A late birth present for Eva

I know it has been a while between posts but I have been very busy building a baby (now 35 weeks) and haven't felt too crash hot about sitting at a sewing machine let alone at the computer to blog about it. Well now I have finished work (since Christmas!!) I've had a bit more energy to sew and sit at the computer so we'll see how we go now.

Above is a gift I finished a while ago (November to be exact) but haven't written about, I wanted to give it to baby Eva first. So before I do a year in review post I thought I better write about this one first. I had ideas of what I wanted to make Eva but none seemed to get made through the bit of a sewing slump I had, until I saw "Once Upon A Time - Girl" in Homespun Mag 11.10, designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches. It was perfect. I was home sick with a cold so whipped the stitchery up in no time. I had a few problems with the kind of thread that Natalie suggested but just ended up going through my extensive dmc thread stash and used that. I used a jelly roll from spotlight and trimmed it to the correct width, it would have been ok if they sold honey buns as well. Anyway, I found that the material wasn't cut straight at the fold which was very annoying, if you are going to use one of these rolls watch out for this. I also found that my 1/4 inch foot isn't, nothing joined up. I found that the gauge is out but the metal part is ok so from now on I ignore the gauge, very annoying. I'm happy with the finished product and had no problem with the pattern at all, just need a boy to stitch the other one for now!! More close up picks on flckr.

TTFN

Mandy

Lily's Fabric Toadstool

Lily's Fabric Toadstool, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Another Christening gift, this one for my other niece. You may remember the toadstool I posted about back in May. Well when thinking about what to make Lily I couldn't go past this fabric toadstool to match the toadstools at her house. The original idea was for Little A to help me make it but it didn't end up that way, he chose the materials but we ran out of time (and maybe patience). It was quick to make and I ended up putting an empty thread spool in the stalk, worked great. I could see a whole forest and maybe some little visitors in the future.

Pattern by Amy Adams from Sewing Calendar 2010. Handmade by MandyMade

Niah's Whale

Niah's Whale, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

When my niece was born Little A wanted to make something for her. We eventually settled on this whale from the book "Softies". He chose all of the materials, helped cut out the pattern, sat on my knee when sewing it up and helped stuff it. With my guidance he then over sewed the edges. We eventually gave it to her for her Christening a couple of weeks ago.

Pattern "the lookout" by Michelle Valigura from the book "Softies". Handmade by Aidan and MandyMade.

Still here!!

Don't worry, I'm still here, although you would get the impression that I'd gone walkabout!! Poor neglected blog, and so close to the bloggy spectacular that is Sew It Together!!

I have been making stuff, some secret stuff, some not so. We had a long weekend last weekend so I got to get up north to see my sister on her property. (That sounds rather grand doesn't it!!) It was very relaxing, got to have lots of cuddles with baby niece and ate scones :-). While wandering around we came across some awesome looking toad stools, you can just see the little pixie living under this one can't you?

I've been keeping busy and out of trouble on the train for the past couple of weeks making a gigantic granny square rug for Little A. I finally finished yesterday. I used Lincraft double knitting yarn with 4.5 hook. I used the granny square pattern from Meet Me at Mike's book and I finished the edges with triple crochet. Final measurement 1m square. If anyone needs something crocheted I'm looking for a new train project, just let me know.

I also finally got around to making Little A's school library bag. Only a term late!! I made it the same as this one but it came out skinnier, still fits books though. I bought the material from amitie last year at the craft show, finally got around to using it.

That's it for me today. Off to finally make Nikki's bag so I can take it to show her next week at the stitches and craft show, can't wait, if it's anything like last year, should be ace.

TTFN

Library Bag for James

I may have mentioned a few posts ago that I was off to make a library bag for Little A. We'll I ended up making one for my friends son James instead, don't worry, Little A's will be made!!

I ended up making up the pattern, not too difficult. I just used bits and pieces of what I have learnt on bag making over the past year. If anyone is interested in a tutorial please let me know. When I get around to making the next one I'll document it as I go.

I'm going to have to put the crazy nine patch quilt on hold for a bit, my sister gave birth to a daughter yesterday so now I'm busy planning on something special for her. Very exciting :-).

TTFN

Chrissy pressy for Mum

Chrissy pressy for Mum
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Ok this is the last post that should have been done last year!!

