26 seconds

Snowing, snowing, snowing.
And no sewing!

No, this is no attempt on poetry, but it's actually what's going on!
Just now this is what it looks like from our windows here is beautiful Sweden!
Enjoy the pre-Christmas feeling!

So I made this short film which only lasts 26 seconds. Then I googled "26 seconds" (god knows why!) and found this: Powerful Films in Just 26 Seconds. I really like the concept. Ok, so my film isn't powerful, but it captures reality just a few minutes ago from..... now!

Good Night Cross Eyes!

 Boo!

 

Bed Time! Good night Cross Eyes!

 

The lowest-key ever Halloween!

Ok, so Halloween isn't a big thing in Sweden. But we still think it's fun to have a pumpkin. The cross eyes were designed by our oldest son and the happy smile by our youngest. Mr. Pumpkin's name was chosen by  Pappa. And I did the carving. A great family project! It's a Happy Halloween after all!

Happy Halloween for those who celebrate it! And a Happy Day anyway if you don't!

Good Morning! It's Snowing!

We got the first snow today! I think it's a bit early... And I haven't even managed to post some of my Autumn-mushroom picking-photos. Isn't it beautiful, though? My four year old son danced and skipped all the way to kindergarten with a Christmas Eve joy in his steps, so happy with the snow!

I couldn't resist taking some photos of our first snow this morning. I hope you enjoy them!

 

A slightly (?) kitsch rose...

I love snow! So, let it snow! 

 

Girly Skirt - One More!

 Strawberry Fields  

Girly Skirt

Easy to make in endless variations and combinations! 

I've lost count of how many of these Girly Skirts I've made now! I love them not only because they are very easy to make, but especially because of their simplicity which really allows for the fabric to stand out and for all the different variations you can make. 

 

I love this strawberry fabric which I got in the local fabric shop, and also found some in this shop in England.

It's a lovely, light, easy to iron, cotton which I have used in different colour backgrounds: in black, white and now this one in blue.

Big Butt Baby Pants - Made by Rae. Made by me!

I had been looking for a good baby pants pattern to sew when I came across this lovely one by Made by Rae. It's called Big Butt Baby Pants, which is a perfect name as there is really enough space for a big soft cuddly warm bottom with nappies.

This is the back view with the rear pannel to allow extra room for "the big butt".

It was a bit tricky and fiddly to sew the leg seams together, with the rear pannel, and it ended up not very neat, sort of puckering at the bottom. I thought it was me doing something wrong. But then I was relieved to hear that everyone else sewing this patterrn, even Rae herself (!) had the same problem! So Rae was great and wrote a post just about the changes she has made in the sewing instructions, to avoid this problem. If you're planning to sew these pants, and I really reccomend this pattern, be sure to check Rae's alterations here first! Then you're set to have the cutest pair of baby pants!

The pattern says that top stitching of the rear pannel is optional. But I really reccomend it as it does add a little special touch to the pants.

 

This fabric is a lovely lightweight, smooth to the touch, cotton which I bought during our summer holiday in Shrewsbury, England in a lovely shop called Watson & Thornton.

Blue & White - Autumn Can Wait

 Anda Dress - Burda #7969 - Slightly modified with more fitted waist

Summer shorts - own pattern (using old shorts)

While Autumn is busy out there turning all the leaves into the most amazing reds, yellows, oranges and browns, and while all the other bloggers on this side of the world are already into the Autumn theme, I am, as usual, a bit behind.

So, before there are no leaves left on the trees here I'd like to show you two Blue & White summer creations I made for the summer that went. 

 Me in my Anda Dress, in our lovely country place in Portugal!

The floral fabric is from my local Panduro.

Summer shorts my my cutest little nephew! Gingham fabric from local fabric shop.

 And back pockets cut on the bias with contrasting thread.

Maybe this can be an inspiration for you now, if you're feeling summery, or for next summer!

And just so you know, I'll be posting two more summer projects soon!

But yes, I know it's Autumn!

2 Bunnies and 1 Dog

A VERY BIG THANK YOU to Annette, from Waxy Pin, for making these absolutely beautiful sock puppets she sent to the Campaign for the Portuguese Cancer League.

Annette is one of the very kind bloggers I've met through blogging. Not only is she very kind but also extremely artistic! Check out her amazing Circus Apron for Angry Chicken's Tie-One-On Circus Theme, and all the other things she creates!

Another VERY BIG THANK YOU to Baukje, form Busy Bee Free, who has also been so kind to send this ever so cute dog to the children's cancer hospital, for the same campaign.

Isn't it cute! Woof! Woof!

I've also met Baukje through blogging and I've really enjoyed being in touch with her! Baukje really enjoys knitting and sewing and makes such beautiful stuff! I really recommend you visit her blog and see her crafty projects and other lovely posts!

If you get inspired and also want to contribute, it's never too late! do like Annette and Baukje and send over a sock puppet!

For the Portuguese Cancer League

As I had posted earlier the lovely children's clothes shop Piri Piri in Lisbon, Portugal, has been driving a campaign for the children's cancer hospital in that city. They are collecting sock puppets which anyone can make and will then donate them to this hospital. It's a fabulous campaign and they already have a few hundred puppets!

