I found it at the Library

I am hoping to make this a regular post as I borrow books out of my local library all the time and the great thing is I request books online so I don't have to drag the whole tribe to the library and spend most of the time telling them to be quiet and stop running around.

Have you been to your local library?, are you a member?.  Well if you're not then you should be.  Is there a new sewing book out at the moment that you would love to buy but money is tight and the $40 price tag is just to much, well why not check and see if your library has it.  And if they don't have it some libraries will actually look at getting the book in.

I also like the fact that you can try before you buy.  There have been a few books that I have borrowed out and ended up buying it and others I have found there are only one or two things I like but the rest of the book is no good to me.

The only downside to borrowing some of the books from the library is that you can't use the patterns that may come with the book but that's where tracing paper comes in handy.

Anyway seeing as I have been doing alot of crocheting lately I thought I would share a book that I actually have on my "would like to buy list".

It's called 'The Ultimate Crochet Bible' by Jane Crowfoot.  This book is fantastic and loaded with different stitches and techniques:

I found that this book is well illustrated for those who would like to learn how to crochet or like me who can crochet but would like to know more types of stitches this book is very easy to follow.

 

Here are a few of the different sections you will find:

I'm planning on making this bolster cushion for someone special

This type of crochet uses a very long hook almost like a knitting needle.
 I have already been out and bought one from Spotlight

So why not head out this week and checkout your local library or check and see if you can browse online.

Happy reading!!!!!

Tag Blanket (baby shower gift)

I recently made a tag blanket for a dear friend who is expecting a little boy in eight weeks.

I had fun making this blanket as I just love all the bright colours that I have chosen. Spotlight have a great range of flannel at the moment and I has been a while since I have been fabric shopping due to this little man:

Ahh I could sit and watch this little face all day.  Anyway back to the blanket, so here is what I came up with:

Supplies:

1 metre Blue and White Star Flannel

1 metre Rainbow stripped Flannel

1 metre of each colour of ribbon (orange, pink, red, yellow, green, purple and blue)

So first I cut the ribbon into 3 inch (orange, pink, red, yellow and blue) and 4 inch strips (green and purple).

Then I measured, marked and cut both pieces of flannel into a 34 x 34 inch square:

OK, next I pinned the ribbon on to the right side of one piece of flannel and then sewed them on as I thought this would make it easier to sew the whole thing together and not have to worry about the ribbon moving.  I ended up with 14 pieces of ribbon spaced out about every 2 - 2 1/2 inches apart:

 Now to pin and sew both piece's of flannel, right sides together, making sure to leave a gap to turn the blanket out the right way:



Once I had turned the blanket out the right way, I pinned and sewed around the edge of the blanket (i sewed about 3/8 of an inch from the edge):

And here is the finished blanket:



I also made a beanie and matching booties as well:

Might have to go back to Spotlight and get some more of this fabric and make one for my little man lol!!.

Happy Sewing

P.S was not happy with the booties, one looked bigger then the other so I am making them again.  They were probably fin but I wasn't happy with them lol



Over at Bits & Bobs 4 Bubs

Checkout my new headbands now in stock over at Bits & Bobs 4 Bubs.  Handmade by me!!!!

Link Party Like # 9

Well what a week, have been waiting hand and foot on my little man who still every now and then brakes out of his routine and just wont settle or just wants to feed.  But we are getting there.

I actually got around to sewing something this week while the little man slept though.  I have had some Michael Miller material since last year that I was going to make apron's and chef's hats out of for my girls.  I made one set for my niece for Christmas here.  It was the first time I had actually used bias tape and was very proud of myself for not making to much of a mess.

And here is a picture of my little monkeys wearing their new apron's and chef's hats:

So what have you all been up to lately:

photo's taken from related blogs

1. Jennifer at My Own Road shows us what to do with hubby's old shirts.  I will have to rescue a few of my hubby's before they go into his rag pile in the shed.
2. Sewing Chick also show us how to turn hubby's old shirts into a onesie, very clever
3. Love this dress by Anngela over at Anngela's Pretty Things.
4. And who doesn't love this ruffle diaper cover.  Checkout the tutorial over at Katie J Gibson
5. Ruffles galore here at Butterly Kisses
6. And checkout the great hairbands that The Crafty Blog Stalker made from T-Shirts.  She found the tutorial for it over at the Craft Snob.
7. Why not change a plain onsie into a ruffle dress using the tutorial over at Sugar Baby Boutique.

So if you haven't made anything in a while I hope all these wonderful tutorials/blogs will give you some inspiration.

Happy Sewing

Tracksuit Pants for $1

This Wednesday my little man will be 1 month old.  Can’t believe it, where did the first month go.  I feel like I was only in the hospital last week.  It’s the same with my girl’s.  My eldest will be 5 next month and then her sister will be 4 in September. 

