Loving Friday and MOOOORRE Pants

I spied this beautiful view from the window this morning and it reminded me of this lovely post the other day. I had to share at least something outside that was looking love worthy today. Inside I am attempting to amuse 'outdoor' children inside. No easy feet.

So kiddy craft gone mad - gotta love that. Caleb has proudly dino stickered the entire couch, sweet.

Beading, another good indoor activity, this headband creation made especially for Mum by Caleb (I was told I was beautiful with it on), who couldn't Love that.

Lunch today - ice-cream, gotta love any excuse for that I say. Thanks to Tinnie Girl for making me look for the good stuff on a stinker of a day.

And the last of pants for a while, to save you all. These little robots are fabulous for the boys with the stripey denim - so cool.

My Creative Space .. and more Pants

Two hands at work.

Little fingers pulling out pins.

Scissors at the end, his favourite I think.

I missed out yesterday, it was mad hot, like melt the eyelashes right off your eyes hot. I couldn't even sew last night as all the kids doors were open trying to suck in as much air-con as possible. So I was ordered to use my non-productive time to sleep (oh I remember that one). As you can see my new little helper is still going full swing, overlocking up a storm, such a great star and taking the creative space very seriously. More great spaces, of people that actually got there on time at Kirsty's.

And of course more Pants, I know - enough of them already. These are some purple cord girlie ones, with sweet floral pockets. The Japanese pattern, at knee length with mushrooms is so super sweet without being too over the top. I have done a size 2, 3 and 4.

A Week of Pants - Day 4

I love the simplicity of these grey cords in Size 3 an 4 with plaid wool knees. I thought they needed a little sprucing so I added the cool bears underneath.

We have cleared out the garage for some extra room, as I was sweeping the floor I had visions of a great sewing room, as opposed to being shoved in the side of the dining room. Darn those kids, they won again with another play room. All resentment was gone after I saw these gorgeous chalk drawings. Caleb has even been trying to write numbers, you might be able to see the 8 he has attempted. Oh such a proud mama, he normally hates doing that sort of thing. We even have a bit of hopscotch action in the far corner - LOVE IT. Oh well, back to the dining room for me.

Week of Pants Day 3

Let me introduce you to the most favourite pair of pants ever to come off my sewing machine. What you might be thinking, they don't look that special, has she been sniffing sewing machine oil for too long, there all right but really!?

Look closely, these babies have been overlocked by Caleb. That's right, on Australia Day he spent the arvo sitting on my lap, pulling out the pins and feeding it through the machine and snipping threads. Woo hoo. Who is that sitting alone on the couch watching the cricket by himself, oh dear, it's Daddy. Yeah dude, can't chat gotta sew! Never a prouder Mum, I have some more pants already pinned and ready for action since he has been asking to do more.

He is starting his new kindy next week and I just realised all his pants are store bought ones and with the buttons and zips he can't pull them up by himself so he needs some Mum specials so that he can go by himself to the bathroom. (How do normal kids do it). Kids with Asperger's are notorious for fine motor skills so off into Team Bug and Pop we go. Since he is going to a completely different place to last year we have told him he is off to school and he couldn't be more excited! He wants to walk there by himself he told me, so funny (yeah right, not to mention that it would probably take him an hour and a half).

Week of Pants Day 2

So I have been sewing lots of pants lately so I thought why not a bit of shameless self promotion, yesterday was a bit of jungle action and today is some little pirates. These are little 00 in green cord with white skull trim and stripy pocket and tuxedo stripes. I did these a little on the fly and now I really love them. I am planning to put all the pants on Etsy and also MadeIt (If I can get there) up until the market if you like any of them.
Hope you all had a great Australia Day!

Eye Spy .. Something beginning with J

Oh I love a bit of old school eye spy courtesy of Lauren.

There was a bit of Jiving - dancing kids, there is nothing funnier.

There was some Joking, apparently running around with a nappy on your head pretending to be Mojo Jojo is hilarious (Caleb loves the Power Puff girls at the moment) - who am I to argue.

There was some Jumping, we have moved our trampoline out into the courtyard and it is like a whole new toy. Poppy is the jumping queen, but sadly no photos. I fear if I take my eyes off her for one second she will jump off.

