More felt lovelies

I'm on a roll - another felt flower rolled off the Mollydag Made production line this morning. This rose barrette was made between buttering toast, making Milo & wiping Vegemite off wee faces at breakfast time. 

Thank you Purl Bee for the wonderful tutorial. I'm pretty sure there will be more of these being made soon. I might even have a couple to take to the next Treasure Hunt Market Place - after all, it is a whole 7 days away!!!

A is for pain-in-the ASS...

A is for Apron should read:
A is for ALTERATION, or
A is for pain-in-the-ASS

I just fell in love with the Kaleidoscope apron that was published in the book A is for Apron & highlighted on Etsy's handmade blog 'How-to: Stitch an Apron' and linked to in Whipup and Craftzine. I've been squirreling this pattern away waiting for the right opportunity to make such a cute apron and as this weekend was Mel's kitchen tea, I thought this couldn't be a better pressie for her!
Now, with two kids (one being only 7 weeks old) my sewing time (or any time for myself for that matter) is very, VERY precious. The last thing you want is to leap into the project only to find at what felt like EVERY turn, there are mistakes to this gorgeous pattern & tutorial. Wrong enlargement size, wrong measurements, poor descriptions, the list goes on. Did I mention my time is very precious. After many expletives, some deep breaths and help from my techno-savy husband, I completed the apron. I stuck with it because I think it is a gorgeous looking apron and was worth the effort.
I gave it to Mel & she loved it. Doesn't she just look a doll!

I thought I would write up my modified pattern so that people who wish to reproduce the picture can do so without the trauma I went through.

Just for you interest use to following links to download:

The original pattern from Etsy

The revised templates published on the Lark Books website   (they are still errors in this template!)

Instead of downloading the pdf and trying to enlarge it at your local Officeworks or such, here is the pattern, enlarged as per the errata at Lark Books (found that a bit too late! I'd already cut out the 1st batch of fabric before I realised it didn't fit together - #@**@+!) ready for you to download & print. You just have to stick it all together.

I have done some major modifications to the waistband as the measurements given in the original & in the edited version are STILL wrong.
Here is a version that will work:

New shoes & shirt for the boy

Spotlight had their stocktake sale this week and bonded fleece was on sale at $10/m. Typical spotlight, I didnt' even know they stocked it until I saw it in the catalogue. You can never find anything in that store!

Anyhow, as today is a public holiday,  I spent the morning while Giles was napping, whipping up a pair of shoes from the Stardust Shoe tutorial & a matching T-shirt.

The shoes were really easy to make but they only just fit Giles' feet. Next time I'll have to make them longer and will increase the depth for the heel part. For now, they're a perfect fit & just right for our super chilly days.

I have to confess totally yoinked JoJo's idea for the matching t-shirt. Love it!

Bleach spritz stencils

Between two bouts of G teething this afternoon, I managed to spritz a couple of the cheap jumpsuits & T-shirts I bought ages ago when I planned to do the T-shirt embellishments for everyone at playgroup (another unfinished WIP!). I am so pleased with the results. What an easy project that I can see only gets better with practice. I've put a quick tutorial HERE.

FINALLY...the Awaited Diaper Purse Tutorial

Well Amber, I finally did it. The tutorial is ready! Boy, I never realised how difficult it is to explian something you do without really thinking about it. Photos help, yes, but not as much as you would think. Let me know if you have any feedback/queries.

The purse pictured is for ME! Yep I finally made something I don't intend to give away...just yet anyways. I was so excited by how it all came together. A few disappointments, I'll admit, in the final finishing, but that's what I get for rushing...besides I think I'd be the only one that notices. I hope. Such a Virgo...perfection, perfection.

Please, any interested others, use this pattern only for personal use not for making purses to sell. This pattern took me a long time to perfect!

Crazy Star Patchwork Quilt Tutorial

Finally, here is the tutorial for the Crazy Star Quilt, the easiest stack-and-slash quilt around.

I hope that the instructions are clear enough, it's the first tutorial I've done. This size will do a baby crib but you can upscale the squares, or do more if you need to make a larger quilt. They would make good pillow covers, as long as you needed six! If you have any queries, give me a yell.

Tutorial HERE

Thanks for the comment Jacq, all photos now have instructions on them....