tiny happy

growing things

Happy Mother's Day, if you're celebrating it! Hope you had some peaceful moments in your day. We spent the day in the spring sunshine, planting a small garden. Can't think of a nicer way to spend my mother's day.

incentives

I've always loved baking, but cooking dinner is not one of my favourite jobs. Tom is very understanding of this, and says he 'enjoys' making the evening meal most nights- so I feel very lucky. But I would like to get a bit more organised in the cooking department and perhaps get a new 'cookbook'- a blank one that I can fill with tried and true, quick-to-make recipes.

In NZ, I had a copy of the book 'The Cook's Garden' by Tichborne, Browne and Leach (which is excellent, but I can't find a link) that had a recipe section at the back. Naturally the recipes were ones based on garden produce, but more than that, the focus was on recipes that were so easy and quick, that it would allow the gardener more time outside- less time cooking. I loved that part of the book- and often dream of putting together my own version of a cookbook like that.

I thought a new apron might be a good incentive for getting excited about cooking again. I used the Lotta Jansdotter book's 'Reversible Apron' pattern (i made this for the first time here) using a great leaf-print fabric I found at the second-hand store. I love that fabric. It makes me think, 'early Ikea'? I'm not sure about that though.

The best thing about this pattern is its shapely style- it's lovely and not far away from a top you might wear when you weren't cooking.

Anyway- I will let you know whether it inspires a new enthusiasm for cooking dinner around here. You never know.

green theme

A while ago, my friend Jo sent me three linen cushion covers with broken zips that she'd found. She thought I might like to use the fabric for something. So I've had these simple totes in my head for a few weeks now, and now one is on its way to Jo in NZ. I love making basic bags like these- perfect for shopping, keeping the knitting in, tidying toys in a child's room, or taking to the library with the overdue books. Which is usually what I carry in mine.

But it's also pleasing to be able to use up fabric from something that didn't work anymore- and give it a new lease of life. The darker green bag above was made using some old barkcloth that my Mum sent me. Aren't I lucky to get such great mail? I have fabric scouts everywhere!

I added them to the etsy shop update I did today- there are also some baby shoes and a couple of cream linen skirts. And now, I'm going outside with K to enjoy some more of that green...

 

views

:: kitchen view :: this excellent retro tea-towel sent by our friend Anna in Wellington. A bit of kiwiana near the fridge. It even has crocheted edges.

:: garden view :: Tom made a simple swing in the walnut tree. It's the best place to view the progress of the spring shoots.

garden layers

This is a piece of embroidery I've been working on late each night, keeping my hands busy while Tom and I make our way through some excellent dvds lent by our friends John and Linda (thank you!). It's a garden landscape, partly inspired by the emerging colours and plants here in our scandinavian suburbia, but also by the beautiful artwork of Jennifer Judd-McGee- 'Swallowfield.' I so admire her use of colour and layers in her work.

This piece is going to a friend of mine, to remind her of her summer garden when winter seems too long. And now, I'm dreaming of what I might embroider next.

eggs that hatch

After having what is best described as a 'challenging' day with the children last week (and they would probably say I was being rather challenging too), I decided we needed a calm activity to do in the afternoon. I found our trusty roll of newsprint and a jar of coloured pens and we worked on this poster together: 'We are thankful for...'

The idea for this was heavily inspired by Soulemama's book that arrived a few weeks ago: helping our children acknowledge that which they are thankful for. It's something that I think is especially important in a family like mine, because even though I was brought up in quite a religious/spiritual family myself, the habit of 'praying' in a Christian sense is not something that Tom and I have chosen to do with our children.

Thus, the 'thankful' list was a really nice activity to do together. And it certainly helped put my angsty feelings into perspective that day. While Arlo decided he was most thankful for trains in the world, he also drew portraits of his seven grandparents, aunts and uncles, the alphabet, his friends, kindergarten, soccer and cake. Keira's list included: eggs that hatch, milk, the night sky, lemons and mud.

how to: a simple patchwork ball

Here is how I made some simple patchwork balls last week, for my children to play with inside. They would make great new baby gifts, too! My daughter (3 yrs) enjoyed helping- choosing the fabrics and stuffing the finished balls. An older child might like to sew them up, too!

