A scrappy quilt for Clem, with quality control by Skylar

 Here's a quilt I made for Clem over the last couple of weeks: the fastest actual pieced quilt I've ever made. (Also only the fourth, so no world records here.)

A scrappy quilt, that's almost all garment scraps, and looking particularly 'scrappy' here because I forgot it was in the washing machine for a few hours before hanging it out to dry, very rumpled. Let's call it 'texture'.

 I started out by organising my fabric stash (whatever came over me?), and putting aside a bunch of cotton flannel pieces, mostly left over from making pyjama pants. But there wasn't enough variety there for a full flannel quilt. Sure, I could have sourced more flannel, but I was on a mission to use up scraps. And I thought my tactile, fabric-loving Clemmy would probably love a quilt with lots of soft bits as well as other interesting prints... and so I widened my scrap search.

As the mother of a 13-year-old now (and that's a whole other topic), I am acutely aware that what might appeal one year can be downright embarrassing the next. If 7y.o. Clem had his pick of fabrics now, it would be all cute, cute, cute. And I'm very ready to indulge that for things with a shorter lifespan, like clothes. But for a quilt, I wanted to choose prints that, I hope, will stay in favour as he grows.

By telling Clem the quilt was for him, I knew I'd have a little project manager on my back, pushing me to get this finished. He also wanted to help.

My other expert helper was Skylar, who has happily settled into being the absolute furry centre of our family. Oh, how we adore her! Do you know, greyhounds barely have any 'doggy' smell at all, so you can totally bury your face in that soft, soft spot just behind her ear and tell her what a gorgeous thing she is. Another thing about greyhounds is they are very good at testing out anything soft-looking that you lay out on the ground.

At strip-piecing stage.

At pin-basting stage.

And at post-quilting, pre-binding stage.

I was tempted as a kind of challenge to use nothing but scraps for the quilt backing, too, but didn't have enough of anything suitable. So I nabbed a bit of this Erin McMorris print from the sale trunk at the shop (it's little houses - I love it), chopped it in half and stuck big chunks of flannel down the centre. And then bound it with some snuggly-feely chocolate brown corduroy scrap from the stash.

My machine quilting is inexpert but better than I've managed previously. I'm thinking it was due to massively easing off the presser foot pressure.

And of course, Skylar has tested out the finished object. Clem's pretty happy with it, too!

As I was making this quilt, I was pondering that there's actually not very much I enjoy about making a quilt. Except that I'm, well, making a quilt. I love what it becomes and seeing it take shape. But the cutting? Blah. The pressing? Blah. The sewing? Dull! The basting? Yawn. The wrangling of masses of fabric under a machine? Sweary. Thank heavens at the end you actually get a quilt.

How do you feel about quilts and quilting, if that's not too massive a question in sewing-land?

- Jane x

PJs, shorts and another apron

Hmm, mysterious post title that, I wonder what I'm going to show you?

Clem has a habit of begging me to make him things out of such ridiculously adorable fabric that I am powerless to refuse. Check out those little lions. On Japanese cotton lawn. Oh, I suppose a second pair of summer PJ pants won't go astray.

And then, the Heather Ross Briar Rose frog pond shorts. It wasn't until I looked at this photo that I began to question the placement of that log on the front. It's just a log, and I will think no more of it.

Both PJs and shorts were made with my go-to pattern for Clem-pants, from Japanese Pochee magazine. Alas, he's now in the biggest size!

Styled with his pyjama top this morning, and a froggy hop.

 And he wanted me to take a photo of him wearing Dadda's childhood fire hat. It's made from that really sturdy seventies plastic and is in amazingly good shape.

Lastly, here's an apron I whipped up this morning as a gift for my boss at the job I recently left. Australian readers will probably be familiar with the 'map of Tassie' reference and corresponding placement on the apron. Let's just say it suited my boss's sense of humour very much. Inspired by the Sew Liberated Gathering Apron (in this post), I made it with a great big kangaroo-style pocket so it should actually be quite useful for her, as well as silly. Maybe good for gardening.

