Luckily I prepared some earlier ...

Not a lot of time to sew this week with all the school events.  We might have a bit of a break with Callum and Kane both going to school camp this week.   Maya has her second go at school for prep orientation on Wednesday.  She has decided that she does like school and would like to go next year.  There are three other "new kids" in her class (the others went to kindergarten at the school) and I was a bit nervous for her breaking into an established group.

Luckily I had finished a few more stitcheries for Maya's cat quilt.  The top pic is the last block from the Red Brolly Catalicious Block of the Month,  and I found the other two in one of Bronwyns books.

I hope everyone had a good weekend.  Ayden clocked up another almost 2 hours of driving experience.  Teaching him to drive is up there with the scariest thing I have ever done ...

Grade 4 Graduation Day

It must be nearly Christmas because we have a child-related events on every night this week.   Last night was Callum's Grade 4 graduation ceremony.  It's off to Middle School next year,  and a whole new campus. 

The kids put on a great show and the school had organised the kids prep photo's to be shown next to their grade 4 photo's with a quote about what they are looking forward to next year.  Callum's was different to most of the kids who were looking forward to a cafeteria and their own laptops.  Callum is looking forward to catching the bus home with Ayden.  I wonder how long that will last (and Ayden is not looking forward to it at all!)

Callum was Environment Leader this year,  and he is pictured in front of some of the vegetable gardens that he shared responsiblity for, and helped to supported the school selling vegetables too,
Tonight is the Visual and Performing arts showcase .. I really need to get on with those costumes ..

17 years old ~ Happy Birthday Ayden!

It's not easy getting a 17 year old boy to pose for blog pics. Since he is so 6'5 I had to stand on the high bit of the verandah and he put up with me telling him to smile. So much easier with a 5 year old..

How lucky are we!  We have so many reasons to be proud of Ayden with his kindness, generosity,  work ethic, the way he always put his hand up to help and accepts a challenge, and the big brother he is to the smaller monkeys.

Happy Birthday Ayden. Have a great day out with your mates and we hope 17 is AWESOME

Kate C's Mosaic Blocks ~ November Around the Block

For Around the Block,  my November choice was these Mosaic Blocks for Kate C.  They are large 16" finished blocks with such fantastic, fresh fabrics to work with.

Kate only asked for one block, but since I was making half square triangles it was almost as easy to make two squares.  I like how they have turned out and the impact of the large blocks and the mix of colours.  And I managed to avoid pattern writing for that much longer too :)

Afterglow ~ New Make it Perfect Pattern

Today there is antoher new pattern release from Toni at Make it Perfect.  Aren't I lucky to be a pattern tester!  Afterglow is a nighty or a dress with ties at the back.  Lots of cute detail on this one with gathered sleeves,  a pleated front and binding around the neck.  I made Maya the version with a tie back so she can wear it as a dress.

Toni has some very sweet pictures of Lil up on the Make it Perfect blog .. with another giveaway too!

New Make it Perfect Pattern ~ Playtime Skort

Toni has been frantically writing patterns for us to test and the big reveal was up on the Make it Perfect blog today.  So here is Maya in the Playtime Skort.  It's made from comfy knit fabric and features a cute bubble skirt - the underside is bright pink to match the waistband.  The skirt is combined with short bike pants to stop little girls from always showing their undies.

The pattern has variations for the skort,  bike shorts, bubble skirt and a single layer skirt as well as a reverse applique pattern for a tshirt.  What a versatile pattern!

Visit Toni for more cute pics and a chance to win the pattern.  There will be two more patterns released over the weekend with more giveaways too.



I hope you are not tired of seeing pics of Maya.  At the moment its full on pattern testing and new clothes for summer.  In only two months Maya will be off to school and wearing a uniform.   I'm not quite sure how I will go without a child's company at home during the day ..

My Creative Space .. More for the Boys

It's time to start finishing off the UFO's for 2010 at this monkey house.  My blocks for Around the Block have all been received and divided up between Callum and Kane - with no arguments luckily!   I needed to make 8 more blocks to have enough for two quilts.  One more to go after making seven at Sewjourn last weekend.

Cute Riley Blake fabrics with a few spots and solids thrown in.  The theme was improv crosses or squares.

