Introducing Rita

My marvelous Nanna gifted me her mothers little elna sewing machine. It makes me very happy to know I am connected to my great grandmother through sewing. I hope she is watching over my shoulder proudly.

This little machine is amazing! It fits my needs perfectly - small, easily packed away so little fingers don't get at it but still able to be left out, it's own little tool box AND people, it fits my different feet from the janome!!! I needed a name for the elna that justifies her small but feitsy nature.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce ....
Rita


I had a spurt of inspiration while putting a milk bottle in the recycling bin today for some bling for Rita. Within three minutes Rita and I had matching pincushion bands using a bottle top, scrap, ball of wadding, ribbon, a couple of snaps, old tape measure and tarzan grip.

This was so quick, so easy and so giftable!

I only had one bottletop so I thought I'd make it intersnappable.

Holey Shirt Batman, it's a nightie

I bent my rule of never buying old people pyjamas from the oppy and got these. If they did belong to old George then the poor fella must have keeled over at the thought of wearing poofy pink pj's because they are brand new. For all of $4 Mia has a new girly nightie and matching headband. Can you guess which parts are what?

A pillowcase, a fat quarter and a mystery pattern...

Hmmmmmm, the title on this pattern sounded promising "Pinafore or Sundress". Inside was a set of immaculately traced pattern and curly hand written instructions. Then I found a sweet lilac and plum floral pillowcase and some self cover button cards. Marry them all together and this is the union that followed.

I fiddled around with the pattern a bit but it still holds the overall design.
Mia is such a skinny minny that it really suits her. I would like to do another one and add a few more ruffles and flounce.

I've gone all pear shaped

Today as I was clambering up my front steps looking and feeling like a packhorse with nappy bag, food bag and probably even a small country over one shoulder, child on hip and two others zooming between my legs I spotted.....my HEATHER BAILEY PACKAGE!!! I almost threw all that I had over the balcony but remembered how much I had to go through to get the one on my hip into this world. My fabric euphoria could wait at least until I could throw him in the door (to all gasping in disgust, it's called sarcasm and something you accumulate with each child)

So this afternoon I just had to make up a pear pincushion with the beautiful Heather Bailey pattern and fabrics.
It is stuffed with wood shaving to keep my pins sharp. Next time I think I might fuse it with a padded interfacing so it will hide all the lumps and bumps of the wood shavings.

Are these not the absolute cutest things! Now they finally have a home. Pin cushion bling by Gigi of Pinks and Needles.
Handy little needle holder within the leaf. The pincushion was so quick and easy to make! The most time consuming bit was stuffing it. I did it all while I had Mac on my lap, actually I don't think I put him down since I came in the door lol. You know how you just kind of forget that they are on your hip, or is that just me?!?