MATERNITY RUFFLE SKIRT - TUTORIAL

I love ruffles on skirts and dresses. And of course, being pregnant doesn't have to mean that you cannot look cute any longer. However, most maternity clothes I found was either not so cute or overpriced and sometimes even BOTH.

OK, time to bring out the sewing machine.

I used about 1 yard of main fabric and 1/2 yard for ruffles and belly band.

I started with a pencil skirt kind of layout. Since I used stretchy fabric, I simply did this:

Measure hips, add 2 inches (5 cm) and use this as your width for the pattern. In my case, I ended up at 38 inches.

Then I decided on the length of my skirt. I wanted it to reach to my knees, so I had my length: 20 inches.

Then I cut that piece of fabric for the main skirt piece; mine is a jeans colored animal print. I know, it sounds wild but the fabric is actually pretty toned down and subtle. But then again, being pregnant is kind of a wild ride, isn't it?!

Since we will make this a maternity skirt, I also cut the piece for the 'belly band', which I also used a stretchy fabric but a different one.  I used some jersey knit in grey and cut it according to my waist measurement 24 inches in length and I typically make them 24 inches in height as well.

I started with the belly band and pressed about 1/2 inch (1cm) inward on both width ends.

Then I  pressed the piece in half with wrong sides facing. The fold that you get is the top portion of the belly band.

The openings with the two little folds need to be sewn onto the main skirt; kinda like bias taping. I used zig-zag stitch throughout since I find this easier for stretchy materials.



So, I pinned and sewed the grey belly band onto the main skirt piece.

I recommend to start with the inside and then lay the outside over the visible seam on the main piece's.

From the outside it should look like this.

Then I closed the seam in the back, making it a tube.

I pinned the piece onto the mannequin, so you can see where you should be at right now.

To give it somewhat more of the Flamenco look I curved the bottom end a little bit.

NOTE: Only a little, because my big belly will ride this skirt up anyways and I don't want to flash anyone.

Now, off to some serious ruffles. 

For that, I cut strips of 4 inches in height and 1.5 times the length as my width for the skirt was. 

Then, I pinned the first ruffle right sides facing onto the end of the skirt (where the knees will be). SEW.

Then simply keep cutting strips of 4 inches in height and add them.

As you can see, I started to bring them in from the sides into the middle to pronounce the cut curve.

I also added a small piece of the main fabric for interest.




"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

MATERNITY WRAP TOP TUTORIAL

I have been searching forever to find a free pattern and / or tutorial for this maternity wrap top. I loove this so much since it is comfy, easy and obviously not just a maternity item.

However, my search was UNSUCCESSFUL. Megan Nielsen had a wonderful free tutorial online but now has decided to charge $15 for it. While I had saved the link a while ago, the pattern / tutorial was not free anymore and I was somewhat disappointed.

Of course buying a pattern for $15 is not an option right now with all the major baby expenses that are awaiting us.

So, what's a girl to do? I used a pattern from my old knitting projects. DUH! And drafted it out here, so you can follow along, because I am pretty sure that I am not the only thrifty one out here. Hehe.

First things first: The sizing was in Euro clothing and centimeters, so I converted it in US clothing and inches. I will give you BOTH measurements. First, find your size:

Sizing:
US       6/8       10/12   14/16
Euro    36/38   40/42   44/46

http://goeurope.about.com/cs/shopping/l/bl_clothes_size.htm

I am normally a size 4 but for maternity, I figured to go up one size and as you can see from the picture it was a good decision. Gotta admit: I am new at both, sewing and sketching / sizing, so while I believe the numbers should be correct, please feed back if I miscalculated. THX!

OK, so here are my sketches. . . First the centimeter one...

And here is the inches one.















NOTE: No seam allowance is included. However, since I sewed everything with a zig-zag stitch right at the edge of the material, I did not need to add any seam allowance.

MATERIALS: Approx. 3.5 yards of knit jersey fabric, stretchy

HERE IS HOW I DID IT:
First, I sewed the shoulders together. I pinned everything like mad because these stretchy materials are soo slippery. And I used a zig-zag stitch all throughout. Saves the hemming.

Second, I closed the slides, leaving on the left side about a 5 inch (12cm) gap, which I positioned about 2 (5cm) inches from the waist end. This is where the right tie will come through. I zig-zagged around the opening to prevent frailing.

Then sewed the sleeves on at the shoulders. I am not crazy about sewing sleeves; this seams to always be a hassle. For that I typically put sleeve and the main piece on right sides and then pin from the inside.

Then I added the ties.

Lastly, I zig-zagged around the whole piece to give it somewhat of a hemmed appeal.


"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

2011 HARVEST TALLY AND REVIEW

First of all, HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Whew, what a year it has been...

We moved to beautiful open-spaced Agoura Hills with its breath-taking surroundings, started a homestead and while doing so, took the whole house and garden apart and have been working on restoring it our way.

