and then I sewed her a dress

This morning Miss Jazzy announced to the breakfast table that she had no dresses. Not a single one. Miss Pepper has a whole cupboard full, Miss Indi has a few special ones, but not her, none.

To be honest, I had thought she was done with dresses. I had thought she was at that age where she would live in her jeans. But no, apparently not.

It might have been the warmer than usual weather. It might have been the new school. It might have even been just to make a middle child point.

But I heard her.

And this afternoon, after we had done most of the chores but before we gathered the girls from school, I pulled out some bits of fabric I thought she might like, and I got to work.

I cut out a dress that I make for Pepper often; Mixy-matchy sleeves and bodice. But I don't think I've ever made a 10 year old a dress, and the entire time I was just guessing. Wider here. Longer there. Bigger all together.

When she came home from school I showed it to her and she said she loved it, but she would try it on later. And then later, she said even later. And later.

Until it was almost dark and it just had to be then.

So she left her role as dress maker in the game she was playing with Pepper and put it on.  She looked in the mirror and turned this way and that. Then she made a funny face and stood there tugging at it.

Finally she declared that she liked the back better than the front and that she just wasn't sure. But she gave me 10 minutes in the forest with my camera, so I was happy.

I'm hoping to make her another, a bit bigger, with less pink and maybe a bit more of an a-line style, some time very soon.

But the sewing, I really, really loved the sewing. And now my mind is racing with summer sewing possibilities…twirly skirts, flowy dresses, crochet details and maybe even something for me…yay!

I love, love, love that creative buzzy feeling. I reckon you probably know the one I mean. It's the best!

What have you been making?
I'd love to know.


Big love
xx

The pretty city dress

And then I sewed another dress.

The washing is still in the machine, the breakfast dishes are still in the sink, the olives are still on the trees, my inbox still has a red number on it and I haven't even thought about dinner.

But I fixed yesterday's disaster dress and I am happy.

I cut off the denim panel and sewed another dress around it. It's still not perfect but it's getting there. I think it'll look cute with some stripey tights and a cardi.

And I have that buzzy feeling that's making me want to keep going. Keep making. Keep sewing.

I wish Miss Pepper were here to try it on and see. I think she'll love it. Especially because I listened to her strict instructions and made sure all roofs are pointy, (even the sky scraper one), that there is green grass and a cloud in the sky. She wanted all the houses to have chimneys too, otherwise how will the people inside keep warm, but it was getting a bit crowded.

If only I had time now to sew the garden dress that's growing in my head...no, I'd better fold the fabric, tidy up and fry some onions I think.

Big love to you guys.
I hope your creative garden grows.

xx

handmade dresses. x

Shhhhhhhh can you here them, those cheeky girls of mine?

They're sitting around, many years into the future and they're laughing at me. With love of course. Well I hope so anyway.

'Do you remember those hand made dresses Mum used to make us out of her little scraps of fabric', they'll ask one another. 'Remember how sometimes she got so into her sewing that she forgot to make us dinner til late? Or how her clothes were always covered in over locker threads? Remember when we used to come into the sewing room to ask her a question and she'd warn us not to get burnt on the iron or step on her pins? And how she claimed to be allergic to t'shirts with words on them? Remember how there were always dresses in various stages of completion hanging from coat hangers on hooks all around the house?  And how she was always kntting at school assemblies? Do you remember how she used to snip at the long threads hanging from our hems in public? Or how she never threw any clothes out but chopped them up and made them into new clothes instead? Do you remember the look on her face when we chose to wear her dresses above all the others in our cupboards? Do you remember the photo shoots for her blog!'

I wonder if they'll dress their own little girls in their old mama made dresses I've put away for them, or if they'll only want new.

I wonder if they'll make and sew things themselves.

I wonder what crazy tricks a sewing machine will be able to do by then.

I wonder what they'll do and where they'll be and who they'll be.

I wonder how long this little chicklet will be happy to wear these mixy-matchy-patchy dresses I create.

I certainly love making them for her.

Do you think your kids will giggle about your ways one day?
What do you think they'll say?

I hope you have the most gorgeous weekend.
Have you got anything exciting planned?
I'm hoping to be very productive and get a big chunk crossed off my list.
Fingers crossed.

Ciao. x

My 'what makes me happy' to-do list.

Hello day before summer and very last day of November!!

What a crazy time of year you are.

I don't know about you, but I'm finding my days are disappearing in a sea of pick ups and drop offs, final this and preparing for that, make lots of this and rehearse for that. There's costumes and projects, and food shares and transitions and meetings and excursions and parties and inspections and reports and dead-lines and concerts and dances and assemblies...and there are three, tired, fragile children.

