It has been a while...

Hello!

Well, it has been a while hasn't it?!

Where to start?
Well, my little girl was born just over 5 weeks early, I had a pretty shakey week before it - I have written a little bit below about her birth and totally understand if you don't want to read it (rather boring to most!) so skip to the next paragraph 😃

I lost my plug at 34 weeks - was understandably terrified and spent a morning in triage been told to go home and wait and see if anything happened. I was strep b positive (please please please get yourself tested if youre pregnant - worth the £35 fee) so I was worried will be high chance of passing infection but was assured was ok until waters broke. I asked work if I could take maternity leave a week early and my boss was brilliant, said I could work from home 1 day a week etc and cut my hours down each day. I was 'leaking' a bit of fluid but a scan at 34+3 showed all was ok, so I was trying to relax. 34+5 I woke to a wet bed. And me being me, i.e. a bit of an idiot, refused to get myself worked up like I had when losing my plug. I showered, had breakfast then (I still can't believe this!) I got 2 buses to the hospital, told my fiance not to leave work as it'll all just be routine. Got to the hospital who confirmed my waters had indeed broken, and I was bleeding. Panic mode engaged. I had to stay in hospital until I wasn't bleeding for 48 hours. Due to Strep B we decided to be induced as the risk to the baby was increasing. I was induced, they struggled to regulate my contractions with the drugs so I wasn't getting a break from the contractions and 7 hours into my 12 hour labour I had an epidural - it was f**king brilliant. Take the drugs ladies, take them all. I was so scared as was told she probably wouldn't cry at first as she was so early and not to panic they had a team of doctors waiting for her arrive, but all I wanted was a cry from her - and she did not disappoint!

Amelia May was born on Mothers day (26th March) at 34+6 weeks weighing 6lb 11oz (3.046kg)

We had to stay a week in hospital as she had quite bad jaundice and lost a lot of weight at first. 

So we are completely in love with this little bundle of joy! 

She has worn all the me-mades I had made. Unfortunately most of them only once, babies grow quick it turns out!

So, in other news (slightly related) I have been offered a new job in Leeds - yayyyy - it does mean a goodbye to London, and it also means I have had to cut my maternity leave in half and come back to work (which is why I have time to write this post!!) so I don't have to repay my maternity leave before I resign. 

Understandably I have not got ANY time to sew. In fact I have packed away my sewing things already and shipped them off to the in-laws for storage (and my sister-in-law to be wants to learn to sew so I am lending her my stuff!) and my room looks bare!

BUT I managed a sneaky trip to Walthamstow this weekend, the weather was lovely, and i went with the aim to buy fabrics for Amelia - I didn't disappoint but I seem to have gone very pink!!! 

It wasn't intentional but they are all lovely and some day I will sew them up!

Wedding planning is going well - on pinterest! We are wanting to get married May 2019 but can't actually book our reception venue until January (their paper diary doesn't go up to 2019 so can't book it!!) so holding off, and to be honest with the move etc all funds are heading in that direction.

I know exactly what I want (and the Mr is happy to plod along!) and I am aiming to DIY as much as possible to keep costs as low as possible. 

And one last thing to show off...

Look what the Mr found for FREE in someones garden...

Bad pictures but still amazing!! Cannot wait to get it cleaned up and restored. According to its serial number and a website it was manufactured in 1909 - amazing.

One last picture of my shmushy face - I want to eat her!

Thanks for reading!!

Kristy xxx

My 100th Post!

Hello everyone!

I have just realised it has been a month since my last post. To be honest not that much sewing has been going on!

We went on holiday to the Cotswolds and was AMAZING!

It all got off to the best start EVER by the mister proposing to me before we set off - I still keep getting a bit emotional about it when think of it - I have been hinting not so subtly that I want to get married to him for years now (we have been together over 5 years) but with the baby on the way I thought it was totally on hold for the time being so it really took me by surprise!

It all started with a Haribo ring and ended with me picking a gorgeous ring in Warwick! Totally took myself by surprise with what I picked but I am in love

It was 1/3 of budget and in the first shop I went in... I got it sized to my hand...and unfortunately 2  weeks later my big fat pregnancy hands wont let it fit so it is on my necklace. Insert sad face.

Hopefully in 8 weeks when this baby arrives i will be able to wear it again!!

So, I hope this blog does not become a total wedding fest BUT I do want to DIY a lot of things - definitely not my dress though - wayyyy too much pressure and wayyyy above my skill set - which is a shame but hey ho.

I am currently counting down the weeks (17 working days...) until I am on maternity leave - I am having a BIG baby - currently in the 97th percentile - and I am tired! Looking forward to a break for 3 weeks befroe baby arrives, unless she makes an early appearance!

So, back to sewing.

After our holiday I planned to sew sew sew for a few days - what actually happened was we were both ill with a tummy bug and I spent 3 days sat on Pinterest looking at wedding stuff! 

I did get a lot of fabric cut though so my to do list has actually grown! Hopefully I will get some done this weekend.

I must take some photos and get some blog posts done instead of just talking about them!

My fabric stash isn't looking too bad either

1.       Lemon/pink flannel 

2.       Monster cotton

3.       Lobster cotton

4.       Safari cotton

5.       Navy broderie anglais

6.       White broderie anglais

7.       Owls from laura

8.       Whales from laura

I even took myself to Walthamstow when I wasn't feeling too well, and really didn't feel well when was there - only bought 1 piece of fabric - insert shocked face!

Anyway, ta ta for now

thank you for reading my waffle!

Kristy xxx

To Do List 25

Hello!

It has been a while - 3 weeks since my last update! I am sure no one is that bothered but I have been a busy bee. Who knew being 28 weeks pregnant is pretty tiring???! Strange. Anyway I am sewing away quietly in the background, picking up on ideas and still being pretty active on my Instagram if you want to keep up with me! I also LOVE that place and try to follow as many people back as possible while wanting to keep it a sewing related place!

Since my last update my computer decided to freak out and delete my To-Do list, which I constantly update (to keep me sane) so I have had to revert to the one I posted here as a screenshot this morning. I have amended it below (badly) to show what i have been up to and to also update it a bit.

Red lines:
I have decided to give up on these.
Rattles: we currently have a toy box full already. She isn't even here yet. Do not need more.
Hats: we have 7 hats already, she will be a summer baby - she doesn't need more!
Burp clothes: got given plenty of muslin clothes, seems a bit of a waste of time to be honest.
Cot storage hangers: just decided against them
Adding zip to V2 of M6015 - I added snaps instead

This brought the to do list down from 55 to 40.

Out of that 40 I have done (yellow lines)20 - a whopping 50%!

I have also done:

M6015 V4 (black flowers) cut fabric and lining
M6015 X back top - cut, sewn and added snaps
Lullaby layette dress pattern hack - cut, sewn and added snaps
Started a cross stitch for a gift
Bought all things to make wedding bunting for a friend
Tried to make a elephant romper (total fail, and it is sat in the naughty corner)

The reason I am waiting to do any blog posts about my makes is that I am waiting for a photograph backdrop to arrive, I really struggle to get any decent photos and seem to take them all on my manky ironing board (really should buy a new cover) so I have ordered a backdrop and will have a photo session once it arrives and then can get some blog posts written!

I have a nice few days away next week then 4 days at home before work so hopefully i will be super productive next week as will be relaxed and free of work! Wooo!

Have a great week everyone and I will probably be back in a couple of weeks, thank you for reading my drivel!

Kristy xxx

To Do List 24

Hello!

It has been two weeks since my last update, was hoping to do these weekly but to be honest I am sure noone needs to read them weekly (or at any point to be fair) but these are for my own motivation so will carry on!

All baby making central around here - I am going to have to rein it in a bit I think, this baby will be having a new outfit everyday for the first 3 months if I aren't careful!

So, things off of my list i have got done:

25. Reprint lullaby layette so can use different sizes
Bibs
43. Sew
44. Top stitch

Soooo only 3 out of 54 BUT I have done more instead of sticking to the list:

  Sew/Overlock blanket – Cream
Panda blanket
Lullaby layette jacket
Kwik sew romper - raindrops
M6015 dress - robot
M6015 dress - ducks - cut fabric and lining
M6015 dress - Red flower - cut fabric and lining

I don't feel too lazy after seeing that!!!

I have also decided to push back some of the things off of my list:
M7038 Dungarees - the rabbit ones I made have come up really big so will leave these for a while
M7038 tops - Duck egg and teal - again its massive (and I really didn't enjoy sewing them!) so these are pushed back a while and therefore removed off of my list
Sleeping bag - I looked into making them and decided buying was better I am afraid! It has been removed!

So here is this weeks:

My fabric collection shrunk by 7 pieces (2 awaiting sewing but have been cut!) but it may have also grown:

ooooooooops

So my list of fabrics isn't actually that much shorter:

1.       Lemon/pink flannel

2.       Giraffe cotton

3.       Star cotton

4.       Monster cotton

5.       Lobster cotton

6.       Safari cotton

7.       Black sweatshirt

8.       Geese 

9.       Gingham 

10.   Whales

11.   Square denim

12.   Flamingos 

13.   Black/White Flower 

14.   Blue Stars

15.   Navy rabbits

16.   Flower polyester

I am trying my absolute best to not buy anything else (unless its to match what already have!)

so next update will hopefully have a very shrunken stash!

As always, thanks for reading!!!

Enjoy your week ahead!

Kristy xxx

I

To Do List 23

Happy New Year!! Did you all have a good break? I hope so! Mine was very relaxed and quiet, but I don't necessarily feel relaxed today back at work but hey ho! There is no one about today (hence the blog post) so I am taking it easy for the day!

I didn't get anywhere near as much sewing done as I hoped, I did some but mostly before Christmas not in the 5 days was back in London after, we decided to try do some improvements to our home in preparation for Baby arriving, which basically means tried to increase storage space, a trip to IKEA, £300 later and we sat all day yesterday building cupboards! Not my idea of fun but it will be worth it!

So, here is what I did get done:

Christmas Presents

Nan

1.       Finish cross stitch - FORGOT TO TAKE A PHOTO OF IT FINISHED!!

Kids

2.       Sew hat – Lily – Ellie – Heidi – Emily

3.       Add velcro to hat – Lily – Ellie – Heidi – Emily – James – Ewan

M7038 Dungarees - Rabbits

36.       Sew straps

37.       Sew front

38.       Add band

39.       Sew legs

40.       Add snaps

M7038 Top - Yellow

43. Sew back

44.       Add sleeves

45.       Bind neckline

46.       Hem

A-Line Dress – Pink Flowers

65.    Sew up

66.       Close opening

67.       Add snaps

A-Line Dress – Teal

70.       Sew up

71.       Close opening

72.       Add snaps

A-Line Dress – Rose

73.       Sew up

74.       Close opening

75.       Add snaps

A-Line Dress – Rabbit

76.       Sew up

77.       Close opening

78.       Add snaps

Which is 24 out of 81 from my last #kristystodolist (29.6%). Not too bad but was really hoping to wipe it out. Never mind...

This week going to be hard to squeeze in some sewing time, I have to head back up north tomorrow for a funeral and then I am at my OH's friends birthday party overnight in Kent, then the weekend after the in-laws are visiting London so doubt will get too much done again so you may not hear from me for a couple of weeks.

Here is my next list;

On top of this list I have done a bit of an inventory of the many pieces of fabric I keep buying to try keep it in check - at which I am failing badly! I can't decide what to sew though...I have half a metre of each:

Lemon/pink flannel

Duck cotton

Giraffe cotton

Raindrop cotton

Star cotton

Robot cotton

Monster cotton

Lobster cotton

Safari cotton

Panda sweatshirt

Black sweatshirt

Geese

Gingham

Whales

Plain denim

Red flower

Square denim

Hopefully I will have made some decisions about the above before my next list!

Wishing you a lovely new year and all the best for 2017!

Kristy xxx