New jeans

I am sooo behind in blogging finished projects!  And unfortunately some have been sent to recipients before I've taken a photo.  Never mind :)

Pattern:  Pajama pants pattern modified from a Topkids pants pattern
Fabric: A pair of very wide legged jeans of mine that I had never worn, and some quilting cotton from Arthur Toyes for the pockets.
Details: I bought a pair of very cool jeans from a market, made using this pattern; they had cute curved patch pockets on the front.  They're too small now unfortunately.  I used the idea of the pockets and cuffs to make these.  I didn't look at them while making these though and found that my front pockets were quite different.  Funny how the memory plays tricks on you.

My wide legged jeans had a third reincarnation as a pair of little jeans for D, a friend who has just turned one.  He had trucks and diggers fabric on his :)

A compilation update

I have decided I am too lazy to do one post per project, so compilation posts it is.

Pattern: 12" square cut in half
Fabric: Various bits and pieces - bike fabric bought from Arthur Toyes in Wgtn with Mum
Details: A stack of bandana bibs for sale. Some were for a toddler so I cut 13" squares instead of 12 - hopefully they're big enough!

Pattern: My own
Fabric: Scarlet red merino from Nick's, $8 a metre.
Details:  The fabric had a hole in it that I didn't notice until I'd already cut the pants out, so there's a little patch on the waistband - luckily not too conspicuous.  This is an impossible colour to photograph, it's actually quite nice in real life

Pattern: just made it up, can't even remember the measurements
Fabric: white PUL inner and a knit from the Spotlight sale table
Details: I followed a tutorial online (well, read it and then made it up) for the ends of the zip.  Didn't do it quite right, but hey, it's a wetbag for dirty nappies :)

Now shortly there will actually be some sewing for ME going on!  I bought a huge box of fabric - in fact, two boxes of fabric - off trademe, full of beautiful silks, knits, merino and sequiny stuff.  I don't go anywhere that requires the donning of sequins, so don't expect to see any of that, but my winter work wardrobe is practically non exsistent so there will be some practical but hopefully nice stuff being churned out shortly.

Merino hoodie

I made this a while ago, but forgot to take a photo and blog about it.  Lovely pink merino from Levana with a matching stripe lining the hood.  I used a Topkids pattern, and the joys of the early 90s, it was huuuuge.  I cut a 68cm, lengthened it by a couple of inches, and it's still pretty wide...easy to get on and off though, and very handy on cold mornings to put on over pyjamas.

Pink minky nappy, and some inserts

Nappy inserts are hardly worth taking a photo of, but the little tooshie in the second photo makes up for it. Gorgeously soft pink minky nappy, using the old favourite pattern again.  I borrowed an overlocker from a friend this week and it's fabulous - so quick! 

Pyjama pants for me

Finally some  non-baby sewing, and my oh my isn't it attractive!  Grey knit with huge flies from the Spotlight clearance table - from memory, about $4 worth here.  I used Simplicity 4380 for these very basic pyjama pants.  I'm going to have to make something else quickly so these aren't the first post for any longer than necessary...

Leggings with bum panel

Cut a pattern from a current pair of leggings that fit.  I added an extra bum panel in to accomodate nappies :)  Unfortunately I cut them out slightly wrong so they ended up a little shorter in the rise than they should be - I've got another pair cut out in red merino, so hopefully they fit!

Pinafore dress

Pinafore dress from the Topkids Baby and Toddler Annual.  It's a size 90, but quite wide and short.  Pinwale cord with floral cotton lawn trim.

Bibs

Last post for today!  Just a couple of quick bibs from Lotta Jansdotter's simple sewing for baby.  I've made up some 'lemonhoney' labels which you can just see on the side.  A friend of mum's wanted me to make some bibs for a coworker, and I cut out the backing back to front...twice.  Clever me.  So I chose some random bits of fabric and made these for G. 

I forgot to take photos of the bibs for the friend.  Whoops.

Nappy - a knock off Itti Bitti

I bought a couple of Itti Bitti D'lish nappies which are gorgeous - bamboo inners, very soft, very trim.  The mediums are on the smaller side for G though, and they don't last too long because of their trimness.  So here's my version, using the Rocket Bottoms pattern but modifying the tabs to be narrower and only have a single row of snaps.  The bamboo trifold insert is wider than the itti bitti one (14 inches instead of 11 inches, but the same length - 11 inches). Minky outer with hidden PUL inner.  The hidden PUL makes it slightly bulkier - I've just bought some PUL film to use with the rest of the minky I have, and apparently Greenbeans will be stocking laminated minky later in the year.  Laminated minky is supposedly horrible to sew with, but how hard can it be!  I'm sure I'll regret saying that...

