit more work on the quilt top for Noah today. All pieces a sewn together into strips and now I just have to sew the strips together before waiting on some more striped fabric for the border. I might have the time to cut and sew a skirt for me tomorrow after I have finished piecing the quilt top. If not I will do this Friday instead and then start on the quilt top for Imogen. Then I want to get one with some more garment sewing.

[Mama_Knowles]

I do love your quilts Tamara, I bought two quilt kits for Wyatt and Garrett and three charm packs for a broken nine patch for Sarah. I hope to get to them soon.

[with love Heidi]

I am about half way through the music class nighty, it is rather cute and I think the look my friend was wanting. I have one more sleeve to add, then I well do a coloured, probably purple, rolled hem on the bottom of the sleeves and the ruffles.

[meleliza]

Well. I just had the final fitting for my client/friends witch costume. She is thrilled with it and so am I. My husband got to see it too and he says the fit is just perfect. It’s a nice feeling to send someone home with a special dress they’re so happy with. The party is Friday night and I am really excited to hear about how the dress does.

Meanwhile, I also finished the smocking for K’s birthday dress. I had to get a glass of wine before I had the guts to pull out the pleating threads, as this is my very first smocked garment. I still have to attach the bias neck, hem the sleeves and dress before Friday, but I don’t think that will be a problem.

All the while, I’m thinking about the everyday skirt and the cape and searching for just the right fabric.

[Tamara]

Sharon kits and pre cuts are certainly the way to go these days for quilts for kids. The simpler the pattern the better – oh and always always follow the kit instructions. I made a bad mistake when I was trying to make a baby quilt for my kids’ preprimary teacher as part of her baby basket and mucked the whole thing up! I don’t think they included the right fabric amount anyway so I am hoping your kits turn out really well.

I bought yardage for these two but the pattern I am using says for fat quarters – saving my Scrumptious fat quarter bundle for that Swoon quilt which will probably be a summer project.

The way she says to cut all those squares though is a bit of a waste of fabric because you have to cut them in half then sew them to the next block. They way I am constructing the quilt would be similar to how you would do a bargello – sew all the different squares into a strip and then sew the strips together. It is far more efficient in terms of fabric usage and you have a seamless effect – which makes sense seeing as I am using stripes not plain white.

I hope to get the top completed today and then possibly make a skirt for me – I had a loss on the scales and I need to celebrate!

But for now though I have to go outside and console a fretting lamb and remind him he is now weaned!

Heidi the nightie sounds lovely. I can’t wait to see the pictures – when the internet speeds up again.

[with love Heidi]

The smocked dress sounds lovely. Are you making Liesl’s new skirt or a different one Tamara?

[Tamara]

Probably one of the lisette ones Heidi. I haven’t really decided because I have only just finished piecing the quilt top. So now that that is pressed and ready for the border I can get on with choices.

Whatever the pattern though it has to be altered in some way shape or form. And speaking of forms, manufacturers need to realise we are not all petite and work out some way to raise the height and adjust the body lengths on the dressmakers’ forms. I am long in the body so my waist sits lower than the average waist and I am also long from waist to hip which doesn’t help when making trousers.

It will be a simple skirt in pink drill or denim if I have enough and I want to make a blouse also but may not get the chance today.

I only have today and Friday to sew this week as tomorrow we are going to see a demo of this new compost turner we saw at expo last month so the chances of a finished outfit aren’t great before the end of the week. Still I am looking forward to some selfish sewing.

Smocking on little girls is so precious. Totally missed this part of your post Mel. I hope it turns put a real treat which I’m sure it will. Can’t wait to see.

[Nicole]

Finished another Weekend Getaway blouse, love it!

AND I finished Hugo’s jeans just in time. I decided against the Liberty and cut him a shirt from a dark charcoal stretch poplin but that will be a bit late.

I hope you do get to sew for yourself Tamara.

[Tamara]

I can’t wait to see Nicole – once I get the sim card working in the ipad as internet connection is ridiculous!

Sharon I saw little Prince C in his coat having what seems a most enjoyable time with leaves! He is such an adorable boy. Does he have a lucky gap in his front teeth or am I seeing things?

I didn’t get to sew for me yesterday but will definitely tomorrow as I inspected the wardrobe yesterday and I am in dire need. Everything is either too big or too small so I have to sew something. I’ll do the market skirt first I think and then see if I can’t alter the shorts pattern or something. It is also going to be temps in the forties next week so that is another great excuse. It would be good to work out a way to sew the pattern and take it in as I shrink but I think the shorts would be a bit difficult to do that way. Yet another good excuse to sew for myself.

Going to visit a sick friend – fifo worker with a dicky ticker and drop off another ten dozen or so eggs to another bloke who on sells them. So no sewing for me today.

[with love Heidi]

I have just finished my music class nightgown. Probably back to finishing the quilting, then to decide what next!

[Tamara]

What a triumph Heidi! I noticed the pic as I was loading the home page. It’s truly gorgeous and I will tell you so on the pic itself once my internet speed increases.

We are home with a half hour to spare before collecting kids off the bus so it might be just enough time to sort out the skirt pattern.

[Masha Richart]

The nightgown is gorgeous, Heidi! Tamara, enjoy the self-sewing. I’ve been doing it a bit lately and it is addicting!

Yesterday I sewed myself a knit top based on a top I already owned. It came out reasonably well and I now know what to do to adust the pattern for my second go. Oldest girl earned her 10th sticker yesterday, so last night I sewed sequins on mermaid tops while watching TV with the husband. I have a bit of hand-sewing to do and both at-home kids are napping currently so I think I will get on with that. I promised the tops would be done by tomorrow evening …