Getting ready for baby

Not much more progress here, but I have finally finished (and hung) both of Austy's curtains so another photo will come when the whole room is done. Not too far away now - Austy's Dad is up in the shed building the bed, and the matresses arrive today!

Here is my second bassinette set, this time I made the contrast band slightly narrower, and I think this is my favourite of the two. I will need more fabric to make more so this will be it for now, but I did buy some plain cot sheets to embroider or applique and some plain ones for Austy too so if the moment strikes I can add pictures to them too. I will definitely need more fitted sheets for the bassinette, as most of the time we never used top sheets with Austin, just wrapped him in a light muslin wrap and layed him on the mattress.

I have also finished up some knitting I started a while ago:

Pattern: Budget 3ply PG 20 (old pattern leaflet I found on ebay) - Panda Yarns Pty Ltd

Yarn: Patons Dreamtime 3ply 100% wool Colour 0049 (Cream)

Needle size: 2.75mm and 3.5mm

Size: 3 months

It knitted up much faster after my frustration had it in hibernation for a while. I think it must have been my very tired early pregnancy brain as the lace pattern was actually quite easy to remember when I picked it up again, not nearly as difficult as I thought it was at first. I have done much more complicated things so couldn't understand why it didn't gel with me. The pattern was quite easy to follow, and I love the round yoke and bonnet crown with the simple horisontal rib. I had planned to dye this yarn as a varigated wool similar to these but am glad I went for the classic cream in the end (couldn't decide on a unisex colour) as it really works well with the classic design - much nicer than the pink one in the pattern book. This would be nice to take baby home in, but since it will most likely be stifling hot in December, I made it a bit bigger than newborn, so instead will be saved for some cool Autumn days visiting.

A new spot to sew

I thought I'd better show you all my new sewing nook - a bit of a downgrade from the lovely big double bedroom I could shut the doors on, leave set up and had free reign over. I guess I will get a sewing room back one day when the kids are grown though and by then there will be noone to sew for, so I am glad to at least have this little sunny corner where I can create. Luckily this house has both a family room AND a lounge room (or adult's room as Austy calls it), so I can shut the doors and keep kids out, but I will need to keep it a bit tidier than my old sewing room. I sort of got into the habit of sewing till I dropped, leaving no time for tidy up, since I get such a small amount of sewing time anyway.

Here's the big room I left, being prepped for painting. The pink square on the wall was where a mirror used to be as a part of a dressing table that came with the house. That's now out in the carport waiting to be ebayed, and the room is all painted, with a certain little boy sleeping in it tonight, waiting for his room to get the same treatment as we make it over from nursery to little boy's room. I will show you after shots once the new nursery is finished and all set up, curtains included. I picked outr some fabrics today and when they arrive in a week's time I will have lots of long straight lines to sew.

Here is the room before we moved in - those curtains hanging there look quite ok but in reality they were all discoloured with a combination of yellowing and fading so they had to go, as did the pelmets as we opt for a more modern look. I still have to hunt down a new light fitting too, much to the old owner's disgust - they loved the old lights so I am thinking about ringing them for them to have the option to come and take it off our hands. I have picked out a rather simple sheer netting, to come just to the window ledge and the outer curtain will be a sunout fabric in a mushroom colour with the slightest bit of texture for some interest. The pull cords are gone, never to be allowed back into the house again! Austy's Dad liked them and wanted to put them back up but with the strangulation risk I wouldn't have it, plus they were disgusting and grimey anyhow.

And here is yesterday's efforts - already claimed by a rather surprised Siamese who got caught doing something he shouldn't! He's not allowed in that bassinette and he knows it, but I took the photo before booting him out. I think he likes the little bunnies! I love the way my fitted sheet fits so easily and snugly - no battling with flat sheets or pillowscases over the bassinette matress this time. I whipped up another set today between hunting down curtain fabrics, an obstetric visit (and much to my relief - bub is spot on size for dates so contrary to popular belief, so far it's not looking like another massive one!), buying some more sewing supplies and doing the drop off/pickup run for Austy to go to childcare. Phew! What a busy day, and I can hardly believe I also fitted in some much needed housework as well, baked a banana cake AND cooked a roast. No wonder my feet are so swollen and sore tonight. Sheet embroidery (this time a teddy bear) will have to wait until tomorrow.

Nearly a whole month!

I can hardly believe I've left blogging for so long. I just haven't really had much to show anyone. However I'm now in the middle of my first week of plant shutdown (annual leave) and am on a mission to sew as much baby stuff as I can. So far it hasn't been easy as Austy has been clingy with an ear infection and there's not a whole lot that can be done in the 2hrs between dropping him off at childcare so I was hoping to get a lot of the preparation work done (drawing patterns, cutting out etc.) while he was still with me but it hasn't happened.

