Lotta Jansdotter Bloomers

We have been having some beautifully warm weather in Sydney the last couple of days and in the spirit I made my very first pair of baby bloomers - and if I may say so myself, they are just divine! I love baby bloomers and matching singlets for babies in summer - nice and cool but they still looked dressed. Unfortunately most of the bloomers available are very girly and not really suitable for boys.

So here they are in a bright blue gingham!

The pattern said to make your own bias tape from the material but seeing as the bias tape is on the inside of the pants I used some commercial bias tape that I already had in my stash. By doing this it meant that I only needed one fat quarter of material to make the pants - which I was very happy about because I have quite a stash of fat quarters.

They are a size 6-12 months but I was worried that they might be a little small. I've tried them very briefly on and they seem to fit N OK and he is 9 months next week. When I remake the pattern though I will cut it a little larger to make sure they still fit around December / January.

Of course I had to do the matching applique t-shirt to make it a complete outfit. I can't wait for summer now!

Clutch Bag and Coin Purse

I completed the matching coin purse to go with the clutch bag. What I like most about this little purse is that it has both a zippered compartment for coins and a little section to put your credit cards and notes - very handy.

It was quite quick and easy to make - although I did break a needle on my sewing machine sewing through some of the thicker parts.

It went together with this clutch as a little farewell present for J's pre-school teacher who is going off on extended leave for 6 or 7 months.

It's the first handbag I have given or even really shown anyone so I was interested in seeing the teacher's expressions. Unfortunately I don't think she was that impressed as she didn't really look at the clutch at all - so she didn't see the polka dot lining and because she didn't open the bag, I don't think she even knew there was a matching coin purse in there as well. Of course she was gracious and said "Thank you, you really didn't have to buy me a gift' and then she just put it away.

Maybe zebra print just isn't her style?

Some girly fabric

As I only have boys, my fabric stash is decidely boyish. Now I've made a couple of things for me, I've decided to have some feminine fabrics in there as well.

A trip out to the Remnant Warehouse loaded me up with some fat quarters (including the zebra print and pink polka dot seen in the last post).

Bags, bags and another bag

I know I haven't blogged for a week or so but I have been busy sewing and designing. Little clutch bags for a change.

I started off using the scraps from my snakeskin and chocolate linen but decided before I even finished the bag that it was just too small and that linen really isn't suited to handbag magnetic snaps - interfaced or not. The wonderful Sue from http://scrap-art-sue.blogspot.com/ gave me some tips and I decided to start again. As you can see, I didn't even bother to finish this one.

Second attempt and I just enlarged the pattern from the bag above. I love the zebra print and pink lining but I was not happy with the flap, it just didn't sit right. I used a medium weight interfacing but no pellon and I think it definitely needs the pellon as well to sit right.

Third time lucky ..... so I hoped. I enlarged the base of the bag and extra inch deep, changed the flap to a triangular flap and added a decorative button. Initially I was really disappointed because the flap - despite being the same length at the base as the bag when I cut it out, didn't cover the edges of the bag, but after looking at it for a couple of days now , I think I really like this aspect of it.

The bag is meant to be a gift to J's pre-school teacher who is leaving so I'm hoping she will like it. I am also going to make a matching coin purse that I saw on http://threadsofus.blogspot.com/2010/05/finally-something-for-me.html . I haven't really given anyone home made gifts before and I am not too sure how this will be received - what do you think - it is ok or does it look too homemade?

Well, I ran out of the pellon and couldn't do a fourth attempt until I re-stock. So I thought I would whip J up another one of these zippered pouches

I am determined to master this clutch bag and I will be back ......

Superhero cape

Whilst I am working on uploading the new photos, I thought I would share an old project with you - one of the first things I sewed for J!

It's the world famous Puking Pastilles superhero cape with a reversible batman/superman design.

J is still going through his superhero phase and this cape has been worn to the Supermarket and out and about on many occasions. Although only ever on the Batman side, apparently the superman cape is not as big a hit?

We've got mail!

So, I'm right in the middle of taking photos of my latest creations for the blog when the doorbell rings.

It's the mailman with a package for me. Of course J had to do the honours of unwrapping.

Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby that I ordered from Book Depository. It's here!

Oh the projects just look so fabulous, I don't even know which one to start with. I saw this book in a shop whilst we were away one weekend and I had to have it. I'm off to drool for a bit now and will be back later to blog all the bags I've been working on.

More outfits for the boys

I'm sure I've mentioned before how much I like the Little Explorer pattern by Make It Perfect? Well I've made another 5 pairs for the boys for Summer!

3 for J: 1 in black linen, and 2 in Denim (spiders and stripes contrast trim).

and 2 for N in Denim (same as J's - the spiders and stripes contrast trim). N was supposed to have another pair in a chocolate linen but I seemed to have *ahem* misplaced that material!

The shorts for N are a size 1 and he is only in size 00 at the moment which is why they look quite big on him.

I love the denim but next time I will do it with a contrasting thread. The matching thread colour just makes the pants look too homemade. I'm also thinking about putting in a fake fly on the denim ones.

And of course there will be matching appliqued tops to follow. I'm just trying to draw some of my own pictures this time so we will see how they go.