Baby blanket and some end-of-the-year thoughts...

I finished the simplest baby blanket for the coming baby of my sister in law...
One side is made of Fleece, the other is Cotton. I added an applique and finished it in the easiest way possible. I saw this method in Parparim's blog... it is easy and cute...
The applique is from Izzy & Ivy Designs... free!!!
So here it comes...




Now for the end-of-the-year thoughts...
I have learned a lot this year! I baught many patterns and so much fabric... and sewed many items,
My zippers got better. I made pants for myself, and a couple of skirts...
I've made many many clothes to my girls and quiet a lot of gifts...
Lessons for me, for the coming year:
1. I have so many patterns! Think before you buy!!!!!
2. Try to resist the urge to sew the girls everyday clothes... They have enough! They have more then enough! Special occasion clothes are enough!
3. sew more for me! I do NOT have many clothes... I can always make use in some more.
4. Do not sew skirts... you rarely wear those, even though they fit and you like them...

Plans for the coming few months:
well, January and the begining of February are difficult months. I have many cakes to make. Two for a good friend's daughter and three for my soon 4 years old girl!
so for January - I need to make the birthday girl a dress... and pants for my self.
On February I'll probably start with the Purim costumes...
and after that... we'll see :-)
Bye for now!

I've been away...

I haven't posted in very long...
Much worse, I didn't even keep track of all these amazing blogs that I have been monitoring closely for the past year or so...
I'm having some difficulties these days, I get tired easily and need a lot of sleep, I have very little energy for anything but what MUST be done; handling the girls, working, sleeping...
I hope to get on track real soon.
I still managed to finish a gift for a friend of mine. She asked for a Yoga Bag. We found together this free pattern by Amy Butler right here...
It took me too long, because everything does these days, but really is it a very easy pattern. I did not use interfacing because I used red drill fabric for the outer fabric and I figured it is good enough.
I had nobody to model the nag for me, so the picture isn't really great, but it really is OK, looks like the original bag.
I hope my frind likes it!



I also almost finished a baby blanket for my sister in law... I hope topost about it really soon, and I hope to get back my lost energy real soon, as I have so many plans...

happy holidays all of you who celebrate Cristmas and new year!

new baby set...

Well, I made already quiet a few attempts for a baby gift for my sister in law who is due in two month. Nothing was really it...
but this is!




The romper is from an old Ottobre issue, I have already made it several times. for example right here. It is made fo baby cord. The jacket I also reviewed in the past. But I made it with fleece on the inside to make sure it is warm.
I like it...

I still want to prepare a blanket and maybe some other stuff.

On another note, I am having some difficulties these days being creative. There's a lot on my mind and for the first time in many years I find myself prefering to do nothing at the evenings... I'm still doing things, but I guess a lot less then usual. I hope I return to being my old self really soon!

more carolines...

As promised...




Pattern Review:
There is really not much to it... you attach the layers of the skirt, you construct the pants, then you attach them together at the top and treat them as one for the sake of putting in elastics...
I've made no changes from the pattern. Only two points to keep in mind
1. Stretchfabric ONLY!
2. The pants are long... from the images in the Farbenmix site I thought the leggings are not the full length of the leg, so I first made it longer, to make sure it'll be good for the winter. As it turned out, that was not needed at all! The pattern as it is drawn is for long leggings,
I like this pattern, I'm sure I'll make it every year, because it is cute, simple and very suitable for school and kindergarten!

On another issue... for the past two days Israel has faced terrible fires! The origin of the first fire is still unknown... but the additional fires are caused by people... unbelievable! Many people died, thousands of people lost their homes, 3 million trees were burnt, many many wild life animals were lost... and it is not over yet...
The fire is not too far from our home, we were asked to close all windows. We really hope it will end soon!

Caroline, simple and practical!