So far all I have managed is to applique ONE curtain for Austy's room (and had it with the vilesofix falling off it's backing as I cut it out so am not ready to attempt the other one yet), a fitted bassinette sheet and a flat bassinette sheet. Not so good for three afternoons efforts. I still have plans to make lots of nappies, summer pyjamas for Austin, a nappy bag, curtains for the baby's room and finish Austy's big bed quilt as the cot/bed is not going back into his room after it gets moved out to paint. So what am I doing in here? Well I am sort of stuck to my embroidery macine to stop it every time I hear the threads splitting (which seems to happen far too often). I am not trusting this thing - it will stop when the thread snaps but it could sew for a whole 30mins with a very fine remnant of thread after the rest bunches up somewhere in the machine. I think I have already stuffed up the design because I trusted the machine to tell me what colour to do next, instead of the colour charts, and it was wrong... very wrong! So hopefully my unpicking didn't cause the fabric to shift too much. Fingers crossed and we'll see. (Can't you tell that my embroidery machine and I have a love hate relationship!)

I can say I have finally finished Austy's dust jacket and he has proudly worn it out in public twice. He loves the little pencil pocket the best, and I think I do too. I tried to copy every detail from Austy's Dad's real dust jacket, inluding the raglan sleeves, hidden buttons (changed to snaps for Austy's little hands) and divided mitred chest pocket. I didn't have a pattern so I was a bit apprehensive about drafting my own and put it off for some time. But with austy wanting to help his Dad in the shed building the big boy bed, there was no way out of it. The results are worth the fear and the effort though.

Here is a quick little project I made for a lady at childcare who used to be one of Austy's baby room carers. As she's not in the kindy or pre-kindy room where I head to pick up Austy so I didn't even know she was pregnant until the letter went out asking for gifts to be placed in the basket by the end of the week. In a mad panic for a quick project, I came across these taggy blocks. I decided to add a little photo window as well, and chose bright colours teamed with black and white to give baby lots of visual stimulation. There's a rattle bell inside too. The best part - it was all done in an hour or so!

I promise to be back with photos of my (hopefully productive) two weeks off. If I don't achieve much at least I know I have been successful in one thing - Austy is pretty much toilet trained! It was like a switch. After all these months trying he finally decided to wear jocks. I knew it was just a matter of having some time off work to help keep things consistent.

Oh and don't forget to add your guesses to my baby stats game - check the link in my side bar. Only 10 weeks to go now!! It's zooming along.

A flick ear?!

What is better than one cute 2yr old playing quietly with playdough? The answer is most certainly TWO cute 2yr olds playing quietly with playdough, especially after they had been tearing around Nanny and Grandpa's both having had no afternoon nap, and hyper because they hadn't played together in ages.

And how cute do they look with Novy's aprons on?! Lizzie was very happy to see he had packed an apron for her too, and told her "You can wear the cowboys one Lizzie and I'll wear the guitar one". Then they sat nicely and shared the toys from the little bag I whipped up that afternoon while Austy rested in his bed for an hour listening to Justine Clarke.

Now before I say anymore, let me explain. Grandpa has a habit of telling the kids (not with any meaning behind it) "...or I'll give you a thick ear" on tghe end of what ever us parents are telling them when they are being naughty. So when Elizabeth snatched a toy determinedly from Austy's grip and I explained to her that Austy was playing with that and could she please give it back and wait for him to finish, Austy dutifully added "Or I'll give you a flick ear!" Of course we all cracked up laughing and Austy thought he was the funniest little "comenian" in the world! Kids. Adorable sometimes. Although a few minutes later when I told them it was time to pack up, there were screams from both of them, not so adorable, as they were both well past the point of no return and needed to go directly to BED.

I also finished up these last week, a little pair of woollen shorties from my latest hand dye. Remember how I said I'd used pink so that I could use up the left over pink from a baby gift pair of longies I'd made earlier in the year? Well it looks like I managed to find a place for that pink wool after all. Now to make a boy pair so I'm stocked up with both, and the gift cupboard will be happy to accept whatever pair we don't use.

And last but not least, I thought I'd let you all know that I am taking my 6month pregnant belly, 2yr old and pram for a stroll on the 17th September. Just over a week away. It won't be a normal stroll either, we'll be carrying a gold illuminated balloon as we stroll through Elder Park remembering Poppa, who lost his battle with Leukeamia last year. We hope to raise much needed funds to help find a cure or at least better and more effective treatment for those who are affected by the disease. I figured since I can't donate blood while I'm pregnant, this would be the next best thing, and I hope a few of you are able to dig deep into your pockets and sponsor us as we walk. You can do it all online here, and will be automatically issued a receipt via email for tax deduction purposes, or even have a think about walking yourself as there are events all around Australia. The event is called "Light the Night" as we will be carrying special balloons with light in them to remember loved ones and bring hope for sufferes. Your support would be much appreciated in this very worthy cause.

