My Handmade Christmas gifts

So Christmas is over and I only blogged 3 of my 6 promised blog posts! I sat down to do it a few times and kept thinking how I really should be sewing or cooking or something else and I ended up leaving the blog posts! I'm sure you can all forgive me for that!

I finished both dolls and their little outfits. I used the Pretty Peasant Dress from A Bit of Whimsy Dolls. It is made to fit her doll patterns and wasn't the perfect fit but it was ok. Heidi (the blonde doll) is wearing the original pattern and I made it a little bigger for Greta's dress. 

Both girls loved their dolls! This is my niece with her doll and her matching outfit. Isn't she adorable! She is wearing a Seaside Playsuit made with a Fresh Designs pattern

My girls wore their Disco dresses(pattern by Ainslee Fox) on Christmas day but I must admit that the lining was not yet stitched down! I stayed up two nights in a row until 2:30 am and they still weren't done so I did as much as I could before we left for out Christmas lunch and decided to put them in the dresses anyway. You can't tell and they are now all finished (apart from the belts!)

I would love to sew the Disco Dress again. I am not happy with my finish on the lining as I decided to machine stitch the bottom and it looks a little messy. I think I will hand stitch next time even though it will take SO much longer!

Today I enjoyed my Christmas gifts...I drank my new tea from my new tea cup while reading my new cookbook! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too xx

Progress {Waldorf Doll}

I finally got out my doll making supplies, most of which I purchased a few months ago. After a quick trip to town to buy her 'hair' and colours for her eyes and mouth I started on her head...lets just say that it almost went flying across the room a few times! Oh I just couldn't get it to work and was getting SO frustrated! I worked out in the end that I had purchased polyester thread which is just too slippery and after I found some cotton 'thread'(otherwise known as Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton yarn!) I got it to work for me. I must remember to buy some proper cotton thread before I attempt another doll!

She is imperfect but I still like her.

Tonight she gets hair!

5 day's 'til Christmas!

So what did I do today?

Danced to Christmas music with my girls! My 3 year old thought mummy was a fantastic dancer and my 7 year old rolled her eyes, my 5 year old wasn't sure.

Browsed Pinterest for more Thermomix recipies.

Joined WW again! Yes 5 days before Christmas! Not sure how my first week will go but you have got to start sometime right?

Went to the Botanical Gardens to meet my brother, sister in law and gorgeous little niece for some photos in the pouring rain!

Oh and on the Christmas crafting front I sent my husband to Big W for some ink for the printer so I can print the dress pattern tonight! Hopefully by the morning I will have some progress shots for you!

Busy Busy Busy

I guess it goes without saying that this time of year is Busy (with a capital B!). I have just finished my last business order and now I am getting my Christmas sewing list together. I have just a little bit to do...

Each of my girls will be getting new dresses so that is first on my list. They will be matching but not too matching!

I am going with the Disco Dress from Ainsley Fox.

This little Doll(Gretel) needs clothes! I am almost finished a little knitted tunic using this pattern and have also started a Poppy Cardigan. She just needs a dress or skirt and maybe some little shoes...I'm still deciding if I will knit them or sew them with felt...probably whatever is easier and faster!

Oh and I have to make another doll and her clothes too...I still need to buy the yarn for her hair...I really must get on to that!

I would love to sew a skirt for myself before Christmas too but I don't like my chances!

Oh and I need to make a Rapunzel Wig for a friends little girl too...not sure how much sleep I will be getting between now and Christmas!

I am going to blog daily between now and Christmas to keep myself on track...so you can all give me a kick if I don't!

Sale Time!

I would love to have this blog full of non business stuff but in reality I have been spending nearly all my time creating for my businesses lately. I hope to get all of it out of the way soon and give me some time to create for the people I love most...my family!

Have you done all your Christmas shopping? I haven't! I'm actually hoping to make a lot of it but I must admit that time is running out a little!

I have sales going on at the moment for both of my businesses! So if you are still in need of some gifts then head on over and check them out!

Sunshine & Raindrops has 25% off all earrings in the store! Sale ends 9pm Tues 26th Nov.

