Christmas Time

It's that time of year again. I have 2 children and a Husband to care for and just that is exhausting enough! But of course I added to it. I decided months ago that I would make all the decorations for our tree myself. Quite ambitious, I know. I also decided to make hanging yo yo Christmas trees to give away to friends, and of course Christmas dresses for my girls. Then I was inspired to also make a Christmas dress for myself too. Yes, it is a busy time of year!

Making handmade Christmas decorations to hang on the tree sounds beautiful. I really had high expectations for how it would turn out. Ignoring the amount of effort it will take, it sounds great, right? Well, ambition is a lot different to reality.

I went to Spotlight and bought Christmas fabric in the hopes of turning it into decorations. My idea was to cut out shapes and sew together with wadding. I made a whole heap of bells and baubles and I was not impressed.

Homemade Christmas decorations 

My loving Husband said they were great and that we should use them, so I gave them to the kids to put on the tree. Gotta love the encouragement you get from someone who loves you.

Before kids, I always took pride in decorating the tree. I always had it decorated to perfection. Because of this, I would never have allowed those handmade decorations anywhere near my tree. My eldest baby is now 5 and I have finally completely relinquished control of decorating the tree. Doesn't sound like much, but I really was a little controlling in that regard.

Needless to say, I am over decorating the tree with only handmade decorations.

Every year I like to put together a little Christmas plate to give to friends. Well really, this is only the 3rd Christmas I have done it, but I would like to make it a regular thing. The first year I bought Maxwell Williams Christmas bowls and filled them with Lindt chocolates and European yums from Aldi (biscuits and chocolates). Last year I thought to cost save and just used paper plates with Lindt chocolates and Aldi yums. Apparently the family were not impressed with the paper plates, so I decided to get proper plates or bowls for this year. I ended up using Maxwell Williams star bowls and mugs, Christmas mugs, Santa bowls and little glass stars. I filled them with Lindt chocolates, lollies and candy canes. I love the Aldi yums, but I wanted everything packaged so I didn't have to make it up last minute. To put on the top, I made hanging yo yo Christmas trees.

Wrapped Christmas gift plates

I bought 2m of red and 2m of green Christmas fabric from Spotlight. I also ordered little star beads, bells and cord from AliExpress a couple of months ago. I was being prepared because postage takes so long. AliExpress is a great source of crafty things and trims that you can buy cheap - as long as you are prepared to wait the long postage time. Actually, they sell a lot of cheap things (stocking fillers included) and before you know it, you have spent a fortune on a lot of different little things!

I then searched all my cupboards until I found 4 different sized round objects - a plate, bowl, colander and a cup.

I cut out 2 rounds of each size, so I used 8 rounds to make each tree. Because I wanted to make 20 trees, which would be 160 yo yos, I was not prepared to do the stitching by hand. Instead I used the long stitch on my sewing machine. It was exhausting sewing all those rounds, let me tell you. I like to see results when I sew and sewing all those rounds really took it out of me. Once sewed, I pulled the threads to turn them into yo yos. I stacked them all atop each other to make the tree, then used a needle with the cord to attach the trees, bell and star. They actually took a lot longer to make than I initially anticipated.

Hanging yo yo Christmas tree decoration

The ones that I have given away so far have been really well received. I'll just ignore the fact that my brother was more excited about the chocolates.

I had fun making Miss 5's Christmas dress. I used the usual (Simplicity 2377) and added an elastic waist, a frilly red trim and 2 yo yos as flowers. I used fabric with Christmas dogs.

Miss 3's dress was Simplicity 2469. I never added extras on her dress because the fabric was fun and the pattern pretty. Christmas Kookaburras is so Australian - I love it.

Christmas dresses

I have never had success making dresses for myself. I have New Look 6095 and read endless reviews saying that it was easy for a beginner. It also had a zipper! I finally located my zipper foot (thanks to Google and YouTube) and decided that now was the time to learn. I measured myself and my measurements were all over the place. Size 16 bust, 20 waist and 12-14 hips. How on earth is anyone supposed to work that out? And a size 20 waist? Really? I know I have put weight on, but I usually wear (and fit into) a size 10. So I decided to make a size 12.

