Lana tee for her and for me

It is not often that my girlies and I appear on the blog together, but here I am with my big love participating in the Lana top and dress tour today. This is the latest release from Coffee and Thread.

Finch dress

Today is the first of the month, which means a new theme for a Sewpony sewlong is revealed! The month of October is all about sewing with stretchy fabrics.

Sewpony has a number of patterns specifically designed for knits, like Cosi swimsuit, Catherine cardigan and Issie top (available for girls and women). But I know that the Finch dress works for knits also. I made a test version in a knit fabric to see if it would work, and it did. Now it is getting warmer on my side of the globe I decided to make a short sleeved Finch for my little love.

Birch + straightgrain tour

Miss R loves animals. She wants to be a vet or a zoo keeper when she grows up. Last time we went to the zoo she quizzed a couple of keepers about their job and how to become a zoo keeper! She reads any book about animals she can find again and again. She enjoys watching documentaries about nature and animals.

It did not come as a surprise when Miss R chose Sunny Forest print for her new dress. This is one of the prints from the new line of organic fabrics from Birch, the Whistle collection by Jenny Ronen. These prints are available in woven and knit. 

Moiano coat

I find sewing coats very relaxing. Every step requires concentration, so I slow down enough to really enjoy the process.

Nivalis dress for winter

Why must winter be so cold and dark!

Obviously this is not something I can change. However I can make bright warm clothes to help us deal with winter better. I can, and I did.

This is the Nivalis dress and tunic pattern from Sofilantjes*. I made a summer version of this dress nearly two years ago and have been planning to make another one 'soon' ever since.

Isa dresses

Brace yourselves for more twinning sisters style!

Ok, the remark that their dresses are not identical is absolutely legitimate, but still, I used the same pattern for both of them, so my girlies are still twinning? Sort of? Kind of? Yeah?

Tic Tac Toe dress in denim

How many denim dresses can one little girl have, one might ask.

At least one more, Miss L and I would reply.

Louisa dress... again

I was not sure how to introduce this new dress I made for my little love because I don't think that the Louisa dress pattern from Compagnie M needs an introduction.

Finch dress (test version)

When Suz of Sewpony made it public that her new pattern, the Finch dress, was ready for testing, I volunteered to sew it in knit fabric.

This is my test version of the Finch dress patternt. Please bear in mind there have been a few changes made to the final pattern, I will list them later in the post.

#119 Puff sleeve cardigan from Thread Faction

Friends, miracles happen! My big girlie has never been a keen model. There have been periods when she simply refused to be photographed. However at one of our last photo-shoots she was coming up with various cool poses, twisting, twirling, dancing, blowing kisses... all without any direction from me!

Jeune twin set

A little while back my friend Suz, the talented lady behind Sewpony, shared a secret with me. She said she was working on a pattern that she wanted to release as a surprise. She asked a few ladies to help her test the pattern. For a little while a few of us whispered in secrecy, sewed the pattern, shared feedback... Today is the day we stop whispering. Our little project is no longer a secret. Today Suz released her newest pattern, the Jeune twin set.

Catherine cardigan

Autumn is here. A season of long walks, crunchy leaves and comfy cardigans. OK it is only the second day of Autumn, and it doesn't even feel like Autumn yet, however I decided to be organised and made a Catherine cardigan for Miss L.

Family reunion dress in linen and liberty

Last year I made a Family Reunion dress for my little love to wear to her Aunt's wedding. This year I used this pattern again to make her a Christmas dress.

Janie dress

Miss R: Mummy, can you make me a stretchy dress?
Me: Sure love.
Miss R: It needs to be super twirly, so that when I spin you could see my knickers.
Me: Sure love.

Of course we all understand that my daughter's request meant she wanted a knit dress with a circular skirt. In other words, she wanted a Janie dress by Mouse House Creations. So, While she was sleeping...

Playing favourites

Some things are special because of the memories attached to them.

I remember Miss R as a three year old dragging this ice cream printed fabric through Mildura Spotlight asking me to buy it. Three times I put it back on the shelf, and three times she pulled it back down. I remember her using this fabric as a blanket on the way home from Mildura (perhaps she didn't trust me with it thinking I would put it back on the shelf again hehe). Miss R wore the first dress I made with this fabric for three years!!! There are certain benefits when your child only seems to be growing upwards.

Rushbrook dress

What could possibly make my little love squeal with delight? Chocolate. Ice cream. And a blue dress with pockets, buttons and some floral print thrown in the mix. And when I say Miss L squealed with delight when I showed her the Rushbrook dress I mean just that. She had her little hands in the pockets before I managed to put the dress on her! 

The Rushbrook dress and top is the latest release from Titchy Threads. This pattern comes in a dress or a top length, has a floaty A-line silhouette and features a subtle racer back. It can look simple and sweet or one can add pockets, flutter sleeves, placket ruffle or/and a hem ruffle to change the look of the outfit. Sizes range from 12-18 months to 12 years. 

Nilah dresses

There are times I surprise myself. I mean, I bought a newly released pattern from an unknown to me designer, made two dresses straight away, one for each of my girlies... in the same fabric. What's the world coming to!

Rain Dance rompers

When I showed Miss L her new Rain Dance romper from Titchy Threads our conversation went like this:

Me: Do you like it?
Miss L: Pockets?
Me: Not on this one.
Miss L: No.

Despite the lack of pockets Miss L wears her Rain Dance rompers all the time! There might be no pockets, but there are flowers and buttons, and that is enough to keep my little love happy. Well, almost ;)

Louisa dress for a kitty lover

Miss R has always loved cats. She has been asking for one for a few years and I always said we could get one later. Much later. It is not that I don't like cats. I just feel I have enough living creatures to keep... well... alive. I didn't really intend on getting a cat anytime soon.

However a few months ago we visited a pet shop on a day when they hosted a pet adoption program. One of my friends was there with her foster cats. I thought Miss R would like to pat a few cats and maybe have a little play... An hour later we found ourselves adopting a gorgeous black and white boy cat named Boots.

Pockeeets

It is confirmed. The love for pockets is in my daughters' DNA.

You should have seen the excitement on Miss L's face when she discovered her Lil Critters overalls had five pockets! She instantly started putting her little hands in the pockets, one by one, giggling and repeating, 'Pockeeeeeets!'