Seven-Stitches

Small Acts of Procrastination

2012-02-13T20:09:00.003+13:00

There have been a few detours on the path to completing the wedding quilt. While I can proudly announce that all the blocks are finished for the front, the chocolate afghans were good too.

I can't believe that it takes so many walnuts to get the perfect halves for the top of each glistening bickie. With nutcracker in hand it finally hit on the solution - crush shell and pass the rest to the kids to prise off. They appear to have the perfect combination of enthusiasm, patience and small hands.

My dearest is a dab hand at making these biscuits with the kids. My attempt was cheered on with cries of "Dad doesn't do it like that" and a few over eager requests of "Can I lick the bowl now?". It turns out their favourite ones are iced, but without the nuts. Next time I am tempted to put walnuts on them all, just to see how long it takes for the kids to work out that the toppings are only temporary.

Green, Grey, Black - A Wedding Quilt in the Making

2012-01-22T20:51:00.003+13:00

As my brother painted his house green, grey and black, I thought there could be a quilt in that. When he announced his engagement, I KNEW there had to be a quilt in it.

I'm slowly piecing the blocks based on this quilt and have seen that I'm not the only one taken with this colour scheme. It's been a few months in the making with snatches of sewing snuck in every Monday night. I have until St Patrick's day to get it finished for the Wedding.

Upholstery 101 - Procratsination

2012-01-15T20:05:00.004+13:00

After -The Eames-like detail that hooked me in

I have been trawling trademe for the dream chair to recover. I'm looking for the sort of chair that is local, and easy to cover. Of course, I shouldn't have been looking any further than my own lounge. So here we have my first attempt at upholstery.

Before recovering, after sunlight and small hands

I'm not sure if this counts as upholstery because I could remove all the cushions to measure up. The chair was in much better condition when I picked it up, but direct sun and curious fingers have forced me into action.

During - the naked chair

When I first picked up the chair, I was tempted to remove the cushions and leave it as is, for a homage to Eames look. However as these chairs reach the end the their lives, the wires come a little loose and have a tendancy to try and pinch your summery legs. It was either pick up the welding gear or the sewing machine.

After - chair ready to go

Now that I have a pattern ready to go I have 4 more to cover. There will be a little tweaking as the seat could do with a little less ease. I am eyeing up the gorgeous Outside Oslo fabrics from how about Orange for use on these. Any other suggestions for affordable upholstery/canvas fabric would be welcomed.

Fairy Tale T-Shirts

2012-01-08T13:32:00.000+13:00

I was getting a little carried away here before Christmas. A pile of new bright t-shirts were just calling out to be transformed. With a little freezer paper and ink, the new t-shirts were ready.

My initial stash of metallic pink and black inks* was not enough. Fortunately our local art shop had the inks on special and now I can mix up any colour I please. I'm thinking green frog princes and silver slippered Cinderellas.

For now, the girls are pleased as punch with their Christmas pyjamas.

*can you guess who chose each colour?

There's Still Time for Cordial

2011-12-20T12:32:00.004+13:00

At this time very year I have to start letting a few things go. I am letting go of the dream of making elderflower cordial. The fact that the flowers are now turning into berries helps a little on this.

However there is still time for cordial. This was my first attempt at making rhubarb cordial. the recipe was taken from this month's NZ Gardener and it needs only 6 stalks of rhubarb unlike some of the 1kg wonders that are out there. This recipe also boasts that it can be made the day before. I initially wondered who would be so disorganised, only to discover that would be me.

We are still tweaking the sugar ratio. I like my rhubarb tangy. However this 1 cup of sugar recipe masked all the mouth puckering, eye squinting glory of rhubarb leaving a subtle rhubarb scent and cloying sugary taste. Serving it with some gin and soda might fix that. Reducing the sugar by a third in the second batch appeared to work too.

On the other hand, here is the cordial recipe that doesn't let me down

Lemon Cordial (courtesy of the side of the King's Tartaric Acid box)

3 lemons - peel and juice
3 cups of boiling water
3 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon citric acid
1 teaspoon tartaric acid

Mix all in non metal bowl until sugar is dissolved and leave to cool. Strain and bottle.

Brilliant! That's another three gifts sorted.

Little Stitches, Big Changes

2011-12-18T06:11:00.006+13:00

This week I put the finishing touches on this embroidery. While it may appear to be a small thing, its completion marks the end of something bigger. This is the last piece that I will stitch on the train to work.

I am trading the commute that sees me leaving home at 6am only to return at 6pm, travelling almost 2hrs door to door, for a new job that is a mere 20 minutes up the road.

The kids are excited and my dearest is delighted. They met me in town on Thursday to help me pack up from work. With boxes in the car, we headed for home.

Before starting the new job, there are few adjustments to be made. I will eventually reset the alarm clock. It's 5:30 chirping on my first day off was more than unwelcome. On the other hand,while my body clock resets, I might just try and make the most of these few minutes of peace before the household wakes.

See It, Dream It, Make It

2011-12-13T17:56:00.000+13:00

I indulged in some colour co-ordinated decorations for the kitchen. Purely frivolous, I know. However, I didn't realise quite how taken Little E would be with them. For her it wasn't the colours, instead the mere thought that she could make one too.

She took up her crayons and started drawing. Each branch and decoration was narrated with delight. Once the picture was finished, we had to admit that yes, she could make one too.

We took the secateurs and trimmed some dead branches off the magnolia tree outside. After some more trimming and a spare box of baubles it was finished.

I cannot help but admire her systematic approach to making this happen. She is used me pouring over drawings of hypothetical renovations and projects with my father and a cup of coffee, as well as the occasional sewing project. Perhaps it runs in the family.

Pincushions and Crafting Sacrilege

2011-12-12T15:29:00.000+13:00

I find it really hard to cut into someone else's embroidery. While admiring the works that other people have made out of thrifted embroideries, my inner Nana gasps at small acts of crafting sacrilege.

Perhaps it was beyond help. Perhaps this is better that being holed up in drawer. I tell myself little consolations and move on, admiring the crafter's daring and bravery.

This tray cloth was truly beyond help. One set of three baskets was eaten away by a mysterious substance. In other places you could see the embroidery thread was all but gone where it had been ironed over and over. I tried to take a photo. It really didn't turn out. so you will have to believe me on this. I carefully cut around two of the intact baskets and some fragments of garlands to put this together, before raiding my button collection for the final touch.

Little did I think that four lots of 3 inches makes for a really big pincushion. In hindsight I could have made this smaller, but despite my initial daring, I can't bring my self to slice up these little baskets. One day, I might be brave enough but for now I will listen respectfully, to my inner Nana.

Chicken Scratched Dress and a Book Review

2011-12-11T20:08:00.005+13:00

I have always wonted to give chicken scratch embroidery a go. Occasionally, I find a table cloth or apron in the opshop with the distinctive stitched gingham.

After finding this darling dress, I felt it needed a little something to look less like a school uniform. The chicken scratch pattern is from Alicia Paulson's* "Embroidery Companion" and was originally meant for shelf edging. While I probably wouldn't recommend chicken scratch on such a small scale gingham, or polycotton for that matter (must remember to read the label first), I do like how this has turned out. Next stop a table cloth, I think.

I am loving this book at the moment. The patterns are just wonderful and I really love how she has utilised a wide range of sources and inspirations. You will find black-work sitting next to Ukrainian folk embroidery. I don't know what an experienced embroiderer would make of it, but for me, right now, as I begin to experiment, it is a great place to start. Alicia's encouragement to start with stitching something you love, leaves me with twitchy fingers and threads.

*Have you been reading along on Posy gets Cosy? Her journey to parenthood has had me both on the edge of my seat and in tears over the last few months.

Christmas Cards For 4 Year Olds

2011-12-09T13:18:00.005+13:00

As part of the Small Hands Christmas Swap, we needed to find some simple cards that everyone in the family could make. We decided on these Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree Cards. I know it's a bit of a mouthful to say, but so much fun to make.

To make your own you will need:
Card stock (we used red, obviously)
Ice block sticks
PVA Glue
Pipe cleaners
Beads
Pliers (for cutting the pipe cleaners)
Scissors (for cutting the paper)

Step 1 - Cut pipe cleaners and wrap then around the ice-block stick tree trunk. Using the pliers, pinch each set of branches to hold then in place and then, with the pliers again, trim the tree to shape.

Step 2 - Thread the beads onto the branches.

Step 3 - Cut card to size and fold. Glue the back of the trunk to the tree. If needed hold the trunk in place with pegs until the glue dries.

There you have it. Finished trees. The kids' involvement varies with age - Miss 4 was able to wrap the pipe cleaners around each trunk and both Miss 2 & 4 too great delight in threading the beads on. We even had enough left over to start making beaded stars and course, I got a little carried away thinking about other shapes you could make.

Unpacking

2011-12-03T21:47:00.001+13:00

We have been indulging in a little unpacking lately. The tree is up and lights on and the kids buzzing.

Always Rhubarb and Cake

2011-11-20T13:37:00.003+13:00

We have spent much of this spring rehabilitating our vegetable garden. We documented each step from digging, collecting manure and through to labelling each row as it was planted. The rhubarb had been flush with growth for the last few weeks. Then to my horror, as I tried to find the photos, I found the memory card had corrupted. That will teach me to procrastinate, but for now we still have rhubarb.

We have been eating stewed rhubarb on cereal, rhubarb muffins and best of all rhubarb cake. Here is the recipe for my favourite, Rhubarb Cake.

Rhubarb Cake

150g Butter
3/4 cup Sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 c Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup milk

Topping:
250g rhubarb chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C and line a 25cm square tin. Mix topping ingredients and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Gradually mix in eggs. Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk.

Spoon batter into the tin, leaving it in lumpy mounds. Add spoonfuls of the rhubarb mixture between, around and on top of the mound. Tip the remaining topping over the batter before putting into the oven.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Forgive me if I have shared this recipe before. I am nothing if not consistent.

Modern Christmas Runner into the Post

2011-11-14T13:42:00.004+13:00

After planning, cutting and stitching, my work for the Modern Christmas Table Runner Swap is done and in the post. After leaving it hanging on the wall for a few days, I decided that I really needed to add some french knots above the "e" before posting. I have even managed to get to grips with machine quilting using metallic thread.

For now, I will keep quiet about where it is going, but can only say it will be accompanied by two swift flying birds.

Lucy the Interloper

2011-11-12T20:35:00.002+13:00

We tagged alongto the Teddy Bear's Picnic, clutching Lucy and Giraffe. Despite being bearless we won a spot prize and had a wonderful time. It was so nice to see so many kids about from all over the Wairarapa, with parents and grandparents making the time to have a great day.

The Magic of Four

2011-11-07T21:14:00.000+13:00

We are discovering the 4 is a pretty awesome age. You learn to pepper your conversations with slang from the playground.

For real ! I'm not lying. Trust me.

How the last two got to be popular phrases I am not sure, Maybe we have a used car salesman in the making. When I asked E what she thought "Trust me" meant, she told me it was"Just do what I say!"

The coolest four year old trick is eyebrow wriggling. Her face almost creases with concentration and fixes you with a stare before some earnest brow wriggling starts. It is very hard to keep a straight face.

Then there are the tricks she makes up herself. Above you can see E "talking with her eyes". this consists of covering her mouth, talking and pretending the sound is coming out of her eyes. Very strange. Also strange, but not at all surprising is when she is talking with her eyes, pretending to be mummy - 'What's in the op shop today kids?'

No idea where she's heard that one. None at all.

All up, four is pretty cool. We're loving it. Excuse me now, while I go and ask how the hip kids say that these days.

Feeling Summery

2011-11-06T21:56:00.002+13:00

School fairs, scarecrows, facepainting and iceblocks. I think summer might be on it's way.

