More you pretty (given) things

We are so lucky I tell you, some people are so generous that we have to repeat : we are so lucky I tell you. The above are just a VERY small selection of the massive parcels those generous friends sent, I just picked these because I felt yellowish and craved some sun today I guess (outside is rainy gray).

-Rosie Flo colouring in book for Lieveke, from Charlotte
-retro cross-over top and daffodil baby slippers, from Melissa
-funky kitten skirt for Lieve and baby pants for Noor from Jen,
who chose carefully from this wonderful shop.

***
We
wisper
sing
smile and
sigh :
thank you
thank
you
***

Oh and I do like these colorful Dutch blogs :

Mus

Vlijtig

Jikke's

I discovered them via my new favorite Julija's wardrobe (sewing AND knitting AAAND Belgian).

I hope the sun does come through for all this week
-Lies

let's hear it for the moms!

For all you mothers out there, this is a collection of photos I took on this Mothers day weekend. I hope it was a really great day for you, where you felt special and loved.

At work we asked the primary school kids, What does honour your mother mean? They came up with: respect, encourage, help. Not bad.

Also on mother's day morning for the mums: Flowers, gifts, stories from 3 generations of women (grandmother, mother, daughter), a film made by the kids about their mums, india ink portraits and/or art work for the mums, melting moments, poetry written by the children, hand painted murals, and love hearts galore. t'was good!

Here is a collection of my favourite old pictures of my beautiful, beautiful mom. Thanks for the good raisings, (and please don't be mad that I stole all the best pictures from the family photo drawer.) I wish I could be there to bring you breakfast in bed!

-k
ps. today is my nz citizenship ceremony!
pps. second photo down is a card I saw hanging on the wall at Lies' house. I am not sure who the artist is but maybe Lies can fill us in.

To give (2)

First, because I've never done it before and I'll have my second kid in three weeks (yes three ooh!), I figure if I don't do it now, I never will. And things will be fairly quiet from my side I think after B-day... So, I'd like to give you my simple sewing pattern for a tiny baby dress - if you're into it, scroll down or click here.
I had greatest fun developing/sewing/drawing this pattern for our blog - but I'm sure I've forgotten heaps and not everything will make sense to you... Let me know what you think! This is what the dress looks like :



Second, here are the lucky winners of the bamboo baby beanies, Lievie (who had a wee bit of trouble restraining herself from trying to fit the tiny hats) drew two names out of both beanies :
- turquoise bbb : 'auntie' Jen in Melbourne!
- black bbb : mama Rhiannon!
So girls - send me a small Email with your address please X


And last (but not least?) and third : my second give-away, a 'happy land' baby pinafore. It fits a baby from 6 months to approx 18 months (depends on the babe really), closes with cross-over kimono-style snaps, is made of 100% cotton fabrics and is reversible (happy land and flower diagonals on the one side, yellow-white gingham on the other). Please leave a little comment if you'd like to 'win' this little pinnie ( I'm sure there's a baby girl you know that would look super cute in it!). Next week Wednesday Lieveke will draw names again.


Hey, many thanks for all your enthusiasm in the draw and also for your lovely comments on Lieveke's nearly three...
-Lies X

Simple baby dress

I'd like to give you my very simple pattern for a first baby-dress. The dress is easy to slip on, versatile (bohemian long on a newborn- short tunic later on) but above all it is an EASY sewing project - I started out hand-sewing one, later developed and fine-tuned it into a sewing-machine pattern. Just made one for my new baby girl to come :



Here we go, for a baby drawstring dress, size 0 months to 4/6 months (depending on the baby chub) :

Draw the (half) dress pattern on an A3 sheet of paper:

• A=9.5 cm
• B=16 cm
• C=15 cm
• D=8cm (draw 1/4 circle from bottom end D to right end B)
• E=20 cm
• F=25 cm
• G=1 cm (draw a slight curve from right end E to bottom end G)

Then mirror the half dress pattern and stick pieces together (makes piece 1). Draw a diagonal 'bias' strip with length 35 cm and width 2.5 cm (makes piece 2). Draw a straight strip with length 44'' (+- 118cm) and width 3.5 cm (makes piece 3).
Take a piece of fabric standard width 44'' and length 1 yard, fold double lengthwise. Cut out from folded fabric (seam-allowances of 0.5 cm are included!):

• piece 1 : twice
• piece 2 : twice
• piece 3 : once

FIRST STEP : make the drawstring from piece 3.

