Upcycled!!!!

We have a great market that is held at our local state school every 3rd Saturday of the month.  You can buy all sorts of things, from handmade to people selling/promoting their products, produce, flowers, you name it they probably have it.

One of the things I love to do is to have a look through the secondhand clothes that some people are selling.  You know things that don't fit anymore, out of fashion or just making more room in their wardrobes.

Sometime at the end of last year I came across a lady who was selling everything at 50 cents each.  It was nearly time for the markets to close and I guess she just wanted to get rid of as much as she could.  I picked up a few things and my girl's chose a couple of things that they wanted me to make them something out of. 

Of course everything went into my project tub and was forgotten about.  Until last week!

So here are the 3 things my girl's liked:


Grace chose this size 16 shirt to be changed into a dress

Jorja liked this red skirt and this red and white flowered top:

First I will start with the top that Grace likes.  It was so easy to change into a dress.   First I measured how wide to make the dress, then drew a line with tailor's chalk as to where to cut, pin and sew.  I only had to do this to one side:

mark



pin



and sew

Now for the straps I decided to make the dress a halter neck for something different so I put the dress on Grace to make sure it fits and marked where to put the straps.  I cut the original straps off the top as they where adjustable ties and cut one in half and sewed it onto the front:

And here it is:



Just love that big smile!!!!



For Jorja's skirt to dress, I didn't need to do anything to change the size as the skirt is a size small (8 to 10) so that left me with what to do about the straps?

Why not crochet some straps.  I have this beautiful red coloured cotton for crocheting that I have never used before as I have only ever crocheted with acrylic or wool that I thought would be perfect.

To make the straps I used a 2.5mm hook (US size C) and started with 9 chains.  Turn and  inserted my hook into the second chain (count first chain as first stitch), crocheted a double crochet (US single crochet) in each chain to end.  Turn and 2 chain (count as first stitch), then crocheted a treble stitch (US double crochet) in each stitch till the end, repeat.  I made the straps 11 inches long.

Now to just pin in place and sew:

And here is my other little model with the finished dress:



Just love that red hair!!

 For the third, well I would like to do something different, maybe I might give shirring a go finally, don't know will have to put the old thinking cap on. 

Happy Sewing!!!!!


I'm on To Sew With Love

Hello everyone,

Sorry just abit excited as I have been featured on another blog (first time ever), To Sew With Love.  

Thanks Lelanie.  Oh and a big hello to all my new followers, it's always exciting to find that someone likes what you do and wants to stay informed.

Have a great weekend everyone, I know I am!!!!!!!

Pan Fried Salmon,Baby Spinach and Blue Vein Cheese Mash Potatoes

When my husband and I were celebrating our first wedding anniversary (wow 7 years married this year) we stayed a few nights in a lovely cabin in Montville, Qld next to the national park.

On the main street (Maleny-Montville Rd) we toured all the lovely shops and decided that we wanted some yummy Salmon for lunch.

Well their was only one restaurant that was serving Salmon that day and I must say it was so delicious that when we got home I had to make it myself.  Now for the name of the restaurant, I believe it is called The Edge Restaurant today and it is in the Mayfield building at the end of the street.

Pan Fried Salmon, Baby Spinach and Blue Vein Cheese Mash Potatoes

Now I cannot give you exact measurements for this dish as I just make it up as I go along each time but it is a very simple dish.

You need:

Salmon fillets
Potatoes, washed, peeled and mashed
Baby Spinach washed
Wedge Blue Vein Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar

First I boil the potatoes.  While your potatoes are boiling season your salmon with salt and pepper, drizzle with some olive oil.

When your potatoes are nearly ready to mash, put your pan on a high heat with a little nob of butter (to stop the oil burning) and then place your salmon skin side down (if it has the skin on it).

Now mash your potatoes with a little milk and add about half the wedge of the blue vein cheese.  You can do this to your liking really as some blue vein cheese can be very strong.  Set aside and keep warm.

We like our salmon still moist in the middle so I only cook it for about 4 mins each side but as I said do this to your liking (I like to buy fillets that are about 1 1/2 inches thick).

When salmon is done, you just have to plate up.  First you put on your plate the mash potatoes, then top with the baby spinach and then place your salmon on the top.  And for some added flavour and I recommend it as it goes so well, drizzle your balsamic vinegar around the outside of your mash potatoes and bon appetite.

So yummy I can taste it now!!! Need to make sure that I add salmon to the shopping list.

Oh and I highly recommend a nice Clare Valley Riesling to go with it!!!

Happy Cooking!!!!

Skorts (skirt and shorts)

My girl's love to wear skorts!  If you are not aware of what skorts are they are a skirt with shorts attached underneath.

The girl's like to wear them to kindy and as they have paint and other wonderful things from kindy all over the one's they already have, I decided that I would go through my bit's and pieces and make some myself.

A while back I picked up some purple knit (around 3 metre's) from our local salvo's for about $3 and I found a lovely piece of cotton in the remnants bin at spotlight that I thought would go well together.

