Au Revoir Blogtoberfest

Another Blogtoberfest done. I managed to post each day, made a nice dent on my self imposed clothes sewing month, and found some lovely new blogs to follow.

Nothing like blogging every day to get the blog and sew-jo back in full swing!

Big thanks to Tinniegirl for hosting again this year and CurlyPops for running the Giveaways. (Sorry I didn't get to do a giveaway this year, the whole getting bigger and lazier from being pregnant kind of got in the way!)

Mail goodness {Blogtoberfest Day 30}

A nice package in the mail yesterday afternoon from Carrose Creations... how lucky am I! Everything was just perfect... now to find a hiding spot for the gorgeous orange purse from a certain two little people. The chocolate... well we can just assume that's already "gone".

Thank you Car!

More fabric {Blogtoberfest Day 29}

There is nothing like fabric to make a gal feel a little better. Check out those fat quarters of the whole Far Far Away II range... hmmm pretty.

Now if only I could stop my head spinning and stand up long enough to DO something with it.

PS. Thanks to everyone who sent me lovely messages after my woe-is-me post yesterday. A trip to the GP and diagnosis of an inner-ear infection plus a few vials of blood handed over to see if there is something else other than morning sickness causing all this yuck.

Nothing to see... {Blogtoberfest Day 28}

Today is one of those days when I realise how lucky I am to be surrounded by my gorgeous family and dear friends.

Thank you to my parents who took Liam for the day at the last minute. They picked up Isabella from daycare, took the kids out for dinner and them delivered them home to me.

Thank you to my dear husband who left work early so he could be home when my parents arrived to do the bedtime routine.

Thank you to my lovely friends Sarah & Amelia who were happy to change our morning tea plans to drive all the way to my Mums instead to deliver some fabric.

While everyone's plans for the day were stuffed around and re-arranged around me, I alternated between vomiting and sleeping. Let's hope tomorrow is a better day...

Now excuse me while I climb back into bed, because apparently a 5 hour sleep during the day wasn't enough.

Night Craftin' {Blogtoberfest Day 27}

At night, just after 6.30 when Liam heads to bed, Bella gets some quiet time to herself for half an hour or so. Sometimes she does drawings or sometimes lego, but most nights, she pulls out the sewing kit I made for her which has some fabric, pins, scissors and tape measure.

Tonight is different though, she has got into the scrapbooking pieces Kristen gave her on Monday and she is having a ball...

She has the crafting genes in her already...

4 Things... {Blogtoberfest Day 26}

4 things that I always carry

1. iPhone
2. keys
3. wallet
4. water for the kids

4 things that are in my bedroom

1. a lazy cat sleeping in my spot
2. books to read
3. washing to be put away
4. Dean's nice new LCD flat screen TV

4 Things that I would like to do but haven’t done yet

1. travel to New York
2. take the kids to Disneyland
3. go back to the Banyan Tree Resort in Phuket with Dean where we had our honeymoon almost 10 years ago
4. find out what gender this baby is... only 2 weeks to go!

4 things that you don’t know about me

1. We live in a unit. Yep me and the other 3 plus a cat live in the unit Dean & I bought just after we were married and truth be told, I never want to move. We can walk to the beach, shops and Bella's new school plus we have a lovely bunch of neighbours (of which in our small block of 12 units there are FOUR pregnant ladies and one new baby already here). We do plan to move next year so we have more space for the new baby though.
2. I can sing, but I refuse to do it in front of people I haven't given birth or are married too.
3. I loose weight when I'm pregnant. No need to hate me, I had plenty to spare before I got pregnant each time.
4. I wanted to be an Architect when I was growing up. I decided to get a job at a computer company after high school finished to save some money, and I never ended up leaving.

4 things I often wonder

1. what my kids will be like when they grow up
2. which suburb we will buy our house
3. what's for dinner?
4. what's the next sewing project I want to work on

Craft Group {Blogtoberfest Day 25}

Today was Craft Group. One of my favourite mornings of the month, getting together with some crafty gals to talk, eat, plan secret squirrel stuff and craft together.

Kristen made bears

Mel made necklaces

I finished my baby's mat

while we ate my Cinnamon Rolls

(Oh and I totally stole these pictures from Kristen)

24 days down... 7 to go {Blogtoberfest Day 24}

More Christmas sewing using a 90mm Flexi Frame + some Heather Bailey fabric. Originally made to be a coin/makeup/anything pouch, turns out my iPhone also fits perfectly in there too, so another use.

I have ordered a batch of the next size up frame to make as Christmas gifts for the lovely carers that have looked after Isabella for the past 3 years before she moves on to big school next year. The next size up should also be suitable for sunglasses.

To Do {Blogtoberfest Day 23}

Fridays. I love you and I hate you.

I am child-free from 7.15am when Daddy walks out the door to take you both to daycare until 5pm when I pickup you exhausted little persons up.

The house is quiet.

I can listen to music I want to without the I want food/DVD/play/destroy all day long.

But I'm silly enough to put ALL my chores that involve leaving the house onto one day. Tell me I'm not the only person to do it??