If you liked my last post on fabric for boys I noticed that Pink Chalk Studio have them here for half price.  I've never seen them in Australia.

For more creative spaces,  visit Kristy

We went to Sewjourn ... and

What a great weekend!  How lucky was I to spend a long weekend with these wonderful crafty women.  A few years ago I would never have believed that I could meet so many lovely, like minded, kind and giving people as I have met through this blog. And now they are my friends!

Okay,  we only ever take the pictures a few minutes before we leave on the last day :).  It's me, Catherine, Annie, Lara, Nikki and Karen.  Blogless Megan had to leave early so missed out on getting into our group photo, which was taken by Blogless Karen who popped in for morning tea.  We missed Kathryn and Jodie too.  Nikki and Lara have written a great post each on the weekend.

We laughed and chatted, stitched and sewed, unpicked and crocheted.  And to prove it,  here is Maya in a Modkids Frida dress that I made,  using Grandmothers Flower Garden fabric designed by Rosalie Quinlan.  Another quick photo, as Maya had something important to do.  Watching Playschool I believe...

My Creative Space ~ Unicorns .. we're off!

In my creative space this week,  I'm trying to get myself and the rest of the family ready,  so I can go off to Sewjourn tomorrow with the crafty girls.  Can you guess who is going?

Matt's going to have a big weekend of running kids around town and dropping them off at various parties and avoiding the rain.  I hope he manages to do Maya's hair :)

Fingers crossed I will get this little dress finished before we go.  Made from a scraps and a remnant,  its a dress version of the Oliver + S Swingset Tunic.  Maya really likes the unicorns, however she would like to know what unicorn meat tastes like ...eewwww.

For more creative spaces,  visit Kristy

Get a Wriggle On! Quilt

 And it's finished!  Way back here,  in April 2009 Maya picked out the fabric for her quilt.

The squiggly quilting was so quick and easy to complete compared to all the other machine quilting methods I have tried.  I saw the technique up on Katy's blog,  and to do it all you need to do is set a Bernina sewing machine on stitch 4 with a stitch length of around 3 and a half.  I quilted the rows 2 inches apart.  Easy!

 Last night the final binding was stitched on - a Lecien red fabric with a small spot. 

And it's just the right size to spread out on the grass and have a chat with the rabbit.

Splish Splash Beach Bag ~ Tutorial to Download

Get ready for summer with my new design, the Splish Splash Beach Bag. Sarah has just posted a new tutorial up on the Quilt Fabric Delights for a large sized bag for the beach, gym or as Maya does,  for swimming lessons.  Bright, fun appliques of fish are on both sides of the roomy bag,  or leave them off for a very practical bag for those who like to keep things simple.

These colours and the size of the bag were a bit difficult to photograh,  but Maya was such a helpful model again.  Click here to download or visit Quilt Fabric Delights.

My Creative Space ~ Sqiggly Quilting

What's going on in my creative space?  Lots of trying to finish off UFO's so I can start 2011 with a clean slate.  This quilt is gradually being quilted with squiggly lines and I would love to have it finished before we go off to Sewjourn in a couple of weeks.

The exciting news for today .. Ayden's been elected as Environment Leader for Year 12,  and I bought a brand new car.  I just can't tell you how exciting it really is :)

Visit Kristy for more spaces.

Maya in her Ottobre Shirt

I have a bit of a collection of Ottobre Design magazines piling up.  All the kids like flicking through them,  as they have great projects for boys as well as girls ... and Maya would like all the baby clothes for her baby doll,  not that she has much chance there!

So this is my first go at a pattern.  It is from Ottobre Autumn 4/2010 and a design called Rousku, a blouse with a front placket that didn't work for me, but pin tucks on the front and back, a bound neckline and three quarter length sleeves.  I made mine in size 110,  maybe a little small,  in Cosmo Cricket Early Bird fabric and with a button band instead of the placket.

I thought it might be nice for summer with the sleeves pushed up and some casual pants.  A bit of a scruffy photo but the weather is miserable here.

And good news ... Ayden did his year 12 Geography exam today .. and I may never have to hear whinging about Geography again.  I am sure he will achieve a very good final mark but oh,  it has been painful the last few weeks.  He says he is good at it but doesn't like it.  Shucks.