{MoederMail}

Time to head to the post office - lots of goodies heading out to new homes this week!

Which reminds me, I have a story to tell about one of the items above. Might save that for a rainy day.

If you think one of these has your name on it, keep an eye out for some MoederMail this week!

And the winner is...

Well, the time has come to announce the winner of our little giveaway.

So many awesome traditions, it was seriously difficult to pick a winner - so I may have picked more than one!

There were stories of PJs, chocolate in the mail, candy eggs, family cuddles, scented soap, knitted bags, lots of baking, and cold showers.

After much deliberation though, I have decided to award the prize of a custom piece of clothing to Siobhan, for her sweet and simple tradition that came from both necessity and love.

Siobhan said...

This is not specifically a holiday tradition, but as it is to do with eggs, it seems relevant!

I grew up in a tiny household, just me and my mum. She was disabled for most of my childhood, after a car accident, so sometimes things were stretched: money, energy, time, food. But whenever she made me a boiled egg for breakfast, she would take a biro and draw a beautiful happy silly cartoony face on the egg, complete with hair on top. She never failed to draw that face, and I wouldn't have wanted to eat an egg without it. It was a nice reminder that mum was still Mum, still taking care of me and taking the time to do something frivolous, just to make me smile.

I now draw a face on my daughter's boiled egg every time (and my own!). It doesn't mean much more to her than a little giggle, but it gives me that same sense of security and happiness to do it for her as it did to receive a boiled egghead when I was little.

Now I come to think about it, it's a bit gross to give personality to something you're about to chop the top off, but I'm still going to keep doing it! :D

Siobhan - I can't wait to work with you on designing your very own MoederKip creation!

But wait, there's more.

I also loved the sweet whimsy of Shawn's entry.

Shawn said...

My fondest memory of Easter was eating my chocolate in bed next to my Dad <3
But this year I also started a new tradition. Planting Magic Jelly Beans in the garden. This morning my son found lolly pops growing where we planted them yesterday! He was also super excited about the chocolate flavoured paw prints the Easter Bunny left just near the door :) Magical!

Shawn - I'll be sending you this Surf's Up bunting for your son's room. Hope he loves it!

And finally, for all who took the time to share their stories. Each and every one made me smile.  So Danelle, Deb, Helen, Tanya, Lisa, Kylie,  Dani, and Mary - I'll be sending you your choice of a Robot Bookmark or pair of hair clippies as a little thank you (hair clips can be done in other fabrics - just let me know what type of style / colours you like).

Thanks again everyone - if you'd like to email your postal address to info@moederkip.com.au, and we'll sort out the prizes.

Snuggle Up - PJ Pattern Review and a GiveAway

For many families in Australia, it is a tradition to give children new winter pyjamas at Easter. And given the chilly Victorian temperatures that are on the horizon, it's been a perfect excuse to get out the flannelette and sew up some snuggly JimJams for Bradley.

So if you're in the mood for a little sewing this Easter holiday, I thought I'd do a quick review of some of my favourite children's PJ patterns.  Hope it gets you inspired!

1. Oliver and S Bedtime Story PJs

This gorgeous pattern is one of the best. The elastic waist pants are super-easy to sew up, and I adore the kimono style top.  I made numerous versions of this for Bradley when he was little, and certainly got my money's worth from the pattern!  If you want something that looks great, and isn't too difficult, this would definitely be my pick.

The major change I made was to put in snaps instead of ties.  Warning though - if your little one is ticklish, you may want to bring the fastenings down a little from the under-arms!!

I believe this pattern is now out of print (someone correct me if I'm wrong) ... although I have just seen that it is listed locally at Kelani Fabrics, so you may still be able to pick it up if you're lucky.

2. Night Owls Pajamas from Ottobre 2009

Another favourite style of PJ for Bradley is a raglan shirt and leggings - soft and cosy; and if you add cuffs to the arms and legs, you can stop them from riding up during the night.

This one is from Ottobre Magazine, which is great value as you get multiple patterns in each magazine, and they're all really versatile (but really, you could use any t-shirt and leggings pattern that you're comfortable with).

If you haven't used European sewing patterns before, you will need to be prepared for a few things.  They're not necessarily difficult to make, however the patterns themselves have a few differences to what you might be used to - the sizing is based on height; the tracing takes a little concentration, as there's lots of lines on the page; and you also have to add your own seam allowance.  However once you've done a couple, it doesn't take too long to get used to it.

There's also a lot of advice over on the Crafty Mamas forum if you ever get stuck, so please don't let these little quirks hold you back.  You can buy back-copies of the Winter 2009 Ottobre from the Crafty Mamas online shop.

3. Farbenmix GuteNacht Pyjamas

A more 'grown-up' style of PJs, this pattern includes a pair of simple cuffed pants and collared shirt. It can be made long or short, and also has an adorable girl's version.

I just bought the pattern last week, so this was the first time I'd made it, and it came together without any problems.  The Farbenmix patterns are a staple in my stash - simple and stylish; and good value with a large range of sizes and variations.

Like Ottobre, you'll need to add your own seam allowance.  Plus the patterns are in German (some of them are released in English, however I'm not sure if they'll have a translation for the PJs).  But fear not - there are tutorials you can find online, and lots of people over at Crafty Mamas with experience if you need help.

If you try any of these, I'd love to hear how you go.  Or if you have another great PJ pattern that you love, feel free to link up to it.

**Give Away

And now.... just because I have some spare time, and am enjoying working in my new studio, I thought a little competition may be in order.

Have you seen something on the blog or Facebook page that you like?
Do you have a child that doesn't fit the standard sizing and needs something a little more customised?
Or are you just wanting something a little special that nobody else has?

Here's the deal:

• Prize is a custom order of a single item of children's clothing.  We'll work together to come up with the perfect mix of style and fabric (using patterns and materials I already have in my stash); and I'll make a little something just for your child (sizing from newborn up to a size 7).
• To be in the running, you'll need to leave a comment telling me about a tradition from your childhood that you've continued with your own children (or are planning to).  My favourite entry will be judged the winner.
• I'll need a valid email address to contact you, so please be sure to include that if your comment doesn't link to a blog.
• Competition closes at midnight, Wednesday 11th April 2012.
• Prize winner will be announced on Friday 13th April 2012, and will be announced here on the blog.
• Competition available to Australian residents only.

Any queries or problems with posting, you can contact me on info@moederkip.com.au  

Let the fun begin!