Pom tiddly om pom, pom pom

Ah, so much has gone unblogged or almost blogged. 

And in case that sounds dramatic, let me assure you, it's not at all. In fact it's been entirely humdrum, everyday unblogged. I have indeed been sewing, but I've shared things for me over at The Drapery blog so don't want to double up. Ah, might throw in a photo or two at the end here.

But down to business - oh and sorry, it's more dog business. Ew, not that kind.

I made a pompom for Skylar today. It was such a success I wanted to share, and it seemed like a quick and likely way to get back into the blogging habit.

Skylar loves fuzzy things, and had taken a particular liking to a woollen pompom that I made with the boys some years ago, that's been hanging about the house ever since. We throw it for her out the back, she races at it, snaps it up, flips it in the air and basically goes crazy for the thing. It's looking the worse for wear.

 

 I do rather like the traditional method of pompom making, with two cardboard rings, poking the wool through and around, through and around. However, it's time-consuming. And I came across an adapted method that doesn't really feel like cheating, but is a whole load quicker. Yep, found it on Pinterest.

 I think it made a very satisfactory pompom! I tied it as tightly as I could, knowing now the kind of treatment it was in for. (Those are shreds of the earlier pompom around on the lawn.)

 I didn't manage to capture Skylar doing her full flip-out, which she generally reserves for 7am or earlier. Later in the day she prefers a quick trot and lie down. It's easy to see why racing never suited her. Most of the races are at night. Silly races.

 Your move, pompom.

Below are the cardboard pieces I used for pompom construction, after removal. I think these may be bigger than the templates provided in the Pinterest link. When I printed out the largest one, it looked pretty small so I made up my own. I may have buggered up the printing, or I may just prefer a giant pompom.

And the pompom pieces are sitting on the laptop on which I type my blog posts - grubby old thing! Complete with 'bread tag elves' courtesy of Jasper.

Now, on with random recent photo grabs!

Here's a t-shirt I made for Clem with some awesome cotton/spandex knit with NINJAS!! from Crafty Mamas. I have come to the conclusion that as the sizes get bigger in this, my favourite Ottobre 'Best t-shirts' pattern, the neck bands get a bit tighter, especially if you use spandex knit, and I've ended up with a bit of scrunching up around the neckline. So I should make them a bit longer in future.

 

 

 I blogged about my Grainline Alder dress at The Drapery, but suffice to say I love, love love it and am wearing it again right now, which is at least the 3rd day in the last week (less than?) since I finished it. Yes, it has been washed :)

Lastly, lest this end up in unfinished-draft-land, here are some photos from a weekend that Andy and I had in Melbourne, without children. Yes. I tagged along on a work thing he was there for. We ate a lot, walked a lot, saw some children's theatre (work) and saw this utterly gorgeous 'Golden Mirror Carousel' at the National Gallery of Victoria. It turns super-slowly and silently and the seats gently sway and the whole thing was quite magical.

So there. That's a bit of stuff from lately! If you have read this far, may your week be filled with golden mirror-ness :)

- Jane x

Does my butt look tall in this?

Oh yes, you can bet I've had that post title in mind since before I even cut into this fabric. (Surely I am not the only person who composes blog posts in my head during the making process?)

I'm not normally an animal print person but giraffe print? I don't know, there was just something silly about it that I couldn't resist. I'm really hoping it says 'this is a fun skirt that is not taking itself at all seriously' rather than 'I'm trying to make some sort of animal print/sexy beast connection'. Plus, it's really lovely mid-weight cotton by Sevenberry of Japan, and it charmingly said 'Made by Japan' on the selvedge. Thank you, Japan!

This is, of course, another Grainline Moss skirt. I had put the fabric aside a while back with the idea of making shorts for one of my boys. However neither of the big boys seemed too keen and Clem, at the time, had plenty of shorts. And so it sat... until after I'd made my woodgrain Moss and had worn it so much I felt there was room in my wardrobe for one more.

A friend bought some of this fabric some months back and told me she'd made herself a skirt from it so there are two giraffe skirts 'in the wild' in Adelaide. Yay! I hope she doesn't mind me being a bit of a copycat.

Once again, love this pattern, hate the process of putting in the zip fly. Still. Managed it all fine this time except for the last part of attaching the facing/guard thingummy, which has the overlocked edge facing outwards instead of the neat-looking folded edge. I didn't realise this until I had the waistband on and it was all too late. It's totally hidden from the outside of the garment so only bothers me. But I later noticed that the diagram in the instructions has it shown around this (incorrect) way, although the written instructions say the right thing. I don't know if this has been corrected in the pattern since.

Nevertheless, I'm quite delighted with this and it is joining my other two Moss skirts on high rotation.

