Heather Ross Munki Munki Quilt progress

After the recent move and sorting through all my fabrics and WIPs I'm on a mission to finish a couple of quilts including this Heather Ross one. Progress was made, even past finishing the rows... until I ran out of Kona Cotton Sand fabric for the sashing. I've placed an order for more, and this SHALL be finished soon....

Swimming

Eva's first summer and yesterday she took to the pool for her first swimming lessons. Just like her big brother, she is a water baby through and through from the moment her little toes hit the water. No tears, lots of kicking and well and truly ready for a nap by the time she was finished.

A-Line Skirt

Pattern: A-Line Skirt from You Sew Girl

A swap of some needed fabric for one of Nikki's patterns and voila a new skirt for me. Working without an invisible zip foot on my machine, I'm still happy with the outcome, even if I forgot to iron it before photographing.

Bowling Shirt

Sewing for the boys around here is rare. There are only so many shorts a kid can have, although don't tell him that, every time I take him to the fabric shops I end up coming home with more fabric "PERFECT for shorts Mummy". 

I have to admit I have had this pattern a while. "While" being an understatement. Even the fabric was bought back when I first got this pattern, I was shocked when I finally cut it out that the fabric I had bought (intended for the 18/24m size) was enough for the now needed 5/6y size. But here it is, a shirt for my little dude. 

Pattern: Bowling Shirt by Scientific Seamstress

Fabric: Probably Spotlight ?? and lined in a navy homespun

What turned out to be an easy enough pattern, the shirt is fully lined and for a short sleeve shirt, I think have the whole body lined may end up being a bit hot, but now that I have made one, I can see where I re-work the pattern to take the lining out without affecting the look at all. Next time. And I definitely won't take as long to make the next one.

Sweet Little Dress

Pattern: Sweet Little Dress for Babies by Leila & Ben

Fabric: Patty Young Andalucia Mod Blooms

I have used the Sweet Little Dress pattern from Leila & Ben a bunch of times now, previously using my 12m-5T pattern, this one is from their "babies" version. Such a simple and quick pattern, and I decided to not add the elastic to the armholes to give them a little flair. Worn by the little Miss herself today, perfect for doing her little booty shakes she does while standing.

Lanyard iPod pouch

And new iPod cases for Isabella and Liam. At Christmas Dean got a new iPod and I got a new iPhone after my contract expired (and my phone was deciding who I was and wasn't allowed to receive calls and voicemail from) so the kids got the old ones. 

Very rough instruction on how to make these up:

Cut 2 outer fabric, 2 thin batting and 2 lining fabric all measuring 4 1/4 inches wide x 6 3/8 inches high.

Baste the batting to the wrong side of the 2 outer fabric pieces with a 1/4 inch seam (quilt if desired, I used diagonal stripes on Bella's and straight vertical lines on Liam's)

Right sides facing together of the 2 outer fabric pieces, sew using a 1/2 inch seam the two sides and bottom together, leaving the top open

Right sides facing together of the 2 lining fabric pieces, sew using a 1/2 inch seam the two sides and the bottom, but leaving about 2 inch gap in the bottom for turning, the top should also be open

Turn the outer fabric pouch right side out and iron flat, and place inside the lining fabric pouch, right sides facing each other and sew with a 1/2 inch seam around the top.

Turn the right way out using the gap at the bottom of the lining fabric and stitch the gap closed. Stuff the lining pouch inside the outer pouch and iron again, top stitch the top if desired (I didnt).

Then I put a punch and rivet in that the lanyard could clasp through on the back.

I hope that makes sense, it is very basic construction really just a simple lined pouch.

Diaper Pouch

A lazy morning, the first in a while with everyone in pajamas, nowhere to be, and housework done. Kids happily playing together, Mummy got some time for a spot of sewing.

Pattern: Diaper Pouch by Noodle-Head with a fabric closure instead of webbing

Fabric: Denim and Erin Morris' Park Slope

A new nappy pouch, perfect size for 3 nappies, wipes and a spare dummy for miss Eva using a great tutorial from Noodle Head. I love this blog, there are heaps of great tutorials here, especially the bicycle basket tutorial.

I also made up some iPod covers which I'll blog tomorrow with a very rough tutorial.

Hayman Island (Part 2)

Part 2 of our Hayman trip... all about the food and our room. It might seem odd photographing all our food, but really the idea behind our long weekend was to enjoy lovely meals just the two of us, lazy lunches by the pool, lovely dinners out, sleep ins and catnaps... you know, basically the things you got to do pre-kids

Our Retreat room

Bath

Dinner at Oriental

Edamame, Duck spring rolls and shrimp skewers on sugar cane

Szechuan Chicken

Breakfast view was very hard to take every morning

Prawn Caesar poolside

Rosemary Fries poolside

Beef carpaccio at La Trattoria

Crab spagetti

Pizza!

Affogato

Zabaglione

Mushroom burger poolside

Beef burger poolside

Seafood buffet at Azure

So yes, we ate well, we realxed, we swam, read books, and had a lovely time. By the end I was ready to get back to my babies and now looking forward to taking the whole family to Fiji in a few weeks.

Hayman Island (Part 1)

Last weekend Dean and I headed away for 3 nights at Hayman Island. Without the kids. 

It was a blissful time away, perfect to recover from Christmas and moving home again. Beautiful food, cocktails, lazing by the pool, snorkling, and I even read two whole (with more than 10 words and giant colourful pictures on a page) books.

I took so many beautiful shots while we were away, I'll have another post soon with all the delicious food!

Sunday morning

Last night we went to a 40th and at 10pm a friend casually asked me where she would be able to get a birthday cake for her little ones birthday this morning... umm the local bakeries aren't open on a Sunday! So this morning after being woken by little Miss Eva's giggles at 7am, we baked 18 pink cupcakes. 

High in my kitchen cupboard sits a giant pink plastic box, labelled "Party wares", full to the brim of spare straws, cups, cutlery, streamers, plates, and a nice little stash of cupcake cases all in a range of colours, ready for such an emergency bake off/party. So for little Juliet I decided on carnival striped Robert Gordon cupcake cases. 

I haven't used the stripe design before, but I have used the Robert Gordon blue gingham cases, and now both times I have been disappointed. While they are designed to be baked in, they really don't withstand the oven very well, discolouring and all the white becoming almost transparent. Lucky it is a pack of 50 so I had plenty left over to all another case to each once they had cooled. I have used the Paper Eskimo ones before and they do seem to hold their colour better, still not perfect, but a much better result.

Little Miss Eva has decided to try standing. Crawling just isn't enough apparently. Oh and Mummy's coffee table is a great chew toy which is great incentive to stand... hmmm cheeky girl.