Organising the Playroom - From Total Carnage to Neat and Tidy

Like many families, we have an ever increasing mountain of toys that we struggle to keep tidy.  We recently moved from London to Singapore.  Before we left London I took the opportunity to have a big clean out of toys that the girls no longer play with.  I managed to cull lots of toys, which went off to a charity sale.

We still had toys all over the house.  There was a play area in the lounge room, another one upstairs, and the girls both had loads of toys in their rooms.

In our new house we are lucky enough to have a basement room, which we decided to use as a playroom.  Since we have a dedicated playroom in the house, I decided to send all the toys there when we were unpacking.  After the movers had finished unpacking all the boxes, this is what it looked like.

Total and utter carnage!  I was still dealing with an entire four storey house full of chaos, so I left it like this for a few days.  After several days of feeling utterly overwhelmed by the chaos and mess, I had an inspiration for how to tackle it.  We started by setting out two plastic tarpaulins in the carport.  We then divided the tarpaulins into three sections and labelled them MUST KEEP, MAYBE, and DON'T NEED.

I then explained to the girls that we were going to take absolutely everything out of the playroom, and put it in piles in the carpark.  If they were absolutely certain they wanted to keep something, it went in the MUST KEEP pile.  If the were absolutely certain they didn't need something, it went in the DON'T NEED pile, and if they were not sure yet (or I was trying to convince them to get rid of something they wanted), it went in the MAYBE pile.

When we started there was lots going into the MUST KEEP and MAYBE piles, but after a while the kids were agreeing to get rid of toys.  About half-way through, both girls had had enough, and I sent them off to play while we finished.  By the end this is what the carport looked like.

We cleaned the room thoroughly and started with a blank slate.

We then brought all the toys from the MUST KEEP pile back inside and put it away neatly.  Once this was done we called the girls back downstairs.  We showed them how much space was left in the playroom.  They were then asked to go through the MAYBE pile and choose toys they really wanted to keep.  We slowly moved a few more things back into the playroom, and they also moved quite a few into the DON'T NEED pile.  After we had finished moving toys inside, this is what the carport looked like.  We had also consigned quite a lot of junk toys (odds and ends from Happy Meals, party bags, etc) and broken things to the bin.

I sent a message out to the other residents in the condo development where we live, and invited them to come and help themselves to any toys they wanted.  Before long we had got rid of everything.  I probably could have sold some of the larger items, but Singapore isn't a great place for selling secondhand.  I also wanted everything gone quickly, incase the girls started changing their minds and bringing things back inside.

So, after all that work, this is what the playroom looked like.

And here's the before and after picture.

It's incredible.  This is my favourite before and after picture.  That mountain of toys in the first picture was so completely depressing.  I just had no idea how I was ever going to sort it out.  By taking absolutely everything out of the room, and sorting it into those three piles, I was able to tackle the chaos in stages.  Involving the girls worked really well too.  I promised them I wouldn't throw anything away, and I would give them a chance to decide what to keep.   But at the same time I set limits - they could only keep what would reasonably fit in the room.  It's worth trying if you've got a similarly mammoth tidying task.

There's still some decorating to do (pictures to hang, baskets to label, etc), but for now I'm happy to call this task done.

read more "Organising the Playroom - From Total Carnage to Neat and Tidy "

A Perfect Self-Drafted Pattern

I've been back at the sewing machine again.  This time I had a third go at perfecting my self-drafted version of the sleeveless top sewn in the Great British Sewing Bee (Season 2, Episode 1 - read the episode summary here).  I think I have finally nailed the pattern.  The neckline has a really nice shape and the shoulders sit perfectly.  I am absolutely delighted with the final pattern, and am going to make at least one more version soon.

For this version I used some of my stash of Liberty Tana Lawn that I bought on my last visit to Desai in Cricklewood Lane, London.  This fabric is called Pelagia.

I love how light these fabrics are.  They are also such beautiful quality.

I am especially proud of how I matched the pattern through that centre back seam.  You can't even see the join.  Also, the two top edges align absolutely perfectly.

This is the original top sewn on the Great British Sewing Bee (read my summary of this episode here).  I especially liked the neckline, but I wanted a slightly looser fit around the body.

Just so you can see how far this pattern draft has come, this is a comparison of versions 1 and 2.

And this is a comparison of versions 2 and 3.

