Crocheting in the new year

Last night was a quiet one for me. Just me the tv and an idea for crochet. Earwarmers for the granddaughters with the yarn leftover from one of their hugs I made them. Such a simple rectangle sewn up to create the twist at the top. 

I think from their faces and his long they wore them indoors they adored them  

Keeping up with my bad photos reputation here’s the first one I made and laid flat.

New year's resolutions are not being made this year. Apart from putting less pressure on myself and try to live a simpler life. Let's see how far this works for.

Dancing Aliens birthday

Not sure how it happened but this little dancer is now 6! I got to watch her dancing on Monday with her outfit I had fun creating, I may be biased but I think she looked great.

I was asked to put an alien head on her shirt.  No worries I thought, then realised how small a shirt she wears.  If I had my thinking cap on before hand I would of unpicked the side seams, then sewed the head on the front of the shirt.  Then sewed the side seams back up. Of course I struggled with getting it sewn on until I clicked and was almost completed by then. Always leave it to me to do it all the hard way

The head band is just a simple plain little headband with glittery pipe cleaners twisted on and made into shapes.  Ever helped me with this, and I think added to the effect after it was given to her, and I super-glued two lots of big googly eyes on which I used four so they were double sided eyes.  My proudest moment of this piece was I used superglue and didn't stick myself or anything else to anything that wasn't intended to be stuck together.  I almost felt like a fully fledged adult for almost a nano second.

I didn't go to town to much with the tutu, as she still needed to dance and run around and not feel to hindered by it. Plus we have to show off the aliens silver leggings don't we?

So there we have it, I made an all dancing all singing alien outfit for a dance show, for the cutest alien going. I would do it again in a heartbeat as I had so much fun. Most importantly it was loved. 

I learnt I can use superglue responsibly.  Always check the remnant bin out in the fabric store.  I found the silver fabric for a ridiculous price.  Still have some left, so I expect that will come out to play in another project at some time. 

For now I am going to focus on smaller projects like bags to put Lego in. Similar to what I use for my knitting projects. I got asked to make a few to keep Lego kits in their own bags to save getting them all mixed up, and hopefully away out of the way of bare feet.

Take care

Jules 

Aliens in silver

Today I was back working on my Eldest granddaughters Alien dance costume. This so far has consisted of making a purple sparkly tutu.  On Tuesday I said to someone what I need is a piece of silver fabric in the remnant bin in the fabric shop.  And hey presto there was one well over a metre there and although it didn't show up to well it almost has a holographic glitter effect to it.  I would describe this as legging or swimsuit fabric.  I wanted a small piece to cut an alien head out of but with this find I decided to do a pair of silver leggings to go under the tutu. I even found a label to put in to look professional. I bought the label sometime last year on sale in the range.  Fabric was from fabric land

Quick search on pinterest for a free legging pattern for a 6 year old took me to http://www.sewcanshe.com/blog/2015/10/10/basic-leggings-for-girls-free-pattern-and-tutorial  Got to say with the help of my overlocker/serger. This was a pretty quick and easy make. 

The label didn't even give me and problems.  Just hoping the little alien to be next Monday loves them as much as me and her Mum do.

I am thinking of trying out a few more pinterest crafts etc soon. You can find me here https://uk.pinterest.com/julesbathome/ on Pinterest. 

But for now I will say goodnight as it's been a long day, and I am off to dream of 70's disco dancers in sparkly silver trousers 

Take care

Jules xx 

Nearly finished butterfly dresses

Not to long ago I started on a couple of dresses made using this pattern, using view A, which is the red and white dress on the left/ Today the girls came round to see me after school for a try on of their dresses and some dinner. 

I didn't do the final hemming as I wanted to make sure the length was OK on the girls first. I will do the hems tomorrow so they are all ready for their event on Friday. 

Their Mum took a few photos of the girls today when they tried the dresses on. I thought I would share them with you to show you how they are coming along. 

I think we can safely say they girls were pleased. 

Our mini model Ever. 

Ever and Ruby.  Very happy on the lengths actually.

I didn't think Ruby would be into trying the dress on, but once Ever had hers on and was outside getting her photo taken Ruby was more than willing to join in with the fun of it all. Even with her leggings still on she looked so cute.  They both do.

Can't get over how big these 2 are getting!  I loved doing these dresses,  I learnt a fair bit and had to improvise a bit as I had 3 layers of fabric to deal with in places and 2 where there should of been one.  I chose a chiffon with a border print of butterflies, which I lined with white so it wasn't sheer on the girls.  Then I also had to use lining in places as called for in the pattern.  But it worked :o)

I'm back!

I know, I know went and vanished for a week! Blame it on the weather and migraines. Really messed my head up lately.  Back to normal today though.

These photos are from the other day so I will introduce what I am making.  My daughter and her little family are off to a wedding next week so I offered to make the gorgeous granddaughters dresses :o)  Can you tell I am happy about that. So I found this pattern.

Started off the boring bit of tracing off 2 sizes and preparing everything.