Garden Rescue

2011-11-04T21:47:00.003+13:00

We have been wrestling our vegetable garden into shape over the last few weeks and rescuing it from the clutches of weeds and errant tree roots. Little did I realise I would need rescuing myself.

Fortunately, I won a bundle of goodies from Ange at Mushroom Lane . The Hypercal came in handy when I found some nettles and again when the mosquitoes found me. In order to be prepared the mossie repellant came out as well and then at the end of the day, foolish me, also needed the sunburn lotion. I highly recommend all of them and she promises to have some in her felt shop soon.

Wishes for Dishes

2011-11-03T21:36:00.005+13:00

I have often wished for something magical that did your dishes while you were not looking. I think I may have found one. As you can see, Miss H had some time to spare while waiting to go trick of treating.

It has been a full on week in the Seven Stitches household and I feel like I am only just coming up for air. I'm looking forward to a day with the kids tomorrow, doing kiddy things and hoping for another visit from the cleaning fairies.

On another note, the Small Hands Christmas Swap partners have been emailed out, so everyone should be making or thinking of making at the moment. Wonderful, I'm off to put my feet up.

The Hot Air Balloon Necklace

2011-10-28T21:52:00.004+13:00

Sometimes wonderful things just happen. No real planning, just the happen-stance of ideas, material and mid afternoon sleeps.

This morning Little E was cutting out shapes, and handed me paper diamonds for a necklace. As i made my paper necklace, we talked about making a necklace with flowers, and she decided she needed a balloon and a sun. We started thinking about other things in the air and the drawings began. While I put the finishing touches on the sketch for this, E was already miles ahead and planning the next one. Apparently, it will feature an octopus and other things that live in the water.

This afternoon, as Miss H slept we chose colours, cut shapes and played hide and seek. Threading was a lot trickier that I thought. I will use thinner yarn next time. Listening quietly for the giggles before the seek part helps too.

And in answer to the question "does she like it?" I think we have a resounding yes.

Small Hands - Christmas Crafts for Kids

2011-10-17T20:35:00.005+13:00

Sign ups are still open for the Small Hands Christmas Swap. There is a delightful list of Helping Hands gathering below the button* to the left too. These Helping Hands have signed up on behalf of some very eager Small Hands. Drop me a line of you would like to join them.

I've been hunting for some craft ideas for your small hands. The projects above were found by searching through both The Crafty Crow** and Sew Mama Sew. You can find details for each of these projects in the following locations:

1 - Bead Stars
2 - Mini Wreathes
3 -Thumbprint trees
4 - Kids Felt Decorations
5 - Cork Trees6 - Paper Balls
7 -Clothes Peg Fairies
8 - Bullfinch Decorations
9 - Pinecone elves

And there is a whole heap of Christmas Card ideas over here too.

*It's finally working, but you will need to head over to the flickr group to get your copy of the button.

** Pure brilliance in kids craft. If you haven't visited there already, you must. Go! Now! or even shortly after signing up for the swap.

The Wedding Album, Finally

2011-10-13T14:35:00.002+13:00

This week has been a staycation. I’ve left the train behind for a week, and spent some well deserved time on my own. The oven has never been cleaner or the lamp shades brighter. I have been hunting through the garage for some elusive fabric, only to come up with this, our empty wedding album. With the random acts of cleaning out of the way, I was finally in the right frame of mind to fill the album.

The length of time since out wedding is embarrassing, not because of a child’s birth date or any such scandal, but because it took me 6 ½ years to put the photos in an album.

The photos were all taken by my sister in law as our wedding present. They were on film. This is almost positively retro cool now. I am even more impressed that there is no manipulation, cropping or such. She’s certainly talented.

It has been a lovely series of afternoons putting photos in order, remembering friends I haven’t seen in a long time and reminiscing about a very full and wonderful day. Especially dear to me are the photos of relatives who have passed away, including my mother in law, who died suddenly just weeks before little E was born.

Every year, in the month before our anniversary, I have vowed to finally get the photos in an album. Each year I was foiled by lack of time, lack of album or just that it felt like a chore.

I’m pleased that the time was right. It certainly wasn’t a chore. I’ve poured my self some big cups of tea, gazed in awe at how young we all look and finished the album. Now it’s time to tie a big silver ribbon on it and surprise the rest of the family.

Kids Clothing Week - Pockets

2011-10-13T14:19:00.004+13:00

Yesterday, I cut pockets. Today, I sewed.

If they weren't so fiddly, you would find pockets on all my kids clothes. Perhaps on my clothes too. I am loving extra stark top stitching at the moment. There was a lot of basting, pressing and changing threads. If I were to sew these again, I'd give the curved seam away. I found it tricky to get a nice shape given this combination of heavy fabric, contrasting thread and small pieces.

Kids Clothing Week - The Jiffy Dress

2011-10-12T12:15:00.005+13:00

In the interests of democracy, I have made a dress for Little E too. In the hope that she will wear it, I have let her pick the fabric. I was initially hesitant about her choice, but have to admit, the girl has taste. I love the way the darker lining provides an accent to the main fabric.

The pattern is Simplicity 8815 - from 1970. It is a "Jiffy Pattern" as it has only 2 or 4 main pieces. I am loving this name.

I have adjusted the pattern slightly to make it reversible however, I forgot that last time I made this, it was 4" shorter. Little E has fallen for her almost to the ankle dress. Now, I am left waiting for her to notice the length gets in the way when having adventures, before I can make any adjustments.

Kids Clothing Week - The Pinafore

2011-10-11T22:05:00.003+13:00

I have rediscovered my love of summer skirts and in making a muslin for myself, had just enough left over to make this dress for Miss H. My skirt is cut out and waiting. It may be waiting some time. This little dress needed some attention first.

The red binding is some American Jane fabric, that just whispered - "put me with denim". I made metres and metres of bias tape. My dearest talked me out of using it in my skirt. Now I'm having second thoughts. I don't want to be one of those people who dress to match their children, but I wouldn't complain about red spotty trim on my skirts either.

I am attempting to meet the Kids Clothing Week Challenge over at Elsie Marley - to sew for one hour each day, for a week. In the interests of diplomacy, a dress for Little E is coming up next.

Sunshine, Shadows and Chalk

2011-10-10T17:53:00.000+13:00

For you own private sundial-

Take one sunny afternoon, some chalk, a driveway, willing children and some time. Mark a spot for the feet. Trace around the shadow, wait and repeat.

Now that is has rained, it's time to start again.

I had a vague recollection of walking to the neighbours with roller skates but really had no idea how much I would love a smooth driveway until I had children, tricycles and chalk.

Cherry Picnic 2011

2011-10-09T21:38:00.005+13:00

After checking regularly and some plain old fashioned waiting, it was time.

Today was our annual cherry picnic, complete with catching, throwing and just plain fun.

Small Hands – a Child’s Christmas Swap

2011-10-05T21:09:00.009+13:00

In our house, we love to make things. We love to post them too. My children watch with awe as new parcels arrive in the mail box, so this year I am setting up the Small Hands Christmas Swap. It is a swap where the children have a chance to get creative and get posting.

Each set of little hands will be making a Christmas Card and a decoration to send to their partner. The task is inclusive rather than demanding. While you will not need to put glue to paper straight away, the swap has been set up early in order to get you thinking about it well before December.

Pairs of hands will be put together with some consideration of age. Upon consideration, a 9 year old has very little appreciation for 2 year old's experimental drawings and neither is the two year old impressed with intricate cutting skills of a big kid.

Here’s what you need to know:

When is it?
Sign ups are open October 6 – October 27
Pairs of hands will be emailed out November 2
Posting starts November 25 and finishes on December 9

How do I sign up?
Drop me an email seven.stitches.amy(at) gmail (dot) com with your name, the name of the little hands, your contact email and postal addresses, their age and two things about them and Christmas
i.e Miss January is 1, loves wrapping paper and twinkly things
or Master August is 7 and while he thinks spiderman is the bees knees, he thinks father Christmas looks pretty good in red too.
Be sure to join the flickr group too.

What if I haven’t a child?
If you have a significant set of little hands in your life, be it nieces, nephews or the kids you baby sit every second week talk to them about joining in. Perhaps it is something you could do together.

What if I have more than one child?
By all means sign up all who are interested and going to be able to take part in the swap.

Is it open to international participants?
Yes it is open to international participants. However to keep postage times short, if possible I will pair up the little hands within the same country.

If there is anything I haven’t covered here, drop me a line and I will get back to you quickly. Over the next few weeks I will be adding a list of participants to the side bar and posting links to some great tutorials for Christmas crafts suitable for little hands.

Small Hands - Watch This Space

2011-10-03T15:09:00.000+13:00

My kids love Christmas and they love opening mail, so I'm combining the two. You can join me.

The Small Hands Christmas Swap is coming soon. Watch this space.

Playing With the Timer - AKA my new top

2011-09-28T21:20:00.000+13:00

Little E and I were exploring the timer on the camera a few weeks ago to take a photo of a sewing project. It turns out the top of the clothes horse is just the right height for self portraits. However I am the first to admit I like the shot from the next rail down a little more.

The top is a kwik sew pattern with a few extra inches added to the length. It is brilliantly comfortable, but does suggest that it would also make a versatile maternity top*. I think I will stick with the conventional length in the future.

*In case you were wondering or were about to call my mother, no, I have no need for maternity clothes.

Shopping lists

2011-09-27T21:14:00.000+13:00

I love having a black board in the kitchen. It means that we can keep track of things we need to get in the next shop. Little E has put in a few requests of her own as you can see.

Christmas in September?

2011-09-26T21:28:00.000+13:00

September is not too early to start thinking about Christmas? Is it? I always considered Christmas to be getting close when the months end in -ber.

These darlings I made for a challenge in my local craft shop. If you fancy seeing the whole thing, you can head there and vote for you favourite. Note - I didn't say vote for mine because really, all the entries are stunning.

Picking Posies for Dinner

2011-09-24T20:51:00.004+12:00

Our Saturday night dinners have just stepped up. I discovered that kids get excited about setting the table if it involves choosing the table cloth and picking the flowers, as well as the usual cutlery and plates. It's not often I have enough flowers to make a posy, so we are making the most of it.

Learning About Love

2011-09-19T08:49:00.004+12:00

Little E has been teaching herself about love. Some she has worked out herself. This is along the lines of "I love you Mummy, Daddy, Miss H etc.." The rest she has extrapolated from watching a Barbie Fairy Princess Movie*. This was something along the lines of you get married to some one you love. The two sources of inspiration conspire to make some weird, but logical conclusions.

The conversation went like this:

"Mum, can two boys and two girls get married?"

Mum wondering where this is going.

"No, you can only get married to one person"

"Oh, Can two girls get married?"

Mum not wanting to get into the differences between civil unions and marriage or geopolitical boundaries and sexuality.

"If they want to"

"Oh, Can I get married to my sister?" Mum completely flummoxed on this one. Not ready to start that conversation.

"No"

In hindsight, I can think of many sage things to say, revolving around families, families joined by marriage etc. At the time however, I was both stumped and touched that Little E drew the conclusion that if you marry someone you love, of course she should marry her sister.

*Ok, we cut a deal in the video shop. I am not proud that this came home with us. To make it worse, it was a Barbie fairy princess wedding movie. Kind of like playing girly cliche bingo, without the ponies.

Reading Journals for Kids

2011-09-13T21:32:00.006+12:00

Our four year old has a reading journal. We have favourite books that are read over and over before we return them to the library. Often,months later, we can’t remember what it was or what was special about that particular one. That’s where the reading journal comes in.

We have taken to recording our favourites as they go back to the library*. Essential details, such as date, title and author are recorded and discussed. I quickly grab my pen as Little E and I talk about the book – what happened, what she liked, how the book made her feel. After adding a picture, the page is finished.

To make a reading journal you will need:

A blank notebook –It doesn’t have to fancy, or expensive, just special. Decorate it with something that appeals to owner – stickers, pictures or just a name special writing.

