More birthday present prepping!!

Remind me next year, that if I'm going to buy only handmade items for my girls birthdays then I need to get sorted at least a month before their birthday, not a week..... none of the items I've bought her have arrived and we leave for New Zealand tomorrow!! So I need to add something to the little satchel I made her earlier in the week

A long while back I tested out an Art Caddy pattern for a friend of mine - Miquita from Damaya Designs back then my little miss wasn't really into drawing, well, not on paper anyway - fridges and walls? Yea, sure!

So I thought I'd get that pattern out and make her a new art caddy and get her some new crayons to go in it. The pattern itself is really easy to make - no printing necessary, just cut the measurements as per the pattern and away you go!

I adjusted the width of the dividers to fit in some textas I bought her as well - easy peasy - instead of 3/4" apart I made them 1.25" apart - sure it meant I can't fit as many in but she really only uses a few colours anyway!

I used some scraps left over from the satchel to put some little appliqué's on the front and back of the caddy. I wonder if she will notice that Twilight Sparkle (her favourite pony) is on the back of the caddy and not the front... someone wasn't paying attention!!!

I think when we get home I'll be making a few more of these as Christmas presents for her little friends.

T xx

Movie Inspiration - Breakfast At Tiffany's

I saw a dress on a non-handmade website a while back and immediately thought it was reminiscent of  Breakfast at Tiffany's, so after buying the Boo! Designs Gallery dress I thought I'd give it a go to make something similar for my daughter.

After a little chat with the lady at my local fabric shop, I decided on some suiting fabric - it drapes really well and doesn't require ironing!! Wait?!? What?!? NO IRONING!!!! My heart was screaming BUY ALL THAT FABRIC! My head of course said "don't be a clown, lets see if you're even capable of sewing it first!"

The fabric was a little slippery, so I had to go a little slower than I normally sew and it was my first attempt at this pattern and an exposed zip as well. But it was exactly what I wanted and looks exactly the way I pictured in my head!

She wasn't really up for the elaborate photoshoot I wanted to do but she did agree that for two pieces of chocolate, she would let me take 10 photos .... I took about 50 and these were the best of them all hahaha

The pattern has collar options as well if you'd like to add a collar, as well as many sleeve lengths and cuffed or elasticated sleeves. As well as the option for a tunic length. I added the contrast panel myself by measuring the length I wanted for the contrast, adding in the seam allowance and then chopping that length off the dress pattern.

To add the lace in, I laid the lace down on the contrast panel, raw edges matching - I used fabric glue to tape the lace to the fabric so it didn't move.

 I then flipped it inside out and upside down lined up with the raw edges of the dress so that the lace was sandwiched between the dress and the contrast panel - right sides together, raw edges together.

I then overlocked all the layers, flipped the contrast and lace panel out and top stitched it so it would lay flat.

All up, it was a great blank palette pattern that you can use to create any look you're trying to achieve. Boo! Designs also has a sewing group on Facebook where you can ask questions relating to the Boo! patterns and share your creations.

Happy Sewing
T xx