Slow Sunday : Lamb and Veg slow cooker soup

 4 litres water

2 onions chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 large carrots chopped

2 ribs celery chopped, throw in some of the leafy ends whole

1 chunk of pumpkin, about as big as your fist- diced.

1 lambs neck or shank. ( or both!).

1 x 375gm packet of Italian soup mix

1/4 x 375gm packet of pearl barley

1x 400gm can condensed tomato soup OR

400gm jar of pasta sauce OR 

a 400gm tin of tomatoes

Place all above in slow cooker. Cook on LOW about 8 hours, on HI about 5 hours, til meat falls from bones.

Remove meat from bones, throw out bones, shred meat and return to slow cooker.

Add either the soup or pasta sauce, salt and pepper, then allow to cook on LO for another 30 minutes..

Serve with fave homemade pizzas or crusty bread.  

Notes; you can also add some small pasta if you like. 

This make a LOT of soup. We generally freeze half and the other half feeds us twice as an entree or for lunch.

Enjoy!

Farbenmix DANAI Hoody Sweater review

Farbenmix DANAI

The DANAI is an adorable hoody pattern. It sews up very quickly and although it is in German, with the online tutorial- DANAI is suited to beginners that have sewn with knits before. 

Best fabrics for your DANAI will be snuggly ones, so Nicky velour, sweat shirt knit, polar fleece etc. 

I left the bottom band off this one as I ran out of my hand dyed Nicky. ( and I can't remember what brew I used for this purple!). DANAI is sized very generously.You have the option of  kanga style front pockets, or the very much on trend at the moment - cut out circular pockets that are trimmed with rib.

The hood is very clever in that it has a lower section that keeps the child's neck warm. Love it. 

You can grab a DANAI here from Crafty Mamas Fabrics and choose from our beautiful range of snuggly fabrics here and here.

New pattern release: Crafty Mams FRIDA!

Have you seen our gorgeous new sewing pattern??

Our beautiful FRIDA dress/tunic is a pattern you will live in all year long! FRIDA is inspired by the colourful Mexican dresses of Frida Kahlo, with sweeping ruffled hems and burst of glorious colour and fun!

FRIDA DRESS is in ladies sizes XS-XXXL.  The Frida Dress is designed for knit fabrics with woven fabrics for an accent.  Jersey, interlock or rib knits may be used (recommended for the Front Side pieces and the Back Bodice pieces).  Quilting cottons or other lightweight woven fabrics can be used for the Front Center pieces, the Puff Sleeves, the Skirting and the Dust Ruffle.  For best results, I recommend high quality knits from us!

Crafty Mamas patterns are designed by me, and professionally drafted and graded by the very talented Jodi Jean Baird of Jocole patterns.


Grab a PDF version instantly here:
Or a paper version here!

Farbenmix XATER- A review and a little translation for you....

There have been Farbenmix  XATER tops popping up in the Crafty Mamas forum of late, and I have been dying to get one sewn up! That's the troube with being the shop keeper, you order all this gorgeous stuff in and never have time to sew yourself. But I staggered it out- in bits..traced one night, gathered supplies the next, cut another- then embroidered and sewed. I'm loving XATER and can see many more in my future.

Details:
Fabric is from my stash ( trying to deplete!) some 100% cotton knits..not Tamarama, thicker...can't remember the name. Anyhoo, Lil does not like STELLA - so I'm always looking for 100% cottons for her.

Ribbing is Hilco from the shop, in orange/turquoise

Applique is a machine embroidered ZNOK Deers star. Embroidery was from Huups...I think. Just a simple star that you can do nifty stuff with!

Farbenmix XATER is available in my store, Crafty Mamas Fabrics here. 
It is in German, but Farbenmix kindly provide a full step by step with pics! to hold your hand all the way. 
But having said that, it's a very easy pattern to sew. Here's a few tips to help!

XATER comes in two widths, the skinnier version ( Schmale Version), or the wider cut version. (Weitiere Version) I used the wider for this one, it is brilliant for kids with tummies).

You can make XATER with a hood or without ( if without, use my easy tute to apply a neckband  ).
XATER gives you the options of short sleeves, long sleeves, or short over the top of long- so heaps of variations here.

For the Skinnier version: Schmale Version
Pieces you will need:

1. Vorderteil (front)
2. Ruckenteil (back)
*note these are on the same pattern piece on the sheet, so you need to trace off the front, then the back. 
3.Armel - lang ( long sleeve)
4. Armelbundchen  (armband for your sleeve - cuff)
5. Kapuze ( hood)
6.Armel kurz, ( short sleeve)
7.Armelpatch ( patch for arm!)

For the Wider version ( Weitiere Version)

8. Vorderteil (front)
9. Ruckenteil (back)
 *note these are on the same pattern piece on the sheet, so you need to trace off the front, then the back. 
10. Armel - lang ( long sleeve)
11. Armelbundchen  (armband for your sleeve - cuff)
12. Kapuze ( hood)
13. Armel kurz, ( short sleeve)
7..Armelpatch ( patch for arm!)

The placement of the arm patch is not indicated on the sleeve piece, so you'll have to eyeball that  one.

Happy Sewing!

Lisa 

New release: Crafty Mamas " Off with the Pixies Dress/Tunic" Ladies version!

Why should the Kids get all the good patterns??  Just hit the shop, The Off with the Pixies for Ladies sizes xs-xxxl.

Only at Crafty Mamas Fabrics, grab your copy here and you too, can be Off with the Pixies ;)