A reading book – It always helps to have the book there while you talk about it.

Something to make pictures with – The book isn’t a work of art, more a work of pride. Try to keep the artworks to just one page. If the owner feels they express themselves best with a scribble, let it happen. Add notes about what the scribble is if you get any such instructions, otherwise just let it be. It is their journal. If you want to, you could print out a thumbnail of the book’s cover to paste on the page too.

Time to listen – This is a precious bit of one on one time with your little reader. I think this might be what Little E loves the most about her journal. The parts of each book that stick in a little reader’s mind are not always the one’s you would pick yourself – be it the little dog on every page that you completely missed, or the anaconda that eats little children.

*Did I remember to mention that our library is awesome? It is staffed by this lovely lady . They run a summer reading program for kids, where the kids get to check in with their books and read one on one with the librarians. They also indulge in colouring in and stamps.

10 Years Ago

2011-09-12T08:54:00.002+12:00

Ryan Adams sings it well, don't you think?

Rosemary Wells – A Child’s Author Who Knows Kids

2011-09-08T20:28:00.002+12:00

We love Rosemary Wells in our house. Her adventurous characters strike a chord with my children, just as much as they did with me when I was growing up. The books are littered with little phrases that stick with you for years.

Jack was getting sleepy,
Father read with Kate
Jack needed singing to
So Nora had to wait.

For the tired of being patient sibling, there is Noisy Nora. At the busiest time of the evening, her parents are a little too busy to see that Nora is trying to get some attention. So Nora tries everything she can think of until she finally announces that she is leaving. We love the feisty Nora and her efforts complete with the triumphant ending.

“She’s left us” moaned her mother
As they sifted through the trash.
“But I’m back again” said Nora
With a monumental crash.

I had never heard of “Hazel’s Amazing Mother” before Miss H was given it for Christmas. My children will happily hear of wolves eating red riding hood’s grandmother, but when it comes to big kids picking on our little heroine, it is a different matter. The fears in this book are so real, that Little E clung to me the first time we read it. In case you were equally worried, Hazel’s Amazing Mother puts things right with a pocket sewing kit, 4 tomatoes and the power of love.

Rosemary Wells will be sticking with us for a while longer. Her stories are just as relevant today as when they were written. I’m sure my kids will take great delight in practising their monumental crashes, while I will keep hold of my pocket sewing kit, just in case.

I Know a Cafe

2011-09-07T22:03:00.000+12:00

Rustic Salad and a Coffee

I know a cafe where the food is brilliant, view is wonderful and the service is wonderful. You can come too. Don't forget to bring your imagination.

Your waitress today insists on adding tomato sauce to everything.

At the Beach

2011-09-04T21:48:00.004+12:00

Today we ventured out to Palliser Bay to spend father's day with my parents. While Dad was tackling some landscaping, we took off to the beach.

Of course, everyone knows that sand means shoes off and my barefoot babes were busy on the beach. Little E, throwing rocks into the sea and Miss H perfecting her sandcastle cakes. We got to share it all, before pockets were filled with treasures and we went to the house.

Treasures from the beach

Happy Father's Day

2011-09-03T21:31:00.004+12:00

Miss H and her Granddad spending quality time together

Where ever you are, whatever your plans, I hope your father's day is a great one. We will be heading off for a family picnic and then on to spend some time with my parents.

Making Me Smile - Sunday Dinner

2011-08-29T08:22:00.000+12:00

Right now I'm loving Sunday Dinners - the sort that require no planning just a bit of what ever is in the fridge and of course toast. When I asked Little E what she wanted for dinner, she leant in close and whispered in my ear "dippy eggs" so that's what we had* - soft boiled eggs with toast and wedges.

Growing up, Sunday dinners were always some form of cheese on toast, possibly in front of quality TV like "A Dog's Show". I used to imagine that one of our dogs was good enough to star. Could you even imagine dog trials on TV now? i guess, it's like some form of rural reality TV.

*Wedges can make for a pretty cool gluten free dipping alternative when pressed too.

Kntting - before, during and re-knitting

2011-08-27T21:40:00.000+12:00

Perhaps, I should learn to walk before trying to run with needles. In hindsight combining both my first attempt to read a cable pattern and using circular needles was not the wisest idea. I was a little disappointed when the first glove didn't fit, but when the second was perfectly snug, I could see something was up.

The Kitchen Swap

2011-08-26T21:17:00.005+12:00

A lovely parcel arrived on my doorstep this week. Stella sent a parcel of kitchen goodies as part of the vintage kitchen swap. On Monday, little E ran off with her egg cup before I could make lunch and filled it with flowers. Today, Miss H joined in too. The egg cups are a sweet folk art painted pair in the cheeriest red and yellow.

Also in the parcel was a blackboard jar - now holding our fridge letters. There was a host of other little treats too. Miss H is seen here shaking the salt and pepper shakers. If you put them together you can see they make a bank.

You can see more the vintage kitchen swap over here.

In Anticipation of Cousins

2011-08-22T19:33:00.004+12:00

In a few weeks time, I get to be an auntie and my girls get to be cousins. Over the last week we have been sorting through the baby bedding and putting a care package together for my sister in law*. Of course, the package had to be topped with a new quilt for the baby. The girls are also pretty excited about getting a cousin.

Sorting through the bedding I realised that I really do have a lot of baby quilts. It got me to thinking about what makes a good baby quilt and this is what I came up with:

Baby's are not always clean - make the quilt washable
Mum's are often pushed for time - make it MACHINE washable, quilt it tight so that it will hold up to the machine.
Some Mum's are scared of what the machine might do - prewash and dry the quilt so all the shrinking is over and done with.
Babies love cuddles and soft things - consider using flannelette backing.
Babies temperatures are very sensitive - use materials that will breathe, avoid polarfleece or polyester batting.

And most of all, make something you enjoy making.

*For those of you who were at the engagement party on the weekend and are wondering where the bump was, all I can say is it's the OTHER sister in law.

It is Snowing

2011-08-15T14:04:00.002+12:00

For the second time this winter, it is snowing. This is close to miraculous.

My children are keen on reminding me it's a miracle every half hour. They are checking the snow regularly and every time exclaiming anew "It's snowing!" as if I didn't hear them the last time. It's akin to a happy form of dementia.

Grandma returned from her holiday to find the only way home was a train. After a hairy trip to the station and a break in the clouds, the kids were able to attempt a snowman. If we hadn't had that little spot of blue sky I'm sure they would still be clambering at the door.

This doesn't happen often. The last time it snowed here, I was 16. I remember walking out of an exam to drifting flakes and amazed exchange students who had never seen snow in July. I've managed to capture the moment, just in case it snows again. Little E will be able to chime in with me by adding " I remember the last time it snowed. I was 4"

Making Me Smile - Fairy Circles on the Lawn

2011-08-10T20:19:00.003+12:00

I'm loving the dizzy giddiness of clothes-lines on a sunny morning. Watching my kids spin faster and faster and making little fairy circles on our lawn is so much fun. It makes me just want to join in before one of them goes spinning off in a different direction.

Feeling Lyrical

2011-08-04T19:53:00.003+12:00

I'm one of those people who listens out for the lyrics.

Much of the 80's was spent rewinding and replaying songs I had taped off the radio in order to scribble down and unfathom their meanings. Granted, Tiffany didn't have much of gravity to say, but I helped when we came to sing along in the car.

Sometimes there were lyrics that would just pop into my head and it would take me days or months to work out where they were from. A vague recollection of Bono muttering "I'm not sleeping" or wondering exactly what "she sees a hat and easy for the top shelf" means. That would later turn out to be "Bad" (brilliant song) and "She seams to have an invisible touch, yeah". So I don't always hear the right lyrics, but untold years on I an still listening and still surprised.

Today I was listening to Avalanche City sing You and Me and was certain I must have misheard the words, imagining in their place what I would like to hear. I flicked it back a bit and pulled out the liner notes. Have a listen for yourself..

Can you believe it? He really did sing

"If you were addicted to fabric,
you could fill a whole room in our house"

Brilliance!!

Have you found any surprising lyrics lately?

Sunday Afternoon Digging

2011-08-01T12:40:00.004+12:00

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We've spent our Sunday afternoon digging. Spring is a long time away, but in the hopes of being prepared we are getting the garden beds ready.

There were little hands and little helpers, all of which needed essential marshmallow and fizzy juice type fuels to keep going*. You can see the cast aside spade in the background.

The beds were in a sorry state. When we built them, I was concerned about stale water sitting in the base, so the beds were lined with newspaper . I thought I was being incredibly sustainable and respectful of the soil as a living organism. I forgot to consider that plants grow both up and down. The surrounding trees discovered the cornucopia we had built for them, sending up masses of roots, and stripping the soil. Three years later, after wrestling with root bound beds, our afternoon was spent digging out a bed, laying down some weed mat and then filling it up again.

Our compost heap has been decimated and carefully layered into the refilled bed. Next on the list is to gather together some luscious organic sheep cr*p and dags to give the soil a bit of a help along. At the rate of one bed a weekend, we might just get there in time for September planting.

*I was having doubts about sharing our adventures as it's not a typically wholesome adventure and probably wouldn't get into the pages of a high class parenting magazine anytime soon. Little E even ran off with the camera in order to capture the wonder of her purple and pink toes nails. I might be tempted to say that we drank home made lemonade and ate oatmeal cookies, but I finished the lemonade myself the night before and prefer my oatmeal served as porridge.

It's funny that I should be second guessing the sharing of our adventures on the basis that they are not fashionably eco enough. Yes, I paint my daughter's toes (fantastic sugar free coaxing) yes, we drink fizzy on special occasions and yes, the kids had a great time, outside in the ever so brief winter sun. All round it was a great time and quite honestly, next sunny weekend, we'll be lining up to do it again.

Making Me Smile - Daphne

2011-07-24T15:14:00.004+12:00

Right now, daphne is making me smile. Small sprigs, in unexpected places. Resurrecting broken china cups.

It is nice to be reminded of what artificial air freshners* are aspiring to. Unsuspecting window sills in those functional rooms of the house, now sport their own little tea cups of lemony daphne.

* not my favourite thing and certainly not in our home.

Gooey Sticky Brioche

2011-07-11T14:58:00.003+12:00

I've been playing around with some brioche recipes. Taking the ones that work and mixing them with the stickiest fillings I could find. It fits nicely into my days at home - kneed dough, head out to playgroup while it rises, roll out and cut swirls, bake, eat lunch and then weld our teeth firmly together with gooey sticky brioche.

The recipe goes like this:

1 1/2 t active yeast
1 T sugar
1/2 c warm milk
2 egg yolks + 1 egg
2 c flour + pinch of salt
75 g soft butter

Mix yeast, milk and sugar. Leave to start (about 5-10 minutes).
Whisk egg yolks and egg and stir into yeast mixture.
Stir in flour. Add softened butter.
Knead until smooth and elastic.
Place in buttered bowl and leave to rise until double in size (1-2 hours).
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Roll dough into 20 x 40 cm rectangle. Spread with half of the the butter mixture and roll up into a log shape. Cut into 12 portions.
Butter a 12 segment muffin tray. Place a teaspoon of the butter mix into each segment. Sprinkle with raisins and top with a segment of rolled dough.
Place a baking tray under the muffin tray to catch overflowing toffee.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Butter Filling -

125g butter - softened
2T brown sugar
4T maple syrup
3T golden syrup

Beat all until smooth

Tips for a cold day -
As the weather is hardly tropical, I am finding my bread needs all the help it can get. If things are a little chilly where you live, you might want to try some of the following:

Where ever possible preheat bowls by filling with hot water and drying before using
Preheat flour by placing in warm bowl and leave on top of a slow fireplace while yeast activates.

