Dachshunds, Skirts and Christmas

There has been some dachshund making this week. They were the first thing to go at Upmarket.
So I have put a few up in the shop.

We spent the morning at the local show. Lots of sheep, ducks, ice-cream and face painting. I can hear the fire works now, but the girls are all tucked up in bed after our first Christmas Party outing for the year last night.
How is it Christmas already?? I am among what I think is a very small group of people who are not really in love with Christmas and everything that goes along with it. So I am taking some deep breaths and preparing myself for four weeks of Christmas talk from two very excited four year olds who are in love with it.
Here is a picture of the girls this morning. I finally finished the skirt for Grace (to match Amelia's) out of Rosalie Quinlans gorgeous fabric from Quilt Fabric Delights.

Hats

The hats I took to Upmarket went pretty quickly. So I am slowly making some more and adding them to my madeit shop. (Which makes much more sense for summer things than putting them on Etsy which is in full winter mode right now).

This and That

Good mail today - the latest MixTape. Being read by two little friends. There was a third but Milly claimed him for herself and there was a pink hippo but Grace claimed her.

A little knitting. The start of a Boheme for Evie.

Some wonderful fabric. It is Natura by Alexander Henry I bought here. It is a really nice fabric, a different base cloth. I'm not sure what to compare it with, but I think it would be great for skirts. Base cloths is not something I see discussed that much. I see yarn bases discussed a lot but not quilting fabrics which I find a bit strange as they can vary so much in their feel and drape. I would say the Natura is kind of 'rustic'. I am sure there is a better word, but I can't think of it. The base colour is a natural colour, not a white, and it has areally nice feel. I had planned on making toys, but now I have it I am thinking clothes (yes for me - I love it) or maybe bags.

Yarn

Finally got around to taking some pictures of what I have been dyeing this month. There is some sock, some BFL sock and some 50%silk/50%wool.

All of them will be here soon.

Calendar

How can you go wrong with some Scandanavian design and Letterpress?
A calendar to hang in my new kitchen from Sycamore Street Press.

Upmarket

I'm hoping the craziness of the last week has gone and I am hoping this one is a lot calmer. Everything was going according to plan and then on Thursday Rolf the dog disappeared during the thunderstorm. So there has been lots of searching. We had no luck until yesterday when the ranger brought him home.

So all the last minute jobs I had for Upmarket didn't get done, but it didn't seem to matter and I had a great day yesterday. Thanks and hi to everyone who came to have a chat. It was nice to meet you all. In the chaos I didn't pack a camera and have no photos to share some good bits from the weekend:

Driving to Perth and back by myself so I could play my music as loud as I want and sing as loud as I want.

Holding a most gorgeous newborn baby called Eli.

Three little girls quite excited to see me arrive home.

This dress pattern. I have made two for Amelia and Grace this month and I see some more in my future. Maybe one for Eva in some Rouenneries by French General.

Sewing

Some quick clothes sewing in between the panicking. And I do mean quick. I am a big fan of sewing clothes you can cut out, sew and be finished in an hour or two. I do love to buy beautiful designer Vogue patterns, but I rarely sew from them. I used a pattern from Onion (it is the Fisher Skirt under Specialty Patterns) for this skirt. Love this pattern, which went together perfectly considering it was in Danish and there were no diagrams. Unfortunately my photography does not do it justice. I take my hat off to stylists who can make clothes look nice.
What is the one thing more perfect than spotty cotton fabric? Spotty linen fabric. This bit was perfect for the most simple shift dress for Evie.

Hot and Not

I know it is meant to be What's hot and Not Wednesdays, but I thought of a few things when I was out walking this morning.
Hot:
The weather at 5.30am - just perfect. Not the time I really want to be up, but all the children are so I may as well walk/jog while they eat breakfast with Chris.
At 5.30am there are not many people around which is good if I am trying to jog.
Banjos and Double Basses
Mumford and Sons - this is in my head today.



Not:
Sultanas - I wish there were more breakfast cereals without them.
The mess in my sewing room. I can't even bring myself to take a picture to show you.

Denim Bags

I know there has been a lack of blogging, but I have been panicking and sewing for Upmarket next weekend. In between the toy and hat sewing I have been working on some new bags.
Now I must get back to the panicking and sewing.

A-line Skirt

I can't believe I didn't have a basic A-line skirt pattern that I know fits me. Last night I took the Barcelona Skirt pattern by Amy Butler and a copy of Sew What! Skirts and drafted one.
I used some quilting fabric from Spotlight which I think would be a bit too thick for quilting, but is just perfect for skirts and sewed away. I needed a few darts at the back, changed the shape a bit and added a facing. I traced a copy onto thick non fusible interfacing.

Now I have the perfect for me A-line skirt pattern. Six more to go and I'll have one for every day of the week.