goodgracie.com

I think I’m safe because all the recipients of these Poppy dolls are too young to actually read yet, let alone be surfing the interwebs between naps, so I’m not spoiling any Christmas surprises. To make these dolls I flagrantly neglected to observe much of Fiona’s excellent advice, especially re stuffing materials and technique because I wanted to use only scraps to make them real rag dolls. So they are even stuffed with scraps, resulting in the Lumpy Look, which Fiona specifically cautions against. But on the up side, the scraps give them a nice weight and I also got to see one of my baskets of off-cuts disappear. And I love the idea that one day (in the probably not-too-distant-future given my inferior softies sewing skills) all those scraps might spill out and be of interest. To someone. Maybe.

Thanks, Fiona, for the wonderful pattern and Happy Christmas my girls and nieces and dear little friends. XXXXX

Sassy, isn’t she?

Dress 1 from Every day (ISBN 4579110439), pockets altered. Fabric, vintage seersucker.

Think we’ll go to the beach after school. Sandwiches for tea.

xx

Thanks, Fiona, what a prawn cracker cutie you have. If anyone would like a hat, please email me: gina at good gracie dot com. I have a few in stock that I haven’t managed to photograph yet. My miniature model has had a cold and four teeth coming through, so she’s not exactly looking or feeling her best. Certainly not worth her $20,000 a day fee.

Long time, no post. But it’s been busy around here. All of a sudden we bought a new house and sold the old house, and there’s been uni and real work, and shop orders to fill and the husband working all hours and still the two children to look after. But now Little Bird, Port Elliot, has hats like this one

and Nest has pinafores like this one.

We’re moving house in five weeks and then we’ll have Natural Light. Oh yes, we’ll be living in a house that was built in the actual twentieth century instead of the old colonial days.

I’ve been working on some winter versions of the good gracie staples. Asha was a good sport to model for me in 30 degree heat. Although there was ice-cream incentive. See more here.

If I’d thought even a little bit about ’styling’ this photoshoot I would have 1. tidied the lounge room 2. polished the mirror and 3. stopped the baby from plunging her hand down my front. The mirror is one of my favourite possessions, salvaged for me by my dad when I still lived at home. It deserves a polish every now and again. My dress is made from a tablecloth and pattern from this Japanese book (ISBN 4579110439). That one on the cover. It’s a cinch to make.

To celebrate the South Australian government’s ban on plastic shopping bags from tomorrow, this is my tutorial on making your own grocery bag from a vintage (or any kind of) tea towel. It’s really so easy a tutorial is hardly necessary, but just in case.

1. Take one vintage tea towel quietly living out its lifetime folded away in a drawer.

2. Fold in half right sides together and sew along outside edges.

3. Turn right-side out and attach two wide drill tape handles. (Fold under raw edges of tape and sew securely.)

Easy to chuck in the wash, durable, strong, just the right size and colourful. Not guaranteed to make doing the shopping any more enjoyable, but at least your groceries will look pretty.

Oh, and Happy New year!

This is my Christmas dress, made from fabric in this haul. Worn to lunch here today for our 13th anniversary. Not a wedding anniversary, a ‘meeting’ anniversary. Because we’ve been together ever since.

I’ve still got some sewing to finish - some matching nighties for three sets of sisters and hopefully a Christmas dress for Asha as well. We’re having turkey this year, so I felt some dresses were called for in the poor old turkey’s honour.

Happy Christmas everyone! Specially those of us who are lucky enough to be in New York!

Just popped in on my way to kindy … and some days are beauties at my local Vinnies.