Nerolie Makes herself an "Our favourite Top"

As a full time working mum with an attached toddler while at home, making myself something is often difficult.
Over the past few weekends I have been able to steal a bit of time here and there to make myself a top. I have previously made one for my daughter and wanted to make myself one.
The first weekend I went shopping for fabric. Found a gorgeous black stretch jersey with silver print, and a teal blue stretch jersey fabric.
The next weekend, I printed the pattern and taped it all together. I also bought some cardboard so I can trace out the pattern and use it again and again. I put it onto my folded (pre-washed) material and traced it with chalk.

Going by my experience making the toddler top, I took the pattern off and extended the arm length by about 10 cm and widened it by 2(ish). I was a bit haphazard and just drew a longer wider arm and then put the one front cut fabric over the top of the other back outline and traced the arm.

Toddler wakes from nap and sew time is over.
This weekend my lovely husband took my daughter for an hour so I could start sewing my pieces together. Thankfully I had no machine issues an was able to get the shoulder seams and side seams done.
Next stop... Hems!

Nerolie makes a Heart Pillow

This will be the second heart pillow I have made.
A work friend was diagnosed with her second round of breast cancer last year. I wondered what I could do for her when a close friend said that her mum really appreciated a heart pillow someone had made for her.
So I googled heart pillow and found The Heart Pillow Project.
It was perfect.
I downloaded the pattern (as she has had people using the pattern for commercial gain you will need to email her to get the pdf file sent to you) and set about making this pillow.
It was super simple for a beginner sewer.
I used minky dot fabric for one side and plain white microfibre for the other, so it would be soft. It was well received (I had to make two so her son could have the same as mama) and she said it really helped with her sleeping.




















Only a few weeks ago someone even closer to me was diagnosed. So I set out to make another one.
This time I made it in black and white as I wanted it to suit the decor.

 I sewed the edges making sure to back stitch the 2 inch opening for the filling. I have found if you don't back stitch then it will pull open as you stuff it and you will end up having to hand sew parts you have already machined.
I then sewed the edges with a zig zag pattern as I have yet to learn how to use my mother's overlocker she has handed down to me.
Works about the same but is less neat. 

 The instructions for the pillow state about 150grams of filling, which seems to be perfect. The first pillow I pulled apart a cushion I had, this one I bought a toddler pillow and used the innards of that.
Once turned inside out, ironed and filled, I hand stitched the opening closed.
And voila! Pillow done.
Easy as pie and very useful for sleeping.