• A : Fold (1) 1 cm inwards on the bottom side of the strip and double fold 1 cm + 0.5 cm (2) inwards on the top side
• B : press fold (1) down, press double fold (2) with the raw edge tucked under on top and secure with pins
• C : top stitch, width of your string should be about 1 cm. Tie the unfinished ends in a knot to prevent fraying.

SECOND STEP : sew side seams of pieces 1
Put both dress pieces on top of each other with the wrong sides out (or the right sides facing inwards) serge or zigzag the side seams on left and right with a seam-allowance of 0.5cm.

THIRD STEP : hem
Double fold the hem of the dress inwards (o.5 cm seam allowance. 1 cm hem allowance), secure with pins and top stitch close to the fold.

FOURTH STEP : bias edging of the arm-holes
Pin the bias-cut strips (pieces 2) to the arm-hole edges with the right side of the fabric down on the wrong side of the dress, stitch close to the armholes. Then fold the strips over with the right side of the fabric up to the right side of the dress - tucking the raw edge of the strip underneath and securing with pins. Top stitch close to the bias fold.

FIFTH STEP : sew the 'gather tube' - pull string through
Double fold both top-ends of the dress inside (towards the wrong side of the fabric) and top stitch allowing +- a gap of 2 cm between fold A and top stitch B so you can pull the string through. After finishing the 'tubes' pull the string through as shown above under 'steps'. FINISHED!
I've made several of these 'first' dresses for Lieveke, after 6 months I upsized the pattern to 12 m and so on - and from 18 months she really didn't grow any wider or chubbier so the 12 months dresses functioned as shorter summer tops.
I really hope you try it out and that you like. If you need a bit of help - happy to! I'm very very open to feedback, this is the first time I stick a (VERY BASIC) sewing pattern on the net and obviously lots can be improved.

-X Lies

To give (1)

Made this simple but very sweet cardy for the new baby - in softest bamboo again. Then I had some of that lovely stuff left, and so why not knit a few baby beanies to give to you! I've made a black one and am currently working on a turquoise one (will be finished tonight I hope). If you want one (for your wee one, your niece/nephew, your neighbour's new sprout, your best friend's...) just leave a comment, next week Wednesday Lieveke will draw some names out of a beanie.


Hey why don't you give it a go yourself? Here's the in-the round-pattern for the newborn (up to 6 months) beanie, I've sort of made it up along the way. I used 4 bamboo double sided knitting 'sticks', size 3.25 and Cleckheaton pure bamboo - I really recommend this yarn, it's light, silky, ever so soft and it knits up an even and slim stockinette. You can use any yarn that fits the 3.25 sticks really, but some yarns (for instance Debbie Bliss's Baby Cashmerino) will make the beanie more bulky. Takes about 2 sessions of 2 leisurely hours for you to finish this enormous project.

• CO 80 st, spread over 3 needles (26,28,26)
• knit in the round till about 5", then :
• round 1 : [k8, k2tog] x8 = leaves 72 st
• round 2 : [k7, k2tog] x8 = 64 st
• round 3 : [k6, k2tog] x8 = 56 st
• round 4 : [k5, k2tog] x8 = 48 st
• round 5 : [k4, k2tog] x8 = 40 st
• round 6 : [k3, k2tog] x8 = 32 st
• round 7 : [k2, k2tog] x8 = 24 st
• round 8 : [k1, k2tog] x8 = 16 st
• round 9 : [k2tog] x8 = 8st
• knit the beanie cord in the round on these 8 st till cord is about 4",
• thread through, secure, turn hat right side out, tie a knot in cord
• as easy as that!
• if you try it out, happy to help and please do give feedback on the above simple pattern, always room for improvement.

And in the giving atmosphere, those pretty fabrics and the little 'berry-forest' baby vest (hand knit from homespun wool!) came from the generous Sally. Thanks so!

Next week and the week after I plan some more to give - and I know Kimberlee has something up her creative sleeves too, we did promise oodles of time ago (gnaw gnaw guilty conscience) and I for my part am sort of realising that when the new babe arrives I just won't get to it, so there you go, March will be give-aways month, don't miss!




