More Playdates

The girls and the husband went to the bathhouse on Monday (Easter Monday) when we had out last day off for Easter.

It gave me time to finish Sofia's Playdate dress with elephants.

I'm not entirely sure about the yoke - due to how I combined the piping strips I "lost" the dots in the piping fabric.
The construction of the dress makes it possible to fix it easily, but I'm not sure I should put that much effort into it. I still might. I just haven't decided.



The buttons are from a mixed bag I bought at the fabric store. I also got all fabrics there except the batiste for the yoke which I got from April. I have since ordered 3 more yards of it as it is a dream to sew with!

... it goes ding when there's stuff ...

Rickard and I started watching Doctor Who a few weeks ago (wow, isn't it more than a few weeks?) and are now up to Season 5 with the new Doctor (Eleven).

Some say you never forget your first Doctor - who for me would be Christopher Eccleston but for me the Doctor is and always will be, David Tennant. (I have to make a reservation here as I've only seen 7 episodes for Eleven.)

I was thinking the other day about how curious it is that I've never seen it before. Swedish television airs all sorts of weird shows from both the US and the UK, but I can't remember ever catching even a single episode of The Doctor on tv.

The other day I was browsing Pinterest (my drug of choice) and came across this necklace.

(Image borrowed from Etsy)


It's my favourite quote from my favourite episode so I snatched it up as soon as I saw it and I'm F5-ing Etsy daily to see if the status of it has changed from Paid to Shipped.

It will go perfectly with my T.A.R.D.I.S-bag (in the making) and a tee that I have asked for as a Mother's Day gift.

Playdate anyone?

I made Sofia a Playdate Dress last year with a green elephant fabric.



She's worn it a lot of times and I love the silhouette of it. I've also gotten a lot of comments on the fabric. Apparently elephants are popular.

The fabric is a generic cotton fabric I found in the Patchwork section of my local fabric store. It came in green, purple and red (and apparently also brown, black and orange).

A few months ago I bought a length of the purple colourway, earmarking it mentally for another Playdate dress. It's such a great everyday dress and since we're gearing up for Spring/Summer Sofia needs more play clothes.



So I took out the purple fabric and some white batiste to use for the yoke and paired it with a mustard polka dot fabric for piping and facings.

I have the yoke sewn up and I'm trying to figure out how to attach the piping so that it binds the inside seam of the yoke at the same time. I have an idea - just working out the chinks.

At Your Liberty!

I was browsing Pinterest the other day and found this link.

It led me to browsing Purl Soho and I ended up buying the mini-stack needed to make the quilt in the post.



I have read so much about the Liberty lawn and always wondered what the fuss was all about. And I can tell you buying that stack might actually have been a mistake as I have been looking around the net for suppliers to buy more.

It sure is pricey, but what a lovely fabric! Very sheer so any garment made from it would have to be lined.

I would love to make Isabel or Sofia a Class Picnic Blouse from it.
If I use a contrasting fabric for the yoke I could get away with using only 1 yard and then it wouldn't be unreasonable.

Easter

We were celebrating Easter Saturday at my SIL's place. Her in-laws were also visiting so with kids we ended up being 14 people.

We were asked to bring some food to the table and we made a "matjesillstårta" (as in herring cake - not as bad as it sounds, in fact bloody delicious if I say so myself).

We went for a long walk/bike-ride in the morning. The girls rode their bikes and Rickard and I walked. I think it ended up being something like 5-6 km (3.5 miles) and I was a bit sore once we finally came home. (Silly me was wearing flip-flops and my soles aren't toughened yet.)

On our walk I had time to ponder the girls' dresses and I realised I wanted to make some bloomers for Sofia (and ideally for Isabel too) to wear underneath for modesty. I find that long walks are good for these ideas to turn up - and to be planned out.

When we came home I went upstairs and traced the Bedtime Story Pyjama Pants. I cut them off 3" below the leg notch and then cut them out from some creamy gorgeous cotton batiste I bought from a fellow O+S-junkie in the US.

To give them a nice finished edge I contemplated a ruffle, but ended up using one piece of lace I had got from my MIL a few years ago. It's hand crochet lace and it worked out wonderfully.



Sofia was mighty pleased with them and I liked their heirloom feel.

Unfortunately I didn't manage to make any for Isabel before we had to leave. But I think I'll use the Nature Walk Pants as a starting point for hers. I'm thinking adding the yoke to the pants leg and using a similar waistband as the pyjama pant. Maybe add a few 1/2 inches of width since that pattern is for stretchy fabric.