Yep, lots of inbetweens and corrections and learning curve here.

We built raised beds, trellises, duck and chicken houses, terraced the backyard, moved the pond, installed rainwater collecting wine barrels, transplanted many of the original landscape and gave most of it away (good riddens to all those ornamentals), while seeding and planting edibles all over the place.

We hatched chickens, raised ducklings and said chickens, became beekeepers, gave away some chickens and sadly lost our hive to mites.

We learnt a lot of things from our mistakes and some of the things I am def going to bare in mind for 2012 is to start mite-preventing earlier and obvously it helps for us to understand our weather patterns a bit better these days to prevent some of the dramatic edible losses we had.

Here is our harvest tally for 2011:

346.5 lbs of produce, 314 duck eggs and 82 chicken eggs.
And I haven't even weighed the beeswax yet but assume its another 10 lbs.

Not bad for a regular sized city lot and only 4 young birdies, huh?

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

DECEMBER 2011 - Harvest Tally and Molting birds

This marks the eleventh month of our mini-farm adventure and boy, it's cold out here.

Not much to harvest at this point, thank god for our feathered friends. They are staring to go into molt, so there were not that many eggs either. Birds need sun and warmth to lay eggs. If it is too cold, they won't lay. This is also the season when they renew their feathers. And yes, they do look a tad scrunchy, so I will spare you pictures of my sad looking girlies.

Here is the harvest tally for December 2011:

5 lbs of zucchini

A total 5 lbs of produce and 39 duck and 36 chicken eggs. 

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

November 2011 - Harvest Tally (stolen food, baking too many too yummy cookies and gestational diabetes)

Fall reflections

This marks the tenth month of our mini-farm adventure and fall is HERE.

What's new? Let's start with the sad sad sad news.... my hive is dead. After taking it apart and asking many experienced beekeepers, it turned out to have been mites, followed by honey robbery from another colony. It was pretty devastating. Apparently, in California, mites come fast and furious, which is why, mite prevention has to start in September and then again in February. Well, I started in October. 

BUT we got loads of beeswax, so I will make many candles, salves etc. Of course only after we build (or buy) a beeswax melter.
On the more positive side, all four of our birds are still laying, despite the harsh temperatures. Today in the morning it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrrrrr.

What else? Roberto has built an awesome wrought iron tile-mosaic table, which I love! And I have been knitting, crocheting and sewing for Aurelia, me and baby #2 like a mad person. This babe will be the most uniquely dressed wee-one around; including cloth diapers. I am planning on posting a few baby and maternity tutorials shortly, so stay tuned. 

Baking cookies, but first hands washing


And yes, Aurelia and I baked cookies. . . of course, I ate so many of them right before I had my pregnancy glucose test that now my health care team is convinced that I am at risk for gestational diabetes. No, it's only the holiday season and I baked (and ate) many yummy cookies.

So, I was reviewing my diet with #2 versus the Aurelia pregnancy, from what I recall (mami-nesia, HELLO!). I honestly don't think that I changed anything, mainly because I do not EVAH watch what I eat anyways and simply eat what I like. . . And what I like has not changed. So, the only thing different is that I am not working as a personal trainer anymore, when you are basically active with your clients all day long. Yes, I have turned into a couch-potatoe-cookie-monster. Oh my.

Anywho, you will see Schoko and me now walking and hiking more.

So, on the more interesting subjects: After sowing loads of winter crops, my chickens crossed my plans and scratched up all the seeds. Well, at least someone on the homestead got a meal out of my workings.

So, just like October, November 2011 was not such a great month for us harvesting-wise, either.

Speaking of stolen food... Our labrador girlie has developped a new trait: She gets on her hindlegs and sneaks whatever food is left on the dining room table. And I mean whatever is left on the plates. So far she has not broken any of my good plates but Roberto and Aurelia are determined to catch her doing her dirty deed.

On the growing side: The peas are looking great, growing like crazy (I planted them in the frontyard, where my hungry chickens cannot get to) and I have noticed already some garlic sprouts. So, I am hopeful that we will be harvesting again some time soon. . .

Anywho, without further ado, here is the harvest tally for November 2011:

3 lbs Tomatoes

5 lbs Zucchini

1 lbs Eggplant

1 Persimmon (it's a baby-tree)

A total of 9 lbs of produce and 58 duck and 44 chicken eggs. 

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

October 2011 - Harvest Tally (Green Eggs and no Ham)

This marks the nineth month of our mini-farm adventure and fall truely has arrived with temps in the low 40's here on the Suburban Homestead in Southern California. Roberto has been starting to research * again * for a fireplace insert to heat the home in a more sustainable way and I am hoping for an insert that can be used to bake bread in or at least heat water on top. Woolen gear (hats, sweaters, mittens and socks) is all the rave in our house right now and I have been knitting and crocheting endless hours to make sure everyone is warm.