-Lies X

Pretty gift, sweet lisp

I've been scanning some fabricdetails for thank-you-cards, then printed the images on recycled 200 gsm paper. The result is very pretty (i think ha). The cards are just meant as give-aways and not for sale, I wouldn't feel comfortable making money from someone else's designs and efforts. I made a gathered dress for Gabriel's friend Mel's two year old Estelle, they came over from Melbourne to stay with us. Lieveke called it 'the lolly' dress, she made a beaded necklace for Estelle to go with the dress, all by herself. We wrapped the gifts in a funky newspaper blow-up of a red cabbage cut in half, and added one of the new cards.
Lieveke fell over yesterday, right on her mouth... It was all messy and bloody and Gabe and I got into an argument because we didn't really know what to do... We are not very together when our chick is in danger, sigh. Today the damage seems limited : one chipped front tooth and some scratching/teethmarks on the chin, although an xray this afternoon will tell more. The chick is twirling and summersaulting and what-notting as if nothing's happened, with an ever so sweet lisp.

PS : tonight I'll be adding the last 'blooms-dress' to Etsy (edit : it sold already!). -X Lies

In between...

Gosh. Last week was packed with good and bad...
It started with my sewing machine blowing up. No kidding, blue flash, fuse blown, r.i.p. Pretty bad.

Then on saturday morning a wonderfully good thing happened : Sinterklaas (traditionally kids from the 'lowlands' = the Netherlands, Belgium, France, get their 'Santa' early on the 6th of december from Sint Nicolas - it it MASSIVELY important to both kids and parents) brought a lovely cooker for Lieveke. She was so rapt in it. She now makes A LOT of pizza for us.


Then... On sunday Lieve got very sick and on tuesday we had to take her to the hospital. It was that terrible broncheolitis again, no oxygen in her little lungs, she was in such a bad way this time. After a night and a day we were discharged and Lieveke was on the mend. Slowly slowly, but resiliant as ever. Oh lieveke, dancing in your hoola-skirt...


That really was the best of the week, our little daughter all tsjirpy again. But some other great things : Kimberlee and I did the Craftwerk-fair and I sold so well, a new little parcel with some more Marimekko flowers made it just in time for under the christmas tree...

And an old LOST parcel turned up : a most beautiful felted lime blanket with big white dots for our little new baby.

***we found out it's going to be a girl***
Gabriel sighed such a touching sigh,
of relief, of love, of gratitude
'oh so good
I think I know
now
how to
take care
of a girl'

I kinda want a normal uneventful week, this week.
Keep safe, all
X Lies

Special finds

With Christmas round the corner I've been browsing Etsy for some special finds and really awesome inspiration. I like simple, original and crisp design, and my favorites do reflect my soft spot for things crafty... Look how creative people are with concepts such as 'knit' and 'woven' and...

beautiful knitted silver brooch
at Naventin

woven tote, from recycled construction fencing
Davidshockdesigns

the CB bag : 'made of strips of both clear
and blue plastic shopping bags,
which were hand cut
then knotted to create "yarn"
and then knit'
by Olivebrown

Let's stretch that knitting a bit more : a 'knitwit' bangle, why not.
Lianakabel

From the needle to the measure tape, a bracelet now.
Ideaka.

Etsy 'window' shopping is wonderful. Go there!
All credits respectfully to the makers and their photographers, of course.




Enjoy the new week...
X Lies

feeling the love

Birthday Hat: thanks mom! (see etsy seller here)

Birthday Fabric: one irresistible panel by Ralph Lauren. Thanks global fabrics and your secret birthday discount which I am not supposed to tell people about. sshhh.

Birthday Ring: Thanks Luke and jeweler Greg Froment who I met at kraftbomb, see his website here in case you want your own white stag ring.

Birthday Garden: thanks Glenys (mother in law) especially for the grapevine lattice sculpture you made, the sweet peas will grow up it and look fabulous. Also thanks for your great gardening adivce,

"Expect about half of everything you plant to die, that way you won't get too put off."

Birthday girl (a selfie to commemorate the day) looking disheveled and happy. This mirror image makes everything in our apartment backwards!



It was a really great day, 27 totally kicks 26's pants off.
Especially since Luke sent birthday reminders out to all my friends just so everyone would flood me with warm wishes and happy messages, which they did. Everyone is the best.

xoxo

ps we have heard that our commenter was broken or being funny, so that people were unable to leave comments. Sorry, I think I fixed it now though :)