Play Cloths and Pinafores

I was lucky enough to have my Mum come and stay overnight at the start of this week as we waited for my Poppa to have his heart operation. While Mum was visiting - in between reading stories to the girls, changing nappies, making muffins, getting my washing up-to-date (including handwashing the woollies) - she got me going on a bit of sewing. I started with the simple...like really simple...hemming the edges on some beautiful coloured soft voile fabric squares.

These have become play cloths for the girls and already Sofia has made some lovely creative games with them (mainly centered around her doll Polly and the ever-present pram) as these photos show...

I can see a lot of imaginative play coming from these simple play cloths.

Next I mended a pair of my (live-in) nephew's work pants. It took two attempts but they came up looking not too bad (excuse the dirt-they got worn before I took the photo)...
                    
He was happy. In fact he said "they look like they've been sewn by angels"!! haha Love the humour but I guess that's a compliment so I'll take it. Thanks.
We then moved on to something a little more challenging. We pinned out the pattern for a pinafore for Sofia and cut the pieces...

As Mum was about to head off to the hospital we had a quick run through of the steps for sewing the garment and I jotted them down in my trusty notebook...

Late that afternoon I had a few spare moments as Na'uli had her nap so I got the sewing underway. I certainly found it easier with my own instructions than I think I would have following the pattern. The pinafore is at the almost finished stage ...

...and it's been on hold as my girls have been a bit 'needy' as the first Winter coughs and runny noses are upon us. So when I have top-stitched and done a bit of decoration on the pocket I shall try to get a picture posted.
Amongst all of this Sofia was itching to get her hands into something crafty so Mama set her up with her first bit of hand stitching. She was using some bright coloured wool on hessian and was ever so pleased with herself...