Dress, top and pants for my niece

Niecelet no. 3, H, has turned one and I finished her birthday outfit a couple of weeks ago - G and I are going down to Wellington this weekend though so didn't bother posting it. 

Top is Amvic envelope neck tee, dress is from a Topkids pattern book (used the top half of a pinafore pattern that had a full skirt, which I eliminated).  Pants are the same as a pair I made for G, just longer - H is taller and slimmer than my little pudding.

Pyjamas for winter

I am still alive, I promise!  There has definitely been sewing going on, just that my camera isn't working so I haven't been able to take photos of it.  Have borrowed the very swish iphone however to take some photos...

Here is the wee one in her new jammies - bamboo knit for the top, flannel for the bottom.  Good old Amvic Knit Kit envelope neck tee, and pants from a Topkids magazine (can't remember which one, but I eliminated the side seams when tracing).  So snuggly and lovely to cuddle.

Stripey top

50c fabric from the opshop.  Used a Topkids pattern in size 80 - it was strangely flared, so ended up cutting around an inch off each side.  Mum sent up some cute apple buttons to finish it off.

More pyjamas...surely she has enough nightwear now...

It's a catch up day today - lots of projects unblogged!  These are pyjamas made from a Supre t-shirt from the opshop, and some merino ordered from Levana over the phone - very helpful customer service there.  Pants are far too short, they're more like knickerbockers!

Cover it all up bibs

Mealtimes are a messy affair around here, and I needed something that stopped short of a contamination suit, but gave better coverage than the average bib.  These look like G is going to give someone an xray, and don't save the sleeves or the trousers, but usually we don't have to change the entire outfit after eating with one of these bibs on...used the pattern from here to start with but modified it so I didn't have to use binding and so it covered a bit more.

The first bib is a beach towel from the clearance section at Farmers, backed with a waterproof towelling pillow protector from the op shop.  The second is quilting cotton backed with an old towel.

Quilt for a friend

A friend and I made this quilt for a colleague who is going through a tough time health wise.  2 packs of Kaffe Fassett squares and some blue homespun.  Quiltlite (?) batting.  The fabric is actually quite rich in real life...sunshine too bright for my camera it seems.

Not sure whether this counts as a project to blog!

Picked up this Nature Baby singlet at the hospice shop for $1 but the stitching on the binding was coming loose...I just went over it with a similar looking stitch on the sewing maching.  Doesn't look great, but hey, it's a singlet - who cares!

A bit boring...

Not a lot of finishing projects going on around here - just a lot of starting :)  I've got a little dress for G almost finished, 2 quilt tops, 5 nappies, a lap quilt I needs to back with fleece and tie, a pair of jeans for G...might have a finishing week methinks!  Above is another Rocket Bottoms nappy, nothing different from last time.

Buggy liner

Went to Spotlight today (30% off sale) and picked up a metre of this little birdy print for $4.20, plus some polyester wadding.  This is the umbrella fold stroller that fits in the car boot and actually leaves room to fit in something else!  But it's not very comfortable looking - hopefully this will help.  Used a double layer of wadding, just measured the stroller to check where the buttonholes needed to be.  Should have rounded the top slightly so it fitted a bit neater but I'm sure the passenger won't notice, so I'll ignore it too :)

Now to make a sleeping bag/foot muff thing for the mountain buggy.

Stool recover

Recovered a little stool for G's room for her radio to sit on so we can have our small coffee table back.  Finally figured out what was causing blogger to rotate photos - needed to turn off the 'auto rotate' function on my camera.  Alternatively, save all photos as PNG files before loading them.

From pyjamas to pyjamas

 Pair of girls size 11 pyjama pants from the Hospice Shop - $2.

Used some blue merino that's been in the stash forever to make up a pair of size 0 pyjamas.  They look awfully big!  Used Amvic Knit Kit 1979 for the top (cut a size 0 with a size 1/2 for length) and started to use the Amvic pattern for the legs but it looked odd so ended up kind of winging it...might not be enough room in the bum.

Yet more bandana bibs...

The least I can do when they're a repeat of a previous project is arrange them in a pretty circle.  These have been selling well at Playcentre for $6 each.  I did have 3 more but sold them before I could take a photo.  Bamboo velour backing, various cottons for the front.

Op shop top resized

Before - size 20, brand 'Eaton'....$1 from the Sallies.  Quite nice fabric.

After - cut the shirt apart because the shoulders would have been too wide if I just took in the side seams.  Recut using Kwik Sew 3643 size M, although think I could have cut a small.  Also wondering whether the flowery thing (made with the bits I cut off) is on the wrong side.  Oh well, very comfortable and would be good for work.  Asked the man what he thought and he made a face and said 'very professional'.  Read....not sexy in the slightest.

