Baby bunting, very cute pants, Mums ceci ripieni

With the excitement of Christmas and its many late nights behind me, there was finally a moment to dust off the flour, clear the table, and start sewing.

So regardless of the mess and the awaiting laundry, the clink and whirr of the sewing machine could be heard. I'd wanted to make Circe a bunting with her name for ages but never found the time. With a supply of sweets brought home from Christmas at Mum's (including ceci ripieni, a traditional Abruzzesi treat consisting mainly of pureed chic peas and chocolate with cinnamon, ground almond, sultanas and a thick rich grape reduction called mosto cotto or vin cotto, encased in a crostoli-like pastry and fried rolled in sugar and cinnamon. But that's another post...) With one of these in hand and a cup of tea the minutes and hours seemed all the sweeter and life seems good.

But the bunting. My recent purchase of some bargain lilac linen cotton blend fabric bought for two dollars a metre was the perfect texture and colour for her room. A free template from Purl bee was used to cut the triangle shape with Aaron's mum's treasured pinking shears (this stops fraying and means no hemming required). The letters and very cute bird motif I made up were cut after the fabric for each had been fused with interfacing making, them sturdier and easier to cut. The letters and motif were then stitched to the linen triangles, this was easy. I had folded a one-centimetre hem along the top edge of the raw edge of the linen, just for neatness. A purple cotton trim was then stitched into place with a straight stitch, and it all strung together perfectly. So happy were both little Circe and I with the result, and with my sewing itch only barely scratched, several days worth of projects were already in my mind.

The following day, I made my very first piece of clothing. In the morning Aaron had cut up a bed sheet to make pj bottoms. I'd broken down after years of nagging and bought him some for Christmas, but he rejected them all: elastic too tight, too flumfy, didn't like stripes.

He used one of the Meet me at Mike's patterns. Well lets just say they are interesting pants. He claims all the "errors" are part of the design, they are not bad. You can see some of them in the photo.

After lunch I had my own go. Words cannot explain the satisfaction you get when you finish these cute little pants. Even more rewarding was seeing the mega cuteness of these tiny pants on my fourteen-month-old. There will be many more where these came from, I am in love with making pants, so in love we are all going to be wearing comfy pants.

Both patterns came from a Pip Lincoln's book called "Sew la tea do." This book is fantastic as is "Meet me at Mikes," Pip's first book that the website is named after. She is also a local Melbourne girl, part of the crafting movement here. These are two of my most favourite and well used books: easy to follow patterns of adorable things. Included are these pants as well as heaps of great easy projects, like softies, useful wallets, bags, belts wrap skirt, the list goes on. With this book under ones arm a seamstress can be made, can I call myself that yet?

The cute fabric came from my Mum, too, it was a curtain belonging to someone they knew. I am often the recipient of things "to be given away". Some people (including my parents) think that because I op-shop that I will take anything. I was on this occasion quite thrilled at the inherited curtain.

It had already become a sleepover bag and now some pants, re-purposing fabric is brilliant.

I may not have had a lamington in hand whilst sewing as Pip Lincoln would, but hey the supply of Mums Ceci ripeni keep coming, at least till the New Year. I love Mum for knowing how much these are loved in my house.