It turned out that one of the owners of Piri Piri was an old friend from school! 

And over 20 years later (!!!!!! Am I WE that old????) we met up again! In her shop!

Me with Cristina in Piri Piri

 

Here we are! And Cristina still looks exactly the same! With her contagious and always so so happy smile!

Isn't the shop just beautiful! If you visit Lisbon don't miss a visit to the shop, for a browse, a buy and a lovely chat with Cristina!

What are we holding? 

I was so happy to be able to personally donate the two puppets I made at home with my kids for the campaign. And there we are, holding them!

If you want, join the campaign! Make a sock puppet and send it to:

Loja Piri Piri

R. Almeida e Sousa, 39-A 

1350-008 LISBOA

Portugal

This is also the adress where you can visit the shop! It's located in a beautiful part of town which is really worth visiting!

Check out the link for this campaign on Facebook!

1 Year!

Yes! My blog is 1 year old today!

And to celebrate - although modestly - I've made a pair of Quick Garden Gloves because that was also the first project I posted about exactly a year ago! And also because it's a nice introduction to the next theme starting  very soon on this blog!

This time I added little loops so you can hang the gardening gloves. And I think it really gave them a nice little extra detail which is also very useful! What do you think?
The fabric is from a children's top from a second hand shop. And, as usual, I like using contrasting thread.

 Although I don't normally use gardening gloves when I'm gardening it's so fun to sew your own and to have them hanging there where you can always look at them and feel happy!

 Gardening gloves in action on my balcony! 

Hint to the next few posts! ...

* * *

Now, back to the blog business. Many times I feel I should just stop blogging as I have enough things going on anyway. Many times I'm not even sure why I blog. But when these questions pop into my head, someone drops in a sweet comment, or someone sends me a gift, or someone commissions something... and then I feel that maybe there is a point with my blog.

I have met so many creative and kind people. Some of you I've now even met personally! And the positive and constructive attitude of all the bloggers I've come across has in itself been one of the biggest sources of inspiration.  It's been wonderful to get the support of those who pop in for a look and a read.

So thank you so so much for your company! And I hope you will continue to visit me! I have definitely enjoyed having you all around!

And although today is Friday the 13th I'm sure this is the start of a new and very happy and productive year!

Yard Sale Skirt in Vintage Fabric

Finally, a year after sewing it, here is my Yard Sale Skirt from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross! 

It took a year to get some photos of it!

Although at the very beginning of my sewing phase, it was an excellent item of clothing to sew:

1. It was a skirt, and I love skirts, all year round. 
2. It didn't require a zip
3. It had just enough challenges that both made it accessible and took me a step further in my sewing. 
4. It taught me how to do a french seam (look here, for example) and gave me plenty of practice on how to do it 
5. It gave me one of my favourite summer skirts!

I found the vintage fabric (60's?) in a flea market last year, here in Sweden. It was sold as a large table cloth and the minute I saw it I knew I just had to have it! I loved the yellow and the leafy pattern on it and after saying I was a student I got if for a great price!
So, with the perfect fabric I got a fresh and very practical summer skirt which I've worn a lot both last year and this year. I like the casual feel of the wrap around and it has a lot of twirl perfect for busy playful summers with my children.

Yard Sale Skirt

With my lovely L. giving me flowers 

in the Caldas da Rainha market in Portugal

Now, I wasn't aware of the errata for this book until much later, after finishing the skirt... When I had problems understanding how to sew the waistband on I thought I really should not even have dreamt that I could sew my own skirt, so I just did it how I htought it could be. And it works. But after coming across different customer reviews I realised that maybe it was really the instructions which weren't so clear... And luckily enough I didn't need the extra 7th panel which is really reccomended for the Small size.

So, if you plan to sew this skirt I reccomend you read through the errata and the customer reviews first.

But, I can still say I am extremely pleased with my Yard Sale Skirt in vintage fabric!

And for the book, I still highly reccomend it for its varied and inspiring projects, which you can actually do in a weekend! And use them and enjoy them for a very long time!

Everything Tote - It Sure Is!

This is my Everything Tote, from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing.

I made it almost a year ago and finally took some photos of it this summer, during our holiday in Portugal. And I was very pleased that my very sweet Godmother - who is a professional seamstress (so it was a bit nervwrecking having to show her the bag I sewed...) - accepted modelling it! She was very funny with whole thing and of course there were lots of jokes about vegetables...! We had a great laugh! Thank you Gina!

I know a lot has been written about this pattern, and the erratas in the book, and yes I did have problems with the handles, but in the end I got a great tote which really carries EVERYTHING! This summer we've used it as a beach bag, a market bag, a "mum" bag, a shopping bag.... And it just holds so much! And as a user, lover and dependent on big bags this was definitely a great project to have done. And I will do more of these, I'm sure!

The outer fabric is from Åhléns, from last year's collection. The lining fabric is deep pink cotton, from a local fabric shop.