January 2014 Roundup!

YAY - I am so excited to say that the three goals that I set myself for the month of January have been finished!

My January 2014 goals are here!

You have all seen Will's John Deere PJ's from the previous post.

I used the Easy McCall's M6099 pattern and it was simply that - an easy pattern. Although I did add some extra length the pattern pieces as I wanted a more board short length.

I finished making these the morning that Will was to wear them for the Australia Day celebrations at his Pre-school. Unfortunately in the rush I forgot to take photos and he hasn't worn them since!

Miss Moo's gorgeous ruffle skirt! This was a smashing hit and she couldn't wait to wear it. I was truly relieved to have finished this as we purchased the fabric back in January 2012. Better late then never I suppose.

The QCA  Bee #1 December Bee block for the very patient Kate! It is a paper pieced block called Caldonia which I found on the Craftsy website!

Due to health and family commitments - I have decided to leave QCA Bee #1. So this relieved me from having to complete a January 2014 block. A huge thank you to the lovely lady that is filling my position, ensuring that I don't let the other members down.

My other two goals were for the Sweet Pouch Swap and the Valentines Day Swap - but just in case either of my lovely partners read my blog, I won't post any information until I have received confirmation that they have been received. 

Lining up with ALYOF!!!

One January finish down!

So far I am off to a good start - I have been able to finish Will's John Deere PJ's!

I really enjoyed the simplicity of this pattern and would use it again, although I would need to go up a size next time for Will - meaning I would have to buy a new pattern. I loved how the pants are only two pieces all up - so no side seam! 

I ended up making the Summer Baseball style set.

To help determine the front to the back - I place small pieces of ribbon at the back to represent the tag you would find on normal shop brought clothes. I got this idea from one of my close friends who did this to a pair of PJ bottoms she made me - I thought it was a brilliant idea!

I am still not 100% sure if I made the right choice here - I couldn't find my white interfacing and didn't want to travel into town to Spotlight (just in case it was too tempting to resist fabric) so I just used some black instead.

I also used snap closures instead of buttons for a few reasons. 

1 - I am scared to try them on my new sewing machine. 

2 - Time was against me if Will was to wear these at our weekend away.

3 - Hubby actually does all my snap closures for me.

and the most important.

4 - Will loves being able to wear a proper shirt without needing help to put it on!

I still have heaps of this fabric left over - even though I have made Hubby a pair of sleep shorts and now Will's PJ's. I am still umming and arghing whether to de-stash the excess or just leave it in my stash for future PJ's for Will in a bigger size!

Now, I had better get a wriggle on those Australia Day shorts for Will - as he needs them for Pre-school this Friday! And not to forget Miss Moo's ruffle skirt for her birthday this Wednesday! And I had better get a wriggle on with my two swaps as the post date is only 11 days away now! YIKES!!! Where has my January gone??????

Lego Bunting

I am sew excited to finally be able to share the gorgeous LEGO bunting that I made for one of my nephews for Christmas last year.

It all started when Kristy from Quiet Play made up a LEGO Man and LEGO Head Paper Piecing pattern! She had combined two of my favourite things and I knew immediately that I wanted to make something for my LEGO crazed BIL who just happened to be expecting a bundle of joy at the time. 

Originally I was thinking a square quilt to put on the floor or even perhaps a LEGO mat/drawstring bag. At their baby shower though they were given three blankets/quilts - so I changed my mind to a bunting for the baby's window in the nursery. However, by the time I had ordered the LEGO fabric from Spoonflower and had some bouts of illness - bouncing baby Harry had already arrived and another gift was given! So this project was bumped down to being a Christmas present!

I was in total love with this LEGO fabric from Spoonflower - it had such a gorgeous feel to it and it sewed like a dream! I have enough left over to attempt to make Mr Harry a dribble bandanna bib for his first birthday!

The LEGO head pattern that I used was actually the pattern from the LEGO person! I was just being lazy and couldn't be bothered to adjust the LEGO head pattern to a smaller size! I was really happy with how the heads turned out. Although mental note to self if I ever make another one - buy yourself a black fabric marker and buy the kidlets some male LEGO figurines to copy the face from!!!!!

I decided to put a H for Harry on the middle bunting piece, not only for something different but more as a security feature in that my BIL wouldn't be tempted to "borrow" the bunting for his office. LOL. I totally amazed myself in finding this LEGO font on the net and then I even managed to download and install it on my computer! In hindsight though, I do wish that I moved the H a little more to the right. 

I just adore this LEGO ribbon! I was originally just planning on using the golden yellow twill tape - so glad I stumbled upon the ribbon online!

Before wrapping this up - I was so excited and had to do a quick hanging test on my DS's window just so I could see what it would look like hanging!

Linking up to the Paper Piecing Party over at Quiet Play!

Sunday Stash #2 - 2014 (On a Monday)

Hi All - my name is Kelly and it has now been 13 days since I last purchased any fabric!

