Max California

Winter is Coming

2012-05-29T12:15:00.002+10:00

Bahaha. We love Game of Thrones, but this post has nothing to do with it, I just thought the title was amusing and fitting.

While I was figuring out posts to schedule when I'm away having the baby, I saw some cute Spring Collections by Jessica over at Me Sew Crazy for her kids. What a darn cute idea! Suddenly I had this crazy idea that I could make some Winter Collections for my kids! It's five weeks until Edison will be here, and I already have A LOT to do but I'm going to at least try and make a bit of a dent and start some of my ideas. We'll see, maybe it'll be an after-Edison-is-born thing.

If you've seen my Winter Wardrobe board on Pinterest, the colours I'm going for myself are neutrals in grey and black, as well as a lot of layering. I know it may seem dismal and uncheerful, wearing gloomy colours in winter, but at least I'll have some nice bases to mix and match other colours with. Also I like grey and black!

By total coincidence I was trying to find fabrics in my stash that could work, I wanted the same colours so that each piece would go with each other and we could mix and match them. It's hard because in my stash I have SO many prints and weird thrifted fabrics that don't go with anything and not man solid colours. Luckily the other day I scored some awesome solid coloured knits from the op shop for a few dollars a piece. Hurray!

So the colours I had a lot of that seemed to go together was... grey! Haha. I also have a really pretty peach tulle I'm going to use but I forgot to take a photo of that.

From the bottom to the top, here's the fabrics I'm working with:

1. A really beautiful soft and slinky grey corduroy
2. Grey floral quilt cover
3. Grey stretch denim
4. Grey jeans
5. Black and grey striped sweater
6. Scrap grey fleece {leftovers from the Ugly Shirt}
7. Slightly grey stretchknit
8. Slinky soft dark grey stretchknit. It's really soft. I love it!

Not Pictured: Peach tulle

And because I'm pretty unimaginative, all the ideas I chose to make Edison are grey originally...

Sources:

1. Round Collared shirt by Zara, 2. Riding Cape by NellyStella, 3. Hooded Sweatshirt by Stella McCartney for GAP Kids;

4. Stephanie dress by NellyStella, 5. Braided Headband by The Tangled Knot 6. Mika shirt dress by Dagmar Daley;

7. Jeggings tutorial by Running With Scissors, 8. Tutu by Stella McCartney for GAP Kids, 9. Tights by Delighted

and Vincent's is more tweakable and I guess leaves more to the imagination for you guys. That whale toy? I'm not actually make that toy but I'm incorporating the idea into something else.

Sources:
1. Eyeball Tee{I photoshopped this}, 2. Knitted Cowl {source unknown}, 3. Zip-Mouth Whale by MaiRuRu
4. Scoodie by GlamourDamaged, 5. Toddler Blazer by Cirque Du Bebe {pattern by MellySews} 6. Toddler Slouch Beanie by Me!
7. Pants with Inseam pockets by My Growing Home 8. Resized Jeans by Me! 9. Sarouel Pants by Cirque Du Bebe

The above two collections look a little strange at the moment, but in my head and in the fabrics I have, I'm pretty sure it's going to come together well. I have a few more fabrics I need to buy to bring the collections together, but the colour scheme will stay the same.

Also the difference between the two collections, Vince's stuff is based on things I've made before, and I've been inspired by tutorials others have written. Edison's is like all designer stuff haah, but I know how to figure them out! I already have the 'Stephanie' dress by NellyStella made sans bow!

I'm actually feeling confident I can at least have the the majority of both collections made and photographed before she comes, but we'll see! I'm guest posting at the end of June and I promised I would do a pattern & tutorial for a certain item {I'm being so vague!} and that is my priority right now, but the way I've been zipping through my To-Do List lately I'm feeling motivated, inspired & confident!

OH AND GUESS WHAT!

Tim is picking my sewing machine up from the shop today! Yes I've been using my sister's Janome and it's been a TOTAL dream but I'm looking forward to having my beloved 'Spaceship' back on my sewing desk!

Tutorial: Recycle sweaters into distressed legwarmers!

2012-05-28T14:21:00.000+10:00

Legwarmers.

I know right? Ordinarily I would be like "Hail No!" BUT, this winter, thigh-high socks, cool tights and boots have been my staple. And leggings. And you know what, with boots, legwarmers look just like socks!

