Ever so inspired

Sweet

2012-01-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

This is a little dress I whipped up for Lainey just before Christmas. Now that I have made a few of these dresses, I am getting really good at them! And I think they look really cute on. The pattern is by Leila and Ben. Fabric by Wal mart. He he he.

a second batch of Christmas baubles

2011-11-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

I made some more baubles using this tutorial. The first batch was for my brothers and sister in England, but I fell in love with them, so I made another set just for us! They are going to look so great on our tree.

If you like to crochet, I highly recommend that you get right over to Attic24 and start making your very own set of baubles. But be warned- they're addictive!

Flippy floppy

2011-11-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

A few weeks before Millie was born, the nesting bug set in and I went a little crazy making hats and other things for her. My sewing machine was broken at that time but I still found plenty to keep me busy! Around that time I found a new-to-me blog called Aesthetic Nest, written by a very talented lady called Anneliese, who sews, knits, crochets, paints, and throws the most AMAZING parties for her three girls.

One of Anneliese's crochet patterns was for this adorable hat, which has a choice of a 'flippy floppy' on top, or a ruffled rose on the side. I made the flippy floppy for Millie but I've also done a ruffled rose version for my niece and it is lovely.

The blue and brown one below was for a little boy soon to be born to my friend Tiff. I adapted the pattern slightly by doing two rows of single crochet for the contrast edging, and making the ties a little shorter.

You can find the original pattern here.

In case you're interested, I also knit the cardi that Millie is wearing in that top picture. I can't seem to find the pattern anymore so no link, sorry. It was a really easy knit, and all in one piece.

bauble decorations

2011-11-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

Looking for something lightweight to send to my brothers and sisters in England, I came across this amazing tutorial, which I had saved in my favourites folder. Lucy at Attic24 is not only amazingly talented, but also very generous with her time in creating wonderful, detailed tutorials.

These little Christmas decorations were so fun, quick and easy to make and just look so pretty! I hope my family in England like them as much as I do. I have started work on several for our tree. It will be nice to have something to hang on the bottom branches that I know can't hurt the children, and they can't ruin!

A hat (not quite) fit for a husband

2011-11-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

About the end of September, I decided that each member of my little family should receive something knitted by me for Christmas. Cardigans for the girls and hats for the boys. The girls' cardi's were finished by mid- October, but I've been having problems with the hats, for some reason. Luke's came together quite fast but ended up looking kind of silly (I'll show you in another post) Trev's was very quick and easy but I accidentally selected a green yarn (It looked grey on my computer...) However, I do love this pattern. I adore the ribbing, as it makes for a really nice, stretchy hat. I will be using the same pattern for my next attempt. This green one is going into our winter gear basket, and I'll probably end up wearing it myself. It really is comfy.

cutie in wool

2011-11-13T21:01:00.000-08:00

What could be more delicious than a squishy baby in wool?

I really enjoyed knitting this little sweater. I used this pattern, from Lion Brand. It came together very easily and is just so cute on her. Here's to many more adorable little baby sweaters :-)

Coming back

2011-11-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

After a long long time away (almost a year and a half- oh my) I have decided to start using this space again. Turns out I enjoy the process of finalising a project by documenting it. So, in the near future, look for new posts about what I've been up to. Obviously I'm not going to write about everything I've done, but there will be an 'update' of some sort :-)

McCalls 5791

2010-07-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

View B, again. I seem to get stuck in ruts when it comes to patterns. I don't know whether that's a bad thing or not, but it definitely helps me learn. Plus I feel much more confident when I've tried a pattern out and know it's okay. Kind of boring though, huh? However, I do LOVE this dress...

Trev's brother was getting married so I made this little dress to coordinate with the wedding colours. I love love love the fact that this dress is fully lined. It makes a much more special, professional finish and is probably more comfy, too.

All my fabrics were from Joanns, except the lining which was from a thrifted white bed sheet.

blanketty blank

2010-07-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is very simple picnic blanket that I put together. It is backed with denim and tied instead of quilted (I need to add some more ties before I wash it) It's not the cutest blanket ever but it looks quite nice and does its job. I'd like to make a few more of these to have around- in the car, for camping, even for when we have guests sleeping on our living room floor...

sweetie

2010-07-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

Yet anther sweet little dress/top, except this time, I varied it! Woohoo! According to the pattern, you're supposed to put elastic in the sleeves, but I didn't. Partly out of experimentation, and partly out of lack of time. It's actually quite cute, don't you think? The fabric is very lightweight gingham, which I suspect won't hold up all that well, but it should last for the rest of the summer. I do love the colour!

