[Nicole]

Take lots and lots and lots of photos and don’t make them ”pose”,lollipops are a great idea. The big twirly ones would be a fab prop and if you freeze them first they will stay harder longer.

[meleliza]

I finished a Lisette blouse for myself last night and now I am taking that break hubby suggested. It’s a good idea anyway because after the huge sewing push for birthday and Halloween, I need to clean up and re assess my project queue. Also, it would be good to finally finally finally get the construction mess cleaned up and the furniture back into our family room from all the hallways and closets and bedrooms it’s been shoved into. Plus, there are some dust bunnies that I think might really start nibbling at our toes if I don’t clean this house.

And while I takes break, I can plan and shop. Hmmm, which pattern next? Class picnic. I want to try that in flannel. Has anyone tried ice cream dress in corduroy? Would that be cuddly as a winter layer or too bulky? Maybe another music box in cord instead.

[Tamara]

I have done the icecream dress as a top in corduroy and it turned out fine. The only thing is the nap is the other way at the back because it is a continuous piece. Other than that it works really well. If you didn’t like it that way you could always make a shoulder seam to make the nap uniform – up to you.

It’s tuning into be getting rather hot here so with us all returning to normal routine after a fortnight’s worth of semi chaos I guess you could call it, I’m hoping to assess this class picnic shorts pattern and see if I can lengthen the crotch a bit for miss 9. I made a pair and it looked like it needed that to happen but that was a few months ago now so I need to pay attention to that side of things again to make sure that is the ONLY thing I need to do.

I also want to make some sketchbook shorts for N as the pair I made that were too small turned out just lovely and he needs them. I’ll make some as dress shorts and see how we go and look to making some in black for school next year – it will keep the uniform cost at a minimum. I may even use elastic with buttonholes done in them so that we have no coin slot issues as we have done – just can’t seem to get the elastic right somehow.

Meleliza, I hear you with the dust bunnies. With a fortnight of being behind on the housework and barely keeping up with dishes and laundry, I had just Thursday to get everything sorted before my parents came for the dance concert last night (raving success but I’ll share more later). I think they can understand how much strain we’ve been under so they are staying to help because of course it was impossible to get all that done in one day while battling an angry defiant 6 year old plus the flu – not sure if this is such a good idea but …. I’m sure I’ll be able to get to iron something or cut something out tomorrow.

What I really really want to do is cut out t-shirts and short version Bedtime pj’s as the kids are just in dire need of both. That of course is along with doing the shorts. But the basket of things already to go is calling to me so have to regroup the thoughts as to what is more the priority.

I think I will ask Santa for a coverstitch machine this Christmas and have it as a combined birthday/ Christmas present. It would make things so much faster for knits.

[meleliza]

oh, good point about the nap. Thanks for pointing that out! Do you really save money making uniforms yourself? By uniform, do you really mean more of a dress code? We have definate uniforms, as my son is in Catholic school. Navy pants and white shirts are easy to come by from lots of stores, but I good quality navy twill fabric is hard to find. I spent a little more money on good quality ones so they would last for my next son. The right color plaid fabric for ties and the girls’ jumpers would be really difficult to come by, I think.

[Nicole]

I made a Ice Cream dress from cord and it was my most worn dress by far! http://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/4613637919/in/set-72157625139947517 I used a soft wider cord with absolutely no problem with nap.

I also made a wool version.

As it flares and has a nice roomy neck it is not bulky at all.

[meleliza]

Dint tell my hubby – I’m cheating! I just traced and cut out a picnic blouse in flannel while all the boys are out at soccer and baby is having a crazy long nap. Would have cut two but I realized the other piece of flannel hasn’t been washed yet. I may go cut a bonnet lining out of the scraps. Poor baby is wearing brothers hand me down winter coat, so she needs pretty hats and boots!

[Tamara]

My kids don’t go to a private school but they are required in order to retain good standing, to wear their uniform which is basically blacks skirt/shorts or skorts for summer and black trackpants for winter and gold polo shirts with the school logo on them aswell as the black and gold school jumper (sweater/ pullover whatever they are called elsewhere). I personally think trackpants, although they are comfortable for kids are more a sports uniform than for school so I made trousers this year for my two. I’m not able to do the shirts at all because they have the logo printed on them and school is fussy – there is no letting off with just wearing a gold t-shirt it has to be the right one.

The uniform shop can be expensive as they charge $20 per pair of shorts and $25 per pair of skorts and they don’t sell winter trousers at all. Winter gear is more expensive especially if they are selected for the sports teams for what we term as Country Week (a tournament between the country schools). Times that by five each and with my kids growing so fast, it just makes sense to use a pattern and fabric from home to make them. So far no one has batted and eyelid over them – only the fact that mr N has a bit of a coin slot issue (not bottom to hold them up). The crotch length is fine as I checked so I’m trying the sketchbook shorts to see if there will be a difference at all.

By handing in the old bought ones, I don’t get any $$ back for them, just helping other families out so I feel that for my family this is the best way to maintain the uniform for school and save a few $$ along the way.

Any spare moment you can squeeze from the have a break from sewing weekend sounds perfect to me. My visitors go home today and I’m hoping to catch up on bonding with the sewing buddies again.

The icecream dress will turn out great in corduroy. I’d love to do one in velveteen – that’ll be interesting. But I’m not going to run out and buy any more fabric because I’ve spent enough this month – just bought some fabric for the sleepover pj’s to go in the Christmas stocking.

[Sarvi]

Corduroy and velveteen sound delightful. I’m about half to two thirds through my first School Days (in Modern Workshop laminate, which is amazing) and simply love it. Can’t wait to make the next one.