I was rummaging through 13 bags of clothes I'm trying to donate to the op shop, but they just don't seem to leave my studio at all, and I found this hilarious dusky pink cowl-necked poncho. I have no before photo and I'm so sorry but I just started cutting before I thought it might actually turn out into something cool! The top of the legwarmers is actually the cowl neck, and the cable knit down one side of one legwarmer was down the front of the poncho. Then it had like all these tassels around the bottom. Trust me, it was hilarious. I don't even know who it belonged to, it just turned up in my studio somehow. Sorry if someone reading this actually owned it, but it's far too late now.

Anyway I was actually trying to look for a black sweater to reconstruct but this was found instead and then I decided I would use it to make leg warmers.

Inspired by these, which I would totally buy in a heartbeat {if they weren't $120} I decided a bit of DIY was in order. Next time I'll use a finer knit, and not pink, and make them a bit looser.

These legwarmers are so easy to make! Click the link below to read the tutorial!

♥ CLICK TO READ MORE ♥

Getting Ready

2012-05-26T17:22:00.002+10:00

I am here and I have been working furiously behind the scenes. I'm not going to make any announcements yet until everything is locked in and ready, but I'm planning a really fun celebration for the week my daughter will be born.

Also I've been working my butt off getting ready for a party we're throwing tomorrow, Carnival themed! We've even hired a clown to do face-painting and balloon animals and a little treasure hunt. The thing is, it's a huge outdoor party but it has been FREEZING here the last week. And the party is in the morning so it's going to be really cold.

I hope miraculously it will be a super hot day, weather is crazy like that here.

Anyway I'll share some photos with you of what I've been working on, it's weird crafting and not blogging about it but I've got so many big projects in the works!

I photoshopped an invite together, using a variety of striped and aged textures from DeviantArt as well as some circus images from The Graphics Fairy.

Every party we have is themed, and this one is no different. We LOVE dressing up, I swear between my mum, my sister and I we could open a costume store! We've done Cowboys & Indians {poop I need to find some of those missing pictures}, Monsters and recently a Pirate party.

I posted all the invites out, because getting mail is cute and being local the guests got their invites the next day.

I made the envelopes myself! I got A4 printer paper and made a stamp out of strips of cardboard glued onto a cardboard base. I painted the cardboard, smoothed the paper over the top then peeled it off to get some cool irregular striped paper.

Then I changed the shape of an envelope slightly to be able to fit the invite in it, and used it as a template. I cut out the striped paper and folded, glued and voila!

I don't have very many photos of the other things yet, mainly because the party is tomorrow and I can take LOTS of photos then. Hopefully! Also I don't want to spoil the fun of the guests {even though they are 3 and younger}

Don't worry this was a progress shot. They're stitched up now, no pins!

I made 33 mini bean bags filled with rice for the bean bag toss and the knock-em-down game, the kids get to take them home. I also thought they'd be awesome mini heat packs.. Ha-ha.

I melted down crayons and used some circus themed molds I bought to make some pretty awesome chunky crayons. I made little colouring in books too, using biasbinding as the spine on them. On the back is a thank you note for coming to the party.

Tim is going as the Ringmaster, I'm going to be the Bearded Lady and Vincent is going to be the Strong Man! It's going to be pretty fun! I just hope it's not too cold because there are A LOT of children coming and it's going to be pretty crammed inside my tiny living room otherwise!

I'll be making a post after the party with everything I made for it, as well as downloadable printouts of the signs I've made and where I sourced everything. In the meantime, check out my Circus Party board on Pinterest!

Miniroos First Training

2012-05-23T19:00:00.000+10:00

Vincent and his best friend started soccer training last week.

Yes. I know it is called Football, but where I live, Football is a sport I can't stand and refers to AFL and ARL and NRL and ew ew ew. I'm not that kinda girl. So for easiness sake we call it soccer.

I made a cute little montage video of photos and video of their first training. It's so funny watching a team of 3 year olds running around after their soccer balls.

Vince spent a lot of the time being dramatic on the ground and Elliot spent a lot of the time kicking the ball all the way over to the other side of the soccer fields. They did really well.

Monday was their second lesson and my little man did REALLY well. Less lying on the ground, more getting involved. El wasn't as into it, he was having an off day, but he still did well!

My friend Sophie & I added iron-on letters to the backs of the boys' training shirts

Megan Nielsen: Ruched Maternity Skirt

2012-05-23T09:00:00.000+10:00

I absolutely LOVE this skirt!

I've come to the conclusion that I am far too pregnant to be wearing just over-sized tees and leggings. The waistband on leggings and jeans cut right into my abdomen even though I fit them still!

I made this skirt with the Ruched Maternity Skirt pattern from Megan Nielsen. It was a Beginner rating, which is so spot on because I whipped this baby up in about 15 minutes if that! I made it about 10 inches shorter than the pattern has room for {it is supposed to hit you on the knee} because apparently I'm a massive fan of mini skirts.

