Temporary dress

Yesterday morning all school tables in M's class were set with tablecloths, candles and lovely food. To let the breakfast taste even better all kids were asked to dress theirselves in Christmas style.
For me these days before Christmas were crazy busy in the office. Gives me double feelings: exhausting on one hand, but on the other hand I'm grateful, because compared to other architectural firms suffering huge crises in the Netherlands, we must be glad to have such a full portfolio right now. Thursday evening I attended a great Christmas diner in the office (like last year). Late in the evening I suddenly remembered my promise to M: turning a shiny skirt of mine into a dress for her! So back home at midnight the sewing machine quickly did his 5-minute job. Used stitches are long so I'll be able to turn it into a skirt again easily. But not before Christmas is over, M assured me.

What to be?

Together with other mums I have been sewing capes for each child in L's class. Thick old velvet curtains and Ikea cotton velvet were used. Then later on during a parents' evening we all embellished them with gold ribbon and buttons, so they really got a royal look. These embellishments are really shiny, unfortunately not well shown on the pics due to cloudy weather. Last week the kids found them in their shoes in school.
L loves to wear it. Last Sunday the whole day through. As soon as she does she turns into a king, a queen, a Sinterklaas, a princess and maybe in a month into one of the Three Kings!

Donald

When Dutch kids no more believe in Sinterklaas, so-called 'surprises' are made for each other. Here you can read more about this tradition. M was randomly assigned a classmate, to whom she anonymously gave a selfmade gift on the 5th of December. Somewhere inside this selfmade thing a small present is hiding. The boyish girl in her class wrote down what she likes: hiphop, gaming, athletics, reading Donald Duck comics and more difficult interests to base a surprise on.
Thus more than a week ago M was brainstorming with both her parents and an idea came up. F and M made the first surprise ever made in our house.

She got a little help of me during the painting, which is allowed when it's your first time, don't you think? M, well done!

Wobbly tooth

M's dentition exists till now of 4 teeth only. She's ten! Recently F visited the dentist with both girls. I'm so glad they both have strong teeth (like their grandmother and mother).
Last week L showed me her first wobbly tooth. After it was fallen out we kept it carefully in F's wallet. Sint wanted to add this tiny present (according to another great idea of Vlijtig) in the 'zak'. But apparantly did L need something to put her tooth in today already! So she got this present this morning.

Btw 1, the paper label was covered with transparant adhesive foil to keep it clean.
Btw 2, the bottom is covered with a small part of Hella Jongerius' fabric, that lovers of her will maybe recognize ;).

Btw 3, L went to bed early tonight with a high fever. Hope she's better tomorrow to celebrate Sint's birthday...
Btw 4, wishing you all a cosy Sinterklaas!

L too

L wanted one too as I told you. And she sure will take good care of him because she's loving these stuffed animals.

This time I padded the bag to make it 'stand'. And I stitched the Ikea print in red...
The only thing that still has to be done is making up a story about how come it's in the 'zak van Sinterklaas'...

Japan

As a decent blogger I spoiled myself with washi tape for the very first time, ordered right here. Happy!
L finished her present this way.

Doggy bag

This idea I found on my friend's blog some weeks ago. Perfect for our birthday girl next door. On her party last Saturday L gave the oh-so-soft little dog and on Sunday we gave the doggy bag.

Head over to Vlijtig for your quick handmade Sinterklaas and Christmas gift ideas! This doggy bag fits L perfectly too. I'll make her one later on, so she will find it in the 'zak van Sinterklaas'.

Friday song

Last Friday L was singing this song all the time after school. Spontaneously and simultaneously these drawings were made. L taught me the words. It's about a tuber that has to be pulled out of the soil with a lot of men and animal power.
Now the singing is still going on. To remember these fine moments I reduced the drawings and put them in little frames of 10x15 cm. A small present for Sinterklaas evening.

In her new mama-made-coat

Yesterday's photo shoot at the lake. Couldn't choose, sorry...

Lovely autumn light, isn't it? Lovely child, isn't it :).
(Btw, did somebody notice her hair is short? A little story about that: she did it herself a few weeks ago! Together with her neighbour girlfriend, who cut her hair away in the front! L did it aside, but a real lot! Later she said she actually wanted to cut the other side too to make it neatly. And big sister M said: oh, L, you cut it really straight, well done! Our hairdresser fixed the model in a creative way and now in the end we actually all are happy that L used the scissors.)

To warm my daughter

Just did it slowly. Searching a pattern that convinced me to give my daughter enough warmth during her cycle trips to school, passing the river and bridge, catching a severe winter. This one (see page 6) did: a hooded, zippered, high closed, simple designed one with nice long cuffs. Then reading the pattern again and again. I'm not a very experienced sewer; making a coat is a far away story for me! But at the same time an everlasting wish-to-come-true.

I decided to change the pattern, because of course it had to be lined. Plus the pockets had to be changed. Making these was also my first time and it felt quite exciting. But I just took it slowly as I said and considered everything I did as an autodidact sewing course. That helps.

Then looking around for the right fabric: preferably natural materials and perfect colors. After a long and critical search and some doubts it resulted in this green washed woolen fabric with soft olive green lining. Totally happy, but I wasn't finished yet, did the lady in the fabric shop tell me: I needed an extra third layer to keep the wind out. Ok, a common padded fabric was added. Don't start doing this to save money. I think this is the most expensive coat L ever had! As a matter of fact did I find in the same period a beautiful second-hand coat for L, so doubts were there again. F convinced me to go on and finish sewing. So did I.

It took me some evenings sewing the outer coat, then the inner coat and finally assembling these two, especially because I had to do a lot of thinking as applying a lining was not described... The cuffs were made in double fabric. The front, back and hood three-layered and the sleeves two-layered. Everything is ready in time to go back to school again after holidays.

Really, every step I loved, including the exciting beginners moments. I'm so happy now! The finishing touch was inspired by this great lady. Btw, the one and only button hole still has to be made. My simple sewing machine is not able to do a job like that :(. I'll ask my neighbour to use hers.
Curious how it fits L? Come back later!