Blogtoberfest 31: It's official!

... that I'm a blogtoberfest drop out!

But I do have some blogtoberfest winners to congratulate.

As promised, a draw was conducted at 5pm today, by my boy, who eagerly pulled out amummy to win the birdy bag I made, followed by ...mama llama (sorry can't find your blog - please leave a comment with a way of contacting you)for second prize - my baby boxy.
Congrats to the both of you and thanks to everyone who entered!

Instead of many crafty things I've been working on getting more of this happening (again) after a tummy bug and her 2kg weight loss (in just 3w) made me have to start again with sleep training.


I've also been working on this for the EB Doll Quilt Swap (to be revealed very soon!):

Helped Austy with this:

Made Madelyn this (still needs leg cuffs, elastic and blocking):

And have been keeping cool with the kids:

Blogtoberfest Day 22: Must... keep... blogging!

Okay, so maybe you noticed that missed day over the weekend... maybe you didn't - but now I've made it obvious!!! I am starting to struggle with the blog every day thing, especially as I haven't had a lot of crafty time lately.

DH is home this week and so evenings are spent on the couch with him as he gets a bit jealous of the sewing machine. But that means I have done a good part of the Baby Chalice blanket to help settle the Madster in her pram on cooler days (I have a cotton blanket but nothing warm since Maddy put a hole in her handknit shawl, except for a crochet rug that Nanna mad Austin, who isn't willing to share). The colours looked kind of pretty on the skein but remind me of a certain upchuck on the rug last year after Austy ate red jelly at a birthday party. Oh well... I shall knit on and perhaps overdye it when I'm done.

Finally the shaggy, fuzzy, sheddy milo vest is off the needles too, ready for the cooler weather we are expecting next week. Hopefully a good wash will remove the majority of the fluff so it doesn't end up as after lunch snacks for Madelyn (who can eat until the cows come home if we'd let her!).

Blogtoberfest Day 21: Off the desk

It was about time I got this lonely nappy off the sewing desk. I normally do them in batches of 3-5 but somehow this one was all cut out and embroidered but sat there until last night, waiting for me to get some motivation to make it. It's hard to see in these awful photos (note to self: it is not a good time to take photos of babies who like to dance, when playschool is on!) but the embroidery says "Princess in Training" - oh so Madelyn!
Aqua blue minky outer with pink metallic quilters cotton tabs for the velcro opening and fully lined with very soft white microfleece. I was going to go with deep purple velour for the inner, but thought that was a bit too "girly overload". The white is just fine.

And at a more still moment, here she is in her Alicia dress and pants set. Sorry the photo is no better...

I was actually impressed with the fit - having made this a size 74cm, and tried it on when I made it (sans buttons) I was sure she was an 80. But this is perfect, much nicer fit for now than the Oilily dress I did in the 80. Glad we have finally got some warm weather to make use of it.

Now the desk is clear (almost - one DQS to finish) for Austy's bag.

Blogtoberfest Day 20: Supplies

Destined for a lounge set (shorts and tee) for my nephew's first birthday, and a t-shirt (perhaps shorts if there's enough) for Austy:

Ready to whip up a kindy bag for Austy:

ETA: The fabrics are all from Kelani Fabrics (minus the lime drill from my local sewing store). From top left - Kokka linen -chocolate, Hoffman "In the wild"Animal Land Blue, Hoffman "In the wild" Animal Dots Chocolate, Kokka Linen Toys on Blue.

Blogtoberfest Day 19: Nothing crafty

But look who's 10m old today! AND slept through the night. YAY!!!!!

Blogtoberfest Day 17: Drama Queen take two

Here's my new wool all dry and one balled (a bit messy because Austin wanted to help)

Blogtoberfest Day 16: Drama Queen!

Okay, so technically I'm late for today's post since it's past midnight. But I haven't gone to bed yet, so in my rules it's still Friday night ;)

It's way past my bedtime so I'll keep it short. Had a fun day today catching up with my quilty friend Emma, and meeting another quilter Adds, who I've chatted to online for a few years now. The kids went crazy (as they do), bothe were exhausted and ended up going to bed later than usual as I was a bit behind schedule with getting the dinner, bath, bed thing done and the littlest one fell asleep in the car on the way home from getting take away so decided to be wide eyed at 9pm wanting to play.