It's great being able to wander around the shops getting what I need done without watching four small legs going running off in different directions, but when you spend 3 hours driving and stopping different parts of town before lunch... blah.

But Fridays are chore day and yesterday after doing my running about, next on my list was to start on some Christmas sewing. There was lots of cutting, and only one finished product (the little boy nappy cover... cute) but I've made progress. Plus there were no little people sitting next to me, scissors in hand ready to "help" Mummy, can't complain Fridays aren't good.

Curvy Clutches in progress

A finished boy nappy cover, a semi-finished girl nappy cover with ruffles and some Kokka car fabric destined for car wraps

Hopefully I will achieve more on this pile before next Friday...

Delivery #1 {Blogtoberfest Day 22}

The first of my fabric orders I went crazy on when the AUD started getting close to parity with the USD arrived this morning.. yay I can sew again!

From top: Hoodie Casting Cats Crosshatch Navy

Michael Miller Ta Dot in Aqua

Bonnie & Camille Bliss Fresh Scarlet

Amy Butler Design Love Sun Spots Wine

Amy Butler Design Love Paradise Garden Wine

My first project is cushion covers for the lounge with some Ink & Spindle fabrics and the Crosshatch

The Bonnie & Camille Bliss Fresh Scarlet will be a ruffled halter top for Isabella, and the two Amy Butler fabrics a Frida dress or top. The aqua dots unfortunately was supposed to be the Patty Young knit fabric, but they shipped me the Michael Miller cotton fabric instead.

The Princess & The Monkey {Blogtoberfest Day 21}

Photography by Tindale Images

Half Meter Skirts {Blogtoberfest Day 20}

With the two half meter pieces I bought from Duckcloth at the BHG show on the weekend, the Two Little Banshees Half Meter Skirt tutorial that I saved in my favourites a week or so ago was perfect.

Fabric: Robert Kauffman

For the second skirt I cut the two pieces out with the same measurements as the tutorial, but instead of gathers I put in pleats at the front instead and added a matching grey binding to the hem instead of a "normal" folded hem.

Fabric: Echino Migratory Bird in Magenta

I think this Echino skirt is one of my favourites of the ones I have made for Isabella, it looks like such a pretty party skirt.

It's a......

Can you guess from my shopping list??....

Top row: Pink, Red & Charcoal Allsorts Quilt kit from Ink & Spindle, Pale Pink Butterfly Garland from Paperklip, an Ensparkle ceramic bowl

Medium row: Animal House from Ric Rac, FLATOUTbearbaby in honey and Sophie La Giraffe from Belles Familles

Bottom row: A Book About Me, Sprig Print Jumpsuit from Country Road and Mary Jane Tippy Toes

Yep, another little girl will be joining us in March/April and are all very excited. Isabella and Liam were very excited, even though they have been insisting for the past few weeks that it's been a girl all along, referring to it as "she".

In our ultrasound this afternoon she had all her arms, legs and bits in the right places, but was determined to lay on her tummy and not let us get a good face photo to bring home.

Now onto the sewing list I have been preparing now I know which fabrics I can use!

Hopscotch Skirt {Blogtoberfest Day 19}

Pattern: Oliver & S Hopscotch Skirt

Fabric: Spotlight

Roundabout Dress {Blogtoberfest Day 18}

After spending all Sunday afternoon sleeping or perched on the lounge in a semi-conscious slumber, this morning I finished my Anna Marie Roundabout dress from our shopping expedition on Saturday.

Pattern: Roundabout Dress from Anna Marie Horner

Fabric: From Amitie, but not sure of the range.

I'm not so sure on the fabric now, too busy? Black leggings might tone it down, I'm just not used to wearing prints. I do love the colours though. It fits perfect (for now), and the fabric is so light it will perfect for the hotter months.

Mondays are our only "home" day, the only day of the week when we have no activities. The kids have set up a little cafe with their teddies as the patrons and they are cooking up a storm on Liam's new kitchen and I plan on sewing up a couple of skirts and shorts for them. We love Mondays...

Replenishing Supplies {Blogtoberfest Day 17}

Generally, I don't have a "stash". I have 3 small plastic boxes with 1 metre and less pieces in them, but otherwise, when I want to sew something I will go out and specifically get the fabric I want for it and the right amount. So after using up all my "delegated" fabric, and waiting for fabric from Pink Chalk, Quilthome and Etsy to arrive for the remainder of my to do list, today's outing worked in perfectly.

The lovely Ms Kristen and I piled into my car and headed to the Better Homes and Gardens show. Bypassing all that "home & garden" part and bee lining straight for the craft areas, we stocked up on some lovely new fabric.

For me from Amitie

Fabric pieces from Lisa at Duckcloth for a pair of shorts for Liam and 2 skirts for Bella.