I have one more piece of lace that I could use to hem hers.



In the end Isabel wore a pair of cropped leggings and that worked well too.



I need to learn to factor in a few extra inches for length when I make dresses for Isabel. O+S dresses in size 10 fit her beautifully, but she needs an extra 2" or maybe even 3" for length.

Happy Easter!

Postponed

So, the dresses that needed blogging?

Well, all I needed were buttons so I could sew the buttonholes.

I knew I had the perfect cream coloured buttons for the yellow dress and so I went to look for them. Turns out I only had five and I needed seven. Had I needed six I could have made adjustments, but two missing buttons were too much I think.

So I took a trip to the fabric store on my way to pick up the girls from grandpa and got some buttons. Naturally they sell them in packs of six so I had to get two sets.

I got one set of coconut buttons that would look seriously cool I think, and I also got two sets of MOP buttons, just to be on the safe side if none of them like the coconut buttons.

So why are there no pictures you ask?

Well, of course I forgot the dresses and the buttons at grandpa's when we drove home.

We're going to the grocery store tomorrow and I'll swing by their place on the way and pick the dresses up - as well as all the other stuff we forgot.

Instead I finished (almost) a set of Class Picnic Shirt and Shorts in French General.



I haven't hemmed the blouse as O+S-clothes tend to be a bit short on Isabel. I also need to sew in a tab in the back to help Isabel see which side is the front/back. Hence the needle.

I didn't have enough fabric for the yokes so I used a solid red French General for that and the elastic casings.



I used the same red for the facings on the shorts, but paired it with a mattress ticking in red and white.

The shorts look huge, but I can't check the fit on her as she is in bed sleeping.

Isabel wasn't sold on the top - she thought the colours were too dull and dark. I hope she'll come around.

Maybe it's too sophisticated for a 6 yo?

Side project

Well. That project I mentioned last week? It went live today.

GlobWorld Parent blog.

GlobWorld is a gaming/social network site aimed at kids between 5 and 13 and their parents.
They have started a blog for parents that will review all sorts of pop culture media, books, video games, movies, you name it.

I signed up to do book reviews and guest post in the section for Offline activities (crafting, cooking etc.)

My first post will go up on Friday (if we can work out all the behind the scenes stuffs) and I'm plugging away on my first ever book review that should go up during the first week in May.

There's not much stuff right this minute but things are happening - oh yes.

Time off

I'm on vacation. I took the week off to be with the girls but they asked to stay with their grandpa so I'm all alone.



This is how excited Isabel was yesterday morning as we were leaving for grandpa's.



And Sofia wasn't less excited.

I spent yesterday doing a quick shopping trip to the garden centre before coming home to trace patterns.
And today I have sewn up one dress and a half (minus button holes), but then my thumb started to bleed so I had to stop. I already bled a little on Sofia's dress - I'm hoping it will come out in the wash. I have to wash it anyway to get rid of the markings.

The dresses are ridiculously cute and deserve their own post so, back to work!

My afternoon

drive to the store to get some fresh groceries
hopefully pick up a parcel at the post office
pick up Isabel from school
late lunch
try out a recipe for the site
trace patterns - Family Reunion, Seashore, Class Picnic, Sketchbook Shorts, Nature Walk Shirt
start on some sewing - Hopscotch dresses for I+S to use as nightgowns, try to finish them for tonight
watch last two episodes of Torchwood - then we can get back to The Doctor
fix the insurance issue I have with my parents' carpet
read some for the review I have to do by next week

Update

Pick up girls - of course
make Isabel change into riding clothes - yes
drive to Rickard's office to pick him up - yes
drop me and Sofia off at home - dropped off
make Sofia take a shower - she didn't want to at first but I ignored her and she came around
start on dinner - pork fillet with pasta and horseradish sauce
start a load of laundry - one load of whites started
fix a snack for Isabel for tomorrow - I had to do that this morning
dinner after Isabel and Rickard comes back - we started before they returned
make Isabel take a shower - *gag* she smelled of stables at dinner
bedtime for the girls - g'night
move laundry to the dryer - actually managed to run a second load too!
drive to the store to get some fresh groceries - We're doing that today
hopefully pick up a parcel at the post office - Nope, no post slip in the mail for me yet *boo hiss*
try out a recipe for the site - couldn't do this because I hadn't been to the store
trace patterns - nope
start on some sewing - I cut out two Hopscotch dresses
watch an episode of Torchwood - 2 actually
fix the insurance issue I have with my parents' carpet - This weekend I hope
read some for the review I have to do by next week - Nope I was too tired
bedtime for me (preferably before midnight) - I turned out the lights at 12:20 am so, nope

In all an acceptable result I think. Moving some of this to today's list ...

