.A rainbow of knits.

My desk...this is what work looks like.  Finishing up the last bits and pieces of a new pattern to send out to my testers.  It's been a slow and steady process with lots of interruptions over the last few weeks but I'm happy to almost be there!

And while I plod along with the boring computer side of things, I keep looking to a MASSIVE rainbow of sensational knit fabrics sitting along side me.  This is my motivation to get all of the computer stuff done - cutting into this rainbow and creating a whole array of beautiful garments.  Yay!

The new pattern is using knit fabrics and is an absolute basic wardrobe staple.  I guarantee that anyone with kids to sew for will get a lot of use out of it.  The amazing fabrics on my desk are from Crafty Mamas (thanks Lisa!)  

Super cool Hilco Campan stripes below...

 And loads of my favourite Stella solids...

 I don't know about you, but I find it hard to visualise what solids are going to look like in real life from a colour swatch online...hopefully these pics will help give you an indication of the colours and I'll be sure to list colour names next to finished samples when they are done!

.Want to come to the Melbourne Fair for FREE?!.

Do you realise that it is only SIX sleeps until the Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair?  I didn't, until yesterday.  Yikes!  

Lucky I'm orgainsed this time and don't have as much to get ready as I did for the Sydney Fair.  And just like I did with the Fair in Sydney - I've got another FOUR ENTRY TICKETS to give away to four lucky winners!

If you'd like a chance at winning a ticket, leave a comment on this blog post, or a comment on the Make It Perfect Facebook wall.  I need to be able to get in contact with you if you win so make sure you leave an email address.

The giveaway will end at 8pm on Sunday night and I'll be in contact with the winners to arrange getting tickets to them.

Please only enter if you are able to use the tickets (i.e. if you can go to the fair yourself or have someone that you can give the ticket to!)

And after my slackness with no photos from the Sydney Fair, I did manage to scrounge a few off some friends...

...with sweet Yana...who was the lucky winner of one of the entry tickets in Sydney!

...me and my banner (thanks for the following pics Bec!)

...Elissa from Kelani Fabric and I in her amazing stand!

...catching up with special friends - Kate (with baby Grace) and Bec!

See you next week Melbournites!!!

.Thermomix Cooking - Chocolate Chip Cookies + my Thermomix DISASTER!.

I've got a new Thermomix recipe to share with you today, but before I do so, I need to fill you in on my TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE Thermomix disaster.  It happened last Sunday and I am only just over it enough to talk about it!

So, I was making chocolate truffles (might share that recipe soon when I get over the trauma associated with them!) and using a metal teaspoon to scoop the mixture out to roll into balls.  I know we hear it over and over again to never use metal spoons in our Thermomixes, but I was being careful not to touch the blades or do anything harmful, it was just easier to get the mixture out that way.  I'd finished the rolling and decided I should make another batch and pop some in the freezer to pull out for snacks and school lunches during the week so I dumped some more biscuits into the bowl and started to whiz them up.  I realised that the Thermomix was making an unusual noise, but thought it must just be stuck on a tough biscuit and turned the speed up a bit.  It was then that I realised that something wasn't right and I opened the lid, had a poke around and almost died when I found my METAL TEASPOON mangled up in the blades!!!!!!!  I didn't take it out after the first batch because I was going to wash everything up and didn't notice it sitting in the bowl before I put the biscuits on top.

If you are a Thermomix owner, I can guarantee that you are gasping right now!  (If you are a wannabe Thermomix owner, you might be laughing at this story!!!)

It was bad, bad, bad.  I felt sick and quickly called my Aunty (who also happens to be my trusty TM consultant).  She scolded me to "NEVER use metal spoons in your Thermomix EVER!" - apparently this is not the first time a Thermo has had a battle with a metal spoon...Thankfully, the spoon lost the battle.  Apart from a couple of small chips in one of the blades everything else is working fine.  It took me a few hours to turn it on and check everything out, I was soooo scared that it was going to be stuffed but I've cooked a lot in it since Sunday and everything is working as it used to.

Anyway, let this be a lesson to all of us to NEVER use metal spoons in or around our Thermomixes again!  Just not worth the risk.

Check out the spoon...it looks much worse in real life - some of the scratched/chipped parts of the spoon feel as though they would be sharp enough to cut you - I'm keeping it on my kitchen windowsill as a gentle reminder ;)

This is a family favourite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, converted to turn out perfectly in the Thermomix. It took a few tweaks to get it just right, I'm starting to learn that cake/cookie mixture needs to be handled in a certain way in the Thermomix to get the same results as with a mix master.  These cookies are delicious with a soft and chewy center and crisp outside.  

(If you are wanting to make the cookies without a Thermomix, I posted the original recipe here.)

Only THE BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER!

