ummm

if you're visiting... please bear with me as I blew up my blog and am trying to fix it with lots of help! edit: the gist is back... just gotta add the links and pics in the bottom and side menus again. If you've landed here from a link and it's not there, it will be soon. Cheers.

A little gnome...

This is the little (boy) gnome (Steiner style) that Zeke (aged four) sewed by hand at Kindergarten today. He was very chuffed with his work! The green is the 'cape and hood' of the gnome and the grey wool is the gnome's face.

I think all things considered he's done quite well and he is as I said, very pleased with it. I like that the children learn these kinds of things at their school, both boys and girls. It teaches them so many extra things other than 'just' sewing. Way to go matey!

Knot-taggie for Quinn

What's a 'taggie' you ask? Well, they're fairly simple really - much like children often like the box better than the gift inside it, so too for tags on toys. So the 'taggie' was created. You only have to Google to get an idea of what they look like. Anyway, I liked the taggie theme, and I liked the knot doll Steiner style theme, but I didn't want to do either of them as they were. So I made a 'knot-taggie' (KT). Took three goes on the pattern until I had the 'tail' long and wide enough to knot (and now it may be a little long) but here 'tis. With thanks to Donna for trading with me for the fabric (your TW is coming btw), and to Karen, Melinda and Michelle for ribbon and those others who offered - very much appreciated! I also bought some ribbon from B when she had her Kaszazz (formerly Krafty Kids) 'make and take' demo - I especially like the 'words' ones and may use a little of the words one 'across' the corner on the next one ('follow your dreams', 'it's a boy' and so on). Quinn however prefers the shiny ribbon and the dots ones - although he really likes black and white dots, I didn't have any of that ribbon. The blue side is minkee and the reverse side is bamboo terry (from a swap with Karen). I might make the ribbons slightly shorter next time.

So last night after dinner, I decided I would go Nike-style (Just Do It) and did, while Quinn slept on my back in the Ergo. So here's how I went about it.
*cut out your shape fabric - cut with either your fabric on the fold for a knot-taggie that will be the same colour/fabric both sides OR cut with wrong sides together for a KT with two different fabrics.
*cut your ribbons to length, fold in half and pin to the right side of one piece of fabric, with the loops facing in to the middle and the ends of the ribbon loops overhanging the edge of the fabric. It looks like it doesn't make sense but it will.
*stitch around in straight stitch to hold the ends of the ribbon in place. Pin the loop ends of the ribbon to the fabric so they stay on the correct angle when you stitch the two fabrics of the KT together. I also put quite a few pins in the fabric pieces themselves to keep them where they should be as minkee seems to like to wander when I sew! Click on the pics if you want to make them bigger.

*with right sides together and ribbon loops sandwiched between the two pieces, stitch around the outside in straight stitch, leaving one corner open.
*noting that there are pins inside, carefully turn the fabric right side out and check your loops. This is why to this point I only used straight stitch so that if I messed it up, I only had to unpick that rather than a mile of overlocking. If it all looks happy, take out the pins at this point (or after the overlocking in the next step) then
*Turn it back inside out and overlock all the way round. (take pins out now if you chose to leave them in before). Then tuck the open end fabrics in on themselves and stitch closed. (I do mine like I did my wipes, with the corner sniped on the diagonal)
*topstitch all the way around the taggie. This helps it sit nice and come back looking good after a wash. And you're done!

You may wish to make two (identical perhaps) KTs just in case they become 'the' favourite that can't be gone without, and then one gets lost! The ribbon really is quite secure given it gets two lots of straight stitching, then overlocking, then topstitching - however like any children's toy, check it out regularly to see that nothing's come loose or unstitched.
I've already been asked to make one for someone else and/or selling, but for now they're just for Quinn/as gifts. G'won... make one!

Now on to the next project!

Decal

Just a quick one for now - Window decal from Vistaprint. Had Brooke's (aka George's) invites coming and this was 'free' so added it in. Very pleased.

(link to ozclothnappies.org done with permission) I have made a 'knot-taggie' for Quinn and will post the pics on that one soon.

Week beginning 20th July

Ah look I was going to post my 'to do' for this week but simply put I am in the mood to kick some major 'goals' and adopt the 'just do it' with gusto! I started late in the afternoon today - but any time is a good time to start. Bring it on!

Also here's a link to a 'turn-pyjamas-into-an-apron' thingo I did a while ago. Just FYI because I forgot I did it and came across it the other day.

