A Little Girl Tea Party ♥

Last week our sweet little Arwen attended her very first ever away form home Tea Party!!
She had received her invitation the week before and had been counting down the days until I took her to the party.
Of course no one else from our family was invited cause it was just for little girls, so this made it even more special for her although she did have 'pre party anxiety' which is something I am discovering this precious little one has.

 I must say how impressed I was with this little afternoon for the girls as I have never had an outside the home experience either.
Arwen's little friends have big sisters too and they were part of the organising as well as my friend Shell.
When we arrived one of the older girls settled them down with a book and they read stories together for a while.
It was adorable to see, six little girls ages 7 down to nearly 5 so excited by their 'afternoon tea'.

The table was being prepared and Mabel had made each of the little girls a giant letter of their name.
The little girls had Cambric Tea (with out the tea I think and a spot of honey) while their Teddies who had accompanied them had a special tea cup with water in so they would feel welcome too.

The request to dress up in their  best clothes was attended to and Eden fixed up Arwen's hair in a braid which is very fancy, don't you agree?

Arwen's companion of choice was Felix who was named after this family favourite book: Letters from Felix, a book we have had for at least 16 years.

The little girls had such fun eating the special food drinking from their tea cups all the while in an atmosphere of beautiful  aroma from the many scented candles around the room while the festive bunting was so pretty too.

 The giant cookie was such a personal gift  for each girl and I think they really enjoyed that.

After the tea part eh little girls were given a craft to do.
A little embroidery for each girl that they could have as a special hanging for their doors.

 The girls could choose the colour they wanted to embroider with and the shape was pre-drawn on the reverse of the ada. Each girl was very patient while waiting and chose her colour carefully.
Mum's or bigger sisters were able to help.

 It was delightful to see how much the girls concentrated on  the project at hand and the project was just the right amount of time before little ones got bored with it.

My friend Shell helping Abby who is one of Arwen's special little friends and a hostess of the 'Tea Party Afternoon'. It is so special when Mum's and their children are good friends I think :)

Arwen's  other friend and co hostess Lilly was the oldest of the little girls and was a very adept hostess too.

Naturally after the other girls had gone home Mummy and Arwen stayed later to play and chat because everyone know that Mummies always take at least another hour .....or so...... to say goodbye.

I think that Arwen had a very lovely time at her first 'all girl tea party' and I certainly enjoyed the Mummy time.

Thank you to all the girls who prepared and shared the tea party with Arwen.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Four Nighties Finished.......at last!

They are done!!
The nighties that I had started way back when I started sewing these for Moran and Myffwyn.
I finished them about two weeks ago but have not had time to post them.
I also wanted to get a photo of the four girls together in them and they kept not wearing them at the same time.
So finally I remembered in the morning after they had been  sleeping in them, hence the slightly disheveled look.

Arwen's  are still a bit too long in the sleeves. I haven't mentioned here the fact that I actually put one of Arwen's arms on to Vellvin's nightie and did not know until I had completed it with a beautiful over locked edge too.
I had to undo it and do it again but by then I had already finished the other arm of Arwen's and could not adjust it, so I will be gathering the sleeve up soon. Until then she wears the sleeve rolled up and well there is growing room I guess.

Sweet gentle Vellvin loved hers and was so patient getting hers finished. It was her idea for a nightie for winter as she loves wearing them and her old one is a little small now.
She did want to have all younger girls to have them together but was content to wait for the other girls to have theirs first.

Myffwyn had hers finished quite a few weeks ago and has been wearing hers quite a lot with Moran

I just adore the red flannel look don't you?

So now our sewing project will be making some Spring and Summer clothing as we really do not have much as the weather in Tasmania does  not get that hot.
But I believer the weather in Wagga is already warming up compared to here so, yes, we will be hitting the sewing machines after we move quite quickly I think!

BTW I will be hosting  a giveaway next week as we leave Tassie so all you who love books and creativity be prepared to enter this first of a variety of giveaways I will be hosting.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Needle and Thread - Flannel Nightie

I have wanted to join in Needle n Thread for many weeks now but just wasn't organised.
so this is my first attempt at sharing my recent sewing.

As winter approaches (actually the first day greats us in the morning here) our younger girls were in need of some new winter nightwear. Quite a few years ago, in fact when Autumn and Eden were 5 and 3 I made them winter plaid nighties, my first attempt at them.

However as it grew colder Vellvin kept saying to me 'Lets make the nighties and winter skirts for the little girls." So I sorted through my patterns and finally decided on this Simplicity 9942 that I have had in anticipation of making new nighties. I did not do the large ruffle around the bottom as it requires so much more fabric.
We had some red flannel left over from last year and so we began to cut and stitch.