125g butter
110g white sugar
110g brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
260g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
150g chocolate chips


Place butter, sugars and vanilla in TM bowl.  Cream together for 1 minute on speed 3-4.  
With TM still running, add egg through hole in lid and continue mixing on speed 3-4 for 30 seconds.
Add flour and salt, knead on interval speed for 30 seconds.
Add chocolate chips, stir through with spatula.
Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture on trays, leaving room for spreading.  Bake in moderate oven for 10-12 minutes.

.Feeling Grumpy.

Hi Guys!  

That's me, Tommy in the bath and I'm feeling grumpy.  Actually, I've been grumpy for about 5 days now.  It sucks, but I'm getting a lot of attention.  Mum and Dad think I've got a split personality now because they used to call me "super happy boy" and now they are calling me "grumpy bum".  Whatev'.

Anyways, we are all allowed to have a grumpy day (or 5) every now and then.  At the moment, I'm really just happy if Mum is holding me.  And it's much better if we are sitting still, like on the couch and watching ABC Kids or the Wiggles or something entertaining.  A little bit of rocking and singing doesn't go astray too.  It really annoys me when Mum wants to get up and do something, like put the washing on the line or answer the phone or go to the loo.  Seriously, she can hold on, right?!

Truth be told, I have been a bit sick, and that makes me miserable.  First off I had a fever for about 3 days and didn't know if I was hot or cold or if I wanted people to touch me or not (and can you believe that my parents took me to the snow in that condition?!)  And now I have a runny nose and a cough and I am just over it.  Mum says she is over it too, but, hello?...she's not the sick one here!   All she wants to do is clean the house and answer emails and sit at the sewing machine.  But she will have to wait because that's her job.

Mum wanted me to tell you that if you are waiting on an email or phone call or something else from her, then you'll just have to be patient and wait a bit longer because I'm clingy and not letting her out of my sight.

Thanks for listening, it feels good to get it all out!  

Tommy Ross :)

.From Rob Ryan.

I was shopping with the kids a few weeks ago during school holidays when I spotted an enchanting ceramic vase in our travels.  I have been on the look out for unique items to decorate our home with...there are a few bare spots that I still need to fill but I want it to happen naturally, as I see bits and pieces that call out to me and slowly build a collection of beautiful things.

The vase...I fell in love.  It is big, a little quirky and features the artwork of Rob Ryan - an extremely talented paper cutter and print maker.  As much as I wanted to buy the vase then and there, it was a little pricey and I REALLY wanted it to come in red or green as I didn't think that blue really went with anything in our house.  So I ummed and aahed and decided to leave it for now.

After we got home I searched online for the vase and found it on sale at Lark (sale has finished now).  I couldn't help myself and popped it into my virtual shopping cart and made the purchase :)  

It has been sitting in our lounge room for a few days and makes me smile every time I look at it.  Sometimes a girl's just gotta have a little splurge!

 If you are not familiar with Rob Ryan, check out his website and some of his paper cuts below...most of these can be purchased on his Etsy store.

 

.Cradle Mountain.

We bundled the troops up and headed to Cradle Mountain to the snow on Saturday.  Last week was FREEZING and we knew that we should make the most of the cold and have a snow trip before it was too late.  So after two or three layers of clothing and a quick stop to Kathmandu to buy everyone a pair of decent gloves we were set!  The gloves were on sale, but still a little pricey so I made sure we got them way too big for the kids - Oscar will be wearing his until he is 15!!  But it definitley made for happy kids at the snow, no crying that hands were cold and lots of time for fun playing...

 

 

It really was a perfect day...great snow cover, no wind, lots of open spaces to run around in.  Tommy was a little off though and later we realised that he was sick and has had a fever ever since.  He was okay with lots of cuddles though.

 

 

 

We had to drag the big two away for lunch and had a delicious meal at the Cradle Mountain Lodge - our favourite stop every time we visit the mountain.  The meals are delicious and huge and there is a massive log fire to get warm by after being outside in the cold.  The kids had a ball - it really is great now that they are getting older that they are able to enjoy outings like this, babies in the snow is not much fun, heaps easier when they can run around on their own and enjoy themselves!

They are already asking when we are going to go back...hopefully we'll make it again in the next few weeks - get some more use out of their gloves ;) although Oscar and Lil were up at 7am playing on the swing set outside with their gloves on!!

 

 

.A broken needle changes my plans.

I had great plans yesterday afternoon to settle down and work on a new pattern that I'm really excited about but haven't found the time to get stuck into yet...only to sit down and break my one and only twin needle within 3 seconds of sewing!  Lucky for me, my husband came to the rescue and headed to town and bought me another needle - which I also broke within 3 seconds of sewing again!  

Talk about frustration!!!  

