Kids Swap Opening Day

It’s finally arrived.  After 2 months of us all sewing, the day we all get to explore what has been sewn for us has arrived.  I chose to commit to just sewing 1 outfit, which means only 1 was sewn for us.  And that is fine.  The girls share all their clothes at the moment anyway (and will do until they ask not to – although if they are anything like my sisters and I, they will be sharing clothes well into their adult years) so they can share this.

The girls (as always when I pull out new clothes for them – such girls!) were very excited this morning when I told them we had a present to open.  And the package was dragged open to reveal a skirt, top, leg warmers, and even some shoes.  WOW!!!!!

The shoes come complete with matching ribbon and sparklies (S was quick to comment, “shoes has sparkles”. Oh how is their dad going to cope living in a house with 3-sparklies obsessed girls?), the skirt has an adjustable waist

The leg warmers have a matching ruffle and cute buttons, and the skirt and top are just exquisitely put together.  What a gorgeous little outfit with amazing attention to detail. 

Of course the girls wanted to try it all on immediately so over it went on top of our PJs.  S was first.  As usual there is no keeping these girls still for photos and S was spinning around and around showing off her new clothes. 

Then it was D’s turn.  I did manage to get a momentary standing still photo from here first up but she was twisting and twirling in no time.  Dancing, so she said. 

My swap partner included a little note to say that she was worried the skirt would not be long enough.  I hope that she can see here that there is plenty of length.  These items will go away for next summer and even with the growth spurt expected between now and then, I think the skirt will be perfect.  It’s sitting right at the bottom of their knees now.  Guessing it’ll be a little above and with (hopefully) no nappies by then to bulk out their little bums, it’ll help it sit even more beautifully. 

THANKS swap partner.  We are stoked!!!!!

Bagathon

Someone commented on my last post to ask what was next. I said it would be something else for the girls but I changed my mind. I decided to make a couple of bags. My husband was working late last night so I sat down with my beautiful Delilah fabric (from Michael Miller’s Antiquity range) plus another I bought to match it from a local quilt shop (Blueberries) and following a tutorial from The DIY Dish girls, I put together this bag.

I was so pleased with it I made another for a friend. She is heading overseas soon and I thought she might be able to take it with her. Will fold down to nothing in her suitcase for the actual trip but when she is away she can take a pretty bag out and about rather than lugging a backpack all the time. She spotted this fabric last time she was at my house and commented on how lovely it was. So, all hers…

I also recently made myself this bag but had neglected to photograph it as yet. I made it using pattern I found on the Craft Gossip website. It’s fully reversible so I’ve photographed both sides for you. I really love the fabric and am also rather pleased with how it turned out. It was a bit fiddly getting through all the layers of fabric, interfacing, and fusible fleece whilst going around corners and I pricked myself a gazillion times while I was making it but that may be more to do with my carelessness than anything else because I pricked myself a gazillion times last night too and that one wasn’t so fiddly.

And lastly, I mentioned a while back that a friend and I were partaking in a mini swap of our own. That being for some bags. So, I used the above same pattern to make one for her.

And just because she ALWAYS out generous-es me in everything, she made me 2 bags. The first one being like a tote style (complete with accessories) and the second more of a casual beachy bag. I’ve been using it to stuff the girls toys and books in when we head out and about and I need to take some. Both of them very lovely bags with such beautiful craftsmanship. So lovely and neat.

My Little Uptown Girls

Yesterday I completed the girls winter jackets.  I spent the better part of 2 days just sitting and sewing.  I made one rather time consuming error 2hrs in where I realised I needed to unpick almost the whole lot and it took me another 2 hours from there to get back to where I had been (or should have been had I not made the mistake).  I was doing it production line style so that meant I made one mistake and then replicated it with each piece.  Ooops.  Oh well.  Other than that it was relatively smooth sailing and it really is quite a straight forward pattern to work with. I am pleased with the result and really love the fabric.  The girls were out playing with their grandparents yesterday (thus I was able to sit and sew) and were very excited with the jackets.  They put them on immediately and ran outside to play.  Even though it was a balmy 28C so jackets were hardly required.  I’ve included some pics below of the jackets and the girls tearing around the yard with them on.  They will now be put away in the cupboard and await their 2nd birthday.  This is their main present from my husband and I.  Their birthday is not until the beginning of May but we are moving house between now and then and I have lots of packing to do so needed to get them over and done with. 

Kids Swap Posting Day

Posting day has arrived and I will be trotting down to the post office to send my package to my Kids Clothing Sewing Swap recipient. Here it is all wrapped and ready to go. The little paper on the front had the child's name so I have smudged that out.


And here is a sneak peak of the finished items. I'll post a full photo once all us swapers have received our items and opened them. Gosh I hope my little guy (and his mum) like what I have sewn. Hope it fits. Hope their eye sight is a little poor so they can't see the crooked lines. Whilst the darker contrast thread looks effective, it sure is obvious when it's not perfectly straight and I was so nervous sewing it I went really slow, which I think made it a little shakier than normal even. D'oh!

In other news, I have started working on my girls' Little Uptown Girl winter jackets. Cut them out yesterday. I'll get some photos up in a couple of days. Finding it harder to sit down in front of the computer and do all this now that I'm not working anymore and instead am messing around with 2 gorgeous girls all day every day. So, sorry this is so few and far between now.