I found the most fabulous Christmas fabric. The making of the dress was pretty straight forward. I'm not one to read instructions and just 'get' them, so I was a little lost on the zipper bit. Thanks to internet searches, I knew how to sew on the zipper. And that was as far as I got before my 'misadventures' started. In all truthfulness, my misadventures started when I forgot what interfacing was and this happened:

Interfacing fail - yep, thats poplin

Back to the zipper. I didn't know how far to sew up the back prior to attaching the zipper, so I did the zipper first. As you can imagine I had a time of completing the back seam.

Once the dress was completed it looked fantastic. I was so happy with it, I couldn't wait to try it on. Unfortunately, it was so tight across the chest that I could hardly breathe. Hips and waist were a little tight too. I'll put it in the wardrobe for next Christmas when I lose weight.

Undeterred, I decided to make another in a different Christmas snowman fabric. Again, it was pretty straight forward until I got to the zipper part. This time I realised that I needed to sew the back seam first. Then I decided to add the hem - because why not? Then I tackled the zipper. Of curse I didn't sew the back up far enough and one side ended up being longer than the other, which I had to fluff closed. In the end I zigzagged it because I couldn't work it out. Because of the fabric pattern, you really can't tell.

I got a lot of compliments on the girls' dresses and my own at the 2 Christmas parties we have been to so far.

My 2 fabulous Christmas dresses 

Sorry for the long post, but I have been very busy in the lead up to Christmas. Already my mind is turning towards what I can make next for my girls. I'm thinking Simplicity 2265. It's so much fun creating. Until next time.

Jayne

Took a break from sewing

I have not been sewing as much as I would like to. My dear Husband has had a couple of injuries and has been at home for the last couple of months. I am really hoping these things don't come in 3s, because that would mean one more injury for him ☹️ (hopefully it's not the horrible sore that won't heal on the side of his neck).

I have made a rag blanket from 3 jelly rolls and flannellette. I really love the way it turned out. I wanted to attempt a landscape rag quilt, so this is my jelly roll rag quilt sunset over water with land in foreground lol. I'm really happy with it 😆

I went down to the local Salvos and found some fabric already cut out and ready to sew into a quilt! It was only $2 so I couldn't say no. I laid it out and I think it is going to look really pretty. Just have to start it.

Well, I have sold another Rapunzel dress on Etsy and got 5 stars! Apparently the little girl loves it and won't take it off - which is just great. I think I am more excited that something I made will be worn at Disney Land though! My Etsy shop is here btw 😉

I have made Miss 5 another Rapunzel dress and an Elsa inspired dress. Too bad it's winter and she can't get to wear them atm. She loves me making little dresses for her - which I am so thankful for.

She is such a little poser!

I wanted to make Miss 5 a reversible dress. I have some absolutely beautiful corduroy and some bright pink Hello Kitty drill that I wanted to use. Instead of buying a pattern, I got a freebie from Crafty (which you can find here). I didn't like how it turned out and want to make adjustments, but Miss 5 says she loves it as it is. I think it looks a bit like a sack. This is my first go at buttons and I cut the hole too big and it kept coming undone, so I had to zig zag it up a bit.

I am also itching to make a Snow White dress. We watched the movie, so I have a design plan, but Miss 5 says she dosent want it and to make it for Miss 2. 

The girls have also been into Mia and Me (all about elves and unicorns). It's actually not that bad. The girls LOVE it! I want to make them a Mia dress and get the book so Miss 5 can wear it to book week. Do you think I can find an English Mia and Me book? Not at all. I have even contacted the publisher, but they won't reply. Maybe I will just fix up the Astrid outfit and she can wear that again.

I was thinking of making yo yos for the charms on the Mia dress. OMG I am a yo yo convert! They are so pretty and easy to make! I have already turned some into hair clips. I might try and sell them on Etsy. If you haven't had a go at them, then you should definitely try!

