winter walking

Walking, originally uploaded by Claire Badcock

We don't have snowfalls in Launceston, but we do have heavy frosts which result in lovely clear days with a crispness that tingles the cheeks. In Tasmania snow keeps to the mountains and rarely falls below 200 metres (650 feet), so it's a real treat when it does happen.

Tamsyn, Lucy and I walk almost every day. Lucy being the big doggy that she is needs to be walked daily, which is fine by me, I need to keep active. Mum and Dad spent half the day with us on Tuesday and Mum captured this moment as we were walking through Princes Square, one of the prettiest parks in town.

I love the Baby Bjorn pouch, especially when getting about town. There's nothing worse than trying to negotiate a pram in busy shopping areas. The only downside is that I do get achy shoulders, so when Tamsyn is big enough I'm going to make a backpack style carrier using this pattern (I've already made the sling which is very handy for around the house).

Not a great deal is happening on the sewing front. I've cut out a little dress for Tamsyn and will start sewing after I've finished here. This is a bit of a procrastination though, I should be re-covering the lounge suite with fitted removable covers but it's proving more of a challenge than I envisioned. It would be easier to remove the arms and reupholster, but this would be more time consuming. Hmmm, will have to pull my finger out sooner or later....

Have a good weekend all, and for anyone in the Lonnie area there's the Civic Homespun Market on Saturday. Thanks for the heads-up Gemma!

score

Perusing one of the local op-shops today I came across this little gem. Many of you would know my love, and extensive collection, of Cornishware. This jug has a chip on the spout, but apart from that it's in good nick, and the price? Wait for it ....... 15 bucks! Yay for me.

Mum told me last year that Cornishware, or rather, TG Greene had gone bust which was very depressing. However the other day when Ant was surfing Flickr, he came across these photos - aren't they adorable! Reading the users profile I learnt that the company has since been saved, so there'll be more Cornishware goodness to come. Nice.....

sewing up a storm

I found some brown check flannel at Spotlight which took my fancy, and was the only one of its group that didn't look bogan. I wanted an overshirt/dress with the all necessary buttons down the front. I'd had the pattern for years but had never made it, and I liked the way it has the long pleats down the front (can't be seen too easily in the photo sorry).

The tie at the back helps to give it shape as well.

So here's the coat I made last year from Waverly blanket ends. It's fully lined with brown bemsilk as well. It was my first attempt with a Burda pattern. They're a bit different but I didn't have a problem, not like I do with Vogue...

It's wonderfully light and cosy. You know those times when it's nice to be wrapped up warm and cosy in a blanket? This coat can do that too.

In the last few days I made a couple of skirts. I bought the Anna Maria Horner book Seams to Me and it's lovely. One of the projects is an A-line skirt and shows you how to draft the pattern yourself, something I've always wanted to do but thought it was too hard. Silly me.

So the skirt above was my trial run, to make sure I had my measurements right and it looked okay. I used some more of my Swaffer samples and it'll make a great summer skirt, just have to wait 6 more months then.

Here's the winter skirt, made with fabric I've had for years and years. I originally wanted to make a full length A-line skirt but this one being just below the knees will be more practical. The black is a fairly heavy cotton that's been brushed on one side and the lining is a patchwork weight cotton which looks rather Japanese-y. I'm wearing it now and is very comfy. Yay!

I had to share this. It's how I manage to keep up with blogging/Facebook/Flickr etc... I prop a cushion between me and the desk, feed Tamsyn with one hand and use the other for clicking and one handed typing (frustrating for a touch-typist!). She's about to slip off the cushion but didn't. It was also a good opportunity to show off another cardigan I knitted before she was born (another Ravelry pattern). It's a cross-over cardi with little i-cord ties in some cotton bamboo blend and looks just gorgeous on her.

baby elephant walk

Have I prompted the tune to play in your head for the rest of the day? Don't worry, it's stuck in mine!

