Trying to get ready.

It's been a little frantic. I have made a Greek chiton (tunic) for the youngest daughter. All right that wasn't particularly tough. After all it is only a sheet with the sides sewn up and a hem.

 The hair do was more complicated. Lots of hair spray and lots of pins later this is what I came up with.

 The full length photos didn't work out. She is too aware that I am taking pictures and then poses. But Look! She is cross stitching and she can even thread the needle herself. OK not all the crosses go in the same direction and some a slightly different size. However this is her first cross stitch kit and I think she is doing very well.

I converted a gold or should that be base metal with a gold finish necklace into Greek jewellery for her.  All in all not too shabby and her teacher was pleased with the "project homework". Surely teachers must know it's the parents? 

The older child is in a school play this year and is a cook in a Victorian workhouse. Yes, that's right they are doing Oliver Twist but we are not allowed to call it that. Something to do with copyright. 

I have converted some old clothes of mine to  make her outfit. It is a scary moment when you realise that your old petticoat is in fact older than the "woman" who teaches your child. Maybe I am just old. 

I made some earphone purses for friends' children for Christmas. I found the pattern for these in Making magazine. They still need some key rings and some chocolate coins, then job can be ticked of my list.

I aslo made a couple of other things for people but they know my blog address, so no pictures yet.

Of course there are always more things that I need to make but this will have to be it for a little while. We have guests coming to stay next week and I am sure I have mentioned before housework is not my strong suit. So, with that in mind, I am off to find the Dyson.

New things in my shop.

I have listed a few more things in my Etsy shop.

Other than that I am working on modifying the Halloween costume into a Victorian lady for a school Christmas performance. My model is at an after school club today, so no photos yet.

The other child has an ancient Greek theme day at school on Wednesday. I have made her a chiton (tunic) today. She is at the after school club with number one daughter, so pictures to follow.

Now I just need to figure out how to do victorian hairstyle and Greek hairstyle. Heaven help me.

Advent Calendars.

 I forgot to blog about these. Well they are finished and filled before 1 Dec.

 Normally I would have written about these earlier but husband whisked me away for a romantic evening/ night away.

Seven pockets have been raided already. Can't quickly December is going.

Have a good weekend.

I have linked this post to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday. 

Busy Christmas sewing

 Another make up pouch.

 This one is for Sister in Law. She might know my blog. Fingers crossed she doesn't.

 An i-pad cover for my mother. Now this is safe to post as she does not know about blogs. She has heard of them but the concept is alien to her.

Are you getting a deja vu kind of feeling? Well these two didn't make to cut for the Monochrome quilt. Rather than leave them to linger I thought I would use them here. Quick finish.

So my need to make list has been reduced by two items. Going to buy interfacing tomorrow and then sew some zippy purses.

Make up bag.

 I used Noodlehead's open wide pouch tutorial to make this little make up bag.

 Now those of you who know me will be calling out right now: You never wear make up. Not even on on your wedding day. No, lipstick does not count as make up on your wedding day. Why do you need a make up bag?

 Well I don't. Who says lipstick doesn't count? Anyway it's for my mother in law. She does wear make up.

I used waterproof fabric for  the lining. I would include the link where I ordered it but I can't find the link anymore. Friend Anna ordered it for me, I am blaming her :-)

Now that is one present sorted. Only need to make 2 i-pad covers, 1 i-pod cover, at least 4 zippy purses and 1 pencil case. No worries. Lots of worries but I am not letting on.

Pink cushion finished.

 I love cushions. They are so fast and simple to do. The tulips are from Timeless treasures and so is the pale pink with white flowers.

The back of the cushion with percale stripes and a fun pink print. Just because it was a way to get more pink and the girl who will get this LOVES pink.

I know it will have been difficult to spot, what with it being invisible, but do you like my (almost) invisible zip?

Pretty in pink

I have been asked to make pink cushion for  little girl who likes pink. Having seen the picture of her bedroom she is wasn't kidding when she said she liked pink.

I hope she will like her new cushion when it is finished.

Quilt top done.

 I appreciate that you are all probably bored by the black and white quilt by now but I thought I would explain it's origins. Last year about March my Grandmother was moved into a care home. She had ordered herself a new bed. A swishy one which moved up and down and helped you to sit up. My Grandmother loved clean simple lines and the bed was to be black and modern. My Mother wanted to make her a black and white quilt to go with the bed. Unfortunately and unexpectedly my Grandmother passed away. 

My mother had not even had time to start the quilt but had bought the fabric. Well it would have been a shame to waste the fabric, so mother started to make squares and my Dad liked the look of it, so he wanted the black and white quilt. 

My mother's original plan was to make a sampler quilt with sashing. I did not like the idea of that. I had seen a black and white sampler quilt at a show and I didn't like it (won't post a picture I think that would be unfair). At local a fabric shop they were running a course and the blue and white quilt and the purple quilt were made by two ladies on that course. 

I tried to persuade Mum that this style would be well suited to black and white. 

She wasn't sure. How would she go about this and how would that all work? I tried to draw it out for her. She liked it. Somehow during that conversation I agreed to make the quilt. 

So here it is finally a finished quilt top. It isn't exactly like the two quilts form my local shop. Then again they aren't exactly the same either. 

