[jay_1965vw]

Thanks Tamara, I think will go with the kit!

[jay_1965vw]

@justsewit No, she’s just on 9 weeks, but she’s BIG! She’s just under the 97th percentile, and projecting her growth on the graph in her MACH book, she’ll be 19lb by September (the patterns mostly seem to measure in pounds, so that’s how I worked it out).
The Tiffany gown pattern looks gorgeous, but it only goes up to 6 month size (by Primrose Lane).
Chadwick Heirlooms has some lovely things!
I’m trying to find out if that kit I linked to is pre-cut or not. If not, I could just add a little to the side seams and sleeves (supposed to fit up to 18lb).

@motherof5 I think I will go with Batiste, but I’ll most likely do a long one with lace. The one above was supposed to be unisex, this one I can go a bit crazy!

[jay_1965vw]

Wow @justsewit, that’s a lot of info for me to take in! Thank you!

@Reeni Yes, it will be Spring, but Brisbane will be quite warm already (one year we visited in August, and I didn’t take any short sleeve clothes… Silly me had to go shopping!)

I’ve been looking too – wondering about this kit http://www.oldfashionedbaby.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=159 as it is lacy without being TOO lacy, and being a kit, cuts down on the thinking I have to do 😀
I don’t want to tackle smocking (too many years since I’ve done any, and I don’t have a pleater, so it’s hard work!).
I think I can manage most other heirloom stuff with a bit of concentration and time.

[jay_1965vw]

Our big news is that we will be returning to Canberra in January next year. It will be cutting our US posting short by one year, but we’re ok with that. Being here is affecting DHs career detrimentally, as he is out of his category (not doing the specific job he is trained for).
We’ve started checking out the housing market in the ACT. It is likely that we will be there for quite a few years, so we’re planning to buy.

Exciting to know I’ll be getting back to where I have lots of friends and a big support network!!

[jay_1965vw]

You are all being so productive, wow!
I made a flower last night for Audrey to take to school for Teacher Appreciation Day. They asked for each student to bring one flower and they are making ‘eclectic bunches’. Looked like most kids brought real flowers even though they suggested real or paper or…
I thought it was easier to make one than try to find/buy a real one!

[jay_1965vw]

That’s so exciting, Nicole! I’d love to see photos too 🙂

[jay_1965vw]

@motherof5 that’s a great idea!

@eboyd83 there’s a lot of discussion about adding length to the tops of shorts in the sailboat forum. Here’s a link that could help http://oliverands.com/community/forums/topic/instructions-to-lengthen-rise

[jay_1965vw]

Thanks @dubhels2003 and @motherof5!

Can I add my dislike of sewing curtains too… We needed to blackout the curtains in the girls room last week as the light was keeping them both awake when it was bedtime. We bought some blackout lining and I just folded over the excess and clipped them onto the hooks with the curtains. No hems at all! Maybe sometime I’ll hem them properly… or leave it that way for the next tenant!!
It is making bedtime much easier though 🙂

[jay_1965vw]

The most difficult (and most expensive, and most time consuming!) thing I’ve ever sewn was my wedding dress.
Slippery silk satin and lace that I took a lot of beads off and rebeaded the edges so it had a scalloped beaded edge all down the front.
I wanted it to be a thirties style bias cut, but discovered that bias cut doesn’t work well if your hips are bigger than your bust, so completely redesigned the pattern (fortunately I had enlisted the help of another pattern maker to help me do fittings!).
Oh, and hours of hand work on silk during summer without air-conditioning was another world of challenges!

What I want to work on next… will just have to wait until Dot is a bit bigger 🙂

[jay_1965vw]

Thanks @justsewit I remembered once you wrote that – She was exactly 1kg heavier than Audrey! I’m glad I didn’t know how heavy she was before I gave birth!!

11lb 3oz…. Eeeek!

[jay_1965vw]

@lightningmcstitch you crack me up! That’s hilarious.

Having just had a baby in the US, I’m totally in pounds right now (8lb 10 1/2oz). I just know she was waaaay heavier than the other tow (2925gm and 3125gm). I can’tr remember what Dot is in gm, and no-one here understands, so there seems little point!

[jay_1965vw]

Hehehe
She was born at the Birth Centre (not part of a hospital, I’ve heard too many scary stories about US Obstetricians!). I was able to walk there!

All good, we were home within 5 hours. Settling in to life with three kids is going quite well!
Dorothy only wakes up once or twice to feed overnight. We are very lucky 🙂

[jay_1965vw]

Hello!
I’m back… well at least stopping by to say hi 🙂

When I went back to Australia for 5 weeks last year I got behind on reading, and I just never managed to catch up…

My big news – baby Dorothy Narelle arrived on March 14th! I haven’t managed to do any sewing yet, just a little knitting so far.
Apologies, I can’t read the news for the last 12 months, so I’ll just have to catch up with everyone as I go!

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[jay_1965vw]

This is where we used to get notchers (and most other pattern making supplies) when I worked in the industry. http://mrecht.com.au/haberdashery/design-and-pattern-room-accessories/pattern-notchers/pattern-notcher/

I don’t own any personally, but they were very useful when making patterns in card.

[jay_1965vw]

Hahahaha Problem solved.
Could have been catastrophic but wasn’t 🙂

(ok, now I have the “We solved the problem” song from Peg + Cat going around my head…)