How adorable are these? Arrived today from France, made by the lovely Jenni at Woollywraps, these have got to be my fave wool soakers ever.
Not much happening here on the creative front, I seem to have got to the part of my pregnancy where focusing on anything for longer than a few minutes is impossible, and all the energy I did have has gone and left me.
I should be packing for our family holiday right now for example, just can't seem to get up off my bum......
The dress is a little closer to completion. We did have a minor setback this morning when I accidentally cut into the lining and ended up replacing a whole lower front bodice panel. Thank goodness it was only the lining!
Next step is buttons and button holes. Then we need the petticoats before I can work on the hem.
I've been meaning to make some of these since Sid was a baby. Simple pull on soakers made from lush wool interlock.
They are very similiar in shape to the lovely Fleecycheeks my friend Angi used to make..totally unintentional, but I like that style. Of course Fleecycheeks were stuffable and these are not.
(The crease down the centre will dissapear once I wash and lanolise these.)
These are a medium size, just pondering how cute they'd be in a small.....
A wool interlock baby sleeping bag. Very stretchy wool with wrap front, finished with fold over elastic and labels. Super quick, and super effective...and the wool smells divine.
I've had such a lovely morning making a start on Heather's wedding dress. I'd got bored of fiddling about with toiles, but was slightly nervous of actually starting with the silk and lace. So glad I have now though, because so far (fingers crossed etc) it's coming together rather nicely.
Can't do any more today though because we need to do another fitting, and I've decisions to make re button holes.
The pattern calls for bound buttonholes, but I think that's almost certainly because it's a 1954 pattern, and I'm tempted to do machine buttonholes instead. I'll try both out on some scrap before I make any firm decisions. Got to cover all the buttons first anyhow.
Oh and before I go I have to just mention this cool video . After I posted the other day about washing all my flat nappies,this lovely lady left me a comment on flickr. Check out her other terry nappy pics too, they really made me smile, and judging by some of the comments left here they'll make a lot of you smile too.
Yesterday i received a parcel in the post from my lovely online sewing buddy, Kirsty. The parcel contained a knitting magazine, with lots of lovely freebie patterns in. This little hat being one of them.
Sid had a hat like this that I bought him on holiday in Cornwall when he was six weeks old, so I knew I had to make the baby one too.
I started it last night in bed, and finished it off this morning...still in bed!
I've now cast on a wool soaker with the same yarn.
My sewing up isn't getting any better! I knitted this up rather quickly from a freebie pattern I found online, then promptly lost the link.The finished article is far from perfect,but I think overall it'll be ok. The yarn is lovely, Sirdar Baby Bamboo, 80% bamboo and 20 % wool., it has a lovely feel and drape.
Kissaluvs in the smallest size! yes I know they'll only fit for a day or two, but who can resist such cuteness? Not me, I guess!
I'm now into the less than 10 week countdown to birth, and I'm actually quite excited!
You might have to put up with a few more posts like this one over the next few weeks.
The only sewing project I have on the go right now is Heather's wedding dress,but I'm taking my time with that. Off to hunt down some buttons for it later.
Ok, so the light is crappy this evening, and linen does like to crinkle despite my best efforts, plus there are still some tailors marking pen marks on this...but hopefully you get the idea.
This pattern was originally inspired by a vintage dress design, but after much tweaking and re drafting, this is what I've come up with.
I'm hoping it'll be cool and comfortable to wear after my July baby arrives.
The neck edge and armholes are finished with white bias binding and the buttons are tiny little pastel hearts. Maybe I'll get a pic of those and add it later. My camera battery has just died though.
...It's totally normal to wash all the flat nappies ( terries and muslins ) ready for the baby and then photograph them hanging to dry?
I don't think any other nesting is more satisfying than a line (or two) full of bright clean nappies, on a sunny and blowy day.
You know those days where the mood can change from one extreme to the other in an instant? well today has kinda been one of those days, even the weather couldn't make up it's mind, sunny and blue skies one moment, grey with freezing rain the next!
This morning I did some work on Heather's wedding dress toile no 2, and to my surprise liked the pattern way more when putting it together than I expected to. I even started to imagine how I could adapt the bodice design into a blouse one day when I'm not the size of a house.
Then I remembered I wanted to make some cool cotton pyjamas for after giving birth, and maybe I could adapt the bodice pattern into a pretty pyjama top, or at least the elements I liked.
So that's what I did. I'll be honest and say my first attempts are not exactly perfect, but wearable, and I now know better how to adapt the design , so may well have another go over the weekend.
I did try to take pics, but really all you can see is a hugely pregnant woman in pastel pj's...you'll just have to use your imagination.....
I am of the opinion that new Mums should stay in their pyjamas for at least a week after giving birth. I also think that having some nice new pyjamas to wear is a luxury at that time. (And if you are gonna stay in your jammies for a week, you need ones nice enough in which to greet any visitors.)
With that in mind I ran up this kimono style robe this afternoon. I used some vintage cotton I bought last year at the Antique Textiles Fair, and trimmed the whole thing with some white satin ribbon.
I just made the pattern up as I went along.
The cotton should be nice and cool, plus it'll be easy to wash and care for, both essential after birth.
I would show you a modelled pic, since I've made it generous enough to fit now and post partum, but I look rather like Demis Roussos. Infact I was trying it on, when Woody walked in on me laughing so hysterically at myself that I had tears streaming down my face!
I've spent this morning working on the toile for my best friends wedding dress, it's all rather daunting at times I'll admit.
Actually this is only toile number 1. We haven't finally decided which dress to go with,so I'm making up two toiles to see which works best, and which one Heather prefers.
I'll keep you posted, without giving too much away hopefully.
