And the girl is happy too

Maddy couldn't wait another day for her Cat in The Hat jarmies, so I went my own way with her shorts. No fake fly, just a ruffled hem on a pair of one piece shorty bottoms I drafted myself, with plenty of growing room.

It's a shame the size 4 purchased tee is a little snug - luckily I have a tiny bit of fabric left so I can applique another for her when she outgrows it.

A just turned 3 year old isn't quite as co-operative as a just turned 6 year old, so the photo session was quick and snappy! And of course she had to pull a face, funny girl.

And here they are snuggled on the couch together in matching PJ's and bed hair. Aaaw....

Welcome to 2012

Well, another year has flown by in a nano-second, and while I haven't blogged for almost a year, I am back... at least for now! Life gets in the way as most of you know, and I am looking to change things up a bit in the near future so that I can stress a little less and have more time for my kidlets. In the mean time, I know I have some busy times ahead, so I will try to update when I can this year, without making this blog become yet another thing that I am behind in.

The first day of the year has been our hottest this summer (I think!) so yesterday I was super appreciative of my DH who got up on the roof and replaced the pads on the air conditioner as soon as summer commenced. The house has never been this cool (except in winter of course!) and I loved being stuck indoors yesterday as I got a start on the kids' Cat in The Hat pyjamas that I promised them about a month ago.

I did have a few interruptions, as our new baby (an English Mastiff called Lewis) doesn't like the heat, and gets a bit silly when inside. We are slowly training him to stay on his mat but he is a stubborn boy, and likes to wander around and steal toys off the kids! He was also so hot yesterday that he decided the mat was too far away from his indoor water bucket, and instead laid right next to it with his tail in it, so you can imagine the shower we all got when he stood up and wagged it.

After a couple of swimming sessions in the pool though, the kids (and puppy) were out like a light and I set about finishing these pyjamas. I used the Louey Boxers pattern for Austy's pyjama bottoms for a change. I usually draft my own pattern for his bottoms, and the fishy pair that Maddy now wears, still fit him (in the bottoms) but I decided that it was time for some real boxers. I must admit, when I first downloaded this e-pattern, I was dissappointed and not sure if I would make them or draft my own as they don't have a back seam and I thought they would look silly. However, when I thought about it, I decided to give them a try since Austy doesn't like the feel of seams in his clothes and they'd be more comfortable for sleeping in.

They took a bit of effort to prepare the pieces (lots of pressing and folding) but the folding template that helps to fold over the correct seam allowances, is genius! Also I was impressed with the level of detail and how these are so similar to DH's purchased boxers. The buttons you see on the fly are not functional, but they very well could have been. I love that this pattern gives you the option to fake it or do a working fly. I was so tempted to make them with the working fly but I asked the man of the house, who said he never uses the fly on his as it's more fiddly to undo the button than pull them down, and figured it would be easier for Austy too. He also reminded me that Austy has a fascination for pants with a fly and they would end up needing washing more times than they were worn if I did the working fly! So I sighed (as I love the cuteness factor of them being just like Daddy's) and stitched the fly flaps together.

I am not sure that I will use this pattern for Madelyn's matching PJ's (I have the red Cat in The Hat fabric for hers), or whether I will draft a basic shorts pattern with a ruffle hem to girly them up a bit. I am out of underpants elastic and since the elastic is expopsed in the Louey Boxers, I wouldn't want to use anything else. So I guess it really depends if I want to wait until the shops are open again tomorrow to start making them!

Pattern Review

Pattern Name: Louey Boxers

Pattern by: Sis Boom http://www.sisboom.com/patterns/

Pros: So quick to purchase (downloadable PDF), beautifully detailed (just like Daddy's), excellent tutorial-like instructions with full colour photos for every step. Excellent size range - 6m to 12 years!

Cons: No seam at the rear (although I am not sure that is a con now - quicker to sew, more comfy to wear), 1/4" seams (I much prefer wider seam allowances so I can let my overlocker trim as it neatens rather than have the fabric sitting in away from the cutter).

Overall rating: 4.5 sewing reels!

And here's a pic of our own Lewey Bear cooling off inside yesterday.

Something fishy around here...

I promised Austy these goldfish PJ's ages ago, and only just got around to making them. All of his summer PJ's were too small so we bought one pair to get us through until I could stitch some up for him. I decided on a slim fit tee from one of my Ottobre magazines as it was less likely to ride up, and DH loves the slim fit Peter Alexander one Austy got him for Father's Day with some PJ pants in 2007 for that very reason. I was getting sick of the bought ones shrinking up and stretching out wide, and Austy was having to pull his top down every night as he rolled over to settle into sleep. The shorts were a pattern I drafted myself, I wanted a mock fly and elastic waist with a loose leg and couldn't find all the features I wanted in any of the patterns in my pattern box. Excuse the dodgy photo - it was a little rushed in the morning before Austy ran into the shower. They are all crumpled from a good night's sleep!



The tee was really quick to make and the shorts would have been too if I didn't have to draft my own pattern for them first. So I went out and bought some red ribbing to make another pair when I get a chance.




And just in time for my birthday, this pretty little Pay It Forward gift arrived in the mail from Emma. So now I really had better get my act together and think some more about the three gifts I need to make and send out for three lucky blog readers. This is a little wall quilt, that I'm trying to convince DH to let me put on the wall in my sewing corner (which is in the lounge room). Until then it's sitting in the centre of our table. I do want to do a quilt wall one day, but I think it may have to wait until I get my own sewing room again...





And finally another nappy rolled off the sewing desk, a pink minky dot all-in-one. I lined it with super soft bamboo velour, so the bottom pic shows you a little bit of that lushness.

As much as I looooove my very baby fitteds that I made as they are great for containing those explosions that Madelyn seems to be so good at, there is something wonderful about patting a little minky bum under a pretty dress. So much so that I succumbed to a few nappy purchases lately, a couple of itti-bitty d'lish and a couple more magicalls. Devine.

I know I should be making them as I'm perfectly capeable but I just don't have the speed at the moment with limited sewing opportunities, and I just have a few disposables left in newborn size to get me through until I have enough nappies not to get caught with them all on the line. I don't want to have to buy the next size up, as the disposables are hopeless at holding in that yellow mess, and I'd rather show off my cloth nappies.

OMG! I just counted my completed 2008 list. Amidst working full time and studying part time I still managed to complete a project for every week of the year (although some of them were small projects and some weeks I did nothing). I think I have a bit to live up to this year! I need to finish some WIPs and stop buying fabric for things I plan to make and never get to...