Still Here

2011-07-06T18:20:00.000+12:00

We are still here and still having adventures, just keeping a low profile.

Sometimes that last thing you want to do at the end of a day is turn on yet another computer. Other times, it's the first thing. Hopefully some more of the "other times" coming up.

The Purple Dress

2011-06-13T08:54:00.003+12:00

Little E put in a request when she saw me cutting out fabric - a hoodie dress, with lots of sleeves and purple. I think she likes it.

The pattern is burda 9614 with a few adjustments to turn the t shirt into a dress. The fabric is merino knit from global fabrics and a local clothing factory shop. Can you tell that the sheep was invited to the photo shoot to cover the food she managed to spill on the top? Just as well the dress is machine washable.

Wonderful, Marvelous, New Rags

2011-06-11T20:17:00.007+12:00

There's a new market in town. The second New Rags Market was in the Masterton Town Hall yesterday. Mum and I went to have a peek. I have to admit it was my second time. I was fortunate enough to win the goodie parcelat the first market in May, and picked the amazing parcel from Abbie today. The kids have run amok with the goodies, but trust me the market was great. You can find out more about it over here on facebook. The next one is July 2.

Look carefully and you can spot - needle felted sheep, Cherry Blossom soap, Stamped vintage textiles from Mon Ami, Bib from ASQ, a Spellbound book, beads that have been played with and fought over (lost the tag on these), Fig and olive delishousness from Elia Gourmet Olives, a badge from Ramari and more figgy chocolate. There were some slices from Frilly's too, but the camera wasn't fast enough to get those.

Right, now off to try help myself to a second cup of hot chocolate.

Crafty Book Review - Wee Wonderfuls

2011-06-02T22:00:00.002+12:00

Wee Wonderfuls grabbed me from the moment I picked it up. I saved looking through it for some quiet time and a cup of coffee. Little E was less restrained and started to demand pictures of her own mermaid straight away.

When I finally had my time with the book, I was not disappointed. I had to give the mermaiden a try as you can see above. Little E coached me along with the finer points of mermaid anatomy and the careful placement of shells. It appears that REAL mermaids have lower cut tails and some form of shell bikini. I think there might need to be a bit more growing up before we get one of those in our house.

Format – 24 patterns, illustrated with beautiful photographs followed by a comprehensive basic skills section and full size patterns for tracing. As a newbie to making softies I found the skill section to be very relevant – from different types of filling to how to mark and sew on a face.

Projects - There are a range of patterns with different skill levels. While they are largely aimed at little girls and doting matriarchs, there are a few pattern that may appeal to the little princes in your life, like Eddie Koji the dinosaur. The patterns take some time to make up. My mermaiden was not the 2 hr project I had anticipated, but the pattern was clear and easy to follow.

Who would I recommend it to? – I’d recommend it to someone with a few sewing basics under their belt who would like a range of simple and challenging softy projects.

Would I Buy It?
Oh yes!! I’m planning my trip to book depository as I type.

Winter's Reprieve

2011-05-29T21:38:00.003+12:00

We've had some sunshine. Not quite enough to get the clothes dry, but enough to pretend that it's not winter just for a moment.

Miss H and I had a day together. Just the two of us, while the big kids went to the movies . We explored the garden. It seems that no matter what happens to the vegetable patch, there's always rhubarb and crumble to be had*. We admired the long grass and the way it feels between toes. We checked up on the bulbs that Grandma planted with the girls while I was away. It was just the right sort of weather for indulgent single child kind of time.

*That piece of rhubarb was cuddled for hours and didn't quite make the crumble. Don't tell H.

Quince Frenzy

2011-05-28T13:58:00.003+12:00

Quinces are a polarising fruit – either you love them, or you don’t know what to do with them. We are still waiting for quinces of our own. In the mean time, my hand is high in the air should anyone be giving them away.

Last week we wrapped the last of our quince paste to put aside for presents. The last time I had made it, years ago, we spent a good while forcing it through a sieve. I can highly recommend using a mouli as it went so much faster. I’ve used the Alison Holst recipe and Miss Smith’s storage tips (she recommends Alison too).

For those who have a little less patience, there is always crumble. I lightly stew the quince in water and sugar, before using in a 50/50 mix with raw apple for crumble. This is my dearest’s favourite way to eat quince. In the interests of year round crumble, I’ve been bottling some too. The excess syrup is nice with soda water – it has a very subtle flavour, much like elderflower cordial.

If I could take a scratch and sniff photo, I would. The smell of these things cooking is just divine.

Committing Fashion Crimes - One legging at a time

2011-05-25T20:25:00.004+12:00

We've been focussing on the essentials around here. I have become a veritable legging production line. My stash of knit remnants has been raided for anything even slightly close to enough for a pair. I usually have objections to dressing my children the same. In this case, the machines were threaded up with matching colours and there was no way the little ones were going to let me make just one pair of hot pink leggings.

On the technical front - the pattern is New Look 6639. I have used twin needles and fuzzy nylon to get a nice stretchy mock top stitch (there's a tutorial here). It took a while to get the tension right - so now I'm scared to use the machine for anything else, just in case I don't ever get it right again. However after 5 pairs of leggings, it might be time.

Ginger Bread Massacre

2011-05-15T20:06:00.003+12:00

Now, I don't usually present my guests with mutilated food. The guests were running late and this is what we were left with after I turned my back. Apparently, Miss H likes their eyes.

The possbilities for captions are endless.

Perhaps this YouTube clips puts it best: "Nothing freaks my mother out more than an little bit of gingerbread massacre". It's a whole genre. Who would have guessed?

Stitching - Why We Do What We Do

2011-05-14T07:28:00.004+12:00

Sometimes it is good to remember why we do what we do. I quilt because I enjoy it. I give my quilts away because I hope other people will enjoy them too. This is part of the blogg

When I heard that Quilts were being gathered for Christchurch I sent one too. I couldn’t imagine how much it would make someone’s day. This comment from Chris, who received one of my quilts, meant a lot to me so I thought I should share it:

Hi Amy, I'm a friend of Cat's and she has told me that the quilt she sent me was made by you. I just don't know how to thank you... I live just outside of Christchurch and as you would know the last month hasn't been much fun. To recieve a gift made with such thought and love has been humbling and I am so so grateful and appreciate so much the work that went into it. I couldn't send Cat an email for several days after I received as every time I went to sit down and write something I burst into tears. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. With much love and gratitude, Chris

The quilt above was posted to a friend last week. Her house was severely damaged in the February quake. It’s their wedding quilt backed with messages from the guests that helped celebrate their wedding 5 years ago. The pattern is very aptly bricks – as every one fell off her house.

I've chosen this quilt as my part for the the Quilt Festival because it is special to me. I could talk more about patterns, colours, designers but for now it is just nice to stop and remember – this is why I do what I do. It motivates me. It keeps me going.

How about you? Why are you picking up the needles, threads, children, recipe books? What keeps you going? What is it you enjoy doing, and why?

The Mother I thought I would be, and the Mother I am

2011-05-01T21:02:00.000+12:00

There is a gulf between the Mother I thought I would be, and the Mother I am. Fortunately there isn’t such a large space between the Mother I am, and Mother I’d like to be.

Before my children arrived, I was going to be perfect. My kids were going to be perfect*. I was going to walk around art galleries with my infant snuggled into their baby carrier, in all their knitted finery and then retire to a cafe for a well deserved coffee. I would sleep all night, and so would my children. They would wear nothing but perfectly matched, stylish handmade outfits. They would return from their adventures to an immaculate house and a home cooked meal. There would even be a fresh batch of brightly coloured play-dough to play with before their bath.

I quickly found this fantasy would take more energy than I imagined. The toys would be locked up for me to dish out when I saw fit. The play-dough would be for special occasions only (i.e. at other people’s houses) and getting dressed every day would be a battle. I know some people manage to make it work like that, but I just can’t. When all is said and done, I’m not even sure I’d want to.

Look closely and you can see chaos about to invade from the edges of the kitchen

My reality is quite different. I’ve let go of the magazine spread fantasy. I’ve admitted to myself that my children are both separate, and different from me. I don’t want my children vicariously living out my abandoned dreams. I’ve chosen to let the children explore for themselves with all the support I can provide. I want them to find their own dreams.

We don’t often walk around art galleries. It’s a matter of distance. My fridge is my gallery and it is always changing. We are currently being treated to our Picasso the Elder’s hands with fingers stage and Mondrian the Younger’s grids with colour. Days are punctuated by a need to draw, as desperate as the desire to breathe. The pencils and paper are always handy. They can be on the table before you can say “but it’s almost dinner time”.

The carefully matched outfits have gone out the window too, aided on their way by food related mishaps and a good dose of “No Mummy”. Dressing children is harder than I thought. On the flipside, hand sewn dresses are very useful. The little pull on smocks are great for covering grubby clothes just before leaving the house.

The home made playdough is probably the only item that survived the leap into reality. My kids have seen enough to know that making playdough means it is time to get the food colouring out and start stirring. You really don’t want to know about the time the elder decided to add the colouring herself (I didn’t even know she could reach it). However, I’m delighted that she knew what it was for. Making playdough is not so much a special occasion, but a necessity. There is always a homemade batch in the fridge.

Yes, there is a difference between the Mother I thought I would be, and the Mother I am. The Mother I want to be is calmer, more patient and relaxed than the one in the fantasies. Right now, that’s the one I’d rather be.

*Like any parent, I believe my children are wonderful. They are just as perfect as you and I – which is to say, not always.

Project Monogamy

2011-04-30T20:52:00.002+12:00

The wedding quilt is finished. It has only taken 6 years, but it is finished. Can you tell I have trouble sticking with just one project? I know I can do monogamy, but I find the crafty kind so very hard.

When I picked up the quilt again in February I made a commitment to finish it before I tackle anything else. It turned out to be a gruelling two months. Beautiful fabrics were singing their siren songs to me – something along the lines of “Leave that quilt alone. Come and stitch with me instead. You know I love you more. I promise I won’t make you pin me, stipple me, bind me.” It was hard, but this time I resisted.

In my moments of justification, I think of my usual strategy as long term multitasking. When the muses leave me and my project, I simply switch to another. The inner justification telling me that I will return when that particular inspiration strikes again. I still manage to act surprised when I look around my sewing space and see so many unfinished projects.

I have friends who sew like me, with many projects in the works. While we are only ever working on projects we want to work on, the pile of unfinished works does not ever appear to diminish. Projects grind to a halt when we get to steps we don’t like or if gradually we have had enough of the fabrics we’ve chosen.

At the same time, I know others who feel quite out of control if they are working on more than one project. They diligently work on each quilt, start to finish, before starting another one. Perhaps they can see they are at the top of the slippery slope of becoming like everyone else.

I’d love to make a resolution to change. Resolutions rarely stick so instead I will just acknowledge that there are other ways to get things done. It is immensely satisfying to see something finished. I will just need to remind myself this next time those beautiful fabrics start calling my name.

The Easter Egg Hunters

2011-04-25T20:52:00.002+12:00

The Easter Egg hunt was on at Mum's this weekend. Having learnt from our childhood adventures, the eggs were put out just before the hunt. My brother and I still remember, vividly, the time the hedgehogs beat us to the eggs. Miss H and Little E found all but one egg. We'll leave that one for next time.

Our Easter has been a nice mix of good weather, rugging-up weather, contemplation, celebration and family events. I hope yours was a good one too.

Little Busy Hands

2011-04-17T21:31:00.003+12:00

We have been busy this weekend. There has been fabric pulled from the stash, photographed and ironed. It's all very normal except, this time it was not me.

Miss E was having a ball getting things ready for her imaginary projects while I was busy pinning out a quilt. I think sh might have something there with her firey pinks and purples.

