learning to sew...

Evangeline has been asking me to teach her to sew for some time...

And I will admit I have been avoiding it...but today I said yes!

She wanted to sew some pants...eeeeek I thought...

But we looked at her stash of fabric she got for Christmas, found a pattern and set to work....I decided she could use my machine and over locker rather than her little Elna machine...
Cutting out the pattern...

Overlocking the seams....

Sewing the hems and waist band...



Threading the elastic...

She did a very good job for a 7 year old!

I did very little except sew the curve of the crutch for her...

She was very pleased!


Not sure what she will want to sew next...but having made these pants I am not so worried now! Lissy

15 minutes a dress...

I have been working production line style on Pillow Cases Dresses as part of Little Big Girl Studio's


I had planned to make just one but couldn't decide what to make so I grabbed so fabric and started a production line....I cut out ten dresses and then set to work sewing...


I have worked out it takes about 15 or so minutes to make one....not long...they really are so easy...I think my favourite is the dark brown gingham...

I have a stash of fabric for Children of the Forest projects...I made twirling skirts last November to send...it is the pile on the right...


I always check out the remnants bin when I am waiting in line at Spotlight as often pick up some nice fabric, and check out the clearance section, and save fabric from projects of my own....And Textile Traders have remnants for $1...

And to make a baby size dress only requires about 40x60cm of fabric...I have plenty of scraps that size!

I have made all size dresses depending on the size of the pieces of fabric I had....

Even though I have joined in this sew-a-long I am just going to send my dresses straight to the Children of the Forest as I know they will appreciate them too...

I got the pattern from my Craft Hope book...which also has a specific project for Children of the Forest in it...and so that fits in with my other project this year...The Craft Book Challenge ...see the button to the right....

My plan next month is to make at least 10 pairs of shorts...they aren't so hard either...just have to work out a pattern and some sizes...and stock up on a few more boyish fabrics...but I will make some girls shorts too...Lissy

I am joining in...

I am going to join in why don't you join in too....hosted by Little Big Girl Studio ....pillowcases dresses are very quick and easy to make....

I am aiming to make one as I have a few other things I am supposed to be doing at the moment...but if I get my act together I will try and make a few...

It doesn't take much fabric...or use a pillowcase...see what you can do!

There are plenty of patterns to be found on line...easier still pop to the Dress A Girl Around the World website and there are patterns there...

And you can make stuff for boys too...Lissy

our little superhero...

Morganne is often playing super heroes these days...she loves to watch Lazy Town...we usually tie one of her blankies around her neck as I haven't gotten around to making her a cape...but last night Evangeline decided to make her a superhero cape! What a fabulous big sister!

Ben and I got up early this morning to hang the last gate now the cement was well and truly set...then we took him to the airport....

Evangeline and I went out and caught Bella and Rosie...groomed them and then lead them around the paddock...

And Evangeline has been busy doing other sewing...making a doll...I helped a bit...

And this morning she decided she needed a pillow slip....

So quite busy around here...Lissy

hot, humid and stormy...

The weather has been pretty unpleasant around here...a cyclone has come down the coast...doesn't happen often...the last one was in 1978...I was in primary school and remember that...

It hasn't affected Perth much but we have had very humid weather and it is hot...about 42C yesterday here...and we had some very heavy rain yesterday...

First thing in the morning Evangeline rode Bella then we went to meet Rosie. In the afternoon we stayed indoors....Evangeline and I went to the shops late afternoon and got drenched leaving...so when we got home there was a lot of water around...so this is what the girls did...


Then Ben hosed them down!

And into the bath...it cooled off a bit in the evening so Ben and I started replacing the gates to the paddock...one smaller one for daily access to the horses and a larger one...we are gradually replacing the top rails as well...the old ones are a bit chewed from precious horses...

This morning we went up to the Farmer's Market at Kalamunda and then had breakfast at a cafe with friends...

Evangeline has been busy sewing ...she has two great books...both easy for her to follow and do things by herself which she is loving...

Made by Me she got for Christmas and Sewing School arrived in the post the other day....

Her sewing kit which I put together for her Christmas present has been a hit...and the needle threader means she can be independent especially now she has learned to tie knots...She has made a needle book and a pin cushion today...She has done a great job for a 7 year old....

And now she wants to start a doll...and there is a ribbon bag next on the list...

We will get out and finish the paddock gates later too...Lissy

slowing down...

Things are finally slowing down around here...

