Cheers!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Jalie Love
Well I have experienced the Jalie love. And I can see why they are raved about. I used the 2788 Twist Top. The fabric was a remnant I found at Spotlight - I am not sure of the blend, it is nice and stretchy though, and feels lovely on. Having never sewn a top like this before, the front piece did have me a little apprehensive at first. I made the back piece as one - I couldn't see the point of cutting two and having a back seam. I also left off the back neckline tie - I think it would have annoyed me too much! My only other alteration (other than not having enough fabric for 3/4 length sleeves), was to lengthen to the longest length and merge out from the V size line to W at the hips.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Book Week Sharing
Whilst I wrote the last post, I remembered that I hadn't posted about DS being a finalist in our local council book week poster competition. All the kids in the school entered a poster into the competition, as did all the other kids in all the other schools in our local council (I never realised we had so many schools! lol) Then they judged them etc, etc, and DS got a letter inviting him to a presentation as he had been chosen as a finalist in his year group. Very exciting.
We went along to the presentation, and DS got called up, so he went out to the front by himself and stood on the stage and accepted his prize and a certificate. I was so proud of him, as he really doesn't like things out of routine, or being centre of attention with people he doesn't know. After he was allowed to sit back down, he didn't even open the wrapping of his prize - he waited until he got home - aww!
Although he didn't win his age group, it was a great honour for him to go up, as he was the only student from his school chosen as a finalist. They even made a big fuss of him at the school assembly (we have a lovely little school with less than 300 kids from kindy to year 7).
Cheers!
We went along to the presentation, and DS got called up, so he went out to the front by himself and stood on the stage and accepted his prize and a certificate. I was so proud of him, as he really doesn't like things out of routine, or being centre of attention with people he doesn't know. After he was allowed to sit back down, he didn't even open the wrapping of his prize - he waited until he got home - aww!
Although he didn't win his age group, it was a great honour for him to go up, as he was the only student from his school chosen as a finalist. They even made a big fuss of him at the school assembly (we have a lovely little school with less than 300 kids from kindy to year 7).
Cheers!
Be Careful Mr Bump....
here comes the wolf!
Well ok, a slight exaggeration. Two weeks ago was DS's class assembly at school. Being book week, they needed to come dressed as their favourite book character. So I asked DS who he wanted to dress up as. "Mr Happy" was the reply. Well, if you know your Mr Men characters, then you will know he is round and yellow. Hmm....the yellow I can do....but no idea on how to create the round. So I asked DS to chose another - this time it was Mr Bump. That I could do. So I set off to the shops in order to purchase blue track pants, and a blue long sleeve top, as it is still quite wintery here. Oops - thats right, the shops are stocking their summer stuff now. Grrrrrrr!! Not a decent pair of pants or a plain blue top to be found.
So that meant I HAD to go to Spotlight. Luckily blue fleece and cotton knit were easily found. Patterns were from Ottobre - I took the pockets from one pair of pants and used them on the smaller sized pattern (Otto 3/2004 #20 for the pants and the pockets from #31 - same issue). The top is the same pattern as the black spider tee, I just made it long sleeved (Otto 3/2008 #29). At least bandages aren't seasonal.
Mr Bump was embroidered onto the front of the top (and I am still amazed by how many kids don't know who Mr Bump is!) He had a ball, and best of all, the clothes are wearable as everyday clothes. And the pants are long enough that I can let them down for next year :)
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Well not me! Mainly because it isn't scary - just really cool. I wanted a new jacket for DS, as he has pretty much grown out of the previous two I have made him. So when the latest kids Ottobre (4/2009) arrived I traced #40 out straight away. Even though it was a size bigger than he takes. Ah well, he'll grow!
I managed to get two remnants of polar fleece at Spotlight, for $2 each, and there is possibly even enough left to make another jacket with the colouring reversed. Makes a pretty cheap jacket :)
I had never sewn with polar fleece, and I had a few issues with topstitching the pocket zips. One I wasn't happy with, so I un-picked, and restitched it. Only to find out when it came time to put them onto the jacket, that I had two identical pockets - instead of two mirror image pockets (because one side of the pocket is smaller). Duh! So I had to un-pick again. But despite that, it was an easy pattern for a jacket, with, I think, a great looking result. The embroidery is from http://www.emblibrary.com/ and works well with the polar fleece. Parts of the wolfs jaw isn't stitched, so when you wash it, the fleece fluffs up within the design - and the grey is almost perfectly matched.
DS loves it, and although it is a little big, he will fit it hopefully until next year.
He is pointing at the Farbenmix skeleton ribbon that is his favourite :)
Cheers!