[Tamara]

You know the old saying, “If you fall off the horse, you have to get back on”? well, I just got back on and finished the sewing part of the black floral music class skirt for miss 9. I had half a kid free day – meaning only one kid at home as the other was “harvesting with dad”(it’s a miracle after the proclamation of never being a farmer that was made last night). So miss 9 and I have been in the sewing area, me sewing and she brushing up on her reading and comprehension skills (we’ve got a lot of brushing up to do).

Last weekend I had sorted all the cut out things into piles according to colour so now all I have to do is grab a colour pile and off I go. Whites first I think then onto blues, pinks and reds. I’ll aim for one a day and see how I go.

[meleliza]

Clothes must be expensive in Oz. You can get the basic uniform components really cheaply if need be. I spend a little more to make sure they would last through my second, but also because the old fashioned uniform store carried nothing but polyester of the worst kind. I couldn’t stomach sending my kid to school in that, especially for the summer uniform. The saleslady actually looked down her nose at me when I asked for cotton. I bought the ties – because the plaid needs to be correct – got out of there and shopped the sales at Lands End. I got some parts from Osh Kosh and saved a few bucks. I did have to take the shirts and sweaters to the sports store to get them embroidered with the school name, but lots of people do this and they knew exactly what to do. Still, he needs a summer uniform, winter uniform and a gym one that I can only get at the school. However you slice it, it really adds up! If we were at public school where it’s more of a strict dress code, I’d be tempted to make some of it more interesting. Did you see what night knitter did for her daughter’s uniform? So fun. But we didn’t get a spot in any of the public schools, so like any good middle class family in the city, Catholic it is and we were lucky to get that!

[Tamara]

I think they are really enforcing the uniform in schools now. I’m not really familiar with your school system but over here we have the Catholic schools, Anglican schools, in some states there are Lutheran schools and other so called non denominational Christian schools aswell as other religious schools. We have those classified as the “private” school where fees can be large but I believe most of them give alot more to learn and many more opportunities. Then there is the public school or state school which is Government run. We are in this sector as being rural there is nothing else until High school where you really need to board away from home to get a decent education.

When I was at school (a state school), it was a dress code but now it is really enforced and if they don’t wear it they lose what’s known as good standing, meaning they aren’t allowed to go on excursions or camps with the class. There is so much placed on the parent to make sure the kids are doing the right thing that I can’t see the line where we get to swap and get the kids to take responsibility.

I did see what nightknitter did with her daughter’s uniforms and I thought that they were really interesting -I mean you need to interest the kid in actually wearing it. I can’t wait for the skorts pattern to be released – literally – so I’m going to experiment with the existing skirt patterns. Someone suggested to me at school that the music class skirt would make a great school skirt and I agree – as skorts!! I’ve sized the 2+2 skirt up as this to me is the traditional school skirt but I will make them skorts as miss 9 is growing very aware of her body and is becoming quite self conscious. I’ve made a note to add a splash of inconspicuous colour so that it is still uniform but fun to wear.

I’m planning mostly for the new school year as we only have four weeks until the summer break. In that time I have to fix my nephews (private school) shorts as they are just too big and he doesn’t like showing the jocks lol! I’ll have to do alterations on his uniform from now on but he is in his final year of school so it isn’t for long (they start year 12 at Grammar in the last term after their year 11 exams which I think is a brilliant idea).

So the sooner I get started the more organised I’ll feel about the whole thing.

Clothes can be expensive here but it does depend on where you go. Alot of our clothes are made in China and then imported back in and even though they have come up in recent years, the quality is still just not there. I have found the sizing system is much tighter than before and the price attached is well a bit out of control actually. There is really no need to hike the price up so high and I feel that some people are just a tiny bit greedy. Who wants to pay $25 for a pair of child’s swimming boardies? I’d rather make them for half! I like to shop online at a few places because the main store closes to me needs some competition – they are just over priced on everything! But I haven’t really bought much for the kids this year in the way of clothes as I’ve managed to have the time to make them. And while I’m on a roll, I figure well why not in terms of the uniform? It will give us a chance to blend in but be unique also.

No doubt I’ll be told what I can make by my 9 year old as she won’t wear actual skirts to school and the other girls where shorts or skorts so we will have to debate on what would be the ideal pattern to use I think.

[janimal]

Well, I had my son 14 days ago! I sewed things for his room, but I wasn’t that excited to make much boy stuff before, not with so many cute girl projects for my daughter on my to do list. But now that he is here, I really want to make things for him. I guess him being “real” and not a huge lump in my belly instead is inspiring!

Before I do that, I must finish the Popover Dresses I started with matching doll sized ones for my daughter for the Spring. Then I guess I need to look at what patterns I can use for my son. Good timing for the AMEX sale!

[Nicole]

CONGRATULATIONS!

I hope it all went well Jan.

You have to get the Sketch book pattern I have lost count of the times I have made it up!

I am sewing Sketchbook shorts in yellow drill and mermaid costumes.

I have cut out 6 Tea Party dresses to sew for gifts and Missy’s L&M.

I ordered some grey stretch poplin today to make another Traveller dress.

I STILL have not sewn up the school polo’s-I have been bad!

[Mama_Knowles]

Janimal, big congrats!!

We just found out Tuesday that we are expecting #5! No sewing for this one though until the end of January. Cross my fingures it will be another girl.

I am working on a Chirtmas Bubble dress reworked the skirt into a full skirt on it. Then I have a have whole bolt of brown cord just a waiting pants for the three boys!! I can’t wait untill I get to this. I will be making sandbox pants and sketch book pants for them. Yippy!!

[emstone]

I ordered fabric for Christmas dresses for my girls and will have to wait for it to come in before I can start on it. I am going to attempt the School Photo dress for the first time and I hope that I can get them done in time. Until the fabric shows up I plan on making a few class picnic tops in flannel for the winter. I have read about several ladies making them and want to try them out for my girls.