sleeping bag from repurposed materials

This item of baby cuteness has been on my to-do list for ages now.

All my babies have slept in a sleeping bag from about  6 months old until they are old enough to wake from bed in the morning and need to walk to our room, about 2 years.
They do several things: comfort (once they are strong enough to wriggle free from a swaddling blanket); stop them kicking their blankets off and getting cold; signal bedtime. I swear by them and have so far been using a cotton go go bag by merinokids.co.nz
Heading into winter here, I wanted a lined wool one for Adelaide. The outer layer was a really ugly wool skirt made of the softest merino wool knit fabric, wrap-around style with two panels crossing at the front. I just kept two panels to make the bottom of the sleeping bag and used a simple bodice pattern to create the top. Lining it was a problem only because I had it all wrong in my head and forgot to sew it as an open garment, instead I fiddled around with a closed neck and only one side opening, which closes with a zip.

It's lined with an old merino wool top and some flannel I had planned to make pyjamas with. Very warm and will easily fit until 2 years old.

The vintage button just tidies up the top of the zip a little bit. You don't really need one there, but it looks pretty I think.

sewing for the sick

I'm sorta finished this outfit for my aunty. It's been a hard time photographing it as my husband's not here to take pictures. Apologies, it's not getting the best light or modeling etc, but you get the general idea.

and this is a truer colour representation:

The fabric is a very very light cotton knit, and it's been difficult to work with in some ways. It gets small holes from the needle pricks and any unpicking can cause a bigger hole. It stretches and needs a slight zig-zag stitch, but because it's so fine the fabric tends to pucker, making seams too rigid for the stretch/knit. Needless to say the armholes and shoulder seams have been a bit of a bugger and I've redone them twice.

Pity then, that the next time I sew this pattern, I have more of the same fabric, just a different colour (yes, denim blue, my trend for winter). I also have some red merino knit to make one for a great aunt in Christchurch (she could do with some cheering up after the earthquake), so I hope that'll be easier to work with.

I have overlocked everything, even the raw edges. It has made a big difference to it looking slightly professional (for my standards).

Love the pattern. It's Simplicity 2603. It can be worn about 15 different ways. Some I have modeled for you. Badly, but...

The undertop is also included in the pattern. Only thing is, I used silk (unstretchy) for a pattern that called for a stretch knit. To make up for the lack of stretch I used a M size (to go with a S for the cardy) and added some width and length when cutting out. It has no zip closure, just a pullover style. Hope it fits!

To 'top' it off (gosh I'm funny) I made another chemo turban. The knit fabric was wonderful here, so light, yet warm and stretchy.

I intend to make more of those and drop them off to the hospital or Cancer Society.
Which brings me to these:

Hats for men, well, chemo caps for men. Because men get cancer too. These are easy to make from soft light merino knit and can be personalised as I have done with a message stamped around the rim (hard to see in this crappy photo) or a small piece of fabric sewn on. Whatever you fancy.

The one Hugo is modeling was made for a child and is slightly smaller (exactly to the pattern actually). For adult sizes I have treated the pattern as if it needs seam allowances added. That has given it enough room for the adult head. Hugo's head is 19", Georgia's is 20" and mine is 23" to give you some idea. I fit the adult one snuggly. It should be a snug fit. But perhaps for chemo caps, given the patient may have had head surgery (as my aunty has done) a looser fit would be nicer.

toddler bed valance (bed-skirt)

A while ago we made a cute toddler sized bed for Hugo. It has his cot mattress on it (1300mm long).

While there is plenty available in the way of sheets and blankets, there are no valances for this size mattress.

The quilt I made last year had some scraps remaining and I have since planned to make them into a valance to match. Yesterday, finally, it happened!

Hmm, doesn't look so great close up, because of the fraying, but that was the intention to get it matching with the quilt. The rag quilt.

It hides the ugly boxes of toys under his bed and the ugly bed frame.

It's so good to finish a project.

It's made of some old sheeting, the edges sewn up onto a basic rectangle the size of the bed frame (and mattress).

sew the list grows on

I have a new sewing station. Everyone including me grew sick of having our dining table taken up with sewing machines and fabric and other associated items.
Back from the garage came our previous dining table, the fabulous formica! All I need now is some storage beneath it for the fabric-a-brac.