And One For Me

2011-04-13T20:55:00.002+12:00

My latest attempt at something new - reverse applique. I thought the reverse of this scarf* was looking a little drab and so I got to cutting it out. Granted, it is not the most technically advanced reverse applique - no needle turned edges here, but it is a start. Can I admit that I really enjoyed the running stitch join? I am tempted to try my hand at some Kantha embroidery at some point

* based on the design in Sewing Green by Betz White, review here.

Better Than Bubble Wrap

2011-04-12T20:35:00.003+12:00

My daughters are just as excited about the mail arriving as I am. When the postie came to our door on Friday with a registered parcel, Little E exclaimed:

"Maybe it's bubble wrap!"

My mini quilt has arrived. A big thank-you to Isabel of Portugal for this. The liberated patten and bright colours are just right.

My daughter were disappointed when I sent off my quilt and I'm not sure that they really believed me when I told them that there would be a whole new one coming. It will eventually go up on my wall. For now it has been commandeered into various games of sleeping and making houses under the computer desk. It's definitely better than bubble wrap.

Morning tea with the birds

2011-04-07T20:03:00.003+12:00

Our bird feeder is outside the kitchen window. We can watch the birds eat while we have our morning tea. A line of nails along the top holds apple halves for pecking at. There is even a trough on top for bird friendly leftovers.

The autumnal glut of ripe apples means that there are many other bird attractions around town. Our feeder has become a case of trying to catch a cow with a piece of grass. The neighbours' dogs are quicker off the mark when we throw out our crusts, leaving the trough empty.

Still, we watch, wait and refill the feeder. Winter is closing in and I know the birds will come to visit us soon.

Something New - My First Mini Quilt

2011-04-05T21:35:00.002+12:00

Following from my resolution to try something new, here is the my first mini quilt. Amongst something news are:

Diamond piecing -as I can't resist strip piecing at the best of times, I used diagonally cut strips.
Pearl cotton quilting -wonderfully quick and so brilliant.
Insert seams - I've lived in fear of them for years but really, they do get easier with practice. Perhaps I should have practised somewhere other than the final piece.

It was my first time in a doll quilt swap. I was blown away by the community around the whole swap. There were messages and encouragement galore. I'd certainly give it another try if I get a chance.

Also, now that I have had word that it has arrived, here is the finished quilt.

Garlic - Small But Perfectly Formed

2011-03-26T12:13:00.003+13:00

This year our garlic has been more of a famine than feast. The little bulbs formed perfectly but are on the small side of things. I love the look of little cloves, like bubbles on glass and just the slightest hint of pink to the papery skins. To give sense of scale, they are no bigger than a 50c piece and I mean the newer, smaller, 50c. I’m looking for recipes where I can just slice the bulb in half and throw it in to roast. This double halloumi potato bake seems to fit perfectly.

Crafty Book Review – Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter

2011-03-22T18:50:00.000+13:00

Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter

First impression:
This book is beautiful in both it’s simplicity and elegance. There are no fussy details or over the top embellishment. I love the clean lines and fabrics used throughout this book.

Format:
The book contains 24 project divided in sections headed cook, go, nest, organize. There is a very brief glossary at the back and a comprehensive index.

What I like:
Above all else, I love the simplicity of this book. It has me wanting to search out more from Lotta Jansdotta. I am very tempted to try her book on printing.

What I’d pass on:
Some the designs just don’t look practical, but could work with a little tweaking. The cell phone pocket on the yoga mat tote just needs a closure to make sure you don’t loose your phone the first time you pick it up. The garden tote looks handy, but given the dirt bound nature of gardening, perhaps oil cloth would be a better material. As with any design, it might just pay to think through each project before you start.

What I’d like to try:
I was excited about the hat. I had seen references to it over at Hazelnuts. So I consequently gave it a try. While the pattern is marked level 3, it would need a few more diagrams for the beginner sewer to tackle it. I found myself needing to notch and ease the connection between the brim and crown. It’s a great looking hat and would probably look great made out of a simple linen print. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to peer out from under. I found the brim too wide and next time would make it a little narrower at the back.

The other pattern I’d love to try is the door stop. It really is time that I retired the olive oil can that holds the laundry door open. Amongst my friends who pored over the book with me, at least two were also keen to try this pattern.

Would I buy it?
In this case, no I wouldn’t buy it, but it does have me looking out for other great things by the same author.

Who I’d recommend it to:
I’d recommend it to someone beginning to sew who had access to friends that could help when things get stuck. There is not enough detail for some of the techniques to stand alone. I would also recommend it to someone returning to sewing, who wanted short and simple projects that will inspire them to stick with it.

Almost the Slowest Quilt

2011-03-13T20:04:00.002+13:00

On Monday, we started making quilts for Christchurch. As a group, we cut gossiped and stitched. I cut strip and strips of blue and green to make something. The something kept changing shape in my mind until I really didn’t know what I was making. By the time I got home, I realised that I didn’t need to make a new quilt for Christchurch. I had already started one. I started it six years ago.

This is Moni’s Wedding Quilt. The blocks are signed, in sharpie, by the guests at the wedding. The blocks had been waiting for me to get around to them. It’s all ready to go together in a rail fence pattern.

I have a new idea for the front*. I have a bundle of 0.3m cuts of Amy Butler Fabrics and I’m looking for a pattern. It has to be simple and quick because I don’t want to break my momentum in getting this finished. I saw something a few days ago. The title was along the lines of “open doors and window” but I can’t for the life of me find it. If you have any suggestions. Please le me know.

Now Moni’s house is shaken. Every brick has either fallen off, or been removed as a safety precaution. It’s time to get this quilt finished.

*The front was going to be a Tivaevae pattern based on native plants. I managed to complete one of the panels before my shoulders began to groan at the mere thought of if. I was miffed to see a similar quit on the cover of NZ quilter just weeks after I had cut two of the panels out. Looking back I was just ahead of my time.

Three Things

2011-03-12T20:11:00.000+13:00

I’m back from Christchurch. I’ve been back for about a week now, just mulling things over before letting myself write anything down. I haven’t any photos. I was there for work, not as a tourist. It felt obtrusive to raise my camera for anything other than essential records. It was a busy week and I am glad to be able to go home. As I talk it out with my family, I can see the way I saw that week changing. If I was to use one word, it could only be sobering.

If I was to boil my impressions down to three things it would be these:

Everyone I spoke to feels fortunate.
Those who have left their houses, those who have sent family members out of town, those who had close calls. None of them saw themselves as being the worst off.

Sometimes feeling fortunate can be hard.
There are a lot of people thinking – What if? What if I hadn’t run? What if I had been on a different bus? What if I had been in that car?

It’s not going to be the same.
People are talking about a new normal. I hadn’t spent more than a few days in Christchurch since I lived there as a student. It was a city that I left home for, met many of my best friends in, fell in love in, and I spent a lot of time growing and learning there. It doesn’t look the same. For those that live there, much of it doesn’t feel the same. It’s going to take some time for it all to get to normal and when it does, it will be a new normal.

Bags Packed and Ready to Go

2011-02-27T12:22:00.001+13:00

My bags are packed and I am ready to join the influx of helpers to Christchurch. We’ve watched the news with the kids. We have explained that Mummy is going to help people’s houses. I shall be back shortly.

How Not to Make Jam

2011-02-27T12:16:00.003+13:00

I fear my Jam making mojo has left me this summer. Last year I had it down to a swift process. I spread it over two nights just to keep boiling sugar away from little hands. I even gave each batch labels and names. This year I tried unsuccessfully to preserve in a series of one night stands. As I stirred I dreamed of fantastic names for each. I was looking forward to “Over the Fence Scramble Plume Paste” and “Secret Recipe Blackberry Cordial”. So far my attempts have resulted in great tasting, but not entirely successful results. I’m only sharing my woes in the name of a greater cause, or more specifically, so that you can read my errors in horror and not repeat them.

1 – Do not attempt to preserve when children are sick
Do not juggle fruit paste at the very delicate point between just right and burning when you are likely to be interrupted by vomiting. Sick children can sometimes mean lots of sleeping. It can also mean needing a lot of help at very, very, short notice. It sounds like something only an idiot would try and I would have to be that idiot. I thought I was set with both kids in bed at 6 and an evening to myself. The sleep lasted 45 minutes before the vomiting began. I can tell you that Miss H’s mewling “Mummy, cuddle please” gives only a 2 second warning that she is about to throw up. Everywhere. But thankfully, not in the preserving pan. The fruit paste is a little on the chewy, overcooked side but not entirely due to the children – see below.

2- Do not attempt to preserve while watching TV
Much the same as above, only and idiot would try it. There was much stopping and washing down of burnt, sugary, pastey pots. Fruit paste takes a long time to reduce, but this doesn’t equate to a long unattended time, even if you are cuddling children on the couch. It did mean I got to see Graham Norton interview Cher. Not exactly life changing, so next time I really will turn it off.

3 – There is a lot of sugar in that stuff
I had an arcane view that sugar couldn’t get any more concentrated that it is in the bag. After boiling down 1.5 kg of sugar into the size of a very small Tupperware container I know I was wrong. While consuming fruit pastes – consider applying the paste straight to your hips, because that where it is going.

4 – Don’t start until you have all the utensils ready
Just because you think you saw the funnel in the bottom cupboard, doesn’t mean it will be there when you go looking for it. Don’t be tempted to use the kids’ bath toys either. In my short lived attempt to make blackberry cordial, the funnel was nowhere to be found at the crucial moment. I thought I was very wise to turn off the pan before driving to get a funnel from a friend. Possibly even wiser to stop for a cup of tea. Then I smugly reboiled the mix before bottling it. I now have three bottles of blackberry jelly. It’s tricky to get out of the bottle, but heaven on ice-cream.

There you have it. The sad and sorry tale of how “Over the Fence Scramble Plume Paste” became “Chewy Night in Front of the Telly Plum Paste” and “Secret Recipe blackberry Cordial” became simply ice-cream topping.

The Christchurch Earthquake

2011-02-23T22:11:00.007+13:00

Christchurch was hit with an earthquake of devastating proportions yesterday.

You can search the news agencies for the big stories and summaries. The web is awash with them at the moment. On a personal level you read an individual account as Sarah of Miss Crafty Tea Pot tells of how it felt in her little house here.

While we, at casa Seven-Stitches, live a long way from Christchurch, the New Zealand web of who knows who, reaches into the very heart of this city. My colleagues stood stunned as we watched the footage yesterday. My mother called in the evening to let me know all my cousins were accounted for. My dearest and I tiptoed through the evening, before turning the TV on after the kids were in bed. They knew something was up as they have never been quite so good at staying in bed.

There are a few ways you can help right now.

The Red Cross Appeal - www.redcross.org.nz (collecting funds to support their tireless actives and efforts during this period)

The Student Volunteer Army - http://www.facebook.com/StudentVolunteerArmy?sk=info (mobilising available hands to work in co-ordination with Civil Defence)

I am sure there will be other drives to mobilise support in the following days, but right now I understand that financial support is the easiest for the aid agencies to work with.

Edit: Catalina's Cottage is calling for quilt as you go blocks. Dimensions and links to tutorials can be found there too. This comes just as the ones for the September event are sent on their way.

KiwiQuilters is donating the surplus healing hearts quilts (140?) from the Pike River disaster (that felt like just yesterday too) to Quilts for Christchurch.

Leonie at Kiwi at Heart is calling for softies for the Children of Christchurch. Add a comment to her post, with means of contacting you and she will email out the details.

Crafty Book Review -Quilts 1700 - 2010 Hidden Histories, Untold Stories

2011-02-20T21:33:00.004+13:00

In 2010 the Victoria and Albert Museum held a ground breaking exhibition surveying the history of Quilts in Britian. This is the book that accompanied that exhibition. I wish I could make a knowledgeable comment on whether it is as amazing as the exhibition itself. If I had a time machine, I would be tempted to see this exhibition again and again on the basis of the book alone.

