What to make first?

These are my latest additions to my stash and pattern collection. I love these patterns and can't wait to start on some summer clothes, mainly for Lizzie. The apple fabric is already cut out to make the cute dress in the middle. The MM christmas fabric will be for gifts for Christmas. The party fabric was on clearnace and I thought it would be great for decorations for someone's party next year.

And yes, that is some heavy weight denim there. I really want to make a denim pinafore for Lizzie, as ridiculous as that might sound at this time of year as we head into spring. The main impetus behind this is the Fifi iron on we received as part of our magazine subscription. We've also got a headband, so the pinafore would be part dressup and part actual dress, if that makes sense. If you haven't discovered this sweet character yet, check out the website. I particularly love the Fizzy Lemonade song.

Op shop visits

A very successful outing to our local op shops this morning. I found some great fabric and just one pattern - but a very cute one. It's the first time I've purchased fabric at a thrift store. I haven't been game, especially at this store where it's all sealed up in plastic. I guess that keeps it nice and clean, but it also means you can't get a good look or feel . I'm glad I took a punt this time though.

I wish I was better at identifying fabrics. Two are clearly a nice cotton, but the purple and the paisley ones seem to be cotton with a flanellette backing? So I'm not sure what their original purpose is. I'm sure they'd make great pjs, but I can't help thinking the pasiley one especially would be great as some groovy pants or another pinafore dress. Would that be silly?

Lizzie scored too, with a pretty doll. Although I gave the doll a 'bath', she still has a drawing mark across her face that I can't remove despite careful scubbing, but I'm not too worried. With Lizzie's penchant for scribbling on anything and everything (as evidenced on the flip out sofa she's sitting on), it was bound to happen anyway.

Shopping!

We braved Spotlight this morning, and picked up quite a bit. Luckily the patterns were half price, and the fabric all reduced, so we did very well. The girls were well behaved and rewarded with morning tea at Starbucks. I'm always willing to put up with their crap coffee because the girls love to play on their grotty couches and munch on toasted ham and cheese panini.

Latest purchases

Here's my latest purchases. The patterns I got today wandering into the local Red Cross store. I love the Vogue dress at the front, but no real reason to make it yet. Obviously someone was a big fan of knit fabrics. There is a couple of patterns in the book with the girl in the daggy hat, so I might get to use all this jersey I bought.

The green spotted jersey I bought on a stressful shop with Elizabeth. I wanted some jersey with vague notions of making myelf a wrap dress, but was thinking more on the lines of blacks or grey. As I was browsing, Elizabeth decided to climb out of her stroller and run rampant. I couldn't think straight really, and ended up buying 2 and a half metres of this stuff! There are a few ideas I've got, but definitely not a dress in this green - not me at all, but a top is a good idea I think. The green circle satin will make great pajamas.

The flanellettes, grey star drill, and the patchwork was bought on Monday at Lincraft - a much better shopping experience. And the blue I bought from funky fabrix to make a bag for Mothers' Day. Well, that's the plan.

I have so many projects in my head, but have no idea when I'll get to them all!

Bits and pieces

So yes, I've begun working on a quilt. The above is just a play around with the fabrics I've cut out so far. I was procrastinating terribly about it, looking into lessons, etc But I've just decided to 'have a go' and if it turns out terribly, I'll only have wasted a bit of fabric. One of my husband's favourite sayings : ' it's not brain surgery, if you stuff it up, noone's going to die'. Well, I may die of embarassment, but anyway. At least I'm feeling happy now that I've decided on a pattern and have actually started work. I 'm basically using the lotus brick path Amy Butler pattern, just doing a slightly smaller version. I don't like the lace print fabric I put in this picture, so I'll leave that out. I bought a few more fabrics today at Spotlight (all on sale of course) including the backing fabric, so hopefully the progress on this won't be too slow.

This is the bag I made for our little friend Charlee who had her birthday party yesterday. I gave her this along with the top I'd made previously from the same fabric. Although it's by no means perfect, I'm rather happy with it, given I'd never made one before and didn't use a pattern. The recipient loved it too! I guess 3 year olds don't mind a few flaws here and there. I'm now keen make myself a bag, properly with a pattern this time.

While my parents were staying with us, we did the shops in Redcliffe and Scarborough. I was surprised to find an op shop I'd never noticed before in Scarborough and even more surprised to find some great patterns. Who knows when I'[ll get around to using them, but I'm especially happy I was able to find a baby pattern. I wasn't sewing when either of my girls were babies, so missed out on making bibs and sleeping bags, etc. But now I'll be able to make gifts for any friends or relatives that have new additions.

Here's some play clothes for Lizzie. The top's from Target. The applique isn't the best, and I didn't line up the checks, but I'm not too worried as these are intended for messy visits to the park, beach, etc. and were made very quickly and easily.