Materials:

small scraps of cotton fabric (I like to use quilter's-weight cotton best, because it's strong and less likely to fray at the seams.)

needle and thread, scissors, pins

paper and pencil

sewing machine (but you could sew the whole thing by hand, if you don't have a machine.)

stuffing- polyfill is best for small babies, but you could also use fabric scraps or cotton or wool stuffing.

optional: a small bell for a baby's ball, rice to put with the stuffing for extra weight, or fill with just rice to make a hacky sack/juggling ball.

1. First draw your pattern on a piece of paper. I drew a petal-like shape in two different sizes to make the two different sized balls. See the diagram below. Don't worry too much about the accuracy of your piece, as long as it is even it should be fine! To make the bigger ball, I used a petal shape cut to the dimensions given below. To make the smaller ball, my shape was approx. 8.5 cms long, and 3.5 cms at the widest point. You could experiment with the size you like best. Cut out the pattern and the small circle piece, and choose your fabrics.

2. Iron the pieces of cotton you will use, pin the pattern pieces on and cut out. For each ball, you will need six petal-shaped panels, and two small circle pieces.

3. Sew the ball panels together. Place two pieces right-sides together, and pin. Sew from the top edge to the bottom, allowing a 1/4" seam. Don't worry too much about the top and bottom of the ball, because you will cover those bits up later. Continue like this until you have sewn all six panels together.

4. Now sew the last and first panel together, right sides together. Leave a gap in the centre of the seam, for turning and stuffing.

5. Turn the ball right-side out and stuff with your chosen filling.

6. Hand-sew up the opening. Next, hand-applique the fabric circles to each end of the ball, to cover the seam ends. If they are pretty tidy anyway, this might not be necessary. Alternatively, you could use fabric glue to attach felt circles. Voila, all finished!

eggplant

I couldn't resist making another one of these tops, after finally breaking out the Simplicity 3835 pattern last week. It's such a quick and easy project, and you get a nice new piece of clothing within the hour, pretty much, so I'm finding it difficult not to turn all the fabric i own into tops like this.

A couple of weeks ago a friend gave me a big bag filled with batik-print cotton fabrics in bright colours, that she bought ten years ago on a trip to Africa, but never used for anything. This gauzy purple fabric was included in the bag- and I don't usually wear this colour but something about it appeals to me. Makes me think of summer, and chopping up eggplants for the barbeque.

A few other things:

- I added a new set of things to my shop this morning, including the purple embroidered shoes above.

- Tomorrow I plan to post a little pattern/instructions for making these patchwork balls.

- I really enjoy the blog The Small Object , and this is a great post about where Sarah finds her fabrics.

gathered linen

This is a new design I've been working on- soft linen skirts for small girls (2-8 yrs). They are pretty simple, really: creamy, soft vintage fabric or crisp navy linen with an appliqued crochet patch. All the skirts have a double-gathered waistband and lots of room to grow. I'm hoping to add them to my shop update tomorrow.

I think I was quite influenced by the children's clothes in Noa Noa in the making of these skirts. And when I found the cream vintage linen in a second-hand shop, I knew what I wanted to do with it.

 

It turns out that children will model any clothing for you, as long as you supply them with food...

in the city

busker at Vigelund Park, Oslo.

Last night we arrived home from a weekend in Oslo where we made full use of the city's excellent public transport system, especially the trains. It's a wonderful place to soak up the big-city sights and sounds, yet it's really child-friendly, too. Lots of playgrounds and cafes and parks. We visited the International Children's Art Museum which was a colourful old house crammed full of pictures, art materials, handmade toys, dolls and kitsch items. A must-visit if you're in Oslo with little ones!

Just thought I'd share some pictures from the city...

crow's nests in a park

a monument to chocolate.

waiting for a train

part of an amazing scuplture at Vigeland Park by Gustav Vigeland

more Vigeland sculptures