One of my dear sisters made an elephant for Tamsyn. Shannon has never been much of a sewer, but with her female siblings all able to sew we felt confident that the skill was there although untapped. Better yet, Shannon doesn't own a sewing machine so therefore hand stitched the elephant. She did a fantastic job.
This photo is to give you an idea as to how big the elephant actually is, yep, bigger than Tamsyn! It also shows the blanket I made for her. It's a Waverly blanket end, bought at their sale last year. Waverly has a yearly sale where you can buy blanket seconds, doonas/duvets and lots of blanket 'ends'. I've even made a coat from these, must take a photo of it, it's so lovely and warm. All pure wool of course. Anyways, Tamsyn's blanky is in a dark grey. I made a binding in some groovy orange fabric (don't know who by sorry). I wanted a dark colour because it will regularly go to Bruny and as I've said before, the oyster lease is a very grotty place - so I needed something that would hide it.

The basinet that Tamsyn sleeps in is from her pram, which it can be easily removed from. This works fantastically as I can have her sleeping in any room, particularly the sewing room. My little girl is 6 weeks old today, can you believe it? In the last couple of days we've noticed that she can focus on more distant objects, that is, further away than Mum's booby, and it's lovely to look at her while sewing and see that she's watching what I'm doing. Bless her.

Bruny baby

I've been a bit tardy haven't I. It's not that I haven't had anything to blog about, it's more a case of not having time. Last week it was more important to make a new top, as I'm desperate for some post-pregnancy clothes (of which I'll blog about too). So instead of doing one big post I'll try to do a few smaller ones during the week.
Last weekend was Tamsyn's first trip to Bruny and she did really well, despite the weather. There's been record rainfalls down south, some of which we witnessed on Saturday. So while baby was snug (recognise the hat?) her Dad kept working on in the driving rain.
If it wasn't work that absolutely had to be done then we wouldn't even have bothered, but the work was done and Ant is feeling happier for it.
I've also managed to get some bag sewing done. A friend asked for a new backpack to use when they go to Thailand in August, she loves lime green so the Prints Charming fabric was the perfect choice. It was nice to be back on The Thug again too.

when it's cold outside

Spinning by the fire, originally uploaded by Claire Badcock

My mother-in-law had been given some lovely soft carded but unspun wool from Waverley, for whatever crafting purpose I could think of. I immediately decided to hand it over to my mother for spinning, of which you see above. Mum has been spinning for many a year, usually wool from their own sheep. I can sit and watch her spin all day, but she soon tells me where to go - she doesn't really like being watched.

So here I was last night just after a feed, starting on a little jumper for the wee girl. I'm making it in the 6 month + size, otherwise she may be too big for it by the time I finish!

Oh and take note of the outdated fabric on the lounge chair, these will be changing soon so consider this to be a 'before' photo. Ant chose the fabric years ago, so it's rather bachelor style has seen better days. I'm recovering in a medium/dark grey, nice and monotone and shouldn't date very quickly.

baby steps

I managed some sewing on Saturday. We needed a 5th birthday present for Ant's niece Laura, and as shopping isn't easy at the moment I thought it might be safe to whip something up. Tamsyn slept really well that day and I felt almost surprised that it came together so quickly. The pattern was from American Patchwork & Quilting's Quilts and More from a few months ago.

The pattern is designed to accommodate crayons but we felt Laura is past that so I increased the width for the sake of pencils. Ant went out and bought a sketch book and the pencils, so it was a lovely team effort.

Ant's auntie has recently returned from a trip to New York city. Before she went she asked me if there were any shops she'd like me to visit, the first (and only) place that sprung to mind was Purl Soho. I've been an avid reader of their blog for a while, as they have so many inspiring ideas and tutorials. I had bought fabric on-line from them in the past, but then the sky-rocketing exchange rate stopped that...

Jane had a blast in the shop, and came away with a great little range of fabrics, mostly Japanese Kokka. I can't wait to use some of it for Tamsyn, just have to wrangle some more sewing time.....

Oh and the Gund bear is for Tamsyn of course.