More Christmas Sewing

Only one day to go until my self-imposed Christmas deadline and yikes 2 sewing projects left. Luckily one is another Amy Butler bag, which after making two already could go either way. I could be really quick or really confident which means I could stuff it up!

Today I finished the third of these gorgeous little dresses. I have mostly done these dresses on my overlocker which I am madly in love with, and will prattle on about it to anyone that listens. I've even gone as far as saying that I would marry it. It just makes life so much easier for gathering, hemming and generally finishing off the garment. Here I prattle on again. I've been going to an overlocking class each Tuesday night to conduct this illicit affair with the machine and I will hopefully manage to fit two more classes in next week before the baby arrives. Last week's class I made a great top from start to finish in 2 hrs - couldn't believe it. I'm so in love with the overlocker that I sit and admire the inside of the garment over and over, and much more than the outside. I was always a bit shy about making my own/other peoples clothes because they never seemed finished properly on the inside.

Well here are the dresses, pattern is New Look 6796 with random fabrics picked up over the last couple of months...
Tomorrow in between sewing I'm starting the Christmas bake-off. I went to the markets today and the kitchen is full of spices, glaced cherries, peel, raisins, currants etc etc and of course rum and brandy...so tomorrow's post will divert from the sewing theme that has thus far been prevalent.

Christmas sewing

All good intentions aside I haven't made it to posting for the last couple of days. I must say that I am rather enjoying the whole blog thing I'm not sure who reads the blog, but there's something quite cathartic about putting your wares on display and something very warm and fuzzy if you get a nice comment or two. Thank you to those people that have made comments..

I have managed to achieve some Christmas sewing, and am proud to say I'm on track to finish all my Christmas list by end of November - pending no early arrival of baby that is. I have been desperately hoping to achieve a 30 November deadline for all Christmas presents completed, not sure if I'll ever achieve it after this year after all there is extra incentive with the ticking time bomb in my belly. Speaking of which had scan yesterday and she is heading to be another big baby, the head is huge!!! As of yesterday she was 3.5 kg (7pd 9oz) with 3 1/2 weeks to go until due date. Lordy!

So what sewing's been going on?

Firstly I made a pencil roll, from Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts, by Joelle Hoverson. The design in the book was like this with all this beautiful colour, but alas alack I have not been sewing long enough to accumulate 24 gorgeous colours to cover the spectrum that is warranted. So I have been looking for a project for this cute Japanese Linen that I picked up and voila here it is. The fabric is double-sided so I used the pink side for the pocket and lined it and backed the whole thing with a very basic linen.

This morning the boy child awoke early and seemed a bit clingy. After quite a few cuddles and two trips back to bed cos' "I'm sleepy mummy", I took the easy option and put on ABC kids. Normally I don't like him watching TV during the week and aim just for Saturday morning cartoons if he asks for it, but the temptation of finishing another project was far too great to outweigh bad mother behaviour.

So in two hours I completed another Amy Butler Frenchy Bag, this time in a purple fabric from the Linden Fabric Collection. I used a much lighter interfacing this time, as compared with the heavier one that I used for the larger bag. I think I need to find something in between though, because the heavy fabric is great for the contrast panel at the top, but too heavy for the main. I will try maybe mixing it up as I have one more of these to make. The fabrics used for the larger bag (in case anyone is interested) are both by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit, with Ginseng Bloom Thyme for the main part and Ginseng Orchid in Pink for the contrast panel. I've made some little tissue holders and a coin purse to match, but will post about these another time.

Baby Washers

Well today I didn't get to finishing my Christmas sewing, mostly because I had a bad case of pregger belly last night which kept me up watching bad tv and then when I was ready for bed, Mstr 3 decided to walk out absolutely soaking wet with pee. So I was dog tired, not to mention that having the master of the house home and watching him/supervising him set up our hoard from his Ikea run to Sydney yesterday was far more exciting. I really miss Ikea, I don't think I could even try to convince another 700k people to move to Canberra so we could get one. Oh well, it's always any excuse for a weekend trip to Sydney.

Tonight I'm trying to do something productive and make another washer for the baby, these are really quick little projects.I made some a couple of month's back for someone else, I can't remember where the pattern was from, I'm hoping it was from Ravelry cos' they really were very beautiful, here they are in progress and complete.



The one that I have made for our baby is from the November 2008 Better Homes & Gardens, Style A, in the gorgeous Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton in bone. So soft you could nearly eat it. I thought the edges a little plain though so added a scalloped border (1 dc, 1 treble, 1 dc). Excuse the dodgy photo...I couldn't wait until better light. Impatient suzy!

Maternity Leave

Well here's my first blog posting...I've been yapping on forever about setting this damn thing up and to quote a fellow blogger who has been very patient with my yacking on "dude, just start a flipping blog already!" Yes you were right krafty kuka it is easy and just like writing an email!

It is probably a perfect time to start a blog about my alter ego the hausfrau as I enter my third week of maternity leave with three weeks to go before baby #2 arrives. The first week was interesting I didn't really achieve much, something to do with Mstr 3 at home, but a lot to do with me not really knowing how to structure my day. Did it need structure at all is the question? Last week was much better, managed to sew and cook a bit, took Mstr 3 to the lake for a picnic and a play and basically started to embrace being a full-time suzy hausfrau.

Well I'll make this one short...and will post again soon with a bit of a show and tell of Christmas goodies. No names for the recipients of course, cause you might be watching........