Finally...

I started and finished my first Nicole Mallalieu bag. I've only had the pattern since mothers day last year!!

Large Satchel, Design by Nicole Mallalieu, Handmade by MandyMade

Print Fabric by Aunty Cookie

I don't know what took me so long. Once I started I found the pattern really easy to follow, I didn't have any problems at all. The only thing I would change if I made this bag again would be the interfacing I used, and add some padding. I wasn't thinking straight and used the interfacing I bought for backing my stitcheries. Oh well, we live and learn. Thanks Nikki for a great pattern.

I will be back soon I promise with all the news from Sew It Together. I'm still recovering!! I now have a cold and no voice, so the energy level just hasn't been up to blogging!! I have been checking out others posts though and de-lerking as much as possible!!

TTFN

Still here!!

Don't worry, I'm still here, although you would get the impression that I'd gone walkabout!! Poor neglected blog, and so close to the bloggy spectacular that is Sew It Together!!

I have been making stuff, some secret stuff, some not so. We had a long weekend last weekend so I got to get up north to see my sister on her property. (That sounds rather grand doesn't it!!) It was very relaxing, got to have lots of cuddles with baby niece and ate scones :-). While wandering around we came across some awesome looking toad stools, you can just see the little pixie living under this one can't you?

I've been keeping busy and out of trouble on the train for the past couple of weeks making a gigantic granny square rug for Little A. I finally finished yesterday. I used Lincraft double knitting yarn with 4.5 hook. I used the granny square pattern from Meet Me at Mike's book and I finished the edges with triple crochet. Final measurement 1m square. If anyone needs something crocheted I'm looking for a new train project, just let me know.

I also finally got around to making Little A's school library bag. Only a term late!! I made it the same as this one but it came out skinnier, still fits books though. I bought the material from amitie last year at the craft show, finally got around to using it.

That's it for me today. Off to finally make Nikki's bag so I can take it to show her next week at the stitches and craft show, can't wait, if it's anything like last year, should be ace.

TTFN

Girl Robot

Girl Robot
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made this Girl Robot for my niece for Christmas. You may remember the one I made for my son for his birthday. They are very nice and quick to make. I added buttons this time instead of cutting out felt and sewing them on, it looked like it needed buttons. Other than that I made it in the same way as I did my sons, except I drew the seam allowance onto the fabric for the arms, I think it gave a better result for the claws.

TTFN

Girl Robot design by Audrey and Maude, handmade by MandyMade

Spoiler Alert!!

Patchwork Ball
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Spoiler alert!! If you're my cousin (or in law) and have a son that has a birthday soon you may not want to read on!!

I have been wanting to make this patchwork ball from Anna Maria Horner's book Seams to Me for a while, and I finally had the opportunity. It's been sooooo hot here in melbourne so I haven't been doing much sewing and this project was perfect to keep the sewing itch at bay. It came together very quickly. The time consuming part was fussy cutting the fabric (from lincraft). I hope to make more of these.

With Christmas not too far away, I don't even want to think about how soon now, I'm busy thinking of and making gifts. Hopefully this weekend will be a bit cooler to work on them. I may or may not write about them, don't want to have to put out too many spoiler alerts!! My aim this year is for part of everyones gifts to be handmade (even if its not from me) I may have needed to start a few months ago. With fire season in full swing, work is really busy so I will need the de-stress somehow.

TTFN

Aidan's 4th Birthday Present

Aidan's 4th Birthday Present
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

After I met Audrey and Maude at the stitches and craft show I had to buy their robot pattern (not that it took meeting them to buy it!!)

It was very easy to make. I used a lot of the techniques that I learnt from the Melly and Me lecture. I reduced the stitch length I was using and this made a lot of difference to how the curves turned out. I also stuffed using big clumps so the neck was strong.

There were a few things that I did differently from what the pattern told me to do mainly due to how I have been making softies, not that I didn't want to do their techniques. I didn't use batting to pad and I ironed on the face and tummy before I stuffed, I also chose to close the arms in a different place, mainly due to being better at closing along a straight instead of a curve.