I made Little Miss Millicent for my mum for Christmas. It was from a Christmas homespun issue from the year before. I wanted to make it then but had a long list before it. Even though there is a lot of tiny detail in it, it was easy to make and didn't take too long. I had to make it in-between other commitments so it seemed to take longer than it should have!! I love working with felt and hope to be making more like this, even though I have made this year, year of the practical projects, I still want to squeeze a few decorative in here and there!!

TTFN

Little Miss Millicent, pattern from Homespun Mag 9.11, design by Louise Hatchard, handmade by MandyMade.

Tickle the Turtle 2

Tickle the Turtle 2
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Yes you have seen this turtle before but this is it's twin. I made this turtle at the same time as the last one but didn't want to blog about it until I had give in it to it's very precious owner. One of my girlfriends had a very premy baby back in September, she has now reached 100 days so it's very exciting, Tickle the Turtle (or what ever baby Gaby will call her) is now with her new owner.

If you want to read more about the making etc of the turtles go here

TTFN

Tickle the Turtle, Design by Audrey and Maude, in Australian Homespun Vol 10.9, handmade by MandyMade

Olivia's birth present

Olivia's birth present
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I know it's been a little while, been really busy. Not to mention reading everyone else's blogtober fest blogs!! I don't know how you all have done it!!

I made this little friend for new born baby Olivia. It's from Homespun Vol 10.9 Designed by Louise from Audrey and Maude. The majority of it is hand sewn. Yes the hexagons are hand sewn. It's the first time I have sewn this technique (I think its called American piecing) and I must say it was very relaxing. And it came together very quickly.

I was so impressed with it that I am making another, but for who, is a surprise still to come.

For more pics please go to my flickr page.

TTFN

Mandy

Tickle the Turtle, Design by Audrey and Maude, in Australian Homespun Vol 10.9, handmade by MandyMade

For Levi's 2nd Birthday

For Levi's 2nd Birthday
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made another elsie dog, this one for a friends son Levi. We don't get to see them very often so I whipped him up as soon as I found out we were going to have a chance to see them on the weekend.

All the fabric is from my stash. As this is the second time I have made this softie I found him pretty fast to make. I do think they have made a mistake in the instructions though, I think they ask you so sew the ears onto the wrong side of the fabric before adding the head gusset. So I just made it the way I thought it should be and it turns out ok.

I'm still not sure if they have added the seam allowance though to the pattern as it still didn't end up as full as the picture in the book. I need to make another by the end of the year so I'll experiment then.

Only one more day left on my giveaway so don't forget to check out my 100th post for your chance to win. I will draw the winner tomorrow night Melbourne time.

It has now been 66 days since I bought material. I may have to break that tomorrow as I have a few newborn's to make something for and I would like to get something fresh and new.

Until next time.....

elsie the little dog: design by Kate Henderson from 'more softies' Penguin Books. Handmade by MandyMade

Mr Rooster

Mr Rooster
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Finally finished him, getting ever closer to my WIP's completed. I first blogged about Mr Rooster here so I wont bore you with the details. He took so long to finish as I didn't like how the comb ended up and the wings didn't sew in as I would have liked, but now he is finished and currently being cuddled by Little A on the couch.

I have discovered Sashiko, a japanese style of embroidery. On our trip to the library yesterday, mainly to try out the new library bag, I had to check out the craft section. It has been a long time since I've borrowed from the library, content with reading stuff there, that my card was completely out of date and now there are self check outs, who would have thought? Anyway, I came across a book on Sashiko and now I'm in love, can't wait to start a project, I know, must finish the WIP's first, maybe I could incorporate some into a WIP. Hmm the mind boggles :-).

Don't forget to check out my 100th post, now back to more WIP's. Desperate to go fabric shopping, it's now 55 days since I bought material, not bad ha!!

TTFN

"mister rooster" from the book More Softies, Design by Marieke van Esvald, Handmade by MandyMade

Sarah's Journal

Sarah's Journal
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Another 5th birthday, coming thick and fast now. This little friend of Little A's I am told loves to write in a journal with her mum, so when I saw this pattern in Homespun Mag 10.8 (design by Danielle Carey) I had to make it. There was supposed to be a stitchery but I thought with the age of the recipient, I would fussy cut into a panel instead.

It ended up being slightly smaller than the pattern said and I was lucky enough to find a note book to fit, too big for an A5 and too small for the intended size.

So there you go, another stash buster down!! 26 days now since I bought material!!!

TTFN :-)

Birthday Pressy

Birthday Pressy
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I've been very busy in the last couple of weeks, thus the lack of blogging. I have been busy crafting though so I guess that makes up for it!!?