- Jane x

Mossy Wood... Woody Moss?

I wear my denim version of the Grainline Moss skirt all the time. Like, about three times a week in all weather. So, it made total sense to make another. And ever since I saw the sample of this Kokka woodgrain fabric that we ordered in for The Drapery, I had been imagining this.

 It's a mid-weight 100% cotton, very stable, and ideal for the Moss. It's a little bit silly, but not too kooky for fun everyday wear (in my opinion, anyway!). I was pushed along in my desire to make this when I saw this awesome best-Moss-ever.

 The fabric looked like just a straight woodgrain until we unfolded the sample and saw that along one edge, it has these crosscut sections lined up. We had a good giggle thinking about the placement possibilities of these circles in a dress. But for the sake of an actual wearable garment, I decided against a couple of big circles on my butt or whatever, and just popped a couple of slices in the pockets and around the waistband.

 Inside the pockets, I used some scraps of Nani Iro brushed cotton, which is so cosy to tuck my hands into!

Apologies for the unspectacular-other-clothes-and-hair styling but on a Sunday morning, this is, honestly, better than it usually gets.

As per my denim Moss, this is a straight size 14, made in the 'mini' version without the band around the bottom, but with a couple of inches extra length.

I had a helluva time putting in the zip fly on this one, and really should have gone straight to the online photo tutorial on the Grainline blog. But, having done it before, I thought I'd be fine and followed the written instructions. Sorta. Got my left mixed up with my right, misinterpreted a diagram... basically sewed the thing on three different kinds of wrong with unpicking in between. But I got there. I felt like I should make another five zip flies in a row to cement the technique in my head but that would be simply annoying. Until next time, zip fly.

- Jane x

Move over, Spidey Skirt

In the spirit of 'blog it today or it will never happen' I present some hastily taken, rumpled-looking photos of the proper Grainline Moss Skirt that Spidey was a test-run for.

Not much really to say about a skirt that has been loved-up around the blog-o-sphere so much already. It has filled a glaring gap in my wardrobe where jeans fit in during the colder weather. It's in a lovely cotton/hemp dark denim that has jeans-like sturdiness but sews like buttah. Might have to move heaven and earth to source more when we run out of it at the shop. I topstitched in all the likely places with the same navy cotton thread I used for construction.

I put kitties in the pockets (leftover from my pyjamas).

I decided against the optional band at the bottom of the skirt, but added 2 inches to the length of the front and back panels for decency's sake and then turned up a minimal hem, bound with bias for a bit more 'secret detail'. (Scraps of Sarah Watson's 'Indian Summer - Forest Trail' that Charlie chose for pj shorts.)

The zip fly - having done it twice, I can say I am no longer afraid of it, but not exactly leaping at opportunities to make them everywhere. I am happy with the result but it was quite fiddly, and I am curious to investigate any other methods. I didn't find out until after I'd finished that there's a step-by-step guide on the Grainline blog. Oops. If anyone has a preferred method of zip fly construction I'd love to hear.

I found the pattern instructions to be fine, but with a fair amount of assumed knowledge (e.g. terms like baste, grade, understitch used without any explanation). 'Insert your buttonhole according to placement on pattern' - I couldn't find it - maybe small un-labelled notch? - so just winged it. I don't want to come across all whingey because it's a fabulous pattern but (in my opinion) it wouldn't take much to make it a lot more friendly to sewists with only a bit of experience.

I followed Lara's tip of stabilising the pocket openings (prone to stretch since they're on the bias), which I did with some light twill tape I had on hand, sewn into the seam.

Anyway, I love it. Hello, new skirt. Prepare to be thrashed to death.

And completely unrelated, this is Clem asleep tonight. He was not wearing that Miffy hat when I put him to bed. It's terribly hot and I'm a bit afraid he'll overheat but do I want to ruin the cuteness? Hmm.

- Jane x

My spidey senses are tingling

I sense a crime... against aesthetic sensibilities everywhere... LOOK OUT!

 Here comes the Spiderman.

Ooh, and he's looking around the corner at you. BOO!

Relax. It's only a muslin. But to my total amusement, this muslin (Grainline Moss Skirt, in case the hideous fabric had blinded you from that detail) fits perfectly. Like, could not be better. Like, is so comfy and just the right height at the back and the exact fit at low waist (or lack thereof) and hips, like ... like ... unprecedented perfect fit.

Crap.

Does that mean I should find some crapulous occasion to wear it? Look, Spidey is peeking out of my crotch. Hellooo!

Do you have fun with icky fabrics that have happened into your posession, when making muslins? It certainly takes some of the drudgery out of the task.

- Jane x

PS real version in plain dark denim (phew) almost finished.