tiny bit of sewing

i've been just so flat out busy lately i have barely been able to sew. i'm actually hoping to get a quiet week next week (i have no plans at this stage!)

anyway last weekend i joined a gym. only - i have no clothes to wear to a gym! and even though i've lost 13 kilos (!!) i would find it hard to buy sportswear so i decided to make some.

this is the 3rd thing i've made from this pattern and they've all been wayyyy too big. i measured carefully, got mum to check the pattern against me... and still had to take about 3" off each side before they sort of fitted (really, they've turned out still a little big as i'm losing weight, but too late now)

i used the unbrushed cotton fleecy i'd bought from the mill and unfortunately between a flaw in it and having sold off the rest i now have not enough to make myself anything else which is a bit of a PITA. i can work around the flaw (5 lines wasting about 10" of fabric) to make some pants for the girls.

PS; these photos are disgusting (geoff can't for the life of him EVER take a flattering photo of me *sigh*) but they'll also double as photos to record my weightloss (unfortunately i didn't take any before photos as it was all far too terrible)

first softie!

well, ok, i made a few at school but my first 'adult' softie. i decided to handsew him, which was a challenge as i never handsew LOL but i was pleased with him. i wish now i'd put more in his tummy as he looks a bit slim at his destination at Flossie's

i got the instructions here. he was a lot simpler than most of the other softies in our swap, but i didn't realise how gorgeous some of the others would be!

anyway, the pics are of dh modelling with eddie :o)

gorgeous bunnies!

thanks to the talented Leah we got a parcel today full of bunnies!

here are the kids with their bunnies - they are very impressed and emelia is sitting on the lounge cuddlin them all right now :-D

my first ever compliment!

geoff pointed out the shorts to ryan this morning. i went and got the tshirt of his choice and dressed him. while i was making my breakfast (porridge, which is still too painful to eat :o( i am in such agony today) he told me "these are great mum, you made them out there (pointing at the sewing area)" awwww

OMG, i am soooo clever! LOL

and modest LOL

ok, in between bouts of pretty bad tooth pain i have been sewing today. these shorts took nearly all day but i think they were totally worth it. I think they look every bit as good as a $30 pair of pumpkin patch shorts.

they are ottobre 2/04 (i think) design #18. i was going to make them in a 104 but alice had already traced off the 98 and said they still fitted her RJD so i've made this pair to try on my RJD and will cut out another pair or two if these ones look like they'll work for next summer too, or ever if they'll last the whole of this summer (he usually goes up a size during the season which means he needs two separate wardrobes for summer and winter, ack!)

will post pics of him wearing them tomorrow :o)

PS: i made the images bigger than usual so you can see the topstitching clearly if you click on the smaller images here

some old sewing

this is for my mum's benefit, to see the fit of the dress :o) (she made it for emelia last christmas, and the capris were one of my first projects last summer, they were full length pants on emelia last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mum, the dress still fits with room to grow, but is pinafore length now on the ever taller missymoo :-0

teaser........!!

i am making emelia something from ottobre! it has pintucks and decorative stitching was optional.... i decided to do it and wow! here is the partially completed item..

only problem is that i was using a pattern alice had traced off to use and she notes 'cut on fold' different to me :-| therefore my front has a lovely big seam down the middle. hopefully the fabric's so busy no one will notice...

stay tuned for the finished item!

lucky rory!

yet another pair of spring capris! i haven't started the matching top yet though. this was some material left from a piece i'd bought and alice made emelia a top out of last summer (before i started sewing).

PS: rory's red cheeks in the last entry are because she is sick :o(

this is us!

as the eb girls are sharing pics. sorry dh isn't in it but he was taking the photo!

more springiness for rory

off for a walk, will post details later (love the pants, not happy with the top)

ok, back from our walk (to get the kids out of dh's hair while he gets dinner prepared, of course he can't cook with them under his feet *rolls eyes* lol)

so the patterns are Ottobre 4/2004, designs #4 & #5.
i love love love the pants! just a gorgeous style and fit! i am half way through a second pair already :oD I think i'll make another couple of pairs, plus some for emelia if they go big enough!

the top .... *sigh* i don't hate it, but it didn't turn out quite the way i thought or hoped. i don't like the applique i've done. i think you need a bigger design to applique, like the one in the magazine. the whatsydoovie in the front of the neck (slit, gap, whatever it's called) is just too big. it needs to be about half the size. and apart from the fact i put the ribbon on at the wrong angle i just don't like the look. next time i'll use a button and loop i think. the towelling is a lovely weight for a spring top but a major PITA as it stretched as it was sewn and overlocked. i will have to invest in some of that tape that stops stretching i think! and then last of all, there's the fact that rory doesn't look good in purple LOL

fabric swap?

as per the eb sewing group