Each year November and December are so busy for us...birthdays, end of school activities, end of year concerts and Christmas...

Then we seem to land in a heap on the other side in the New Year...and it takes a few weeks to get back on board!

Finally we are in holiday mode....we had swimming after New Year and that seemed to keep us very busy....

We have tried to get away for a few days holidays but that has not eventuated...

And here we are at the end of January and getting back into the swing of things and the holiday is nearly over...and I am now getting some of the things I had planned to do on the holidays done!

I am getting time to sew with Evangeline....and do some sewing myself...

I have completed my first item for the Craft Book Challenge...

It is from this book Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross...given to me by the crafty Sharon...

It is a fabulous book with lots of great projects...the instructions were easy to follow but I think the fabric amounts were wrong for this "Everything Tote" that I made...

I managed to sew on the handles wrong but it is still OK...I like the orange spot contrasting with the black and grey floral...

We are getting Evangeline out riding the pony most days...usually early befor ehte heat kicks in...and I am still looking for a horse for myself... I rode one yesterday...called Cisco...a big chestnut boy...but hard work to get him moving... And I am a tad sore today after the ride!

Evangeline starts school next Wednesday. Morganne doesn't start for two weeks...

Ben heads off at the end of next week again for a week checking out his new boat...so we hope to enjoy the next few days...Lissy

new book...

We had a new book arrive in the post today...it is fabulous....perfect for children learning to sew...

It has basic sewing skills with clear illustrations and then great little projects again with very clear illustrations. Evangeline is very keen and picked out a few projects...

First up is an eye patch for grandma... and one for herself too...She has done it mostly by herself...even threading her own needles with a needle threader...

She made hers by hand and then we set up her machine to make grandma's...
And finished it by hand....

I want to set up a sewing station in my room for her sewing machine and sewing bits...just need to clear some space and get a small table and we will be set!

And we had some visitors today....The girls played non stop...except for a bit of time playing a Wizard of Oz computer game....

And Ben gets home again tonight from a work trip to Melbourne....and some big news...Lissy

a special gift...

I have been busy this weekend making a special gift...it is to send to Porpoyii for Christmas (who we sponsor at Children of the Forest)...I think it is the gift that has made me happiest this year...

I made her a tote bag...It is made of red denim...with some cute red stars fabric by Anna Griffin...I also made a pencil case (red stars) and a toiletries bag (red and blue denim)...

I made loads of mistakes and my machine desperately needs a service as it is not sewing well...but I am sure Porpoyii will not mind!
 
Evangeline and I went shopping yesterday and she bought with her pocket money some coloured pencils, some lead pencils and a spotty notebook to send...


I bought some small soap, a little bottle of shampoo, some toothpaste, a tooth brush and a hair brush, some hair clips and a visual diary, sharpener and eraser to add to the bag...

I hope to get it posted this week....

And on my shopping list this week...140 toothbrushes...I can get packs of 9 from Red Dot for $3...I need 15 packs...$46...not so much really...I figure they maybe need some new ones...

I am planning on adding something to my shopping each week...a hairbursh, a packet of underpants, coloured pencils, crayons, lead pencils ...things they need...a few dollars for us each week...we won't miss it...but the good will be greatly appreciated at Children of the Forest...

What Christmas Gift is making you the most happy this year?  Lissy

do you want to win some fabric...

Well pop over to retromummy...and you could be in for a chance to win...do you remember this fairy tale dress I made last year for Evangeline...The fabric was from retromummy...fingers crossed...Lissy

little girls should have a skirt for twirling...

I made 6 skirts today...skirts that I hope some little girls will do some twirling in...

Not my girls...

But little girls at the Children of the Forest...as part of Craft Hope...

A friend asked me today why I do all this...meaning collecting and sending clothes and underwear and so on to Children of the Forest...well my answer is probably simply because I want to...

This skirt making has only cost my time...I have raided my stash for ric rac and ribbon...and some fabric scraps from clothes I have made for my girls...and a few pillow cases I thrifted yesterday...

Morganne was happy to model twirling in the pink one even though it was a little big...I started with the idea of following the skirt in the Craft Hope book...but soon got side tracked creating all sorts of different skirts for twirling...But making these skirts made me think a little more...I tried to make each one completely different...To make something special for a little girl who does not have a mum or a grandma to make her things...to make her a twirly skirt...

Please contact me if you would like to join in and are not sure what to do...Lissy