Rainbow Ruffles

This top was part of my new ideas for rainbow clothes.  I've used the Farbenmix Lore pattern and sewn ruffled strips of my hand dyed fabrics to the top.  I've left the edges of the ruffles unfinished which makes the construction quicker, but I also think a rolled hem would add weight to the ruffle pieces.


The back of the top


From the side of the top you can see how the orange ruffle doesn't extend around.  I'm thinking if I made this again I'll run the orange ruffle into the binding and around the arm. Then I'll trim the ruffle to be even.   I am still happy with my first draft of the idea.

Next time I'll also make the ruffle pieces longer, so that they overhang more.  If there is a next time!  (it has been tipped that there will be a next time because this top is a birthday gift, so it will not be part of Miss Moo's wardrobe)

Another year gone

Today was the kids' last day of school.   A few weeks back I made the teachers gifts.

For Will's teachers coffee cups filled with Lindor balls and a mug rug.


The mug rugs are from Jolijou's Coffee Break embroidery files.


For Mollie's teacher I made a wallet. 
Pattern: Geldborse big*money*bag

Open Day

It was Open Day at school on Saturday.  I managed to take a few photos of the kids' classrooms plus one in Big Kindy.

The Big Kindy photo is really only a taste of how the room was set up.  The Big Kindy teacher always does the most amazing job every open day.   Here's a photo of the water feature that was set up in the room.

Will will be in Big Kindy next year.  Super excitement!  I adore that space.

Photos from Will's classroom






Some photos from Mollie's classroom


The amazing albatross that the children made from paper mache.

Tees for me

Since I've had some time at home, I've been doing some sewing.  I made myself some new t-shirts.  I've made all of these tops before, so it didn't require much thought.

My favourite thing about homemade shirts - they don't ride up in the front.  I think almost every store bought top I have bar some old maternity shirts end up too short in the front.  I try the t-shirts on in the shops, and the length is ok.  Then I wash them at home, and they are too short!  Ottobre's plus size patterns usually have some gathering/ease in the side seam which adds some extra fabric in the bust that combined with me adding a bit of length usually gives me a good result.  One day I will have to face up to doing a FBA on a t-shirt pattern, but for now I just keep sewing patterns that provide extra fabric in the front through gathers, pin tucks, etc.

Also the tops I make tend to fit through the shoulders instead of looking like a hanging sack.  Unfortunately I don't have any modeled photos, so you have to take my word on it.

Pattern:  Farbenmix Fano
Fabric:  Hilco Jaimie knit from a couple of winters ago


Pattern:  Ottobre 02/07 #4 with #3 sleeves
Fabric:  Stenzo rose print knit


Pattern:  Ottobre 05/09 #3 - no pockets and shortened
Fabric:  Mad Sky daisy knit

New Glasses

After breaking two pairs of my glasses in August I finally went to the optometrist to get new glasses.

I wanted something trendy and a bit colourful because the glasses I've been sporting lately are so 1990's.  Like seriously!


Each arm of the frames has different colours


I also picked up some contacts to trial.   Not that contacts are new to me.  I just never got any more after I used up my other ones.

Cockatoo Island Adventure

One of my best friends turned 40 a couple of weekends ago.  It was a super celebration weekend as he and his partner rented the holiday houses on Cockatoo Island.  We had never been to Cockatoo Island.  It's in Sydney harbour at the junction of the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers.  I stressed about how we were going to get there with all of our luggage, but we were able to get a parking spot at the Woolwich wharf which is only one stop from Cockatoo Island.

The house is pretty special. 



See that tree on the left.  There was a lovely table and chairs underneath it.  We sat out there a lot. 

The tennis court next to the house.




Ed's party was on Saturday afternoon.  I didn't take very many pictures at the party which was at the Island Bar.   Here's the birthday boy at his party

Happy Birthday Ed!

Here's Will partying down.


His poses made me laugh.

The same weekend was the beginning of the Outpost Project on the island, so we spent a bit of time looking at the art and doing some of the activities.

The chalk was really popular.

We still don't know what "218?" is about.  Mollie is enigmatic at times.

Will conquers Ed.


Will recording his observations.


We had to correct someone's grammar.


Some artsy stuff



This exhibit had this really dark music playing which echoed in the shed.  Mollie hated this work.  We discussed how sometimes art makes you uncomfortable.  Then we joked about how it just like where Daddy grew up.  (not really, really.  Col grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney which have a bad rep.)

There were tons of screenprinted t-shirts.  The KMFDM shirt made me giggle.

For the record I am a Depeche Mode fan.   I bought Ed one of the specially screen printed shirts made there.










There was lots more stuff that I didn't photograph.  It's definitely worth a trip over there if you are interested in this type of art.  My only word of warning is that if it is a really hot day, it's going to be stinking hot on the island.  There isn't much shade outside of the buildings.   And if you want an alcoholic drink, the bar will be full of hipsters out for a drink.

Waiting for the ferry to go home.



There are some photos that I haven't blogged which are interesting views or buildings or crazy psycho seagulls.

Thanks Ed & Steve for a wonderful weekend.  It was really great to meet some more of Ed's "family".  Ed had friends fly in from the US, NZ, up from Melbourne and down from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.  I got to meet Ed's other woman, R, and Steve's sister.  The people made the weekend.

Finally I've drawn the giveaway

I did it old school.  I printed the comments.


Scrunched them up.  Mixed them up.


Closed my eyes and picked

Congrats Helen!!!!

(now if you follow Helen's blog too, you might think it's a conspiracy as I've just won Helen's button giveaway, but it's not.  Must be karma or something because it was totally random.)

Yes, Again!

I was at Costco again, but in my defense I wasn't shopping for myself.  It's a special birthday for my friend, so we were doing party shopping.  I will admit to doing a teeny bit Chrismukah shopping for the kids too.   We told Will that the remote control helicopters were for Steve's nephew and niece!

So it was me, Ed, Steve, Armen and Will.  Will had a blast eating all of the samples with the boys.  Every time I turned around Will was helping or being entertained. 

Here Steve has put him up in a tent on display.


Steve also carried Will around on his shoulders.  Will dropped his ice block, and it fell down Steve's shirt which is why there are marks on it.


Ed with his favourite!  Excuse Ed's manic look.  This photo was taken at the end of our shopping trip, and he was a bit overstimulated from the shopping and the people.  Although I think I have quite a few photos of Ed with that expression.


Look at the trolley!  Not the best photo of Armen & Ed, but it was the best photo to see the overflowing trolley.  There was even stuff on the bottom of the trolley which you can't see.


I have to giggle because you know you are getting older when your guy friends have substantially less hair than you remember from your days at university!