Fear

  

I am currently 29 weeks + 5 days pregnant (surprise). And I am only just feeling like I can breathe. 

The excitement and joy that I have at growing a new life and adding a sweet babe to our family has been overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. 

This, combined with my uni course load, has triggered my anxiety and PTSD. I have been  floundering, struggling to fully engage in life as my brain continuously logs and examines each symptom, each difference between pregnancies. 

Will this time be different? Will my sweet babe be healthy and safe? Am I strong enough to parent another premature babe? To watch their struggle, and hear their small cries of pain and confusion. 

With each passing week there has been more hope. My blood pressure is normal. My compulsive swelling checks have revealed nothing. And today, one week and six days before the gestation my last pregnancy ended, a growth scan revealed a healthy babe. A babe who already weighs more then Layla did at birth. Whose body and brain is being nourished by a healthy placenta. 

Since my apptointment I have had random moments of joyful tears. Maybe, just maybe, this sweet babe will get to pick their birthdate. Maybe my babe will be born healthy and strong. Maybe, this time, my body will provide a healthy, safe harbour for my babe to grow in.  Maybe I will be healed. 

Sewing along

It's been forever since I posted. There's a whole bunch of reasons for this, but you don't need to hear my excuses. I am hoping to start posting more regularly, but..... no promises.

I just wanted to share some items I made for Mend & Make New's handmade kids sewing swap. I have been wanting to participate in a sewing swap for a while, and finally screwed up a bit of courage and instantly joined up when I saw info about this one. I set a couple of little goals for myself to try sewing techniques that I've never done before, because I love learning new things and my sewing had been in a bit of a rut lately. 

Initially I was going to use piping on all the things, but my sewing machine and I were having a falling out (something about it being unimpressed with the copious amounts of wool I'd been forcing through it and fluffing it up with) so I changed my plans. I didn't want to send off something that was dodgy, and luckily the size I was assigned is the same as Layla so I can still finish the project and have someone to wear it! So I scrambled up a new design, and got stuck into it. 

In the end I created this little cape and dress combo for my sew along partner. She requested winter clothes and said they liked florals and I really hope this fit the bill (little nervous!)

The dress is The Sally Dress by Very Shannon. I sewed up a the 3/4 sleeve version in a 3t. The bodices is chambray and the skirt is from a vintage sheet I recently thrifted. To see more of my thrift scores follow me on Instagram @lalalovevintage or search #oppieadventures2014. You can follow my sewing on Instagram by searching #lllvsews. I omitted the pockets because I didn't have enough chambray. Its a terrible world in which its possible to run out of chambray. 

Too make sure I ticked the 'try something new' box I experimented with a double stitching detail on the hem and sleeves. I also used an aqua thread, because there aint no point doing pretty top stitching if you cant even see it! I also used french seams when sewing the skirt. This means that there are no exposed seams in this dress. I think I'll be using french seams much more regularly. The Sally Dress is such a quick and nice sew. It may be my complete inability to figure out american pattern sizing, but I always seem to mess up. Because the dress has no closures its not very forgiving if you sew the wrong size. It will turn into one of those dresses you have to wrestle on and off your kid, which means they will refuse to wear it, ask me how I know that : /

The cape is a sz 3 and is sewn from the sweetest vintage pattern I picked up for 10c. I used a grey wool blanket that I thrifted and the same vintage fabric from the dress. The buttons are 23cm self cover buttons from Jackobindi, that I covered in chambray scraps. The pattern originally calls for a neck tie closure, but I really wanted to change that up. I used a piece of piping cord (at least it came in useful for one part of the project) to create the button loop. 

The back seam of the  cape has a sweet little stitching detail. Its one of the more decorative stitches on my very basic sewing machine and I used the same aqua thread from The Sally Dress to make it pop. It is one of my most favourite details.

I really hope my swap partner likes them!! I know that capes aren't the most practical piece of clothing in the world, but they are just so stinking sweet!! I also hope they fit!! I haven't heard from my swap partner as they're still winging their way to NZ. I didn't provide my blog details when I signed up, so at least I wont be spoiling the surprise! Fingers crossed xx

I loathe boats

Merry Christmas!!! I was lucky enough to spend most of December in Victoria with my grandparents. I was well taken care of and can already feel the post grandparent stay depression settling in as we s.l.o.w.l.y. chug away from vic. Have I mentioned that I hate boats?… I loathe boats, already my stomach is churning, boredom has set in and given the lack of seating I am butt numbingly uncomfortable. Not to mention we're going to have to entertain a toddler for 10hrs in a confined space. It's all slightly terrifying. Plus there wasn't enough room for the kidlets craft stuff and mine so one of us had to make sacrifices! 

I'm really looking forward to being back in my own home, and an planning a total pj day for tomorrow. And a little 2014 planning, I have high expectations for my 30th year and have began planning some  simple goals. 

Are you a planner? Do you like lists? Have you made any resolutions/
for 2014?…

KCW - Shorts Ahoy

I've had one of *those* days. The days were you make plans and it all kicks off innocently enough and then next minute you're in the trenches with no idea how you got there reminding yourself that humans don't eat their young. Bed time cold not come soon enough tonight! onto the shorts....

