the GK swoosh

Once more the GK swoosh does its magic - this time on a s10 skater leo (also destined for Whanganui).  The bottom half is a shade I call Cadbury purple; unfortunately the camera doesn't quite portray it accurately.

Another one ready for under the Christmas tree.  

Should be the last one this year - not a bad total methinks!

Glitter and Sequins

Earlier this year I made two skater leos for a friend's nieces in Whanganui - much to their delight.  At the beginning of this month I got a message saying the eldest was rapidly growing out of her beloved black frangipani leo, and could I possibly make a new leo in the next size up for Christmas??
Yes, yes I can:

Child s12, teal glitter velvet with bead + sequin trim.

Off to Whanganui on Monday, to be put under the Christmas tree :)

and one that's NOT a leotard!

Yes!  A cross stitch finish!!

Lizzie Kate designs, using the recommended threads.

Frozen rides again

I love, love, love this aqua colour and I like to have plenty on hand.  It also lends itself to meeting the continuing popularity of Frozen with the gymnasts I know, in this case AnaLucia:

This will be this year's birthday leo for Ana in Houston.

It will have swarovskis added once Ana's mum adds up how many Ana has earned from helping with her mum's honey business ;)

tiny but cute

and it's not a leotard!!

'Guinea Pig' kit from RTO, done for my mum's 80th birthday (we used to breed guinea pigs)

and finally, the brag shots

Tink in action at the 2015 NZ Gymsports Nationals:

She did a nice heats routine, then went out and did a better finals routine.

It was a hard fought final with only 0.7 separating those 3 girls on that podium.

WAY TO GO, TINKERBELLE!!!

Still going....

Whilst competition season has finished, I do still have stash which means leotards continue to get made...

s6 slim, for sizing/stock

gold over orange holographic lycra

Stash, Stock, Size

I have stash, and I needed stock on hand for sizing purposes, so....

size 7 slim, purple dot with white opal accent

One more week, one more leotard

A girl's gotta have choices, no?

Back in blue!

General consensus is that it needs something added...

Counting down to Nationals 2015

So, naturally, there's a new leotard....

NZ Gymsports Nationals 2015 starts in the middle of the first week of the school holidays, and there are only two weeks left of the term.  It's at Trusts Stadium again, and she is competing Thursday and Saturday, volunteering the rest of the time and I'm judging.  It will be nice to see everybody.
This is the first of two new leotards as, although I'm happy with the fit, I'm not happy with the look of the four made so far this season.
A rummage in the stash, a study of a GK leotard both girls have grown out of but was a much loved favourite, some bodging of the lycra cos I wasn't thinking straight when cutting out and here it is, done in a weekend :)
Tink likes it, so all is good.

Tutti Frutti Bumble Bee

Loud, but cute and sparkly!

S12, with swarovski ss16 ABs, as drawn by the gymnast.

Hot pink with LOTS of sparkle

With huge thanks to a lovely gym friend, Bev, Tink has this addition to her arsenal:

Size AXS, pink velvet from the stash, flashbulb lycra from Angel Fabrics.

Tinkerbel's older, edgier, sister

At least, that's how my Tinkerbelle described this leo!
Made while home due to Tamsin not being well recently (it only took a day,lol).

Size 12, lime samba dot, emerald sparkle mesh and the odd ss30 rhinestone.

Made to be loud...

When making leos, one has to apply what we call the "40 foot rule", that is, how will it look from a distance?
This is something I've struggled with over the time I've been making leos.  Something that looks lovely and detailed while up close often simply does not show up on the competition floor, in that big space, against the mats or floor, in the lighting of the venue.  And also, what works in one venue will fall flat in another (Nationals vs the ZM series venue for example).
Sometimes, one has to just get on with it and make a loud leo, a really 'in yer face' one in colour and design.
So, here they are - my latest attempts at leos that yell "here I am" on the floor:

Worn at Akl Sec Schools aerobics, after which the small raspberry swooshes and the crystals were added.  It held its own in the large space that was the St Kentigern Sports Centre.

I don't like it, but Tamsin does, saying it was really comfy.

Made for National Secondary Schools, where Tink will compete both aerobics and trampoline (probably at the same time if the schedule is being nasty), so that she doesn't have to change leotards if there's no time (or desire) to.

I've been wanting to make a white with blue and pink leo for Tink for ages. With thanks to Angel Fabrics for the lovely white opal lycra.