Caroline by Farbenmix... need I say more? I was not aware of this pattern until I saw this blog entry of WillowAndMoo... I did not win that giveaway, but I wasn't going to let it stop me!
I did think long and hard before buying this pattern. It looks simple, I think if I tried hard enough, I could have come up with the correct measurements for a cute knit skirt over SCKL Riviera pattern...
But then I realized - I want it to fun! I want results... yes, I think money used to buy good patterns that will serve me for years to come, is money well spent! don't you agree???
Anyway, I got the pattern, and I already made three pairs. The forth one is in the works. and I love it!
It is easy, and simple, and so practical, if the winter ever starts here, my girls will still feel pretty going to school, but they will also be well dressed!





The other two Carolines will be posted really soon!

My 4 years old insisted that I take a picture of her in her favorite dress.... the Dora dress.

Let me tell you, no dress I made for her comes even close to make her happy the way this Dora dress, which I baught for her several months ago, makes her happy and it cost me practically nothing... makes you wonder... should I be offended? :-)

Ruthie's Romper

I saw this pattern not long ago... And I had to have it!


I thought it would be a great outfit for Hanucca...
I know, rompers are not practical...but for a party, when I am near her all the time, I thought it's just cute enough to justify being not practical. I mean... we have to sacrifice to be pretty.. right?
Anyhow, I couldn't get the shirring right in my new Brother machine, so I returned to my old Sovina for that.
First, the pictures




Now... the fabric... gorgeous, right? I am not sure what it is... it's 100% if I remember correctly, but it's not quilting cotton, it's draping, not wrinkly.. I love it. I got it about two years ago in dotsnstripes, my favorite English store. I really need to have a family member go to the UK again...

The patter,.. My girl is 98 cm... So I chose size 4 for her and it is HUGE! It's good, because I plan on the romper for next year too... But it was very long... The pants length without the ruffles (that are pretty big) were longer then her legs... So I had to shorten it quite a bit before I could attach the ruffles.
I like the explanations, I like the pattern. I am not sure I'll make it again, my 7 years old is too big for that, and I don't the need in having two rompers for my 4 years old... again, this is not something I can send her to preschool with.

If I do make it again... here's what I would do different - I attached the ties as instructed... but I think it should have been more to the center, because the ties seem to be too wide for my daughter's shoulders...
and I'd cut it much shorted to begin with.


On another matter - I won a giveaway!! and not just any giveaway... I won the Rosetta Ruffle bag by Sisboom! Let me tell you, it was so hard to choose just one pattern from all the patterns right here... But then I saw this two amazing example of the Rosetta bag made by Jenny from sewprettydresses and Tas from LittleBozzle... I knew what I had to choose... Thanks so much, Madeline, for letting me know of my winning. Thanks for much Sisboom!

Little Girls Big Style... Review!

I guess most, if not all of you are aware of this blog, Conefession of a craft addict... But just in case you are not... go there! Have a look!
So when I understood Mary Abreu is having a book... I waited... and it arrived last week!
You can see some of the outfits from the book in its flickr page !



About the book
so pretty! great photos.. great inspiration! I can see my girls wearing any item in this book, and feeling special! There are only four basic patterns, but endless variations! All patterns are made of woven fabric, which is great also!
The paper is made of a very high quality! I think the patterns are simple, very easy, and so the book is very good for beginners, that want to sew for the little girls in their lives very quickly and with great results!

So this weekend I pushed aside some other tasks... and I started! The first thing was the basic top and ruffled pants outfit. I made it in just a few hours... very easy!
I madeit for my 7 years old. I traced size 6, and added seam allowance as I was sure (I didn't even check...) that size 6 will be too small.
I ended up with a cute set, a bit too wide for my girl, but that's OK, because in the coming winter she'll have to wear a top under the set, and in summer after that, this outfit will probably fit just great!
The pictures were taken at home... not the best place, but I really didn't want to wait...
So here it comes...





well, I still have two more items that need to completed soon, and then I promised my little one a dress from this book!
so... until next time! :-)