My apologies for not posting this yesterday - but I have the bestest reason why I didn't!

 I spent the weekend in Port Macquarie helping to celebrate the wedding of my BIL and his bride! It truly was a glorious day! Miss almost 10 was a junior bridesmaid and I couldn't have been more prouder if I tried - I literally beamed and so did she!

This is one of my favourite shots so far (I am sure this will change when I get the professional shots back) - but this shows the Bride and Miss almost 10 sneaking a peek from the Hotel suite door to check out the wedding guests as they walked into the church! 

Anyhow, not much to report this week! 

I finally managed to get hold of the latest Homespun Magazine - just as well as I was having major withdrawals!

 My MIL gave me a subscription for Christmas 2012 - the best gift she has ever given me - but it ran out in December 2013. So it is back to me having to scour the newsagents to find it. Believe it or not - I picked this copy up at Coles in Port Macquarie!!!!!!

I have flicked through it a couple of times - but still waiting to find some time to put my feet up with a cuppa and read it from cover to cover!

And a temporary addition to my stash......

I am a bit of a Sarah Fielke fan - so imagine my total surprise when I stumbled across this at our local library! Of course I snavelled it up and refused to let go of it! Even the librarian had to pry it out of my hands so she could scan it onto my library card.

There are soooo many quilts in here that take my fancy! I was going to photocopy a few of the patterns in here to make..... until I realised that I wanted pretty much ALL of them! So this book has bumped its way up to the top 5 of my REALLY WANT TO GET booklist.

Linking up to Sunday Stash over at Molli Sparkles!

January: Lovely Year of Finishes

Hi my name is Kelly..... and it has been 6 days now since my last fabric purchase!

As you are all aware by now - I am on a self imposed (but highly endorsed by Hubby) fabric ban. I tend to buy fabric with plans for it, because it was cheap or popular or simply because I just had to have it. 9 out of 10 times, I would simply put all of this fabric into a pile on my cutting table which would then get moved to a plastic tub or enviro bag as other fabric took it place etc. So..... I hear you ask!!!!!

Well imagine my surprise when I finally stumbled onto the Fiber of All Sorts blog and read about the Lovely Year of Finishes that they run on a monthly basis! ****** Ding! Ding! Ding! ******

This is exactly the motivation that I had been looking for enabling me to stop feeling sorry for myself not being able to buy more fabric and start looking at what I had in my stash and how I could finally use it!

So for the month of January I propose that I want to finish:

#Will's John Deere Tractor Summer PJ's.

#Moo's Ruffle skirt - which is already cut out but I lost motivation when I had to change the thread on the overlocker from black to white. 

and

#Will's Australia Day long drill shorts!

On top of the above sewing, I also need to complete:

QCA Bee #1 - December Star block 

QCA Bee #1 - January Peel Improv block

Valentines Day Swap to be posted Feb 1st

Sweet Pouch Swap to be posted Feb 1st

Hmmmm - certainly looks like a lot of things to be done when you write it all down like that - but due to some yucky things that are happening in my life at the moment, I think all of this will be a lovely diversion and not to mention much needed therapy for me!

Anyway, these are the goals that I have set myself for January - fingers crossed that I get them all done - but honestly, if it is only the bottom four that I finish I will still be wrapt and consider it a very successful sewing month. Linking up to Fiber of All Sorts........

Sunday Stash #1 - 2014

 WOW - here we are for the first Sunday Stash of 2014 and also the first time in Sunday Stash's new home over at Molli Sparkles! 

It is very sad to see one of my favourite blogger events leave my good friend Fi over at Finding Fifth  - but on the other hand I have loved how Molli has re-vamped SS without loosing what it is all about. I also think it is brilliant that he has taken into consideration the many people that have decided to go on self imposed fabric bans! As you are aware - I am one of those people - so I really was jumping for joy when I read that I could still participate without the need for purchasing new fabric! Molli Girl - you rock!

Anyway, I have two things which I might have accidently purchased on my last trip to Spotlight before Christmas - these two items have become much needed tools in my goal of using my stash!

I am totally in love with this gorgeous book - Growing Up Modern by Allison Harris! There are 16 yummy quilts in this book and honestly there is only 2 in here that I possibly wouldn't make - but then again if I had that special fabric - you never know.  I love how this book also offers multiple sizing options as well - perfect for a beginner like me!

These little babies should be found in all quilter's craft areas - they are Flat Fats Storage boxes! I grabbed 2 to give them a go and I wish I had picked up more before people realised just how good they are. Although they are made out of plastic - once assembled they are so strong and sturdy.

My biggest decision/delima now is on how I should store my Flat Fats! Should I store them in colour order like the OCD in me would like - or do I store them in fabric range sections like the practical person wants????? Decisions decisions! 

Oh and I should also let you know that these two boxes are now chock a block full!

