Saturday 31 March 2012

Out with the Seam Rippers!

Yesterday I went on a little excursion to the Vinnies close to Imogens school. I found this little (big) beauty!



I have big plans for this! Keep watching this space!

Zoe
xx

Refashion-ista!

A while ago I was feeling a bit glum about my sewing experiences, so I went searching for some inspiration. 
This is what I found - New Dress a Day!
Marisa takes old, worn out dresses and makes them wearable and fashionable again. So I took a leaf out of her book and had a go myself!


I was so excited to get started I forgot to get a 'before' picture. So this is how it went. I bought a womens size 10 'Miss Shop' dress from the Salvation army. Its only cost me $1! The dress is black and white checkered, spaghetti straps and it had an awful ruffle around the bottom. Also it buttons down the front. 


The first thing I did was seam rip the ruffles off, and man oh man did that take a long time! Then I hemmed the bottom (removing 2-3 buttons). I had to take the straps in at the back because it is for my 5 year old daughter, so it needed to be small. 


I put the dress on her inside-out, then I was able to pin the sides so I knew where to sew and cut. 
It was quite dull and boring for a 5 year old to wear, so I wanted to add colour. I added a blue flower with a button center, but it looked terrible. Kind of like those ribbons you win for coming first in something. So I took that off, and replaced it with a mixture of bright pink buttons. Now it's perfect!


Left is the bad, bad flower.. Right is with the pretty buttons. This is only a crappy iPhone shot. Will do a proper SLR shot when Miss Imogen gets home tomorrow.


Zoe
xx

Monday 26 March 2012

Cute Little Ruffle Bum

My Sister-in-Law is currently pregnant and due in July (eeep!). So because I am the best SIL, I have decided to make her a heap of home made goodies, instead of buying it all. Heaps of cute goodies at a fraction of the price, and lots of love built into them.


I haven't made a lot so far, as I am finding it hard to get time. My youngest is really having a hard time sleeping, as she is having night terrors. So mumma is getting sleep where she can right now!


But this was my latest project. I turned a boring old onesie into something fun and cute!!


I added a little decoration around the collar for a little flare.


I think the collar looks adorable. 


Ruffle bum!


I didn't hem the ruffles, left it a little messy. I like it this way. 


To make the ruffles, I chose my fabric and cut it 2.5 - 3 times the width of the onesie and 1.5-2" wide. I put it through my sewing machine on the longest stitch that my machine does. Once it went all the way through, I grabbed a piece of string from the end and pulled it to make the ruffles. Once you are happy with your ruffles, pin them onto the onesie, in any location. Then you just sew over the middle gather line. Afterwards I pulled out my original gather line so the onesie had more stretch in it.
For the sides, I tried to sew the edges of the ruffles as close as I could to the seam. Just for a nice finished look and make them stay on a little better.
If you would prefer a neater look, you could always give the lengths of material a small hem before ruffling them. I really like the frayed look though.


For the front I did hem the piece of material I wanted. I then pinned it around the collar of the onesie, making sure every cm was a pleat. I covered the messy end with a pretty bow.


Next project will have step-by-step photos and instruction on how to made it.


This is so cute! Can't wait for Miss C to come along so she can wear it!


Zoe
xx

Thursday 22 March 2012

My Camera Lost it's Cord!

Within the last few weeks (months) I have been lugging my camera around here, there and everywhere. As one usually does with a camera. And along with that I have been taking my charger too. 

Somewhere along the way I have managed to lose my charger and now my camera is flat..    F-L-A-T.. Flat as a tack - Well, I think you get the picture. 

So tomorrow I am doing a MEGA hunt for it, and if that doesn't work, the husband has been ordered to find a replacement. 

So by tomorrow night I will have a nice new post, with my current project. 
Project Charlotte.

Catch'ya all tomorrow

Zoe
xx

As Cute as a Button

These here are adorable, and the perfect accessory for a childs room. Be it a boy or a girl.
Button Monograms. 

I found some inspiration from Pinterest this post in-particular.

So I went down to my local City Mission and found some old canvas prints ($1.50 each), then i bought them home and re-covered them with old clothes of mine. I used a hot glue gun to stick them down, but a staple gun would work a lot better (I am off to buy one today). I already had buttons that I bought in bulk from my local Chickenfeed store, which is just our cheap store. Kind of like the reject shop.

I used word, then chose my favourite font and wrote in the letter of choice. I made the font 700 and traced it straight from the computer to a piece of paper as my printer is broken, but printing would be ideal. I traced around my letter onto the fabric with a fabric pencil and set out how I wanted my buttons. 

Gluing them on was the most trying thing I had done in a long time. I hot glued them on, which consisted of lots of burnt fingers and stringy glue EVERYWHERE. If you line up how you want the buttons first, you should be able to just pick a button up and glue it back to the same spot without much rearranging. 

