Siblings whit new, shiny wests!

Well hello everyone, and merry christmas! Although christmas is almost over, theres still a little bit left.
A few weeks ago I won this great book in a blog contest. It was on the top of my wish-list. So emagine my happiness when I actually won it! I was very happy to say the least:)
So the last couple of days I have been finding some me-time in front of the sewing machine, in my NEW sewing room! (jepp, we moved, and I got a whole sewing ROOM!).

These patterns are great for sewing whit scraps. I got to use many different fabrics and patterns on these two vests.

This girly-girl vest is fit for a real diva! The front has purple merino wool, deep pockets and all sorts of pink and purple. Whit stars, and everything! And a big elf-hood, allso lined whit the starry fabric. My 6 year old loved it!

As you can see, great for using scraps! I have a total of four different fabrics here + the ribbing.

This vest futures a pirate-team, because, well..... my little guy is a straight up pirate! "Eeeyy!..."

I am hoping they will have a lot of use in these. I love them!

What is you`re Christmas traditions?

Not sure if everone was aware of this, but in Norway, and the rest of scandinavia to be accurate, we dont open our presents or have Christmas dinner at the 25th of desember. We do it ALL on Christmas eve, 24th of desember. And this year is no different!
After I had my kids, who are now 3 and 6 years old, I realized what Christmas is all about! Offcourse, we all have our opinions about this, and what Christmas really is. But for my familiy it is about having the time to
s l o w down (that is way harder then it sounds!), and to inhale all the smells and sounds that is Christmas.
That may be the sound of little feet sneeking in the hallway at the break of dawn (yeees... my kids wake up early!), not realising them quickly enough for you to open your eyes and catch the little rascals before they jump you. Haha... Thats when it all starts: "Can we open our presents now? Can we? Can we?? Pretty pleaaaaaaase?!" When I grew up, my siblings and I always got to open one present each on the morning of the 24th. And I have continued this on to my children, because it is an eternity when you are 3 or 6 years old and you have to wait until after dinner to open youre presents, lying under the three and shouting out for you to be opened. Oh! I remember the feeling so well! The tingling sensation in my whole entire body, making it inpossible for me to wait patiently or even to sit still! My mom and grandmothers always said: "You`ll have to wait `til after we`ve done the dishes!" The dishes??! Who in the WORLD would want to do that to their own promising little ones? *Ahem..couch... I did...*

Every other year we swap between my parents house and my mother-in-laws house. This year it is my mother-in-laws turn. We will get dressed, after having been attacked in bed, and go over to her house, where the smell of brunch and fireplace hits us as we walk in the door. She will always have some christmas-music on in the background. Usually Sølvguttene (The Silver Boys). Then we will sit down and enjoy a wonderfull meal.

I must admit, even though I am a grown up now, I still look forward to christmas like I did when I was a child. But I have this little extra where I can enjoy the looks on my kids when they get their expectation fullfilled. That feeling cant be bought!

Then, around five o`clock, we sit down for dinner to have a traditional, norwegian christmas meal; lam ribbs, pork ribbs, potatoes, greens, rutabaga, sauerkraut and red cabbage. The star of this meal is the lam ribbs. We wait for this all year! *water in my mouth*. Every year I get so suprised over how fast the dinner is over. I want it to last forever! But, the presents are calling, and we clean out dinner and prepear for desert.
Right about now, the kids are climing the walls! So we`d better make it quick! Haha...
The oldest child will find a place at the tree and read out the names on the presents, and sort them out to the lucky reciever. Then we watch patiently as every gift is opened. This might take a while...
Then, the unwrapping is over, and as the kids play whit theire new toys, us adults sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. Before you know it, its over. But then we have a few, or even several days of work, school and kindergarden. The Christmas holidays we spend whit family and friends, eat way to much food and cake! And if we are really lucky, we`ll have snow to play outside in! But so fare, its not looking good....


So, what is you`re christmas traditions like? I would love to hear about it!

Here are some Christmas themed pictures I found on Google, just because they are so nice to look at:)

Have a Merry Christmas! 