Well ok, a slight exaggeration. Two weeks ago was DS's class assembly at school. Being book week, they needed to come dressed as their favourite book character. So I asked DS who he wanted to dress up as. "Mr Happy" was the reply. Well, if you know your Mr Men characters, then you will know he is round and yellow. Hmm....the yellow I can do....but no idea on how to create the round. So I asked DS to chose another - this time it was Mr Bump. That I could do. So I set off to the shops in order to purchase blue track pants, and a blue long sleeve top, as it is still quite wintery here. Oops - thats right, the shops are stocking their summer stuff now. Grrrrrrr!! Not a decent pair of pants or a plain blue top to be found.
So that meant I HAD to go to Spotlight. Luckily blue fleece and cotton knit were easily found. Patterns were from Ottobre - I took the pockets from one pair of pants and used them on the smaller sized pattern (Otto 3/2004 #20 for the pants and the pockets from #31 - same issue). The top is the same pattern as the black spider tee, I just made it long sleeved (Otto 3/2008 #29). At least bandages aren't seasonal.
Mr Bump was embroidered onto the front of the top (and I am still amazed by how many kids don't know who Mr Bump is!) He had a ball, and best of all, the clothes are wearable as everyday clothes. And the pants are long enough that I can let them down for next year :)
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Well not me! Mainly because it isn't scary - just really cool. I wanted a new jacket for DS, as he has pretty much grown out of the previous two I have made him. So when the latest kids Ottobre (4/2009) arrived I traced #40 out straight away. Even though it was a size bigger than he takes. Ah well, he'll grow!
I managed to get two remnants of polar fleece at Spotlight, for $2 each, and there is possibly even enough left to make another jacket with the colouring reversed. Makes a pretty cheap jacket :)
I had never sewn with polar fleece, and I had a few issues with topstitching the pocket zips. One I wasn't happy with, so I un-picked, and restitched it. Only to find out when it came time to put them onto the jacket, that I had two identical pockets - instead of two mirror image pockets (because one side of the pocket is smaller). Duh! So I had to un-pick again. But despite that, it was an easy pattern for a jacket, with, I think, a great looking result. The embroidery is from http://www.emblibrary.com/ and works well with the polar fleece. Parts of the wolfs jaw isn't stitched, so when you wash it, the fleece fluffs up within the design - and the grey is almost perfectly matched.
DS loves it, and although it is a little big, he will fit it hopefully until next year.
He is pointing at the Farbenmix skeleton ribbon that is his favourite :)Cheers!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Uh-Oh, and a fix for the Uh-Oh!
Yesterday my DD took the scissors to her gorgeous hair. She cut it pretty short on the fringe - unfixable really. The bit missing off the back and sides just blends in. School photos are this week, on Wednesday, not really enough time for it to grow back. :( So scissors are banned without parent supervision for two weeks.
Today I made her up some headbands to help the lack of fringe. She picked the fabrics and I made the pattern up, based roughly on a RTW one that she has, it is a hand me down from a cousin and she loves it. It also looks gorgeous on her. So do the new ones!
Cheers!
Today I made her up some headbands to help the lack of fringe. She picked the fabrics and I made the pattern up, based roughly on a RTW one that she has, it is a hand me down from a cousin and she loves it. It also looks gorgeous on her. So do the new ones!
Cheers!
Baby Love
No - not for me! But for me to spoil - or at least make things for :)
I saw a gorgeous set made from the New Conceptions Baby Essentials pattern, and just knew I really should get mine out and make. So I did. Twice. Both the same, but oh so cute!
I also made some soft and fluffy burp cloths, using a free pattern on You Can Make This. They are a great shape and really straight forward to sew. And a great way to use up the flannelette I have left over from making pj's, plus it is super soft on baby's face. I used cotton towelling for the back, so they are nice and absorbent.
Cheers!
I saw a gorgeous set made from the New Conceptions Baby Essentials pattern, and just knew I really should get mine out and make. So I did. Twice. Both the same, but oh so cute!
I also made some soft and fluffy burp cloths, using a free pattern on You Can Make This. They are a great shape and really straight forward to sew. And a great way to use up the flannelette I have left over from making pj's, plus it is super soft on baby's face. I used cotton towelling for the back, so they are nice and absorbent.
Cheers!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Soapy Delight
I un-moulded my soaps yesterday afternoon. The Sunshine Soap was still a bit damp on the top, almost like it had sweated a little, but it appears to have dried now. They have both settled in colour which I am very happy about.
Here you can just see the slight swirling of the white and yellow soap.
Now, I needed somewhere to store my soap whilst it cured. I have no space inside the house that is suitable - airy, dry and out of the sun. Here is where my darling husband steps in! We had the shell of an old microwave sitting around, so DH drilled a hole in the back, and inserted a fan to circulate the air and help the soaps to dry more evenly and hopefully a bit quicker and harder.
The fan runs off of our 12V network (see more on hubby's site here, under Renewable Power: http://bjblaster.com/), and hubby has installed a LED on the front to show when the fan is on or off.