My hips were a size S in the pattern, and I wasn't sure how well my 33 week stomach was going to fit, but I took a gamble and went with the size S anyway. It fits perfectly, as you can see!

The fabric I used was stuff I scored at St Vinnie's for like a buck. It's this cute maroon plaid stretch fabric. The tag said Lycra but it's not like swimsuit lycra where it's slinky and slidy and smooth, it has quite a rough texture on the printed side. I knew it would work well because it stretches four way.

I didn't put elastic in the top like the pattern instructed, because I was worried about it not even fitting me. Since it stretches so well, it turns out I didn't need the elastic anyway.

Excuse the snarl. I swear I was totally smiling :/

This skirt also works with the shirt untucked over it, just looks like an adorable plaid mini, with all the comfort of a maternity skirt! Hurray!

I am so in love with this pattern. It was so dang easy, I love the ruching in the sides, the way it covers my belly comfortably and the shaping of it. It's quite flattering and I can't wait to whip up some more. I'm thinking a maxi skirt! I need to have a look at my stretch fabric stash, because it is quite pitiful at the moment, but I think I'll find something to work with, I always do!

SOS MEGAN NIELSEN

2012-05-22T16:48:00.001+10:00

I don't suppose you know how difficult it is to make yourself something when you're pregnant? Take it from me, the very very very very DIY girl. I learned pattern drafting in fashion school, but I did not learn how to take a pregnant belly into account. So apart from over-sized t-shirts and leggings, my maternity wardrobe is not very... maternity-ish!

I could go and buy stuff at the shops, but it's just not me! Why sacrifice my style for something just because I don't fit into anything else? I made that mistake with my first pregnancy, and after he was born I was all confused about just what WAS my style? Especially with my body shape going nuts.

Maternity fashion is sooo exxy too. T-Shirt and Leggings suit me just fine right? Well what about when my leggings get too tight around my low waist? THEN WHAT? Exactly. Last weekend I spent hours with my dad trying to find a pair of maternity jeans that were cute. I found a pair. One size too small and last season's... I didn't buy them.

A few weeks ago I gave a maternity top a whirl, made it completely from scratch - drafted the pattern everything. It was the most frustrating thing I have EVER made. Ever. Sure it LOOKS cute, but it is uncomfortable to wear and just makes me sad that everyone loves it and it's just crammed on a shelf in my room.

MEGAN NIELSEN TO THE RESCUE!

I've eyed her patterns for a very long time, even before I fell pregnant. My other friends were preggo so I started thinking about DIY for pregnant ladies. Let's just say Megan has the ballpark of looking good, DIYing and being pregnant totally covered!

The best part? She doesn't make JUST maternity patterns!

The even better part? With a bit of imagination it's not hard to make these patterns your own. You guys KNOW I'm not the classy, sensible, organised woman most DIY momma bloggers are like. You KNOW I'm... different. And with Megan's patterns I have some great bases to make some really REALLY cool stuff!

The next few days I'll be showing you the stuff I have made with just three patterns! In the meantime, check out her site, check out the patterns she has and check out her blog! Can't decide on a pattern? Buy the aptly named Maternity Survival Pack and you'll be so set!

PS. In case you haven't liked my facebook page yet {which you should because it's a cute little community we;re growing over there!} my awesome amazing sister Betty loaned me her sewing machine until mine get out of the shop! It's a Janome and it's a dreamboat!

Guess who is THREE

2012-05-16T20:00:00.000+10:00

Mummy's Little Monster turned three on Monday!

Three years ago Vincent was all like this

That beanie right?
The first time I ever saw him they had it on him and my first thought was "what the hell is on my kid's head?"
And then "Oh he's beautiful!"

And now he's all like this

He declares his name is "Dindcent YegoMan" - Vincent LegoMan

He also started soccer training for the MiniRoos {future Socceroos? Hope so!}. There has to be about a hundred kids between the ages of 3 and 5 running around after their little Nike soccer balls. There's 5 'teams' to make it easier, I filmed the entire training sesh which was 45 minutes and FREEZING.

There's Tim in the black!

The awesome part is his bro Elliot is also a MiniRoo and THEY ARE IN THE SAME TEAM. Too perfect.

Waiting to see which team you're in is serious business, yo!

I didn't get many good photos since I was filming it, but damn they looked so cute in their too-big soccer shirts, their giant shin pads and big socks!

I'm a little stoked about being a Soccer Mom now!

Seriously this kid. LOVE HIM!