The apron is made from a souvenir linen tablecloth I've been hoarding for a few years (plus a bit of plain natural linen). I've been tempted to make myself a skirt from it but I'm not sure I could exactly, you know, wear it with pride. Apron - much better idea. And hard as it can be to make the initial cut into prized fabric like this, I'm always happier to see it put to good use rather than languishing in my cupboard. Yay for stash-busting gifts!

- Jane x

Me in the Colette Hawthorn

Spring has come on crazy sudden here. It's been 30 degrees the last two days. Cool change blowing through right now. But today was perfect, simply perfect, for wearing my Colette Hawthorn in Liberty Tana Lawn to the shop. I asked Fiona to take a few photos of me betwixt the linens and the hemp & organic cottons.

The hills are alive....

It's so twirly!

My version is a fair bit less fitted than many versions I've seen online, but the Liberty has zero give in it and ... I have probably a little too much give these days, ha. Anyway I think it has shape and comfort in really good balance for my liking.

I made a muslin in size 10 and made a few adjustments to fit: raised the waist, let out the side seams and front bodice darts to widen the waist (tapering up to nothing under the arms) and took a wedge out of the bodice centre back where it meets the skirt to fix where it was scooping down a bit (I guess a kind of sway-back adjustment). If you look at the first photo in particular, I think I should have shortened the sleeves by the same amount as I shortened the bodice (I didn't adjust them at all). They're more almost-full-length than 3/4.

I cut the skirt back on the fold, since my print was directional and there were no fabric savings to be made by cutting it in two halves running opposite ways. I also sewed the collar with a 1/4 inch seam allowance as per comments I'd read from other Hawthorn sewists. It seems the pattern was accidentally made with only this narrow allowance on the collar rather than the 5/8 inch allowance elsewhere. Anyway with the 1/4" s/a it worked just right.

I added a waist-stay of cotton twill ribbon, sewing it to the seam allowance and finishing with a snap closure behind the button placket at the front. This may have been a bit of overkill given the lightness of my fabric, but on my bedsheet muslin, the weight of the full skirt pulled oddly at the waist.

I also added a little hook and thread loop helping stop any gaping at the waist. Buttons, not that you can see with the busy print going on, are assorted vintage clear glass.

I did a little bit of swearing when I cut the front bodice pieces upside-down on the print and there was not enough fabric left to re-do. But, it's such a busy print that you'd barely ever notice. I think it's a William Morris.

I felt great wearing this dress today. It made me feel a bit 'dressed up' but not inappropriate for just an ordinary day. I can definitely imagine another Hawthorn or two in my future... maybe in a plain fabric that would show off the cut a bit more.

I was thinking of making a very plain self-fabric tie belt to go with this one. What do you think?

- Jane x

Mornings, and a look at my Hawthorn although not on me, yet

We've been doing this three-kids-at-school thing for almost a year now but is it getting any easier to get us all ready in the mornings? Uh, nope. Maybe this summer when the sun's up earlier?

This morning:

Charlie, his face still three-quarters asleep, moving with glacial speed through the motions of morning preparations.

Clem, five minutes to go, sliding about with a tissue box on one foot and nothing on the other, admonishing Andy for "always speaking to (him) in a cross voice". Cos yeah, we should happily and sweetly repeat instructions for the seventh or eighth time.

Jasper, completely ready since about 7.30am, and showing us all the totem pole he'd just whipped up with corks, a slice of tree branch and a hot glue gun.

We all have our strengths and weaknesses, don't we. But in the mornings I'd take three of Jasper, thank you!

Now again, here I am apologising for not having photos of a garment being worn. There will, really, be a catchup post of me wearing a bunch of stuff soon. But I want to show off my Colette Hawthorn nevertheless, because I'm rather thrilled with it, and I really went slow-and-steady through this, the most detailed thing I've sewn in ages. So here it is on a hanger.

It was love-at-first-sight for me and the Hawthorn pattern. We had just received our first ever bolts of Liberty Tana Lawn at The Drapery and I was all inspired to pull out this Liberty from my stash. It was originally slated for a shirt for Andy, but... let's just say it may just as well have kept sitting in my stash for all the light of day it would have seen. So. Hello, Hawthorn!

