For Levi's 2nd Birthday

For Levi's 2nd Birthday
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made another elsie dog, this one for a friends son Levi. We don't get to see them very often so I whipped him up as soon as I found out we were going to have a chance to see them on the weekend.

All the fabric is from my stash. As this is the second time I have made this softie I found him pretty fast to make. I do think they have made a mistake in the instructions though, I think they ask you so sew the ears onto the wrong side of the fabric before adding the head gusset. So I just made it the way I thought it should be and it turns out ok.

I'm still not sure if they have added the seam allowance though to the pattern as it still didn't end up as full as the picture in the book. I need to make another by the end of the year so I'll experiment then.

Only one more day left on my giveaway so don't forget to check out my 100th post for your chance to win. I will draw the winner tomorrow night Melbourne time.

It has now been 66 days since I bought material. I may have to break that tomorrow as I have a few newborn's to make something for and I would like to get something fresh and new.

Until next time.....

elsie the little dog: design by Kate Henderson from 'more softies' Penguin Books. Handmade by MandyMade

Mr Rooster

Mr Rooster
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Finally finished him, getting ever closer to my WIP's completed. I first blogged about Mr Rooster here so I wont bore you with the details. He took so long to finish as I didn't like how the comb ended up and the wings didn't sew in as I would have liked, but now he is finished and currently being cuddled by Little A on the couch.

I have discovered Sashiko, a japanese style of embroidery. On our trip to the library yesterday, mainly to try out the new library bag, I had to check out the craft section. It has been a long time since I've borrowed from the library, content with reading stuff there, that my card was completely out of date and now there are self check outs, who would have thought? Anyway, I came across a book on Sashiko and now I'm in love, can't wait to start a project, I know, must finish the WIP's first, maybe I could incorporate some into a WIP. Hmm the mind boggles :-).

Don't forget to check out my 100th post, now back to more WIP's. Desperate to go fabric shopping, it's now 55 days since I bought material, not bad ha!!

TTFN

"mister rooster" from the book More Softies, Design by Marieke van Esvald, Handmade by MandyMade

100th Post

Mum's Birthday Bag
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Wow, i have reached my 100th post, how exciting, who would have thought :-) I have seen lots of other blogs give stuff away when they reach their centenaries, but I have been racking my brain as to what I could do. So I think I may leave it up to the few readers that I have, after all this kinda thing is about the reader!! So if you have seen something in the past that I have made, my coffee cuffs for example, and you would like me to make something for you, please leave a comment, I'll either choose randomly or the best idea!! It all depends on the response :-). I'm sorry but I will only be able to accept Australian residents only unless you have a way for me to get a package to you os. I will give you until the end of September to comment. How exciting ;-)

Now to Mum's bag. I made another of Anna Maria Horner's Taxi Tote's for my mum for her birthday. She chose the fabric ages ago and was just sitting there waiting to be made. I used pre-made bias tape this time, saved me heaps of time and fabric, still need to work on the joins though. I put some magnetic snaps in this time so the bag will close on the outer edges. I found with the one I made myself that it gaped too much and I was worried about hands that could get in there!! I added a base to the bag again, following Nicole Mallalieu's tutorial.

Well there you go, 100 posts. Thank you to the people that read my blog, I know that posts can be few and far between but I like to spend more time behind the sewing machine than the computer!! I do that enough in the day job. I'm going to do a re-haul on the site soon, needs a spring clean and a fresh look so stay tuned....

TTFN

Mandy

Anna Maria Horner's Taxi Tote from Seams to Me. Handmade by MandyMade
Bag base variation, I added a base to this bag using Nicole Mallalieu's tutorial found here

Happy Birthday Becca

Gifts for my sisters
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

For our birthdays this year my sisters and I decided to go see a show (Billy Elliot) together and that would be our birthday present to each other. That was back in April. But I felt funny about not giving her anything for today, so I made the cute as a button clutch from Meet me at Mikes book. It was quick and easy to whip up, my over stitching still needs a bit of work though, it's the machine, definitely the machine!!!

Gifts for my sisters
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

And cos I couldn't leave the other sister out I made one for Jo'e too. Happy birthday Bec and happy un-birthday Jo'e :-).

TTFN

"Cute as a button vintage clutch" from book Meet me at Mikes, Project by Kara Smith, Handmade by MandyMade.
Fabric from Spotlight.

Edit: Since I posted this I have read a tute from Pepperberry & Co about how to take photos of purses, I need to now note that my photos were taken a second after they were finished and seconds after that, wrapped and given to my sisters. I know I need to work on my camera skills and thanks to people like Sandra for posting such great tutes :-) may my purse photography be ever better in the future.

PS. I've been playing around using Picnik in flickr, can you tell?!!!

Little A's Library Bag

Little A's Library Bag - Front
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This bag has been a long time coming, poor Little A, when he first saw it on the front cover of Homespun, back in Jan I think, he's asked me to make it. All these other projects got made for other people, but not the one he wanted. I have to admit I did have to get over my "never going to make a quilt" thing first, not that I had to quilt it, but it does look better that way. I was thinking of hand quilting it, but he would never have got it!! I did hand quilt around the rocket though.
I didn't change much from the original design, except for omitting the embroidery text and changing the teddy bears to aliens, apparently Little A is too old for things with teddy bears on them now!!
We are going to test drive it on friday, so if you're at the library and see a little guy carrying his brand new library bag around, stop by and have a chat.

This bag construction was also used for my niece's library bag.

It's an adventure library bag from Homespun Magazine Vol 9 No 12, Design by Rachel Measham-Pywell, Handmade by MandyMade

Sign of Spring

Sign of Spring
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Stay tuned, I haven't gone away I've just been a very busy bee, it's spring you know!!

Lots to blog, check out my flickr if you can't wait.....

TTFN

He cracks me up!!

Just need to share a little bit of a 4 year old brain!!
My son woke up this morning with a very crockery voice (the cough monster has been in the house). He declared “A frog has stolen my voice and now I have his. But if frogs can’t talk then how am I?

Classic Little A!!

Just need to share!!

I have a thing for Neo Blythe dolls. There I've said it, it's out there. I don't know what it is about them, is it the eyes, the hair or that not one appears to be a twin to another? There seems to be an endless supply of clothes and accessories for Blythe on the internet. And the craft world seems to be riddled with the lovelies. Alas, unless I win the lottery (that I never enter) I may have to worship from afar.

I was first introduced to Blythe through Craft: magazine, then googled from then on......If you want to know more you can go here (where this image is from) or google her yourself!!

TTFN

Mandy