I have a white lining satin type fabric and a chiffon fabric with butterflies as a border print.  We are keeping the top a kind of light cream and the bottom gathered skirts will have riots of butterflies. Cool huh?

I am so behind on the sewing and have almost got the tops and straps sewn together now. Give me a few days and I will have them finished. I thought the fabric choices were going to be a pain the neck but all is working out so far OK.  

I am carrying on with an audio book series by Jodie Taylor the chronicles of Saint Mary's.  Loving the series so far,  I have laughed and cried and really enjoyed their varied escapades and stories. 

So for now I am about to start my weekend and will hopefully will be back on here really soon.  I still have been doing some crafty things just haven't blogged them yet.  

Take care and stay crafty

Jules x 

colouring the day away

We had the Granddaughters over this morning.  Turns out for a little longer than we thought.  No problem at all. To stop little people starting to get bored I got out some lining Paper and stuck 2 lengths together and drew around the girls, gave them some felt tips and pencils and let them go wild. 

As you can see from the photos there was much colour used, and great creativity.

The girls tried on their skirts I made the other day and refused to take them off, so I think they were a big hit. 

This is Evers outline and colouring in, with Rubys help of course

This is Rubys outline and colouring in with a little help, I am pretty sure she went home with as much felt tip pen on her arms as on the paper.

Ever decided we needed a foot by her head

Is it my imagination but is Ruby looking a bit like a chicken here?

Aw, sisterly cooperation

concentrating hard on putting the lids back on, pretty impressed with Ruby for that one.  She was a bit mystified with the thick/thin pens with 2 ends though.

Needed eyelashes for mascara so I am told

colours to match her outfit :o)

Few more photos, this went on for about 2 hours or so I think.  Great project the girls really got into.  All it cost was part of a roll of lining paper I guess.  Which we already had in the house. So free and easy crafty project both kids loved 

This wasn't a planned post or activity but sure glad we got to do it and looking forward to more fun soon.  Thanks for coming over to play girls :o) 

Take care and stay crafty

Jules xx 

Quick project

A while ago my Granddaughters Ever and Ruby were over just after I had taken delivery of these fabrics.  I was telling Ever I was planning on making shorts, skirts and an top out of both fabrics for them.  I got informed I was allowed to make hers in yellow and Rubys could be blue! There is a young lady who knows what she wants and how to get it. I madly cut out 8 pairs of shorts from this fabric and a couple of others I had in my stash,  a top each and a skirt each. Then I serged and mostly put all the shorts together until the elastic bit.  I read on the pattern 1/4 inch elastic was needed.  Well to be fair it is but only for the tops.  After buying 10 metres of 1/4 inch elastic I then discovered I had a grand total of 7 inches of the 1/2 inch elastic I actually needed for the shorts and skirts.  Problem solved a while ago on a shopping trip.  Decided today I had better get back to these clothes for the girls.

Today was the skirts.  They are pretty basic rectangles.  Each descending layer twice as long as the one before.  Gathered up and then sewn to the layer above.  I had fun using my nifty sergers gathering foot for this. And while not perfect I am gaining confidence and experience. I just need to do a final press and I can call them done

Thursday I will hand these over and see how well they fit the girls. Best to see how these fit before doing the elastic on 4 pairs of shorts for each girl.

A relatively easy and fast project today.  Some days I need something to engage my mind but today I wanted to do calm and easy sewing while I listened to an audiobook. 

That kept me amused in the rainy weather we have here today. What have you been up to? Getting a bit lonely here talking to myself, why not put a comment below about your day?

Take care and stay crafty

Jules x 

Bubbles! and St Georges Day

I am always amazed at how a simple thing like a pot of bubbles can turn a houseful of people into a noisy, happy, giggling, crazy bunch. We had the delight of having the granddaughters over for a few hours today. I walked Ever down to the shops and asked what she would like and as well as sweets she asked me very politely if she could have a pot of bubbles.  No problem there as long as she could wait until after we had done other things.  

So skip forward a few hours and we were ready to go out.  Then questions got asked about other bubbles and last years bubble wands were remembered.  We went from a small pot of bubbles with lots of little bubbles to massive bubbles everywhere.  With every bubble more little giggles turned into delighted shrieks. And not just from the girls ;o)

I think Evers face here says a lot

Lots of concentration needed here to blow bubbles

Ruby tried so hard to keep up with the chaos, Just as she got there the bubbles burst and we had more giggles.

She gave up with trying to blow bubbles and ended up sucking a wand like a lollipop! 

And Mr show off delighted in making these massive bubbles. I really wondered who had more fun here.

I think Gary and Luke were still going when the girls were flagging.

So this was how we spent our St Georges day, with lots of smiles, laughter and family at home. 

I did get a few hours work into the jacket of doom this morning :o) And it gave me no problems whatsoever today.  I have finished the outer part and have just started on the lining.  I am hoping another few hours and it will be done. Can't wait to wear it, as really pleased with it so far. Now to find it a better name as I don't think calling it the jacket of doom will quite be understood in certain circles.

Hope your St Georges day brought you much happiness and smiles too

Take care and stay crafty

Jules x