Linking up for the very first time over at Molli Sparkles for 

Is it just a crazy Mummy thing?????

Am I the only crazy Mummy out there who at 9.45pm - gets the urge to sew!!!!!!

Let me set the scene for you...... it was 9.45pm the night before I have to get up at 5.30am to make sure my almost 10yo child is up, showered and ready to be put on a bus at 7am across the other side of town so she can attend the Cub Scout Cuboree and I finally decide to sit down and make that pillowcase and matching mess kit that I had planned on making!!!!!

You see it all started months ago when I found out the 2014 Cuboree's theme would be Once Upon A Time (thanks Mum and hubby for being part of the planning and organising of this huge event), on a trip to my local Spotlight store, I discovered that the Nursery Rhyme range had been reduced to only $6 per metre. I knew I just had to have some! I was envisioning Mess kit bags for Mum, Hubby, Miss almost 10, Miss almost 10's Cub leader, A friends son and her husband that was going as a parent helper. Yep - Mess Kit galore!!!!!

However, despite my good intentions and the fabric sitting on my cutting table since way before Christmas, I just never got round to cutting them out. Perhaps it was only the pure guilt of seeing that fabric almost every day that led to me finally cutting out the pillowcase and mess kit. Mind you I shouldn't really complain - even hubby got in on the act a little before 11pm to help!

The completed pillowcase. I used this great tutorial from Flowerpress! There were many great tutorials out there in blog land - but what I loved about this was one was that it gave you multiple sizing, colour pictures and it also had the inside flap that holds the pillow inside the case.

Hubby helping me make the Mess kit - which will house a cup, bowl, plate, knife, fork, spoon and tea towel.

The two finished items together - I must admit I felt oh so chuffed when I had finished and then devasted when Hubby pointed out that we had to use a Sharpie pen to put her name on each of them!

Miss almost 10 was wrapped with her new pillowcase - as for the Mess kit we swapped it for her old one (the pink one in the photo) and didn't tell her about it until she was hoping on the bus ready to go with her gear bag stored safely in the bus cargo compartment! But I am sure she is going to love it and we are bound to hear her squeal with delight all the way from bottom of NSW!

Goodbye 2013......HELLO 2014!

Wishing you all a belated Merry Christmas and a very Happy New 2014!

I have been endeavouring to write this post for many days now....see I wanted to start the 2014 blogging year off with a bang! But it seems the more I sat to write - the less I could think of! And despite pouring over my BlogLovin list - still nothing that jumped out at me.

I have seen some gorgeous mosaics of bloggers work during 2013 and was very tempted to do something like that myself - when it kind of struck me that I didn't really have that much to show for my year. But perhaps this year might be a tad bit more productive.

One major thing that will be happening for me this year - is a self imposed (but highly endorsed by Hubby) fabric ban. Mainly for two reasons - money is considered somewhat a dirty word in our house at the moment - enough said I reckon and the fact that I have oodles and oodles of fabric, some with plans, but many purely because they were pretty, unbelievably cheap or just because I had to have them.

SOME RULES

No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning 1st January 2014 - with the following exceptions

# I can buy solids/other yardage to help finish a project - but only if I already have at least 60-80% of the project material.

# I can still receive my Fat Quarter Shop 2013 Mystery BOM kit.

# I can purchase any necessary notions required - like thread, zippers, batting etc.

# I can still purchase fabric for any Bee blocks or swaps that I am in - but am to seek husband approval first! The idea is to try and use up the extensive stash - but there are areas that I am low in such as purples and low volume.

# De-stash the fabrics & notions that I realise that I am never going to use.

# Fabrics for gifts such as fleecy for baby rugs are allowed as I don't have those in my stash. Again though - any purchases for gifts will require approval from the husband.

# Fabric purchased from Ozark is still OK - but only a $20 limit per month providing I have de-stashed some of my stuff in order to provide the funds. This condition in mainly due to already having a 3/4 full box waiting to be filled before shipment (and I would really like my webbing to make some more key fobs) and the fact that I have some pre-ordered fabric that is due to arrive over the next 6 months.

Hmmm, do you think I am going to be able to stick to this??????? I will re-evaluate this at the end of June and see how I continue the rest of the year. I will need you all to help me stick to this plan - so feel free to leave me a comment or an email telling me off if you think I have breached any of the above! 

And just so I am not completely boring you all - I thought I would share this cute little business card wallet that I made for myself a couple of days ago. Please excuse my dirty ironing board cover - can you tell what is on my need to make list!!!!!!

Anyway, I had better keep wriggling - I am planning on making Miss almost 10 a Once Upon A Time pillowcase and mess kit bag so she can take away to Cuboree with her tomorrow. Yes I know.... leaving it till the last minute again, very typical me! But the leftover fabric will be the first thing that I de-stash so at least this project will cover two birds with the one stone.