kids clothes week | birthday crown

Poor Sachin, our middle child is a December baby. His birthday is close to Christmas and all the hustle and bustle of the festive season. There has been a guilt cloud hanging over me until today. This week, I'm playing along with Kids Clothes Week . It's always fun! Not sure how far I'll get given it is school holidays??

So finally, today while little one was sleeping..... a very patient Sachin gets his own mum-made Birthday Crown (like big sister and little sister). He may be 6.5 years old but all good things are worth waiting for....

Happy un-birthday buddy!

waiting..... waiting...... waiting....

KCWC | Spring Stripes

Did it! Last day today of the Kids Clothes Week Challenge. You should check out the Elsie Marley flickr pool to see what all the creative folk have been making. So, so totally inspiring to see the work of many talented mums sewing for their kids. If only I had the drive to keep this going. Having said this, Friday night DH came home from work and said "geez, glad you don't sew like this every week!". Not sure if you could visualize the mess that our house was/is in (I'm currently trying to get through 6 loads of catch up washing....uuugh). I'm not very good at multi tasking when I have a focused goal. Infact, I have blinkers on and can only think about that one thing - particularly if it is something that I am passionate about!

Anyway, I'm sure the family can cope with it twice a year. Thanks again Meg!

I made these Hipsters from Slimsters pants again for Sach like these and these. He's such a slim fellow and the pattern fits him perfectly. This time I changed it up a little by adding some bits - boy bits - buttons, tabs and a leather panel.

Admittedly, they are way too long but I wanted to allow for those growing legs. They're the kind of pants that look fine rolled up in the summer with a pair of thongs (or flip flops, as you guys in the northern hemisphere call them).

KCWC | polka dot pjs

I was all prepared to start a pair of pants for Sachin last night, when at bedtime Ruby couldn't find a pair of pyjama pants to wear that weren't either too short or ripped across the knee and threadbare. Ka-ching! went my brain. I finished the bedtime routine and bolted into my sewing room to find that yard of red polka dot flannelet I remember buying last year to make a cot sheet for Quinn (which is/was still on the list of things to do).

Pulled apart an old pair of retired Pjs to copy, and added a couple of inches as this kid is growing like a wildflower! Spring is here (so we're told although still waiting for some warmer weather) so these ones will go away very soon for next year.

They passed the lounge test!

KCWC | Cloud Dress

It's day 3. I have something more substantial to share. Phiew!

I have to say a really big thankyou to the wonderful Meg of Elsie Marley for hosting the Kids Clothes Week Challenge over the years (I first played in May 2010), as she is responsible for me learning to actually sew. Now don't get me wrong, I could sew, but now I feel like I am really learning to "sew sew". The real deal! Without blowing my own trumpet (eh.. too late) I am absolutely chuffed at my efforts today. This dress is probably the best technical thing I have ever made. I followed this pattern from Shwin Designs, which for me had many steps and components I had not tried before. I conquered pockets, pleats, button holes and lining. Woohoo.

I finished it just in time to wake the little lady up, give her a late lunch and go pick the bigger kids up from school. I ironed the dress, hung it on the hanger, stood back in admiration, and said to myself "there is no way in hell this is going to fit her!"

So we skipped the lunch, packed a box of snacks for the car and quickly whipped the dress on for a fashion show. While it is supposed to be spring here at the moment, today was freezing, dark and dreary, so we left the leggings on under the dress for practical reasons.

A M A Z I N G... It fit beautifully!

 Now for outfit number two....

KCWC | day 2

Awww... it's day 2 of the Kids Clothes Week Challenge and I'm afraid I don't have an awful lot to show. So with that out there, here's my effort so far.

Whilst I am a fan of daylight savings (turning the clocks forward one hour) as the light filled balmy nights over summer are awesome, there is a price to be paid when it comes to children and sleep patterns. This leads me to excuse myself for the lack of accomplishment on day 2 as I have spent the last 2 nights attempting to get numbers 1 & 2 children to bed, and whats more, to sleep before 9pm. The wise words of fellow South Australian mother, AKA Chapter Forty, sum up the situation perfectly "Whoever planned school holiday's end after day light saving time change clearly was NOT of the sleep deprived mother variety of human species" Here here I say!

{ this moment } a day late!

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments at Soule Mama for all to find and see.

KCWC | 90 minute shirt

This is the second 90 minute shirt I've made and sadly it didn't fit quite as well as the first version. I'm sure if I had the time and inclination to tweak it a bit more I could eventually get my pattern to fit better. The actual making of the shirt is really very simple and would take no time at all once you knocked out a few - it's getting the neckline shape that takes the time. Anyways, the boy is super dooper happy with the finished product (infact it could look and fit like a dog's breakfast and he'd still be happy because it has his all time favourite thing on the front). I've gone with a raw look by keeping the edges un-hemmed and purposely made my running stitch around the arms and neckline a little wonky.... seriously ...it's the grunge look!

So there's one day left to finish the KCWC and I have one more item to make for child number 3 which is very ambitious given the time, but I'll give it a go. Be back in a couple of days.

In the meantime check out what the other KCWC sewers have been up to in the flickr group.

half way day

We're celebrating two half ways today. Happy 1/2 Birthday to Quinn! 6 months already. Wow! I have to tell you this little girl is just the loveliest old soul around. Happy and content with her lot, she intently watches the never ending entertainment going on around her and always gives big smiles to her brother and sister, even if they unintentionally handle her a little too rough ;) We have just started solids and it brings me so much happiness to see her sitting in the high chair. Time flies and I just want to soak up the joy she brings and remember it for the rest of my life. I guess taking a million photos a day may help to capture some of the memories my mind loses! I know... I'm an old sop... sorry .....it's just she is (probably) my last baby!

The other half way is the KCWC (Kids Clothes Week Challenge) of which I'm not as far progressed as I would have hoped, but I do have something to show! Technically I think they may not be "Clothes" as such but they are worn by a kid so I think that's gonna be close enough.

My first attempt at making shoes using this tutorial and pattern. Not as difficult as I had imagined (although I did make one shoe 3 times.... ) and I will absolutely be making more - great gift idea I think. Strangely enough I just happened to have this purple leather in my fabric stash (past thrift shop purchase) but had no other suede on hand (and the leather was too thick to double) so I opted to line them in a wool felt instead after seeing this version. If you have looked close enough you will notice that I attached the LH sole to the RH shoe and visa versa! Doh! Buckles on the inside :) Yeah well after already making the first shoe 3 times I just couldn't be faffed doing it again. I'm hoping she won't notice ....

{ this moment }

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments at Soule Mama for all to find and see.