I used Caila Made's summer short pattern again (blogged here). Its such a versatile pattern and free which is awesome. The fabric is Belle & Boo's "Pirate Games" which I grabbed 2 fat 1/4's of during Spotlights dollar fat flats. I love a pattern that can be made out of two fat flats! So all up these cuties cost $2! 

I used a lid to round the leg and bound them in navy bias, which came from my vintage bias stash.I originally wanted to bind the legs in red, but only had the smallest bit, which I used to add bows to each leg. I am so stinking in love with these shorts.

I had more short plans for today which I even got cut out, but Layla quickly put those plans to rest. Whats the proverb - Man proposes and toddler disposes. She even scribbled on the fabric with texta, just to make sure I got the message. Today's mantra was "I love my daughter, I love my daughter". I prefer when that mantra is spontaneous rather then forced. 

I briefly considered spending my evening at the sewing machine, but honestly all I'm fit for is sitting on the couch watching crappy tv and drowning my sorrows in a tin of milo! Bring on the new day!!!

KCW - Care bear count down

I'm sewing with Kids Clothes Week! In case you've never heard of it before the basic premise is that you sew for 1hr every day for a week. Simple yes?! I spent yesterday doing mundane things like printing off patterns taping them together, tracing them out, cutting them out etc etc etc. I was planning to do it before the official start of KCW, but I procrastinated. Its a crap job. If there's anyone out there who actually enjoys taping together a thousand pattern pages and then tracing/cutting them out please get in touch. I have a best friend positioning opening up just for you!

I kicked off the sewing with the It's a Party Blouse, by To Sweets. I made it from vintage care bears fabric and some plain pink cotton that I was given.

I sewed up a 3t, omitted the ruffle from the bottom of the top and cut it out a 5t length. I thought a 3t would be massive on my petite 2 year old, but it was a bit squeezy which means we'll only get spring/summer use out of it. I have to be honest,I just don't get american sizing. The top was also slightly more labour intensive then I was expecting and so took more time to sew then I thought it would. 

 

I'm committed to using patterns I haven't used before. I told hubby that I'd use all of the pdf patterns I have before buying any new ones - needless to say I've already broken that promise. I don't know why I insist on making promises I know I can't keep!

Anyhow, Layla loves the care bears and we have been reading the one care bear book over and over and over again. It's like freakin' groundhog day, but much much worse. I'm glad she loves them though. I loved care bears as a kid and have such fond memories of my Grandma taking me to the video store to hire Care Bears movies. Becoming a parent has made me even more sentimental and nostalgic then I ever.

I'm committed to sewing lots of layer-y clothes this KCW. Things that are perfect for spring, but will be equally as good come summer. I also want to keep costs low. Because the fabric for this top was either thrifted or gifted it cost about $4 to make. Gotta be happy with that xx

Sun Kissed

October has been hellish here. A month of sickness, screaming and rain.

Until today. Today the sun shone. 

Today we are all healthy again.

Today we made the most of every ray of sun shine.

Today I was reminded about sun safety. The first sunny spring day always catches me out and my cheeks and arms are sun kissed. Its time to get back into hard core sun safety.

 Otherwise I'll be burnt to a crisp.

Plaid Hot Pants

OK so I know I said I was only going to sew along with PR&P once..... but I lied apparently.

I was flicking through my liked blog posts yesterday when I saw PR&P's themes for this season. I had a grumpy kidlet plastered to me so I thought I'd just have a little google-see at plaid kids clothes, especially as plaid kids clothes totally fit with my vintage aesthetic. 

I started thinking about plaid outfits I could sew for my miss, except none of my ideas were really that original. I becamefixated on a woollen, plaid hood I made for Layla from an old electric blanket (tutorial coming) and using plaid in an unusual way. And then I decided on hot pants, short shorts or running shorts whatever you want to call them. 

Because I used a woolen plaid they'll keep Layla plenty warm as Tasmania makes a pathetic effort to transition from winter to spring. I thrifted the material ages ago for a few bucks and the binding is vintage also.

I used Caila Made's Summer Shorts pattern as my starting point. I rounded the outside leg, and used bias on the hem and outside leg. That bias tape was tiny. I sewed it onto place and realised I'd have to hand stitch it if I wanted it to look any good wahhhh. So I sucked it up and sat on the couch, put some trashy tv on (Fashion Police) and got to it.

I then followed the Summer Shorts tutorial to construct the shorts. The one difference being that I didn't sew the side seams together before creating the waistband/casing. I simply tacked them in place. I added the heart buttons for two reasons 1: they're cute and 2: a bit of modesty. I had hopped to make a Banyan tunic to go with the shorts but didn't have enough stretch fabric. Jono's T-shirts were just too small. 

I'm pretty happy with how the shorts turned out. I might make Layla a few more pairs, apart from the bias binding they're a really quick sew. I was concerned that they might be a little to Nana, but I think the hot pant style and the buttons help them steer clear of nursing home fashion. At least I hope this isn't the latest trend at the nursing home... that Nana would want to have some rockin pins ;)