Pirates for a Princess

I love it when I get out-of-the-box-requests!
Theres just so much girly-girl sewing a women can take! (or is there?... let me thing about that for while).
Thats why it is so great to make something different in between every once in a while.

I just recently got a customer request (yes, I do take orders!) of a pair of pirat pants for girl aged about 3-4.
This fabric is from Lillestoff. It is as always, great quality!

The pattern for these pants are just a simple pattern that I have, after having tried out many different, just found very comfortable and easy to work whit. And just for the fun of it, I added a snazzy head band to go whit the pants!
This should be an appropriate outfit for a girly-pirat, eyh?

How`s you`re charity knitting / Strikk for veldedighet

Today I want to let you in on two things;

 #1  is my sister. She is the most unselfish human being I have ever had the pleasure of knowig. For as long as I can remember, she has always been thinking of others wellbeing before her own. And she`s used this for those who are less fortunate. May it be human or animals.
Oh, the things she has brought home!  (animals, I mean!)
Today, she is the co-leader of a volunteer organisation that helps rescue or find lost animals.
If someone calls in a missing animal, or an observation of a lost animal, she will gather a group and go looking for them. And the volunteers are many! This organisation is her "baby", and she puts a great deal of pride in it. And people respect her for it! Me included.
Now, when it comes to less unfortunate people, she is allso very active. Amongst many things she is an active member of the Red Cross. Beeing that Norway is a country of wild nature and raw winters, we have a lot of weather. And things happen in hard weather or tough nature. Again, there she is, my sister, to rescue you down from the mountain, or out of the dense forest whit a broken leg. It actually happens! A lot more often that you`ll think!

#2    A new idea was born. The facbook group "Varm et hjerte", or "Warm a heart", is a group where volunteer knitters can knit a warm scarf or hat, or both! and donate it to the homeless and drug addicts in the capital city of Norway, Oslo. I was recently there, and the things I saw....  The contrasts are huge from this big city to my hometown. The winter is upon us, and a great deal of people are out cold on the streets every day, trying to survive.
The goal whit this group is to gather enough charity knitted items. All items must be sent to her. And when she goes back to Oslo in january, she can deliver off a big, warming lot of knitted hats and scarfs to a chosen central (a controlled central).

Now, what do you think of this idea?? Great, huh? Everyone  can join in, but this might be most relevant for those who live in Norway.
So whit this, I encourage you to knit, knit, knit and give it to those less fortunate!

Picture is taken from Google

What`s all the fuzz about?!

Why, it`s the Bimaa sweater offcourse! This pattern has been going around like the flu!
It is the masterpiece of Sarah from EmmylouBeeDoo, and I feel like EVERYONE is talking about it.
Sarah is just wrapping up a Bimaa sweater tour. Hop on over to her blog and check out all the participants.

I finally got around to making a sample of my own, because I was very corious about what all the fuzz whas about. And let me tell you! This pattern is genious! And easy! And quick! And the kids LOVE it! It looks supercomfy. Infact, I wish it came in my size.....

Shes a monkey, this one...

She loves the big, soft cowl.

Not so shure about the very buzy flower-patterned pants matching up whit

the very buzy patterned sweater......

This is definately a pattern I will make over and over again! Lov it! You should give it a go, and join the
Bimaa sweater-fever!

Little boy`s pants

I have mentioned it before; I love making baby clothes!
And even though I dont have babies anymore, (mine are 6 and 3 now! Yikes!),
I sometimes make the cutest little outfits. They are great to have around whenever someone announces a birth, or a birthday.
This time I made baby boy pants. The fabrics are leftovers from a sweater I made for my son.
It has the cutest little pockets whit a rhino and a turtle. And the waist has a high ribbing for great support for the little guy.
This is the kind of pants I used to, and still make, for my son, because they are great for crawling and climbing (when older) and allso confortable.
This one will be waiting in my drawer until someone claimes it. Ooooor... I get to use it my self :D

My own designed Pussy Bow Blouse. And a tutorial!

(Furthest down the post you`ll find pictures of my blouse.)

