Matching Pegs

Last weekend Amelia’s best friend, Olivia, came over so that the girls could do some more sewing.  They were working on the slightly larger version of my apron pattern that I had just drafted, (so really these are prototypes).  The girls chose their favourite motif from a whole range of food-themed appliques that I designed ages ago, and slightly different applique fabrics from my stash.

Apart from sewing the appliques on, using the dangerous rotary blade, and a tricky bit of top-stitching to attach the pockets, the girls did the lot.  We had a really fun time and they are very proud of their aprons.  I found having one sewing machine (set to very slow) and a space to pin and measure was perfect.  There was barely any standing around waiting for a turn.

When it was time to sew around the circumference of the apron (including the two curved sections that go under the arms) with a 1/2″ seam allowance, I decided to use a trick – to draw the stitching line on.  Until then, the girls had been sewing using the 1/4″ foot to align against.  I gave each of the girls, a ruler and one of my new “frixion”pens, which are erasable pens.  The ink is designed to erase when you “rub it out” using the rubber tip, but the tip is not really an eraser, it is actually heat, that the friction or rubbing creates, that makes the ink disappear.  This means the ink disappears when you iron over it!  This made the going much easier for the girls, because they just had to follow the line they had marked, with the needle.  I know they could have marked a line with chalk, or washout pen, but these lines are really crisp and stand out.

Since the weekend I have been really busy.  On Monday I went with the preps on an excursion to the Zoo.  Big groups of 5 and 6 year olds are exhausting, (but so enthusiastic).  We had a lovely time, and the fact that there was a gentle rain all day meant that the school groups pretty much had the Zoo to themselves.

On Tuesday the kids had no school, so were home with me all day.

Yesterday I drove out to Healesville with my Mother and her friend, to see the portraits created by the Archibald Prize Finalists  for 2011, at TarraWarra Museum of Art.  It was wonderful, I am so glad I went.  I enjoyed all the different styles of portraits, but this one was my favorite.

Finally, I will leave you with this lovely clip, celebrating the Sydney Opera House.  You can read more about it here.

We are in the midst of Birthday season, here in the Matching Pegs household, with 3 of our birthdays within 12 days.  Yesterday we celebrated Rory’s special day, with Michaela taking a couple of hours off, to help her friend Jaide celebrate her birthday.  Pictured above is the top I embellished for Jaide, with a simple needle turn applique.  Rory’s new mini-figures are checking it out.

Rory turned 9, and his cake was fantastic!

It was several days in the making – if you include the practice characters that the kids (and Luke) made with plasticine.

For those of you familiar with the game, it is easy to see that the cake featured “Angry Birds“, complete with evil green pigs (and boss pig with his moustache).

The birds and pigs were made with solid icing, and it is safe to say that the experience of planning and making them was as important as the outcome – the look of the finished cake.

I was so impressed with the figures that the kids made, and the cake architecture that supported them, (constructed by Luke).  Oh and the cake was deee-lish!

Are you addicted to Angry Birds?

The kids were determined to enter a competition on one of their favorite websites – Moshi Monsters – by making two of the characters out of recycled rubbish.

Amelia and Rory made these guys out of boxes, cardboard rolls, milk cartons, and paper mache. I think they did a fantastic job. I told them they will have to share the iPod touch if they happen to win, (not a problem I am really worried about) but either way, we had fun making these guys.

On Wednesday night, Amelia blew us away with her confident and clearly enunciated performance as Alice in Wonderland, in the school play.  I had spent some time, going over lines with Amelia, (so I knew that she had memorised the pages of dialog well) but I had no idea she would have such presence.

At times Amelia is pretty shy, I was expecting nerves to be a bit of an issue, but I was so wrong.  She nailed it.  Apologies for the ordinary photos – we were not allowed to use a flash, as there was an official videographer at work – I am hoping that the video they shot is pretty good, because I really want a record of the event.

Another little thing that is making me inordinately proud, is this small piece of fabric (8″ x 8″).

It’s fabric I designed and printed using Spoonflower.  I saw that they were having a free swatch day, and it was just the prompt that I needed to give it a try.  I quickly manipulated the floral and butterfly designs that I already had drawn up in Illustrator, and was fairly pleased with the repeat that I created.

While you can use any colour you can conceive for your designs, I chose to use some of the colours that Spoonflower recommend.  They are colours that print true to the colour you see on screen.  This resulted in a print that is quite bright.  In my imagination, I have a whole line of fabric, in much more subtle colours.  If I decide to go ahead with any more fabric design, I will probably go to the trouble of printing test swatches just to narrow down the right colours.  I am thinking that the curtains that I need for my laundry might have to be bespoke!

What would you make with your very own fabric?