Recently I went through all their clothes and sorted out what was too small.  I had to buy more winter wear as their little legs are getting longer.  But with the weather the way that it is I have found that they are going through their winter wear quicker than I am keeping up with the washing and that they have lots of jumpers and not enough tracksuit pants.

So into my stash of material I dove and found two pieces of fleece that were leftovers from another project.

I think I was pushing my luck just a little bit though as there was not much left.  Lucky my girl’s are tiny.  I used the same idea as the shorts I made for Grace’s skorts to make these pants.

First I folded the pants in half (front sides together) and placed them on the fold of the fleece that way I did not have to sew together the outside of the legs only the inside:

Then using tailor’s chalk I marked the outline of the pants and cut.  Make sure you allow for the seams.

Do this twice and this is what you should end up with:

Before sewing the two pieces together I find it’s easier at this stage to do the hem at the bottom of the legs:

Then I pinned the inside of each leg and sewed them using a stretch stitch (number 19 on my Janome) as I don’t have an overlocker:

sorry couldn't get a very clear picture

Now to sew the inside of the legs together:

And here they are.  Not bad I must say.  Now to just add the elastic.

I used elastic that was about 2cm wide (all I had in my stash that was thick enough), measured my daughter’s waist and cut accordingly:

Then I pinned and sewed a hem around the top of the pants leaving a gap to insert the elastic.  Using a safety pin at one end to guide the elastic round (make sure you anchor the end so that it doesn’t disappear), sew ends together then sew hole.

And here they are.  They are just a little long in the legs but that is to allow for growing.

So why not give it a try.  The fleece cost me $4.99 per metre at Spotlight, so with the size of the piece I had left it cost me under $1 to make these pants.  I’m thinking I might just go back to Spotlight and pick up some more fleece.

Happy Sewing

Link Party Likes #8

Well I can't believe that my little man is going to be 3 weeks old tomorrow already.  He is settling into a routine really well and his big sister's just can't get enough of him.

I'm slowly getting back into my sewing and will hopefully be on here a lot more.  I have a tutorial already to go for next week on how I made these:

And I have come up with a few idea's for weekly post.  But now to this weeks Link Party Likes.  As usual you have all been very busy and so here are a few of the links that I really liked:




All photo's above are from the relative sites



1. Rachel at Sun Scholars shares this great tutorial on how to make your own nappy cake
2. I'm loving all things for boys at the moment so had to share this tutorial by Kimberlee over at The Spunky Diva .
3. Now I know what to do with my husbands unwanted work shirts, Jennifer from My Own Road show us how to turn a shirt into a vest for a little man.
4. Need a change pad or looking for something for the next baby shower you are attending well why not make a quilted change pad.  Oxford Impressions uses Michael Miller fabrics to create this lovely change pad.
5. Julie from Vibrant Designs shares a tutorial for this lovely maxi dress
6. What a great way to update an old shirt that you haven't worn for ages.  Checkout Emily's tutorial over at Em-agination
7. I just have to have a go at making this delicious looking dish from Chef In Training, thanks Nikki
8. And I'm a bit scared of zippers but this tutorial by Kathryn at Creating My Way To Success makes sewing in zippers look easy, will have to give it a try.



So head on over and check out these great tutorials and explore these wonderful blogs. 

Enjoy!!!!!



Aaarrr Me Hearty's!!!!!!

Last weekend my nephew celebrated his 5th birthday, pirate style.  It was a great afternoon filled with treasure hunts, pass the parcel, laughter and lollies.

All the kiddies (and some parents) dressed up in their finest pirate gear and my sister-in-law did a fabulous job on the pirate ship birthday cake.

Grace doing her best pirate impersonation, big sister was
being difficult and didn't want to dress up.

The yummy Pirate Ship Cake, fantastic job Robyn!!!

With this being the first birthday party that Ethan has attended, I didn't want him to miss out (I know he was only over a week old  but i didn't want him to miss out) so I sent hubby out to buy some black felt and I made my little man a pirate hat and waist coat.

To make the waist coat I used the jumpsuit he was going to wear as a template.  First I lay the jumpsuit on top of one piece of felt and folded the arms behind to hide them.  Then I traced around the suit to create the back of the vest:

Then I used the back of the vest to cut out the 2 front piece's for the front by folding it in half and laying it on another piece of felt and cut:

I forgot to mention that I marked where the arm hole started with tailor's chalk



Now I just pinned and sewed it all together.  For the hat i found one using google that was for a colouring competition, printed it out twice, pinned, cut and sewed it together.  Now as i made this the morning of the party, in between feeds and getting ready, i forgot to take a few pictures but i traced the skull and bones onto some interfacing with a laundry marker, cut it out and hand sewed it while in the car on the way:

And here he is, the littlest pirate at the party, too cute!!!!!!



He slept thru the entire party lol!!!!



Happy sewing!!!!!

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