{You can read his dramatic birth story here}

Not Sewing, Still Creating

2012-05-16T13:17:00.001+10:00

I'm still here! Maybe this post should be called How I Fail at DIY.

Not being able to sew is driving me crazy, it really is, so I've been trying to express my creativity in other non-sewing ways. I feel like a crazy eccentric artist who NEEDS to create. Some of it is win but most of it has been major fail! Sad!

I've been crocheting.

Here's the thing, I can't actually crochet. Well I can, I can sort of understand patterns, I just google the stitches and look up YouTube videos so I can figure out what I'm doing, but sometimes I skip bits by accident, or it just doesn't turn out right. So I make it up as I go along and call what I do, 'fake crochet'.

The first thing I made was made up of three rectangles. I crocheted a long rectangle to fit my head, then a smaller one for a bow and a smaller one again for the middle section of the bow.

I gave it to my sister because she has blonde hair right now and I have red hair right now and I have this thing about wearing red and pink together. I didn't love it, I think the bow is way too long so I'll make another another day.

She didn't like it.

Oh well! It looks good in the photos, but in real life, yehhh.

Source: affordablewonders.com via Adam on Pinterest

Then I started making this Mickey Mouse beanie for Vince. Well the sizes go up to age 2, so I thought if I just kept going round and round it would be big enough for a three year old.

Um. No. I had to undo half of it and even then it came out really big and weird so I had to make some stuff up to make it actually fit his head like a slouch beanie. Let's not talk about the ears.

It's cute, but it's not Mickey Mouse. It's like a black teddy bear beanie.

Le Sigh.

Source: goodstitchin.blogspot.com.au via Adam on Pinterest

Right now I'm working on this Hello Kitty beanie for Edison. And I'm following the pattern EXACTLY I swear. Fingers crossed this will be a DIY win.

By the way, if you crochet or knit, have you heard of Ravelry? I've been a member for quite a while, couldn't remember my login details so made a new account. You can look me up if you want {I'm Adam West}! There's so many free patterns and project ideas. I've been a little obsessive with it lately.

You can check out my Crochet & Knitting Pinterest boards by clicking on their names.

Another DIY fail was trying to stencil some of Vinnie's shirts. The Lego Man stencils came out AWESOME but I used spray paint since I'm out of fabric paint and I guess I went a little crazy. HE LOVES the 'yegoman' shirts, but they bled a lot under the stencil. No photos of them and I only let him wear them at home or sleep in them. DIY win because he loves them, DIY fail because they're sooo not awesome. Can't wait to get some proper fabric paints {would you believe our local fabric store doesn't sell black or white fabric paint?} and try again!

Another thing I'm working on, which should be finished in the next few days, is decorating our full length mirror. Usually it is the ugly frame around some of my 'selfies' self-portrait snaps I take.

I'm so tuff... and pregnant.

However when I'm finished it's going to be glorious. Well. Finger's crossed I've got rid of my DIY Fail streak I have going on...

I wanted to spraypaint it, but wasn't sure if I had to sand it or not. I really didn't want to sand it, so I tested a bit of it and it seemed pretty fine! I'm painting it all white with black stripes {hey maybe some of those trendy chevrons that are everywhere eh?}

Vinnie helped me tape down the paper with the 'ticky tape'

Then with E6000 glue I stuck down a few of Vinnie's plastic toys. He has A LOT and he helped me choose a few that weren't a big deal to him. I love the E6000 glue, you can't get it locally here so I bought it on Ebay instead. I love that it is tacky, unlike superglues which stick to you and everything and are horrible, and takes a little while to dry so you can move things around and touch it before it dries. I love how STRONG it is. Super strong.

I've already painted the whole thing white and it's drying right now. I will eventually add a few more smaller toys in the spaces, spray painting them white before I glue them onto the frame.

I still miss my sewing machine. I have so many projects cut out and ready, and some of them are maternity things so I REALLY NEED my machine asap!

Skirt Week @ Crafterhours

2012-05-09T20:34:00.000+10:00

Oh look here's another sewalong I'm going to join! I find these sorts of things always get me inspired to sew, and encourage me to do it when I don't feel like it. It's always great to connect with people globally and seeing what they come up with is so inspiring! Also I have a hole in me left from Elsie Marley's Kids Clothing Week Challenge!

Yes my sewing machines are still out of action, but heck if I have to handsew something I will! Also I realise it's Wednesday night, but I've already entered a few things I made earlier this year and late last year, and I will try to make something tomorrow or Friday and enter that too.

All the details are here!

Here's some tutorials I've written for skirts in the past that might get you inspired!

