KCW Day 2: Traveling to Swaziland

I love how the simplicity of this skirt shows off the beautiful Swaziland print on the fabric. One of Olivia's favorite aunties travelled to the great kingdom of Swaziland during the December holiday last year and brought this fabric back as a gift for me. The skirt was super simple and quick to make, an awesome project for a beginner sewer. I'll definitely be making more of these for my dress/skirt loving girl.

KCW Day 1 and 2: Traveling to Zanzibar

It's Kids Clothes Week again! This is a seasonal challenge where sewing mamas, grannies, aunties, maybe even daddies from all around the world dedicate one hour a day to sewing kids' clothes. I participated for the first time last season and I loved it! I love the excitement, inspiration, creativity and sense of community that KCW brings.

This season's theme is traveling. It's so interesting to see how everyone is interpreting the theme. From airplane appliqués to map printed fabric, it's all lovely! I will be using fabrics from different parts of Africa to make a few items for Olivia, little Owen might score something too this time.

For day 1 and 2 ( more like night 1 and 2!), I made a flutter sleeve top and shorts. The fabric I used for the top was bought in Zanzibar, five years ago, on our honeymoon. Back then I didn't sew, but it was a bargain at R7 (then $2) for over two metros of fabric. Little did I know that one day a special little girl would be happily running around in a garment made from it. Life is beautiful!

Lately

This little space has been very quiet lately. Moving, setting up a new home, settling in, and all of this with kids who have been sick… it has been both interesting and challenging to say the least. Yet despite the busy-ness and the seemingly endless cycle of sickness, we are all so delighted to be together in this special place we can call our own home! 

When I'm not working or rocking Owen to sleep for what can feel like hours at times, this is what I've been up to;

Reading: Jesus Calling daily devotionals by Sarah Young.

Listening: to "We will not be shaken" album by Bethel Music

Making: Educational toys for the kiddies

Enjoying: the lovely winter sun in our "family room"

Dreaming: of sewing projects

Connecting: with lovely university students

Planning: DIY home decor ideas

Missing: exercise

Facing: fear

Conquering: fear

Wishing: I had more time

Learning: about tweens and teens

Exploring: continents of the world with Olivia

Reminiscing: about falling in love with my amazing husband

Playing: hide and seek

Appreciating: friendship

Giggling: at my daughter starting to speak isiXhosa again…it's adorable! 

Excited: about our trip to the USA in December

Saving: for a new sewing machine

Looking: forward to Father's Day

Noticing: Owen's growth

KCW Day 3, 4 and 5 : Bunny ears coat

I started making this coat thinking it would be an evening's project, but it ended up taking me three days to complete! Well, about 5 hours total over three evenings. I cannot tell you how many times I had to use the seam ripper to undo silly mistakes but all the  frustration, shouting and almost kicking my machine paid off because it turned out really cute. There are still few things I need to tweak and fix, but I'm happy with it. 

With all the sewing projects I've been sharing, I've been getting two questions from several people and I'd like to attempt to answer them, hopefully I'll inspire  a few people who've been wanting take up a new hobby. First question: "When do you find the time to sew?" I do most of my sewing during crazy late night or early morning hours. There are times when I just cannot put a project down, I'll sew until 2 or 3 am! Yep, I know I'm crazy! Second question: "How long have you been sewing for?" The first thing I ever made on my sewing machine was a nappy for Owen, so that must have been about a year ago. Before that I had a quick sewing lesson from a friend who inspired me to sew and during that lesson we made a simple pillowcase dress for Olivia together.  I mostly taught myself to sew through youtube videos, online tutorials and lots and lots of practice. I absolutely love the challenge of learning a new skill and the pleasure of using that skill to create. Have you been wanting to start sewing? What's stopping you?

KCW Day 1 and 2 : A school outfit

You may be thinking, "KCWhaaat?!" My husband was certainly confused when I told him I had stayed up late because I was busy sewing for KCW. Well, KCW is Kids Clothes Week. It's a seasonal sewing challenge in which thousands of sewists around the world take part. It is especially popular amongst sewing bloggers, which is how I probably got to know about it. The challenge takes place four times a year, at the beginning of every season and basically you dedicate an hour a day for a week to sewing for your kids and you share your projects on the KCW website.

I absolutely love KCW! I followed all the participants' projects last season, sometimes staying up until early morning hours juts browsing through their blogs. Needless to say, I was inspired and here I am now, participating in my first of many KCWs.

For day 1 and 2 I worked on a school outfit for Olivia because she needs a school wardrobe. This little girl has heaps of clothes from lovely friends who bless her with hand-me-downs and lately I've been making a lot of clothes for her, but very few of her clothes are appropriate for preschool. I'd be very sad and I'm sure she would too for her pretty dresses to get ripped on the jungle gyms! It took a bit of convincing for her to like this dress because it's not as frilly and girly as she likes her clothes. I made the dress from the Gloria dress pattern from Peek-a-boo patterns. The leggings pattern is also from the same  pattern maker. She loves the scarf, she proudly announced that she's just like her mommy with the scarf on. I don't think I'd let her wear the scarf to school though, maybe I'm being over-cautious but I think it's a bit of a hazard. Anyway, she loves it!

On the subject of school, have I mentioned how amazingly good pre-school has been for our girl!? In just a week, her confidence levels have gone up and she enjoys social settings so much more than she did previously. I have been amazed! She speaks to people other than her parents and she plays with other children, both of which she never used to do. We are absolutely blessed that she is in a school where she's happy and blossoming.