Windproof fleece baby sling

I finally finished my second baby sling. I made a cotton one about a month ago (the white and red one), and then today I finished the orange windproof fleece babysling (as my baby will be born in July, which is winter here). The two layers of fleece, plus the windproof material, ended up being quite thick. I think it will be nice and warm, but it was a bit hard to sew so many layers on the seams. I had to make the seam in the curve lie flat rather than be the french seam in the pattern. I can't remember which pattern I used. I think it was either this one or this one. Here's hoping baby likes being carried in a sling!

Embroidered Everything Tote

After a pretty unsuccessful attempt to repurpose some curtain fabric to make an Everything Tote from Heather Ross' book Weekend Sewing, I had another go with an old thick-weave navy tablecloth. To liven it up a bit I had a go at sewing a pattern on with variegated machine embroidery thread. Although I only used straight and zigzag stitch. I put the variegated thread in the bobbin, so I could draw the pattern on the back of the fabric with a fabric chalk pencil. That's probably not how its supposed to be done, but it worked for me. I just had to hold the fabric flat and stretched while sewing, so it wouldn't pucker. I'm really happy with how it turned out, because I've never drawn my own picture before (I've always copied off something from a book) and I'd never done this sort of machine embroidery/sewing before.

The tote pattern was easy to follow, although I'd lost some enthusiasm over my previous poor fabric choice. I also made the binding bands a bit wider (1cm for the little binding, and 2 for the handles), as I found from my first go that the binding seemed to get very thin very quickly with thicker fabric. I wanted my binding to look like the picture. Also, I did the handles on the grain, not on the bias, as I find bias handles just stretch too thin when carrying something heavy, although I'm sure doing it on the bias would have looked smoother. I really like the bag, and I will make more. The size is great and it will hold alot. Although, I wouldn't mind making a few from thinner fabric, just to see how they turn out.

Weekend Sewing inspired sock(s)

Its coming on winter here in New Zealand and my feet are cold! I like the glove pattern in Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing book, and thought about applying the same principle to a pair of polar fleece socks. So I drew a line around my feet and heel, and here is the test sock. I just need to make the final pattern a tiny bit looser around the heel join. I learnt how to sew flat seems on stretch sock on you tube. Its amazing what you can pick up on there. Although I used the same general principle on making the sock pattern as in this tute, the polar fleece I'm using doesn't stretch much, so a bit more give needs to allowed for when tracing a foot pattern. It is at this point that I realised I really need to make a second sock - left foot is still cold. But I was tired and went to bed instead.

Coasters from scraps

I enjoyed reading Amy Carol's Bend the Rules Sewing, and thought I would put some of my scraps to good use and make the coasters project. Although I've been sewing for years, I picked up alot of good hints and tricks from it. Unfortunately, this means I can't throw away any scraps larger than 10cm square now... ;o) I have a big bag of old curtain material, so I used that inside the coasters, and then the backing was from a never-ending navy valance from our old, smaller bed. The tops were made from some scraps left over from making the BurdaStyle Charlie grocery bag. I've made about 15 of the Charlie grocery bags now, so too many to take photos of. But here is one to the left.

Amy Butler Kimono Bathrobe

Here is my first thing from the Amy Butler In stitches book. I made the medium size, again from the op-shop doona cover. I hope I use it up soon, otherwise everything I own will be green ;o) I think I have to stop making clothes now, because its hard to see how things fit and drape with a huge 6 1/2 months pregnant tummy in front! I look 9 months pregnant already. The pattern fitted OK, but I think it would sit better with slightly thicker fabric - the doona cover fabric was a bit thin. [Here is the final version]

Compact emmeline apron

This is my favourite emmeline apron I've made. I finished this a few weeks ago but hadn't had a chance to take a pic. I think I have enough of these aprons now... ;o) I noticed that I'm often out and about, and we stop at a cafe, and that's when I spill food/drink on my clothes - everything seems to land on my huge 6 mths pregnant tummy. I really need to be able to on-sell my maternity clothes once the baby is born and I can't if they get stained. So I made a lighter weight, non-reversible emmeline apron that I can fold up really flat and small and keep at the bottom of my handbag.

The straps at the neck don't tie - I tried it on and made it so it is the same strap that goes up one side of the bodice, around the neck, and back down the other side of the bodice. I did that strap with the grain, not on the bias. Somehow I prefer it that way. Also, I made the bodice taper about 0.5 cm on either side only right at the top, so that the bodice lies flatter at the top & doesn't gape. I made the straps at the back shorter too - the apron can only be tied up at the back. I did line the bodice and and a tiny bit of the top of the skirt, as I felt the stripy material was so thin it might not protect my clothes on its own if I spilt tea etc (sometimes I drop whole cups of tea on myself - unbelievable!). Finally, I cut about 5 inches from the tapering out of the skirt at the bottom. I think I could have cut another 3 inches off either side of the tapering again, because I only wear this as an eating apron, not a cooking apron. It would make it fold up even smaller.

I'm really happy with it, and its saved my clothes more than once. Phew.

Heather Ross Pajamas for Everyone

I just made some Heather Ross Pajama pants for myself. We think I'm not having food cravings with this pregnancy, but having sewing cravings instead! I made them from a secondhand (vintage) doona cover. I find doona covers have better patterns than the sheets I find here, although the fabric is often thinner, or a wider weave. I measured myself (I'm usually a NZ size 12/14), and thought I'd be a medium, but I should have made a large - its a bit tight over the thighs and hips. But then again, I'm 6 months pregnant, so perhaps any guessing of sizes is always going to be a bit off! I made the legs a touch straighter and wider (just a cm either side, I think), to be tapering slightly less than the original pattern. I had been wanting to made a similar pair of the Amy Butler Wide Leg Lounge pants (which I have since done), to see which pattern I like best, but I think I already like this pattern better (with the legs altered to not be so tapering, that is). It was very quick, and very easy to make. I'll definitely make more, although now I've satisfied this sewing craving, I'll wait until after the baby is born.

Miramar Peninsula, Wellington, North Island, New Zealand