While I was sewing this on for Moran and another for Myffwyn, which I am nearly finished Vellvin was making some cord winter skirts for the three younger girls.
We actually did not have enough red flannel for Vellvin and Arwen as well and so we purchased some pink with a pattern on it for them. This will be my next task to make them!

As for reading I have been reading a lot of books on my Kindle. The latest is a going back in time  Daughter of Time  (first in a series) by Sarah Woodbury. This one is going back to Wales in the thirteenth century.

I also have been reading Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders.

This has been a real  eye opener and I recommend it for anyone who has had a child with one of these labels or even 'Developmental Delay.'

It talks about retraining the brain to overcome these issues and gives the exercises to do this at home. 

From my research it is very similar if not identical to the Arrowsmith School practices which I cannot find any 'at home programme' for.

Well I will be off to check out the other great sewing and reading links at Elizabeth's blog this week. Hope to see you there.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Patchwork Quilt

When Corbyn was  a baby I started a patchwork quilt for him so that when he was ready for a 'big boy' bed the quilt would be ready for him. Well I started well and then got fairly distracted, by what I don't even remember. Then of course we were expecting our little Arwen and then Trahaearn.
In between I did a little  in a couple of bursts but still had just under half the rows to sew together.

Over the Christmas/ Summer Holidays I finally found the quilt top again  (um, yes actually I had forgotten it as I had tidied up the sewing area). So I managed to finish the top part of the quilt.

As I have not got the backing or wadding I need I have decided to put it on our little guys bed anyway.

He was sooooo very excited to have a quilt like his bigger brothers now and did not seemed concerned about the fact it is still unfinished.

However I really want to get it in a completed state before the weather gets colder. Hmm, we will see how I go with that one!

I was a little ashamed of myself when Myffwyn asked why she and Moran had bought ones instead of home made quilts like all the other kids. Our older three girls have quilts I made as well.

My reasoning has been and still is I was waiting to see if Arwen was a little girl, which she is obviously, so I could buy the fabric together for the three younger girls quilts. The older girls have a  panel the same and differing shades and style for eh contrasting pieces. So I guess I will be looking for some more fabric before too long for my little girls as well.

There is nothing like children to keep you on your toes!

On my horizon I see another round of quilt making that I actually enjoy when I get started, it is the getting started and keeping on, without getting distracted by other projects that is the killer for me.
Oh did I mention I still am working on Trahaearn's hand print cross stitch and his name cross stitch, and I bet he would like a quilt in the near future too.

I don't think I will ever get bored...do you?

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

The Making of Autumn's Deb Dress

Well tonight is the night for our beautiful daughter Autumn to make her Debut and so i thought I would tell the story of her Deb dress.

Thankfully I was able to start this process early.

After looking on line for a dress pre-made or pre-loved we could not find anything we found appropriate so I headed down the path of making this dress.

Now I have always tried to do what I could to create and sew for our family BUT I am the first to admit that sewing clothes is not my forte or my love. I find it stressful as I nearly always have too much to achieve in a short period of time and almost always technical difficulties.

So I was please I went with Autumn shopping for her fabric and pattern (in this post) in plenty of time.
Our dear friend Bernadette came over to help in any way she could with the laying out of the fabric and holding our precious Trahaearn.

Together we laid out the fabric and cut some together. Then I pretty much did the rest with much moral support and advice from this sewing fairy Godmother.

I worked in small pieces of time during the day with much help from the children in attending other tasks and doing lots of sewing while burning the midnight oil.

Although the sewing was not difficult I am not a great sewer and reading a pattern is almost like reading alien writing. I have to take my time to visualise the steps and then implement them.
I was however so pleased with my progress and even put a zipper in for the first time EVER.

The lace work on the bodice was a little tricky and I was so worried about making a mistake and wasting the fabric. I had to cut the lower scallops out  to use along the bodice neck line.

This was such a tricky and nerve racking part for me and I was so thankful that it went smoothly even though I could not work out how it was going to attach following the instructions

When I was finished it looked so small and flimsy and I couldn't visualise this being the finish of the bodice.

It was really hard to photograph but it was pinned , basted and then sewn onto the already laced bodice along the neckline. A very difficult part to see and sew clearly.

This was the  part of the house I lived in for so many days with children and husband coming up to the loft to find, talk and be with me.

Sewing on the buttons to the front of the dress I think there were 23 buttons to be sewn on and through this 'buttoning' on the front of the bodice, which incidentally is ornamental only as the dress is opened by  a very long zipper down the back.

