Just a few baby pics....

 Henry Douglas Scott

12/12/12

1812hrs.

Meet my first nephew!

We were lucky enough to see him twice  the day after he was born, me first then I picked the 'big cousin' up from school and took her to meet him. She's a little overconfident, but a natural with the bubbas!

Finally knowing the sex helped too! I bought this pattern the other week, thinking something 'different' for his first quilt would be good. I found the fabrics in the stash, well, I had to go and buy more of it though! I only had fat quarters of the DS Quilts 'Aunt Edna' range from Spotlight; the trees are from forever ago, and the foxes Aneela Hoey.

Started sewing together Saturday night, and was 'blog finished' by Sunday afternoon.

Think this will crinkle up nicely. It's an old vintage sheet (of course! Suprised I didn't use chenille? I was!)

We got another visit this afternoon...Day 4. A tiny bit jaundiced, but he gave us lots of eye contact and a smile or 2...

He seemed happy with it!

I don't think I'd be that fussed if he wasnt at the moment. Mum loves it too which is good!

Oh, Henry, it's ok, the foxes won't get you! Oh, I renamed it 'Down the Fox Hole'! 

I'm besotted.

A few more baby items.....

So lots of pics here, so I can show them all off! I've been swept up in great baby patterns available, wish I'd known about all these 9 and a bit years ago! Luckily they are all being received gratefully; unfortunately I want to give lots of handmade pressies, they want to pick my brain with all the parenting and baby help! Think I'll be able to do both....

All of these were soooooo fun to make, too! Not stuff I'd do everyday, which makes it interesting.

First up in the 'dad bag' as I call it from this book. One of a few things I'll be trying from this book, and I've already made a few things from it, so getting my value for money for sure! 

I did this in heavy denim, so I could skip the interfacing and just used some fusible fleece on the lining.

I coordinated the denim with these fabrics from ages ago from Spotlight; spotty under the flap.

and a stripe for the lining. The zip at the front hides a nice big pocket in the flap, but I added this compartment pocket in as well.

The elastic is to hold bottles and items etc

I attempted the zip at 10.24pm on a Saturday night, and it was in in about 5mins! too easy! Next time my zip wont be as thick, as it was difficult when I needed to top stitch etc.

Then some baskets and change mat.

Change mat pattern is here. Another one I've been wanting to try for ages. This one has more of a vintage feel about it.

Bias binding that I made ages ago was perfect for this.

It has a layer of fabric, fleece and then chenille, quilted together.

I only had room for one folded over edge, then sewed to form pockets. I didn't even try for that great picture placement, it just happened!

And finally, some 'useful' baskets. I saw a link to this tute, and wanted to give it a whirl.The yellow/black/grey fabric was a fat quarter pack from Spotlight. It had a rough, quite yucky texture to it, and wasn't suitable for clothes etc, but great for furnishings!

I quilted each one a bit differently- a feathery stitch;

my FIRST free motion quilting! Very organic, as they say.

 and some 'waves. very fun, and broke up the repetitive 'repeat 3 times' kind of feel!

Little quilted bottoms! teehee

I delivered them just in time for the nursery decorating- the room was fully renovated by my clever brother in law, carpet had just gone in, and my baskets were the first items in! They were filled with some of my sisters softies from when she was a wee one, awwww!

They're in the little nook that will have a few shelves in it, and become a bookshelf. But don't you think a padded cushion would make a great reading nook? Or maybe I just want that for me! The cross stitch is a really old one I did for my sister probably back in my teens! Egads!

A few weeks to go, and there'll be a lil bubba to show everyone! And then once I know the sex, a bit more sewing....????

I'm baaa-aaack!

 I didn't mean to have such a long break, sorry! I was just bloody exhausted after Blogtoberfest- just wrong timing I think, starting in a new area at work, and an extra day a week, I also found the blogging tiring! I've realised I like to share stuff I'm happy and passionate about, not just blogging for the sake of it- and I'm OK with it. We all change. But I thank all the peeps involved with Blogtoberfest 2012, and will be back with a wrap up post (I hope!)

Rather than try and go back 2 weeks, I thought I'd start with today! This year, my birthday is a bit more cheery, my sister is in town and helping me have a good one for a change!

We headed out this afternoon for Afternoon Tea, sometimes called High Tea. 

Jess may look a bit different from these pics.....

Hooya!  34 weeks at the moment. The niece or nephew I'm soooooo excited about!

 The girl was loving it! I only stopped her once I knew she was heading to the i-think-I'll-be-sick-if-i-keep-going stage. Cos I'd have to deal with it later!

  There were flavoured mini profiteroles (above) and an ice cream bar we likened to Willy Wonka land! These were actually sorbets, mmmmm.

A glass of champers for the grown up, and lemonade, water and tea. And the treat at the end was the kiddo was half price! Which wasn't mentioned on the web site, so an extra bonus! We definitley recommend the place!

And a beautiful afternoon out in the sun too boot!

Blogtoberfest day 6

 I didn't plan to miss a day early in the month, but I seriously had nothing yesterday. Zip. Nada. Nil. 5 days of work wiped me out, and I thought a pic of our sausages on bread for dinner was just not acceptable!

So I made sure I took a snap today!

I've had serious sew-jo issues lately, haven't been at the machine all week, the couch is my friend at the moment! So in lieu of my sewing, I present- the cutest little baby gift my sister got given. Her friend is obviously a talented knitter! No idea of the pattern or wool etc, we were a bit worried though is may be a bit small- my niece or nephew will be a summer bub and not a small one at that! Always good to look at though; or save for number 2 (hmmm, that comment wasn't appreciated halfway thought the first pregnancy!)

 Actually, there are only 11 weeks to go, so I finally grilled her and got a plan of what I can sew etc, and some ideas of baby room gifts. 2 plans are this little guy

and this! Not sure what colours yet. Pattern from here, which I can hopefully pick up here.

And she gave my little/big girl a pressie- her old iPod, which will do great until her b'day in a few months! This burning to CD drama was so 1990's, we have added some technology to the house! Sad that I had to go wake the kid up to learn how to turn it off *sigh*

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!

The Ink and Spindle experience!

So when my little sister got married last year, just before they left on a 6mth around the world trip I said I wanted to make her a wedding quilt, and asked her what fabrics she liked. The response wasn't very good for my bank balance. So I thought I'd leave the making until she was away, and then she could use it once she was back, rather than have it in storage for 6mths. Oh, and I ummed and ahhed over a quilt or doona cover- in the end the quilt won! 

Then I realised she was back in a couple of weeks! Time to get my butt into gear.

So first step was buying the fabric. Jess had given me a few of her fave prints, then I went in and saw the lovely girls and got help picking 8 different fabrics. My plan was to go all choppy choppy and do rectangles/squares, but....

a trip to Ballarat Patchwork sorted the pattern out.

I also picked up the cotton/linen blend for the background.

Fusible interfacing wasn't in the budget that week, so I spray adhesive-d the circles, stuck them on and raw edge appliqued.

Basting, quilting and binding was a lovely way to spend Xmas- it's a beautiful weight fabric to sew with, and felt beautiful. I felt really lucky to be able to sew with it!

I love getting it done by the skin of my teeth! Just enough!

Ta-da!

Yep, this one came down the beach too!

My little sis and very hairy brother in law arrived back Friday night, so we gifted them the quilt yesterday. Thankfully, she loved it! phew!

(I would have a home for it at my house haha)

Oh, and I have about half of the fabric left! By changing the pattern I scored well!