Sleep

I'm seriously in need of sleep. Eva is back to waking up for hours at night. The only option is to take turns being up with her for 3 hours or let her scream for three hours. This just gets worse when Chris is on volunteer ambulance call and he is out for hours at a time during the night and day. I know he is doing a great service and don't want to complain about it, but I just need a few hours of peace to work or sew on weekends and I feel very frazzled without it.
One good thing from this weekend is we started looking at bigger houses. Good because we are all going to drive each other mad in this little house if we have to stay here, but it is a very scary thought having to move everything in this house somewhere else.
Coming soon a guest post: Nice one Jodie - I'm blaming you for encouraging Chris to guest post about the Stitches and Craft Fair. He has been typing away and said it is finished. Mmm think I might have a little look and a little edit before I post it.
No craft pictures today so here is one of the big girls.

Homemade Recipe Book

This fabulous book was waiting for me when I got back from Sydney. Well done to everyone who helped to make it. If you would like your own copy you can order one here.
All proceeds of the sales go to the Salvation Army.

I made a vague attempt to clean up today and just ended up making more mess and more piles of things I want to make, but I did find this beautiful pile of felt from Winterwood I bought in Sydney.

Shopping

Cushion from Rummage. I love craft that can make me laugh.

Fabric from Kristen Doran, Sprout, Pippijoe and Ink and Spindle with one of Fi's wrist pincushions.
Spots from Just Patchwork (because you can never have too many spots) and MixTape.

Blues and Green (I have a plan) from Amitie.

A purse kit from Nikki and the lovely panels from The Red Thread convinced me I should try embroidering.

The sock I knit as a talked last week sitting on top of some lovely fabric from Surface Art.

Eva with her Ninja Sam in a bag from Dear Fii.

Sydney Stitches and Craft

All set and ready to go.

MixTape

My sister Gemma in front of the amazing Jodie's selvedge creations.

Rummage

The Red Thread

Dear Fii
Audrey and Maude

Pippijoe

I'm Back

I'm back from my week in Sydney Parramatta. I will be back to tell you all about the Stitches and Craft show when I wash some clothes and find some food for everyone.

Sydney

Just doing all the last minute things to get ready for Sydney and the Stitches and Craft Show. Finished a skirt with this amazing fabric from Tessuti.Making piles of things to pack. This is a bit of the yarn I still have to squish in somewhere.

In the middle of the chaos I finished this no purl Monkey Sock. My first finished sock using the Magic Loop.

If you are at the show please come and see me and say hello at stand 182.

Wombats, Giraffes and Caterpillars

The last of the toys finished for Sydney. Just hoping that I fit everything in my bags.

Clothes Sewing

I had a completely crap sewing day yesterday. more unpicking than sewing and nothing great to show at the end of it. So today I sewed things I knew would end well. Another corduroy skirt this time with a panel of Ink and Spindle fabric off centre on the front.
A long sleeve version of Simplicity 3835. I love this fabric. I think I found it at Spotlight on sale in the quilting section, but it is not quilting fabric. More like a voile.

And now some giraffes need stuffing while I watch the girls do 'the bestest dance moves ever'. These should be the last of the softies for Stitches and Craft. Then I should probably start organising everything, clean up the craft room, maybe even clean some of the house.

Today...

Finishing wombats and caterpillars.

Finished the hem on another New Look 6775 smock like top. (Yes I am a little bit obsessed with this green Heather Bailey fabric).Making zucchini slice.

Laughing at Eva's dance moves.

Trying to dry washing before it rains again.

Feeling strangely calm despite it being less than two weeks until Sydney Stitches and Craft.

Don't forget to have a look here and download some vouchers before you head to the show. Just print out this voucher and save 10% at Two Little Banshees.

Fisherman's Pants

I remember finding some Onion sewing patterns in a store in Denmark when we were travelling in 2004 was quite excited to see sewing patterns that were a bit different as my total pattern experience were the 4 or 5 big traditional pattern companies. I somehow stashed a few in my backpack and they have sat around in various piles and cupboards for the last 5 years waiting to be used.
I love the idea of new patterns and planning what I will make, but then always go back to the tried and tested patterns and rarely try new ones. I really hate doing all theat planning, choosing fabric, cutting and sewing and then it doesn't fit or doesn't suit me. So yesterday I pulled out Onion pattern 0001 and sewed. I wish I had made them years ago. Easy and they fit. Fisherman's pants I will leave the house in. Not too much fabric to make you look humungous and very comfortable. The only drawback was the instructions are in Danish and there are no pictures, but if you have some experience you know what goes where.

I have tried to find references to this pattern online and I can't find any. It doesn't appear to exist anymore. There is the skirt version still available here. Look under women's specialty patterns.

Apparently pink skirts are the most perfect thing ever to wear especially with stripey stockings or leggings. Lucky they are easy to whip up. These have some Aunty Cookie fabric appliqued on to make them even more perfect.

Placemat Tutorial

Looking for a good way to use some of your favourite scraps of fabric? My placemat tutorial is now up on at Living Creatively. It is great for any size scraps and you don't really need to measure, just cut where you want and add the scraps in. Perfect for when you want to sew and not think.
Modern Retro Textiles is now stocking some of my patterns. They also have some seriously amazing fabric- pop over and have a look.