Well done Audrey and Maude on a great pattern, now I have to make the girl robot and this time I promise that I will stick to the pattern!! :-)

This is the robot before stuffing.

And this is the card that I made him.

And this is Aidan after recieving the robot, very happy boy :-)

Gifts for friends kids

Gifts for friends kids
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I found this pattern in Homespun. I love making Kate Hendersons designs so naturally I had to make this one too. I made 4 of the large and 4 of the small to give as gifts to friends kids.

They were very easy to make and as a production line goes, fast to make. All the materials I used were from my stash. For photos of all of the platypus go to my flickr.

Pippa, Polly and Penny: design by Kate Henderson from 'Australian Homespun Vol 10.1. Handmade by MandyMade

Pressy for James

Pressy for James
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made this little dog for a friends sons 1st birthday. It was really easy to make and didn't take too long. I had a bit of an issue at one point with the instructions, I got confused as to where to put the ears before sewing the gusset on, maybe I was just tired!! Anyway I ignored what it said and just went with how I've done that sort of thing in the past, and it worked, so there you go.

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

Polly 2

Polly 2
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This is the second Polly. I made it for my cousins little girl. She has named it the Mandy doll!!

This time I stuffed the arms and legs and sewed it into the body instead of stuffing and closing later. This technique works better for me.

The material I used for the head was very thin so I fused it to a piece of calico. This seemed to work. I should have done the same with the ears though, they keep flopping!!


Pattern: softies, Penguin Books, design by Carly Schwerdt, Handmade by MandyMade

Maisie

I made this little friend for a friend of my sons for her 4th birthday. I also got some MandyMade tags made, this is the first time I have used them.

Stitching comments: Picking the material was probably the hardest, I really loved the material that was used in the book and just couldn't get it out of my head.

Pattern: maisie, more softies, Penguin Books, design by Kate Henderson

Baby Elephant and Mum

I made these for my Mum for her birthday

Stitching comments: They were actually really easy to make. I sewed the tail into the seam instead of attaching it afterward, not sure if it was the right move!!

Lessons Learned: Stick to the seam allowance!!

Pattern: softies, Therese Laskey, design by Maggie Smith

Bunny

I made this bunny for a friends baby boy.

Stitching comments: This was very easy to make. The only thing strange about it was the size of the circle to stitch to the bottom, it was way too big, so I had to trim it down to size. I also couldn't work out how to make the ears stay up by themselves. Better luck next time.

Pattern: softies, penguin books

Giraffe

I made this one for me!!

Stitching comments: I have a heap of material that I have collected over the years going through remnant bins in material shops. This little one is made entirly of remnants, and I think, that is how it should be. The only problem I had was that the material was a bit thin and freyed a bit, so I had problems closing. I'm not too good with the whip stitch so I descided to do cross stitch instead. Well the reult wasn't too crash hot, better luck next time.

Lessons Learned: Not to use really thin material.

Pattern: softies, Penguin Books

ipod pocket

I told you this was dangerous. I made my very first design!! Very bold of me :-)

Stitching comments: I cut a rectangle of felt and a piece of linen the same size. I made one end into a triangle to fold over. I edged the linen then sewed it to the felt. This is the lining. I then hand stitched it together with thread and blanket stitched. Attached two buttons and some ribbon, and there you go, somewhere to put my ipod shuffle and the ear phones.

Lessons Learned: Diving in is sometimes the best way of getting over any phobias of not being able to design yourself. This wasn't too great a leap, but it was a step.

Pattern: Mandy Made :-)

House

I made this little guy for a friend of mine. I think the hardest part was choosing the patterned material!! I am getting better at trying to forget the material that was used in the book, but I still get an idea in my head of what it should look like.

Stitching comments: This one was either really easy to make or I'm getting the hang of this thing now!! Watch out I might start designing my own!!

Pattern: softies, Penguin Books

Lily's monkey

Front

Back

I made this little monkey for my niece for her second birthday.

It was very easy to make, turning the tale was the most time consuming, will have to find a better way of doing that!!

Pattern: softies, Penguin Books