On the cutting table today

On the cutting table today, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

....can I do it?

On the needles

On the needles, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

I came across a honey cowl on ravelry that I just had to try. It's going to be nice and warm. I've been working on it for a few weeks now when I'm waiting for pick ups etc. Hopefully I'll get it finished by the end of winter!! If you want more details on the knitting you can check out my page on ravelry.

TTFN

A belt in the making

A belt in the making, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

My first project from Nikki's new book will be the kids belt. After very careful consideration of what fabric to use (on Aidan's behalf) we started measuring and cutting. We had to sew two bits together as they weren't long enough!! See how that goes. I tried to use the bias binding maker but I'm having a few problems, it's not very even and keeps slipping a bit. Not sure if its because I have the kind of bias binder maker that you also put fusible tape through, can't see how that would make a difference, any ideas? Oh well, will try again.

TTFN

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day for yesterday.

This brekky was made for me by my lovely husband, my fave.  We had a nice day mostly at home, I could have stayed in the new slippers and dressing gown I was given all day. We did the extended family gatherings on saturday, which didn't go to plan as we'd been looking forward to. No thanks to a drunk driver early saturday morning, for wiping out the car my sister was driving on the way to a market. She was very lucky and walked away from the accident, not sure what happened to the other driver, or the puddings she was driving to the market. So she and her family unfortunately couldn't be with us. I would like to say a lot more about the drunk driver but wont at the mo, my language might get a bit worse than grr, and I just don't want to lower myself.

This time last year I went to the stitches and craft show with my mum. I bought Nikki's make-up purse pattern and some fabric from amitie with the intension of making a purse for mum last mothers day. Well a year later and I finally did it!! I had two problems stopping me from making the purse, what design to put on it and the zip. I've always been a bit scared of sewing zips, don't know why just have.

When Aidan came home from school the other day, we'd been discussing making something for Grandma for mothers day, he sat down and drew a monster. He's not one for sitting down and doing anything with pencil and paper so you can imagine my surprise when he came up with the above design, complete with dashed lines where the sewing was to go, a name for the monster, Straud, and a whole back story. The back story I wasn't so surprised about, his imagination is enormous. So that was one side of the purse designed, the other I traced around both boys hands, Oliver was a bit harder to do, he still wants to clench his fist. I don't think his hand will fit inside Aidan's for much longer though, he's growing at a rate of knots, 11 weeks now, it's gone so fast.

I used iron on applique paper to transfer the design onto the material, then hand sewed around it. I need to learn free motion on the sewing machine. It came together pretty quickly, Aidan was happy with it. He wanted me to make a softie out of the design too but I explained that he drew a more 2D monster and he'd have to draw it again for me to make a 3D object, he just looked at me as if to say, you got this much out of me, now you want more? Oh what to do with a 6 year old.

I needn't have been scared of sewing the zip in. I did have one unpicking incident but apparently even the professionals do that!! I'm happy with how it's turned out. I could have the applique a bit higher up, I'll know for next time.

Oh, and I finally got the crazy nine patch lattice quilt top finished. Now I just have to decide how to back it, quilt it and bind it. May take another year. Hopefully not. Any ideas?

TTFN

If only I knew

...that you couldn't email me back. I've been blogging for 3 years now, yes April came and went quietly, no big celebrations here, haven't been that consistent with the posts so I thought I'd celebrate 200 posts instead. I have a feeling I may have said the same thing last year too.

Anyway back to the whole 3 years thing. I have also been commenting on others blogs for the same amount of time, it took the lovely Tanya to let me know that she couldn't email me back via the comment I left, that I had a no reply email. Thank you so much Tanya, here I was thinking I'm so small and insignificant that no-one wants to email me back, well I may still be but at least now I know its by choice!! So if you are like me and wondering why other bloggers don't get back to you check your account settings and see if you have email switched on.

Now the reason why I was visiting Tanya's blog (and am now following) is that she received a book that I also got in the mail. The wonderful "You Sew, Girl" by Nicole Mallalieu. It's so ace you have to get your hands on it. When I was flicking through the pages I couldn't work out what I wanted to make first, so I was thinking of working my way through the book. So I read on another blog that Tanya was planning on doing the same thing so popped over to have a look, you should to, then I don't have to go on about it here!!

I need to use up some of my stash, it's getting out of control. My make wish list is getting so long that I don't know where to start!! I'm saving up for a new machine, if that isn't enough incentive to not buy anymore fabric I don't know what is. So from now on I'm only going to purchase stuff that needs to go with the fabric I have, including solids cos I don't have enough of those, I'm just making excuses to spend more money aren't I ;-).

Back soon with some photos, this post was a bit texty.

TTFN

A giveaway...

....but not from me!!

Margaret over at Konstant Kaos is having a giveaway of a very cute patchwork book which I want (hint hint). Pop over there and have a go at winning yourself.

I'm off to Perth for a week, yay. I have been making this week and will have some shots to show you on my return.

TTFN

Vote for Cam

Cam of Curly Pops has been nominated for Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Awards 2011, yay, so pop over to her blog and follow the links and go and vote for her. There are other categories you have to vote for too and I hadn't heard of most of the chicks in them (guess I should read Cosmo!!) so they got a pot luck vote, the singers were the hardest to pick, there are a lot of ace chicks out there at the moment. Best of luck Cam.

TTFN

Finally Finished

Finally it's finished! I started this quilt a year ago when my niece was born, and she would have received it not long after that but unfortunately a whole lot of stuff got in the way. First my machine started doing it's horrible missing stitches thing, then I got pregnant and lost all desire to craft. The pattern is from a free tutorial by Oh Fransonn! on the sew mama sew blog.

I straight line quilted down the solid strips, not really worrying about it being exact (i like the look) then shadow quilted along each of the charm squares. The quilting was all working until I got to the shadow quilting then my machine decided that skipping stitches would be a good idea. I've had it serviced but it still seems to be happening. Could it have something to do with my walking foot? I pushed on and got it finished just in time for Niah's 1st birthday. I love the funky monkey fabric, I have some left over and I'm just working out what I can make with it next.

I loved this pattern it was so easy to follow and came together so quickly. After machine quilting this one I'm looking forward to hand quilting my next, I have ideas of what that will be, something on the lines of aussie designer Kate Conklin. But I should finish this quilt first!! I just have to find where I put it. I've claimed a corner of the lounge room now as a sewing space but all of my sewing "stuff" is still a bit everywhere.

TTFN

First 4 months of Melly and Me's Once Upon a Time BOM

First 4 months of Melly and Me's Once Upon a Time BOM, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

This is a project I've been working on since May last year, I started the first one at SIT. I've been slowly making my way through the stitcheries, these are the first 4, I'm working on month 7 at the moment. I was convinced I was having a girl so really wanted to get the whole quilt finished. When I found out I was having a boy I didn't slow down but I did try and make it more masculine, working with different colours etc but it still looks like a quilt for a little girl. Oh well, I will just have to complete it for me. It was a good project to work on while pregnant, I had just started month 7 when I went into labour!!

Back soon with a completed project, shock horror!!

TTFN

Introducing the latest Mandy Made

Please meet Oliver Lee born 2 weeks ago today (3 days old in the photo). He weighed 3.63 kg (8lb) and was 54 cm long. We are so happy to have him finally with us. He's settling in really well and I'm really looking forward to getting to know my new little guy. Now what to make first for him.....