Mermaids Again!

May I re-introduce you to..

Felicia

Gloria

Lucinda

and now

Honoria

Honoria is one of the bigger mermaids.

She loves chocolate and cakes and lollies.

Honoria likes to dance and sing. She sings in a very loud voice!

Her gown is all silver and sparkles and she wears a necklace of pearls that she has scavenged from the ocean floor.

(she has a rather bouncy bottom)

mermaid in waiting

I wonder who we will meet next?

xxx N&L

New Japama's

My lovely friend Justine purchased and fabric swopped the latest oliver+s patterns with me.
The SleepOver pajamas was one pattern we didn't originally order. We both intended too but at a later date.
Then we spotted these and had to have the pattern immediately!

I do measure my tribe but find with most patterns a sizing trial is useful to gauge the fit. The finished garment will fit someone-sometime.

Zara and Elsa have a camp next week and some new pajamas were in order. My favourite BedTime Story pattern are getting a bit tight on the old botty region so I went with the size 12 in the SleepOver's.

I made them in knit with a woven trim which made them quicker as there was no need to ease the sleeves-they stretched to fit and I overlocked all the seam staggering them at the hems.

The size 12 fit my 14 year old Hugo.
He doesn't generally wear pajamas but he reckons they will be great for after a shower.

I used a City Weekend fabric for the trim and some lovely white river stone buttons.

Hugo is average height small build but very muscle-y so a woven would not have fit him.

Hugo is an also an incredibly good sport!

Doncha love his shoes?

Bear with a side of cat hair.

PS I have cut out the 10 for the Twins and they have chosen the fabric........

x N

More Mermaids#3

I'm still sewing after all this time...do de do de de de de....
Sorry,all the polyester is getting to my brain!


So far,for any late comers or first timers,we (Lidia and me)have volunteered to sew mermaid costumes.

This

Became Felicia

And Gloria,

Now meet Lucinda....

Lucinda is a little shy and can be nervous of meeting new people however she is also quite cheeky when she warms up!
She loves to swim up to the top of the ocean even though she is not meant to!

She can be naughty and sign documents that she is not meant to!(???????-I have no idea where that one came from)!

Her gown is shades of blue and gold but her favourite colour is green!

This is Lidia's own costume.


We are still having fun although I am a bit behind on the wigs and the Twins are waiting on some pearl beads.
(and there is still glitter every where)!


Next we meet Honoria....


x N&L

More Mermaids

My house is strewn with sequins.
Jed says its like living with a drag queen.
But Lidia is in heaven!


The story so far.....

This became.....

This Felicia.
Now let me introduce you to Gloria.

Gloria is very noisy.
She likes to sing very loudly. Felicia sits as far away from Gloria as she is able to.
Gloria is very cheeky and mischievous and say ''Why''? a lot!

Gloria likes to laugh and giggle but sometimes she does it when she shouldn't!

Gloria loves pink!


NB(Lidia was most insistent to point out that this is Felicia's hair not Gloria's,Gloria is still having some work done)


So now you know!
x N & L
PS(Next we meet Lucinda)!

Under The Sea

I love Presentation Night!
It is a great chance to catch up with other parents and see the displays of school work.


My favourite part of the evening are the little performances that the children stage. Most are only four or five minutes long but such fun!


I LOVE making costumes especially when the teacher gives me full autonomy which is the case this year with Lidia.


The children are dancing a medley of songs Summer Holiday and Hot,Hot,Hot together and then the boys will bop to Surfing USA while the girls shimmy to Under the Sea.


My part is to make ten mermaid costumes(or wermaids as they are known in our home,the same as hoatcangers)!


A local mother was good enough to lend me a purchased costume for a few ideas and this is what the girls and I came up with.

This is just a calico toile for fitting.

It is a very simple design held together with elastic and zigzag
stitch but as it will be worn for under five minutes it will be fine.

I will not need to purchase any fabric as I have plenty of bits and pieces left from tragic 90's bridesmaid dresses and B&S Balls.


I have some some fabulous sequins on Ebay and was lucky enough to buy a bulk lot of green/pink thread sequins for next to nicks!


Lidia is naming each creation and giving them a character profile which is lots of fun!


Introducing Felicia...

Felicia is very quiet and shy and very,very small. She only speaks to the fishes and they translate for her.
Felicia is very sensitive and all the over mermaids take great care not startle her or she becomes very distressed.
Her gown is swirl of cream,apricot and gold and she wears soft curls in her hair.

''Felicia'' has been made for a tiny girl in Lidia's class. She is so small even whispy Liddy cannot fit in her costume.
The child in question has special needs and Lidia is extremely attached to her and worries if she is absent.


I must admit I am waiting with interest to ''meet'' the other wermaids as their costumes are finished.....


The Twins are making necklaces of coloured pearls and Hugo is drilling holes in shells to thread on them as well.


Liddy is very much enjoying being the centre of attention and it is about jolly time that she is!
x N


Next we meet Gloria......

Spoiler!

I am such a child  I have to share
Shhhh,keep a secret!


Lining the Starling dress
Method 2

Attach the yoke lining to the dress lining rather then the dress itself.
Follow the pattern exactly as you would for the dress.

As before,trim 1/2 inch from the sleeve hem.

Insert the zipper and sew the side seams.
(I blogged the construction of this dress here)

Place the dresses right sides together and pin at the neckline.

When pinning,unfold the yoke lining and move the dress yoke in from the fold 1/8 inch.
The oliver+s School Photo dress explains this step beautifully.

After stitching the neck seam wrap the yoke lining around the dress yoke and pin in place.

Sew and trim the seam clipping the curves carefully.

It should look like this!

Pull the dress lining through and carefully press the seam allowances to the yoke lining.

C A R E F U L L Y sew the seam allowance to the yoke lining. This will stop the neckline rolling and give a clean finish.

Pin the lining to the dress and hand sew in place.
Sew a long stitch at the hem side seams and centre back to hold the lining in place.

Hugo's Tip-Cut the flounce pattern piece from an ice cream container lid. It makes tracing so much easier!


So Listeners.....would you like to see it?
Can you keep a secret?
Oh good,because I really want to show you!

Much cleaner than method one.

But still very sturdy. This is machine washable super wool!

I am so pleased.

I love the simple lines.

Australian Merino wool trimmed with Liberty in an Australian wild flowers print(if you know the name,please let me know).


From country SA to city LA.


Fingers crossed she likes it!


x N

Honesty,its such a dirty word

I have had a poorly baby with a sore throat so I have spent a lot of time on my laptop reading and feeding.

What have I been reading? Blog posts on the evils of Give Aways!

This has made me a bit sad as I will be soon offering my very first giveaway and I am so excited!

I frequently link to pretty things I have found-I don't get paid-I do it to ''show and tell''!

When I was offered a item to giveaway on my blog I was so taken aback and thrilled I was actually moved to tears! I felt so proud! And I was delighted to accept!


I am daily honoured that anyone bothers to read my little stories and if my tutorials are any help to anyone it is an absolute pleasure.

However,I would not ever ever recommend something I didn't like.
I am old school,if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all!


So please dear listeners,don't judge me for my ''giveaway'' I have not ''sold out'' I just want you to have a chance to have something lovely too.

x N