Show off what you did in December

My last month of this meme and I got slack!  I didn't post the widget for you to sign up to show off your December creations!  I am very sorry.  I am sure that you all can appreciate that December is a very crazy time of the year and so some things get overlooked.

Anyway, I don't want to overlook your creations- so we would love to see them. Sign up below!

My Christmas Crafty Adventures so far

Last year the end of the year snuck up on me and unfortunately I didn't get the chance to spoil the people who had done alot of 'work' for us.

People such as teachers, kinder teachers, and others who had helped us on the journey of 2009.  So this yea I have decided to spoil them!

 Many of the same people have been in our lives this year, so it made it alot easier.

I have made a journal with an embroidered cover and ribbon, as well as a key fob for those who have really helped alot this year.  The ribbons are Farbenmix, Spotlight and others from Crafty Mamas, Love Chirps embroidery from Huups, Flowers from JuJu.

For those who have given my children lifts from school, making it possible for me to work a little, and also given me a break from driving (with 2 kinder runs to different kinder and a school run it can be rather exhausting), the teacher/ assistant who is willing to have time for me at the drop of a hat.  The kinder workers that have spent more time on 'us' than I will ever know.  And of course then there are those who have just lent us support!

And then there is the swimming instructors, the person who smiled at me when I was feeling down, the work colleague who listened.

I might also buy some fresh cut soaps to go with some of these, as I am finding it hard to resist the need to share her art! (I just hope they are not thinking that I think they smell! Coz they don't!)

I must thank Sara (Willow and Moo) for showing me where to find the tools to make the key fobs.  And also for getting the ball rolling with the journal covers.  My sister also helped with her graphic design talent.

Time to show off your Crafty Christmas adventures!

Its the end of November (either I am yelling to try and convince myself that it is actually here, or that I am trying not to cry as the time has flown!)

And its time to show off your Christmas craftying.



I have almost finished mine, just gotta iron them and pop it all together. Please hold me to it that I have to have it done before it reaches December!

28th of Blogtoberfest: October 12 in 12 show your creation!

I am really happy with this months challenge, and will be doing it again!

Race ya to the op shop!

27th of Blogtoberfest: my October 12 in 12 recreation!

Pattern: Ottobre 301 with added length

Fabric and old adults top from an Op shop

binding, and old adults spaghetti strap top from Op shop

Unwilling model, my 4yo daughter, who would not co-operate! 

This recreate thing is actually really handy!  The whole top cost me 50c I think.  I have been rummaging through op-shops looking for any top with 2 way stretch, making sure it was big enough to make another top out of. and then chopping.  It helps that it had stripes as I used that as the grain line.

The pattern took me about 30min to sew up!  

Another bonus is that the sleeves didn't need hemming.  I just used the existing sleeves, and used their hem as my hem ;)

I have also made knickers out of op-shop clothing.  

So thats my October challenge completed YAY for me! (and nope photos wont behave!)

so did you bag it in September?

if so would love to see your creation!  Please sign up below.

I am hoping to finish mine tonight.  As most things this month, its not quite turning out as I had hoped ;)

Hand Embroidery sign up!

Oh this was a hard one!  I mean you have to be so motivated to sit down and (well for me) design something and then have the patience to stitch it out.  I am yet to do mine... but I have 4 more days...

Anyway.  If you have completed yours please sign up below.

Anyone know how to take a photo of an active 2yo?

Well in our case, it means that you let them take a turn of the camera. (under my supervision!)
my turn:

her turn:

my turn:

 

her turn:

 

my turn: yup we want the camera again!

These are also pics of the pleated skirt that I made for Lily.  It was rather east to do, the most painful part was ironing all the seam allowances inwards for the contrast fabric.  However this skirt is yet to be washed, and I am sure that it will need strict ironing to maintain the pleats!

show us your pleats!

I am working on mine today.

If you have finished, would love to see it, sign up below.

So what did you self draft?

Well I was hoping to draft a pair of trackies, as I have don't this once before and it worked out really well.  Especially for the boys who have no hips but have long legs.  My boys can still fit into size 3 pants, except for the length and some rise, but I never actually got that far.

What I did manage was to draft a poncho.  I was inspired by the poncho that Natalie from ModerKip makes.  I cant suggest that it turned out quite as good as hers though.  My mistakes were not lack of pattern though, rather lack of detail when drafting the pattern. As the front is lower than the back, I wasn't sure exactly where to take the measurements from when deciding the length.  Then of course the front and the back were different lengths (which I altered with a pair of scissors :D).  I also made it out of baby wale, lined in minky and inner out of flannel. This is not the best starting point when you have just drafted the pattern and have not tested it. Minky is hard to sew with anyway, and then making it even thicker with the baby wale and flannel makes the denim sewing needle look like a delicate needle.