Yesterday I drove in and out of town nine times!!!!

And so being the disorganised person that I am, I've often found myself feeling like I am drowning. Overwhelmed and out of control. And that all the stuff I love doing, the stuff that makes me-me, gets stuck right down the bottom of the list.

So this morning, when I stepped back into my house after the first drop off of the day, and I contemplated the mess that needed sorting out and the list of housey chores that needed attending to, I decided to make myself a what makes me happy to-do list.

On that list I wrote things that I love doing, but that aren't exactly priorities. My happy stuff. The stuff that makes me feel passionate and inspires me.

I'm hoping that having this list will keep me more focused and motivated and on task. If I hang and fold all the laundry, then maybe I can do something for a little while that I love, like crochet a coaster or plant out some of the basil.

Like make a new type of bread or sew a dress.

Like thin out the lettuces or sew some bunting.

Like soaking and blocking my just cast off cardigan.

Like taking photos and writing a blog...

And you know what? It might seem small but for now I feel like writing that list has made all the difference to my day. I feel like the shoulds will be more doable if there are some loves in amongst them.

Oh after a bit of contemplation, I just deleted all the games off my phone too. I reckon I could have crocheted an entire blanket in the time I've been wasting lately.

OK here I go, off to tackle the kitchen with my rewards well in sight.

I hope you have the most fabulous weekend.

But before you go, I'd love to know a few of the things that would make it onto your what makes me happy to-do list.

Bye! xx

justification.

Because it is killing me that Miss Pepper, my colourful, stripey tights, odd gumboots kid will have to wear a school uniform soon.

Because I have a very full on dead line coming up.

Because I would rather sew than have a clean house. I wish it weren't so.

Because I've never sewn her a size 5 dress before.

Because I was embarrassed when my studio builder asked me how much fabric I actually have.

Because there are 4820 things ahead of 'make a dress' on my to-do list.

Because I can.

Because I know she'll love it.

Because it is a mix of old and new fabrics that have sat around in my stash forever.

Because our 11 o'clock appointment didn't show up and I had some extra time in my day.

Because every five year old girl should have a colourful twirly dress, don't you think?

Because after a weekend spent looking after four 12 year-olds, it was such a treat to do something just for me.

Because listening to The Moth podcasts and cutting and sewing bits of fabric together is one of the best ways I know to spend some time.

Because some times when I wonder how I will fill up my time next year, I think I might sew and I had to be certain I still like to.

Because it's spring time and there is hardly any sewing time.

Just because.

How about you?
Are you a justificator?
Should you be doing something else right now?
When was the last time you said 'stuff it' and did something just for the fun of it?
Do you think I could pull off a mixy-matchy dress too?

I'm off to pick broad beans for dinner.

Later. xx

Sew grey and happy.

Monday morning started off bad. Dreary and grey and icy cold. I could barely see the forest trees from the windows. Then came the Monday morning eight year old grumps and the four year old tears. Surprisingly the pre-teen remained pleasant. And then I broke two glasses and fell over into a blackberry bush. Ouch!

By the time I had gotten them all to school, run into some more problems and my morning chores, I felt as grey as the day.

I announced to my farmer boy that I was writing the day off and was going to have a shower and wash my hair. I kinda like the shower cry. Its soothing and cleansing. All that warm water.

But he didn't let me. He told me I should go and sew instead.

I know he knows me best so I listened and I did.

I gathered some op shop cord that was grey as the day.

And I cut and sewed.

And then I crocheted.

I used a 2.5mm hook and some fine cotton.
Pattern details Ravelled here.

And when I ended up with a dress I was glad that I had.

Miss Indi said it looks exactly like me. She said she could even see herself wearing a dress like this when she is old. Miss Jazzy asked me to make her one the same. Miss Pepper said she loved it and loves me. And my farmer boy was pretty happy that I was smiling again. He said I might have finally fixed the looking pregnant in dresses I make issue. And he said he loved it.

I'm really happy with it. It's comfortable and tough. Perfect for a farmer girl.

And I love it with my OK OK tights.

And speaking of tights, without further ado, the winners of the OK OK tights are Jules, Frances, Tricia and Ellie.

Congratulations girlies. Email me your postal deets and I'll get them in the post asap.
Thanks so much Emina for the awesome giveaway and tights. I adore mine. xx
And thanks Farmer Bren for humouring me with the photos on the stump in the middle of a chook move. xx

I hope you have a wonderful week.
I hope your sun shines.
I hope you have a nice dress to wear and some fun things to do.
I hope you know how to turn your grey days into blue.
What works for you?