I think it's my computer that's rotating the photos, but goodness knows why.   My 3 readers will just have to tip their heads.

Doggeee sleeping bag

The first of a set of sleeping bags for dollies/bears or in this case, 'doggeees'.  For my little goddaughter who is turning 2 at the beginning of April.

Embellished t-shirt

Found this oh so cute stripey top at the Sallies yesterday - the label is Kristen Fordham which seems to be quite a nice shop in Herne Bay.  I got it for $1, but unfortunately couldn't get a couple of stains off the front.  Hence the hot air balloon :)  Think the ric rac is the wrong colour - might replace it with some grey ribbon.  Or then again, I might throw it in the wash and put it in the drawer....

The idea came from here, a little better executed than mine! 

Treasure basket

Technically I didn't make this...but I did change it so it counts as a project.  It's one of those $2 shop woven flax bags.  You soak it in warm water for about ten minutes, then it can be bent and folded - this one has handles but they're tucked under the top brim.  To make it sit flat you just push in the bottom corners.  It's filled with bits and pieces that G likes to play with - much more than the far larger basket of 'real' toys.

Lotta Jansdotter bibs

Two bibs turned and topstitched out of a fabric I have had forever and not known what to do with. I added an extra 1/4 inch to the pattern to allow for the turning - need to try them on and check they fit before making any more.  Upping the solids to twice a day has upped our bib requirements - thought I had lots of bibs but all the commercial ones I have are rubbish - too small and non-absorbent.

Don't seem to be making any progress on non-baby sewing!

Bloomers/pants from Amvic pattern

Whoops, there has been sewing going on around here - just no posting.  These two pairs of pants took about 20 minutes each - easy peasy.  From a 1979 Amvic Knit Kit pattern.  They are drafted all in one piece, but I put a seam across the crotch to make it easier to put the ribbing around the legs.  Excuse the avocado stains and stretched out legs on the red pair - they are hot off the press, as it were.  Started to put size tags in - twill tape and a sharpie!

Another Rocket Bottoms

Getting behind in the posting!  Since the last post I've made 5 bandana bibs (4 of which I sold at Playcentre today, so no photos!), 3 cushions for M's 'clubhouse' in the garage, and finished the quilt from a few posts ago.  I've got several more nappies at various stages of sewing too.  Enough sewing for baby, my next project is a handbag for me :)

Rocket Bottoms nappy

Rocket Bottoms nappy.  White PUL outside with tabs and front leak guard in snowman PUL.  Used an old dryfit t-shirt for the inside - will see how it goes.  I'm assuming that it will wick moisture away and into the insert, but it's not very thick so I'm unsure whether it will be comfortable or not...thought it was going to be horrible to sew with but it wasn't too bad.  I've got enough for one more nappy if it is successful, and I'll get more in white for more nappies if it works.

Bib take 2

Wow, finally blogger didn't rotate a photo!  Another from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Babies - much more successful with an old towel for backing and a narrower knit binding - cut 1.5" wide. 

Bandana bibs

Took all of half an hour to make these bandana dribble bibs - most backed with hemp terry (I think that's what it is), but the green one on the left backed with an old towel.  The terry is thinner, better suited to these bibs, but the towel is nice and thick for proper bibs.

Top in floral lawn

Argh I don't know why this photo is on its side - and there's no way to fix it!  Silly blogger.  Anyway...

Gorgeous cotton lawn that mum found at the opshop - about 2m for $2.  This used a tiny bit of it!  Might make some matching bloomers.  Made the pintucks on the front before cutting it out, much easier way of doing it.  Pattern from Enid Gilchrist's Baby Book, modified to make shoulders narrower and neckline lower at front.

Apples bib

From Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby.   I said that I'd even post things I wasn't happy with...maybe the next bib will look a little more polished!  Used some leftover cream coral fleece for the back.  Will cut up an old towel for mark II, think it will be more stable and easier to sew with.  Don't know why blogger has turned the photo on its side...

Nappy no. 3 - Tighty Wightey Hipsters modified

Here's try no. 3 - the last one cut in at the top of her thighs so I made a couple of modifications to this one.  Shortened the height of the tabs by cutting the pattern in a bit.  In the original pattern you cut the inside narrower through the legs than the outside, and ease the extra in.  Think that would work well for a fitted nappy, but the PUL on her pink nappy rolled in towards in the inside on the leg casing which leaves red marks.  So cut the inside and outside the same size.  Took smaller seam allowances (just over 1/4", force of habit from quilting I think!) and made a welt pocket on the inside following the Rocket Bottoms instructions.