Adding to the chemo hats will be this versatile cardigan and top. It is apparently a rip-off pattern of a popular DKNY garment that can be worn in about 15 different ways.

I shopped for this fabric last week at the Global Fabrics sale. Pinks for my aunty, blues for me. Fine stretch cottons and slippery silks. I hope I bought enough fabric!

Adding this to my fabric stash, a mountain of other sewing projects either on the go or in the pipeline... I don't know. I seem to bit off more than I can chew sometimes.

But anyway, this is first on the list now. The kids will have to wait for their new merino garments for the winter.

tie-backs

These were so quick to sew up and make the room so much prettier.

We have quite plain (ugly) curtains (or you may call the drapes, depending on your heritage) and I thought these would be a good solution to keep the curtains away from the windows to let in maximum light and prevent them blowing in the wind when the windows are open. They also double as a  decoration, and I guess you could change them with the seasons and your mood...!?

Simply cut a piece of fabric and a lining on the fold in this sort of shape, no pattern required, sew right-sides together leaving ends free, turn right way out, insert some loops of fabric (sewn through the middle) into the ends and ta-da, you have a curtain tie-back. I finished mine with some hand sewing in matching embroidery thread, as it's too thick to get the machine through.

Each morning, Georgia rises and ties the curtains back. It's a nice little routine.

The fabric is some vintage Sanderson from my fabric stash. I made some in French vanilla colouring to match our bedroom too. Perhaps I'll photograph them one day.

play stations and work stations

I don't know which is which, really, perhaps both - but my side of the table is equally matched by the kids' side for entertainment and attention at the moment.
I've been sewing, more on that later. Hugo and Georgia have been making play-dough and plasticine treats for their play oven.

It will probably stay like this for another few days until Chris and I are completely driven mad by the mess and want our table back for 'regular' activities.

But we are having so much fun!

chemotherapy hats or chemo caps

Please excuse my time away from the computer. I have had a week preparing for a friend's wedding then a week recuperating from the wedding. But I have been making things, so I have lots to share soon.

Cancer has been on my mind a lot lately. The awful but necessary process of enduring chemotherapy and radiation treatments, which not only cause one to lose their hair, but to feel unwell too, and for it to be no guarantee of survival or even prolonging life either - it is no wonder people have come up with many designs for a 'chemo cap'. They cover, cheer, provide dignity and even laughter.

Someone close to me is in need of some new ones so last night I got busy with my sewing machine, fabric stash and a new overlocker! Well, 1986 new, from Mum's forgotten cupboard to the fix-it man and $90 later I have a working one. Oh how long I have waited...

Sorry I couldn't get better photos or a better model!

 frontwards,

 backwards,

and inside out...

The front and back views: This one made from an old t-shirt.

They were all made in a slightly stretchy knit (jersey) and in cotton, apart from the bright pink which is a cotton blend sweater fabric, probably too thick for a summer hat but it was the prototype (first made).

There are lots of free patterns available for these. I chose this turban design because it's similar to what she's already been wearing. They really are easy to sew but have a glamorous look when finished.

I made four of them in a night, taking approximately 15 minutes each. The pattern provides no photos so I thought I'd share some here if anyone is interested in making these for someone they love, or even for charity. They reckon a person needs three: one to wear, one to wash and a spare. I reckon my aunty needs one for every day of the week or even every outfit. If it makes her feel even slightly better to have a hat to match an outfit it's worth making.

The other requirement was bright colours, like gemstones. The last one I made (not photographed) was pink with orange gemstones sewn on the band at the front. It could be decorated with any other feature, like a brooch or false flower... Your choice!
I hope you can brighten someone's day too with one of these.

progress

We are in a spin during December. Two birthdays, end of year everythings, Christmas and the tail end of spring cleaning. It's all go, and I've gone and bitten off even more to chew.
My brother (16 years old) is on a three month holiday from school. No part time job so we thought about putting him to good use. He and I are currently painting our dining room. Two days down, 4 hours each day. The red is no more! and I have headache from breathing oil-based paint all day.
I will post a photo soon.
I also made my first Christmas pudding and just couldn't resist eating some right away because it smelled so good and it was so easy to make. I'll definitely make at least one more for the big day. More on that soon, too.
So here's another retrospective for you.