My night - in run-on sentence style

Pick up girls - make Isabel change into riding clothes - drive to Rickard's office to pick him up - drop me and Sofia off at home - make Sofia take a shower - start on dinner - start a load of laundry - fix a snack for Isabel for tomorrow - dinner after Isabel and Rickard comes back - make Isabel take a shower - bedtime for the girls - move laundry to the dryer - drive to the store to get some fresh groceries - hopefully pick up a parcel at the post office - try out a recipe for the site - trace patterns - start on some sewing - watch an episode of Torchwood - fix the insurance issue I have with my parents' carpet - read some for the review I have to do by next week - bedtime for me (preferably before midnight).

Update tomorrow on my results ...

New Patterns!

My new patterns arrived today! Shipped on the 5th from New York arrived in my mailbox(!) today on the 11th.

Both girls said they wanted one of each but I think I'll start with the Family Reunion Dress for both.
I have some CW fabric that would be more than enough for them. I also think I have buttons that would match so I could get right into it.

In other news I FINALLY finished and handed in my taxes. Such a relief! Maybe there is something wrong in them but I'm pretty sure the Tax Agency will call me if there is. For now I'm rejoicing!

I'm planning on making a few more Hopscotch tops/dresses for the girls. I'm thinking nightgowns (dresses) from the pink and tops from the navy. Y/Y?

Hopscotch Nature Walk

Sofia and Isabel got new Hopscotch shirts this weekend. I had a piece of jersey with Kokeshi dolls at home and managed to place the pattern pieces so I could fit one shirt each from the fabric.
I have two more pieces of jersey (pink dots and navy with white stars) and I plan to make a few more shirts for them from that.



Isabel also got new pants made from stretch twill using the Nature Walk Pants pattern I've fallen in love with. So incredibly easy to whip up a pair of pants for the girls from that.
I'm making shorts for the summer from it too when I can find the time.

Results

Reversible Bucket Hat I made for Sofia on Sunday. Her head is 21" so I made the largest size which fit her ok. Isabel is 21.5" and it looks too small for her, but since it's a circle and lots of circumferences it's not so easy to grade it. I'll have to give it a try though.

If I make it again from this fabric quality I'll double interface the brim and maybe single interface the sides and the tip. It turned out a bit flimsy.

Other results of tonight is one cut out Hopscotch top for Sofia (size 6), one pair of Nature Walk Pants for Isabel in stretch twill, cut out and ready to go.

I also fixed Isabel's black velour Nature Walk Pants that I mucked up. I cut off the waist band and cut out a new one that I made 1/2 inch taller to compensate for the cut off seam allowance.

I went around the seam twice because the fourth thread skipped on my serger and made it look weird. Second turn around it turned out fine.

I have heaps of fabric to iron and stash, and I have a piece of seersucker that needs to be washed to I can make a School Photo Dress from it for Sofia and/or use the rest as lining for my/the girls' messenger bag.

I'm also involved in something fun that is movie/books/video games/board games/craft related. I can't speak much of it, but it launches soon and then I'll let everyone know.

Another find on Pinterest

This is how I feel most of the time.

Sometimes that's ok.

Found here

Do you Pin?

Have you seen Pinterest? The biggest timesuck of my life.

I use it for storing pictures with funny sayings, pictures of pretty homes, flowers, food stuffs ... pretty much anything I used to save to a folder on my hard drive I now just Pin it and it's there to be found again if I need to reference it.

Best invention ever!

Kokeshi

I had this pile of fabrics sitting on my ironing board last week. The pink and green at the top will be (has become) a reversible bucket hat for Sofia. It is done and she's wearing it to daycare today but I haven't uploaded the pictures yet.

The jade green knit with Kokeshi dolls has become a Hopscotch top for Isabel.



It was a little short in the body for Isabel and I think I'll add about 1" next time.
To save on the length there was I did a lettuce hem instead of a folded hem.

Isabel tried it on but took it off immediately and hasn't shown much interest in wearing it.
The yoke seam felt itchy she said the first time, but the second time she said it felt ok, so I'm hoping she'll come around.

I made her a pair of black velour Nature Walk Pants last night - but we are not speaking of that.

Nope.

Not a word.

Black velour with black 4-threaded serger seams doesn't lend itself well to unpicking.
I'll have to take out the scissors.