Kids Clothes Week Challenge: 2010

Last week I signed up for the KCWC at Elsie Marley, pledging to sew for an hour a day Monday to Sunday. After not sewing clothes for a long time I realised how slow I have become at it (the bulging stomach getting in the way of everything may also be a factor).

Pattern: Quick Change Trousers from Handmade Beginings by Anna Marie Horner

(These little babies are reversible... two pants in one!. The alternate side is the spots with stripey pockets)

Pattern: Burda 9793

For the Monkey, perfect for our toilet-training in progress with their elastic waistband

Pattern: Oliver & S Puppet Show (now Out of Print)

These are for Bella, and I make them without the elastic around the legs for comfort

I must admit I missed one day, the call of the Nanna Nap was too great, so last night I made up for it

Pattern: Oliver & S Hopscotch Skirt & Knit Top

My second attempt at knits, and after getting the pattern out of the mail box I had this all made up in less than 2 hours.

Pattern: Butterick 6659

Fabric: Sandi Henderson Flannel

Now I have replenished my tracing paper at a new (to me) fabric shop I dropped into on the way home (cheaper AND closer than my normal one... danger) next up I think I will start on the Oliver & S Music Box dress or Oliver & S Ice Cream dress now the patterns are here.

Happy 3rd Birthday Liam

A morning of opening presents...

Followed by a last minute playdate in the park with friends including cupcakes...

and an afternoon of cooking up a storm in the new oven (I swear he was fully clothed when I went to find the camera, when I came back, this was it)...

while his sister tried out his new water paint set (in one of his new dress up outfits)...

and Mummy gets started on a couple of Christmas presents (using kits from Amitie, minus the bound edging)...

The Camerons +1

Presenting the newest baby Cameron...

He/she is nicely baking away, all the tests show a very healthy (and ACTIVE) little bubs, although I'm not too impressed with the all-day sickness that I never ever had with Isabella or Liam. Oh and the tiredness... goodness I have been tired.

We told the kids yesterday morning, showing them the ultrasound pictures and they were very excited. Bella keeps asking to see the pictures again, in particular the 4D one "the yellow one" she calls it, and has already started suggesting some names (Butterfly Sunrise anyone?). When we showed Liam the pictures for the first time, Dean asked him, "Do you know what that is?", he replied "A squirrel".

Dean has been very very supportive with my sudden onset of my too-tired-to-do-anything-ness. Every morning he gets up with the kids, fixes their breakfast and drinks, dresses them if it's swimming day and then wakes me up at 8am as he heads off to work. I'm definitely spoilt.

Both sets of Grandparents are very excited about the last (yes LAST) grandchild to be born.

Now it's time to wrap my babies 3rd birthday presents for tomorrow morning, then off to bed to rest the weary baby-growing Mummy.

Liam's Party

Liam turns 3 tomorrow so yesterday we had a birthday party for him and a couple of his buddies.

Birthday boy

Paper Garland by the lovely Mel at Paperklip. Thank you Mel again for a last minute whip up!

Mixed Berry Punch and Cake Pops (recipes here and here)

Fire Truck cake baked by moi (also known as a Wee Aww... for the noise they make)

Baby Toby & his big brother

We can now all go back to pretending he is still my baby thank you very much.

Aunty Betty's 70th

Today was my Dad's eldest sister, Betty's 70th birthday party. So Aunty Betty/Nanna Bet & Uncle Brian's 3 boys, their wives and gorgeous kids (6 in total) travelled from the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Queensland, plus us, Mum & Dad & a couple of her friends descended on her house to eat, catch up, and let all 8 kids go wild in their yard.

Kids Clothes Week Challenge: 2010

Now I've got the fabric, and I've picked a couple of things that I want to sew for summer (another pair of Oliver & S Puppet Show Shorts for Bella and some more shorts for Liam) I thought I'd get (force) my sewing into gear by signing up for Elsie Marley's Kids Clothes Week Challenge: Fall 2010 (except it's not Fall on this side of the equator, where in full Spring-swing here). If I get time/get far enough ahead I might try this pleated skirt pattern too.

The challenge is to sew/knit/create for an hour a day towards kids clothes. It's been so long since I was in the routine of hopping on the sewing machine each afternoon or night. So now I've signed myself up, let's see what I can manage to get done next week.

Shopping

Last night, while hubby was working late I had a look at the new Oliver & S patterns. If he asks, it's his fault that I bought 3 of them 'cause he wasn't here to help me pick which I should buy.

So of course that meant today I had to go to Spotlight and get fabric so I can actually make the outfits when they arrive. This of course is also his fault, because if I hadn't bought 3 patterns in the first place I wouldn't have needed fabric for them.

I'm pretty good at making excuses to shop.

Oliver & S Hop Scotch Skirt and Knit top with this fabric ...

And for the dress version from the same Hopscotch pattern...

Oliver & S Music Box with this voile fabric...

Oliver & S Ice Cream Dress with this fabric...

And some plain cotton for an already used and loved Oliver & S Puppet Tunic & Shorts pattern

Least I can start on the Puppet Show Tunic + Shorts while I wait for the other patterns to arrive. Talk about forcing my sewing mojo to come back!

Far Far Away Popover Dress

A Popover dress for Isabella to wear to my Aunt's 70th Birthday party this weekend.

Fabric (less than a metre needed) from Heather Ross' Far Far Away and pattern is a free one from here.

Now the dust bunnies have been evicted from the fabric closet and sewing machine reminded how to sew, I'm eager to get something else sewn... maybe one of the Oliver & S Ruffled Halters.

Taronga Zoo

Liam's 3rd Birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, so before my parents who are going to miss it head over to New Zealand for a month, we all packed up our bags and headed to Taronga Zoo yesterday. A perfect Spring day.

The kids LOVED all the animals and they were all putting quite a show, I think enjoying the sun.

We got to see the Elephants having shower... quite a sight! The baby elephant was waiting it's turn while playing with some balls and a teddy bear. Definitely a little attention seeker this little guy was!

The new baby Pygmy Hippo

The bird show... these animals truly live in some of the best real estate in Sydney!

So today, while we recover from all that walking, we're hanging at home, cleaning, painting and doing a whole heap of nothing.