 I love Monochrome Quilt. I didn't always love it. I found it hard to get the right amount of contrast. On the whole though it works.

 The sun even came out to let me take some pictures. The border is makeover fabric with bicycles. Chosen by my Dad because he is Dutch and they look like Dutch bicycles.

 Sorry no full length shots. There are three reasons for this.
1: The quilt is long (2.2M) and my chief quilt holder upper (husband) is at work.

 2: The grass is really wet. Those are my legs after walking the dog, so I know it's not only wet but muddy as well.

 3: The little black one likes to test quilts for me. I am not sure muddy dog will be a good look on the Monochrome quilt.

Finishing straight

Look all the blocks are sewn together. Now the Border.

It's been a busy week.

 It has been busy in my house this week. A birthday had to be celebrated with a Nigella Lawson Nutella cake (yummy) and indoor fireworks.

I did manage to make the 5 blocks for the monochrome quilt. Big cheers all round please. It should be finished for Christmas. Hurrah.

 Look there is the pile of lovelies.

 I have managed to sew the top three rows together. I am über pleased with myself. Maybe I shouldn't be but it will be great to see it finished.

I am not venturing out today. Well all right I will pick up the children later but this is the view from my window today.

To be honest the it looks better than it is. I wonder if I can somehow move the machine to the living room where the wood burning stove lives. ... Hmmmm probably not.

I am linking to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday.

Monochrome

The end is in sight. I have worked hard the last two days and only need 5 more blocks.

This quilt is for my dad. I am more a fan of bright colour, so this has been hard work for me. I am really pleased though that it's only 5 blocks to go.

Husband and mother like it too but I will have to do serious colour before I do monochrome again.

In other news three baby quilts I made are part of an exhibition. Look that's them there.

Photo "borrowed" Lady Sew and Sew Henley.

OK, so it's an exhibition of customers' work but they are up on the wall in the tea room. My husband refers to the tea room as the sanctuary, a place for husband with fabric fatigue. If you are in glorious Oxfordshire why not come along to Lady Sew and Sew's warehouse. Lovely quilts and fabric and somewhere to leave the long suffering other half. What more can you ask for? 

I am linking to Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.

nothing to do with sewing

Found this on my camera. My daughter's feet.

Finished advent tops.

 The Advent calendars are done. Now I just need to see if I have enough wadding.

I may have to piece some wadding together. I have lots of bits of wadding but I am not sure if they will be big enough.

Fingers crossed this will be finished by next week. I need to do Monochrome quilt. Major guilty conscious.

Work in Progress Wednesday

 Project Advent Calendar is coming along well. All the numbers are on and the pockets are basted together.

 I need to cut sashing for it.

I am carefully avoiding thinking about the monochrome quilt that still has 20 or blocks to go. Also the EP hexagon quilt is languishing somewhere. I also have a granny squares quilt that needs to be quilted.

I am not even touching on the skirts my daughters want. Partly because they were sneaky and grew, which means I have to trace the pattern in the next size up. Not my favourite job.

Got some post today from M is for Make. Love these prints. Not sure what they will be yet but I think they are a fantastic Dutch theme. I know Patty Young calls the range Heaven and Helsinki but I think she meant Amsterdam.

I am linking to Freshly pieced for WIP Wednesday 

Advent, Advent,

ein Lichtlein brennt. (advent advent a little light burns). All right not yet but I am busy making advent calendars for the daughters.

 I cut 100 squares. Actually I outsourced that part. I got the daughters to do that for me using the accuquilt. So much quicker and quieter. Child labour on a rainy afternoon is much recommended :-)

I added binding to 50 squares. I was going to machine embroider the numbers on but I found that they were too small.

 I spent last night tracing numbers onto bondaweb. I have since realised that I forgot some. Oops

And this is what almost 25 pocket fronts look like. I think the scissors dent in my fingers gone down enough for me to start on the next lot of numbers. Two hours till I have to pick them up from school. No problem.  Ahem.

What to do with items that didn't sell at the craft fair?

 I have been wondering what to do with the things I made for the craft fair but didn't sell.

Some have been claimed by the daughters (two cushions and a bag). My mother has a new bag. I think there may well be some friends who will be getting bags for Christmas, so they will go to good homes.

 There are quite a few little purses left over. I did ask the parent committee at the daughters' school if I could sell them at the Christmas bazaar (for a fee of course) but apparently the Christmas bazaar will not have stalls this year.

I have decided to open an Etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadebyFrederica.

I hope people will like the purses.

Halloween

I can't claim any credit for the dresses. My mother made them and I can truly say I am in awe. She is great. She managed to make them in record time too.

My daughters are trying to look regal and if you look closely one vampire has slain a chocolate biscuit and the other is polishing off a rice cracker. Now all we need is for the rain to stop.

The pattern used is a modified version of Simplicity 2096.

Custom orders

Did mention that we had some requests for custom orders? Yes, I can understand your groans I am getting a little repetitive aren't I?
I will carry on regardless though.

I love the chilli pepper fabric. I think it looks quite chic.

 Little pink purse with flap. My pink daughter is very reluctant to let this one leave the house.

 Shopping bag with internal zip. I am rather proud of this one. I like the fabric choice I hope the customer will too.

Always slightly tricky when the remit is : black with zip and something striking. Fingers crossed.