OK, I'm off to squeeze some juice with my smallest.
And then maybe I'll hook up another collar, I'm a bit addicted now.

Big love. xx

Where I'm at.

It's funny how sometimes the more you plan the less your plans come true.

This week I was going to be super productive. I was going to sew and cook and bake and make and write and clean and return emails and calls. After my teary weekend, this week was going to make me feel in control, on top of things. Organised.

But then at the very start of the week Miss Pepper turned grey, got some knives in her tummy and started vomiting and is still in bed today. Miss Jazzy jumped up to reach a helium balloon and fell forwards onto Pepper's pile of chairs and hurt her knee and hasn't been able to walk very well.

And Miss Indi...is 11...yep.

Added to that, a few days ago I was walking up the hill from school to get my mail and I saw my friend Noel's painting van. All of a sudden it occurred to me that I needed my house painted ASAP! I couldn't put up with that dirty cream colour for one more second. I needed white walls and I needed to start making them white right then.

So I walked up the hill, found Noel drinking his morning coffee in a cafe and booked him then and there. It was just ridiculous, plain luck that he had a couple of days free this week. Or it was meant to be.

So this week our house is back to being a construction zone. Completely topsy-turvey. The front half is empty of all furniture and filled with drop sheets and the back is full of stuff. We are going to be eating all our meals picnic style on the floor in front of the fire for a while, but Antique White USA here we come.

We've been cooking up lots of feasts on the Esse. We've been learning that she heats up quite pretty quickly for cooking on the hob, but oven baking and roasting needs much more planning and time.

We think we might name her Mona for she is a temperamental girl and is partial to a bit of a moan and groan.

I've been walking Jo-Jo morning noon and night. It's freeeeezing but it's nice to rug up and get out.

Last night close to midnight we went walking and met Farmer Bren in the back paddock closing in some chooks for moving. The night was inky black, the grass was crunchy with frost and the kangaroos thumping around the forest sounded like dinosaurs. It was quite an adventure.

I've been sewing a little to escape the chaos. A little apple dress.

And a Mixy Matchy dress for my shop.

Yep! I have decided that my girlies have more dresses than they need and I have more floral fabric than I need and so I am reopening Everything But The Thread. It'll be slow going at first but I'm thinking dresses, fat quarter bundles and some other bits and pieces. Oh and I'm thinking it needs a bit of a make-over too.

Watch this space....

I've been knitting stripes to cozy our Esse pipes. Using up lots of scraps and odds and ends. I'm enjoying the mindless knitting but itching to get onto something a bit more interesting.

So that's me. In a rambley roundabout kinda way.

Now off I go to play nurse mama to this little.

How about you?

What have you been up to so far this week?

Do tell.

x

Same dress-another season.

Thank goodness it still fits her.

I get so emotional about their clothes. Sometimes I get teary when they are too small and I have to fold them up and put them away, or hand them on. I think about where they came from. I reminisce about all the times they were worn. The stories they tell; the whens and wheres and whys.

The more girls that wore a piece of clothing, the harder it is to part with.

And if it was hand made, it is the hardest of all.

I knitted this little dress almost two years ago when Miss Pepper's plaits barely brushed her shoulders. She  wore it all through that winter and for the few cold months before we left last year.

I've looked at it hanging in her wardrobe most days for the past month. I've looked at it but left it hanging. I've been scared that I'd put it on her and it would be too small. That she's squeal as I'd try to get it over her head. That she'd be so big now that it would be a midriff top.

But thankfully today we tried and were rewarded. It is more of a tunic than a dress now, but I'm pretty happy with that.

And to make matters even better, I was rummaging around for a ball of yarn before and found a half a ball of the very same Noro colourway. So now when the dreaded day comes that it fits no longer, I can add some length to the bottom. Yay!

In the mean time I've made a promise to myself to let her wear it all the time and not save it for good. A well worn, loved, dirty dress is so much better than a clean, pristine dress I think.

The Ravelry details for Miss Pepper's Eve are here.

Do you do that?
Do you get attached to clothes?
Do you try to extend their wear by saving them?
What do you do with the clothes you made that no longer fit?
Are you having a lovely weekend?
What are you up to?
Ours has been pretty quiet so far, but pretty lovely...fires and knitting and movies and lots of playing with the new puppy. There's so much cooking to be done but we seem to be holding back, waiting for the new wood cooker. Possibly this week?

Have fun. xx

PS. Oh and I've still been going strong on my crocheted motif a day in May. Show and tell really soon, ok.