New sewing books!

Things have been absolutely manic here, so what do I do for a bit of TLC?  Buy some new sewing books!  I already have a zillion free tutes saved on my to do list, but that's just not the same!

First up
Girl's World: Twenty Pretty Sewing Projects To Make For Pretty Girls by Jennifer Paganelli

This book is total eye candy - I love it.  Three dresses (and more) went on my to do list, although Roo already has far more dresses than necessary so I may delay till next Summer, or just make them in a larger size!

Next up
Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child by Meg McElwee

Again, I adore this.  A mix of practical clothing as well as other actually useful ideas.  I can't wait to get sewing the placemat for Roo, although at the moment she insists on using one with pink flowers so I will have to choose my fabric carefully to tempt her.  I have been wanting to make Roo a doll for a long time, this book actually has a pattern and instructions!!!  I just have to gather up the requirements and confidence.

Finally I have been intrigued with Japanese patterns so ordered
SEWING POCHEE VOL 11 Japanese Dress Making Book

and
LET'S GO OUT GIRLS CLOTHES- Japanese Dress Pattern Book

Sewing Pochee is back to front whereas Let's Go Out Girls Clothes is left to right.  I'm surprised there isn't a Japanese standard, but I'll admit I know NOTHING about Japanese.  (Actually I had a couple of informal Japanese lessons from a Japanese girl I lived with in Sudan, but my mind was too frazzled with Arabic to accept yet another script, it was a shame as it was a great opportunity, ah well!)  LGOGC has the most amazing pair of shorts that I can't wait to try out...

Right.  Off to my sewing machine! :-)

Angie/Olivia dress

Hello, its been a while since I posted anything, yet I have been sewing, I've just been poor at taking photos.
I saw a lovely pic of an Angie summer shirt somewhere online.  It was described as a Farbenmix pattern but I couldn't find it on their website and when I contacted them about it, they knew nothing about it.  I managed to locate it though (Google is great) and found it is a Cinderella*Zwergen*Mode pattern and is available as an English E-book.  So I got it!  Roo didn't need another T-shirt so I used the top of the Angie pattern and lengthened it into a Farbenmix Olivia dress (I just love the skirt shape on Olivia and can't believe I haven't posted pics of the one I made).
I needed to make the neck binding/cuff bit a bit tighter as it is a bit loose, but that could also be because I made it with growing room!

The 'posed' pic

The 'I'm eating peanut butter with a spoon outside' pic

The 'busted' pic!

I can't believe that I made the dress with the giraffe fabric upside down!  Sure some giraffes would be upside down either way, but the flowers are most definitely pointing the wrong way.  Oooops!

I'm back and I've done my first quilting!

I've just got back from a wonderful time in UAE. I managed to make an Olivia dress and coordinating Riviera leggings before we went, only to leave the leggings and Insa skirt I just made in the tumble drier. That's what happens when packing is left till the last minute! Still, Olivia worked very by itself, not that I got a decent photo!
My gran's birthday was while we were away and I thought it was a perfect opportunity to make a mug rug. I was going to try a wonky star but I came across some lovely scraps that wouldn't fit a star, so I just winged it. In fact I winged the whole thing, there are many imperfections, but hopefully gran will appreciate the gesture! These could get addictive!

Insa!

Hubby's mother is currently visiting two of his brothers in the UAE. Hubby then decided it would be a great opportunity for Roo to see her grandmother "Hoboba", who she hasn't seen for about a year, and some uncles, aunts and cousins that she has never met. So we are gatecrashing! I have never been to UAE and am very excited, as well as slightly shell shocked by the speed of things, we are flying Wednesday!
I now need to make sure Roo has suitable clothes to wear, she has to impress the relatives! Despite the waists of Roo's 12-18m skirts still fitting her, lengthwise they are only just decent with tights underneath, something she is not going to need out there. Yesterday I made Roo an Insa from the most wonderful book 'Sewing Clothes Kids Love' (this may not be the first time I've mentioned this book ;-) haha). It was the first time I've made an Insa and I was so impressed how it all went together. (I nearly messed up the waistband as I skipped the instruction about attaching the yoke to the skirt before making the casing, but just managed to salvage it). I really couldn't decide whether I should or shouldn't add the elastic gathering to the top skirt, Hubby's family are very much into ironed clothes and I couldn't figure out how the gathering would effect that, so I didn't add it in the end. I will DEFINITELY make this skirt again and would love to make one in my size!
I'm going to try to make Roo an Olivia (dress from Farbenmix) before we go, the pieces are traced, fingers are crossed!

Strawberry!

I started my blog as a way to help me record my crafty journey. So I'm posting this pic before I forget/lose it.
I made this dress for Roo last Halloween. Despite the sunny looking weather it was the end of October, a weekend just before Halloween. Roo had been invited to a fancy dress birthday party and a Halloween party and needed a costume. Many Halloween costumes don't appear to be spooky anymore and Roo loves strawberries so... I traced a dress that fitted her to use as the base pattern and made up the neck piece. I would definitely do the leaves differently if I was to attempt this again but hey, it is recognisable isn't it?
(Unfortunately Roo, then I, came down with a nasty bug and she missed both parties but this dress has been worn loads!)

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant!

= Saint David's Day! (Saint David is the patron Saint of Wales)
I'm sorry for this late post, late in two ways, Saint David's Day is actually 1st March and also I haven't blogged in ages.  I have actually been making things so hopefully I can get some good photos soon.  Until then I have more bad photos to share.  Roo goes to nursery on Tuesdays and since this Saint David's Day was on a Tuesday her grandma got her a complete Welsh outfit.  It is a very traditional outfit and is only worn on Saint David's Day.  I tried getting photos before she went to nursery but she refused, and when I picked her up she was covered in red paint, so apologies for that!

Completed Weeke!

I made the trousers from the Farbenmix Weeke pattern a while ago. Now I've finished the top too! The flare of the top is quite wide and would probably look better in lighter weight fabric but I guessed that before I made it. Roo is willing to wear it so that is good enough for me :-)