In case you're interested (and you should be- this pattern is great) visit Leila and Ben on Etsy for the pattern. Also, one of my favourite blogs, Brown Paper Packages, recently did a pattern makeover month using this pattern. There are all kinds of variations you can try, to come up with cute and unique clothes for little girls.

finished at last

2010-06-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've been working on lots of things lately but haven't been posting stuff. I keep making the classic mistake of sending off gifts without remembering to photograph them first.

Today I finished up this little jacket that I knitted before Christmas. All it needed was a zip, and yet it sat there waiting for me to sew it in for over 6 months. Lame! I think it's because I don't really like it. It didn't turn out quite how I hoped, so I didn't have the heart to finish it. But at least now it's not taking up space on my desk. And you know- Lainey might wear it once or twice. For camping, or something.

I'm really still a 'beginner' when it comes to knitting, so the two-colour pattern took forever! I did enjoy doing it though.

Lainey does this really cute thing when she's trying on a new piece of clothing. She sort of shrugs her shoulders a few times and then strokes her belly. Adorable!

mending

2010-06-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

I've been inspired by the ladies over at Making more with Less. They are having a mending week (actually it's over now) It's been a good excuse to get out my 'boring' sewing projects and clear some room in my sewing basket!

This week I have mended two pairs of Lainey's pants, hemmed a couple of trousers for Trev, and fixed the binding on one of Luke's fleecy blankets. Thanks girls for lighting a fire under my butt!

Spring dress

2010-04-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Even though Easter fell on the Sunday of General conference (meaning no church) I still wanted to make her an 'Easter dress.' It's lucky there was no church because the dress wasn't finished until 5 days after Easter. So, I'm calling it her 'spring dress'.

I have to say...I love this dress. And I really like the pattern (McCalls 5791) I made view B. This was an easy dress to make. I wouldn't say it's a beginner project, but I think anyone could give it a go and end up with something cute. The dress is fully lined, with a zipper in the back.

On a lot of sewing blogs, I see beautiful dresses and tops made without a pattern! I really envy the women who have the talent to do that. I'm still stuck in the land of patterns. Maybe one day I'll become a little braver...

addiction

2010-03-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here's another Sweet Little Dress. I think I might be addicted to this pattern. It looks so cute on- the little sleeves are feiminine but not frilly. Also- it's wicked easy to make and comes together quick. As in...you can be just sitting there thinking maybe you'll make another sweet little dress, and two hours later you're looking at the finished product. Not too shabby eh!

I do make a couple of modifications each time.

I've come to claim...

2010-03-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

I made a 'zippered pouch'! It's something I've been meaning to do for a while, and my brother's birthday gave me the perfect excuse. I used this tutorial. And just like Dana, I filled mine with edible goodies- specifically Reeses products which are not available in England. I hope Lee likes it.

You might be wondering about the lettering I have on there. It's freezer-paper stenciled. This was another thing I had been meaning to try for a while. I used these tips. Of course, you can always trust me to complicate things by choosing a difficult design. so it did take a while to cut out all those little letters, but I think it's worth it.

'What's Rightfully Mine' is based on something that Lee used to say when we were kids. He's five years older than me (the next child after him) so he was somewhat of an idol for the rest of us. He would sometimes let us have things from his bedroom- toys, books all kinds of stuff. Before you admire his generosity, though, I must point out that every now and then he would come hunting for the things he had given away, with the famous line 'I've come to claim what's rightfully mine'.

So, there you have it, a little story from my childhood.

birthday skirt

2010-02-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

Here's the skirt that Lainey wore on her birthday. It was inspired by this skirt over at Pink Picket Fence. (Dana has recently made the style popular with her Can-Can Skirt, but I saw the Pink Picket Fence version a while ago and tulle seemed easier)

It was so easy! I simply cut strips of tulle and sewed down the middle with a long stitch. Then I gathered them and attached them to some pink fabric. Added some elastic and....job done!

blankies

2010-02-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

For Lainey-

Simple blankies...to snuggle dollies in, for peekaboo, to have on hand for unexpected messes, for 'picnic' blankets, to become attached to- whatever she chooses to use them for I'll be happy.

