Big news to share....

It's not very clear... but that's twins!!!!!!  After a year of trying to get pregnant and stay pregnant, we've finally got some happy news to share!!!   We had our routine 7 week scan and saw a heartbeat and were elated, but then I had a bit of a scare at 9 weeks and begged for a scan... at the scan the nurse found two babies!!!!!  I was so shocked!!  And I had to ring my husband and tell him as he couldn't come with me.  It's still sinking in I think.

I've been waiting for the 12 week mark to share my news, and then I've been so sick and tired I just haven't had time to post....  I can't believe I'm pregnant with identical twins!! How exciting!  Also very overwhelming...  I am hoping for girls, as I already have a little boy, but I really just hope for 2 healthy babies to make it to full term!   Having twins means increased risks of lots of things, and as they're sharing a placenta there is also twin to twin transfusion syndrome to worry about, but I'm going to be positive and hopefully have a drama free pregnancy and birth!  I've been feeling incredibly tired though, and nauseas all the time... hopefully this will pass soon though, as I'm now 14 weeks along.

I haven't been doing any sewing to share... I did make a cute little dress for a friend but I forgot to take a photo - pregnant brain!?

Anyway, I am very excited about our fabulous news, and hopefully I'll be feeling well enough to do some sewing soon!!!

Sam x

Dress and skirt

Today the postman delivered a little package of fabric I bought recently from retromummy, with my favourite little lollies - Fizzers, thank you!! 

I forgot to take any photos, but I've already made a skirt with some of the fabric! 

And another halter neck dress in a cute little Denise Schmidt print.  I remember a friend of mine telling me how her 3 year old daughter loved a halter neck dress she bought her because it showed off her back!!!  Ha ha... too cute.  So, I thought I'd make some....

Both available in my shops.   More to come....

Sam x

Halter neck dress

A halter neck dress in a size 3.  100% Japanese cotton, a lovely soft cotton, with elastic back and a tie around the neck.  So cool for Summer...  Available in my shops.

More to come....

Sam x

Three Bananas

Three Bananas - I've finally come up with a label I'm happy with.  It has meaning and it's cute... exactly what I was after!  My Dad always called us the three bananas (I have 2 brothers) and I plan on having 3 bananas of my own so there you go!  I've changed my madeit.com.au store but I'm still in the process of changing etsy.  I'm also starting a new blog so I'm not sure how that works, but I'll let you know.  If anyone has any tips that would be great!

A babushka doll appliqued on a linen cushion cover... what do you think?  I've used some of the gorgeous Little Red Riding Hood ribbon!  And another skirt.  They're on my etsy shop and madeit.com.au shop..

Sam x

Polly's quilt

Polly arrived on 090909 - isn't she lucky!  She is the first little baby for my good friend Kate in Melbourne.  I am so excited for them, I'm sure they will be wonderful parents and she'll be a beautiful little girl! 

I'm so excited to have this finished and on it's way down to Polly!   It will arrive tomorrow, so I hope Kate likes it!

I really need to learn machine quilting though - this hand quilting takes SOOOO long!!!  It is beautiful though!

Sam x

Another day, another skirt! :)

It's great to have the world back to normal here in Sydney today... yesterday was quite strange!  I was busy sewing - a pair of shorts not yet finished and this little skirt for a 3 year old girl.

It's in my etsy & madeit shop.

Yo yo makers arrived yesterday and I can't wait to make some hair clips and other things....

Sam x

Another little skirt...

Another little A-line skirt for a 3 year old girl - this time with a little babushka doll feature.  I love this cotton denim, it's lovely lightweight and soft...

Again, available in my shops.

I've got some ideas for skirts that I'm going to try out.  I don't have a daughter to model but I'm hoping little girls will like what I've got in mind.  I really need to find myself a 3 year old to model my creations!  :)

I'm off to sew while Johnny sleeps...

Oh here's a shot of him at the park the other day.

Sam x

One for the girls...

The weather is so lovely here in Sydney, it's great to be out and about in the sunshine with my little boy, he's growing every day and just love the park, especially the swing... I love seeing the joy in his face.  It makes me happy!  :)

A cute little A-line skirt for a 3 year old.... lovely lightweight cotton demin with a Japanese cotton lilac flower print gathered at the bottom edge.  Ahhh....

Available in my etsy shop and madeit.com.au shop....

Sam x

Shorts

More shorts....  some people thought the 'traffic jam' shorts looked like pyjama pants so I hope these look more like shorts?  What do you think?  Personally, I like them.  I'm going to put them in my etsy shop.

Now, back to more sewing...

Sam x

Weekend sewing

fabric flowers are so cute and i saw some in a shop yesterday and decided to try my own... this is what I came up with...

they are covered buttons that I also did in the centres.  I've just placed those there to show, I'm yet to decide what buttons to put on each flower. 

I also made another pair of shorts, well last week, but I haven't posted them yet....

Many more to come.....

I'm off to sew while my Mum looks after Johnny!