The bottom of the dress is sewn up with something called 'horse hair braid' you have no idea how hard this was to get. I  looked every where for it and finally was able to order it on line and have sent to me from Sydney after lots of phone calls and Autumn's Grandmother making the successful call to find the supplier.

After basting the braid on I then had to turn up the hem and hand sew the hem to complete the bottom of the dress. This took 5 hours of hand sewing and I had both Kynan and Autumn (for some of it) stay up with me till 3.30am in the morning keeping me company as we watched the Darling buds of May together. Well really I listened and sewed while they watched!

Finally a finished Deb dress and a very happy girl.
This is it without the sash, which incidentally covers about half of those buttons!!!

Finished dress complete with sash.
Now all we had to do was get some shoes.......another interesting day.

As tonight is the night for the long looked for event....THE Debutante Ball I am sure I will sharing some photos very soon of not only Autumn but the other Debs and their partners as well.

Wish us all luck and prayers for these special young people as they embark on a new adventure please.

Blessings to you and your homes,

Sewing for Little Girls

Some time ago I bought the book Carefree Clothes for Girls: 20 Patterns for Outdoor Frocks, Playdate Dresses, and More 
At the time I loved the look of some of the clothes but other priorities seemed to get in the way of actually making anything. So with Autumn's Deb Ball coming up and having finally finished her dress I thought I would make the three younger girls a dress to wear for this special night.

I was going to make a summer print dress using the pattern from the book and complete with some very sweet little cotton pantaloons but not knowing the weather and the finding of some gorgeous tights (thanks Bernadette) I thought Panne Velvet would be perfect for the dresses.

The dresses were ver easy to make and the three colours  suit the three girls so well. The fall of the simple dress is very elegant and  I really like working with panne velvet as it does not need overlocking for fraying edges.
All in all I made these dresses in an afternoon (well when you space the time I actually spent sewing over a couple of days).

I really am looking forward to doing much more simple sewing this spring and summer using this book and some others I bought at the same time.

 Blessings to you and your homes,

Autumn's Debutante Ball Dress

As Autumn is attending her Debutante Ball in October I needed to get started on her dress for this event.
Last weekend Autumn, Trahaearn and I went to Spotlight looking for a pattern and fabric for the dress.

After much searching through pattern books, it is extremely hard to find a beautiful  and modest pattern we finally  found this pattern.
Autumn will have the short sleeve dress and the fabric is shantung, with a satin lining with lace over the bodice.

I can see I will need to take it slowly and carefully. This is all new ground for me so patience with myself and our family while attempting this is a must.

so if you can spare a few prayers they would be much appreciated.

Oh yes, and what we didn't know about the pattern we selected until a friend on Facebook commented on the picture I showed there was that it is very like Princess Grace's Wedding gown. Of course when Autumn heard that she was thrilled as she loves Princess Grace.

Blessings to you and your homes,

Ye Olde Treadle Sewing Machine

Our Treadle in the upstairs hallway

Some years ago I had a desire for a treadle sewing machine. I thought it would be a great for the girls to learn on and it was such an old fashioned thing that spoke to my heart.

Well for years it sat as an ornament piece in our home and I have loved it but just didn't think about using it again really. Well I also had lost the belt years ago when the children  just 'treadled' on it for fun, constantly, which really is an essential requirement for sewing with a treadle.

Into our lives came dear Bernadette who has a passion for treadle sewing machines. She offered to help get our machine back in working order when our lives were able to fit it in.
A couple of weekends ago she came and helped restore the machine to almost working order and we had a lovely visit as well.

Corbyn dusting out the inside of the machine

She even helped our little ones to help dust and clean inside it and prepare it for use. Our younger children have loved using Bernadette's hand cranking machines she as brought a few times for sewing in our home.

There were a few minor technical difficulties that required a bit of fiddling with. Stephen and his trusty Leatherman were able to almost fix it. Apart from Stephen putting  the bobbin case in incorrectly, after breaking it to begin with. When I pointed out his mistake he denied the possibility of this categorically but the evidence was in the very clunking treadling sound.
Luckily Bernadette had a spare one to give to me, although I am still waiting for it to be installed, dear one.

Moran loved having a turn working the treadle and was able to give it a really good go with excellent rhythm

Here is the machine all prettied up and ready almost ready, (hint, hint) for us to put to good use.

Just a close up for anyone who loves a look at old things.

I have changed where I keep it and it is now in the family room where I  can use it, as well as where the children will be able to have supervised use of it, in amongst the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Just where I love to be involved in crafts and projects.

Blessings,