Clockwise from Top Left: Garter Skirt Tutorial, Denim Jeans to Mini Tutorial, Easy Ruffle Mini Skirt Tutorial, Fold-Over Band Mini Tutorial and in the center is the Waisted Layer Skirt Tutorial.

Interesting fact, I was pregnant with Vincent in two of these and pregnant with Edison in one. Interesting double feature fact, it's the photos I'm skinniest in! Yeh 2010 was my tubby year.

Tutorial: Garter Clip Mini Skirt

2012-05-09T20:05:00.001+10:00

{Bringing this tutorial home from Stacey's blog!}

A few days ago I made this cute mini skirt with garter clips attached to the bottom to hold my thigh high socks up. I love mini skirts, I love stripes and I love thigh high socks! This skirt also rocks without socks, the garters are a cool feature!

Do you want to know how to make it? You're in luck! Tutorial time! It is really really easy I promise!

You're going to need:
a skirt that fits you well
stretch fabric
garter/suspender clips. I got mine on etsy
sewing supplies - scissors, thread, pins, machine etc etc etc

♥ CLICK TO READ MORE ♥

My Industrial Sewing Machine

2012-05-08T11:10:00.000+10:00

About two and a half years ago I bought this industrial sewing machine second hand for a VERY good price. It had just been serviced, but it was so heavy and Tim didn't want it squishing the carpet in the house we were renting.

For the last two years it has been sitting in my studio in the backyard {One half of a garage my dad converted into a room and sound-proofed when I temporarily moved back home at 20 ^_^} {We live in their old house now}. We never set it up, it just sat there as an extra table for me to just pile old boxes of old patterns on. Even when it flooded here it stayed there, luckily it didn't get damaged at all.

So now with the absence of a working sewing machine, the last week has been really difficult. I have so many things I want to sew, I've resorted to just making patterns and cutting them out of fabric but I can't even sew stuff up to test them! I've been crocheting some things, badly, but that's for another post.

Tim yesterday decides we should have a look at the big machine and see if it even works. So we cleared off the table, heaved it open and poured the oil in it. My dad had put the belt back onto it a few days ago when we'd been talking about it, but Tim was so scared it was going to snap and fly off.

I carefully threaded it, happy that my skills from fashion school didn't fail me there. Everything looked ready to go and then I discovered there was a drawer in the bench with LOADS of brand new needles and bobbins and a photocopied manual. HURRAY!

I've used industrial machines before, while studying my Diploma in fashion, but they had speed dials so you could control how fast or how slow the machine could go. This thing doesn't. And it only straight stitches, which is totally fine because at the moment I don't think I could handle it doing anything else.

This machine TERRIFIES me. Sometimes it will go as slow as I want it, then sometimes it just goes nuts and doesn't stop when I take my foot off the pedal. Last night I sewed up a shirt for Vince, using nothing but straight stitch ahah, but luckily I hadn't checked my tension so even though it's a bit loose, the long stitch length I had it on means the shirt stretches.

Bobbin tension is too loose, Easily fixed

As I've mentioned before, I'm still on this quest for the perfect t-shirt pattern for Vince, so I decided to just use the industrial machine to try and stitch this shirt together. It was hard and scary and I got very cross with myself afterward. I hated the pattern I had made, but I know it needs tweaking, and I hated how terrified I had been sewing it. Doing the sleeves and attaching the neckband was INSANE. I felt like I couldn't sew.

These photos I took last night, I didn't think I would blog about it but I figure I would.

I thought the armholes were wayy too curved, the sleeves need a bit of altering too because I hated how much they bunch in the armpits. The neckline looks stupid too. I was so mad at myself. I feel like I should just give up trying to do EVERYTHING myself and just use some damn patterns. I will definitely be buying the Flashback Skinny Tee by Rae but I really wanted to try and just perfect this darn pattern myself without being influenced by anyone else's perfect patterns! Almost there, almost there, I keep telling myself.

I had another look at the tee this morning, Vince had worn it to bed so please excuse the weetbix on the front.

It doesn't seem so bad when it's on him. The shoulder seams need to come in about a cm and the neckband is too thick. The actual neck hole was a really good size for getting his big head through but I feel if I make the neckband smaller it will make the hole gape bigger and look like... not a boy's t-shirt.

I am determined to master this pattern though!

And get used to this crazy monster of a machine! I'm going to just work on the speed bit first, just sew a whole lot of straight seams! The last few days I've been scouring the internet for free pants patterns for babies and boys, and I think today I will at least sew up the leg seams of however many pairs of pants it takes to master this! THEN we might talk about the hems haha.

