Artists on the run

Unique birthday gifts for two munchkins.

Artists on the run from Moda Bakeshop!

Pfft I can make that

Lately I've been falling in love with lots of lovely handmade girls clothes at markets but I can't help but think pfft, I could make that... And probably cheaper too... Turns out I was right!!

Thanks to http://www.etsy.com/shop/pinkpoodlebows for the skirt pattern and new fave blog aesthetic nest for the shirt tutorial

http://www.aestheticnest.com/2012/07/sewing-mejane-safari-shorts-and-shirt.html

Bedding for Dolly

A while ago I bought Puggle some toys for her dolly a cot etc. Finally this weekend I spent 10mins making it some bedding. Dolly is going to be much cosier!

Sneak preview - quilts for J&A

My next two quilts will be for my favourite twins.... Here's a sneak preview!

A big sister quilt for Sophie

My friend announced she was expecting her second child but i didn't start quilting until after her first Sophie was born. I made her some muslin wraps at the time but given other friends have received quilts, I decided this was the perfect excuse to make it up to Sophie. 

My mum shared with me her love of Craftsy through which I discovered their free Kissing Fish pattern!

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/kissing-fish-baby-quilt/39019

Sophie's dad tipped me off that pink and girly was the way to go and given how pretty the original pattern is, I sourced the Spring  House collection layer cake.

I made up my coloured and white fishies...

placed them out...

and voila... A big sister quilt for Sophie - or something to keep her Mumma warm during night feeds of little Charlie ;) 

(The little fish were quick fix, a bad join on two pieces fixed with zigzag stitch but they turned out quite a cute addition!)

A bib for Charlie

Gotta love finding new uses for favourite fabrics!

Cuzco

I had admired the Cuzco by Kate Spain for ages but was a bit put off by the peacock prints.  As is always the case, they ended up being my favourites in the range!

I used the Iphigenes Walk Jelly Roll Quilt Pattern from Little Louise Quilts with a lavender filler fabric rather than the traditional white or cream.

The quilt front with our own lovely lavender

The back

The squiggly quilting

A fellow cat lover would appreciate this!

My happy helpers!

Lilac dreams for Clarissa

After many years of trying, when a work colleague and friend finally announced her pregnancy I wanted to put together something really special.  To say purple is her favourite colour is a gross understatement.

I had a gorgeous fat eight pack of vintage 30s from The Quilters Store which I bulked out with some other lavenders in Mum's collection including backing fabric from one of my late grandmother's frocks! Well, it is meant to be an heirloom quilt ;)

I quilted in basket weave using scalloping. A bout of insomnia assisted in getting the quilt finished. Usually it's the other way around!!

Ladybug dress for our little lady

For this I used the Sky Pillow dress pattern from PaintMyQuilt on etsy

The bloomer pattern is also from PaintMyQuilt however I altered the way I did the hems as I loathe elasticated thread. The ruffles is actually a preruffled rikrak.  Very adorable.

And thanks to Google I discovered ladybird cupcakes' tutorial for exactly that.

http://diaryofaladybird.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/ladybird-cupcakes.html?m=1

A Baby Quilt to Last 4 Eva

You know when you meet someone random at a party and you just click? Well that was me and my friend A.  A and I were seated next to each other at a mutual friend's bridal shower. Hours after the party concluded we were still standing in the car park chatting.  She, like me, is not keen on stereotyping or bog standard stuff.

When she told me she was expecting, due just a few short months after Puggle, a custom made quilt was the only way to go!

I've always adored the idea of a Cascading Rainbow quilt like this one...

but as a novice quilter and a neophite when it comes to colour, this just seemed too daunting.  So I settled for a simple albeit just as bright rainbow.  Now when I say rainbow, keep in mind that we're not talking fairies and unicorns.  It was the splendid colour challenge that inspired me.

Laying it out

Being such a simple design, the rikrak was a bit of an afterthought to lift the whole project.  I was stoked when Mum found the lolly hearts backing fabric - anyone who knows me knows my addiction to conversations, my dentist best of all ;)

A Poppy Quilt for Baby Boss

When my good friend and boss announced she was expecting a girl not long after my own daughter was born I was thrilled!  As mumma to be used to live in London, I took that as an opportunity to invest in the Notting Hill range by Joel Dewberry. Plus I just adored the modern poppy design!

I found the Charming Stars pattern on Moda Bakeshop (an absolute favourite resource!) which would work well with the charm pack and really show off the colours.  It was also had a simple elegance and is striking, much like my boss ;)

I used Natural ecocotton from Spotlight for the borders as the white was too bright!

The backing fabric was a delicious find at EastCoast Fabrics and I bulked it out and bound the quilt with some batik red that was in my stash.

Doesn't she look adorable?