SHORTS

To make the shorts, I took a pattern off of a pair size 4 shorts. Using the purple knit, I folded it in half and on the fold I placed the shorts:

I cut this out and used it again for the second half of the shorts so that they where the same.  Now you should have to piece cut out that look like this:

At this point I hemmed both pieces along the bottom about half an inch:



Now to sew the piece's together.  First I sewed the inner legs together:

Then I pinned and sewed the front and backs together:

All to do now is sew the sides together (sorry didn't take pic) and now you have your shorts:

SKIRT

Put the shorts aside and now to make the skirt.  For the skirt I cut out:

2 x 15 inch wide by 23 inch long rectangles (for skirt)

1 x 3 inch wide by 23 inch long rectangle (for waistband)

To make the skirt, I placed both 15" x 23" pieces, right sides together and sewed both sides and hemmed the bottom:

Then with my machine I gathered all the way around the top.  To gather using your machine, set your tension as loose as it can go and pick the longest length stitch, then you need to pull the button thread to gather:

I gathered the thread till the opening measured 12 inches wide.  Now to sew the skirt and shorts together.

To do this, I turned both the skirt and shorts right side out and place the shorts inside of the skirt.  For the waist band I ironed the 11"x 23" piece in half, opened and ironed each side so that it looks like double folded bias tape:

Now to pin the waistband over both the skirt and shorts, sew and leave an opening for the elastic to be inserted:

tuck end of waistband under for a neat finish



And here they are:

My little Grub!!!!!

Happy Sewing!!!!!

Tim Tam Slice

After making some Tim Tam Cakepop's for hubby and the kid's I got to thinking about good old slices.

I didn't have any lollipop sticks

What if you where to make to lots of different Tim Tam mixture and layer it on top of each other then add a bit of melted chocolate on top to make it a slice. Hmmmmmm..

So I had to try it!


should remember to take a picture before it all gets eaten!!!

What you need:

1 x packet of chocolate Tim Tam's
1 x packet of white choc Tim Tam's
16og cream cheese softened
chocolate buttons for the topping

So what I did first was to place the choc Tim Tam's in the food processor with 80g (3 tbsp) of cream cheese and processed till well mixed:



What mixture looks like when it comes together



Now for the dish I used a small rectangle sandwich plate and placed some baking paper on top.  Then I spread out the mixture so that it was even all over:


Now to do the same again for the white Tim Tam's using the other 80g (3 tbsp) of cream cheese but first put the bottom of the slice in the fridge to give it a change to harden:

Spread the white Tim Tam mixture over the top of the base:

Place in the fridge while you melt your chocolate.  Sorry I didn't measure how much I used but I have a 375g bag of choc buttons that was already opened and used half so I think it was about 150g.

I melted my chocolate in the microwave at 25 sec intervals as to not burn the chocolate, but you can place it over a pot of boiling water.

Now just to spread the melted chocolate over the top and place it back in the fridge to harden, then cut and serve:



It is very yummy!!

Hubby has requested a choc mint version.  He just loves mint slice so I will have to have a good luck at the mint biscuits next week!  Will let you know how it goes!

Have a great day!!!

St Patrick's Day!!!!!!

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, May goodluck pursue you each day and night!!!

Girl's Jumpsuit

When Jorja was 1 year old I use to love putting her in this little blue jumpsuit in the warm weather.  Don't you just love those chubby little thighs.

Anyway, last year I picked up 2 remnant's at spotlight and had been planning on making a dress using the tutorial from Craftiness is not Optional, Ice Cream Social Dress .



photo taken from Craftiness is not Optional




My fab find at Spotlight



So where to start first, measure Jorja of course.  I took measurements of her chest, waist, hips and from under her arm down to her knee.  Then using these measurements I cut the fabric into 2 rectangles, adding about 2 inches each side.



Now to pin each side and sew the side seams.  After I did this I ironed the seams flat before I made the top hem.

Now for the top I wanted to make a channel for some elastic.  I made 2 seams, the first I measured at 1cm to hide the frayed edge and save having to overlock:

Then I rolled it down again and measure another inch and sewed.  To make a channel I then sewed about 3/4 of a centimetre from the top of the dress, leaving a gap to insert the elastic:

This is where I should really be shirring the jumpsuit but alas I have not given it a try yet, so now I need to make a channel at the waist for the elastic.  By the way the elastic I am using is 4mm.



I measured 1 inch and folded that in half before sewing



Then I sewed the channel flat:

look of channel inside

how it looks from the outside

At this stage you could just hem the bottom to finish as a dress instead of turning it into a jumpsuit.   Now for the legs. 

I really thought about this one for awhile and finally decided to draw a line in the middle and then measured half an inch either side of that line.  Then I rounded the top.  I'm pretty sure that the line in the middle measures 4 inches from the bottom:

 After hemming the legs, it's time to insert the elastic into the waist and the top hem of the outfit.



after elastic has been inserted

For the straps I cut to strips about 11 inches long, sewed, turned right side out and ironed flat.  Then I sewed along both edges to keep it flat: 

Now just to pin the straps in place and sew:

And here it is, the finished jumpsuit and my little model:

 And when she gets to big for it I can just cut the legs off, hem and turn it into a little top.  If anyone has a better idea of how to create the legs please let us know.

Happy Sewing!!!!!