And the winners are...

Cascio Whirlwind
Celia
Kys

These are the winners of my Pay It Forward deal, so in the next 12 months, something handmade will be going out to each of them. So girls, please send me your answers to the following questions to help give me a few hints and give me your postal details:

1. What are the ages, names and sizes of your children?
2. What are your favourite colours (or your kids faves, or both)?
3. Modern or classic?
4. Your favourite hobbies?
5. Your postal details?

Please email me at roxyaus @ hotmail . com (no spaces) with the answers and I will get the creative juices flowing!

Teeny tiny squares

I decided to do a test block for my EBDQS quilt since my design uses paper pieced blocks and they finish at a little 4" square with 20 pieces in each. So I picked some colours that are TOTALLY different to those I will use for the swap (so as not to give too much away) and did some paper piecing... something I am still pretty much a novice at but slowly building up confidence in.

Here's how it turned out. I am very pleased as I discovered I CAN manage to do the snail trail block that tiny so my quilt design is a goer. Now to wait for that second fabric order to arrive from the US so I can get started!!

Totally spoilt!

There are times when I am completely overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness and generousity of fellow bloggers and EBers and this week has certainly been one of them!

Firstly Ads helped me out by sending me a water soluble fabric glue pen especially for me to work on my baby's chick quilt as she knew I was struggling with the applique, and read how frustrated I was when I went to the quilt shop only to bhe told that they didn't stock them but the quilt store owner decided to show me hers, despite the fact that she couldn't tell me where to get one! Thanks again Ads - I have done a couple more chick blocks and oh my, it's soooo much easier. Plus it disolves pretty much straight away when wet so hopefully this means no more pulled threads when trying to remove the freezer paper after the blocks are done.

Secondly, I came home early on Wednesday afternoon to find a squishy parcel sitting on the hall stand, addressed to my little guy. He excitedly opened the gift from Novy, and we were both thrilled to see another gorgeous apron she has made especially for him after hearing that I was washing the guitar one she made him every weekend. You see he loves the guitar one so much, he insists on wearing it every day when he's playing playdough (and yes, he does play with playdough that often - the kid is addicted to the stuff and keeps demanding I make up new colours!). Then I like to have the apron fresh and clean for the weekend so he can either help me cook a desert one night of the weekend (when I try to cook one of Austy's Dad's favourites and we all sit down together for a change - remember Austy's Dad works evenings so we don't get that oportunity during the week) or we bake something yummy together as an Austy and Mummy activity during the weekend. So the new apron is much appreciated and very cute. Austy was delighted and asked me to put it on him straight away, shoved a wooden spoon in one of the little pockets and ran outside for a photograph. The only problem was that he wouldn't keep still, so I had to bribe him with one of the homemade biscuits that were also waiting on the doorstep when we got home, a gift from a coupel of lovely neighbours! So that is why he's not smiling in this photo... he was too busy chewing gingerbread!

But the face in this blury shot says it all! Thanks Novy! You are so generous, and very talented too.

And finally, tonight we got home to a fabric parcel in the letterbox (don't you love those days), an order I'd placed at Z&S fabrics, with 5 yards of sale fabrics that I loved.

So I was already smiling when I walked in the door and found that Austy's Dad had picked up a couple of redirections from the post office, one of them a surprise gift from "Island Kylie". How she knew that I adore the very old classic patons books I will never know, but she said she saw them and thought of me so sent them along with a patchwork magazine. I have a bit of a collection of these old patons books, mostly from Nan's as she no longer likes to tackle lace or cable, but a few odd ebay finds. However this little black and white one is already one of my favourites! I love the more fitted style of the antique patterns, none of this drop shoulder sqyare bodied stuff you see alot of today. I love the heirloom look of them all, and I especially love the dress on the front cover! Hopefully I'll have a little girl to make it for in a few months. Otherwise the coloured cover booklet has some gorgeous motifs to adorn any little jumper or even some soakers (remember the bunny I used for Austy's old bunnybum soaker came from an old patons booklet like these). Thank you so very much Kylie - just as thoughtful and unexpected as Novy's little gift for Austy.

So yes, I feel very lucky and TOTALLY spoilt. What a great way to start the weekend.


