More swingsets from the sewing machine

I can't get enough of this pattern! I've just finished my 5th Oliver + S Swing set top. I really must post them to their Flickr pool huh?

With the onslaught 4 year old birthdays this coming month, I had to get cracking and start some serious sewing. First up was a top & skirt for Giles's buddy Amelia (I forgot to photograph that! Bec has to take some for me). I made it from a beautiful double muslin with fairy print from Calico & Ivy. It turned out really well, I just hope it fits. As expected, Amelia threw the dress aside without much of a glance but LOVED the hand-me-down My Little Pony & accessories. Typical! Hee Hee! I'm sure Bec will make her wear the top & skirt once or twice before it gets handed down to Tilly.



Next up was another of Giles's girl friends, whose party was this afternoon. Remember this fabric Jacq? I had enough to make one in size 5 for the birthday girl & just enough left over (with some creative piecing on the back placard - no close-ups I'm afraid) to make a size 2 for Tilly.

I made two chiffon flowers which can be used as hair-clips, or can embellish the front of the dress. I can't find a link right now but there are tonnes of tutorials out there, I know you've tagged it before Jacq. All you do is rough cut a bunch of circles, melt the edges of each circle with a candle or lighter, then stack them up gluing each one with hot glue. I put some sparkles in the center but you could put anything - buttons, sequins, seed-beads etc.

Tilly wore her outfit to the party - too cute - although I am very biased.

I'm going on a sewing frenzy in the next few weeks. With a birthday every weekend for the next 5 weekends I'm going to be busy. Next is a girl party, then 3 boys....Hmmmm what to sew next.......Ideas?

Vintsge ribbon headband

Ok, this post isn't going backwards in time, I made this today. A headband to go with my new, much shorter, hair-do.

I made it from true 'vintage' ribbon - it came from mums sewing stash so it has to be vintage!! Ha!

Shell Stitch Crochet Beanie

[caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Miss T's Shell Stitch Crochet Beanie"][/caption]

Pattern from The Dainty Daisy. Size 12-24 month (fits well). Made from 100% merino wool on a G (6mm) crochet hook.

Anything that I can make within 2 of Miss T's naps is OK with me.

Oliver + S Swingset summer

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I've bought the Oliver + S Swingset Tunic and Skirt pattern and have been knocking a couple of outfits out.  The pattern, as always, is easy to follow and it comes together quite quickly. I traced out the pattern one night, cut all the pieces one afternoon during nap-time and then was able to complete the top in one evening.

This is my 1st made from some Micheal Miller fabric. This dress was using the size 2 Swingset Tunic pattern and lengthened about 2-3 inches to dress-length. I'm really pleased with how it has turned out. I was a bit disappointed that the size 2 was a snug fit on Miss T, that was until I realized I was using the wrong seam allowance (whoops!). I've since made another with the correct seam allowance (the black & red one) and this is a much more appropriate fit for a size 2. As you can see, I'm too chicken to attempt a button hole so I used my much-loved snap machine for the closures on the back.

I can envision whole wardrobe of these Tunics come Summer 2011. That is unless I buy some of their new 2011 fall patterns coming out soon......

5 min crafting - Dummy straps & bookmarks

I found this in the drafts folder - not sure if i've posted it before but I'm doing some housecleaning here in the WordPress Dashboard and thought I'd rather re-post than delete.........

Here are a couple of my 5-minute crafting activities.

Dummy straps:

I truly don't know how people survive child rearing without these dummy straps. While we aren't anal about washing the girl's dummies it is a pain when they are spat out on the floor. Normally at the grocery check-out, or at the bank counter or somewhere equally gross & filthy.

These are so easy to make. A piece of ribbon, snapped at both ends - one to loop around a suspender clip (I found mine at a local craft store for $2.70 for 2), one for around the dummy. You can sew the suspender clip in permanently if you wish. I made a cute one with bee ribbon too but didn't take a photo. Must do soon. The ribbons are all from Calico & Ivy.

Next up, jazzed up bookmarks. Nice -AnnieP papers adhered to gross freebie drug-company bookmarks using contact cement. The have a magnetic clasp inside so the stick to your page. Nice & free!

And here's a random shot of Miss T.

Geeze, you can see how old this post is, T is now 20months old, I think she is 12 weeks in this shot. BTW this is a beautiful beanie that Nanna Beth sent T when she was born, together with a poncho. Beautifully soft & warm. Beth you might like to know she still fits it!!

Colour bingo

Ok Jacq, I've decided to post all my craftiness going backwards in time. This way you can have the big anticlimactic reveal of this crochet project. Ha!

Ok. Post number one is a great game we have been playing over the past few days. Easy peasy and fantastic for keeping toddlers busy in the backyard or inside on a rainy day. I can't remember where I got the idea, somewhere in blog-land.

If you are brave get the kids to paint each section of an egg carton a different colour. Me, well I couldn't face the multicolor mess so I quickly painted these while they were in the bath. It only took 5 min to paint and 5 min to clean (does that make me a bad craftymamma?)

Anyhoo, once the carton is dry send the wee ones out and get them to find something in the yard to match each colour. Green, brown & yellow was easy but we had to think outside the box to fill the purple & blue one! Giles ended up finding a blue telescope toy & bit of purple rubbish bin bag. Cool huh.

Try it one weekend. It will keep the kids busy for at least twice the time it takes to make, which in my book is a winner!