Gorgeous Balloons from Kokka for a playmat for the new baby from Duckcloth. On the way home from my local craft shop I picked up some latte coloured gingham for the back, matching perle 8 and some wadding.

and a Prints Charming Christmas Ornaments Panel

Kristen got some gorgeous fabric for a dress too...now the race is on to see who finishes first! (HA I napped yesterday afternoon so I could get started last night when I knew she wasn't home to start... I'm totally going to win).

Sleeping Sack {Blogtoberfest Day 16}

Something for our new baby... I don't have much unisex fabric, but I think this yellow coloured dot is ok.

Pattern: Sleeping Sack from Anna Marie Horner Handmade Beginnings

Fabric: Dots from Spotlight and lined with a cream flannel.

The pattern suggests velcro to close, but I'm tempted to do some snaps instead... what do you think? I hate how velcro gathers fluff so easily.

Farbenmix UTA aka The Daycare Version {Blogtoberfest Day 15}

Back at Sew it Together I received a copy of the Farbenmix UTA pattern. At the time, having never sewed and being particularly frightened of attempting knits, I stuffed it in a draw and pretended it didn't exist.

After (what I call) success with the Oliver & S Hopscotch pattern a couple of times, a few days ago I ordered a bunch of different knits and a new Patty Young knit pattern, taking advantage of the Aussie dollar. Finding this green heart knit in a basket (also shoved away in fear of knits) I thought I would try the UTA with this as a test run.

There's a few reasons I'm calling it "The Daycare Version".

1. It took me an hour to translate the German written instructions with Google Translate. I think I was already over this pattern by step 1.

2. For some reason (ok I was trying to rush) I decided to skip cutting the top half and bottom skirt separately, joining them to make one piece for the front and one for the back

3. I was playing with the settings on my overlocker non-stop. Every seam is different. Blah. But now I do have nice settings on my overlocker for the next project, a bonus I suppose.

4. The fabric is TERRIBLE. It hasn't even been washed and half the hearts are coming off.

5. Somehow I got the join of the binding around the neck at the front of the dress. (I probably shouldn't even admit that since no one would pick it up from the photo but well, I was on a roll screwing it all up)

6. After all the above, I couldn't be bothered hemming it properly, I just did a rolled hem

... so hence the "Daycare Version". Isabella does like it though, and the colour is pretty on her, my luck she'll ask to wear this all the time.

Oliver & S Knit Top V3 {Blogtoberfest Day 14}

I know, it's the same pattern AGAIN, Oliver & S Knit Top but this time in the dress version.

I had a lovely red and white flowery knit picked out for Isabella, but she spotted this dark grey/brown knit in the bag, intended for another yoga skirt for me and claimed it as her own.

The arms and bottom hem are finished with my first rolled hems and I like it and so does she.

This pattern is so quick and simple, perfect for a knit novice like me. After making three of them, I'm looking forward to trying some more knit sewing when some new fabric and pattern arrives from quilthome in a week or so.

Heather Ross Quilt {Blogtoberfest Day 13}

I have a thing for Heather Ross fabrics (who doesn't?), the characters are all so gorgeous. Since I only started sewing a couple of years ago, I missed out on yardage of most of them but have kept scraps of all the HR fabric I have bought plus snatched a few scrap bags off etsy.

I love this quilt from Film in the Fridge, showcasing all the different HR designs, so with all my little pieces I've put together the squares....

Close up...

With the Aussie dollar as good as it was last week, I ordered up fat quarters of the whole Far Far Away II range so I could also make this quilt from Film in the Fridge. So I'll be using pieces of that to expand on these blocks.

Of course Isabella keeps hovering over my shoulder and wants to know if it's for her, but we've decided if the baby is a girl (which she is adamant it will be) then it can be for her baby sister. If it's a boy, then she can have it. Either way with two Heather Ross quilts planned, she's going to end up with one anyway!

Considering I'm not a quilt maker, I sure seem to have a lot of quilts planned.... this Heather Ross, the Heather Ross FFII, and the Paintbox.

Oliver & S Music Box Jumper {Blogtoberfest Day 12}

Pattern: Oliver & S Music Box Jumper

Fabric is a voile from Spotlight, perfect for Summer.

I modified the pattern, leaving off the two little flaps with buttons at the front. I think the fabric is busy enough and wouldn't have been able to see them.

Nippers {Blogtoberfest Day 11}

First day at Nippers Under 6s

Races on the beach

Tug-a-war

Practicing beach safety

Books {Blogtoberfest Day 10}

Since getting pregnant with my little energy-sucker, instead of staying up all night doing "stuff" I've been climbing into bed with a cup of tea. After running out of books, I ordered the next few in a couple of series I have been reading from from the Book Depository in the UK.

Total cost AUD$55 including FREE postage, buying them here in Australia would probably be just over $100. Of course that just means I can order some more in a couple of weeks once I've finished with these!

Oliver & S Knit Top V2 {Blogtoberfest Day 9}

Pattern: Another Oliver & S Knit Top.

Made in Size 6 again, but with a bit of extra length. In less than an hour I cut, overlocked and attempted a fancy stitch on the hems. My kind of quick sewing fix, especially when Isabella's t-shirts are all starting to show a little bit too much tummy.