Last but not least, these are the latest pants I have done for the market too and I think they are a little Jungley.

The Crafty Librarian is in charge of next week and I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

Binding Foot 1.01

I was a good girl last year and Santa rewarded me with some new feet for my machine, he has a few elves here. The feet seem to be fairly generic (within reason) and I have bought a few things from this ebay shop and had no problems with any even though their prices are super reasonable. If you are not sure if it will fit your machine I have found them more than happy to answer any queries by email. You can obviously get the same "brand" as your machine through sewing machine stockists.

This is the binding foot that will sew your binding straight onto your material as soon as you have whipped it through your bias tape maker. You can see the measurements on the top of the foot, you just fold the tape over and push it through the 'V' shape and then tighten the side screw to suit the width of your binding, this one can do up to 20mm.

(Top View with bias fed through)

(Bottom view so you can see how it folds the material)

I found this easiest to do before I attach it to the machine. Once the foot is one the machine you use the back screw to slide it across ways to make sure the needle is where you want it. You then just put the base material in the middle of the 'V' and off you go. The foot will fold it for you as you go and helps make sure that the base material doesn't wander off. It also keeps your binding beautifully lined up if you need to make ties, etc. I did struggle when I first got it but I was trying to do arm holes on the polar fleece vest and my binding was quite thick material too. I am hoping with a bit of practice I will be able to these as well but it worked great with cotton bias for the denim pinafore that I did, so depending on what your needs are it may be a useful addition to your sewing kit.

(Finished top view)

(Finished back view)

I fear that demo writing may not be my strong point so any queries please just ask. Hope it helped the few people that were asking about it.

My Creative Space

The house is in mourning today, Nana left this morning after 6 weeks so everyone is a bit forlorn, especially Poppy who has been yelling Nana at every nook and cranny that she can find in search of her beloved friend. Mum was also my chief assistant cutter, look at all those plastic envelopes now, they have been breeding. It has given me a huge head start with 70 plus outfits in there.

On the end of my drafting table, as my sewing table is full of other stuff. These are reversible boys polar fleece vests with a skulls patch on the back. I also used the binding foot on this as well but it didn't work so well with the thicker fleece and denim binding. I promise a demo on the binding foot tomorrow. I have also finished quite a few of the boys pants that I will get out for show and tell next week.

Thanks to Kirsty yet again for Creative space and the great collection of creative peeps playing.

Autumn Pinnie

I finally have some sewing to show for the markets. I am calling this an autumn pinnie but Poppy has been wearing hers today with nothing underneath and it is a stinker (40 degrees plus) so I guess it is all seasons. It is a cute shimmery pink denim with circle squirrely, owl pockety goodness (those Japanese can do some great stuff with a bit of cloth.) I even got to use my new binding foot on the pink and white spot collar - oohh fancy. I will show you it in action later in the week.

In other news I think Caleb is busting to hang out with some people under 5 foot and kinder can not come soon enough. He has just started though story telling, which is so cool (especially for an aspergers kid who usually just have facts on the brain). I am amused no end on the tales of the brave knight Caleb and the naughty princess Poppy - so funny!

Eye Spy ... A Taste of Summer

I love this theme from Anastasia (one of the main people that made me think about starting up the meme) but I have to admit that we are not really a summery type of family, we DON'T like to sweat here at Chez Bugandpop. I am not a beachy person, it mus miss a generation as my Mum loves it, I never really got it. I was going to put some cute pictures that we took a the pool last week, but seriously the last time we went was just after Poppy was born. Lycra has never been one of my homies either - eeek. So really this is my taste of summer, nice and icy, like the penguins at the new aquarium exhibit. Air con on and happy - oh yeah.

I am hoping that Lauren will be lovely enough to come up with next weeks theme. And check out all her beautiful hair pretties as well.

Sunday Stash

I love this Russian Doll material and it is from my favourite Japanese fabric store EVER - Karaku. I have bought lots of pretty things from her and she even does stamps. Look at the gorgeous bag she did to say thanks - with my initials and the sweet little birds. Like I need more reasons to shop there!

my creative space

I find Kirsty to be a great source of inspiration (and if you get in quick enough free stuff) so I was excited at her new idea to have a look at wip's. This week ain't so pretty I have to say, this is the pile of stuff that has to transform in 2 month's into my market collection - That's a lot of sewing my friends, A LOT. Mum is still here until Thursday and she has been cutting out like a demon at night so I have lots of bright plastic envelopes ready to go. Next to it, out of shot, is the empty rack waiting in eager anticipation. I am doing the Mathilda's market in Melbourne in March, so I aiming for autumn/winter type stuff, even though it will still be warm I figure you should have most of your summer wardrobe by then ?!