Sam x

Finished products

Very busy sewing this week... more shorts and yesterday finally finished the bags I started last week.  I'm really happy with the bags and I'm going to try to get some better photos and put them up on Etsy & Madeit.  Don't you think little girls would love them?  They're made with a very sturdy cotton canvas and lined with cotton.  The handles are webbed cotton. 

After playing around with patterns for shorts I've finished some more, and there's some fabric on the way to Oz from America and I can't wait to sew some more.   The top ones have skull & cross bones on them and they're ankle biter length (which I'm not sure about), the traffic jam ones are mid calf length (perfect I think) and I'm thinking of adding pockets to the side....

Shorts

I had a great weekend, I hope you did too.  It was lovely weather in Sydney and we went to a nearby Fete yesterday which was fun, we bought some 2nd hand books and toys and had a wander around.  There was a Craft stall run by a lovely lady Yvonne that I met at the park with the kids the other day.  They had some cute little things there for kids. 

I've made another pair of shorts... well two, but one pair is in my son's room where he's asleep so I can't show a photo yet.  I made another pair yesterday with the pocket & cuff playing around with the length of the cuff - the pattern is Make it Perfect.  Today I whipped up these cute ones.  I'm playing around with the pattern, lengths etc to see what works best, then I'll make lots!  That's the plan....   I'm going to applique a T-shirt to go with these too.

I'm really enjoying making these and I hope to make a lot more!!!  And sell some!  I'm finally going to try to make some money from all my sewing... I spend so much on lovely fabrics that I really need it start using it!  And hopefully make a little money to spend more on fabrics, and so the wheel of life goes!   :)   Fingers crossed anyway...

Ideas coming alive...

Well I've been busy turning some of my ideas into realities... one is bags for young girls with Dolls appliqued on.  Here are the first two that I've done... early days!!!  They haven't had their faces stitched on yet, but they will, and then they'll be made into bags with bright coloured lining.  I think my pattern is a bit lop-sided and I need to play around with the applique stitching, but I'm pretty happy with my first attempt.   What do you think?

I also stayed up late last night making a pair of shorts for my little boy.  I've had the pattern for a while and have been meaning to try it out.  I struggled to get a photo of him this morning - he's still got his pyjama top on, sorry!  They're action shots?!  Again, not bad for my first attempt I think.  I'm looking forward to making another pair, hopefully tomorrow.   I'm really happy with the fabric, from Kelani, it's a lovely light weight denim that's lovely and soft. 

My dream will one day become a reality!  :)

Sam x

A name... what's in a name???

I stumbled across a great website last week - Ribbons Galore - they have the cutest ribbons and I couldn't resist buying some. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them yet, but I just had to have them! :) The 2nd lot (I couldn't decide which photo showed them best) came from Matatabi. I'm not sure which is my favourite, but I do love the Little Red Riding Hood at the top in pink & blue and also the washing from Matatabi.

I also bought a little stash of cute fabrics:

After seeing all the talent at the Stitches & Craft Show I'm determined to start doing something and get a little label off the ground for myself... I've got so many ideas in my head and I really want to see if people like them and if they sell. My stash of fabric is getting out of control and I need to use it! I've been trying to come up with a name for my label. I was going to use Samantha Jane but I've decided that it's too long and I want something shorter & catchier... it's very hard to come up with something that's not already on etsy. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Sam x

Stitches & Craft Show

I ventured out to Rosehill today to the Stitches & Craft Show, even though I'd read a post on a blog that put me off it.. I still went, mainly because I knew Amitie were there... I wish I could open an Amitie in Sydney! :)

Anyway, I started on the ground floor and was so disappointed... not in the stalls but in the layout, it was so confusing, with no clear path to follow. I then left my son with my Mum and went upstairs where the lovely girls from Prints Charming pointed me in the direction of the level above - where all the "bloggers" were! Thank you Kirsten! I forgot to buy a scarf kit for my Mum, she loved them when she saw them somewhere earlier... doh!

It was just wonderful to see the talent up there.. I loved it! I met some lovely girls... Nanette from Rummage who does such gorgeous free hand stitching on beautiful pillows and other wonderful things, they're so unique, I love them.

Dear fifi who I bought a pattern from and had a little chat to... and so inspired me. Your little creations are so cute!!

The girls at Ink & Spindle where I bought some lovely fabric.. I wanted to buy one of each! I love their work!

Kristen Doran - I have long adored her work... I finally bought something! Hopefully my son will love these as much as I do?

I really enjoyed being surrounded by such creative people and such beautiful things... ahhh!!! Thank God for Mum downstairs minding Johnny!

I finally found Amitie and bought these. I just love Amitie, you are so talented Jenny, I bought two quilt patterns as well as these fabrics, and I never buy patterns!

I couldn't decide on the colour I liked best with these so I just bought all three! :)

This is sooooo cool.... Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but I just had to have some. Jenny had a gorgeous quilt with some of this in it...

I left with a full bag and an empty wallet... and oh so happy. I am so glad I ventured out and I recommend going, just take the good with the bad. But isn't that life? :)

Oh, and I can't remember where I bought these from... but I love them too!

Sam x