And on the crafty front, here are some little baby shoes I made last weekend:

A little romper from a pattern that Corrie so generously sent me along with some maternity patterns (still needs buttons on the back so I will hunt for some this weekend):

Some tiny little premmie outfits to be sent away to a Darwin hospital:

And some wool I dyed to become either a soaker or a pair of shorties. I used pink so I could use up some of the pink solid I had left over from these, but unfortunately the yarns took the dye completely differently and this one is alot paler. I will keep this in hope that Bubby Bunny (yep that's the nickname since it certainly feels like a bunny jumping aroung around in there lately!) is a little sister for Austy just like he keeps asking for. If not they will be a great gift for a newborn so will get stashed in the gift cupboard until one of the pink kind comes along.

I also finished and delivered an embroidered satin baptism stole for a little girl who is around Austy's age but not so lucky in life. She is being baptised in September prior to major surgery in October and I knew her Mum was keen to get her hands on the stole ASAP so she could feel organised so made sure she got it as soon as it was finished, so no photos unfortunately. But I can add it to my list of finished things for 2008, and now feel confident embroidering delustered satin after a couple of test runs before the stole.

Ooooh - I nearly forgot! Don't forget to check out Austy's blog if you want to check out what he's up to and see more shots of him. I haven't updated it in ages and finally did a pic heavy post on Wednesday so I thought the heads-up to those who read this blog and have been waitiong for an Austy update would be wise.

Bellies and give-aways

A few people have been wondering about how big my bump is getting. So here's my "halfway baked" shot taken last weekend. My belly button has since popped, so Austy's Dad's theory on that being the "done" indicator goes out the window. No, it's not twins but a perfectly on track for size singleton, who has just started giving me some serious thumps, finally visible from the outside (placenta positioning has dulled the movements for a while).

And did I mention give-away?!!

With all these pay it forwards going around, I have been very tempted, but never actually put my name in for one until Emma made the oath on her blog. How could I resist something quilty from her?! She is amazingly talented and I only dream of being as good one day.

So now as a winner on her blog, I eagerly anticipate crafty mail in the next 12m and make the same oath here as my part of the deal:

"I will send a handmade gift to 3 random people who leave a comment on this blog post. I don't know what that gift will be yet (could be quilty, woolly or stitchy) and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

You have two weeks to get your comment in, and Austy will draw the names out on 31st August, ready for the start of Spring. International participants welcome.

Hand dyed suprise times two!

The lovely Corrie announced that these had arrived safely today for her beautiful new twins, Finn and Tillie. I made them from 4ply 100% merino wool which is nice and soft but only came in boring cream. No hassle though - all the more reason for some dyeing fun. So I got out my wool dyes (Salmon from the Landscape dyes and Cypress from the Gaywool dyes) and played a little. As I knew I was going to follow a slight lace pattern I decided the one colour for each was just enough as too many colours can get busy on a lace pattern. I'm not one to make two of anything (I am reknown for making one sock or one bootie and never making the pair!) but these little knits were seriously addictive, with the lace and the colour varigation. I stayed up late a few nights, not being able to put them down, and unfortunately the late nights and pregnacy tiredness meant a small mistake on the pink one that I didn't see until I had already cast off and well past it - too late to repair... Oh well, at maybe it adds to the "handmade character and charm"? One can hope.

The pattern is from a prem booklet that I picked up from Spotlight so they won't fit the babies very long, but when they outgrow them, the gorgeous Kiera can use them for her twin dollies and play Mummy right along with Corrie.

A quilt-along

With a few babies on the way, one of them my own I figured I should start yet ANOTHER quilt. As you can see byu my side bar there are quite a few on the go now, but only three are active at the moment (the three most recently started). The others are in my "guilt pile" of things I have started but lost motivation to finish, either because something is not quite right and needs fixing, or they are waiting for something (like my D9P that needs me to find a suitable backing fabric but I just can't find a good colour).

This one is a little different - it's a quilt-along. So hopefully that will help keep me motivated for my December deadline. Here is the first block of ten before hand stitching.

My chicks are coming along slowly, but the needlepoint applique is certainly not my strong point... and my chicks look very "unique" so I am tempted to make one of them very different on purpose. But I guess with a baby lying on them noone will really notice. Or so I'm hoping. 3 down, 9 to go.

And finally this vest might be wearable by spring - I can just imagine Austy with a crisp white collared shirt under it. I managed to get motivated enough to pick it up and unpick the double moss which on one side only was out by a row about 6 rows back, so individually dropped and reknitted each stitch - eeew! It's done now though and I'm finally at the armhole cast offs so maybe, just maybe, Austy will get to wear it while it still fits and it's still cool. As long as there are no more major stuff-ups that is. It's time consuming so very heatbreaking when it needs unpicking!