I made this outfit for Adelaide a few weeks back. I made the jacket actually 2 years ago for Hugo but the buttonhole maker on the machine chewed the fabric. I stored it away, not really liking the colours on him anyway, then thought of this idea to cover up the mistake.
The pants were easy to make, with double seams (since I have no overlocker) and I hand-stitched the sleeves into place with matching embroidery thread and a blanket stitch. She should fit this by winter. It's a lovely, soft and stretchy merino wool. Always a must for baby clothes.
The pattern is Butterick, but I gave it away to a friend and only have a copy of the templates to work from, so I can't give more details than that, sorry.

baby shoes

My second pair of baby shoes. These made again with this pattern. It's great, detailed, lots of steps. I'm very happy with the results! 

I lined them with a piece of wool felt, a vintage offcut. The pink is also second-hand.

You fasten with a piece of elastic and pull it through to be invisible.

The exterior is a piece of upholstery fabric. All top layers (minus soles) are interfaced. 

I love this pattern because it makes shoes for left and right feet. The size is for 0-6 months. Adelaide is little and will get some extra months out of them. 

Next time I will make them reversible, I think, and a little bigger!

Horner pants

Hugo has some Horner pants. Made from this lovely pattern in Anna Maria Horner's book, Handmade Beginnings, it was very easy and a good way to use some favourite fabric scraps on a garment.
I had the grey cord fabric from years ago, it was an off-cut and luckily the pattern calls for a shorter piece to be used on the back where the yoke is made from another fabric, so I had just enough of the grey, and just enough of the brown tulips (which I have used before for Hugo pants and it was originally a strange, Asian-label, female shirt!
The size is 24 months. Hugo is nearly 2 and a half and they have some length to grow in, so I'm pretty pleased.

I didn't line them and make them reversible, simply because it's summer and the fabrics were already pretty thick and warm. So I finished with a folded over hem and a waistband made the same way. This actually took off another couple of cm of length, so again, very pleased they fit with some growing room - I was taking a gamble...

Hope to make more of these, so easy and I love the idea of making reversible pants for grubby babies.
And this size will fit Hugo for another year I'd say, and I could easily add some length if he grows longways, as I'm pretty sure the bum of the pants has room for a nappy, which he doesn't wear.

a bean bag for the little ones

I made this bean bag a few months ago when I found the kids needed a chair of their own for lounging on.

There was a good tutorial on the net. I followed the instructions pretty fully. Had to copy and trace the pattern onto newspaper. I liked the idea that it has a lining, for strength and safety. There is also a nice tutorial and pattern in Kelly Doust's new book, the Crafty Kid. It has more of a 'back' to it and a traditional bean bag shape.
So mine was easily sewn together with a good spout in the lining for filling with the beans. Boy was it a prick to fill though - the beans went everywhere and on our wooden floors they resisted the broom with static electricity, went under the bed. Had to be vacuumed up in the end. (I was terrified of leaving any trace of them around as I understand they are a pretty bad suffocation risk if inhaled by small children!)
All in all, it's sturdy, attractive, useful, can be tucked away behind a chair easily enough.

Seats two (they're under 15kg each)
or one baby (supervised)
and is Dad's favourite footrest too.

The fabric was a mix of found materials from the op-shop and an auction.

doorstops

These have been really handy.

 

 I made the smaller two for myself about a year ago when I had the use of my aunty's machine. I didn't use a pattern, and alas found two problems with what I'd done. Sewing was fine, but I filled one with sand and now it leaks sand dust every time it's moved. The other was made partially with vinyl, it's stretched and sagged a little and won't last more than a couple of years.

So this time I went with a pattern and followed the directions (almost). The book Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter has a great pattern for a doorstop. It sews together great, no problems with it. Perhaps it's a little large? This one's for my Mum who has two doors and three dogs who need to come and go without a shut door getting in their way, and a fully opened door might be too much some days. Needless to say another doorstop is also needed. She'll be getting two for Christmas.

I used some nice upholstery fabric and some excellent lacquered hardcore waterproof stuff I got from a designer sale years ago. Here's where I varied from the directions - I filled it with whatever dried goods I had on hand. Pearl barley, lentils, dried beans and also some synthetic stuffing to give it some shape up top.
These are such a nice way to show off some favourite (hard-wearing) fabrics. We should all open doors sometime during the week to let in some fresh air. We all need doorstops. Doorstops are great. Hee