Another Year Done and Dusted (nearly)

Wow - another year has just flown by! A busy one at that. Lots of things happened this year. In short:
- I decided to teach myself to spin, what a fantastic idea that was :) I love it!
- I completed my first work placement for my study that I started last year - loved it!
- Work placement led to work, only on a relief basis - but I love it! That was a big change as I hadn't worked in nearly 10 years since becoming a stay at home mum.
- I applied for a job (I wasn't successful - but wanted the experience of doing so), so I have managed to get together a decent CV now.
- We went on our first real family holiday. So much fun.

All the normal family things happened as well, and the kids kept growing and changing and surprising us. Our DS was accepted into the PEAC program for 2013 - very excited as it will hopefully give him more opportunities to interact with kids who think more like him and challenge him more, rather than not having peers who are at the same level as him.
Said child also gave reason for the very first trip to emergency - a fractured cheek bone from an incident with a baseball bat at school. Back for a follow up x-ray next month, but there is no reason to believe it isn't healing well.

So for the last line up of photos for this year, we will begin with the cut photos of the lovely soap from the last post.

Kids Christmas presents - Ottobre patterns. Shorts were the same pattern and sizes as last year. Ottobre 2/2005 #32 Safari Shorts in size 122 & 140. Tops were Ottobre 3/2012 #17 for DD, upsized to 128 and #35, size 146 for DS.

I finished the Clapo-Ktus shawl for my aunty - I think she might love it as much as I do. I spun the fiber some time back, and it striped beautifully while knitting - almost symmetrical :) (modeled on me, because my aunty didn't want to ;) )

Lots of soap all packaged up - including some soap bites :)

Some fiber spun especially for another aunty - a polwarth/silk blend (60/40) from Corgi Hill Farm. This was my first time spinning this fiber and it was just delightful to spin - I can't wait to see what is made from the yarn.

Lastly (I think), some pencil cases for friends - I embroidered their names on them (so they are blanked out) and the kids picked the designs for them. They are lined, but I forgot to take a picture of the inside.

So that is all the Christmas stuff, but last night I finished up some spinning - the last lot for the year. BFL in Newtons Rainbow by Corgi Hill Farm. Love it! It is roughly an 8ply/DK weight and about 320m.

I wonder what 2013 will hold?

Cheers!

One Week Ago

We had a birthday in our house. Now we have a 9 year old. Scary.

There was the compulsory new outfit. Both Ottobre patterns, but without looking I can't tell you which. I had forgotten how annoying it is to top-stitch on corduroy though. It was the only suitable fabric in my stash that had enough length for my growing boy, and it does look so nice on him. There is enough length in the hems that the pants should last a good two winters.

He chose the cake form my cake books - it was the spider one out of one of the Australian Women's Weekly books, but then he made some design changes, such as no big spider and lots of other bugs stuck in the web. He also thought the web was better grey rather than black (as in the book) as this way it looked more like a web. I am happy with simple :)

Cheers!

PJ Pants

boring, but necessary. Thankfully the flannelette designs are pretty funky! All from Spotlight - mine is last years stock, the kids are this years.

No, I didn't make them just now - these were made back in the middle of June. Except I hadn't taken a photo of mine, so this was taken today as they were having a swing on the washing line :) (except it has taken me a whole month to post this post, so it wasn't really taken today).

My pattern is Simplicity 3571 - I think I traced the seam allowances as 5/8" but only sewed these ones at 3/8" - it makes for nice roomy pants though.

The kids are Otto 4/2003 #34 in sizes 128 & 140. I didn't do the bias hem though, just made them a tad longer.

Styling of the kids pj's by them - flat pj people just in case you need help with your imagination ;)

Cheers!

Argh Me Hearties

I am very late in posting this project, but better late than never :)

In first term DD had a pirate dress up day at school. What a great reason to make her some new shorts and a t-shirt.

Both are from Ottobre. The shorts are Celine Knickerbockers #38 from 1/2008. Easy and straight forward apart from my mistake of putting the fly shield on the wrong side and making it so that the zip doesn't go all the way up. Whoops!

The top isTangerine #14 from 1/2011. I found this to be very short and lengthened it from a size 116 to 122. I would still prefer more length on it, but it is fine for a play top.

To make it a little more pirate-y I stenciled a girly skull onto the front of the top and added a pick ribbon - so cute!

Both projects were from the stash too - got to love that!

Cheers!

Super Dooper Quick Christmas Present Roundup

(coz I forgot to do it before now).

For the kids, they both received a mummy made outfit. Ottobre shorts for DS, with a Farbenmix Hilde t-shirt. Ottobre tee and Farbenmix Carolyn skirt/leggings combo for DD. All fabrics are from Crafty Mamas, also the ribbon embellishments.
EDIT: The Otto patterns are: shorts - 1/2004 #24 (I think they were pants, but I made them shorts, in a size 134).
DD's tee is 3/2010 #31 in a size 116 - I found it is on the small side, or intended for a very slim child.

They also asked for a set of beanbags - so I did 4 sets, so my nieces received a set each too. Except I was a little overzealous making these, I made the outer with velcro so they could be removed and washed - never, ever, again!! That was pure madness - though they will be easy to wash :)

For my younger cousins, and another young family member, I made covered journals. Super happy with these. The bigger ones are A4, and the smaller ones are A6. Embroidery designs are all from Huups.

A lanyard for a great Aunt. I was unsure of the colours in this before sewing it up - but it is just perfect for her.

And lastly, a Keyka Lou Half-Moon Bag in Meadowsweet fabrics. This was for my Aunty and she loved it! So do I :)

Cheers!

Ta-Da

Isn't this just so gorgeous? It is a set I made for a birthday girl who just turned one :)

 Complete with ruffles on the bottom!

Patterns are Ottobre 3/2008 #2 & #3.


Cheers!