[Nicole]

Poor you Sharon, feel better.

What a huge pain-in-the-bum Melanie! I do hope you can come up with something.

I stayed up far too late trying to get my cover-stitch machine to work (finally did) so I have finished four pieces of Elsa’ PE kit. I need to change the overlocker thread now and sew leggings and a hooded jacket (bleu).

Her excitement over a pair of grey knit shorts this morning was almost obscene.

[Tamara]

Funny what girls get excited about isn’t it? Glad you got the coverstitch machine to work. They really are handy to have. Mine probably feels rather neglected being in the cottage sewing nook on its own but it wasn’t in need for the diplomat and will hopefully be shifted in today.

This afternoon hopefully I will have most of the things in the new sewing studio AND I will have sewn that binding on the unfinished table quilt. We have been resorting to using tea towels to represent placemats as mine went walkies and the quilt is yet to be done. I know! It is time for a huge table top change up and that’s where the scraps come in.

[bren5kids]

Tea towels for placemats, Tamara? That’s more sophisticated than us; we eat on a bare table 🙂 I usually use a tablecloth if we are having guests, tho’.

I finished my nieces’ pajamas and uploaded a photo. I am dying to sew a Garden Party dress now but I probably should sew some minky blankets for a friend whose sewing machine just couldn’t handle minky. I will print out and tape together the pattern though when the baby is in bed tonight.

[Tamara]

Bren it is because the table is new. The outdoor table was used before but it had slats and gaps and I didn’t bother, thinking it would go back outside but it didn’t and the tiny rubber wood table we were given second hand was ruined in the weather. This is made from Tasmanian oak and is rather expensive so to keep it nice, I am insisting on a mat under plates and cups. I will make proper ones and use the thermal wadding you can buy so they can double as heat mats. The cork mats we have are old and shabby but will do for everyday. But I have heaps of scraps that would be perfect for things like that. I have been cutting the bigger pieces into squares – layer cake and charm pack sized so they are a bit easier to handle. That way the kids could use them to make their own placemats also.

Feeling a bit sluggish so after lunch I will have to force myself to go and do some major shifting of items if I am to stay on track and ready to sew by Saturday. The trouble is some of the furniture is too cumbersome to move solo so I will probably be forced to wait for hubby to get home to do them. I can still move books and fabric though.

[with love Heidi]

I’ve cut the first third of the Candy Castle peppermint swirl skirt. Now onto the second colour 🙂

[Tamara]

I had a look at that pattern yesterday Heidi. Its a rather cute skirt I think.

[with love Heidi]

I hope so, it’s looking good, and with minimal ironing. The pattern is really a dress but I’m planning on just making the skirt and adding a waistband 🙂

[Tamara]

I took my diary to wait with me at the bus stop yesterday. I often use the diary to write in days of when to sew etc just so that I can allow myself that time within the sometimes hectic schedule. I had written down some sewing for the kids! Blow that for a joke! I think after finding the latterns I had on the computer of the ones I had bought (the everyday skirt etc) I think I will have first dibs on something made in the new studio.

I am still thinking as to what though because the ladies patterns have been neglected for so long and I have lots. I even found a shirt pattern I would love to make because of the gorgeous pleats at the front.

First things first though. I just about died of shock walking into the cottage sewing nook yesterday – mess everywhere. It looked like the office furniture had been abducted and the mess left over! A sad and sorry result of sharing a room – which I am very happy to be the master of my own mess from now on (and btw it wasn’t ALL my mess). Anyway, the room is half furnished and today will be spent shifting the fabrics, tables and things up. I am not sure if we will do tge wardrobe as this will take some doing. So it looks like Sunday will be the first chance I get to sew.

[meleliza]

I cut off the bias binding of my sleeveless blouse and made a kind of casual collar for it. It looks nice, actually, but Now the armholes are pulling in too much and showing bra strap. This one just doesn’t want to get made! I would like to give up on it at this point and get to sewing her denim Sunday Brunch jacket, but I know if I put it aside now it will never get finished.

Tamara, I hope you get a rest from the unpacking. And a little sewing done.

[bren5kids]

I got a Garden Party dress cut out of City Weekend, the yellow with turquoise branches (why can’t all quilting cottons be as fine and silky as that stuff?) , my baby is napping and I am off to sew!

[with love Heidi]

I agree Meleliza on the need to finish sort out sewing problems rather than moving on! I will need to get back to my jacket 🙂 I finished my peppermint swirl skirt and it is lovely, http://www.flickr.com/photos/73669617@N07/13136336383/

Next up a big kids onsie for a birthday next week. Thankfully the pattern came yesterday and fleece is on sale at Spotlight 🙂

[Tamara]

What size are you making Bren?

I hope so too Melanie. I have unfortunately been informed that I am responsible for cleaning the cottage up also!! Not too happy about that prospect! It just means I will most likely be cleaning all next week also. I have piles and piles of books and magazines to sort out and I am seriously considering installing a kettle or something in the studio just so I don’t have to budge when I do start on the sewing part.

Because little boy blue is STILL at home today I won’t get everything I wanted to do done but it will be a lot more than yesterday’s effort.

Once the cutting table is in though I want to figure out how to get the printer to print one sided from the ipad so that I can print out some of those patterns to get started. And then it will be a matter of how to safely lay the multitudes of cables down underneath a mat as you guessed it, I got the room with just one powerpoint!

Fun and games but it still doesn’t stop me from being beyond myself with excitement.

[meleliza]

ooo, a kettle sounds like a good idea. That makes me want to get back to work on our basement, which will eventually become my studio. But there’s a stone wall that needed repair and it’s a slow process. Hubby has put on a bag of cement every weekend, but it needs to cure. I’ve been clearing out and selling off stuff and he is working on scraping and painting. Our house is 150 years old, so it’s not like the basement came from one of those McMansions all clean and studded out. Hopefully as the weather warms it will get easier to work down there.

I put the blouse aside. It was annoying me too much and I wanted to get on with something fun. I’m going to ditch my housework today and sew her jacket instead. Tomorrow one of Phil’s classmates is coming over for a sewing lesson. She’s a sweet girl (one of my models, actually) so I think it will be fun. I’ve already told hubby I plan to sew all weekend long. I haven’t been able to get baby clothes off my mind and have been digging through every remnant in my stash to see what may work for tiny clothes. Yet, I have no (serious) wish to have another baby. I just want to make tiny clothes.

[bren5kids]

Heidi, that skirt is beautiful! Did you get tired of sewing all those curves?

Tamara, I’m making a 7, the measurements are perfect for my smallish 8 year-old. I’m lengthening the skirt a little, and also added an inch or so of length to the sleeve then will gather it into a band instead of just hemming it.

Melanie, I love old houses! We live in a new house that we built, but if I had my druthers I would renovate an old house; they have so much character and history in their very bones! But my husband can’t stand the thought of pouring time and money into an old house when he could have new.

[Mama_Knowles]

You ladies sound so very busy! and thank you for the warm wishes.

Now my peach dress is not done nor will it be in the next two weeks, my stress test turned into a trip to the ER, an over night stay at the hospital and a heart catheter being done. On the bright side to all this I was told all my “heart” problems are really due to my thyroid so hopefully soon this will all be much better after next week’s surgery. Until then I will be drooling over all you ladies lovely sewing.