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.

Baskets

I hope you are all enjoying the Easter break, and the lead up to the school holidays. I've been mooching around and getting some stuff done, and heading back to work tomorrow. 

I've managed to get a few things finished, or nearly finished anyway! The zip! In The Dress! I ummed and ahhed for a good while, and finally plucked up the courage- and it was easy! I 'hand picked' the zip, basically a term for hand sewing it in- I used a tutorial from here.

I combined tacking and pins to hold it in place, and then marked the spaces in lead pencil (a bit anal, but that's OK).

I love it! Just a quick peek before it's pressed, which I believe helps it sit flatter. It's been a real challenge using such a different fabric from my norm, I'm learning a lot. Now to tackle the hem.... Luckily, I have nowhere to wear this yet, so there is no hurry, therefore no 'rushed job' to get it done!

 I finished off a few 'orders' for my sister- she cam over for a 'shop in the stash' for these ones! I wanted to try this pattern, and she thought they'd be pretty handy for the bubba....

 I love this fabric, a real fave, lucky I have a ton left over.

I used a combination of medium-heavy interfacing and fusible wadding to get the firmness; empty they are a little soft, but I'm sure they'll be fine full. It's really hard to get a good idea of the size, so here's my rotary cutter to help heehee.

 This has some soft shirting sort of fabric for the lining, and some leftover Lisette fabric for the handles and divider. 

And some more of this fabric, a fave with both of us! Looks great team with grey.

I made these ones a bit earlier, and if you can't tell, my sister likes grey! This was pattern from here, again really hard to tell the size- I think for both of these I needed to invest in a packet of disposable nappies! (or check my measurements, another way I guess). I'm not really happy with this size- they are meant to be big toy baskets for the living room. I made them a bit taller by omitting the fold over cuff and sewing it flat.

 I got to use some yummy fabrics though, Ink and Spindle, this one is Blockprint in Persimmon.

And Linear in Saffron. I even had some old Hollabee (I think) that went well with it. Both should help the baskets stand up to years of play from Master Henry!

This is the little man on a grumpy day! We had some very serious (and not so serious) chats!

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....????

Today's effort.

I never ever wanted to make heaps of the same thing, to sell or giveaway, I thought the 'production line' thing would get boring- bit it didn't! I've 95% completed 10 pencil rolls today, just the top stitching left.

They have cheered me up on a grey day- a glimpse of sun this morning, then the rain came down.

(I changed from my normal pattern of leaving space in the top and pulling it through, to doing it on the side. Hopefully this is less noticeable)

I made these little fabric baskets to roll them up and put them in, too, as they take up a fair bit of table space at the market.