The Monthly Stitch - April Challenge - Sewing Double

Just wanted to say thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my last post! It made me feel a whole lot better. I'm slowly pulling myself up an out of that slump, I do have some exciting news, this month I ACTUALLY completed the monthly stitch challenge. 

This challenge was open to a little bit of interpretation - but I decided to make a second version of something I have been meaning to make for about a million years. Some of you will remember the wee dressing gown I made for my niece Sophiia, well I have been meaning to make one for her brother Lukah for the longest time. However, I just never got around to it, I decided the sewing double challenge was the time to make it happen!

Again Kuromi was totally keen to model the dressing gown - I couldn't ask for a better model! 

This dressing gown has a hood as well - because all dressing gowns should have hoods (in fact I'm sad my dressing gown doesn't have a hood!).

Here's another view of the dressing gown - I love this polar fleece, I bought it at the Arthur Toye closing down sale. I am now wishing I bought more!

Here's a close up of that fabric - skulls forever!

Then I decided I couldn't really send Lukah something without sending Sophiia anything - so I doubled up on my double sewing!

Recently I was gifted a bulk lot of patterns - which included quite a few patterns for kids, including this one.

Lately I've been thinking I need to use more of my stash. Making kids clothes is a perfect way to deal with some of the small pieces of fabric I have. 

I decided to make Sophiia a couple of skirts, fortunately being kids skirts they have elastic waistbands so they can be easily altered if needed when she receives the skirts.

You guys most likely remember from my previous posts that I'm not into making (or even buying) my niece and nephew gender specific stuff. There is no way Sophiia will be receiving pink, flowery skirts from Aunty Trees.

Kuromi couldn't really model the skirts - but still wanted to be in the photo (she's so demanding). 

These wee skirts have pleats! My pleats are less than perfect - but I'm pretty happy with them. Plus Sophiia isn't even at primary school yet so I'm sure she won't be bothered by less than perfect pleats.

The blue skirt really could have done with ironing pre-photo - oh well, nothing is perfect in life! 

Now I just need to get around to my next challenge - braving the post office to post these goodies out to the "kidlets". Hope you're all enjoying your week xoxo

Homemakin' : Week Four

I've missed a few weeks of these posts - first of all I went to Auckland and then I went and spend a whole weekend at a sewing course, which left me little time and energy for doing anything house related.

This weekend seemed to go so fast too - but I did manage to find time dig out this pretty lady and finally hang her on the wall.

When Rich and I went home at Christmas, we had the chance to look at some of the "stuff" we put into storage at my parents before we traveled overseas.

We couldn't bring EVERYTHING home - but we managed to stuff two carry on bags full of bits and pieces and amongst these bits and pieces was this pretty Mexican lady. I bought her some years ago from Iko Iko and I always thought she was amazing.

I really wanted to put her near our stove - given that we cook a lot of Mexican food it seemed appropriate. But it really wasn't going to work out, so instead I put her above our calendar in the kitchen. What do you folks think?

We have some cheesy calendar from Typo which includes a whole bunch of different versions of the "Keep Calm and Carry On" thing - obviously this month is Lord of the Rings and there is a Harry Potter month and a Zombie month. To be honest, I'm  not too crazy about it but we didn't get a calendar this Christmas, so I just picked this one up cheap.

I hope you've all had a good weekend - another weekend of stunning sunshine here in Wellington!

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge: Attire to be worn whilst beating off cannibals

This weeks challenge comes from our very own Helga Von Trollop - attire to be worn whilst beating off cannibals. Slightly obscure sure - but If I am going to beat off cannibals I need two things from my outfit - first up I need it to be comfortable. So I decided to wear a pair of doc martins as you can pretty much wear these anywhere (and run in them if you need to) and also the most comfortable dress I own!

 

I also decided that I needed to look a little bit bad ass - that will account for all the black and skulls.

I wore my new sucre noir sweater clip and favourite skully scarf.

I wore my boots of course - they would totally help me fight of cannibals (not entirely sure how, but I'm sure they would)

I wore my bone bracelet and chunky ring.

I'm rather fond of this shade of lipstick at the moment - its an avon shade called "Rich Terracotta".

Finally - putting on my angry face to fight off all those cannibals.

Hope you're all having a super week xoxo

Boots - Doc Martins, Bought in Seoul
Tights - Farmers
Dress - Pagani
Cardi - Glassons
Brooch - Sucre Noir
Scarf - Equipt
Ring - Clothes Swap
Black Beaded Bracelet - Gift from Vany
Bone Bracelet - Gift from Rich

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge: Cosby Sweater

Today's challenge was a little difficult - Cosby sweater! I don't actually own a single sweater, let alone one worthy of Bill Cosby. But when I think of the great Cosby sweaters on the 80's I think of one thing - patterns.

So I found the most patterned cardi I have and buttoned it right up - like it was a sweater. Here's my take on the Cosby Sweater.

I also decided it was time to crack out the boots I bought at the weekend - these wee ankle boots are pretty much like new and the toes are SO pointy. I'm like an office pixie! I bought them for $6 at the Red Cross Shop at the weekend.

I haven't done the big "this is the stuff I got for my birthday" post yet - but I will soon. In the interim let me show you the super cute ring Ria made for me. Hurrah! The photo isn't the best but it's a plate of sparkly waffles. Super fancy.

Well, I'm out shortly to catch up with my friend Matt at a new Mexican Cafe we have in town - can't wait as I've been waiting for it to open FOREVER! Hopefully its delicious.

DEETS:

Boots - Op Shopped - Red Cross Store, Kilbirnie
Tights - Glassons
Dress - Pagani
Cardi - CB's Shop my Closet online store
Scarf - Asian import store at Left Bank Arcade, Wellington (its gone now)
Ring - Made by the talented Ria

My second attempt at sleepwear

I do really rather like the idea of making my own sleepwear. I only wear nighties to bed, which makes sense given I never wear trousers, jeans or shorts when I am awake!

At the moment, I don't really have any sleepwear patterns so I decided just to use a simple dress pattern I had in my Simple and Chic Sewing book.

The pattern is for a simple summer dress so it's not really fitted at all which is perfect for sleepwear. I got this fabric at a op-shop and this is the second project I've used it for so it was well worth the $3 I paid for it.

But I will say this - I am not very confident at sewing with this type of fabric, its really quite slippy so I had a few problems with it. First of all I was REALLY annoyed about this as I have a tendency to be a little too hard on myself as I want everything I do to be perfect and there are seems on this nightie that are far from perfect.

However, this nightie has to be one of the most comfortable nighties I have even owned - so I am less worried about the imperfections, I can live with them! I think I might make a couple more using this pattern, as its just perfect for a nightie.

Here's a close up of the fabric - yes it's kind of like camo skulls - I know that's not likely to be to everyone's taste but I like it.

I hope you're all having a lovely week - tomorrow is Friday - yah! Looking forward to the weekend as I really need to work on my holiday wardrobe.