I will post later about my fitting alterations and such, and with photos of me wearing it. But for now, here it is, and I can't wait for warmer weather here so I can actually enjoy it!

- Jane xx

a 12 year old! (and a very insistent 5 year old)

Well this dear glowing face turned 12 last week. Charlie is much loved by his youngest brother, who insisted on taking his own pocket money to Haighs to buy Charlie some chocolate as a gift.

Charlie loves to draw and I bought him 'Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals' by Carla Sonheim which is a simply delightful and inspiring book. The bedroom he shares with Jasper features some fabulous wall cracks that, as the book demonstrates, can be wonderful starting points for all kinds of illustrations!

He also asked for, and received, more Tintin books. I think I have talked him into letting me cut and style his hair like Tintin for Book Week at school this year :)

Charlie is a happy soul, enjoys his own company and doesn't ask for much. Which is fortunate really because he has two very squeaky wheels for younger brothers. Clem has been pestering me incessantly for new pyjamas ever since he laid eyes on the fabric he is wearing above, in our shop. And so, during quiet moments at the shop, on Charlie's birthday, I found myself sewing pyjamas for Clem (sorry Charlie). He put them on as soon as he saw them (after school on Friday, in the shop) and wore them non-stop until mid Saturday afternoon. Pestering + appreciation = happy Clem + happy Mama. And a happy 5 year old means a happier whole family, really.

The printed knit is organic cotton/spandex by Lillestoff and the stripe is some Farbenmix from my stash. Top pattern - Ottobre Best T-shirts, legs from Growing Up Sew Liberated, a rough combination of size 2 width and size 4 length with added seam allowance and cuffs. I just love soft, stretchy, forgiving knits! And I do wish I could rock a pair of stripey leggings like he does.

- Jane x

Linen Esme

Another Sew Liberated Esme Top!

I have been wearing my first one so much - it's so handy for this transitional autumn weather - that I thought I should sew up another. This time in more of the lovely natural linen that my parents brought me back from Lithuania, and that I used for my Washi Dress. (I think there was four metres, and there's still probably a metre left!)

I made the bib lining and back neck facing out of some leftover Anna Maria Horner voile. The only alteration I made was to raise the back neckline a bit.

More mismatched buttons as solution to indecision. I was intending on adding a little embroidery to the bib in a running or cross stitch around the edge but I'm not sure now. Best left plain or could it use a little more decoration?

And on a real person. Hmm there's a bit of front gaping there. I think it's more to do with my button placement than anything. I might fix that with just a little hand-tacking, since I think the buttons will always be done up. The linen is slightly stiff and scratchy right now but I know from my Washi Dress that it will soften up beautifully with a few more washes.

In the interests of reality-checking, here's a different view of that terribly picturesque rustic background:

It's the door of our falling-down shed. And I was standing in possum poo. Glamorous, non?

During last week, the boys had sports day (across two days) at school. It's always rather delightful and for some reason I even get a little choked up when the teams all do their chants and cheers at the end.

Guess what colour our team is :)  And we won!

- Jane x

purple

Clem has recently declared purple his favourite colour. And I have pounced on the opportunity to sew him some colourful clothes.

Purple velour is not easy to photograph! It sort of soaks up the light. Anyhow, this is the Farbenmix Yorik Hoodie pattern in Nicky velour. I probably should have made the next size up but I thought that the purple phase might be over by the time he grew into something huge. The velour is just gorgeous and 90% cotton as opposed to the completely synthetic and inexplicably expensive stuff in my local fabric shop.

The pattern instructions were in German?/Danish? but there's a visual step-by-step on the Farbenmix website and with a bit of concentration it wasn't too hard to work out.

The hood is lined, what fun! I chose - what else - some leftover Spoonflower organic cotton knit.

I bought one metre of the velour and had enough leftovers to make a couple of silly hats (based roughly on one bought for our big boys years ago), which are very soft, stretchy and cosy.

Actually before the purple hoodie came the purple tracky dacks.
I'd had some bamboo fleece in my stash forever but it was a natural cream colour. I winged it with my standard Clem-shorts-and-trousers pattern and added a ribbed waistband that contains wide elastic.