It also wafts the gorgeous scent of the drying soaps around under my verandah :)
Cheers!
Here you can just see the slight swirling of the white and yellow soap.
Now, I needed somewhere to store my soap whilst it cured. I have no space inside the house that is suitable - airy, dry and out of the sun. Here is where my darling husband steps in! We had the shell of an old microwave sitting around, so DH drilled a hole in the back, and inserted a fan to circulate the air and help the soaps to dry more evenly and hopefully a bit quicker and harder.
The fan runs off of our 12V network (see more on hubby's site here, under Renewable Power: http://bjblaster.com/), and hubby has installed a LED on the front to show when the fan is on or off.
It also wafts the gorgeous scent of the drying soaps around under my verandah :)
Cheers!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Soapy Goodness
I have been itching to make some more soap since my DH made me some soap moulds way back here http://lizardslittleluxuries.blogspot.com/2009/05/too-much-stuff-not-enough-time.html
but I never quite got there. So after receiving a soap book for my birthday, I made sure that I went through and picked out the recipes I was really interested in. I bought the oils and fats that I needed and set to it this weekend. Both of the recipes I used were from "The Handmade Soap Book" by Melinda Coss.
First up was Pink Lavender & Lime Soap. It was my first time using an animal fat - dripping for this recipe. I will pass judgement on the use of the animal fats once I have used a bar of soap containing it. As I was weighing the lye, it looked slightly odd - like it was too much. So I looked at the recipe to confirm, and that is what it stated (turns out that it WAS too much - making the soap lye heavy. I am unsure exactly what properties this creates to the finished soap, as it was only 16g too much. Important note - ALWAYS run your recipe through a lye calculator first!! Turns out many of the recipes in this book are lye heavy, so I went through and recalculated every recipe and pencilled the changes in. Luckily I worked out the correct amount before doing my second batch).
I also used colour for the first time - wheee - that is so much fun lol I added bentonite clay beads to the soap to give it slight exfoliating properties. It was bright blue going into the moulds. Hopefully it will subdue somewhat.
The pink is the clay beads.
The next batch I did was Sunshine Soap. It used lard as one of the fats. That stuff does not smell pretty when melted! So it may very well be the last time I use that - unless of course the soap that results is the best stuff ever! lol
I used a fragrance oil called Sea Salty Breeze for this soap, and the yellow colouring as it suggested. Now, why I didn't use blue or green colouring to match the scent, I have no idea "duh". But that is why it is called learning I suppose. Anyways, I took a small amount of the un-coloured soap out of the pot, as I wanted to have a go at swirling it in. When I added the colour I nearly choked! It looked like pumpkin soup! Argh - not a good look. Fingers really tightly crossed that it fades well. It also looked a little chunky as I poured it into the mould, so I suspect that I traced it slightly too much.
I will update with their progress out of the moulds very soon! Off to check them.
Cheers!
but I never quite got there. So after receiving a soap book for my birthday, I made sure that I went through and picked out the recipes I was really interested in. I bought the oils and fats that I needed and set to it this weekend. Both of the recipes I used were from "The Handmade Soap Book" by Melinda Coss.
First up was Pink Lavender & Lime Soap. It was my first time using an animal fat - dripping for this recipe. I will pass judgement on the use of the animal fats once I have used a bar of soap containing it. As I was weighing the lye, it looked slightly odd - like it was too much. So I looked at the recipe to confirm, and that is what it stated (turns out that it WAS too much - making the soap lye heavy. I am unsure exactly what properties this creates to the finished soap, as it was only 16g too much. Important note - ALWAYS run your recipe through a lye calculator first!! Turns out many of the recipes in this book are lye heavy, so I went through and recalculated every recipe and pencilled the changes in. Luckily I worked out the correct amount before doing my second batch).
I also used colour for the first time - wheee - that is so much fun lol I added bentonite clay beads to the soap to give it slight exfoliating properties. It was bright blue going into the moulds. Hopefully it will subdue somewhat.
The pink is the clay beads.
The next batch I did was Sunshine Soap. It used lard as one of the fats. That stuff does not smell pretty when melted! So it may very well be the last time I use that - unless of course the soap that results is the best stuff ever! lol
I used a fragrance oil called Sea Salty Breeze for this soap, and the yellow colouring as it suggested. Now, why I didn't use blue or green colouring to match the scent, I have no idea "duh". But that is why it is called learning I suppose. Anyways, I took a small amount of the un-coloured soap out of the pot, as I wanted to have a go at swirling it in. When I added the colour I nearly choked! It looked like pumpkin soup! Argh - not a good look. Fingers really tightly crossed that it fades well. It also looked a little chunky as I poured it into the mould, so I suspect that I traced it slightly too much.
I will update with their progress out of the moulds very soon! Off to check them.
Cheers!
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