Beanies on a Knitting Loom

Final post for today! I discovered a great new knitting tool - a knitting loom. I only have one gauge size at the moment, but have done a couple of quick beanies with it. Here's some pics, including close ups to show the stitches.

Kitchen Curtains

Have recently moved house, and want to gradually replace all the horrible blinds in the house with curtains. I decided that in the kitchen I could get away with something bright, so have used the sun paints to create something. You'll be getting sick of seeing things done with those paints!
The curtains are a pair (actually, I did four - two of each, so that two could face out and two in, but I'm only putting up pics of one pair).

I took the photo with them lying on an orangey coloured rug. Along the top is a row of button holes if you're wondering what the little row of lines is.

Dragon T-Shirt

I made this t-shirt for my nephew years ago, and it has just now come back as a hand-me-down for my boy. The t-shirt is sewn from cheap purple jersey, and now I wish I'd used something better quality, as the picture still looks reasonably new, even having been through a couple of kids.

The picture has been painted on calico using fabric paint, then appliqued on. There are googly eyes on the dragon.

Cloud reward chart

This chart is out of felt. The bee and butterfly are slightly stuffed to make them 3 dimensional, and they have velcro hook on the back. When the kids are good they go up a cloud. When they're naughty they go down a cloud. When they reach the sun, they get to chose a treat from my "treasure box" (that contains little trinkets, like pens, stickers, kids' jewellary, toy cars, etc - under $2 each). Seems to work well.

Jeans and Pink Beady Top

This outfit is the same patterns as my daughter's red pants and stripey bead top, pictured earlier - from an Ottobre pattern. This time, the jeans are made from embroidered denim (bought with the embroidery at the bottom, so I used a sort of fancy stitch for the top stitching to "match"). The top is from pink cotton brodiere anglaise (spelling?) with white ribbons and clear beads. I also made a stripey pink long sleeve t-shirt that looks quite nice underneath the pink blouse for the cooler weather.

And now, the bad news. This outfit has been worn a lot over winter, especially the jeans. They're a favourite. But the other day, they got a really bad rip during some wild play. I've sewn them up, and the rip is in the inside leg, but it can still be easily seen. Still ... hoping they'll still be worn. She's pretty fussy!

Bright Boys' Clothes

Well, its been ages since I've posted pics of anything. I made these for my boy ages ago at the beginning of winter, when people were complaining that boys' clothes were all such dark or boring colours. He wears them heaps.

The painty top is hemp/cotton fabric that he painted himself (the sun effect paints) and then I sewed up. The other top is from fabric that I bought at a US online fabric store and is great quality.

The pants are very simple style in chenille. They are from old beadspreads. Learnt from experience that its best to put on a hanky pocket or two, so they're done in patches (partly for look, and partly because of the bulkiness of the fabric) - from a different chenille beadspread.

Easter Saturday Sewing

Easter Saturday I decided I'd make each of the kids a soft bunny, just using a very simple pattern. I have heaps of chenille (old bedspreads) so wanted to use that. This was to be a project involving them - minimal sewing and just quick, but they could chose the chenille, help with pins, help push through eyes, do the stuffing, etc. I have fond memories of stuffing a rag doll with my Grandmother when I was young (and the doll still sits on a shelf in my lounge room).

So after cutting one rabbit out, I decided that the cutting was pretty hard work, and my little boy didn't seem that interested anyway, so I asked him if he wanted a bunny or something else. After turning down his first suggestion - telling him I couldn't make a Buzz Lightyear (wonder how Buzz would look in chenille) he said he wanted a fish. Not sure where that idea came from, but at least it was simple!

So pictured here are the Easter Bunny and the Easter Fish.

Fabric painting again

We had another morning of fabric painting using the "sun effect". The kids did these. Fabric is hemp/cotton jersey, and they are so pleased with how it turned out (as am I) so I'm trying to work out the best way to use it. Planning on probably a long sleeve t-shirt each, but I'll have to cut carefully to get the best bits, and it seems a shame to have leftovers.


Each of the kids did one strip of fabric about 120 wide and 50cm long. There are two pics shown from each strip.

Boys' Jeans

I'm very pleased with these jeans for my almost 3 yr old boy. They are in a dark kharki (sp?) stretch denim, but have a comfy elastic waist - great for a little boy because he can get them on and off for the toilet himself.

The pattern is from Ottobre 3/05, pattern 15.