What would you make with my butterfly fabric?

I have been diligently stitching around the applique shapes, on the cushion fronts that the kids designed at Amelia’s party.  Hers is the cushion on the right.

The kids chose the fonts, and the applique motifs (from a choice of several of mine) and then carefully selected fabrics from my stash.

I ironed the fusible web (vlisofix) onto the back of the chosen fabrics, and the kids trimmed the shapes, and placed them where they wanted them.

Michaela’s cushion is on the right (above) – she just chose the butterflies, and all the purple fabrics – she does not quite have the dexterity for the sharp scissors yet.

Rory’s cushion is on the right.  “B” is clearly a minimalist – she only wanted her initial.  I thought they all did a good job – and I think they all enjoyed it.  So once I finish sewing down the shapes, I just have to whip up 6 cushions.

Would you consider letting kids loose on your stash?

Amelia’s 10th Birthday Sewing party was a great success.

Button Gingerbread biscuits were consumed (along with plenty of other treats).

The “Birthday Cake” was a plate of flower cupcakes which Luke made with the kids.

“Hoop Face” stitcheries were stitched by all.  This one is Amelia’s, you can tell by the very neat stitches.

Rory is more of a speed stitcher, he really enjoyed working on his Robot.  I need to track down a couple more 4″ hoops, so that his can have a properly sized face.

While the kids were stitching, they also took it in turns to rifle through my fabric stash to design themselves a cushion front featuring their initials.  Next time I will give you a peek.

After pre-washing all my fat quarters, yesterday I prepared them for cutting, by adding a new step.  I decided to lightly starch each piece, in the hopes that this will help the accuracy of my pieced star blocks.  I have done lots and lots of Maths, while designing this quilt (My Tea in the Garden Quilt) and have worked out all the cuts and fabric requirements.  All that was left was to actually start cutting.

This is where my multitasking genius comes in.  I managed to play about an hours worth of Go Fish, with Miss Michaela, while cutting.  She was perched on a stool at the end of the cutting table.

Now I would not normally recommend this type of multitasking, but because my maths had all been done, and I had actually drawn out all the cuts per fat quarter (with colour diagrams representing each different piece of fabric) I didn’t have to concentrate quite as hard.  I was able to keep us both happy at the same time. Win-Win.

And then my clever girl arranged an Elephant with the scraps.

Do you wield sharp objects with your small people close at hand, or do you think I’m crazy?

Amelia received these wooden words from Father Christmas, and yesterday she finished painting them.  She was so pleased with how they turned out and I know they will look great on the aqua walls of her bedroom.  We had quite a bit of fun taking this picture – that’s Rory holding onto the dream (he he he, pun intended).

Rory was busy with some decorating of his own.

This is his capital R, that he painted, then covered in monsters.

He took ages selecting just the right stickers – I am glad he didn’t end up choosing the skulls.

Michaela had a ball painting her capital M.  Just like her hair, her M is covered in every decoration possible.  She is not at an age for restraint, when it comes to all things glittery and pretty.

This was a great project for the school holidays.  The kids now have something each (that they have made) to decorate their new bedrooms.  It was easy enough that even the youngest could participate (because we chose to use stickers) but had enough challenge for the eldest (who painted her own patterns).  All I had to do was wait for ages as stickers were chosen, do up the smocks and mix up the desired colours of paint.

This weekend required an activity to keep small people entertained, and it ended up involving the whole family.  I was the designated goop chef, and I made up this batch of papier mache glue, using only the ingredients you see here – Flour, sugar, water (and heat).  I found the reciepe here.

We blew up small balloons for the kids, propped them some jars and glasses, and got dipping with our ripped up newspaper.  Luke and Michaela are collaborating on a chirpy bird.  Rory and Amelia are making frogs.  Best of all, I think this project will provide amusement for days to come.

We stored the goop in the fridge overnight, and this morning it was the consistency of good old Clag.  It was great to be able to whip it up in our own kitchen for free, and we now have enough goop for a papier mache house.

Speaking of houses, here is another activity to keep the kids amused (found via Simple Mom) – celebrating our favorites, Charlie and Lola.

What did you get up to this weekend?

Rory has a deep and abiding love for Yoda.

His love has been expressed creatively with this amazing papier mache puppet he made at school.  Not bad for a 7 year old.

It is hard to see in this photo, but the eyes are made from shells, with bobble eyes over the top.  He clearly has put a lot of thought into the construction.  It was made over several weeks, including one session in the Art room where I had to go looking for him after the school bell, as he was ensconced and didn’t want to leave.  He is definitely cut from the same cloth as me.

As we walked home yesterday with his masterpiece he said

“You know Mum, I really love Thursdays.”

I knew it was because, Thursdays are Art class days.