I also have a sale on in my Wee Threads store! 20% off everything! Sale ends 9pm Tues 26th Nov.

Fresh Designs Nappy Cover Pattern {Meika is easily distracted}

I like lists. I write them all the time. My list lately has been full of orders I need to get done but lately I have been distracted by all the new patterns that have been released! My latest purchase was the new Nappy Cover Pattern by Fresh Designs. Like all of her patterns it has lots of options!

I LOVE the ruffle butt option! The ruffles do take a while but it is SO worth it! This set makes me want another baby girl just so she can be dressed up in this set!

Yesterday I had a whole heap of orders I needed to finish off...so instead of sewing them up what did I do? Yes I sewed another nappy cover! Yes I am easily distracted! I think I am in for a late night tonight as I need to catch up on all the orders before the weekend!

I will have some nappy covers and matching singlets in my store as soon as I get my Christmas orders done! If you want to know when they are available make sure you like Wee Threads on FB.

One Thimble

I am so excited! The Australian Boutique pattern industry has some amazing ladies doing some amazing things at the moment. 12 months ago I would say that pretty much all of my patterns were from overseas designers but now I hardly buy anything but Australian designer. Don't get me wrong, there are some amazing designers outside of Australia too and I love their patterns but it is really nice to be able to support some lovely Aussie mums!

Last week the lovely Jen from Ainslee Fox anounced a special project she had been working on...an ezine! The first issue contains 8(yes EIGHT) PDF patterns for you to sew and all of them can be sold from. There will be articles on sewing and also on improving your business. This ezine is TOTALLY up my alley! 

Check out that dress! Isn't it just perfect! The pattern is one that is included. Oh! The back! I need to show you the back...

...sigh...Isn't it delightful!

I'm loving the K.I.S.S. dress too!

Actually I love it all. There are simple shorts for boys and an awesome appliqué. A cute hair flower and a bag your daughter will LOVE...well I know mine would anyway!

So I am sure by now you all want to know how you can get it and when!

Head over to the Facebook page to make sure you get all the info. You can sign up for their email list too. I have set a reminder in my phone so I don't forget to buy it...how could I forget really, just covering all my bases!

Images used by permission from http://www.onethimble.com.au

Sewing for Me!

I always dream up outfits I want to sew for myself and pin numerous patterns and ideas but it has been a long long time since I have actually sewn anything for myself. I think I am scared that I will sew something and it won't fit or look right and then all that lovely fabric will go to waste! Well it is time to get over that because I now have a pile of fabrics ready to sew for myself and I am actually a little bit excited! OK I am a lot excited!

I ordered these fabrics a few weeks ago from Hawthorne Threads. I order quite a bit from here and have always been happy(in case you have been looking for somewhere to order fabric from!). I always order 10 1/2 yards to make the most of my postage! There is some Joel Dewberry rayons, some quilters cotton and some shot cotton too!

Oh and what am I going to sew? Well first up will be the flat front gathered ladies skirt from Pattern Emporium. You may remember that I made one for Miss Elsa a while ago. Now it's my turn!

I also want to sew myself a few dresses. I just love the warmer weather and being able to wear dresses! Let's hope Tasmania has a nice warm summer this year!

Poppy Tunic by Make It Perfect

Washi Dress by Made by Rae

One of the down sides of having a business sewing clothing is most of your sewing time is taken up sewing for others. I am determined to sew more for myself and my family though! Next week I will set aside an evening just for ME sewing! Yay! 

Retro Knot Headbands

Do you ever just get the urge to make something in particular? I do, all the time! Mostly I just ignore it but yesterday when I wanted to make a retro inspired headband and couldn't find a pattern or tutorial that I liked I decided to just do it! Usually I am too cautious to do this...I need a pattern, a procedure, things must be done properly!

This could have been a disaster but some how my guesses at the measurements I should use actually worked!

I am SO in love with these headbands! They are so retro and so cute! I have had requests for adult sizes too which I plan to try sometime soon(read "when I get my custom orders done!"). I have some of these up for sale in my Made It store if you love them as much as I do and just have to have one!