Two layer dress

This dress pattern is from Ottobre, I think 3/05. There is a dress, with a skirt underneath. Both dress and skirt have gathered layers - like a peasant skirt. For both of them I've used a fine cord. The buttons on the dress (front and cuffs) are white hearts. It isn't clear from the photo, but in the fabric there are red/pink flowers with green leaves between them. The green of the skirt is the same colour, so picks up that from the dress.

The dress is very loose, and looks very comfortable.

Beaded top and matching pants

Okay, there'll be heaps of pics of this. This is one of my favourite ever outfits. Inspired by a picture of someone else's creation posted on the Ottobre Yahoo list, I have made a top with contrast sleeves and frill. The pattern is from the 1/06 Ottobre. It looks so great. As we're coming into winter I've also made a plain red long sleeve tee that could go underneath for colder days. To match this, I made red drill jeans with contrast leg bottoms using fabric from the top - also using the idea of someone else's creation on Ottobre Yahoo. So I am very grateful to the fantastic, creative person who made the original garments in bright fabrics with contrasting patterns.

I am planning on making two more tops using this pattern - one in pink broderie anglaise (sp?) and one in pink gingham, so both a lot lighter, and some pale blue denim jeans to go with them. I'll also do a white long sleeve tee for underneath. Just have to find some more time ...

Red and Pink Girl's Outfit - modelled

Quick pic of that outfit from my last entry being worn. It looks great and comfortable. My daughter is always the brightest dressed child around!

Red and Pink Girl's Outfit

I finally finished these pants! I know why most clothes I make for the kids don't have too many "decorations" - they take longer to make. Having said that, although my topstitching could have been a lot neater, I'm please with how these have turned out. Now I just have to convince my daughter to wear them. She chose the clothes from a pic in a mag, but she wanted different colours that I couldn't get.

Both items are from Ottobre mag, 1/2006. The pants are made from drill and the long sleeve t is made from jersey. The pants are shown front and back. The front has more red - the red panels.

Knitted jumpers

These jumpers were from a while ago. I'm posting pics here now because I got them out to photograph when taking pics of the pink and red pants and top in the next post - was hoping the pink, red, yellow and white jumper would match. Now, I don't think so. Decided to post the pics here anyway.

So the pink, red, yellow and white jacket is a really soft yarn and is the girl one, and the blues and red jumper is the boy one, of course.

My first try at spinning wool!

I loved this. I had a little turn at spinning wool - with lots and lots of help. Didn't have long, and had the kids hanging around, which made it a bit more difficult, but I'm looking forward to having another go. As soon as we get a bigger house - at the moment I hardly have room to stand in the lounge room, let alone fit in a spinning wheel.

So I did (started off by an experienced spinner) the darker brown - quite uneven, but it was better than I expected. The cream had already been spun - leftover from a previous project, but I put the two together (whatever that is called). I so much want another try. The way this one turned out gives me hope that although it probably wouldn't be very even, I would be able to use my first batch of homespun wool! I'm sure it would make a nice jumper (or beanie!).

This picture is taken with the wool on a pale pink sheet! I know that was a silly background to choose, but I was rushing.

More pants - chenille, cord and lizard

I love these chenille pants. They are made from an old pink bedspread that was a bit faded in the middle, so the pants fade towards the top. On the front is a heart, appliqued from a very faded part of the same bedspread, and on the back - on her bottom, is a heart, appliqued from the faded part of the bedspread with a yellow centre from a yellow chenille quilt. They look great!

The other pants are some simple shorts made from lizard drill fabric, and my first ever item sown from Ottobre mag - I just subscribed. These are pants from Issue 3, 2005, but without knee patches - they are camo print pin cord.

Sewing Pants

The beanie is the one I started ages ago - been meaning to put a pick of the finished product up here for a while. It is made with organic wool that has been dyed using food colouring. The hat has turned out beautifully (and nicely, too big for either of the kids!).

Its been a while since I've done much sewing, although I have been knitting. I've just been too busy with other work. Well, today I had to do some for pressies. I just made a quick pair of pants for my niece and long shorts for my nephew - both turn 5 tomorrow. The first pair of pants were obviously going to be too big so I made a second pair.

These red with pink velour pants are the too big ones - too big for my daughter too, but they are very soft and comfortable, so she wore them.

Hmmm ... Photos keep uploading into the wrong place! The photos up the top - of the heart pants (which are a fine cord, with suedecloth pink insert bits in the legs), and the olive cord long shorts - will be the pressies. They are all very simple, quick styles. I just didn't have time for anything complicated. But they do look nice.