A catch up

 A few tumbleweeds blowing through here, life has been whizzing by, mainly thanks to work, and catching up on here is often on the back burner. Remember you can follow me Instagram, though (as becsibbi)

Grab a cuppa, first catch up is the sewing!

I tackled my first 'crinkly' fabric book (I found mine here) 

It's recipient was suitably impressed! I've renamed that plastic 'baby crack', he goes nuts for it! Well chewed and bashed around already, which is just what you want! Cute fabric choices mean he even read it later on when he's bigger.

I've been loving some poms...pom pom of course! I used a weird square tool thingy which meant lots of trimming required. I'm experimenting with tools, I've even seen a fork used! They are too fun, and were for a purpose...

I've stuck them up on the wall in my office (sorry for weird colour pic, will try and take a better one next week). but you get the idea!

Sitting in this office with my only heating the one on the wall in the heater I needed a few winter work clothes- so this corduroy from Spotlight...

became, after an accurate fitting late at night,

  

a cord Wiksten Tova dress! I've lost count of how many times I've made this pattern now. I went down a size too, and love it even more! Soooo warm.

My cowl matched perfectly, and the fabric is heavy enough not to cling too much to my tights.

I'm a bit houndstooth mad at the moment, actually!

I've entered the Hottie Challenge again this year. Here's my last entry 2 yrs ago. I thought I was a bit more organised this time, but no, left it till the last minute again! At least when I dropped it to Ms Curlypops to get it in on time it meant I could get good pics this time! I'm looking forward to the opening party, I got to have a peak at about 1/3 of the hotties expected, and there so many I wanted! Cam is doing an amazing job organizing it all, she's a whizz with a spreadsheet thank goodness!

 Oh, and lastly, some nursery accessories I was asked to make, to go with the quilt I made my colleague. Some soft fabric baskets

A matching cushion (a little personal poem from mum to baby embroidered on the front)

 and some bandanna bibs. These pics were taken in the 'photo room' of Ms Curlypops as she has an awesome snap machine- the little hammer in snaps from Spotlight/Birch I've always used just wouldn't work! Frustrating! 

The bibs are backed with minky fabric, soft around the neck, and absorbent. they are too cute and fun to make.

Phew, I think that's enough for now! I have a new custom order quilt I am starting now, I was given free reign with pattern and fabrics, which is more stressful than you'd think (for me, anyway). But my friend is confident it will be great, so I am telling myself that! Will post some sneak peeks when I can.

Blogtoberfest Day 2 'Tova Time'

I haven't done much sewing for me lately, which is driving me a bit bonkers! One of the reasons is I need a new (read bigger) dressmaker dummy, as my shape has changed a little, and I'm a bit bigger than the largest size on the small-med. I know I'll be fine with a med-large, but can't afford one! So dreams of summery frocks and another fitted blazer go on the back burner, and quilts have taken over for a while.

But a crumby weekend meant I pulled this out of the stash,and remember how much I loved it. Just a cotton from Spotlight I was going to use for a quilt backing (the finished quilt doesn't appear to be on my blog! Don't know how that one got away, I'll look later). But now I'm wearing it!

 

It's the Tova pattern I've made a few of now. My comfiest top for work.

I'll have to get sewing again now, I have 29 more days to fill with this Blogtoberfesting!

Unfortunately....

Remember this one?


I was so proud and happy.


I thought i'd share this story, as it cracked my brother in law up, thought it must be share worthy!


I threw it on the next morning for work; black boots and all (no red ones yet). I realised straight away it was a bit snug across the shoulders; to bend down I had to, like, shrug my shoulders and 'hoik' it up over my boosies, exposing my knickers I'm sure. I persisted and made it to the car.


As I sat in the car, I realised I couldn't move my arms to reach the steering wheel very well. I had to push the skirt up around my waist to drive. I actually made it 2 houses away to the stop sign and realised how difficult my work day (which includes getting on the floor with kids) would be in this outfit. I reversed back to my house and changed outfits!


The bit that cracked my BIL up was the fact at how long it took me to realise it wasn't going to work!


This Tova is currently looking for a home....

Another Tova

A week or so ago I pinned and cut another Tova- this time the dress. I have this fabric in the stash, from the oppy I'm sure (well, it has the smell of an op shop, but that could just be from hanging out with my other op shop fabric haha). It's seems like a suiting fabric.

What a pain to sew! It only took me 2 days though.

I ended up overlocking around each piece- it's a really loose weave so frays like crazy. 

Once it was serged I could get a grip on it! Very slippery too.

Great fabric for hiding seams etc though.

Despite the carpet needing a major vaccum, I'm really happy with it. I think it's def a 

suiting fabric, it has a great drape.

I'm giving it a fresh smelling wash, then i'll take up the hem- I'm hoping it sits just above the knee, so I can wear it with boots and tights.

Red boots, mind you, with this fabric it can be accessorized like crazy!

Some other gorgeous patterns of hers- downloadable!

Another day trip

So our third day trip/car drive this week was courtesy of my sister, who has a new car and wanted to hit Bendigo for this. Thank God I got to be a passenger for once! Bendigo sure put the weather on today, too, thanks!

I gifted my sister her 'horsey Tova top' after she saw this in my stash. It was immediately worn, and declared fantastic (yay!)

We went up via Lark in Daylesford first, to take advantage of The Sale. The MS shop next door was open too, apparently not usually open on a Saturday, hence me not checking it out before!

The tags read$1.50 per sheet, and $2 for the fabric on top. A chenille bedspread I'll photograph tomorrow was $6.50! anyone who purchased got a bunny or 2 fro free (over breeding of stuffed bunnies in that shop teehee)

The Lark sale increased the fabric stash, vintage and modern (yep Amy Butler and Denyse Schmidt made an appearance at $5 a piece!

a few more larger pieces to photograph tomorrow in the daylight, too.

After the exhibition we hit the town for a late lunch (it takes about an hour to get through the exhibition. You must book, it's very popular!)

Both ridiculously photogenic!

The book was a huge hit, I hop it becomes dog eared and well read! The whole exhibition was perfect for Little Miss, she had a million questions I luckily had help answering, and it's given her things to Google when she's bored!

Ridiculously huge meals, too!

Ahhh, tourist stuff!

Get you're butt up there to check it out!

Tova

So now I've made my second one, I thought I'd better rave about my new favourite pattern. It is going down in history as the most expensive pattern I've ever bought, but I already realize the quality and expertise behind it!

 WORTH. EVERY. PENNY!

So, what's so good about it?

Super easy placket.

No interfacing.

Easy gathering (I used my shirring elastic again)

Sizing is perfect- I made an XL with no adjustments at all.

I used this crinkle fabric from the stash for the first one; the only trouble was pressing

 the seams and making sure I didn't iron out the crinkles!

The second one is in $4 a metre Spotlight cotton; I used about 1.2m, a bit of a bargain! 

I love the spots! I didn't try them on, but will try and snap some of me wearing it- they'll high on rotation in my work wardrobe. I've worn the first one and got a compliment straight away!

The pattern now comes in a downloadable form, much cheaper (but without the gorgeous packaging and you have to sticky tape it all together- that's how I justify my purchase ha ha). I've also read the tank is great, but it's so similar to this one I made I don't need another pattern!