Poppies for Poppy

I hope you are sitting down people as I actually have - wait for it - sewing! I managed to get this square neck prototype done for Poppy using some super cute Poppy remnant that I found. It is technically a size 2 so it is a little wide for a top so I am thinking a frill to the bottom in the yellow for instant dress. My poor kids have no clothes to wear this summer and most of what is left is a couple of inches too short, A bit like the plumber with the leaky tap I fear.

Eye Spy ... Something I want to try in 2009

Isn't there some saying about time being a mistress or something like that - perhaps not, anyway if it is then mine is the Jerry Springer type "Yer bin sleeping wif me cuzzin" type. I don't seem to have enough time to get everything done and when I do it always seems to take longer than I had hoped. Enough self-pity, but I am sorry I am so late and how did it get to be the middle of January already. This week's great theme from Red Chocolate is superb.

I would really love to try and learn to crochet or knit. These great pics are from here. So funny. When I was pregnant I had the urge to knit and did so VERY badly, I had dreams of a patchwork type knitted blanket, I couldn't even manage a couple inch square, so it is more challenging for me that it sounds.

I am hoping that Anastasia C can help us out for next week, can't wait to see what's next and hope to be on time next week - sheesh.

Friday Loving

I thought I might join in with Miss Tinnie Girl's Loving Fridays. This Friday I am loving the gift that Santa bought for me, I may of given him a little hand. It is a gorgeous red haired Sophie from the ever fabulous Black Apple's Emily Martin. I so LOVE her and her little freckles. She sits above my desk and keeps me company with Sleepy Sam, someone has to keep me company while I work.

I Remember now, I am a Sewing Blog

I think my poor little blog almost forgot that it was meant to home to sewing occasionally. It seems so long - Glen actually banned me from sewing for a week over Christmas to get some rest and to bed before the new day starts. I have been sewing madly for the Mathilda's Market but haven't quite finished anything yet, hopefully tomorrow. This is a cute little twirl skirt for Poppy with gorgeous Japanese fabric front, and anglaise sides and a spotty underskirt. I love it, but it is a little long and the waist keeps sliding under her belly, she really must cut down on her beer intake.

Eye Spy ... My Best Memory of 2008

I think this is a great retro theme, I must admit I am the sort of person that keeps rolling on without too much reflection, but 2008 was a really good year for me, though super busy. At the begining of last year I had no idea what was in fo me. I had just started to dabble in a bit of sewing again after a LONG time, still didn't really know a lot of Melbourne people and didn't even know what a blog was. Sheesh what a learning curve - my first market that went super well, my little sewing business that I am slowly nurturing and loving. Blogging and meeting lots of great people with similar creative wants has been fantastic too. My babies growing up into little people that I am so proud of - so much good stuff.

My best memory of the year though - hmm - probably this Christmas week that I have had off. I generally only have a week or so off a year so I have really enjoyed the time with everyone. I am so proud too of Caleb and have really seen the advances that he has made. I am hoping Bek at Red Chocolate can help us out for next week.

Holidaying at Home - Part 2 Tips

Some pointers if you are planning to holiday at home

1. Don't party too hard as children don't sleep in and don't do volume control.

2. Even if it is 20 degrees and raining (love the Melbourne weather) if it is summer it is always the right time for ice cream.

3. Do not take our child to the museum after the zoo, unless you wish to be asked 356 times is that animal alive. (Miss Potty Mouth Mama if you are reading - look away now)

4. I also recommend having a pre-planned explenation as to how to explain to the toddler what a stuffed dead animal is.

I have to admit that our trip to the museum this morning was great. We went last christmas, pre Caleb diagnosis and we had non-stop tantrums, we couldn't even get out of the car park. One year on of Asperger's diagnosis, speech and therapy and today the only drama was having to come home, I was never a sproud of a screechy boy in my life.