Zoom Zoom

In the many months that I didn't post on here I did manage to complete a couple of little projects and so I thought I would share one more that I am quite pleased with.

Earlier in the year I mentioned a little chugga carrier that I made for the lushous Noah for his birthday you can see the post here, and all the time that I was making that I knew that I had to make one for gorgeous Isaac too even though it wasn't his birthday. Lucky boy :)

I used the same pattern from Homemade by Jill which can be found here that I had used for Noahs one, but of course there was a car on the front and not a train and there was one more pocket as they were smaller to fit Lightening McQueen and his friends in.

I used the same black denim on the exterior as I had used previously on Noah's, the inside was a cool chequered flag cotton drill and the road was a very soft grey felt with a yellow felt cut into pieces as the road markings. I sewed a centre stitch down the middle of the carrier to help it fold better and used black velcro and belting to do it all up. Red cotton check was the material used for the car and I just appliqued it by using a zigzag stitch all around the edge.

Kathryn, Issac's mummy said that he loves it and wants to take the caddy with him everywhere. I'm so glad.

Pepper and Baby

It was my niece Lilia's birthday last month (I know, I am hanging my head in shame) and when I asked Jemma what Lilia may like, turning 5 is a big deal, the answer was, a rag doll ! 

A rag doll!, I have never made one of those and I was pretty sure that I did not have a pattern of any sorts that would be suitable. I was right, no rag doll patterns but I did have a pattern for one gorgeous little dolly called Pepper and her baby. 

Perhaps 5 years ago a lady called Lorraine gave me a copy of this pattern after we had been to the Craft and Quilt fair with her daughter in law Elise. I had seen the pattern there and fell for it immediately. I was put off it as it looked really difficult and it called for lots of applique and embroidery stitches, both of which I couldn't do. So after accepting the pattern eagerly Pepper was put to the bottom of the pile, the too hard pile.

I set to it that I would make Pepper for Lilia and perhaps make some adjustments now that I feel rather more confident with things. The applique happened on the hair but rather than hand stitching the entire face, hands and the cheeks on I used my machine, but the embroidery stitches did not. I did the best I could. After putting it off and putting it off I choose the materials from my stash and the request had been for pinks and purples as the main colours. I had to get some flesh coloured felt and matching thread but apart from that everything was on hand. 

With all that said, here is Pepper. The pictures show her from body completed but flat, then finished and then with her baby in tow.

The fabrics used for her skirt on the far left and 2nd from the right are from Prints Charming, all other pinks were from Spotlight. The yellow seersucker for her head was a gift from my mum and her back is a cerise pink flannelette that was also from Spotlight. All of baby was from Spotlight. She was backed with a matching soft blue flannelette also from Spotlight.

I am feeling rather pleased with myself and quite proud of Pepper. Even the ladder stitch that I used to stitch her and baby up was pretty good too. She is now wrapped up and winging her way via Australia Post to Lilia in England for a very belated birthday present. I hope she will 1. forgive me and 2. Love Pepper and baby lots and lots. 

What do you think?

A strange awakening

This morning we were awakened by a sentence from Olivia that we have never heard before and one that I hope I don't hear again any time soon, it was just so strange.

She said, "Mummy, Daddy, there is a sock in the toilet and I just went and now I don't know whether to flush or not." Hmm.

Naturally the responce from the barely conscious parents was, "What?! what are you talking about? a sock in the toilet?" But yes, indeed, there was a white school sock in the toilet bowl and the toilet needed to be flushed.

Todd's comment was, "Well I will leave that one up to you as I have to go to work." Cheers, thanks buddy.

The not so white school sock has been rescued from the toilet thanks to the handle of a wooden spoon, the toilet has been flushed and just for good measure the bathroom cleaned. I still have no idea as to how the sock got there and all inhabitants of this home are pleading ignorance, but for now, job done and thank goodness Olivia didn't flush the toilet and block the system.