These are backed with soft flannel. They measure approx. 21in x 24in.

Luke's quilt

2010-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

hot stuff

2010-02-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

This was supposed to be for Trev's grandma. Her favourite colour is green, so I pulled out an array of greens from my stash and began piecing. I was really pleased with the pieced front part, but when I stitched the layers together, things went pear-shaped.

It's at times like this that I wish I was truly talented. I get so many ideas for things I want to make, but the execution of those ideas always falls short. Still, all I can do is keep trying, so that's what I'll do.

I was afraid that my gift would be late if I tried to make another potholder, so she got these covered button magnets instead.

At least they're green. And as a grandma and great-grandma, she has an abundance of pictures on her fridge, so cute magnets are a must!

p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pick up a...

2010-02-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

Here is what I made for my little brother for his birthday. I haven't sent it to him yet but I'm pretty sure he doesn't read this blog (or know it exists).

A few years ago, when I still lived with my mum in England, I bought this penguin fabric. I think I bought it from Ebay, but anyway, when it arrived, Guy saw it and told me that he really liked it. He wanted me to make him a tie out of it, but there was not enough for a tie. Somehow the fabric came with me when I moved over here, and now it is going back to England as this drawstring bag. Hope he likes it!

We bought Guy a couple of games to go inside. Rook is one of our favourites...

The bag is lined with pale yellow. It was the most coordinating thing I had on hand.

And as you can see from the photos, we've finally had some sunshine! It is so lovely.

Covered notebook

2010-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

This is a gift for Trev's youngest sister, who is turning 14. I used this tutorial. You should go and have a look, and while you're there, check out the rest of her site. Plenty of tutorials and inspiration.

When I made the decision to give handmade gifts this year, I didn't really take into account how frequently birthdays pop up in our families. It's keeping me busy! I also just finished pj bottoms for Trev's brother. They're boring so I'm not going to bother with a picture.

Next up, stuff for my brothers, and Lainey's birthday in February.

Christmas PJs

2010-01-15T07:57:00.000-08:00

Simple flannel bottoms made using a pattern (simplicity, I think) There were going to be tops too, but I couldn't find my pattern for that. I had it all cut out and ready to go and some green knit fabric which coordinated with both of the flannel prints. Oh well.

Then Trev asked for a pair, too. I made a BIG mistake, probably one of the biggest mistakes a wife can make- I underestimated my husband's height! I didn't buy quite enough fabric. I made it work by adding this extra strip on the bottom (which was cut from the scraps I had left over) I added some piping to make it look like it was done on purpose, although I should have taken the time to match the pattern on the fabric. Ah, it was a busy time, those last few days before Christmas.

Trev loves them, and he wears them all the time. He also got compliments from his brothers, which has led to a request that I make them each a pair for their birthdays. Joy.

On the neeeeeedles

2010-01-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Eeek! Look at what I've been doing- knitting with two colours! And, so far, it's going well. My stitches are not perfect, they're a little uneven in places, but hey- if I wanted a perfectly knitted item I would just go and buy one. This is going to have handmade written all over it :-)

It's quite a slow process, for me. But I'm loving seeing the pattern emerge. I think that's why it's so slow- every row I knit I have to turn it round and gaze lovingly at it. I can't wait to see it as a jacket for my little princess to wear.

The pattern is from Debbie Bliss's 'Quick Baby Knits'. It's a lovely book and I'd like to try pretty much every single design in there. ~Sigh~ if only they were really quick...

Felt play food

2010-01-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know. I'm probably the last crafty person in the whole world to get on board with the whole felt playfood thing. But really, my kids are only just old enough to start using it. See? I was just waiting for the right time :-)

Anyway, on to what I've been up to. First up, we have choc chip cookies, fresh from the oven...

And sugar cookies too, for some variety...

If you're after something a bit more substantial and healthy, you can have a sandwich...

With doritos of course (well nobody can be 100 percent good all the time)

Hope you enjoyed your meal. We'll be adding more choices to the menu soon!

I also made this little apron for Luke (for real cooking/helping in the kitchen.) It is made from a dishtowel from the dollar store, I simply cut the top corners off and added a strip of binding on each side. So easy and cute!

