blue nightshirt

I finally finished my button holes and sewed on the buttons for my blue nightshirt. It fits much better than my previous pink one, but I still had the same issues with the inside of the collar not sitting quite right. Would have helped if I had taken some more photos of this stage. Isn't that the definition of insanity - doing the same thing but expecting a different result? Funnily enough it looks lust like the pink one, but bigger.

The blue version 

This is the closest you'll get to seeing me in my nightie!

emergency birthday presents

The benefit of sewing is that theoretically it is easy to whip up presents for people. I'm never that organised but after making pirate curtains for Mr J's bunks which have now dismantlement I had an excess of pirate material.

Pirate bag

I made a quick drawstring bag and tucked it away for emergencies - a quick addition of some chocolate made is a useful and well liked present.  Should probably make some more...

Treasure hunitng with the Wellington Sewing Bloggers

The Wellington Sewing Bloggers network not only share fabric sale news, we sometimes actually coordinate to meet there together.  A local church was holding a fabric sale so of course I had to go.  I meet up with some of the Wellington Sewing Bloggers and had time for a hot chocolate afterwards. I have plans for the wool and the linen tablecloth. . 

Fabric fair treasures

New scarf wool I'm thinking

The rest of the goodies will go into the stash and the dome/fasteners I'll have a play with before I actually try and use them on some material.

Girls tunic top Kwik Sew 3769

I've made this top before for my goddaughter and it's a great top if you are making for children that are not easy to measure (especially if they live some distance away). It has a neck casing that the tie goes through, so the neckline is easily adjusted. It can also be worn as a dress/tunic or top.  

Kiwk sew 3769

Holes for the neck casing to go through

Top one complete

I made these for my gorgeous nieces. It was too hot for fabric shopping with them, but luckily I had some difference fabrics in my stash they could choose from, - I knew all the fabric shopping/hoarding would come in handy.

I did laugh when I was busy cutting these out and Ms 4 bounced into the room to see if I had finished yet, 20 minutes after choosing her fabric! I had visions of making coordinating hats, but decided to just go with finishing them and posting while they still fitted.  

Lazy sewing - a guide

This is what happens when you have twelve white togas to sew for a school production with one days notice. You run out of energy to rethread your machine when the right needle breaks at 11pm at night.

Three thread overlocking for the lazy

So you sew with one needle on a default three thread overlocking style. I figured since they were being worn for 4 minutes once, they could do with a less stable thread. The overlocker is now proudly sporting new needles and black thread. I used to dread rethreading, but amazingly enough, found that if I followed the rethreading instructions exactly it worked fine. Its a very sturdy Huskylock bought second hand and rarely adjusted.

Prem baby''s blanket

My beautiful new pink and orange wool for a baby blanket.

There is a wonderful facebook group called earlybuds who make clothes and blankets for prem babies. I've been following them for a while and decided to make a premature baby's blanket for them. It meant I could knit in pink for a while as I never get to make girls things, and it was a small square (50cmx50cm) so I thought it was achievable. There were a couple of issues though.

My knitting needles when I went to knit today

Everyone denies it, but somehow my metal knitting needles got very bent! I was able to make a quick trip to the yarn shop nearby http://www.hollandroadyarn.co.nz/  to get new needles. I chose bamboo ones. They are very nice to knit with, and it was an easy project to take with me in my purse.

Mr F trying the blanket out for size

Its now finished, but I need to figure out how to get it to not roll at the edges then I can send it off. So that makes it project knitting no 3 completed.

Sewing projects half started

When I don't have the energy to actually sew, or lug my machine to the monthly sewing group, I take along projects that need cutting out with the intention to sew them up sometime soon. Unfortunately that box is a bit overflowing at the moment.

Behold my box of cut out projects

half sewn slip that needs a lot of adjusting to complete

Oliver & S Bucket hat

 The hat I've actually completed since these photos were taken.http://livinglifenz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/01/hat-making.html

A small size Oliver & S Red riding hood cape

The last cape I made from this pattern was fun to make and very cute. Just waiting for time to finish this.

This is a self drafted pattern from a cute wrap top that I own. 

There is a self drafting challenge coming up with the sewing bloggers so I might get inspired to finish this. I need to make myself some detailed  instructions so that I get the sewing order correct as there are rolled edges and seams to get in order.

Possibly a summer skirt

I'm not sure if this one will get completed. Its a skirt, cut out but its leftover material from my nightshirt. the nightshirt has faded dreadfully so I'm not sure if its worth the effort to make this up knowing its not going to last.  Also the boys have pointed out that I'm in camouflage when I'm against our blue floral duvet.