Sewing days

We've been pretty busy here, despite the heat (32 degrees on Tuesday) we've managed to clear out the section a lot and Thomas has been busy in the garage and lean-to as well.  Red bin was full to the brim and so was the green.  They've been emptied now, but the yellow is still full and that doesn't get emptied till Tuesday next week.
Been getting more exercise as a result and on Tuesday I went out for a decent bike ride.   On Monday the kittens got to go outside for the first time, they went absolutely nuts!   My flax plants are now flattened; if you watch this you can see why!

We've had to rescue Ray from up on the conservatory roof too, she's the adventurous one; though right atm both of them are curled up on the beanbag, fast asleep.

Yesterday we went to Willowbank with the boys and had a superfast tour by Ian, he lead, we ran along behind.   Some photo's to show what we saw when he paused.   It was a good day for it, not too hot.

 The voracious eels

 The beautiful peacock

 The only deer that was interested in us, the rest were hiding

 The very bored looking gibbon

 Our favourite Clydesdale horse

 A juvenile pukeko, his red colouring will come in later

 Our boys on the donkeys which they both enjoyed

 A lamb in the Arapawa/Karakul sheep enclosure; he's got a fat tail, so I suspect he's Karakul

 The sulphur crested cockatoo who was refusing to talk

 A tortoise, this is the first time we've seen tortoises here

A wallaby, we also saw one with a joey in her pouch.
The boys really enjoyed themselves and afterwards we bought lunch at Bakers Delight and an iceblock each from the dairy.  All in all a very good day.

That afternoon I got more sewing done.  I finished this skirt a couple of days ago

This is a New Look pattern that I've changed quite a bit; shortened and removed the waistband so I could use a facing instead.  The fabric is a stretch cotton sateen from Fabric Vision
My second skirt is the same pattern, but the fabric is a quilting cotton from Stitch and I've used a velvet ribbon trim

I really like the way this pattern works out after the adjustments and a size reconciliation (according to the back I should be a size 20, however size 16 fits perfectly).  I've been wearing this skirt all day and I'm in love!  I bought another 1.4m of another quilting cotton to make one more, then I'm right for summer skirts; that's a blue with spots on it and I might embellish one or three of the spots when it's done.   I've got to prewash the fabric though, and I need some bike shorts first.
Got the pattern for them today as well as a new trouser pattern for Thomas as the one I've been using is feeling rather sad, that and if he can't shift some weight then I'll need a larger one anyway.   I also got some more invisible zips, love those things when I install them correctly.
The last thing I got was a new shoulder bag, my current one is over 15 years old and starting to fall to pieces. I've dropped it in for repair, but I found one in the same range for $155 which I bought in the meantime.  I think this will get used lots too.

Right, back to knitting while I"m waiting for the weather to improve for my prewashing.   See you later and wishing you a happy crafty new year.