Before I go any further, I must admit my bias. I have a weakness for reference books, books that give historical context and almost any publication by the V&A. Consequently, this book is right up my alley. I love it when a book is something that you can return to again and again, learning a little more each time. I also like to see how what we sew today, is based on what has gone before and how these works have been changed by larger events.

The exhibition has had a resounding effect on the online quilting community. Janey Forgan’s Liberty Jack (seen above) has been and inspiration to many quilters and stylists alike. A quick search on shows that it has even inspired it’s own flickr group.

The Rajah quilt 1841 -
Made by women on board the convicts ship Rajah en route to Australia
©V&A Images, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The book appears to be an almost complete catalogue of the exhibition. Accompanying the beautiful photos are a range of essays giving both historical context and relevance of the artform today. I loved the essays that added personal histories in the context of the time. It was intriguing to see the diverse range of sources used by the researchers too. There were the heartbreaking records of identifying patchwork left with abandoned babes at foundling homes, fabric left in the hope that one day when the mother had a means of support she could identify her child and reclaim them. Also the more comical tracing of the popularity of quilts by looking through the lists of stolen items in court records. One or two essays read as if they were intended for academia, but the majority was quite accessible.

I was too busy reading, rather than taking notes while I had this book out. This is a mixed blessing as it means that as I came to write this review I have stumbled upon the accompanying curators blog. Over here you can read about Sue Pritchard’s journey in putting the exhibition together and read about some of her favourite pieces in the exhibition.

Format:
A collection of essays by different authors with relevant quilts illustrating each one and a catalogue of photos covering quilts not featured elsewhere in the book.

What I like:
Can I say that I liked everything? While it is not going to tell me how to quilt, it might shine a light on why we quilt and leaves me wanting to try some of the older techniques and styles.

What I’d Pass on:
Some of the essays were probably best left to the accompanying conference proceedings.

What I’d Like to try:
There are no projects in this book. Sometimes it is nice to finish the book and marvel at it, rather than just want to get stuck into making things from it. That said, I am tempted to try some paper pieced clamshells, but perhaps on a smaller scale than the entire 4 posted bed with curtains.

Who I’d recommend it to:
In short ME. I would also recommend it to quilters with a passion for historical context or textileartist/craftsman who are looking for a source of inspiration. I feel it would be wasted as a coffee table book as much of it begs to be read and deserves to be pored over time and time again.

If you are looking for projects to make, this is not your book. Instead give the accompanying Patchwork for Beginners, also by Sue Pritchard, a try. This book also serves as a smaller, dip your toes in the water, introduction to the history of British quilting.

Forgotten Orchards

2011-02-16T21:20:00.002+13:00

Family trips have always included numerous detours. One of my Dad’s favourite detours was to hunt for forgotten orchards. His favourites are the ones where you can find obscure fruits. These days we would call them heirloom. I’m forever pointing out the side roads to my dearest as he drives past them. Did you know that if you turn down the right side roads, greengage plums can be found just north of Paihiatua?

My parents have a collection of random fruit trees that came with their house. There is the strange peach tree, which has green flesh even when it is ripe and of course, the phantom plum tree. The phantom plum tree appears to be a Black Doris plum tree but the fruit mysteriously goes missing just as it gets ripe. Rumour has it, a woman who used to live in the house, was prone to visit the places she knew as a child in her wanderings. She has moved on in the last few years. While I have no idea where to, her house has been replaced by a new development and her slow shuffle is missing from our streets. This year the fruit stayed intact for long enough for us to try some and while it tasted great, I preferred the mystery of the phantom plum more. It grew to feel like some agricultural karma for our forgotten orchard raids.

I haven’t entirely grown out of forgotten orchard raids, however. As Dad and I climbed over fences to get to a wild plum tree, Mum turned to my dearest and pointed out “She’s her Dad’s Daughter, you know” to which my long suffering husband could only nod in agreement.

Friendship Hearts - A Tutorial

2011-02-08T21:05:00.033+13:00

Here it is, a tutorial for Friendship Hearts. The beauty of this block is that it is made in matching pairs, one to keep and one to give away.

This block came about as I was given the challenge of making a quilt block including a heart. I set to make it as simple as possible and came up with this. I first made this block for Abi in march last year and promised a tutorial to follow. The gift cards in the stores are prompting me to do something now, rather than later.

You will need:
At least 2 fabrics with a light/dark contrast
2 rectangles - 6 1/2" x 7"
2 rectangles - 5 3/4" x 2 1/2" (with pinked edges)
2 rectangles - 5" x 1 3/4" (with pinked edges)

Step 1 - Round off Ends
Use a compass or random household objects (I used some glasses) to trace out a circle on the to the ends of the smaller rectangles on the wrong side. Cut around the line.
Note: if you are using a pinking blade on a rotary cutter, use a series of smaller straight lines to make the curve, one long curve can really chew up a cutting mat.

Step 2 - Place the Shapes
Place the rectangles, long side down and finger crease as shown - one central vertical line to both and a diagonal from upper left to lower right to one and lower left to upper right to the other. Finger crease the large rectangle into 4 quarters. Line up the long crease of the medium rectangle with diagonal line in the large rectangle, and using the other creases, align the centres as shown below. Make sure that the central shapes are going in opposite directions, think of each block being one half of the heart.

Step 3 - Machine Applique Layers Together
Pin the medium rectangle and straight stitch in place and press. Starting and stopping at the vertical crease. Place the smallest rectangle and straight stitch into place also. Repeat with the second block also.

Step 4 - Slash and Join
Cut each block on the central seam. Match up opposite sides of your heart and join with a central 1/4" seam. Press.

There you have it, a friendship heart for yourself and a fellow sewer.

Variations:
The heart is offset towards the to of the block - leaving an ideal space to stitch some extra details such as a signature.
The block can be made without rounding the corners as shown above.
If you are not using pinking shears, cutting the block on the bias would allow for evenly frayed and stabilised edges (I should have thought of this before making the blocks above)
The block can be scaled -the medium rectangle measures approx the size of the finished block i.e in this case 6" block, 5 3/4" rectangle with the inner rectangle measuring 3/4" less in all directions.

Reviewing a Crafty Book

2011-02-06T21:52:00.004+13:00

I live in the craft section of my library. It seems a shame to leave the books on the shelf and so I feel compelled to take them on regular outings. We walk together, take the train together and dream together. Consequently, I thought it was only fair to share what I have been reading. The last few weeks have seen some book reviews featured here at Seven-Stitches and I was wondering what you think.

(Random stack of books - not a crafty one to be seen her, but wasn't sure if I could post without a photo)

It takes a lot to convince me to buy a book, especially when I can readily get it from the library. If I need to get a book out of the library for a second time, it is certainly time to consider buying it. I like to think of this as the library test. Making the decision not to buy a book is not meant to be read as a harsh criticism, more a matter of me choosing to save my pennies for something else.

I understand that liking, choosing and buying a book is different for everybody. I have been in the habit of taking my haul of books along to my sewing group. I like being able to see what other people are reading and to be introduced to new books I wouldn’t normally have considered. It’s intriguing to see the differences in people’s tastes. Together we poured over “Dare To Be Square”*. While I loved the quilts, I decided that the heavy reliance on design walls was not for me. At the same time, two of my friends decided, right there and then, that it was just the book for them.

I’d love to know what you think about craft books
What attracts you to a book?
What makes a good book? (this might be different from what attracts you)
What do you want to know about a book in a review?
What is it you look for in a craft book?
What books do you love?
What is the last crafty book that you found inspiring?

*Watch for the review of this one in the coming weeks

Aubergine and Orange - The Quilt

2011-01-28T22:23:00.003+13:00

My quilts chart a slow progress. The purple and orange one started with pencils in February 2010, fabrics in March and was pieced in May. There was a long slow pause, while I found the boarder and finally quilted it last weekend. It's taken almost a year.

Intially it had no purpose other to satisfy a craving for a certain colour combination. I merrily pieced away and had the top sitting ready to quilt last December. In the mean time my sister, E, is about to head off to go flatting in deepest darkest Peru (well, Dunedin anyway) and the single bed quilt I made her years ago no longer fits the bill. She said she'd like aubergine and avocado. It was clear the her summer holiday job in fruit shop was getting to her. When she spotted this top however, she changed her mind. Aubergine and Orange was just a edible and would suit her down to the ground.

You can see by the little faces, and feet, it has taken a while to get this quilt finished. Getting the photos taken was certainly a team effort.

Technical Bits: The pattern is Bento Box from Tracey Brookshier. I fell for it when I saw Kathy's at Pink Chalk Studio in 2008. I remembered it being pink, but now that I look back at it, Kathy has amazing taste and went with pink and orange. The pattern is well worth buying. It is brilliantly thought out and the blocks go together like a dream. Once you've tried one block, you will see why it isn't pieced as log cabins and then deconstructed. After playing with the layout, I have adjusted mine slightly to create the square blocks and echoes. With all the bright colours, it was a little easier on the eye.

*

Colour Crush

2011-01-28T22:14:00.004+13:00

I often become infatuated with colours, in a school girl crush way. This crush started simply enough with my daughter's drawing box.

The orange and purple just seemed to be resonating. The combination had struck a chord with me and suddenly I was seeing it every where. If I wasn't seeing it, I was making it happen. It was months into this infatuation that I realised that my shoes had been orange and purple all along.

Some Sewing for Me

2011-01-26T21:32:00.002+13:00

Now that I have jumped into the deep end that is sewing for me, I've decided I might as well keep swimming. This skirt came together over the New Year's break. The pattern is burda style 7346 and I just love it. The details call it a balloon skirt - imagine a puffball, but without the 80's.

I have made some adjustments to it. The hem has been lowered by 4" Call me prim, but I like my stirts to finish at the narrowest part of my leg. Consequently the side pleat is not as dramatic as in the original length. Perhaps next time I will leave the balloon length and add on straight-ish panel below to get to the length I want. The other adjustment was to include some elastic in the ribbed waistband. After having maternity clothes that stretched as I grew but never quite shrunk back, I don't fancy having to constantly hitch my skirt up and have learnt my lesson. before you ask, no, this is not a maternity skirt, just a nicely comfortable one.

I have managed to take it on an outing. It is delightfully swishy to walk in.After a day at the office, commute and all, I can confidently say this skirt is comfortable and perhaps I am tempted to make another one in the near future.

Sewing Green - Crafty Book Review

2011-01-24T09:15:00.001+13:00

Sewing Green had me hooked at the cover. I am a big fan of Betz White’s Warm Fuzzies so I was delighted to see more of her felted jersey project in this book. Sewing green steps beyond the basic up-cycle and includes remaking with table cloths and shirts, repurposing with place mats and using some unconventional materials like tyvek (builder’s wrap) and juice pouches and considering buying sustainably produced materials.

Format:
The book starts by outlining the principles of Sewing Green and then follows up with 25 projects. The projects are peppered with tales of eco-innovators and resource saving tips. Sewing green finishes with a short chapter of techniques, materials and resources.

What I like:
The felted wool jersey projects are appealing yet again. The Eco-Innovators were also intriguing and have me considering the world of swap-o- ramarama.

What I’d pass on:
The only parts I think I would pass on are those that require materials that I can’t readily find in NZ. The organic cotton stretch velour backing in on the Cashmere Lux Throw isn’t easy to find in NZ (global fabrics came to the rescue there) and I would be sucking back the Ribenna’s forever and a day to get enough to make the car sunshade. Further to that, I’m not sure anyone can readily find Marrimekko Placemats going spare.

The chapter of techniques is relatively sparse, making this book better suited to those who are already confident sewers.

What I’d Like to try:
I’ve already started cutting out leaves for the Felted Foliage Scarf. My sister and I have picked out the colours for her Sweater Slippers. So I can safely say that there are a number of projects in Sewing Green that I will be getting stuck into.