I still have heaps of projects on the go and will definitely have another Sunday WIP this week.

I made "Bubbles" from Melly and Me's book Kaleidoscope. It was a pressy for one of Little A's friends. If carrying it around and feeding it jelly at the party was anything to go by, I think she liked it!!!

It was the first softie I have made where the majority of the embellishments a sewn on after the body is complete, not sewn into the seams. I was a bit daunted by this at first but I think it turned out ok. It was my first Melly and Me pattern, I've been dying to do one for ages. So there you go.

All material was from my stash. It is now 24 days since I last bought material. Going not to bad!!

Octavius Owl

Octavius Owl
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I completed Octavius Owl. It was really easy to make I must say. I have never quilted any of my softies before so this was the new challenge. The back part seemed to end up being too long (about a seam allowance) so I trimmed it back, this worked. I'm not very good at top stitching around corners, I like to think it's my machine that's restricting me!! So I hand top stitched.
As I have blogged before about the fabric I wont go in to detail but I now think that some of it is Moda, but please don't quote me.
Check out more photos on my flickr site for more detail.
Octavius Owl from Homespun Vol 9.10 Design by Jhoanna Monte Aranez. Handmade by MandyMade.

Octavius Owl
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Aidan's 4th Birthday Present

Aidan's 4th Birthday Present
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

After I met Audrey and Maude at the stitches and craft show I had to buy their robot pattern (not that it took meeting them to buy it!!)

It was very easy to make. I used a lot of the techniques that I learnt from the Melly and Me lecture. I reduced the stitch length I was using and this made a lot of difference to how the curves turned out. I also stuffed using big clumps so the neck was strong.

There were a few things that I did differently from what the pattern told me to do mainly due to how I have been making softies, not that I didn't want to do their techniques. I didn't use batting to pad and I ironed on the face and tummy before I stuffed, I also chose to close the arms in a different place, mainly due to being better at closing along a straight instead of a curve.

Well done Audrey and Maude on a great pattern, now I have to make the girl robot and this time I promise that I will stick to the pattern!! :-)

This is the robot before stuffing.

And this is the card that I made him.

And this is Aidan after recieving the robot, very happy boy :-)

Gifts for friends kids

Gifts for friends kids
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I found this pattern in Homespun. I love making Kate Hendersons designs so naturally I had to make this one too. I made 4 of the large and 4 of the small to give as gifts to friends kids.

They were very easy to make and as a production line goes, fast to make. All the materials I used were from my stash. For photos of all of the platypus go to my flickr.

Pippa, Polly and Penny: design by Kate Henderson from 'Australian Homespun Vol 10.1. Handmade by MandyMade

Pressy for James

Pressy for James
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made this little dog for a friends sons 1st birthday. It was really easy to make and didn't take too long. I had a bit of an issue at one point with the instructions, I got confused as to where to put the ears before sewing the gusset on, maybe I was just tired!! Anyway I ignored what it said and just went with how I've done that sort of thing in the past, and it worked, so there you go.

elsie the little dog: design by Kate Henderson from 'more softies' Penguin Books. Handmade by MandyMade

Pressy for Lily

Pressy for Lily
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This one is also from Futuregirl. I enlarged the pattern again, I think i should have stuffed the legs a bit more so they were more rounded. I have added this to a flickr group, you need to check out one of the photo, a lady made 99 of these for her family. It took me a little while to make this one, i can't imagine making that many.

Pressy for Lilli

Pressy for Lilli
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I found this pattern while looking on Softie Making from Futuregirl. She has a few free patterns that you can download. They are fantastic patterns they have to be seen to be belivered. I actually enlarged the pattern to fit on an A3 sheet intead of A4 as I was giving this to a baby. I also used french knots instead of beads or sequens for the baby.

Polly 2

Polly 2
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This is the second Polly. I made it for my cousins little girl. She has named it the Mandy doll!!

This time I stuffed the arms and legs and sewed it into the body instead of stuffing and closing later. This technique works better for me.

The material I used for the head was very thin so I fused it to a piece of calico. This seemed to work. I should have done the same with the ears though, they keep flopping!!


Pattern: softies, Penguin Books, design by Carly Schwerdt, Handmade by MandyMade

Maisie

I made this little friend for a friend of my sons for her 4th birthday. I also got some MandyMade tags made, this is the first time I have used them.

Stitching comments: Picking the material was probably the hardest, I really loved the material that was used in the book and just couldn't get it out of my head.

Pattern: maisie, more softies, Penguin Books, design by Kate Henderson