Ps. All the food is handsewn, mostly blanket stitch. I like to handsew when I can, it's relaxing and takes me back to my roots!

Knitting Pattern Review- Two-Hour Scarf

2010-01-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

I have made this scarf twice now (and forgotten to photograph it both times!) I love this pattern. It is so easy, is knit with one skein of Lion Brand Homespun yarn, and comes out unbelievably soft. It makes a wonderful last-minute gift!

Image from Lion Brand Yarns

It is knit on enormous needles (mine are sparkly plastic ones!) Which makes it knit up quick, though the needles are a bit heavy and cumbersome. I'm sure you could find some lighter, aluminium ones or something.

You have to try this pattern!

Manly blanket

2010-01-01T14:08:00.001-08:00

This was one of my Christmas gifts for Trev this year. A manly blanket, lovingly crocheted by his adoring wife. What more could a guy want, right?!

The thing that still amazes me is that Trev had no idea that this was coming. I managed to complete the whole thing in my spare time (!) during the day while he was at work.

After sewing in all the ends (whew), I opted to crochet the squares together, using this great tutorial. Lucy is amazing!

I actually love the ridges it creates on the reverse side. Kinda makes it seem more rugged, don't you think?

The blanket measures about 50 inches by 45 inches.

Some thoughts-

I wish I'd have followed advice to sew ends in as I went along. That was a boring task and almost became my downfall.
I enjoyed buying the yarn on sale but it did lead to a rather un-coordinated colour scheme. Next time, I think I will plan it out and buy yarn in advance.
I'll also play around with hook sizes- the fabric of this blanket is quite thick and heavy. I think it would be fun to do something lighter-weight.
I also think it would be fun to do something very colourful, like this, maybe. Obviously wouldn't have worked as a Manly Blanket, but I do believe I'm next in line for an afghan.
Trev likes it, and he uses it, which is what I was going for :-)

Sweet little dress

2009-12-27T21:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a little top I whipped up for Lainey, using a pattern purchased from Leila and Ben. I loved the pattern so much that I have bought it in the baby sizes, and also the big girl sizes. I think I'll be making it a lot!

The pattern is the Sweet little Dress pattern, but obviously I modifed it to make a top instead. I think you could do a lot with this pattern. It was quick to put together and I love the way it looks. I'm almost think this could be Lainey's uniform- a simple yet girly top, paired with leggins.

Meet Sleepy Sue

2009-12-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

Lainey's first dolly, for Christmas. Just what a first dolly should be- simple, soft and loveable!

Pattern/tutorial for Black Apple Doll found at Martha Stewart. I used a fuzzy, velvet-like material (from Walmart) for the hair. I embroidered the facial features instead of painting them on. I like how she turned out. Hope she gets a lot of lovin' from Lainey.

balls

2009-12-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Goodness me, is Christmas really only two weeks away? So little time...so much to do. I have a plan, though, and so far I am sticking to it and keeping up with my little time schedule that I've mapped out in my notebook. We'll see whether I can quilt Luke's quilt in two days, or whether that'll set me behind...

I've seen so many cool ideas for gifts. There are so many talented women out there and I've actually had to stop looking at certain blogs because my to-do list was getting too long. You have to remember that my talents are modest at best, and things take me a bit longer.

Anyway, here's a little project I did for Lainey, which only took a couple of hours, including hand-stitching. Not too bad!

The pattern is from Grand Revival Designs. (Scroll down a little way and the free patterns are located on the right-hand side)

I stuffed mine a little lightly, so Lainey can get her mitts around it easily, and added a little jingle bell inside each one. They will make a nice little Christmas gift. Wouldn't these be a cute baby-shower gift too?!

Luke's jammies

2009-11-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

I'm going to make pjs for the kids this year. The tops I am making are made from stretchy knit fabric, and since I've never worked with that kind of material before- and since Luke was low on nightclothes after a recent growth spurt- I decided to have a practice run.

The attempt was fairly successful, but I am glad that I did do a practice, since there are a few things I will change when I make the Christmas pjs. Sewing knit fabric is not too scary, but mine did stretch a bit in the bottom hem, making it look kind of wobbly. I plan to remedy that by adding a kind of binding to the bottom, wth gap at the sides so that it still has some give.