P.s. I'm making tim take my machines to the shop to get fixed today. Early last year my sewing machine of about 8 years literally fell apart while I was sewing bridesmaid dresses for my friend's wedding. That was SO SCARY AND STRESSFUL. Anyway after that, Tim bought me a beautiful new sewing machine and overlocker. And then within the first few days of Kids Clothing Week Challenge my overlocker dies then my sewing machine dies. Tim decided that while he's getting my new machine and my overlocker fixed, we'll get my old machine fixed too and have it as a backup. So SOON. HOPEFULLY. I will be surrounded in many working sewing machines!

Tutorial: Boys Boxer Briefs

2012-05-07T10:00:00.000+10:00

Here's the first in my Little Boy Basics series. You can read more about the series here!

When I first started toilet training the little Monster, I had visions of him wearing nothing but handmade jocks. Well. Little boys wee A LOT, and my first attempts at making my own patterns of jocks didn't really work well. I got him some cute as boxer briefs then made a pattern from them. Tweaking them to suit myself I came up with this!

The first in our Basics series, your little man needs some boxer briefs! Go nuts. Use t-shirts, mix and match patterned stretch fabrics or just go all one colour. I wouldn't use Lycra, even though its stretchy skills are amazing, it's just not very healthy for a little boy's bits.

Tutorial and link to the pattern under the cut! This pattern is for boy's wearing size 2. I added 1cm all around the pattern to make a size 3 for the Monster and it worked pretty well

{Edit: My son's thighs are chunky and have grown in the two weeks since I had made these! An updated pattern for a size 3 and 4 boxer briefs will be added soon!}

You'll be able to find all the free patterns and tutorials in the series by clicking the "Little Boy's Basics Series" tab at the top of the site.

♥ CLICK TO READ MORE ♥

Little Boy Basics

2012-05-06T10:45:00.000+10:00

Sewing for a little boy was the only kind of sewing I really did for a long time {he's almost 3!}, until now with the incoming daughter. It's hard to find cool stuff for boys in the shops, and it was hard to find cute stuff online to make as well. Well it was 3 years ago anyway! Then along came Dana + Rae with their Celebrate the Boy series, which opened the door to lots of creative sewing and ideas!

I've decided to do a little series of basics for your little boy. I'll have patterns to download {for free} and tutorials, and ways to modify those patterns to tweak them to your style. We're talking underwear, pants, shirts, pyjamas, dressing gown {I already have a tutorial but there will be a pattern now!}, hoodie, board shorts as well as items for dressing up.

This isn't going to be like a month-long series, where I post every day, although hopefully every few weeks I can add to it. There'll be no promises I will be able to post as regularly as I would like, since there's a brand new baby girl entering my life in eleven weeks {ELEVEN WEEKS!}, but I will be working hard to get as much as I can ready before she is born.

Each entry in the series will include a tutorial and pattern to download for free. Free stuff is awesome. Monster is size 3 now, and a tall-getting-solid 3 year old, so these patterns will be for sizes 2-3. I'm going to start with underwear then work my way outwards. You can stay updated with all the posts I'll be making from the Little Boy Basics page.

How does that sound?

The first in the series will be posted up tomorrow, how to make these little boy boxer briefs!

May the Fourth be with You!

2012-05-04T13:15:00.002+10:00

Love and a Sandwich Feature: Star Wars Embroidery Hoops

2012-05-03T20:30:00.000+10:00

Um aren't these amazing? Chelsea has made some cute as plush monsters for ages, and so when I saw these embroidery hoops on craftster I was So stoked to realise it was the same girl making them! Check out the Love & a Sandwich shop for some serious awesomeness!

All of these are sold, but she does do custom orders and remakes sold items if you send her a message!

Photo: Love & a Sandwich

They're so damn cute, I'd love the whole set!

Check out Love & a Sandwich's sold items, I BET there is something there that will grab you that you can ask for! Me? I want one of these!

Photo: Love & a Sandwich

or a pair of these!

Photo: Love & a Sandwich

You can find Love & a Sandwich on Facebook, Flickr and Deviant Art,

Etsy Roundup: Star Wars Edition

2012-05-03T09:00:00.000+10:00

I made a Treasury on Etsy with the top things I could find that were Star Wars inspired. Check them out! They are so inspiring!

1. Star Wars mini dress, 2. Darth Vader & Stormtrooper painted shoes, 3. R2D2 Skirt, 4. Star Wars tee

5. Darth Vader tutu dress, 5. Ruffle Alliance bra, 7. Star Wars button-up mens shirt, 8. R2D2 wastebin

9. Chewbacca Hoodie, 10. Alderaan necklace, 11. Star Wars clutch, 12. R2D2 latex swimsuit

There are so many more, just search the Star Wars tag on Etsy, or to be even more specific, search for characters like Darth Vader, R2D2, Boba Fett, or say Jedi, etc

You could also search the Star Wars tag in the 'Patterns' category for some DIY crochet/knitting/cross-stitch/sewing goodness!