Rapunzel Yarn Wig

Today was the Book Week parade at my children's school. When the usual one was on they had a school production so it was all deferred until term 4. Being the amazing mum that I am I didn't read the newsletter at the end of last term and only realised on Monday that the parade was today! Whoops! My girls very conveniently wanted to be Cinderella and Rapunzel and Big W had some cheap princess dresses to I grabbed them. My Rapunzel has very dark brown hair though so I thought a wig was in order!

I did a quick Google and looked at a few tutorials and got some ideas and then got to work! 3 balls of acrylic yarn a pair of tights and a couch and this it what I came up with!

Oh and if you are wondering what the couch was for you will have to come back and check out the tutorial I will be putting together soon!

Healthy Chocolate Icecream!

Yes you read correctly! HEALTHY chocolate ice cream!

I am in the process of changing all of our diets to be dairy and grain free. My eldest can't have dairy anyway and I am pretty sure that grains are not good for her(or me!) either. So basically we are starting on a Paleo diet...with my own changes based on what suits my family best.

I'm not doing it suddenly, at least with the girls, otherwise I am sure I would have a mutiny on my hands! Instead all our dinners are paleo and I am starting to introduce some good breakfasts and then I will work on what to put in the lunch boxes!

I made this chocolate milkshake this morning and it went down well with all the kids (and me!) and I decided to try freezing the left overs...it worked perfectly! I would love to make a batch up and put it through the ice cream maker too!

I didn't add cinnamon but I did add an avocado...makes it extra creamy!

Crazy times!

This year really has been completely crazy! I won't go into it all as I am sure it would bore you and some of it is personal too.

You may have seen that my last post was in July! Yes 3 months ago! I had fully intended to see the KCWC through but as you can see I only posted up to day 2! Whoops!

There has been plenty of sewing happening here though. Mostly store sewing. Lots of fabric purchases...including some for ME! I now just have to find the time to sew for myself! I have lots of patterns in mind (future blog post perhaps?).

This week has been particularly crazy! Last week Miss 3 fell off the bunk bed which we had only received 4 days earlier and broke her arm. We went off to emergency and had X-rays and they couldn't see a lot due to the bones in little ones not be calcified like ours are so they assumed a simple fracture and put it in a cast and sent us home to be seen by the Orthopaedic Clinic in 7 days time. 7 days later and we find out it was not so simple and she would need surgery the following morning! To cut a long story short all is ok and the surgery went well but we have lots of X-rays and appointments and another surgery over the next couple of months! Miss 3 was a champion! She was charming everyone and was the model patient(as told to us by almost every nurse that saw her!)

Seeing the children in hospital that had much greater problems than my little one really made me so thankful that all she was in there for was a broken arm. It is so easy to go about our daily lives and not be thankful for the basic things we have, like our health! So if you are reading this today go and hug your family and be thankful for what you have because there is someone who is much worse off than you out there no matter how bad you think things are!

KCW – Day 2

Today I was going to finish that outfit for Miss 3 but Miss 6 had other ideas! I don’t blamer her though as Miss 3 gets most of my sewing samples for the store and it really was her turn!

This is the Flat Front Elastic Back skirt by Pattern Emporium. I made the size 6 with light gathers, tea length and pockets. I am so glad I did the pockets as they really add something to the skirt.

I had issues finding the right colour thread for the topstitching. I had a dark brown in my thread stash but it was way too dark. I ended up going with a dark gold colour and in the daylight it actually looks fine. I was all prepared to be unpicking the hem this morning to resew with a better match!

I will definitely sew this one again. I didn’t actually make the pattern pieces as directed in the pattern. I just cut them with my rotary cutter and mat. I think this was a lot faster for me. Oh I did use the pocket pattern pieces though.

I have pulled out some Bendigo Woollen Mills cotton that I might knit a little singlet top to match. I am still not sure about this though as I really like the tucked in look so you can see the waistband and cute pockets!

As you can see the pockets were a hit!