What is you`re first thought when you think of a pussy bow?

After giving it a litte thought, this is what popped up in my head:

But obviously, thats not what we want in a pussy bow blouse...

I decided pretty acutely that I wanted, no, infact needed a pussy bow blouse. 

I had seen them around for quite som time, but whit just like my new Laurel Dress, it did`nt feel right to me.

But our minds works in mysterious ways, `cause suddenly I was convinced!

So I startet to trace pictures on Pinterest, and the options are allmost countless. I knew I had to find some great inspirational pictures, because I did`nt have any patterns available. 

These pictures from Salme Patterns here and Tilly And The Buttons here are the pictures closest to what I wanted. 

Since I`ve recently made Colette Patterns Laurel Dress, and I was familiar to the arm-pattern there, I used The Laurel patterns as a start for the bodice and arms.

My inspirational board.

Now, in my search for "How to make a pussy bow blouse-tutorial", the results were poor. I mostly used the pictures I have over my sewing machine. It was very forward really, but at the same time I felt like I needed a little assistens. But mostly I was on my own. I sort of figured it out my self, but for the interest of others in the search of a "How to make a pussy bow blouse-tutorial", I decided to take pictures of the process as I went.

A good start is to find a pattern that you know works as a bodice and arms. The only differens really, is that instead of a collor, you make a long tie to attatch to the neck.

I desided to open the bodice right at the front. If you take a look at Salmes Pussy bow blouse, you se what I mean. Allso I took the idea from Tilly, to ruche the bodice in the front. Like she did here.

Now, to my tutorial (a simple one...):

First I cut two pieces for the "tie". I started measuring from the middle of the neck. Measure all the way to the front. Make shure that you measure close along the neck opening. Then you add the length of the tie (as long as you want it. All in all, mine was about 70 cm long (make two) and about 8 cm wide. Remember to make it long enouch to make a bow, if that is what you want! Mine was just to short...)

Then stitch the two pieces together at their ends, so that you have 2 x 70 cm = 140 cm tie. Match the center of the tie to the center of the neckline, and pin it down. The (terrible lined) red in the picture is were I tried to show you where I pinned mine down. Pin the tie right side facing the right side of the blouse.

Then you stitch it down whit you`re machine.

(But dont stitch all the way to the end of the tie, only around the neclkline!)

When you are done whit the stitching, fold the tie over (double it), and tuck it under once more so that the raw edge is hidden. Pin it down neatly. 

Thats right!

Now, turn you`re work and place it under you`re needle. It is time for some "stitchin` in the ditch". But this time, start out at one end of the tie, while you tuck the raw edges inside, (see picture below)  hiding them. Stitch at the outer edge of the tie, following all the way up to where the neckline starts. Here starts the "stitchin`in the ditch". Make shure you sew down the fold on the backside of the blouse as well. 

Follow the neckline all the way around, and to the other end of the tie.

When you`re finnished, press everything whit you`r iron. 

Thats is! 

And now for my end results:

I must admit, I had a little problem whit the neckline there. It sort of falls back.

Have to adjust that the next time...

See the ruches at the bodice?

The split opening at the neckline.

I really like how it turned out! I must say, this thing whit making my own patterns is fun!

The green crèpe-Laurel Dress

Colettes Laurel Dress has been around for a while now, and I must admit, my liking for this pattern was`nt exactly instantly there. It took me quite a while to appreciate it, since I was surtain it would give a sort of a stomach-highlighting silhouette. But then I kept seeing more and more of these Laurels on Pinterest, especially Julia`s and Lexi`s, and Sue`s versions! They are just adorable!
Maybe theres something about the Laurel Dress afterall that`s worth it? I mean, If mine could only look like theirs! So, off I went to the cutting table, right after I bought the PDF pattern at Collettes.

I had about 4 yards with a green, thin, crepe fabric that I bough a couple of months ago. It was originally ment for a dress for my mother at my sisters wedding, but plans changed. And the fabric has just been laying there.