With the summer crops rotating out and the new crops not yet in place (note to myself: planning for bumper crops for next spring and fall!), October 2011 was not such a great month for us harvesting-wise.

The chickens are well over half a year old but had not started laying and considering the temps, I started to write off that any of our Easter Eggers will lay an egg before next spring, after molt. But then on the last day of October, guess what they did: THEY EACH LAID AN EGG.

Now, the name Easter Eggers was not given to this breed in vain; they do lay eggs in blue, green and pink. However, the color of the eggs won't change. Once a hen lays blue (or green or pink) eggs, she will do so for as long as she lays. Well, I am proud to announce, that we are having GREEN EGGS ... and no ham.

My bees filled up their three supers perfectly but I decided - since this is our first year - to let them have it all and see what is left to be harvested in spring, if any.

We still have a bunch of green tomatoes on the vines, which I am sure won't all come to red and juicy maturity, so I am already searching for green tomato recipes. Probably within the next few days, I will harvest them all. Green or not. Let the window sill do its juicy.

However, October was a super busy month for us: I have been preparing some of the beds for the next season by pulling the old and dead plants out, placing old cardboard over the beds, emptying one of our compost piles and loading the goods onto those beds and then covering the beds with bark. I also rotated some of our perennials around to group them more according to their watering needs to ensure I do not kill someone by over- or underwatering their neighboring plant. Since I can only do this during dormancy state of each plant (which varies), I will keep doing this until next spring or even summer and this way slowly re-design the landscape somewhat.

We seeded a bunch of winter crops: salads, cabbages, beets, peas, carrots, garlic, brussel sprouts and brokkoli. Sadly, though, I had to notice that one day after planting about one hundred beet seedlings, there were no seedlings left; the bunnies must have gotten them all. Yes, all of them.

On the more happy side: The peas are looking great and I have noticed already some garlic sprouts. So, I am hopeful that we will be harvesting again some time soon. . .

There are still some zucchinis on my plants. However, since the temps are so low, I am planning on pulling these babies within the next days as well. They supplied us with wonderful produce all throughout summer.

As far as work on the house goes: We have been searching everywhere for another wall fountain for the backyard and a wrought iron mosaic table with chairs but were either disappointed by the price or the look of what we found. Inspired by some pictures from Parc Guell in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudi, we have decided to design and build these items ourselves. Yes, like we do not have enough work yet. Stay tuned... it may get interesting.

Anywho, without further ado, here is the harvest tally for October 2011:

5 lbs Tomatoes

5 lbs Zucchini

4 lbs Eggplant

2 lbs Pomegranate
2 lbs Savoy cabbage
couple handful of Hibiscus flowers (which are dry by now and will be great in a tea ... ahh, cannot wait!)

A total of 18 lbs of produce and 56 duck and 2 chicken eggs. 

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Homemade Fall Remedies - Vick Vaporub for Bees and Children

I love homemade remedies. This goes for my family and our animals, who - let's be honest - are part of the family anyways. Today I learnt something interesting: What's good enough to treat a human cold, may actually also help bees to overwinter more easily.

Over the last few days, I have been reading up on how to prepare my hive for the winter. I know, many of you will laugh and claim that it does not get too cold here in Southern California. However, this week alone we have had many mornings when it was 43F degrees at around 7am and  personally, I considered it cold.

This made me wonder about all our animals. While Schoko sleeps in my bed (ahh, thank god for her higher body temperature!) and the birds have down feathers and loads of saw dust to keep them cozy, my bees are pretty much exposed, I felt. So I started researching.

Apparently, the most important thing for a hive in winter is ventilation. Well, we have a bottom and a top opening, which the girlies use, so they should bee happy. Another issue that kept coming up is that pests may get to them, in particular mites.   In a backyard beekeeping book, I found a recommendation to strenghten the colony and prevent the worst when it comes to pests through use of essential oils. The recipe is a variation of Api Life, a pest management medication that is considered organic.

Here is the recipe that I used for my bees:

Cut an all natural sponge in tiny pieces and soak them in a mix of essential oils:

35 drops thyme
20 drops eucalyptus
10 drops peppermint
10 drops camphor

Then place these sponge pieces on top of the frames. Leave them in for about one week and replace them with the same. It was recommended to do this three times.

So, and here is the funny part... My little pumpkin has been complaining about a stuffy nose and having a heard time breathing. Roberto and my first thought was 'vick vaporub' to make breathing more easy and help with the common cold's aches and pains. Since I was already cooking up medication for my bees, I figured, I read up on the ingredients in that magic potion to see whether I can brew this as well. Turns out: Yep, I can! Interestingly, vick vaporub's ingredients reads pretty much like the mixture above.

So I whipped up this concoction for my little princess:

1/4 cup of beeswax melted in
1 cup of olive oil

Add these essential oils:

30 drops eucalyptus
20 drops peppermint
10 drops of camphor

Let it cool off and rub away those cold aches and pains.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis