Taylor Street

Hot summer nights

It was just too hot in the house last night, so we took ourselves down to the foreshore with some take away to try and cool down.  I happened to have my camera, and finally remembered to take a photo of the playmat I made for Charles before Christmas.  He's looking very small lying there, but it measures 150cm x 150cm so it'll be big enough for him to roll around on for a little while.  I bought the Echino fabrics a couple of years ago and then couldn't resist more in Japan, but decided it was too heavy for a quilt so never really knew what I would make from them other than bags.  I decided I needed something to throw on the ground when we go out, and this fabric was perfect. 

It went together in one day during sleeps (not mine, Charlie's), and the back is the same heavy denim I used for the nappy bag in the last post.  It's quilted in straight horizontal lines to keep it quick and easy, and did a fairly deep binding.  And just because I think this is a cute photo:

 

I can't believe he's already 12 weeks old.  The time is flying by, and I'm really enjoying being at home with him and starting to dread going back to work.  But right now, all I can think about is the reportedly imminent arrival of a southerly change.  42C in our back yard today...

More bags

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun...  I meant to make this when I was pregnant but never got around to it, and the nappy bag I got with the pram is so crap I was forced to do it.  Glad I did, as it's just the right size, and actually stays on my shoulder.

 

I made it with a denim outer and red drill lining, and jazzed it up with a bit of striped canvas I've had in the stash for years now.  There are a couple of very minor adaptations to the Amy Butler pattern on my sisters advice - I made this bag for her a few years ago.  I left out the bottle pockets, added the button closure, and I also added a loop of fabric just inside opening that I can clip my house keys to which makes it a hell of a lot easier to grab keys quickly with a babe in the other arm.  The change mat was made as per the instructions and makes for a lovely soft and good size change mat.  Worth the effort to make it, and the denim gives the bag a little more body than the first one I made - I'd go for a heavier fabric if you're making this bag.

Must fly - I'm off to Melbourne to show off my little guy in a couple of hours.  It's time he met the family.

Bags and balls

What I have here is a couple of small and quick projects to kick start the new year.  The "hand finishing" I mentioned in the last post is indeed done, but alas not photographed yet.

First small project, a puzzle ball from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts.  God I love that book - I've made so much suff from it.  Anyway, simple black on black for the main fabric, and black and white small prints for the contrast.  I didn't realise just how well babies respond to black and white - amazing.  The knots were all done in a different colour - orange, red, yellow, blue, green, and purple from memory (I'm too lazy to walk downstairs to check).

   

And the second was born of necessity.  I bought myself a new camera in the sales - a Sony Cybershot DSC-W150.  What an overwhelming exercise that was!  I ended up just getting a simple and fairly inexpensive point and shoot, mainly from being too confused by the possibilities and a pressing need for an upgrade.  I'm pleasantly surprised - this camera is significantly better than my old one.

Anyway I digress.  The cheeky camera companies no longer supply any sort of cover for a camera, so I cobbled myself together a little camera sleeping bag with a button fastening.  The outer is a heavy denim which I embroidered, and it's lined with a cotton check and a layer of quilt batting to keep it safe in my handbag. 

 

The idea was born from this tutorial I saw ages ago on the Purl Bee.  I've been wanting to embellish something ever since I first saw it, and I'm quite pleased with this little camera bag.

So the crafty side of 2009 is off to a good start.