Matching Outfits

I think this is the 1st time I've done it and it was purely by accident.   I dropped the little one off at daycare in pink trousers and a new flowerly tunic that I had brought for her.   Then went home and finished the flowery tunic I was making for myself from an old sheet from Vinnies.  Inspired of course by the lovely Bec from Naughty Shorts and her gorgeous dresses.  I have 3 but despite my dress love I often find myslf in jeans and a top.   So I thought I would make myself a pretty summer top (good for breastfeeding under too I hope). 

I finished the top and put it on with some leggings.  Then when I went to get Skye she had been changed into her leggings too and voila we were matching mummy and daughter.   Nice!

The pattern is from Burda, just made the longer version and and you can see it works great as maternity top.

Pattern Madness

It amazes me that I can actually manage to decipher the patterns for the Burda pattern sheet. The 1st time I did it I was a bit confused but actually its all quite easy once you've worked it out just a bit time consuming. Last week I had a mega pattern tracing session, some dresses, a top and the cape on the front of one of the magazines that you can see. I've got a blanket from the op shop which have images of as lovely cape. Not sure if this is it, it definitely needs to be longer to suit me. We'll see, maybe a project for autumn. Magazines now back at the library for the next lucky reader.


In the meantime I've been knitting in the evenings and have done a whole from side of my very 1st jumper. Yey. I got the yummy yarn, Misti Alpaca Tonos Worsted, at a new shop in Denmark, 'A Good Yarn'. I nearly didn't buy it as it seemed such an extravagance to spend so much and I wasn't sure if I would ever finish it BUT the 2 colours she had were just what I would have chosen if I had a choice of every colour and well, if I didn't get it then of course I would never knit a jumper......

Only a week and a bit later and one whole side done. 5mm needles help but still I have impressed myself. Maybe I'll manage the back too before the baby arrives!

Happy creating Love Maud x

His Birthday

Its on Tuesday. I've made him a couple of things. A wooly hat just in time for summer and recovered an ottoman for him to put his feet up on in the evening, well he is a whole year older! Apparently we have over 26 things to sit on in our house so really we don't need another and he will likely see through the present and realise that I just wanted to recover the nasty vinyl ottoman I found for $5 in the op shop. And he doesn't know I started a blog so safe there too.


The jumper is one of my Ma's beautiful creations for Skye. Loving the red buttons. I've put in an order for a big one but not sure I will have any luck there.

Spring Flowers

Its the 1st official day of spring and its really starting to feel likeit here too; the sun is out and there are flowers poking up everywhere. And of course I'm about to give birth!!! Due a week today but we'll see, the 1st Munchkin only made her appearance 13 days after her due date.

In the meantime I've been knocking out a couple of spring flower tops with the fabric I got at Spotlight about a month ago. Loads of lovely florals, I had a hard time trying to decide what to get.

I had the tie neck pattern in mind when I got the fabric. Its really light and the small flowers don't stand out too much. The other cotton I just loved, its a bit stiffer. I decided on the boxy pattern to offset the overall ull on florallyness of it. I like the pocket and elastic and hope that it will look sort of flowery sporty (if there is such a thing) with a pair of jeans and sandals.



Both the patterns are from Burda Style magazine which I keep getting out of the library. The 1st one I managed to buy as its an old mag for only 20c, woo hooo. The second is from 02/2011 and you can download the pattern from the website here too.

Looking foward to trying them all on without my big belly, hoping they fit ok!! Maud x

70s Styleee

60s and 70s is probably my favourite vintage era. All those bright colours, groovy A line shapes and bell bottoms (i had a pair I wore pretty cvonstantly for 5 years from 18-23 until they fell apart). I found this fab sewing book in the op shop but have to say I brought it more for the pictures than the sewing tips.



Looking at the pics I realise I am into a more 'modernised' 70s look, or maybe its a cross with a bit more floaty 60s but I think the metallic patio pants and sleeveless coat are a bit beyond me, and probably Albany!


My man seemed particularly concerned that, given my current sewing obsession, that he might come home one day to find the house covered in top to toe groovy fabric. I said I'd stop short of the plush toilet cover, although he seemed actually not to have any objection to this one maybe it was more a fear of pink paisley!

Happy Days. Lucy x

Caravans and Saucepans

We had bautiful weather over the weekend and whisked our van off down the road to camp by the sea, explore around this new place we live in and have an early birthday party for me. Yey. More green stuff!



Our van is a groovy retro 80s number. I made some new curtains for the inside as the ones there were a bit 80s country kitchen for my liking. New ones are screen prints of WA native plants, some banksias at the back and wattles at the front (the pic has one of my coffee sack cushions in too).

Now we found we only had one saucepan in the van which was little inconvenient so as a treat on my actual Bday I pootled off to the tip shop and what did I come across but these gems. How well do they co-ordinate with the green/brown on the outside of the van? Only $1 for the 2. Sometimes you just couldn't find anything better if you tried.


I love our caravan, its easy to escape your everyday. Just hitch up and off you go to somewhere new. Chuck in a bit of food, a few books and a bag of knitting and you are away. The scrabble, boules and bedding are all in and everyone gets to enjoy the fresh air, lie around in the sunshine or drink steaming cups of tea listing to the rain the lash on roof. Best buy 2011.

Just off to take some photos of the sewing book I also picked up on my Birthday op shop. Speak soon. Maud x

Green Things

It seems like the things I have been making recently are green. I'd normally say I was more of a blue girl, although generally I've got more colourful. I finished my knitted neckwarmer yesterday. Yey. It was actually super easy once I got the hang of the stitch and doing a few rows in front of the TV every so often made it pretty painless. The big buttons were at the bottom of my knitting bag. I must have picked them out when I started on it. Here's the link to the pattern, its free on Ravelry.



Pretty pleased with it. Not sure what I will wear it with, I need my black jacket which I think is in my parent's attic in England.


I also managed to take a few photos of my floaty flowery dress, its not meant as a maternity one and by the time it hot enough to really wear it rather, than just pose in the garden I won't be pregnant anymore. I got the material a while ago when we moved here and I discovered I now lived near Spotlight. It was on clearance and for some reason I got 4m not knowing what I would make.


It turned out to be perfect for this dress which I found in Burda magazine in the library. There's a link to the pattern here too. I love the pin tucks and shape of the yoke. Its cool I've actually started to make things that I really want to wear. Maybe its having more freedom than in Home Ec class at school, or probably a better sense of what I like and looks good on me. Not generally a 13 year old's strong point!


I also spotted this lovely green creature in my garden just now. He sat perfectly still posing for my photos. Beautiful.



And my lemons, I've been carting my lemon tree around with us in a pot for 2 years now and am very exciting it is finally sprouting its very own lemons. It feels very exotic to me. The are still in their green phase at the moment. Not sure how long they take to ripen and grow. I have a feeling it may be up to a year.

Anyway, those are my 1st makings to share with you. Have a great weekend. x