MIA

I've really been neglecting my little space here haven't I? Sorry about that, I wont promise to change that because I'd hate to break a promise that I have no idea if I can keep it.

I have still been going with my 365 Day Project. I'm absolutely loving it. I tried putting it on the 'official' site for a while because... well... I crave comments ;) (hint hint) but alas I lost my nerve simply because I had to then do two different projects because I don't want to post pictures of DS (dear son) out into public cyber space. It gives me the willies. So back to word press we go and stay. Randomly changing the passwords as we go, just in case.

I know - paranoia...

In other news I have been neglecting here because I have been doing... stuff... lots and lots of stuff...

I'm part way through crocheting three different blankets (oh my) half way(ish) through all of them... I'm not a fantastic finisher. I start well.. really I do... I just loose my gusto.

Ive almost finished my first crochet beaded bag. I love it, looks awesome. Requires a sewn lining. Sewing machines hate me. I dunno what it is about them? They look at me and go, "oh its you again, yeah bugger that" and stop. Cold turkey, just stop working. My mum thinks its hilarious... until I struck her machine. She promptly stopped laughing. That'll teach her =P

I still have a half finished knitted jumper. I only have the sleeves and hand sewing to do. I'm procrastinating. If I keep at it long enough I should eventually forget where I'm up to. That's what usually happens. I have so many half finished knitted jumpers! Its terrible really.

And among all that Ive picked up the mouse (not really as its a laptop so it has a touch pad) and started digital scrapbooking again. My how I missed it. Well I did, until I once again realised the enormity of the task at hand and slinked away to a corner to sulk...

On top of all that my child refuses point blank to sleep. The experts say his behaviour is a direct result of lack of sleep (really who knew!) and that I just need to get him to sleep more and it should improve (you don't say!) and their solution is to remove part of the one good sleep he has during the day to make it shorter (oh god) and he will get tired enough to go to bed and go to sleep at night (HAAAAA!). I'm slowly going insane from grumpy child sleep deprivation.

No one believes me though, he is an angel in public (maybe I need to stay in public more often?) and the horns only come out for me... lucky me...

...It's not paranoia if people really are out to get you...


embellishments and digital paper courtesey of Digital Scrapbook Artist 2 and Daisytrail.com

Taggy Cube (with rattle)

What you'll need:

Tailor's chalk or pencil
Scissors
Pinking Shears
12 x Ribbon
6 x fabric (prewashed and ironed)
Pins (preferably with pearled/beaded end)
Ruler
Set Square
25mm Bell
hobby fill
needle & thread

Optional - Rotary cutter and mat (not pictured)

Using prewashed and ironed fabric cut 6 squares 5" x 5". This is quickly and easily done using a rotary cutter however a pair of sharp scissors will do the job as well. Use the set square to make sure that your squares are exactly that, square!

Then from the ribbon cut 4" lengths. You can use the same ribbon more that once, if that is your personal preference. The aim is to have a variety of colours and textures for baby to play with. You don't want them to be too long though as then baby's fingers may get entangled.

On the back of each square mark another square approximately 3/4" inside. This is the line that you will be sewing on. A slightly larger seam allowance due to it being a child's toy, an extra insurance against fraying edges.

If you like you can layout your blocks to see the desired end pattern. (Obviously I didn't take my own ironing advice). You may also like to lay down the individual ribbons, one on each side seam, to decide where each will go, or, you can fly by the seat of your pants and make it up as you go!

Fold in half a length of ribbon, wrong sides together, pin this in the center of the edge to be sewn, lining up the raw edge of the ribbon to the raw edge of the fabric. With right sides together, pin two squares aligning corners and lines.

So that when the fabric is turned to face right side up, it has a small ribbon poking out.

When sewing, reinforce the beginning and ending of the row, also back stitching over the ribbon for strength. Make sure that you begin and end where the sides intersect.


Continue going in the same way until all sides are together to form a cross. Then pin together the sides, right side together still. Continue until all sides are together, forming a box. On the final side sew until the ribbon and stop, leaving an opening for filling.

Once all edges are sewn, use the pinking shears on the exposed edges. Turn in right way.