Those baby's aren't cheap and I was sure I'd only make the same mistake once but obviously yesterday just wasn't my day to spend sewing on that project.  So, I've ordered another THREE twin needles online (saved myself a trip to the shops and surely I won't be going through three of them in a short frame of time!) There goes my productive sewing weekend and blog post about sewing with twin needles.

So instead, I started a new project...nothing for Make It Perfect, all for fun.  But I can't show you much more than this at the moment because it is a gift for someone special and I don't want to be giving away too much information...lots of mellow yellows, mustards and cool greys to play with - much more fun than breaking twin needles!

.Thermomix Cooking - Apple and Blueberry Muffins.

Muffins are easy peasy to cook anytime, so making muffin mixture in the thermomix is even easier than easy!  This recipe is actually taken from the Everday Cookbook - I was a little dubious as to how they would turn out but they are the best fruit muffins I've ever made.  These always go down well and the kids are getting a good dose of fruit as they are packed full.  Mix it up and add what ever fruit you like - apricots, raspberries, bananas, sultanas...

Apple and Blueberry Muffins

160g self-raising flour
150g wholmeal (or white) plain flour
180g milk
150g raw sugar
2 eggs
70g olive oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 can blueberries, drained
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into cubes


Place all ingredients, except fruit, into the TM bowl and mix for 40 seconds on speed 4-5.
Add blueberries and apples and carefully mix in by hand using TM spatula (I do this by hand so that the blueberries don't turn to mush).
Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake in moderate oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

.Citrus Pop FREE POST!.

FREE AUSSIE POSTAGE!!!

Yep, that's right...Citrus Pop now offers FREE AUSSIE POSTAGE on all items FOREVER!

 

Whether you're looking for necklaces, earrings, hairpins, headbands, hair elastics or bracelets, Citrus Pop is always full of pretties to accessorise with :)

Shop here now.

.BIG Sprout.

I know many of you have been dropping hints that you would like to see Sprout in the bigger size range.  Well, the wait is over - now you can get sewing some winter dresses for your bigger girls!

  

Big Sprout caters for girls from 6-10 years.  And to be honest, I think I prefer it on older girls than younger ones.  It looks very chic with some tights and a pair of boots.  Check out Karen - my pattern tester's - daughter below.  Isn't she gorgeous!  Hmmm...makes me think some Sprout dresses for the Mumma's might not go astray...what do you reckon?

Sprout is a dress designed for winter...fully lined with flannelette, snug side pockets and a hood.  However, if you wanted to line it with a lovely cotton voile or another layer of cotton fabric, it would work just as well for a light weight dress too.
 

Sprout is a favourite in our home - both for Lil and myself.  She likes it because it is a dress (with a hood!) and I like it because when we go out in the icy cold 12 degree days we have been having this week I know that she is still toasty and warm.

 

Just like all of my "upsized" patterns, LITTLE Sprout caters for sizes 6 months-5 years.  BIG Sprout is exactly the same design, only the size range for this pattern is 6-10 years. 

You can find out fabric requirements for Big Sprout on my website.  If you have a store and want to stock this or any other Make It Perfect pattern, contact Creative Abundance to place an order.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Big Sprout for yourself, they should be popping up in retail stores very soon.  Ask your favourite store to get one in for you!

I'm giving away a copy of Big Sprout to one lucky reader - leave a comment on this post to be in the running!
(Giveaway will close Wednesday 13th July and winner will be drawn via a random number generator)

.Crocheted Dishcloths.

I've been cleaning out my craft supplies and came across a few balls of yarn I bought two years ago to crochet some dishcloths with.  It wasn't doing any good tucked away in a box, so I got out my hook and started making squares.

 

They are fun (and addictive!) to make.  Good to pop in the present box for a quick gift.  I used Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn from here (remember you need to use 100% cotton yarn for dishcloths to be absorbent).  The pattern was a simple one from Design Sponge.

They helped keep me entertained for a few weeks of  Masterchef watching!  I'm no pro-hooker, but this book helps me out a lot when it comes to my crochet endeavors :)  Now to decide how many to keep for myself and which ones to put in the present box?!

.Oasis by Umbrella Prints.

I LOVE Aussie talent - and have loved the girls at Umbrella Prints for some time.  Even more so after meeting with them at AQM last November.  They are known for their unique, organic handprinted fabric but have recently released a small range with F.D. Textiles, called Oasis.

 Isn't it gorgeous?  I especially love the elephants, but am planning on using all three of these designs for new cushions for the lounge room.

I love how the three prints are so different from one another but work beautifully to create a set. 

Thanks to Kathryn from F.D. Textiles for sending me these fabrics to play with - I'll be sure to share the cushions when they are finished!

If you're wondering where you can purchase Oasis from, check out the following stores online:

Umbrella Prints Shop

Funky Fabrix

Earthgirl Fabrics