Soap and a Ladybird

...because there is no clever way I can combine those two in a heading!

Here is a picture of the soap I made on the 27th of May. It finally hardened enough to unmould and cut a few days later.

After running it by the very clever women on my soaping list, I realised what the "problem" had been: I had soaped at cooler than usual temperatures, and so saponification took longer. The resulting soap is just fine, and here is how it (pardon the sort-of-pun) scrubbed up once wrapped and labelled.

Oh, and here is the ladybird costume I made for my 3yo girl's dress-up day at kinder.

Illustration Friday

I haven't drawn in years. How sad is that?! But recently I joined the "Illustration Friday" mailing list, and this week I bit the bullet and this is what I am submitting.

The topic is "Camouflage." This is what my 3-yo did when I asked her to hide. I love how kids do that.

I drew it on thin writing paper, using a (greylead) pencil, then coloured it with watercolour pencils, and drew the outline with a fineliner and a Sharpie. I like how the paper is wrinkled.

I can't believe I finally did it, and that I didn't try too hard (that is a big problem I have when I attempt anything creative), especially considering many other contributors are professional illustrators, and submit amazing illustrations. Hopefully the more I "have a go at" the less I'll try.

Ode To My Great-grandmother

We went to my mum's for dinner last night, and she pulled out a bag full of crochet made by her mum's mum. What a bounty! Doileys, collars, and pillow-panels (is there a better term?).

Mum gave me the lot (says they will end up in my possession eventually, and she likes the fact that someone who fully appreciates them will have them). I am looking forward to making some beautiful cushion covers using the panels.They all need some TLC (proper washing and blocking).

Mum tells me after my great-grandmother had a stroke, she picked up her hook as soon as she could, and with her affected arm/hand rehabilitated herself via crochet. She kept going until she died aged 97.

Here's hoping I've inherited at least some of her good genes!

Girly girly goo goo

Here are some pretty things which happened over the long weekend:

I embroidered Madeline on a plain pink Bonds skivvy for girl2. It came out more... textured... than I intended, but I think it looks okay.

And I leave you with a couple of pix of this divine pink angora coat knitted by my very talented (and perfectionist) step-mother-in-law and given to us today. It is sized for an 18-month-old; was begun for now-three-year-old girl1, and fits girl2 now. The buttons are vintage from a family stash.

Superb!...uzzy

Here is my latest Superbuzzy crop.

Here is what I envisage (L-R):

1. Apron, or parts thereof.
2. Sewn kitcheny things (placemats? baskets?).
3. Nothing. Can't bear the thought of cutting this beautiful delicate print. Or maybe shirts/dresses for my daughters.
4. Bags for my girls.
5. Mmmmm. Not sure. Something milky. Maybe also a bag or two for the girls.
6. Patchwork cushions, from "Cotton Time Plus."

Another day, another quilt...

I made my second ever quilt!

Cut on Monday night, pieced together, assembled, quilted and mostly "edged" (is that a quilting term...or even a word?) on Tuesday until the bobbin thread ran out and I could not bring myself to refill it for the final 20 cm which I finished this morning, before presenting it to my friend E, who gave birth to a little boy yeserday!

It measures 80 cm x 80 cm, so I guess it can be called "pram size". I used more fabric from Superbuzzy -- this pretty "tea time" print with little disjointed phrases.

I BOUND (that's better, right?) it with bias binding I made myself out of the gingham used in the top, and I really enjoyed binding it this way.
Also today I received my shipment from Superbuzzy!!!!!!! I will take and post pix soon.

Soft in the head

I made the Wee Wonderfuls Wee Bunny last night!

And gave it to my friend, E, this morning. Her baby will be born on Tuesday (if not before), and I haven't even started on her quilt! Eeek!

I made the bunny using upholstery fabric samples which I had left over from when we were buying our couch. Despite its obvious imperfections (such as the "blind" seam at the back which experienced a miraculous recovery and can now see...), I am pleased -- especially with the face. It came out better than I expected.

I did have to make three sets of ears, though. The fabric was too stiff to turn out the ears, and by the third set I knew to make them a little wider than the pattern, and use calico for one side. Here are the original, battle-scarred, ears (ink from frantic pen-stabbing trying to turn them).
Here it is all wrapped up.

I was going to say it is the first softie I have ever made, but that would be a lie, because that title belongs to this little lady, which I made when my first daughter was born.

She loved playing with it when she was a baby, and used to suck on the hair (all six strands which I attached before I ran out of steam). I have no delusions about her beauty -- or lack thereof -- but when we rediscovered her during a toybox excavation a couple of weeks ago, I asked my now three-year-old, "Who's that?" (wondering what she would say) and she -- clutching the doll -- replied, "It's you" I thought my heart would burst.