Who I’d recommend it to:
I would recommend the book to sewers who have already fallen for the world of felted jersey goodness presented in Betz’s first book. The book is also a great addition for the confident sewer who is looking to add some imagination to the material that they use in their every day sewing.

For more information you can find Betz's website with her blog, books and patterns here

5 Ideas for a Long Weekend

2011-01-21T13:50:00.006+13:00

While long weekends don't mean an extra day off for everybody, in our house they mean and extra day with us all together. I've put my mind to some simple things to do with a long weekend in a small town, like Greytown.

1 - Have a Picnic at the River

Our town is surrounded by meandering rivers that make for great picnics. Ask around most people will have a favourite place to go. I'm a fan of the Waiohine Gorge, with it's shaded spots and native bush. My children just love anywhere they are allowed to get their feet wet.

2- Head to the Park

I'm sure every small town must have at least one park. There are a number of them around this area. A trip to the park with the kids makes for a nice break on a sunny afternoon. I love to watch the kids try and master something new. It took Miss H having a go, for little E to try her hand at the flying fox she had been intrigued by.

3-Take a Walk

The flat streets here make for easy walking. If you stop into the information centre, they can load you up with pamphlets for both the historic trees and houses walks around town. Who knows, you might even see some awesome street fashion too.

4- Visit the Museum

The local settlers museum is just the right size for a kid to get around without getting to the the "I'm bored now stage". I love the real cottage - while they are quaint on the outside, the inside is impressively small. The working printing press has me considering a new hobby. My children love the blacksmith's and discarded horse shoes.

5 - Fruit Picking

From mid November to Autumn the berry fruit orchards have pick your own. It is often a blink and you will miss it appearance of a sign on the roadside, so if you see the sign make the most of it.

That's my weekend sorted. What have you got planned?

However long your weekend is going to be, whatever you plan to do, I hope you have a good one.

Sew La Tea Do - Crafty Book Review

2011-01-17T12:57:00.003+13:00

Sew La Tea Do is the sewing book that makes you want to down tools and go Op Shopping. The pages a crammed with beautiful photos of objects and ephemera amassed by the talent Pip Lincolne. The styling is beautiful and layout inspirational.

I picked up Sew La Tea Do because I was head over heels in love with Pip Lincolne’s last book “Meet Me at Mike’s”. I accidentally reserved it again while hunting down Sew La Tea Do. It makes a handy point of comparison. While Meet Me at Mikes is a virtual gateway drug to a variety of crafts, Sew La Tea Do focuses on the sewing.

After the initial wonder at the styling wore off, I settled down to look at the patterns and the writing. Pip’s offers numerous words of encouragement to the new sewer. The sewer is cheered on by cries of “you can do it” and “it’s the looking handmade, that makes it unique”. I’m torn between these two myself. I would prefer people ask if I made something on the basis that it looks unique rather than because it looks home made.

Thinking that one can’t possibly review a craft book without giving at least something a try I reached for the Surprise Party Skirt. It was a hot day and I have fabric for Africa, so it was time to put it to use.

I am one for reading instructions. I read them, decipher them and then tend to ignore them. My dearest thinks that this is pigheadedness; personally I like to think of it as managed risk taking.

My first surprise with the skirt was that the pattern called for 150 cm wide fabric. There is very little in my stash this wide. I read on and looked carefully at the instructions. They are randomly illustrated with stylised photos of particular steps. I didn’t find these illustrations to be particularly helpful. They do not always show key steps and given their size do not show anything particularly clearly. Instead of tracing the pattern that clearly did not fit on my fabric, I looked through my pattern stash and dug out and old vogue wraparound skirt pattern instead. Following Pip’s lead the waistband was adapted to a broad tie. While I forgot to add a few inches for the mummy factor (I last made this pattern 8 years ago) I am more that pleased with the results.

Given my failure to complete a sewing project to the letter, I looked to the recipes at the back. I am regularly dripping spoonful of chai flavoured chewiness into my cups of tea and the chocolate chip cookies were devoured in a flash. If the recipes are anything to go by the book is a success. Then there is the fact that this book convinced me to break my sewing for myself drought.

First Impression – Beautifully styled, packed with projects and a strong can do attitude.
Format – Projects divided into children, you and home sections with recipes to accompany your exploits and some sewing basics at the back.

Projects – The projects are all simple, with an emphasis on being able to do it rather than workmanship. Aside from the scarves and wrap around skirt, anyone above a size 12 might have some problems with fit or inconvenient curves. I’d recommend checking the skirt measurements before cutting out also. Many of the adult pattern call for wider fabrics, and hence will require specific purchases rather than just using what you have.

Who would I recommend it to? – Someone with a love of op shopping as the styling and ephemera is just beautiful. The projects themselves are well suited to a beginning sewer but the instructions let it down. I would recommend this as a gift to someone who has started with the foundation of basics in Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules Sewing and is looking for somewhere to go next.

Would I Buy It?
Probably not. The recipes will be faithfully copied into my cookbooks and the book will be back at the library in a few days waiting for the keen beginner sewer it is aimed at. I prefer the variety of projects in Meet Me at Mikes and the softer tones (i.e. less exclamation marks). I will finally give into temptation. Rather than getting Meet me at Mike’s out of the library for a fourth time, a copy will be following me home from the book store sometime soon.

Pizza - The Magic Bit

2011-01-15T21:25:00.003+13:00

Pizza has become a Saturday night tradition in our house. It's a day when we are around to watch the yeast rise, have time to just nip out and get short lived items like mushrooms and when we can take hours over a meal.

The kids are fully conversant with the wonders of making pizza. I love to watch that moment when the yeast starts to leap to the surface in the bowl. I once tried to get Little e to join in the fun by calling her over to watch "the magic bit". While she missed the moment, she could be heard for days afterwards narrating her play cooking with "Quick mummy, this is the magic bit".

Little E claims she doesn't like pizza, but that could be because by the time the pizza is ready she has had her fill of doughballs.

Our pizza nights have become a record of the changing seasons in our garden and enthusiastic helpers. There are flour covered faces, clothes, floor, lawns that dry out with the hot summer sun and little E capturing her mum on camera.

Made in 2010

2011-01-04T21:52:00.004+13:00

Sometimes it feels as if nothing ever gets done around here. But if I take the time to think about it, we've been up to a lot over the last year.

There have been quilts, quilting bees, plastic beasts and I have even dabbled in embroidery. I've been supprised at how much I liked embroidery. It was nice to try something new and hence, my resolution for this year is to try something new, regularly and often.

On a personal front, I have returned to work, Miss H has started daycare, Little E has continued at daycare, we've had holidays, we've had cars disasters, we've survived.

We are currently having a stay-cation and just enjoying spending time in our home town. My dearest pointed out that this is the most time we have had together as a family since Miss H was born. We're having fun.

Poffertjes - a new treat

2010-12-29T20:24:00.002+13:00

There is very little as exciting as discovering a new dessert. Yesterday while the rain kept us in doors, a friend arrived with her new Poffertjes iron and some batter ready to go.

Think little dumpling like pancakes covered with butter and sugar. They are just the right size to keep little hands happy. Poffetjes are a street food in Holland with stalls that can turn them out in the blink of an eye. Apparently, you can't buy just one, you need a whole bowl. I can see why.

The Christmas Book

2010-12-24T13:00:00.000+13:00

This book* is my one of my favourite picture books and certainly my favourite Christmas book. I grew up with it. It returned annually to our bookshelves, in early December. My mother read it to us at bed time in the weeks before Christmas and then like the tree it disappeared for another year.

I love the simplicity of it. It pares the story of the nativity right back to the main characters. You will not find any St Nicholas or talking animals here**. There is a child like charm to Dick Bruna’s flour dusted angels with nearly there wisps of hair and brightly coloured wise men.

The story stepped out of the book and illustrated my childhood Christmases. Mum carefully sewed a sheep onto my stocking. My brother had a shepherd. My cousins were given stockings too as Mum sewed her way through the book. It seems only fitting that my children should get the same treatment.

I was delighted to see that the book was republished last year and mean to get hold of a copy for each of my daughters. For now, my “all the better for being loved” copy will be just perfect.

* The Christmas Book, Dick Bruna, First printed 1964, My copy -1978

** I have to admit my second favourite Christmas Story “Room for a Little One” features a few discreetly talking animals.

The Santa Debate

2010-12-22T22:16:00.001+13:00

Father Christmas is coming to our house, whether we like it or not. I thought we were going to get some choice in the matter, but I was wrong. At the tender age of 18 months both of our girls were fully aware of the man in red and the magic surrounding him. In the interests of world peace, we are going with the masses on this.

I remember overhearing my 5 year old sister being told a few hard truths about the man in red. I could see her bottom lip crumpling as she asked me if her friend was right. There followed some explanations that not everyone believes the same thing and some arm waving about what you believe being the most important to you. All the while I was silently vowing that my children were not going to be that friend.

I like the idea of keeping to the bare bones of what Christmas means. No unnecessary snow or seasonal trimmings that tie you to one location. Perhaps Santa could be pulled back to the feast of St Nicholas on December 6th too? We had every intention of a simplified Christmas, until we had children. From the earliest age they started to bring home ideas that they picked up from elsewhere – Father Christmas, sleighs, reindeer.

It’s been fun listening to Little E sort out the logistics of Father Christmas. We have told her that adults don’t get presents from Father Christmas because there isn’t enough room in his sleigh. Little E has, sweetly, offered to help carry them for him.

Already there are signs that the illusion is waning – Little E turned to Grandad and pointed out “That’s You!” when she saw the above photo of herself waiting for her presents. There was some very quick denial and my father is considering hanging up the red hat next year, just in case. It seems that this moment of belief is, at best, fleeting. As the illusion fades, I wish for my children to treat others with a fair tolerance, understanding that what they believe and know, may be different from other children.

While it is true that we do have a choice in the matter, in the interests of world peace we will be letting Father Christmas in this year. Our children’s stockings will be hung over the fire and should we happen to hear the patter of reindeer hooves the door will be wide open.

My New Felt Trees

2010-12-20T21:47:00.003+13:00

When it comes to craft for public transport, felt generally does it for me. When it comes to Christmas crafts with felt, you really can't go past Jenny B Harris over at Allsorts. Her annual series of Christmas blogs is legendary. She has had me yearning for a white Christmas tree for years now. These trees above use her Festive Felt Trees pattern (and it's free!). If you are planning to make more than one, I'd suggest you cut them all out at once so that the pieces nest together nicely when you are laying them out on the fabric.

Printing Our Own Wrapping Paper

2010-12-19T21:48:00.002+13:00

With a little time, spare potatoes and poster paint we are well on the way to our very own wrapping paper production line.

To print your own wrapping paper, with the help of small hands, you will need the following:

1 Roll of plain wrapping paper
Poster paints
Potatoes
Sharp knife
Newspaper to cover everything
Aprons to cover the little ones

Step 1 - Carve your potato. This is a job for the adults. Cut the potato in half and draw lightly on the cut surface with a pen. Carve around the shape. Remember simple is good. The Santa hats you can see above did not turn out nearly as well as the crescent moons.

Step 2: Get your little one stamping. I started by inking up the potatoes myself before handing them over to stamp. Press carefully as the stamps can get a little slippery when the paint and potato mix.

Step 3 - Leave to dry.

There you have it. A quick, achievable way to involve the children in the gifts that every one is getting.

Stringy Christmas Trees

2010-12-18T13:32:00.003+13:00

A quick peek at what I've been up to lately:

Some stringy trees to sit under my little Christmas tree.

Miss E noticed that it went nicely with her play kitchen and so she set the table for us.

