The Beginning....

So I've thought about blogging about current affairs- too ranty, and I don't get enough time to watch the news let alone have an opinion on it. I thought about blogging about being a dentist- too boring and potentially litigious! I thought about blogging about being a working mum- and I can probably incorporate that into this blog anyway.

However last week I joined the ranks of mums out there who have embraced craft and sewing with wide open arms. I already love baking- so this is the final feather in my cap of domestic goddess. I've been inspired by my grandmothers who taught me the basics, the lovely people down at The Little Big Markets, Megan at mousehouse, and my friend Delphine at the RubyLou Shop.

Who would have thought? The hard partying career girl of my 20s has all but disappeared only to be replaced by the sort of woman I thought I would never be- someone who makes their childrens clothes and enjoys baking scone and decorating cupcakes. And gets excited about trips to fabric stores and craft markets.
yes, yes, I'm making myself sick...
Shopping and clothes have always been two passions (addictions?) of mine, and I was rapidly beginning to transfer that addiction to my not quite two year old daughter. A double addiction in the household could start to get expensive. I already work to feed one. My husband was very supportive, and enquired why I would want to bother learning something that most chinese children can do before they start school? Hmm. He'll keep he still doesn't know about half the stuff I have on laybuy at Sisters...

I'd had my eye on these skirts for Ruby for a while, and I kept thinking surely I could make one, I did sewing at school, I can sew a hem. $55 is alot to spend on one skirt for a little girl.

So, I borrowed a sewing machine and found a few easy little internet tutorials and have been a demon on it ever since. I made this pincushion from the mousehouse pincushion tutorial.

The first clothing project was the aforementioned HC-style skirt. I found this tutorial and modified it to fit a 2 year old. After a very enjoyable trip to spotlight to find fabric, I measured Rubys waist, and cut three strips of material 10cm wide. The first strip is the waist measurement + 15cm, the second is the first length x1.3, and the third is the second measurement x 1.3 again. Follow the instructions above, and you have a cute little skirt just in time for summer! I also added striped grosgrain ribbon as an extra trim.
So here is the first skirt, in green

and I loved it so much  I made another one in pink, and this time I lined it. 

and used the scraps to make little doilies to sew onto a plain white Tshirt ($4 from K-mart) for a complete outfit. You can find the doily tutorial here. I love these skirts so much and the colour combinations are endless!    Yay me.  Now I just have to figure out how to drive this blogger thing..