How to make A fur lined vest - Hacking the Gyspy Shrug from Tadah Patterns

I have finally found some time to sit down and blog a little about a vest I made Zoe a month or so ago. I   live in denial of winter coming. I tell myself its only or a few months of the years and that we don't need too many warm clothes. And honestly, June is really not too bad in Sydney. But July always comes of a bit of a shock to me and I tend to go on a winter sewing frenzy because I can't deny the fact that it is cold any longer. And this July has been freezing!!!

Mother of a Nappy Bag

My nesting instinct is finally starting to kick in and this week I've managed to make something on my necessity list.

The Boo Designs Gallery Dress - in knit!

I've been testing fabulous girls dress sewing pattern this past week or so called The Gallery Dress by Boo! Designs. It's basically a mod shift dress with a whole heap of fantastic options. I have been after a good simple shift dress pattern for so long and I am pretty sure this is my favourite Boo pattern ever, which is a massive call because I really like Boo patterns.

Double Banger Pencil Case

This pencil case is a great option for anyone battling the endless packets of stationery as we all get the supplies ready for the new school year. It keeps the colouring supplies separate from the every day lead pencils, biros, glue stick and scissors but keeps everything together in one place. If you've made a basic zipper pouch of any sort before you will have no trouble with this.

The Little MIss Sweetie Pie in knit

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a compulsive hoarder of knits (and rayon). I do try to keep it under control and be strict with myself, and not allow myself to buy more until I've run the stash down, but I finally ordered some Eurpoean knits this year and oh dear…..it is soooo hard not to buy them! Not to mention all those Art Gallery knits. Swoon! Anyway, I know there is a whole world of quilting cotton only ladies who sew beautiful clothes, but I do think if you limit yourself to only quilting cottons that you are really missing out. That said, many of my favourite girls patterns are sized and designed for quilting weight cottons, so I do understand it. Occasionally a pattern comes along though that as far as I am concerned, deserves a little more of a going over than just making them up in quilting cotton.

Chunkster Pencil Pencil Case

The Chunkster Pencil Pencil Case is a less fiddly version of the Pencil Pencil case which was included in the last edition of One Thimble.

Patched Apple Applique Tutorial

 If you're looking to pretty up a plain t-shirt, this is for you. Quick and so easy that you probably don't need to read this whole post…..

A quick fix for when that t-shirt won't go over the head.

I'm continuing on with my posts about basic t-shirts today. Have you ever spent time and effort making a t-shirt of some description only to go and try it on the recipient and discover that no matter how much pulling and tugging there is, it is just not going to fit over that head.  Plus most children are crying and writhing if there is too much pulling and tugging required to get it over the head, so the fit needs to be good and fast and easy to get on.

Adding a Peplum style ruffle to your Basic Tee

Hello and welcome back to another tutorial on how to get a little more from your basic tees pattern. My first tutorial in this series can be found here.
Today I'm going to be showing you how to add a pelpum style ruffle to your t-shirts. I love the practicality and comfort factor of a knit t-shirt, and when you combine it with a pelpum style ruffle, it just adds that touch of sweetness and transforms it to make it a little more girly. It really is a no brainer as well.

Getting more from your basic tees pattern - tunic length dresses

Hello and welcome to the first of a series of tutorials on how to get more out of your basic t-shirt sewing pattern. If you are anything like me, you are a little addicted to buying sewing patterns. I have lots. Lots and lots. And yet, even with the many that I have, once I find a good basic pattern, I tend to stick to it - especially if it is a downloadable pattern and I have to go through that whole rigmarole of printing, cutting and sticking, and then tracing the size you are after and cutting it out and filing the pattern pieces so you can find them again. I am trying to be a little more strict on myself this year (been wildly unsuccessful so far) and remember that you can use a basic pattern to create lots of different looks.

Splishy Fishy T-shirt Tutorial

Well tonight was one of those nights that I was all psyched up to sew myself a new dress. Unlike Marnie, I'm not that addicted to sewing clothes. I'd much rather work on a cute baby quilt. I had the dress all cut up, dishes done early, kidlets in bed and the hubster out for the night. Then, as fortune would have it I don't think the fabric liked any of the needles I had. It will have to be a trip to the fabric shop tomorrow for a microtex needle I think......with four children. Joy.

Anyway, I'm not one to brag but I think this might be one of the cutest t-shirts I've ever embellished.

How to make grown up tulip style shorts - A Pattern Emporium Hack

Have you ever noticed that year after year, there are a lack of decent shorts available to buy for women in the shops? I'm not quite sure why - perhaps the designers all saw that Trinny and Susannah What Not to Wear Episode where they started that no one looked good in shorts and that they should never be worn. Easy to say when you have lived your life with English summers. Whatever the reason, I don't get why shops think that women like getting around in teeny tiny shorts, which are pretty much the only thing around at the moment. I personally don't think they are appropriate unless you are on the south side of 25, and the way they are going these days, you also have to be happy to have your butt cheek on display hanging out the bottom of your teeny tiny shorts! Definitely not for me.

Pencil Scrolls

This is a wonderful project if you are new to sewing (and yes, you can find dozens of tutorials for them in Blogland).

I usually make my pencil rolls for standard sized pencils (as opposed to chunky ones), with 13 spaces for a set of 12 coloured pencils and one lead pencil or pen. If you want to make a scroll for different sized pencils or for crayons it is easy enough to change the

dimensions. Simply measure the length of your pencils/crayons and add 4cm to allow for seams. For each pencil space I allow 2cm (13 x 2 ) and then add on another 3 cm to the width for seams.