Just let me tell you; cutting thin crèpe is NOT an easy thing! It moves ALL over!
But the dress was very easy to put together! No worries there!
I had read that some people had difficulties whit the fitting of the Laurel, and having to move darts and stuff.
I did`nt have to go there, because it fitted just super:)

I interfaced the neckline whit a matching biastape, and handstitched it in place on the inside.
I have found this to be a very relaxing and allmost meditating part of the process. I get in to my own little bubble when I am consentrating on getting the stitches right, making shure they dont show on the outside.
Is this just me?? 

Lets see some pictures!

Oh yea.... I made pockets.... This must have been the hardest and most time consuming part of the whole pattern! I guess the crepe fabric made it extra difficult. 

I should hold on, in case I should fall... or something...

By the way, the scarf is allso me-made. (finally! I got that on record...)

I used a couple of vintage buttons from my grandmothers BIG buttonstash, wich I inheritated. 

I think the button and lace makes an interesting detail on a pretty forward dress like the Laurel.

Well, this definitely calls for many more Laurels!  The options are endless! Just take a look at all the verions on Pinterest for example!

Have you heard?!

This HAS to be THE best deal of the year!
This is all new to me, but I am just as excited as the rest of you!

Read all about it here! 

 For one week only, twenty-six pattern designers will be joining together to combine their best PDF sewing patterns (valued together at over $200.00) and selling them to you for the incredible price of $29.95! That’s over 80% off of the combined retail value!

Grab the bundle when it goes on sale next week and you'll be all set to sew for school and the coming holiday season! You'll have to wait until next week to see which patterns are included in this fall's bundle, but I can tell you right now that you won't be disappointed!

I am soooooo exited! Are you?

Back to my roots

My blogging adventure all started whit me wanting to create clothes for my kids.
And looking back at my first blog-posts, (are you browsing my blog right now?...) I almost blush!
I cant believe what I was thinking! Haha... well, actually I do.... I was thinking something along the line of: "Hey`all! I made pants for my little boy! Are`nt they adooooorable???".
I had no earlier experience or anything like that, but I have always been making SOMETHING...
And now the interest for sewing came right out of nowhere!
But if I am allowed to say so my self, I think (and certainly hope!) that I have developed and grown since the beginning, two and a half years ago.

The last six months the interest for sewing for my self has more or less been taking over for sewing for kids. It is a whole different type of sewing, I think... And I have gotten my eyes more and more open for pattern construction. I find it very exiting how things actually are made, and how I can change them to mu own likings. I am still very new on that subject, and I have A LOT to learn yet!
But I have many ideas popping up in my head all the time. And some times the ideas get to come to life. Like this skirt here, that I made for my princess.

I just love the fabric whith these cute children on it! I bought it whit the thought of making something to her of it, but 1 meter is`nt very much. So for a long time I was trying to come up whit something clever.

Then I came up whit the idea of using the fabric as a sort of "accessory" to something else.

And suddenly this skirt was born!

I made a skirt whit several gathered layers, and elastics at the waist. Then I made a "cape" out of the patterned fabric (first measuring here waist whit the skirt on) and fastening it whit two golden buttons in front. It curtainly has some aspects that needs more figuring out, but I really like the idea! 

Maybe this calls for a tutorial?

I am what I eat

For over a year now, I have been following the LCHF (low carb high fat) method, 

and it has worked well, because I have lost 10 kg!

Now, I am a bit more relaxed, but I know what works for my body, and what does`nt!

Lovely Liller is a blog that wrights about LCHF food/lifestyle, but allso about allergy friendly food, 

and glutenfree for thos who need that. A truly inspiring and iteresting blog!

She is allso a BIG fan of IHerb , and she is now offering two readers a package from IHerb worth uptil 200 NOK (about 31-32 $). She allso covers the shippingcost! 

Check it out here!

Finally! My Elisalex dress! (Made out of curtains!...)

For those of you who have read these earlier post here about my making of the Elisalex dress by ByHandLondon, propably knows that I was a little nervous about the fact that I was making it from curtains.

And would it be suitable for a wedding?

Turns out, it did! (Well,  I think so!) 