Then I dyed them using the stovetop method with regular Rit purple dye.

Result: great colour, saggy crotch! I didn't take enough off the top of the pants (which is normally a fold-over-to-make-elastic-casing type) before adding the waistband. Plus, the fabric is stretchy.

A bit of unpicking, chopping and re-sewing and the purple trackies are in business. Perfect for Easter-egg hunting:

 And jumping in a muddy pond.

Not sure if the colour is fading or if they just look paler next to the vivid hoodie.

I'm all excited about sewing with velour now. Just got a bunch of bamboo/organic cotton velour samples in the mail from here... only all conflicted about the enviro aspects of bamboo fabric production. Easy plant to grow but apparently not so easy to turn into fabric fibre. Never simple, is it?

I am currently struggling with another Farbenmix pattern for myself. Will. Make. It. Work.

- Jane x

a pencil case, with love

Today Andy starts rehearsals for a Very Large Show. He's directing Leonard Bernstein's Mass for the Adelaide Festival and I'm so proud of him. It's such a fantastic opportunity and he's already been working very hard on it for quite some time. Our whole family is becoming very familiar with the music, which fortunately is fabulous and bears repeat listening!

The score is enormous. To hold his necessarily large collection of highlighter pens, sticky notes and other working paraphernalia, Andy asked me to make him a pencil case. I jumped at the opportunity to use a couple of beautiful fabrics from the stash... and send a little piece of handmade love along for the ride.

 The outside is a heavy almost hessian-like fabric... linen I suppose? I bought it on eBay a while back and it has no selvedge or other clues. I love it and it was definitely waiting to become a bag-ish thing of some sort.

On the inside is some Liberty Tana Lawn, with hundreds of ornate mushrooms. Another one from my (fortunately brief) eBay fabric purchasing phase.

The only zip I had was a salvaged black one but it was in good shape and I think it looks fine. I hope his new pencil case brings Andy extra good vibes for his first day of rehearsal.

If you are in Adelaide and interested in seeing the show, I believe it is selling quickly. And this recording of the music is well worth getting to know.

- Jane x

school holiday highlights (so far)

Even though we've been taking things at a fairly slow pace around here, I feel like I'm getting behind in bloggable news. The boys are all a fairly good age for 'getting out and doing things' in the school holidays now, what with no daytime naps and most grumpiness able to be dealt with by application of icecream, cake etc.

We took Gillian's recommendation and went strawberry picking at Beerenberg in the Adelaide Hills. Despite a spell of intensely hot weather the pickings were exceptionally good. It was tempting to keep picking, and picking... however we limited ourselves to a bit less than five kilos. We ate quite a few fresh and in sorbet, and made two batches of jam. The first batch we did not mush up the berries and they all floated to the top of the jars. Live and learn.

Andy has been sourdough baking with mixed success. The flavour is really good but the texture is, as yet, a little too dense. He's working on it. And yes, he has worn that same t-shirt pretty much every day while on holidays. He's back to work today, but I have another week off, and I'm letting the boys have a lazy DVD day today.

Charlie and Jasper were eager to get to work on a new stuffed toy each from Fiona's lovely Hop Skip Jump book. They chose projects with a bit more complexity this time so the work was collaborative. I sewed tricky parts like gussets and string-jointing limbs. But apart from that they did all the tracing, cutting and stuffing, and most of the sewing, by themselves. I'd remind them about clipping curves and they'd say "I know!" I'm pleased to say that in line with the book's philosophy, and my 'Wombling' resolution, the materials for these critters were entirely from stash; mostly scraps from finished projects. One of the delightful things about making stuffed toys is how little fabric you really need.

Three weeks of no work and all of us together sounds like bliss and is for the most part. But I have to admit I actually find the 'doing not much' part a bit difficult sometimes and become anxious that I should be doing constructive things. Maybe that's why I make silly resolutions like 'make the bed every day'. A little piece of perceived achievement to make up for the lack of getting everyone packed off to school and childcare and going to paid work regular week stuff. Pretty silly that some of my sense of self-worth should rest on doing the stressful things.

I think I need to go and sew while the boys are happy with a DVD!

- Jane x