Saturday 24 July 2010

Sewing is my crystal meth.

I'm getting the shakes - we're back in our building site of a house, and I haven't really been able to sew because I'm meant to be doing wallpaper stripping, polyfillering, painting and other dull, soul-destroying, non-sewing related activities.

Last night I was going to take the evening off and do a bit of stitching, just to try and slow my heart rate and stop the cramps, but I ended up spending three hours looking for children's wallpaper that was a) non-gender specific, b) didn't make me want to vomit, and c) didn't cost more than a week's wages.
I sort of classed that as 'work' even though it didn't involve paintbrushes or masking tape, and so decided to move my night off to tonight. I'm making a bag based on one I already own, and was hoping to finish drafting the pattern and actually put thread to cloth. Only my set square is still at grandma pickledweasel's. As is my french curve. And I thought I could improvise with a bog standard steel rule, but I can't find that either. The only straight thing I can find is a Transformers board game, which unfortunately isn't marked out in inches and cms :(

I'm seriously strung out - I may have to do some cross stitch just to tide me over until I can get my hands on some proper gear again. In the meantime I'm trying to keep my mind busy with plans of future projects. I've chosen colour schemes for Munchkin's new room (our old bedroom) and our new room (the shiny new loft room) based on a throw and a lamp. Sounds crazy, I know (maybe it's just the cross stitch talking), but I read an article on interior design that said it was the best way to start putting a room together, just to take an item and build everything around it.

The throw is single bed sized, and I love the colours in it, although I'm struggling to find other fabrics to complement it. It has a slightly 70's feel floral pattern on one side, and stripes on the other. The lamp is from Next, and although they do a whole range to match (bedding, curtains, rug etc.) I think I'll just stick to a couple of lamps and a light shade, rather than go overboard. I've found a deep red quilted bedspread that matches perfectly, and I think the rest of the room will be fawns and greys with touches of red. It's all sounding very grown up :)


Hopefully by my next post I'll have managed to sew something. If you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks, it'll be one of two things. I'll either have got desperate and be trying to complete my mother's heirloom hexagonal patchwork quilt, which was started circa 1971, or mr pickledweasel will have arranged some sort of intervention, and I'll have had all my copies of Sew Hip confiscated and have been sent away to rehab.

Friday 16 July 2010

Conversations with my daughter.

Munchkin wears cloth nappies and has waterproof pants that fasten over the top. They're Motherease Airflo ones, and they come in a variety of different prints. This conversation took place during a nappy change this week.

Mommy: Right, lets put some pants on.
(roots around in nappy sack and pulls out a pair)
Mommy: Oooh, look, the ones with safari animals on.
Munchkin: No mommy, not.
Mommy: Not those ones?
Munchkin: No, fishy one.
Mommy: Why don't you want the safari ones?
Munchkin: A bit noisy. Lions a bit noisy.
Mommy: Oh, I see. What sort of noisy?
Munchkin: Hoovering.
Mommy: The lions are hoovering?
Munchkin: Yes.


Munchkin has mixed feelings about the loft conversion, although seems to like the new stairs. She has also warmed to Russell, the joiner who's doing all the work, and often asks where he is or what he's doing. The following exchange took place during tea this week.

Munchkin, holding aloft a pea: Look mommy, Russell!
Mommy: Sorry, what sweetheart?
Munchkin, still waving pea around: This Russell.
Mommy: Oh, ok. What's he doing?
Munchkin gallops Russell / pea around edge of plate.
Munchkin: Look, eat him! Nom nom nom nom!


She is a delight at the minute :) I've whipped up another tunic for her from Kitschy Coo's pattern, this time with some applique on the front. I've had this applique idea in my head for a while, and I'm pleased with the way it's turned out - it's a development on something I did ages ago. I wanted it to have a slight seventies feel to it, and I think the denim is perfect for it.

Saturday 3 July 2010

*pops in*

Helloooo! Still at my mum's, still have no ceilings or bathroom at our house. Never mind, we're making the most of the sunny weather and enjoying grandma pickledweasel's garden.


I have spent a pitiful amount of time crafting since we moved in, even pitifullier considering my mum has a craft room in her attic and a fancy computery sewing machine. However, I have managed to whip up a tunic from Kitschy Coo's tunic pattern, and a yard of fabric that I bought in her 'I'm going to America and need more room in my fabric cupboard so I can bring back yards and yards of textile loveliness with me' sale.


It took hardly any time at all, and I'd have finished it in a couple of evenings, had there not been an elastic shortage in the grandma pickledweasel household. It's a little bit too big for Munchkin, but she seems to be growing at an alarming rate so it should fit nicely in a couple of months.


In other news, the pickledweasels had a lovely time at mr pickledweasel's brother's wedding a couple of weeks ago. Munchkin was a flower girl, and was on her very best behaviour all day. Admittedly she had very few duties, namely a) walk down the aisle holding her aunty Jade's hand and b) look cute for the rest of the day. Mission accomplished :)