Here is a quick tutorial:

You will need:

• Fabric (I just used scraps)
• Something round - twice the size you want the yo yo (I used an old Tupperware container)
• Pen.
• Scissors.
• Needle and thread.

Get your scrap and trace around your round object, then cut it out.

With your circle of fabric, fold over a small hem (about 5mm / 1/4").

Tack right around the circle. Space your stitches.

Once right around, pull the thread to bring to edges together. Tie off.

Flatten into yo yo shape and ta da! You have a yo yo!

I like to put a button in the middle of mine. If you want to add a button, don't tie off and instead sew on the button to finish. Then go onto Pinterest and search yo yo crafts lol

Have fun sewing and try making yo yos!

Jayne xx

Dresses, dresses and skirts

I have been a busy sewing Jayney. I have made 4 Christmas dresses for the girls. Four Rapunzel dresses for my girls and their 2 friends and 2 skirts (for myself and my sister).

I had a lot of Christmas fabric and a head full of ideas that I would make a Christmas dress for just about everyday. Then I started to think that that would be too many dresses to make when the girls can only wear them for a limited time. So I made them both 2 Christmas dresses. Miss 4 and I looked at all different patterns and picked one for me to make her to wear on Christmas Day. Then we went to Spotlight and she picked the fabric she wanted. The pattern we picked was Simplicity 2469 and the fabric was pink with scribble Christmas trees. She is such a pink girl and the colour really suits her.

This isn't even all of it. I have more that is hidden away.

The dress was a bit of a challenge for me because it involved using elastic at the back to tighten the dress around the chest. I admit I was a bit scared to try it, but it ended up being really easy and turned out well.

I chose to make Miss 2's dress out of red Santa fabric. Red really makes her sparkle. It is definitely her colour. I again used the Simplicity 2377 pattern. Unfortunately I didn't have red thread, so used black instead. Was a little embarrassed about that. Still, the dress was very cute.

We had our family Christmas lunch early on my Dad's birthday a week into December, because we can never all make it on Christmas Day. So I made special Christmas dresses for that too. I made them out of Simplicity 2377 again, but this time I did the 2 tier one. They are so cute! I much prefer the 2 tier.

It was past bedtime and Miss 2 was already asleep, so the crocodile stepped in. 

Grandad opening his birthday present. 

I searched Simplicity 2377 to see what other people had made. I came across a lady who made this pattern into princess dresses. You can find the link here. I thought they looked fantastic. What a very clever lady and it gave me so many ideas! Miss 2 has loved Rapunzel since forever and Miss 4 is also a fan. Miss 4's other 2 friends are also into Rapunzel at the moment (same 2 little girls I made the dresses for). So I decided to make 4 Rapunzel dresses and give them to the friends for Christmas. Well let me tell you, sewing ribbon onto the fabric to make the sleeves and front yoke took FOREVER! It took me a few hours most nights for 2 weeks before they were finally finished (probably took longer because I was binge watching Vampire Diaries on Netflix at the same time).

I just used Top Poplin to make them because it was the cheapest fabric available that I could buy in bulk. I bought 4 metres each of dark and light purple fabric (only cost me $30 and I have heaps left over). Everyone who sees them thinks I should sell them. I have to admit that they do look fantastic and I just know that the other girls will love them too.

The skirt I made was Kwik Sew 3851. I have had this pattern and fabric for such a long time and I finally looked at it and decided that it wouldn't be that hard. I was right, it really wasn't hard. I am really happy with it.  When I was looking at the discounted fabrics at Spotlight, I came across sausage dog fabric. My sister has a sausage dog, so I bought it and made her the skirt. She absolutely loved it and put it on straight away. Looked fantastic. Only thing is I made it with an elastic waist instead of a draw string, but I prefer elastic to drawstring. That and I still have not worked out how to use all the functions on my sewing machine yet and can't access the button hole function...

I am really loving sewing at the moment. I would love to be able to make money from it, but at the moment I am still too slow to make my time worth it.

Well, I have more things to make and can't wait to get to it! Thanks for reading,

Jayne xx