We'll have to wait and see how it turns out, but for now, I'm happy to have overcome the fear of knits!

Chunky booties

2009-11-23T15:26:00.000-08:00

I made these for Lainey- they're so warm and snuggly, and very, very quick and easy to make! The pattern is here, though I think I need to tweak it somehow to help them stay on baby's feet. Maybe I will add some elastic or something.

Dice games

2009-11-22T19:55:00.000-08:00

Here's a really easy and inexpensive Christmas gift idea. I thought of it for a relief society activity we were doing, but we ended up doing something else instead.

All you do is buy a wooden box from the craft store, you know those unfinished ones, they come in all shapes and sizes. Mine has a hinge so the lid stays on.

Paint it in any colour you like, using whatever paint you choose (I used the cheap craft paint and did two coats). Then, add scrapbook paper, chipboard letters, and any embellishments you fancy! I'm not very good with glue so I cheated and used some very handy self-adhesive scrapbook paper.

I didn't get a photo, but I also painted the inside, and then lined the bottom with felt for a really professional look. Then I filled it with a set of six dice, and instructions for several dice games. You could google 'dice games' or something.

I think it would be a fun present to give to newlywed couples, too.

Luke crafts!

2009-10-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

Look at what Luke and mummy made! We've hung them in his bedroom window for all to admire!

I just downloaded some shapes (you could draw freehand) traced them onto thick paper and cut them out. Then Luke got to work painting them. He didn't completely cover them, so I went over the white bits with crayon. Mounted them on coloured paper, and all done!

If you are looking for fun ways to involve your children in crafts, I have found The Crafty Crow to be a great source of ideas.

dishy dishy!

2009-10-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hardly groundbreaking stuff, I know, but I do feel a tinsy bit proud of my first dishcloth. It's a cool wavy stitch that I learnt (basically knit one row, then the next row you knit, slip, knit, slip etc. Knit next row, the knit knit slip, knit slip knit slip etc. And repeat!) So easy!

And the back of the cloth comes out all nubbly and textured, which I'm sure will be effective on those left-from-last-night dishes which I seem to find in my kitchen quite frequently these days.

If you are interested in making your own, just google 'knit dishcloth patterns', you will get lots of sites to check out. Or how about these knitted dishtowels? I think they look just lovely, and I'd love to know how absorbent and practical they are.

Last year's halloween

2009-10-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Please humour me for just a moment. I know that I posted about this costume last year, on my other blog, but I just feel like it deserves another 5 minutes of fame. I mean, it barely even got seen last year, since we didn't really go to any parties or trick-or-treating.

I just love how it turned out, especially since I didn't have a pattern, and basically just dreamed it up in my own crazy little brain.

This year, I have something fun planned for the kids to coordinate. I don't want to give it away, but let's just say, Luke's gonna be a REAL boy :-)

Chair

2009-10-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

Remember this chair? Trev and I designed and made it ourselves! The top part, that is. It sits on a barstool that we had lying around. I posted about it a while back and mentioned my plans to paint it green.

Well....here she is in all her glory! I really love the way it turned out. The green paint was a free sample I ordered a while ago, and I just happened to have a suitable fabric on hand to make the seat pad and ruffle.

It's really easy to wipe clean, and throw the fabric bits in the washing machine when needed. I love it lots!

By the way, I wish I could take credit for the ruffle, but I can't. My mum did it for me while she was visiting last week. It is held in place with Velcro.

first of many, I hope

2009-10-01T18:19:00.001-07:00

This is my first ever scatter cushion. I used clearance fabric, piped with some from my stash. I didn't put a zip in because the fabric is not washable, so when it gets too dirty, I'll just cut it off and make a new one.

I like how it turned out, and Luke has already started using it as a cover for his cache of cars.

headbands for my little baldy

2009-09-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

Lainey has been in desperate need of some head bands. My lovely friend Lindsey kindly shared some of her abundant gear with me and helped me make these little cuties.

I love the brown and yellow one! We made it specially to match her Wyoming outfit :-)

Giveaway oh giveaway!