I was determined to get something crafty done, silly I know, when I have to keep going in and resettling her several times at the moment with "sleep training". It's still wet, but I'm calling it a night, so I give you my latest wool dyeing effort, "Drama Queen". I was going to call it Precious Princess (our nickname for Madelyn, just as Austy was always our "Precious Prince" as a babe), but that pink... wow. I had second thoughts once I saw how vibrant it came out on the BWM 10ply (it's the same pink I used on these shorties but took so differently!) I wished for a moment I'd used the purple I had originally planned to use, but at least this way people will know my baby is a girl when they see this knitted into a pram blanket and draped over her. So, since the pink kind of yelled out and made a fuss, Drama Queen it is!

Shades of pale celery, pale pink, turquoise, deep pink and a touch of cream (and a few lavender bits where the colours blended). The colours should be a bit lighter and prettier when it dries tomorrow and I'll give you another looksie with a daylight photo or two.

Time for bed while all is quiet in the house... for now!

Blogtoberfest Day 15: Giveaway Day!

Here it is - finally - very late for my blogiversary, and even later for my 100th post (currently the tally is at 194...oops!). But here it is anyway, in time for blogtoberfest. Since I am sooooo overdue for this I am giving away TWO handmade items so you get two chances to win a prize.

For second prize, I decided to whip up a boxy bag from the fantastic tutorial over at patchyapple. The only problem was, with kids in bed I only had what was in my sewing box to rummage through for materials. And so the Baby Boxy was born! Made with a 7" zip instead of the 14" one, it really is a little zippered pouch. However small doesn't necessarily mean it can't be useful. I can imagine it being a coin pouch or lippy pouch in someone's handbag, or a knitting gadgets (like stitch markers) pouch in a knitting bag, or hold some handy little sewing things for the sewers and quilters out there. This, I thought would cater nicely to everyone that reads my blog. I did, at one stage, think I was crazy doing my first one so small as it was a bit fiddly getting the zip in, but it seemed to work out okay. The handle is the same size as it would be for a full sized version as I figured that your fingers still need to fit through!

The first prize is this cute little buttercup bag - perfect for spring for those on this side of the hemisphere, or to brighten those dark gloomy winter days on the other side of the world. With Christmas just around the corner too, it would make a neat little gift for a friend if it's not your style. This was the first time I inserted a magnetic snap but it was no trouble at all with the very detailed instructions that came with them from Nicole Mallaleui.


The bag is lined with a pretty blue contrast that follows on with the leafy filigree that is on the cute yellow birdie outer.

I also decided to add ric-rack as suggested by the bag designer herself, Rae over at MadeByRae. And the final touch was my first flower yoyo using a clover yoyo maker. I accidentally pushed the centre of the flower to the back rather than the front, but I think it looks even better with a cute little covered button centre anyway - I wasn't too sure about poking the wrong side of the fabric through the centre. If you don't win, or would prefer to make one yourself, you can find the free pattern here. Luckily, it was pretty quick to make as I have had my hands full with the littlest one of late, teaching her to sleep better.

To enter, just leave a comment by 5pm SA time on th 31st October, with a way of contacting you if you don't have a blog and I'll get the boy to draw a couple of names to send these little bags to. An additional small surprise will be hiding inside each bag. Good luck!

Blogtober Day 14: One more sleep

Today's post will be relatively short - not really skipping a day as I did a mammoth post over here to make up for it. We have been having some major sleep issues with Madelyn so I decided that today I would post on the kids' blog rather than the craft one. I will be doing some simple knitting at night for a week or so while we get this new routine to work as I'm going to have to do something to keep my mind off the crying.

For now, let me share a sneak peak of what you can win here from tomorrow (it's 2 separate giveaways).

Blogtoberfest Day 13: Sew, sew inspired!

If you haven't ever stoped by MadeByRae's blog, and you love sewing, I have to say, stop hesitating... it's only a click away!

Remember this backpack? The one I lusted after and crissed and crossed my fingers to win it for Austy who starts pre-entry kindy, just a week away? Well unfortunately I can't win everything I dare to enter and I am already lucky enough to win those gorgeous sewing tapes this week (got to share the handmade love around!). However, I feel like I've had a win of sorts by finding her blog in the first place. I now have my hot little hands on the pattern, and with another rainy day here, what is a girl to do but internet shopping?! So an order over at Kelani later for some cute, durable and dirt hiding boy fabric, (and of course some others while I was there!), and an order over at Nicole Mallalieu's bag supply store for some webbed strap and buckles to make Austy's bag look professionally done, I think I'd better let the credit card recover!

Postie, you will now be officially STALKED so I can get started on the cutest little backpack in the world! In the mean time I shall be drooling here.