Even if its a little frustrating at first, the end product is really rewarding. And the kids love it!

Good Luck ♥
I is for Imogen
B is for Bridget 

Zoe
xx

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Hoot!

So if you have been reading along with my blog, you would have seen my very first attempt of an owl. Here is a refresher

Pretty terrible right?!?

So a couple of weeks ago, I decided to pull out my machine and give owls another go. I love owls, and i especially love owl toys! Here are the results
The one above was my first go! In love!! Fat quarter front, with Minky back, eyes and beak. 

 The next 2 were made for a friend. The blue one is for her baby (due very soon) and the purple one is for her friends baby. I added letters to the minky back.. I will add a photo of the girls one, as the boy name is a secret for a while yet :)

This is the back of the girls one. I think it turned out pretty well for my second try! Zig zag stitch was very kind to me. 
This little guy was made for the same friend, but he is mini version. He has little taggies for bub to pull on. In my experience, babies LOVE tags!

These owls are 100% my own pattern. 

Zoe
xx

The Clothes Files

I have made several pieces of clothing for my daughters over the past 18 months, but have only taken photos of 3 of them (what? so silly). So here they are!

 These shorts I made for Isabel. I found a pair of pants that fit her nicely around the waist, drew around them with about 1/2" seam allowance, making them the length of a pair of shorts and just sewed them together. 
 I used this tutorial to make this skirt for Imogen, but because Imogen is a bit older than the girl it is made for in the tutorial, I had to make bits of the measurements up to fit her.. 
And finally my favourite! A pillow case dress for Miss Isabel! I used this tutorial to make it with my favourite fat quarters I got from spotlight. Dress cost me $10 all up and an hour of my time..

I also made this dress (below) with the same tutorial, but not using fat quarters.  I just took the same measurements to make it, then cut it down to fit a size 0-1.  




Zoe
xx

Bibs and Bobs

So after my attempt on some stuffed toys, and a little bit of craft, I moved onto some clothes and baby bibs


 
This was the very first bib I tried. I gave it a go with no template and it turned out way too big and lop sided.
This was my second bib, made out of old clothes of mine. I found a great template for this, and I think it turned out fab!
 Next was a nappy wallet. I saw a few of these around online, and somehow managed to draw up my own template for it. First go was a real success!!


 Above is a before shot of an old shirt of mine, and below is the after. I used one of Isabel's grow suits to make one of my own. Turned out great and it fit her too. 

Here is a set I made for my cousins baby shower. Bandana bib, nappy wallet and 2 hair bands! So cute!

Close up of the head bands. I got those cute crochet doilies from Ebay, some stretch lace from Spotlight then a bit of hot glue.. Adorable!

I also made her a newborn bib, and a bandana bib for her older son, I added a T (for Tyrell) to that, just for a little extra 'cute' factor!
 Baby Bow Ties! I absolutely LOVE making these!! So fast and easy.. 

Next I will be back to show you some other things I have previously made. Failures and successes. 

Zoe
xx

In the beginning

About a year and a half ago (just after Miss. Isabel was born) I decided to try sewing for the very first time.

This was the result of my very first project..

To be honest it was pretty bad! I thought it was great at the time though, and I had lots of encouragement from friends and family when I shared it on my Facebook page. 

After that I tried a few other things

This was a monster I made for Imogen. Own pattern.

This is a toy made from a drawing Imogen did. It is of my Husband Dan! She loves him!

After that I moved onto a couple of non sewing things..

 I made a few canvas prints, the above is for a friend, I made one each for her twins and another for her older son. They are so cute!
Below is one I made for us, yet to print. Just waiting to see if baby number 3 makes an appearance first!

 Then I made a couple of Hairbands for Imogen and my niece Bridget. These were really cheap and easy. Fake flowers, headbands and ribbon all from my local Chickenfeed store. 

Lastly I began to make Invitations. This one is watermarked, but it was for Isabels Christening. It is my favourite invitation... 

Next post will be the rest of my sewing projects up until now. Then we will get to see the new stuff I am working on! I have been having a GREAT time op-shopping with my little ones. Refashions are awesome.. 

Zoe
xx

Welcome one. Welcome all!

Welcome to my blog.
I am not new on the blog scene, I have had several blogs in the past and all of them have failed miserably. 
This time, I am determined to make this one last. This blog is going to be about my adventures in sewing and craft
I am self taught at all the little bits and pieces I create, but I have a great time doing it. 


Now a little about me!


I am 23 years old. 
2 Daughters - Imogen, 5 and Isabel, 1. 
Married to Daniel - 7th January 2012
From Tasmania, Australia. 
My name is Zoe!


Will be back later with a few of my past creations. 


Zoe
xx