1. Crochet Ewok Pattern, 2. Princess Leia baby dress pattern, 3. Admiral Ackbar cross-stitch pattern,

4. Jango Fett beanie crochet pattern

Bubbipop Feature: R2-D2 hairclip

2012-05-02T20:30:00.000+10:00

Another thing I bought my incoming baby girl is an R2-D2 hairclip! I randomly found the cutest shop with the most affordable hairclips! Check out Bubbipop!

At the time of writing this post, the Artoo clip is available here, but if you miss out just send Liz a convo message. That's what I did and she let me know as soon as one was available!

Photo: Bubbipop

Artoo is made from felt with embroidered features and is mounted onto a velvet lined clip, so it won't slip! I've been trying not wear it, but I did wear it once and felt bad since it's supposed to be for my daughter! I might have to buy another for myself!

You can get R2-D2 as part of a set also, which I really want. It features Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Artoo, Boba Fett, a stormtrooper and Yoda.

Photo: Bubbipop

Liz doesn't just make Star Wars clips. Her shop stocks hundreds of hair clips, tutus, clothes, wings, crowns, beanies, headbands and more!

Here are some of my favourites!

Hello Kitty hairclip

Photo: Bubbipop

Dr Seuss hairclip!

Photo: Bubbipop

Michelangelo!

Photo: Bubbipop

Go check Liz's shop out! She also has a facebook page so you can keep up with the new stuff she makes or when she updates her shop!

Star Wars Projects Round-Up

2012-05-02T08:52:00.000+10:00

Here's some projects I featured during Star Wars Month last year:

1.Clone Trooper Lego mod, 2.Star Wars Papercraft toys, 3.Star Wars Snowflakes, 4.Yoda Hat

5.Star Wars Masks, 6.Stormtrooper Masks from milk bottles, 7.Death Star Dollhouse, 8.R2-D2 storage container

9.DIY Star Wars poster, 10.May The Force Be With You eye chart, 11.Chewbacca toy, 12.May The Force Be With You pillows

13.Yoda Doormat, 14.Jawa toys {UTINNI!}, 15.Star Wars valentines

I'm going to make the Star Wars snowflakes and the Yoda doormat today I think!

Flyguys Feature: Star Wars Blanket

2012-05-01T14:14:00.000+10:00

I've been buying some Star Wars goodness for my little girl off Etsy. My last purchase was this gorgeous Star Wars blanket from Etsy shop FlyGuys.

Photo: FlyGuys

I'd seen it, but by the time I had decided to buy it, it was already sold. I sent Sarah a message and she gladly set up a custom order for me. The blanket is one side Star Wars comic book covers fabric, the other side is super soft cuddly red dot minky.

I've attempted to make Dr Seuss blankies for the kids, and it's not as easy as it seems! I made one and it came out so wonky and not so great at all {which is why you've never seen it!}, so now I appreciate the effort made into this beautiful blanket even more.

Since we live in Australia, I'm used to shipping taking a few weeks. This arrived in really good time and when I opened it I took a photo and tweeted it right away to my Star Wars friends haha. I was SO happy and it is SO soft. Vincent is a big fan of all things soft, and cuddled up to it constantly. It's now packed in the hospital bag for Edison so we don't forget it, and so Vince doesn't get his grubby little paws all over it again.

You know what's awesome? FlyGuys specialises in stuff for nerd kids aka my children. Sarah makes blankets with Star Wars and superheros, she also makes capes and masks,

Check out this cute Star Wars tee and pants set. She custom makes them in sizes 6months to 5 years!

Photo: FlyGuys

And look at this cute baby gift set! A onesie with a matching cloth diaper. This set is currently 25% off!

Photo: FlyGuys

FlyGuys is also on Facebook, so like their page to stay up with all their shop updates.

You're in luck!

At the moment the Star Wars blanket is 25% off at Flyguys!

May the Force be with you!

May the Fourth...

2012-05-01T11:42:00.000+10:00

May the 4th is this Friday, and in case you forgot, it's Star Wars Day!

May the Fourth

May the Force {be with you}

Get it?

Last year we had a movie marathon with our friends and I made a cake and some stormtrooper hairclips.

This year I'm a bit more prepared and in the days counting down toward May 4 I've got some Star Wars round ups, some more Star Wars crafts and hopefully a tutorial. Search the Star Wars tag for everything Star Wars that has ever been on my blog!