Once turned, half fill the cube, then add the little bell. Depending on the size of the opening you may need an extra pair of hands to squeeze it through. The continue to fill until desired firmness is reached. Ensuring bell remains in centre.

Voila! One taggy cube with rattle! Fun and easy to make!

Please note that toy should be used with adult supervision.

Sewing Jinx & Healing Hearts

Healing Hearts is a campaign running at the moment for quilters to put blocks together to send to New Zealand for the 29 families that tragically lost their loved ones in the mine disaster there.

I only found this earlier in the week from a fellow blogging friend. Ive got my blocks in the mail today and saw they have enough blocks now.

Such a great cause, I hope that Shirley is able to pool enough resources together to finish.

In other news, I am jinxed with sewing machines! I borrowed mums to put my blocks together and now her machine makes a funny noise... or it did, then it went clang and viola no more noise... probably not a healthy sign though. I think I shall step away from the machines for a while lol.

The Sewing Machine must die!

So these are our Imse Vimse swim nappies. The one of the left is our newest addition. This is the way they should look. The one of the right is our old swim nappy, after 18 months (give or take) of solid use every week, I finally retired her. Not because she no longer worked, but simply because she was old and worn.

Because she still works I decided I would use her again... ELMO style...


I cut her down the sides so I could get the shape, I added new elastic across her back, front and legs (just to be sure) and pinned her altogether...

It was then that my sewing machine snapped my needle, ate my thread and just generally was not agreeable. It does this often, I thought finally the gremlin had left when I had thirty minutes of solid sewing without missing a thread or catching. Apparently not...

So until she gets a service (and probably a fix) no more sewing in this house! Phooey!

Erica

Yesterday I finished my very first library bag. I made it from scratch without the aid of an official pattern and fudged it as I went.

The result was rather impressive even if I do say so myself. I am not 100% happy with the draw string straps and may change them before I give it to the lucky little lady. Time will tell.

It was made for Miss Erica. A friend's daughter who is starting school next year. Im sure she will love it. It is made from a soft denium look fabric, with flower motif embrodiery. I couldnt have found a more lovely main fabric. I made my very first ever lined pocket which turned out perfectly first go!!

The Pocket detailing

The name was fused on before using blanket stitch over the edges for a more professional finish. The most difficult part of the name was trying to use the iron on the fusing while getting the rounded letters to fold underneath so as to avoid fraying without burning my fingers.

Detail of the lettering

They turned out rather well. Her name is perfectly centred across the top and the colours just blended better than I could have imagined.

Hanging by the straps.

The inner layer is a special fabric that I got from Green Beans Australia. Its called PUL - Poly Urethane Laminate. Its a water proof, breathable fabric that is used as a layer in modern cloth nappies to prevent outer clothing from getting wet. I orginally went to Spotlight to see if they had a readily accessible equilivilant, the sales attendant basically looked at me strangely and tried to sell me something that would not do what I wanted it to. So I promptly came home and shopped through the colours on GB. It was really pot luck as to if the colour would work of not. It came in the mail and it was fantastic! I musky pink which complemented all my other colour choices! Woo Hoo!. Making the lining work was a bit of a pain as I hadnt done a bag or lined one for that matter, for over ten years! TEN years!

Taggy

I spent today making the most of my time and making a Taggy.

Whats a Taggy I hear you ask? Well... a Taggy is a small blanket or piece of material that has (wait for it) tags sticking out from the sides. Taggys can also be childrens toys that have little tags around it. The concept being that children, babies in particular, love to play with tags. Wrap their fingers around them and explore all the different colours and textures.

My very first Taggy has ribbons of different width, texture and colour. It is based around a rainbow coloured fleece and a white spotted microfleece as the main design. On the back is a simple cotton spotted fabric. In the middle runs a piece of cellophane that brings with it a crinkling sound that all children love.



I am considering quilting through the middle with a name otherwise I was considering embroidering the name in one of the small white squares. I am still undecided about either if any.

It turned out remarkably well given that most of the size measurements were guesstimates as to how large I wanted it to be and how long the ribbons etc. So all in all I think my judgement made for a pretty Taggy.