During the weeks (Yes! Weeks! ) it took to mak it (remember, I have kids and a husband, so it is not for surtain that I get to sew every day! ) I got more and more nervous about the poofyness around the hip-area.

But looking at a lot  of pictures, convinced me that It is a great  look, so it grew on me.

I drew a size 10, and the bust fits perfect! But the skirt I had to take in about a inch on each side.

AFTER I had attatched it to the bodice, and finneshed the pleats. Aaaaahhh... silly! 

So, rip up the dress, cut, fold new pleats and sew back on. This time around, perfect fit!

I, aswell as propably everone else cut ALOT of fabric at the lenght of the skirt. I think that that is a mutch better look.

I had a blast in this dress! It was great to dance in allso, haha... Oh, how we danced....

I have to show a picture of the back. It realy shows how figure-hugging and flattering this shape is.

(this picture is days before the wedding so now stylish action here...)

I undelined the whole dress whit a white lining, No pictures there, I`m afraid,

But I have new shoes for the occation! And a new hairdue. But looking at the pictures now, I cant stop thinking: "do I look like I have an old ladies hair?...! (dont answer....)

And last, a picture of me whit the bride, My babysister! She made me so proud that day! 

She was a real princess! And It`s propably once in a lifethime-chance for that to happen, `cause shes not really the princess-type.... 

DIY Knot Headbands

I was looking for a quick and easy project to spend some of my odd lenghts of fabric.

And then I found this great DIY over at The Girl Inspired blog

(wich has TONS of great tutorials btw!)

This was super quick and fun as well. Nothing is better then that!

Plus, my daughter liked it to:)

Its easy to put on. Just wrap it around your head, and tie a simple knot, or even a bow.

I must admit, I borowed it a couple of times, and it even looks great on me,

whit my new short hairdue:)

Megan Nielsen Briar #2

Good day to all! 

I am aware that the heading says Briar #2, but that is only because I have another Briar that I have not yet posted. I am in need of some good photos (and a photographer), and not the silly selfies I have on my phone...

Back to the Briar. This is a pattern from Megan Nielsen, who allso happens to have A LOT of cool patterns, but unfornunately, I have only tried the Briar. 

After I saw the updone pattern like the million`t time, I finally desided I woulk make me one.

Or in this case, two:) (I`ll show you # 1 later...)

The fabric is from Fabric.com, and is a very, very thin weight, slouchy (is that a word?..) knitted fabric.

But it is great for this exact project. It falls so nicely, and looks great over a blouse, like the one I have on the picture.

Allso, the colors are great. The bottom collor is.... well, there is no bottom actually. Its all just a lovely mess of grey, black, white and blue! 

I made this one whit the pocket, and allso I prefer 3/4 sleeves instead of full lenght sleeves, cause I only roll them up anyway!

The Briar top is a very quick sew. I only have an ordinary sewing machine, no fancy overlocker or serger.

And for me it takes about 1 hour to put it together. For you guys whit a serger/overlocker it must take about half that time?? 

(Man, I want one!! I am making a spesific wish for my birthday in february, thats for sure!)

I have had A LOT of sewing time the last few weeks, and this past saturday was my sisters wedding.

And I went in my beutyfull Elisalex dress. I got so many compliments for it. Stay tuned for more posts and pictures! 

Firefly Hawthorn Blouse

I am so in love whit this pattern!

The Hawthorn Blouse has such a figureflattering shape.

I bought 2.5 meter of quilting fabric  on sale at my local quilt shop.

I fell in love whit this fabric when I saw it a few years ago, but never thought

that I would be wearing it my self.

But hey! What do you know!

 For this blouse, i drafted the pattern for the 3/4 sleeves.

And I even made cuffs! Thats one more thing to add to my "for the first time"-list.

Offcourse, after the whole day at the office, its all wrinkeled up.

 The cuffs! Unfortunately, a bad picture of the details....

I really like the colors off the fabric,  but at the same time I'm a little hesitant about the fact that this is a look that suits me? You know, colors? Haha... I am a sort of a black/white, earthy toned type.