Here is a roundup of all my Star Wars themed tutorials!

1.Jedi Mini-Dress, 2.Star Wars dress with peplum, 3.Darth Vader ruffled mini skirt,

4.Stormtrooper T-shirt Surgery

5.Stormpooper Potty, 6.Perler Bead Stormtrooper, 7.Smoothtrooper T-Shirt Surgery,

8.Lego Lightsaber necklace

9."I love you//I know" bleached out tee, 10.Death Star Singlet stencil

Superman T-Shirt

2012-04-29T10:19:00.000+10:00

There never was any doubt my child was going to love all things nerdy, not with a mum like me! He is very much into superheroes, his favourite being Superman because Superman is big and strong {just like Monster when he eats all his dinner!}

His Superman hoodie I made him a little while ago is too small, so I told him I would make him a new t-shirt {I also ended up making a new Superman hoodie too}. He loves his new shirt so much he wore it for two days and slept in it for two nights before my best friend Sophie and I had to wrestle it off him so we could put a clean shirt on!

I salvaged every skerrick of scrap fabric I had to make this shirt! The blue is from a shirt I bought my dad a while ago from the op shop and he said I could use it for the Monster, the red is from another tee and the yellow is from my stash. Using my Superman logo pattern I cut out the S from red fabric and the shield from yellow, stitching it all together! It's tedious but I'm a pro at it now :P

I'm trying to make the perfect t-shirt pattern for Monster, but I always have problems with the neck. It's either too big or too small. One day I'll get there!

It has a cape attached to the back which he loves! The cape is sewn into the shoulder seams and the back neckband.

Here's a video Tim took of when I gave the shirt to Monster ♥

Garter Skirt Ver. II

2012-04-28T13:25:00.000+10:00

Hi guys! Yesterday I guest posted over at my girl Stacey's blog, Miss Peregrin's Secrets! I wrote a tutorial on how to make this cute skirt!

Click and check it out, but check her blog out too!

Two Broken Machines

2012-04-28T13:19:00.003+10:00

I just broke the feed dogs on my sewing machine. The jagged teeth on your baseplate that feed the fabric through your machines? Yeh. I broke them. I was trying to hem some old jeans so that I could actually wear pants when I go outside, in public, and then BAM weird noise. My machine didn't even give me an error like it usually does. So I lowered the feed dogs when I realised nothing was feeding through as I sewed and then tried to raise them again and nothing happened. They stayed down :(

So now I don't have a working overlocker OR sewing machine. I'm so devastated. I'm taking them to get serviced on Tuesday but that's three days away. And even then it will be another week until they get back.

This sucks.

I guess I'll have to start learning to crochet and knit properly now.

And take over Pinterest with all the stuff I want to sew but can't right now!

Anyway here's a photo of my main men last weekend

Try This Thursday #17: Sewing Techniques

2012-04-26T22:15:00.001+10:00

My BFF Sophie has started sewing, A LOT. Today she ventured into the world of sewing stretch fabrics and she HATED it. Poor thing. This Thursday's TTT is brought to you from my new Pinterest Board "Sewing Techniques". I figured I needed a board with all that stuff in it, so there it is!

Here is my top ten from that board!

How to make one of those adjustable waistbands in kids' clothes with the elastic and the buttons!

Source: homemadeheidi.blogspot.ca via Adam on Pinterest

How to sew an inner zipper pocket

Source: mistyillusions.org via Adam on Pinterest

How to sew vinyl {so simple!}

Source: makeit-loveit.com via Adam on Pinterest

How to sew buttonholes

Source: craftzine.com via Adam on Pinterest

How to do a variety of pocket styles!

Source: ikatbag.com via Adam on Pinterest

DIY piping!

Source: thecottagehome.blogspot.com.au via Adam on Pinterest

Inserting an invisible zipper

Source: theworldofeugenia.blogspot.com via Adam on Pinterest

Inserting a regular zipper

Source: sewmamasew.com via Adam on Pinterest

How to shir fabric {I did this in fashion school but haven't since then! I really should give it a go!}

Source: craftstylish.com via Adam on Pinterest

ikatbag's Pattern Drafting series

Source: ikatbag.com via Adam on Pinterest

Flickr is being a jerk to me

2012-04-26T14:59:00.005+10:00

Hey guys. A whole heap of my photos aren't showing up anymore, especially on my older posts. If you find a post with broken picture links, please comment on the post or send me an email so I can find it! I'm a bit annoyed and I'm not sure what's going on but I promise to have it sorted ASAP!

Thanks!