Some of the changes I made in this final version were:

1. I slightly changed the angle of the join on the shoulder (which makes the front of the neckline sit flatter).  
2. I moved the top of the armhole slightly wider.
3. I widened the neckline.
4. I cut the neckline lower at the centre front and centre back.

As I'm really new to pattern drafting, the whole process has been a great learning experience.  I think the most important thing I have learnt is that  I should always make a toile, and make all adjustments on the toile before making a final garment.

You can read about the first two blouses here and here.

read more "A Perfect Self-Drafted Pattern"

DIY Colouring Calendars for Kids

I was on Pinterest recently, when this very cute printable popped up.

Image Source - 1+1+1=1

There is a one page printout for each month of the year, with a cute colouring picture at the top.  I printed out a set for each of the girls and bought them an inexpensive clipboard from Popular (a big stationary shop in Singapore).  The girls set about colouring in the pictures with their new Christmas gel pens.  Once they had coloured the pictures, they set about highlighting holidays and birthdays.

Once they were finished, they hung the calendars in their rooms using some Command hooks.  This was a super easy craft activity, that kept them busy for a couple of hours.  It also required very little expenditure.

read more "DIY Colouring Calendars for Kids"

Christmas Clothes for the Girls

The girls had a couple of days where they were allowed to wear "holiday colours" to school.  After trawling through their wardrobe, I realised that they don't have any clothes in holiday colours.  I decided that the easiest thing would be to make them some 30 Minute Skirts in Christmas colours.

I found some lovely red and white mini polkadot fabric at Spotlight (Plaza Singapura, Orchard Road, Singapore), as well as some white bias tape and wide elastic.  You can read about how these skirts are constructed in my original 30 Minute Skirt tutorial.  They are as easy as the name suggests, and I can easily make one in 30 minutes.

To complete the look, my wonderful Mother-in-law also made the girls some matching fabric headbands.  She used this great tutorial and free pattern from Happy Together:

Happy Together

The finished headbands were a perfect size for Olivia and Samantha.  The girls wouldn't stand still for a photo, so the headband has been kindly modelled by teddy:

The finished skirts and headbands were worn to school a couple of times, and again at home a couple more.

read more "Christmas Clothes for the Girls"

Mathilde Version Two

After the success of my first Tilly & The Buttons' Mathilde blouse I was keen to make a new version.  I saw this lovely version made by Jolie of Jolies Bobines:

Mathilde by Jolies Bobines

I checked with Jolie if it was OK to copy her version before I started.  I bought a flocked mini polkadot net and a black crepe fabric from Rolls and Rems in Holloway.  Like Jolie I took 4" of fullness out of the sleeves to make them a slimmer fit.  This was the only change I made to the original pattern.

I made a big mistake was choosing crepe.  I've never sewn with it before and had no idea how difficult it was to sew with.  I chose it because it has a lovely drape.  Unfortunately it is very slippery and keeps moving as you try to sew it.  I had to unpick and resew the tucks on the front to get them neat and even.  It also frays terribly.  Just incase you thought that wasn't bad enough, it was also very bulky and didn't iron well.  It was very hard to achieve a neat seam when there were layers of fabric (particularly around those tucks).

I've also never sewn with a sheer fabric before.  I didn't realise how much hand sewing would be required to get a neat finish.  I hand basted all the sheer seams before sewing them.  I hand sewed flat felled seams on all the sheer seams in the sleeves and shoulders.  I hand sewed the facing and button plackets.  I also completely hand sewed all the bias tape edges on the neckline and sleeve cuffs.  It took HOURS to make this blouse.  Half-way though I was convinced I would hate it, but it worked out really well.

I've already worn this top a couple of times and it looks fabulous.  Unlike Jolie's version, this blouse feels very dressy - perfect for a night out.  I really like the narrower sleeves and would definitely make another blouse using a day-wear fabric.

read more "Mathilde Version Two"

Sewing Disasters - The Dress That Nearly Went in the Bin

Recently I've been experiencing a run of really frustrating sewing.  I'm sure we've all been there.  You see a lovely pattern, and think you'd really like to have a go at making it yourself.  You buy (or draft) a pattern, choose your materials, spend ages carefully sewing your garment, then the big moment arrives. You put it on and … you don't like it, or it doesn't fit.  Aaaargh!