It's nearly here...

Yep - Reusable Nappy Week is nearly here! WOOT! :) Really we are spoilt for choice when it comes to nappies, and how lucky we are for that. Something for every baby and every situation. There's plenty happening and lots to see so check out the button links on the right hand side there, or on the link in this post, and see which event you might like to check out. Make your own nappies, check out retail nappies, advice and information. It will all be there! No folding, no soaking, no pins and plenty of choice to suit any family. If you're new to reusable nappies, check out OzClothNappies for more info and to answer all your questions and rebut the myths about using modern cloth.

Progress...

Luke the Lion or should that really be Luke the Tiger since he has stripes ... I think he's got species confusion LOL anyhoo - progress pics... I'm enjoying it!

Still broken but cradled...

I was thinking about it the other day... Quinn has 'healed' (not the right word) some parts of me after losing Brenna... not that I miss her less or ache less in that sense because I don't... but that how situations make me feel is so very different now, to before Quinn...iykwim I would read about other people feeling the same (before I was pregnant with Quinn) and while I heard what they said I never really understood how it made that difference... iykwim

I think it's that I haven't finished my pregnancy/birthing/Baby days on such a sad note and I think it's made a difference in that sense - that baby things don't automatically make me sad because they're in a different context now.
Although Baby Girls... seeing my friend's baby who was due the same time as Brenna etc still does catch my heart off-guard... there's still tears when I least expect them... that kind of thing... so I do still 'get' it... and while I've come a long way, I'm still a Mum to a little girl I can never hold again... one I wish for so much... long to see what she would look like now, playing with her siblings...

Sadly there is a new Precious Angel, born not too long ago into the world too early to a loving family... the ache has only just begun... rest Little Man with a handsome name. Whispered kisses to you, and to your Family. Hugs to Mum... xo

Much loved Little Man...

Sadly there is a new Precious Angel, born not too long ago into the world too early to a loving family... the ache has only just begun... rest Little Man with a handsome name. Whispered kisses to you, and to your Family. Hugs to Mum... xo

SO... who's gonna laugh first?

Who will it be that laughs first? LOL... I know I know, I said I wouldn't ever learn to knit (well I can cast on and knit lines/squares but that's it) - mostly because it would be one more 'thing' (I have a reasonable fabric stash for example, and then adding wool to it?!) plus I have unfinished projects enough as it is. However... knitting is a vital DIY skill, something I can do if Quinn is asleep in my arms in the evening and so on. Anyhoo so these caught my eye the other day at KMart but they were from memory 16 or 19 dollars - something with a one and a roundy number in it. Today at Spotlight (I only went for drawstring cord) they had them for $10... well I like the elephant and the monkey and the zebra and the lion... they only had the lion and I think that's also probably simpler for me than the others to begin with. Eventually I would like to do the elephant and monkey if they're still avail in the shops. So back to Spotlighting today... I bought needles to go with it but they are a 1/4 mm too big - is that ok? They are meant to be 3mm but are 3.25mm... I must have absent mindedly grabbed the ones next to the 3mm ones... Brooke (9rs, started knitting when she was 5/6) did have to remind me how to cast on (I did it 'manually' initially coz I couldn't work it out) and said watching me was painful so she cast on for me LOL. I have since cast on myself and am knitting nothing in particular from red wool... so I thought I may as well knit with a purpose... anyhoo this is the LION... I intend to give him a smiley face instead :) Wish me luck!



eta by bedtime tonight I am 21 rows in WOOT LOL and have changed colours several times... I'm enjoying it :)
ETA... it ocurred to me last night that Luke the Lion is in fact... a tiger.

bits and pics

some pics to share
Can't half tell Zeke spent a lot of his tiny months in a sling! It's a Queen-sized hammock by the way, underneath our huge (alleged) Nor-West Peppermint tree out the back - it's a massive tree. The sling can hold 4 kids (so far LOL) and I have only been in it once since we bought it (couldn't get in while pregnant). The kids love it and spend a lot of time out there in it. Dizzy-whizzies, all sorts of manouevres, tricks and everything else - some of them named apparently... 'the nappy'... 'the wedgie' (three guesses on that one!)... and here's Zeke...




