Liebster Award

I've been very busy sewing, cutting more evil, slippery, patterned, sheer stuff, online fabric shopping (navy windproof fleece anyone?) and pattern mashing.

But I couldn't ignore that I was nominated for a Liebster Award.

Click the button above to go to the Itinerant Seamstress' post and get thoroughly distracted by all the other lovely blogs she nominated.

And then you realise that, yes, it's chain mail. But it's a friendly, cost free, kind of pyramid scheme for sharing small blogs, so I'll play along. The rules seem to be re-interpreted by anyone who cares to. Some suggest nominating 3-5 other blogs, some 11. Answer 5 questions or 11, link to blogs with under 200 members, or maybe under 2,000?

Edit: Because this is a very wordy blog spot I'm going to intersperse all the ramblings with some photos of Oliver + S Teaparty dresses and playsuits I've made that have already been handed down and thus would never otherwise see an internet blog page.

Here are the questions that the Itinerant Seamstress put to me:

1) How much time do you spend on blog photography?

Hmmm.
Garments on clothes hangers: about 10 minutes.
Garments on kids: as long as it takes, two seconds sometimes. Shoot fast and then edit later.
Garments on me: Days. I'm a lot more fussy, funny that. I don't fit very well on our very small spot of blank wall so I go outside and wait for some flattering light and an available photographer!

2) What is your idea of a perfect vacation?

I'd struggle to answer this now without offending my husband and kids! I travelled a lot before my family came into my life. I like to do things, so I'd be hiking, scuba diving, horse riding, bicycling....
Perfect next holiday could be Sicily; I'd cycle with the hubbie in the mornings and then eat gelato in the afternoons with the kids.

3) What fabric are you currently drooling over?

I just had some phenomenal success with a knit dress for me. So now I really want some Liberty of London viscose jersey to make another one.

4) What is your favorite candy?

If this is the all encompassing American meaning of candy, then I'd say dark chocolate.

5) What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?

The worst fright I've had was riding my mountain bike on a race course, entering a steep downhill section of bermed, boardwalk that is only about 3 foot wide, with a very steep drop off on either side, to see a large Tiger Snake lying right across the track! Luckily he/she got just as bad a fright and moved quickly down between the boards and my wheel missed the snake by millimetres.

And now, 5 random facts about me:

1: Rightly, or wrongly, I think I would have a genetic talent for body building. However I have neither the will power nor the desire to prove it.

2: Our household is 4 people, 4 goldfish and 17 bicycles

3: I grew up sleeping in a bed where my feet pointed due North. All through my twenties I was convinced I could be used as a human compass. It mostly worked, but when you're lost, drunk, and on a foreign street your friends will believe you no matter what you say.

4: I've been learning French at adult education classes for the last 14 years. (... and no, I'm not "fluent" yet)

5: I currently have very odd foot tan from the sandals I've been wearing all summer.



Finally, to sharing the Liebster love and nominating some blogs that I enjoy. I've no idea how many readers/members other blogs have (is it possible to know that?) so I apologise in advance if I offend anyone who has many more readers than the variable Liebster magic number.

Ava's Lookbook is brand, spanking new. but megamora16 has been sewing some stunning Oliver + S outfits for her daughter. I can't wait to see more on her blog

Rachel of Stitched Together can always make me smile. Her sewing and her kids are just too beautiful. Plus her husband knows how to use burlap ribbon and wield a glue gun. Love it!

Over at A Stitch A Day Brittany always makes the dress I wish I'd made. Don't look too closely, you'll be bound to find something I've shamelessly copied!

For the most beautifully dressed and photographed little girl I can't look past Daisies and Dresses. Her photos are divine and her broken doll photoshoot is worth hunting out.

And Ashley at Everything Else We Do is brilliant and hilarious in equal measure. I love the clothes she makes for herself and am always amused by her writing and sewing style.



Now, to some questions for my nominated bloggers (and at this stage in my blog post I will fully understand if you were to say thanks for linking to my blog but there's no way I can be bothered with chain mail posting!)

1:  When the sun refuses to shine and you have something wonderful to photograph for your blog, what do you do?

2:  What's been your "never again" moment in sewing?

3: If you could only choose one type of fabric to sew with for the next year, what would it be?

4: What's your family's favourite dinner recipe? (yep I'm fishing for ideas at that time of the day!)

5: What do you do with kid's clothes you've made that have been outgrown?

Phew.... I wonder if I shouldn't have just said thanks and then published my Bloglovin reading list!
I'm more than happy to see more wonderful sewing blogs. Any you'd recommend?