Hi all  ,
I visited my sister who lives in the country on the weekend and got measurements to make her youngest some pants, he is 2 and a half.
These are so quick to make if you have never tried to make pants.
Thirty mins from start to finish, including making the pattern, and time to put the kettle on.
I will pop them in the post later today.

cute skully flannelette fabric

newspaper pattern


**I thought I would make another couple of pairs before I post, heres a cord pair, and a Piratey pair**



with patch for interest


Soft stretch


I love this fabric



regards
S

Hi all,
I thought I would have a go at making nappies/diapers.
I used the pattern from Octobre, with some modification and variations in the linings.
I tried snaps but wasnt happy with the ones I bought, they came off too easily and posed a choking hazard.
I dont like the velcro much either, so thought nappy pins would probably be ok.
My daughter has taken two pink ones to give to her girlfriends to try, but here are the other nine.

Onto the pics.















thanks for looking!
S

I finished this quilt today and I am so excited!
I love it!



Cot quilt sized, fabrics from Ikea and Spotlight, simple design I saw at a shop, and adapted to suit.
Tried a new way to add a border, which I kind of like.

Much happier with how the Free Motion quilting is going, still made a shed load of mistakes but I am still happy with the finished product.

the top


 the back



perched on a chair trying to get a good shot..........



thanks for looking!
S

Hiya,
Still working on getting the hang of machine quilting, and I like to practice on real things so here's a quilt I finished tonight.
Simple eye spy quilt with a patterned fabric back.
I used a method I use to make bag handles to bind the edges this time which was pretty good as I only had to sew it once, but I am finding the edge stretches despite pinning.
Its a big cot size.
Thanks for looking!
S

Hi all,
I was feeling all domesticated and homey today so decided to make some shortbread for hubby.
I used mums original recipe book from when she was first married in the early 60s and hubbys grans mixer, which I haven't been game enough to use before in case I broke it. You will be pleased to know I didn't.
Shortbread may have a differant name where you live, but it is a buttery biscuit, or to those in the USA a buttery cookie.
Working out the measurements into workable ones was interesting but aided by trusty google, we forged on. I guessed that a "steady" oven was 180c.

Nice simple recipe, I'll put my Australian translation in brackets.

1/2 lb ( 250g block) of butter
5oz (just under 2/3 cup) caster sugar
Yolk of egg ( I ended up using whole egg as mix was a little dry)
1lb (3 cups) of plain flour, sifted ( I didnt sift, shook it a bit into bowl)

Cream (mix well) sugar and butter in a mixing bowl, add egg and mix again.
Add flour and mix till forms a ball of dough.
Turn onto floured board and press into shape, roll smooth ( I didn't)
( I placed it into a floured tray)
pinch round eges with fingers ( I didn't) and prick all over with a fork
Bake in a steady (180c ) oven for 30 to 40 mins (at 30 mins was a lovely light goldy colour, you dont want it dark it will be too dry)

(I then cut it into rectangles while in tray, and left them in the tray to cool on a cooling rack.)
I hope if you try it, you are happy with the result!
S

On to the pics
Grans mixer.

Shortbread!

OMG!
I can't believe I just learnt how to do this, I weep for those wasted years trying to quilt in the ditch and other such straight line foolishness. ( not that I quilt a lot, but I do the occasional baby quilt )
My daughter, Krafty with a K, was looking at quilting ideas so we went to the shop where we bought our machines to find out how much a machine that could quilt would cost.
The lady shows us how to Free motion machine quilt, something I have never even heard of.
And then tells my daughter all she needs is an $18 dollar foot to do it, $18 dollars can buy true happinesss!
I went to buy one and she told me my machine already had one in the little pouch I glanced in breifly when I got my machine, because being 46, I know how to sew right?
WRONG!
Any way, I had a little practice and had to try it out.
If you have never done this, give it a bash because it is wonderful!
Sorry to bore the hell out of all you people who already knew about this........
Piccies

Hi all!
I am doing a print course at Tafe and here's what I made the other day.
I haven't printed from them yet but I am so happy  with the result on the plates themselves!
Two Steel plates, painted with varnish on one side, bitumen on the other. One a4 sized, the other a3?
with an a4 blank area left in the middle as it will be used to frame other images.
Image scratched into surface with clipping scissors, then immersed in acid for 55 mins approx.
Bitumen cleaned off.
Lots of terrible pics, its very hard to get a good pic of these.
Any questions or comments welcome!
S

Hi all,
Not sure what catagory, and to be honest its not finished, its finished now!, but I am sewing a full sized bicycle for Tafe.(as you do...lol!)
Its due in a week and a half for assessment.
I spent most of yesterday and today sewing, (took another two half days) as much on machine as possible but enough hand sewing to mangle the tips of two fingers.
 I'm using recycled wool jumpers felted as the fabric, it feels great but its pretty heavy. It has mostly offcuts from the jumpers and the filling from a body pillow as stuffing.
Any feedback or comments most welcome, I haven't got too many people here at the moment to get feedback from. It still needs pedals and a chain. Done! If I get time, I will possibly make a bike chain and maybe a helmet.
Regards
S


with ruler for idea of size


ruler was hard to see, so with wooden spoon for size.
 
Finished!

Finished bar any extra accessories, inspected by dog


close up of pedal


close up of seat, now with safety reflector

I am going to sew some other things before I make any accessories.
Hope you like the finished product!
S

Hi all, I have been waiting for someone to get pregnant so I could have a go at making a nappy cake.
Finally a co-worker did, yah!
Heres my first attempt, I'm quite happy with how it turned since I didn't have a clue what I was doing 
I tried to make a kind of bouquet out of flannels (wash cloths).





regards
S

Hi all,
Not sure where this fits on the boards as it is a vest, but I won't be wearing it, and I will be handing it in for assessment at Tafe as an art assignment.
The project started as a drawing project, can you tell I prefer sewing? and the title of the assignment is, My Family joins the Pack. ( the previous assignment was Myself as an Animal).
I was playing around with images of myself and my siblings and thinking about how we used to play dressups all the time as children. The idea evolved into a Gibbous inspired vest with ink images painted onto fabric appliqued on top.
I am not happy with it at all, but I added some buttons and keys and now there are at least elements I like.
Onto the pics.
**** I have tea soaked and added applique patches with buttons and stitched and added ribbon scraps, see what you think.

Front, before


after


details before






Details after






Back, before


back after



Ideas and comments welcome.
S
actually looking at the preview, I am wondering if the cream is just too stark against the black and thats whats putting me off, maybe I should dump the whole thing in a dye or a strong pot of tea?