I experienced this recently.  Check out this beautiful dress by Adey at The Sew Convert:

The 3 Red Cats Dress by The Sew Convert

Everything about this is so beautiful.  The simple pattern and the adorable fabric combine to make an elegant, beautiful dress.  I bought my own copy of Rin Gomura-Elkan’s “Easy Japanese Sewing Patterns” for the pattern.

Easy Japanese Sewing Patterns by Rin Gomura-Elkan

I then visited my favourite fabric shop - Desai in Cricklewood Lane, West Hampstead.  I found this really special Liberty Tana Lawn.

I love Liberty Tana Lawn fabrics.  They are so light and beautiful, and the fabric is such lovely quality. The dress was a very easy make.  I did have a little trouble with the cutting out.  I followed the pattern placement guide, but didn't seem to have enough fabric.  I ended up making the bodice back in two sections, and joining them with a centre back seam.  After a bit of messing around with the Japanese instructions, and sending a question to Rin (which she very quickly answered) I managed to sew my dress in one day.  I used french seams and my best, careful sewing.

Once I was finished I carefully pressed it, then tried it on and … it looked weird.  Aaargh!  The front bodice seemed too baggy and puffy, the shoulders sat strangely and the skirt wasn't the right length.

I think I just chose the wrong fabric.  It really needs to be made in a very drapey fabric, or it just won't look right.

This dress sat in my cupboard for about six months, while I tried to figure out what to do with it.  It's such lovely (and expensive) fabric, that I didn't want to waste it.  I saw this really sweet dress on Guthrie and Ghani, and thought about about reusing the fabric to make something similar.

Leini Dress by Guthrie & Ghani

In the end I decided to have a go at remaking the bodice using the Sorbetto top by Colette Patterns, and adding a shortened skirt.

Sorbetto Top by Colette Patterns

I've made one Sorbetto top in a very light cotton shirting fabric, and I regularly wear it.  I like the simple silhouette and the comfortable fit.  I began by carefully unpicking the seams.  I unpicked the entire bodice (except that centre back seam) and carefully snipped off the skirt.  I then ironed the pieces and laid out the pattern.  No matter how I placed the bodice pieces, there just wasn't enough length in the fabric to cut the bodice.

After mulling the problem for a couple of days, I decided to patch in a piece of white fabric on the shoulders.  I stupidly added fabric to the front section and the back section, then joined them together.  That seam on the top shoulder looked terrible, so I unpicked the sections again, cut a new piece and sewed it between the front and back bodice pieces.

As an aside, I think I sewed those shoulder pieces in about 8 times.  I kept sewing them in upside down and back-to-front.  It was so immensely frustrating.  If it hadn't been such expensive fabric I think I would have thrown the dress out several times.

Once the bodice was finished I cut about 3" off the waist of the skirt (I hadn't unpicked the side seams or hem of the original skirt) and attached it to the bodice.  I folded the seam allowance over, sewed an elastic casing and inserted the elastic waistband.  The very last step was sewing belt loops on each side of the waistband and adding the sash.

Can you see that big smile on my face?  I LOVE this dress.  It is so pretty and comfortable.  That lovely Tana Lawn fabric by Liberty is absolutely perfect for sticky Singapore heat.  I can't wait to wear it out and about.

read more "Sewing Disasters - The Dress That Nearly Went in the Bin"

More Christmas Crafts - Christmas Bookmarks

Woah … two posts in one day, after a nearly six month break.  What is going on??  I thought I better get this one out quickly, or Christmas will already be gone.

We have been getting into the Christmas spirit with some holiday crafts.  I was asked to come into Olivia's class and run a couple of craft activities.  I needed to come up with activities that were not too messy, could be easily done by a group of nine year olds with varying skill levels, and would produce nice results.  One of the first activities I thought of was the laminated bookmarks created by LiEr of Ikatbag.

Image Source - Ikatbag

I just needed to create some Christmas themed ones.  I'm not very good at drawing so I searched the internet for suitable Christmas images, printed them the right size and traced them.  This is my finished colouring sheet. (As always, I'm happy to email this to anyone who wants it.  Just send me a message.)

Each child coloured in a sheet of bookmarks using felt pens and pencils.

They then cut them out and laminated them.  They turned out beautifully and were a big hit with the class.

If anyone would like a copy of the bookmark PDF, please leave me a message below or email me at randomcraftingadventures [at] gmail.com.

Merry Christmas and happy crafting.

read more "More Christmas Crafts - Christmas Bookmarks"