2009-09-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

Cool fabric giveaway here. Check out the rest of the blog too, it's so inspiring!

prototype hats

2009-09-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of attempting to sell some little crochet hats, adorned with detachable flowers as shown above. I've made a couple of prototypes/practice hats :-)

Teeny-weeny quilt

2009-09-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is Lainey's new little blanket, for taking to bed with her. It's made of pre-cut squares of heart fabric, purchased on ebay about 3 years ago. I simply pieced them, used fusible fleece as batting, and quilted by stitching 'in-the'ditch'.

I am happy with it. Lainey loves it, because there are so many different patterns and colours in it. The best bit is that I managed to teach myself how to miter the corners on my binding, using a tutorial I can't find anymore, otherwise I'd link it.

This is a small quilt (maybe 25 inches square) It'll one day be perfect for a dolly's bed, and it has given me a taste for quilting and I can't wait to do more!

Luke's raggy

2009-09-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

Just a silly little thing really- adapting Luke's 'raggy' to make it a bit more attractive! It used to be simply a pale blue textured fabric. I sewed some 'Cars' fabric to it, then did wavy stitching to hold the two layers together. Fortunately, Luke loves it and is just attached to it as ever :-)

Outside blanket

2009-09-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it was going to be an outside blanket, until we decided that it's actually just the right weight and size for snuggling on the couch. So, now it's an inside blanket. But that's okay.

The top fabric is from Ikea, about 5 or 6 years ago. The bottom is denim I already had, and that's what gives it a bit more weight, which I love.

boxes

2009-09-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick project that can be done with materials that most 'crafty' people would probably have on hand.

Take a few old boxes. I used baby shoe boxes, as Lainey is demonstrating below-

Using scrapbook paper, Mod-Podge (pva glue) and felt, you can turn them into something quite attractive. Much better than the plain old boxes, don't you think?

I'm using them for accessible storage in my sewing area. I bet they would make nice gift-boxes, too.

bits

2009-08-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been doing all sorts. Crochet, knitting, sewing, home decor stuff...I've been starting projects galore and jumping from thing to thing without finishing any of them.

One thing that I'm way excited about is my crochet. I started making little flower motifs. I thought I could use them on headbands for Lainey, hats, clothes, whatever. So I promptly whipped up a little stash. (sample pictured below). Then, I thought, maybe this is what I could sell in my Etsy shop! Not sure though, but it's a thought.

I asked Trev to make a tall chair for Luke to sit at our bar. He got right on it (what a good example!) and it was finished a few days later. Finished, that is, except for making it look good, which is where I come in. We decided white with the red vinyl pad but it's not working so it's going to be green. Watch this space for updates on that!

This is for a wall display I'm doing in our living room. It came together really cheaply and I actually love it, and the way it fits in with our scheme (that I have planned...)

So, that's it for now. I've got 5 or 6 other things on the go and I'll add them soon.

Breathable crib bumpers

2009-08-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Lainey is at the stage where her arms and legs are always escaping through the bars of her crib. I'm a bit scared of traditional bumpers, it just seems like a baby could suffocate with them. So I came up with this simple idea to make them breathable.

I used a mesh material that I bought, oh, a year ago. I trimmed it with satin blanket binding, and made ties from bias tape. It's one piece that kind of weaves in and out of the crib bars (at the corners) and joins with velcro.

I used lavender, so that it will go with the quilt that my mum made and sent over for Lainey. Isn't it lovely? I love Beatrix Potter!

4th July outfits

2009-07-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

4th July stuff- simple shorts for brother and sister, and a last-minute felt star for Lainey's head.

I really need to get on board with the whole bow thing. People are always thinking Lainey is a boy.

Looking back

2009-06-25T21:37:00.001-07:00

The other day, Trev needed a blanket to put Lainey on, and this is the one that he got out of the closet. This is a blanket with a story. It represents my first attempt at crochet. I started it when I was about 9 years old, under the watchful eye of my very talented mother. I finished it 3 years ago, 17 years after making those first few chain stitches. It spent several years (teenage years) hidden away, untouched.

Most of the yarns were leftovers from my mum's knitting projects, some were unravelled jumpers, and I think one or two were bought new, especially for my blanket.

It's funny because I clearly remember mum saying that it would one day be a lovely blanket for my children. And it is. Thanks for the lessons and encouragement, mum!

Sophie's bag

2009-06-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

I finally made a buttercup bag. It was a birthday present for the lovely Sophie. I think I'm going to make some more as Christmas gifts.