Christmas in Summer

2010-12-14T21:50:00.002+13:00

We have had a few basic geography lessons in our house. This all came about when Little E volunteered that it was going to snow at Christmas. There was some explaining about countries and that it doesn’t snow in New Zealand at Christmas. It does snow in England where Thomas the Tank Engine lives. While there are no snowmen or sleighs, summer Christmases have their own advantages. Sometimes it just takes a little thought.

I find a Christmas without fresh berry fruit hard to imagine. How can you have the family photos after lunch, without the obligatory cherries draped over your ears? Actually how can you have family photos without going outside either?

Then there are the evenings. The combined scents of Christmas cake, coffee and chocolate are nothing with a long hot dusk and a cool porch.

I don’t much fancy the extremes of a Christmas day barbeque, a tree decorated with jandals. I would love to get to experience a white Christmas just once. Sometimes I can be a bit traditional, but I still embrace our summery Christmases with relish.

* Picture from a very summery Christmas Parade. Note the T shirts, beautiful singing reindeer and lack of snow.

A Touch of Nostalgic Cooking

2010-12-12T14:37:00.003+13:00

Do you have soft spot for old cook books? The hand written marginalia telling you to cook it for a little less time or just that the result was only good as a paper weight? Sometime they read like a domestic history and other times a far fetched wish list.

Once upon a time I collected old cookbooks. I was fascinated with old preserving recipes that might have fallen out of favour and colour spreads of contrived feasts. If only everything could taste so good with a deluge of gelatine glaze. With the advent of kids, we whittled down the collection to only the essential and the entertaining. Somehow we thought “Christmas at Home” would fall into the first category. I always fancied the idea of creating a nostalgic menu, perhaps roasting a goose and how could I resist a goose that happy? Bear with me while I indulge in my nostalgic fantasy. While the book has been useful, entertaining even, I won’t be cooking a thing from it.

This recipe book comes complete with shopping lists, menu plans and price lists. I love the handy hints. Did you know that one bottle of gin will satisfy 20 guests? I’m not quite sure what guests they are planning to invite, but the sort that can ration gin out like that, would probably prefer that the party were dry anyway. Perhaps they were planning to keep themselves satiated with some of the other refreshments to hand. That’s ok, because at 11s. (shillings, maybe?) a bottle of sherry, they can knock themselves out. The prices are deliciously retro too.

One shouldn’t despair at the measly portions, because as the perfect retro host, I will be providing the cigarettes. We will temporarily ignore the fact that I do not smoke. Never have. In fact, the only smoking relative at our family Christmas party does so while retrieving toys from the street below the balcony. It’s a symbiotic relationship that works well for the kids. The hallowed “Christmas at Home” will have us forgetting our nanny state ways, ignoring healthy resolutions, and merrily smoking up a storm.

The Christmas Day menu reads like a gastronomic explosion. No high class culinary feats here, just food and lots of it. Roast goose with brussel sprouts. I’m not sure that goose should be so happy now and with the brussel sprouts cooked to a mush, I wonder about the guests too.

In case you thought fast food was a recent event the menu gets a little simpler on Boxing Day.
The recipe for mushroom soup is one that should be loved by all. It consists of one ingredient – Can of Mushroom Soup. I’m pleased to see that the authors did not feel the need to include instructions. It reads like they had either run out of disasters to cook or space to print instructions.

Cheap cocktail parties, canned mushroom soup and smoke for all have me giggling away and clinging very firmly to the present. Maybe I will keep an eye out for the companion recipe books – Summer Parties and Caravan Holidays or even Teenage Parties.

Decorations in the Post

2010-12-11T21:43:00.003+13:00

I’ve put the Bah Humbug away and am getting onto the swing of preparations. First up are these embroidered birds that I have made for the Kiwi Ornament Swap. They have been based on the garland pattern from Scandinavian Needlework.

I have taken a few liberties with their backs as I was short of wool felt. Instead of an unstitched white backing, they have swatches of red and white fabric to cover my embroidery. I hadn’t anticipated the pink tones from our summer sun shining through and maybe next time would go with a cream on cream background. The project was just the right size for my daily commute and I was so carried away that I used every inch of the felt that I had to make extra birds for myself and a garland to send to some friends overseas.

For more Christmas Swapping, check out the flickr pool over here.

I Want to Believe

2010-11-30T22:04:00.003+13:00

I want to believe the hype. I want to believe that I can make this the most memorable Christmas ever if only I buy the right things. My Christmas memories blend in to one long stream of continuous Christmas days and really, I haven’t had a most memorable one yet. What I do remember is the time spent preparing and celebrating with friends. I want to believe, because that would be easier.

My favourite memories are not ones of particular decorations or even presents. I know that there was a pink and black leotard and electronic keyboard somewhere in the eighties but I couldn’t tell you when.

My Gran took the time to polish the silver ware every Christmas and made it out like a treat to be able to help her. It is one of my fondest Christmas memories. Polishing wasn’t to my liking and I never had the heart to tell Gran. What I really enjoyed was the time spent telling the tales of each piece. Together we would get out the Pears Encyclopaedia and look up the hall marks and tell the tales about the relatives they belonged to. Domestic history has appealed to me ever since. It was the time taken with love that stuck in my memory rather than how brightly the silver shone.

Cooking with my mother was also an annual ritual. The highlight was always the afternoon tea where we would eat the left over pastry that had been magically transformed into a jam tart. Of course we couldn’t eat the cooling mince pies as they were for Christmas Day. The hustle and stress of keeping the oven stuffed with baking for an entire morning only served to make the time together afterwards better.

I need to take time while I am plotting Christmas menus, and present shopping in the hopes that these will make it a better than ever Christmas. When I justify buying that third Christmas tree to myself, I need to take time to remember that this is not what makes memories. I will endeavour to take the time to pack the kids off to Grandma’s for some festive baking, especially for the jam tarts. If I forget, and get carried away with the hype, please remind me.

A Hand Full of Stars for Pike River

2010-11-28T13:21:00.005+13:00

The last line of this poem has been in my head for days.

Caliban in the Coal Mines

GOD, we don't like to complain;
We know that the mine is no lark.
But — there's the pools from the rain;
But — there's the cold and the dark.

God, You don't know what it is —
You, in Your well-lighted sky —
Watching the meteors whizz;
Warm, with a sun always by.

God, if You had but the moon
Stuck in Your cap for a lamp,
Even You'd tire of it soon,
Down in the dark and the damp.

Nothing but blackness above
And nothing that moves but the cars …
God, if You wish for our love,
Fling us a handful of stars!

Louis Untermeyer, 1917

It has been a hard week for many people in a small town. The whole nation watched as the story of the 29 Pike River Miners unfolded, everyone holding their breath until the devasting news of a second and surely fatal explosion on Wednesday. We'd like to think that events like this happen in another time or country.

I had read this poem years ago, thinking of an older style of industry, but it reads just as bleak today.

Crafters doing what crafter do are looking for ways to help. One I know of is Shirley Goodwin who is collecting heart blocks to make quilts for the families. I have checked with her and stars would be most welcome too.

She is looking for blocks measuring 6.5", white or cream background, stars or hearts. Her details are at the link above.

I'm sorry, no pictures, not really appropriate to try and liven up the post.

Adult Super Powers for Kids

2010-11-27T22:08:00.002+13:00

All adults should be equipped with Super Powers that can impress kids. You don’t have to be a parent to be working on those skills and hell, you don’t need to ask the parents either. Think of it as a wholesome party trick.

My superpower is being able to blow big bubbles using only my hands and shampoo. This super power is very handy for distracting kids and then slathering their enchanted heads with shampoo. I have to share out the shampoo so they can give it a go too.

Not all super powers need to be quite so useful. My brother can hypnotise teddy bears. I’m still baffled as to how this is useful, but my children are delighted to watch.

He has other super powers of which I don’t approve. One in particular, is making snotty noses out of green play dough. Little E has been trying it any chance she gets. For some reason I have been reluctant to make green play dough ever since.

Edit: Just found the perfect Christmas gift for my talented brother.

The Black Blanket Hug

2010-11-21T19:38:00.003+13:00

I grew more and more attached to this blanket each time I finished it. It was a lesson in taking my time and giving a project some space. I started making it for a friend who was moving into a new house in August 2009. The colours were chosen to fit the new house. Only it was delivered, reluctantly, a year later.

The pattern is based on the Picnic Blanket in Warm Fuzzies by Betz White. I counted up and there are over 19 different black, white and grey jerseys in there. I had an enjoyable afternoon cutting it all out, sometime in July last year.

The first time I finished it, in November 2009, there was some very careful measuring and squaring up before I attached the blanket ribbon. I have fond memories of blanket ribbon. I’m sure given a chance all children would run the silky edges of blankets through their fingers or along their top lip. Most of my friends had favourite blankets with the ribbon almost worn out. In this case I couldn’t find any black ribbon so settled for French Navy. I convinced myself that you couldn’t tell.

A littler Little E helping out

A few days after sewing it on, I proudly showed my mum who exclaimed “But it’s blue!” That was the prompt end of that finish. There was some unpicking and some muttering under breath before the blanket was left unfinished again. It was just as well as I had some teething problems with sewing the woven edging onto the stretch blanket.

I though about silver grosgrain, but nothing further came of that. In fact, I really didn’t want to go near it again. It was that defeating.

The blanket stayed unfinished for another year, until I spied the tomato ties. I had picked up a roll of merino ribbing at the op shop to tie my tomatoes with. When cleaning up my sewing space I discovered that the ribbing was perfect for stitching too.

I love the way the blanket stretches around you when it wraps you up. I keep finding different textures amongst the soft woollens. It’s like a very large woollen hug. I have been assured that it is at home in its new location. I hope it finds some new people to hug there too.

Circus Pinwheels and Roly Poly Kids

2010-11-19T12:44:00.003+13:00

With a little help, I have laid out the quilt, pinned, stitched and bound it. The kids thought it was a fantastic game and they rolled over and over wrapped in the pieces. I can see that this process is not quite so simple when little hands are around and I can also now proudly say the Circus Pinwheels Quilt is finished.

For the longest time I have had a block about machine quilting. I just couldn’t enjoy it. I learnt with stitch-in-the-ditch methods and methodically rolled and revealed my quilts as I worked, all the while, wrestling with a long and hefty weight resting over my shoulders. It’s going to take some convincing to get me to go back. The stippling was so much easier and enjoyable. I might yet tackle that pile of un-quilted tops in my sewing space.

I am not one to let a perfect opportunity to have fun piecing a back and so here it is too.

This is an achievement for me considering I started it in July, this year. Accentuated by the fact that the children had not seen me pin a quilt before. Long may the momentum keep up.

The Winners and the Changes

2010-11-17T10:27:00.005+13:00

Thank-you to everyone for their kind words and ideas when entering the giveaway. I have read through them and will give the suggestions some thought. It appears that the kids stay in the blog. Which is just as well, because I have often have very little time for anything else.

Viv has suggested that there be more about the books I’m reading. Viv has seen me regularly turn up to Monday night sewing with a new crafty library book under my arm. The little ones have me trawling through the picture books too. Once I get over my initial “If you haven’t any thing nice to say..” expect to see a little more on the books we are taking home. There are some reserves in my name at all my local libraries. I will even try to include the ones I will not be taking home again with some sort of objectivity.

It has been suggested that I include something about the job I commute for. I am treading this area with caution as I am very aware of the pitfalls. Bear with me as I choose my words carefully on this post. My profession does tend to leave its finger prints on most things I do. It is very important to me and I have had to make some big decisions this year, so expect to see some words on this in the near future, and some very cool links.

In the mean time I will be doing some tidying around here and updating some links. The local love and admiring from afar links need a refresh. Some are staying but some are no-longer active. You can expect some new and exciting blogs to meet there. I will let you know when it has happened so those using reader can stop and have a look around.

Now for the bit you have been waiting for – the winners:

National – Miss Smith

International – notice only two entries there so..
They are both winners , Joanna at Appliqué Today and Jules at Relish