This is Quinn sleeping on my back in the Ergo while I get things done during the day. We relegated the pram to the spare room once the Ergo arrived when Zeke was little. He lived in it as we were always out and about esp school and shops. We haven't even bought a pram this time round with Quinn - between the sling and the Ergo we have it covered in style and comfort and nothing to lug around.


and one of those 'in a blue moon' kinda things. Home made gingerbreads and free run on decoration!

Woot! (and not so woot)

Perfected my pattern today. Will see how it sews up - just waiting on a couple of supplies... pattern for what you ask? hmmm well you'll have to wait and see. Also one other pattern in the works. Picking up the last bits for that tomorrow, hopefully.

Further to this post, the two procedures I'm having done have been booked for this Monday. The receptionist of the Doc who will be performing it was minimally helpful, making me feel like I was dumb for even asking and tbh I didn't have much confidence in her reply even tho she said 'the doc said'... ABA can't answer medical stuff - fair enough - legal and practical I guess.

so I rang the Hosp where the proc will be performed and spoke to the lactation consultant (LC) there who was immensely helpful, answered all my qs about the prep for the proc and breastfeeding (bf), as well as the anaesth for the proc and bf and said that if I am too 'full' afterwards in the milk dept, then to ring ext number and say 'Deb said' LOL and they will bring the pump down for me to express so I don't get too full, and to simulate the feed I missed (supply and demand). Yay for Deb! All I wanted was the information, you know? so I can now relax a little bit more in that dept.

The LC advises: won't need to pump and dump but M those feeds won't go astray as it could be 3-5 hours before I am home again PLUS, I may need to sleep when I get home and I may be... indisposed... the night before due to all the bowel prep so I can assure you they will definately be welcome. Also I have been assured the bowel prep stuff won't go through the milk to Quinn
We are very very appreciative, so thankyou very very much, M. It's amazing to look at the milk sachets you've done and know you did that for Quinn... xo

Just have the fasting for 24 hours+ before (Sun morning to after the proc finishes Mon about luncthime) and bowel prep to look forward to LOL. Only clear fluids all day Sun and no fluids from 4am Monday, proc should be finished by about 11ish/lunchtime Mon. Then I plan to pump out at the hospital to sub for the feed I will have missed giving Quinn (so the supply/demand thing works) and drink lots of fluids on the way home (I won't be driving - thankyou K and N)... still... as we know its not the worst thing in the world that's for sure. And I guess in that sense, on Monday time will go quick for me since I'll be asleep for most of it! I think Sun will be the blergh part. Not to worry! Hope this finds you all in good health and heart, and keeping warm if it's cold in your part of the world xo

knocked out by Sista!

Well yesterday as I was sewing along, the kids were playing loonies/wrestling in the lounge room. Usually first injury and it's game finished. Anyway, I heard an exclamation then some excitement and wondered... yep... Brooke (aka Sister/Sista/'George') had accidentally knocked out Jake's loose tooth LOL with her foot! He said later 'be careful where my tooth came out' and Brooke said 'well close your mouth then!' not in a nasty way at all but it sounded quite comical. So the Tooth Fairy came last night...

beginning on the finishing list

I tried to say I wouldn't undertake new projects until the 'waiting' pile was finished... or at least substantially reduced. Well, Spotlight had 20% off... so I have fabric here waiting for the new projects LOL so my compromise is to finish one new thing, finish one waiting thing... see how that worked. So yesterday (post below this) I did Quinn's shirt that I had an idea for. Today replaced the elastic in a pocket nappy that otherwise has plenty of life in it. Also ironed and pinned another project that is welllll overdue... I had great intentions of completing it in a day (when I was pregnant with Quinn) and I just never did. So I ironed and pinned this morning (Hopefully it can go back to the owner on the weekend) and will be sewing while Quinn is asleep on my back (yay for the Ergo!). I have had Quinn in the back carry Ergo in a few times between 4months and now, but am finding now at about 5.5mths he fits in there well, and the back of the carrier supports his head while he sleeps (he's slightly shorter than the baby in the back carry pic).

ALso found some GREAT links and have started contemplating Christmas projects and gifts.

yay! Pleased with how today's sewing turned out!

As to sewing with little people, if you allow yourself to sew bit by bit you can get there and this is what I began and finished today. I'm quite pleased with how it went and boy do I have some more ideas! This was just a scrap of fabric, not enough fabric to do much else with - just enough for this project. (there's a few bits not quite right, so just humour me LOL) So Quinn has a 'new' shirt.