baby bunting

another baby; another baby girl...that itty bitty dress pattern is getting one serious workout at the moment.

this time though i added something a little different to the mix, something i've been wanting to try for a while. i found myself inspired by kelly of vintage mum, modern child to finally have a play around with the idea - so there was also some matching celebratory baby-warming bunting (made from the matching damask and liberty-like fabric and bits of leftover doilies from other projects). a very free-form flowing kind of sewing...

bit too much with the dress? maybe. fun though!

how cute is this?

somewhere approaching as cute as a newborn i think...excited to have the current baby boom among my friends starting with a couple of girls (as requested!) - a good excuse to sew some dresses and such. in fact i thought this was so cute i hung it on the bedroom wardrobe door the night it was finished, and ohhed and ahhed at its sweetness every time i caught a glimpse...

it's my normal imperfect style where i'm most impressed by the overall effect. this time though most of the inside even looked presentable. that's some soft cream damask that had been sitting in the cupboard for a decade or two on the inside. and the main fabric is another vintage purchase from my faithful friend ebay.

(i'm still taken with including these details on the selvedge - anyone know if they actually have a name?)

okay, baby-sized drumroll please: here it is!

it's a slightly bigger version of the previous 'itty bitty baby dress' i made - a free made by rae pattern. the last attempt was so small it barely fitted its owner (one of the most delicate specimens i have ever seen) just after she was born. this is the next size up - 1 to 3 months, plus a teeny bit more for insurance - and hopefully i'll get a bit of feedback on how it fits. definitely recommend erring on the larger side though if you're going to give it a try. now, i just need to ask the universe to kindly bring on a few sunny days again...

'i will make something for you' - no 2

my creation for alex (yes, the cushion craze continues). i found myself making something that reminded me of the day i met her - at a friends blessingway...there were sumptuous cushions scattered throughout a beautifully set up tent with sides billowing in the breeze...somehow the purple seemed right too.
(and i'm still enjoying this way of breathing new life into old doilies)

'i will make something for you' - no 1

a while ago i promised to show you the little details of this bag when it reached its new home. now that it is safely in kate's arms (literally, at times, i guess) here you are...
(i know i mentioned this before but i was quite taken by the writing on the selvedge - so decided to make a feature of it rather than hiding it)

this became the first of my 'i will make something for you' projects - an idea i read about on a friend's facebook page earlier in the year and instantly knew i wanted to be part of. simply put, it is a version of 'pay it forward' in which you promise to make something (anything) for the first five people who respond and agree to do the same: the ripple effect. a lot of people seemed to find this intimidating but it's not that scary - really! your gifts can reach the intended targets anytime in the year and be as small or big as you feel inclined. i think it's the most gorgeous idea, a lovely excuse to make new things... and such a feel-good buzz sending parcels of handmade things off into the world.

my favourite things...

weekend finds

out window-shopping for a lovely little art deco apartment on the weekend and came across a little stall at the side of the road where a guy was selling off a great collection of haberdashery etc. couldn't resist some gorgeous shot silk i found in the $5 a metre bin, some vintage ecru lace and a printing block (saw the evidence of its handiwork and it looked stunning). also picked up a few beads and my mum found these fantastic felted ones.

banana bread and bliss

soaking up the simple pleasures today.

house to myself and luxuriating in the space and quiet. baking to the sounds of tracey chapman (taking me back my wonderful days at the community aid abroad one world shop), and the smell of extra strong coffee. my favourite tea - liqorice egyptian spice by yogitea - brewing in my 'new' vintage teapot freshly arrived on the doorstep this morning. plus gorgeous overcast weather and a warm heated room to retreat to (with a very happy cat waiting for me on the bed)... what more could a girl ask for?

(love the little sayings that come on the tea tags - although these ones stretch my german translation skills beyond hope)