Never the less I have completed it, and its far from perfect!  It is wearable though.  I still have not attached a button as I am having a button crisis. 
If anyone has any good ideas for a button please let me know.  I also want to change the buttons on the Farbenmix Olivia overdress as well which is made from the same fabric.  And its also the same buttons.  I have already cut the holes though...  ETA i think I will use the ribbon, the ribbon is around the hood.

Ribbon is from Farbenmix from Crafty Mamas.

Anyway, sign up below to show off your self drafted projects.

so show us ya zippers!

So this months challenge is up.  I'm a little late with showing the end products.  But never the less its not yet June!

My zip is in the previous post.

What did I learn... its not that scary.  Sometimes it does need a little interfacing, but really, not scared!

so sign up below to show off your finished zips!

I made something with a ZIP!

I shall blog about the craft mamas retreat after I take some photos of my accomplishments, not to mention gain a little sleep!

If not then the post might look something along the lines of:...

wotawonderfulweekendwithaheapofbootifulmamasandlotsofsewingdone

Anyway, I managed to make the Krazy Fashion Everything wallet out of my fav Amy Butler LOVE fabric.  I actually made it for my little sister...

There are a few things I will do differently when I make this wallet again, none relating to the zip! (only that I want to add another one at the back) 

The inside seams do need to be trimmed as much as possible otherwise the wallet wont fold over.

I will try and make it either a) without the interfacing on the large back piece, or b) use thinner interfacing.

Also hem the check book pocket more so that it can fold more easily. 

And lastly, use a walking foot to top stitch.

But my sister seems quite impressed, and I have competed this months challenge (although its not technically enclosed, I did cut a hole and insert it in there... do I pass?)

show off your softies

As some of you may know, it has been quite a busy month here in our home.  We are still without a car and the house has not yet been repaired from the hail storm.  I am very grateful that I have a handy husband who got up onto the roof and replaced the tiles that were causing the roof to leak.  I also have a wonderful friend who fixed our computer and loaded Windows 7 as well.

Anyway- even though I failed this months challenge (yes I can fail my own challenge LOL!) We would love to see your softie!

So its the last day in February! Sign up for your finished knit projects begin NOW!

Just a reminder, to sign up for the showing off your project is below. If you don't have a blog please feel free to add it to the Flickr group, just add the Flickr link in with your preferred name to the widget. You can add a little blerb in Flickr.
If you have done both, please add either link, but remember to add the link to your blog in the Flickr photo description.
And enjoy browsing!

So what have we learnt? what would we change?

I am NO expert at knit!

I myself made a measly pair of knickers for one of my girls.  I was going to make an Olivia but unfortunatly I had an unsceduled week long stop in my bed coughing- not to mention also the 2 weeks prior my maching was being repaired.

I changed the way that I attached the leg elsastic.  I sewed the front and the back together leaving the sides open, and attached the leg elastic on the flat.  It was far easier to attach, but my finishing was not as neat as if I had done it in the round.  So either this is going to take practice or just do it in the round.  I did the waist the same and had the same problem.  Alot of it was eleviated by top-stitching, but not 100%.  Again I partially blame skill!  The top stitching also kept getting caught so was very uneven.  (and yes need to cut a few threads!)

But hey, they are a great pair of knickers for my girl, and they are not about to fall aparet etc... made out of quality fabrics.  So regardless of how dodgy the binding is or the top stitching, they still work!

so its your turn now to reveal...

I finshed it! January 12 in 12 challenge

I finally finished my skirt!

Pattern is the Versatile Wrap Skirt from Make it perfect .

I used this pattern to try and highlight the fabric.  I also lined it, which is not shown on the pattern.  I just used a thin gauze and made a 2nd skirt, joining it at the waist and the ends. 

There is a lot of fabric in here, and had to re-wind my bobbin a few times.  Not to mention that my sewing machine decided not to work properly just as I needed to top stitch the waist!  So its off the the machine Dr this week!

Ill try and get some action shots during the week!

I just realised that I have a large butterfly in both the front and the back. 

yup- its my meme!

and I am yet to cut out my skirt....

Tonight!  I promise!

I just see that fabric sitting over there, and I feel kind of scared to bite into it!

Tonight there will be no WiiFit, there will be no cooking, and providing the little ones settle in their beds I WILL CUT OUT THIS SKIRT!!

Just a reminder for you all that next week we will start displaying our creations... so if you are like me and have not cut anything out... well you know what you need to do!

Also next Friday I will be drawing the winner of the blog giveaway too, so if you havnt entered, please feel free!