Blessing dress

2009-06-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing a lot about 'refashioning' online lately, in the crafty circles, so I decided to do a bit myself. Instead of buying new fabric for Lainey's blessing dress, I used a ladies white dress I bought at a thrift store for $5. I adapted a pattern I already had (some adaptations were by design, others were made in a late-night frenzy of desperation) The pattern was Simplicity 9784.

I like how it turned out, though I did cut a lot of corners, knowing that she would only wear it once.

Bandana skirt

2009-04-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

I made this little skirt in about 10 minutes, and it cost about a dollar. I love it, and it matches perfectly with a little top that my mum sent over for Lainey. You can find out how to make one here. The tutorial is for a size 2-3 years skirt, but I trimmed the excess fabric from the top and didn't add the trim.

By the way, I have quite a few projects on the go at the moment. I'm working on them as and when I find time. This was so quick and easy it jumped right to the top of the pile.

Speaking of simple...

2009-04-09T13:17:00.001-07:00

A little bag for the beanbags to live in. I had this fat quarter of froggy fabric in my stash and it seemed like a good use for it.

Although this is a simple project, I'm quite excited about it, because it's the first time I used french seams, which I only just learned about. Now I don't need to complain about my lack of serger!

Still gathering inspiration and being amazed at what is out there. I'm learning so much.

Beanbags

2009-04-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

These are going to be part of Luke's Easter basket. Very simple, I know...simplicity is where I am at right now. I doubt the recipient will care :-)

Inspirations

2009-03-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

There are so many talented people out there. And many of them are extremely generous and willing to share their ideas, successes, and even instructions for how to create similar results. I have been spending quite a lot of time browsing blogs and websites, searching for ideas.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to collect these ideas and create a plan for myself, of the things that I really want to try. There's so much out there, that really you have to control yourself and not get carried away thinking you are going to try everything!

One blog that has given me a kick start in the baby clothes department is having a giveaway. http://kinzieskreations.blogspot.com/2009/03/100th-post-giveaway.html. This girl is talented. She just makes things without a pattern and they always turn out good. She has a little girl and some of the clothes she's made for her are so funky and cute.

Warning...

2009-03-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

I have a feeling that my next few posts will be pretty much all baby clothes. I am finding snatches of time here and there, but not much, so it's quite slow progress. Here's a dress that I started ages ago and just finished last week. Lainey wore it to church and looked sweet. The pattern says to make buttonholes, but I used snap fasteners and just sewed the buttons on for decoration. I'm a bit scared of buttonholes, I think!

And here's Lainey in her trousers, looking all chilled out in the sink

Another pair

2009-02-09T11:05:00.001-08:00

After making that last pair of little trousers, I thought about making some for our baby. I was originally going to wait until after the baby arrived, to make sure it's a girl...but I couldn't resist!

I bought this flowery cotton a while ago, from the cheapy section at Wal*Mart. I still have enough of it left to make a top or something. If our baby turns out to be a boy, I'm sure I'll find someone for these to go to :-)

Baby trousers

2009-01-28T20:04:00.000-08:00

These baby trousers aren't half as cute as I thought they would be. But never mind. They're for my nephew, who was born last week.

Any time I use a pattern to make clothing, I feel the need to change something. I think it is an urge to 'create', rather than just follow directions. (I do admire people who have the patience for following things exactly, though!)

In this case, the pattern was for very simple cotton trousers. Well, I decided to use denim, and make them lined for extra warmth! I hope they fit the baby. I might make a pair for our baby, if I find the time...

Christmas pyjamas

2008-12-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

These are the pyjamas that I made for my boys :-) I decided to make only bottoms, because I knew I would not find time to make tops as well. They looked really cute in them!

Booties

2008-12-10T20:49:00.000-08:00

I started knitting these when I was expecting Luke. When he got to be about 10 months old I decided I should finish them! We gave them as a Christmas gift to our baby nephew Quigley. I really enjoy knitting and especially learning new techniques. For these booties I had to learn how to make eyelet holes. Luckily I have a good book which explains all the techniques very clearly. Otherwise I would be lost!

Luke's curtains

2008-12-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

I'm just going to go ahead and start posting about some of the projects I've done recently. A while ago I made these curtains for Luke's room. The fabric was on clearance and so altogether they were very inexpensive to make. For my first pair of curtains I am pleased with how they turned out.