Last Days

Well my summer holidays are nearly over. Time to go back into the classroom but before I do that, a quick and easy sew. Slip-on Suzie from Style Arc.

It was a very easy sew except my overlocker decided to play up. It could have been the thread. Does thread have a used by date?

The fabric was one I bought on line from the US but I can't remember where from. It is a lovely soft knit if not a bit stretchy but behaved pretty well. The pattern is very easy and I love the sleeves . They are a cap sleep but folded over. The instructions were easy to follow and it came together really well.

It is a very strong coloued dress but I am really happy with it. It will be very comfortable and easy to wear. It actually fits better than Mabel. Sorry about the messy sewing room floor. I pulled out patterns and its just messy.

Sorry I cut off my head . I've just been to the gym and swimming, so no makeup or hair done but you can see it fits well. I made no adjustments to the pattern. I think i will make this again.

Lola Tee

I finally finished my Lola Tee. I am quite happy with it but I'm not sure if it's right for me especially in pink.I made the XL and flared it out more at the hips. It went together really easily and was very quick to make. I may make it again in a slighly heavier knit. I love the neckline and I love the sleeve but for me I need a slightly longer sleeve.

The photos are a little more difficult now. My eldest son's leave finished so I have to use a self timer now. Taking photos is quite difficult. I understand, and are incredibly in awe of Carolyn at Diary of a Sewing Fanatic at how wonderful her photos are and all the other bloggers who look so amazing. Anyway I guess you can get an idea of the top and hopefully my photographer skills will improve with time.

I hate having my photo taken at the best of times and here I am putting photos out there. I certainly have put myself out of my comfort zone!

Happy Australia Day!

New Patterns

  I always love a new pattern. I especially like buying them from the US when they are on sale. They arrive promptly and even with postage they are considerably cheaper than buying patterns here.

My dilemma of course is what to make. I set very high expectations of myself and then are disappointed with myself. I know i don't have masses of time as school goes back next week but I really want to sew them all. I really want to sew all the others I have bought but haven't got around to sewing. So many ideas !

The other dilemma I have is size. Many years ago I could buy a pattern and make it up with very few alterations. However those days are long gone. I have a few Crafsty classes on fitting that i will try and watch but it find it a bit daunting and so I procrastinate. I need to bite the bullet and get to work.

It seems everybody has to adjust patterns not just plus size sewers. I do get confused though and my concentration span leaves much to be desired. Anyway time to sew.

I do have my Lola Tee to blog as well I just have to take a photo. Have a lovely sewing weekend!

Other Creative Pursuits

As well as sewing , I love painting. Most of my work is semi abstract, usually with mixed media. It is a pusuit I truly enjoy. Funnily enough, with painting I enjoy the process more than the end result. I become lost in my own world and how it turns out in the end I don't really worry about. I do get a great deal of pleasure if someone wants a painting but it is different from sewing.

Sewing I want an end result , I want a wearable piece of clothing. It is interesting to look at the different processes in our creative pursuits.

The last 2 days I have been at a mixed media workshop , which was very enjoyable , if not frustrating at times. This painting is still a long way from finished but as with sewing it's always good to track your progress in a work.

The painting is of pelicans. As you can tell I love strong colours. This is a work in progress.

Simple isn't always easy

I had a lovely black and white stripe stretch fabric that I bought last year and I wanted to make a straight skirt. I thought a pink top would work well with the skirt and I had a lovely pink linen/cotton and also a hot pink sheer silk that would work well as a contrast. So, items that really  should have knocked over in an afternoon, alas not.

Now I hate unpicking. I have been known to discard items because I had to unpick but I do realise that unpicking is part of the sewing process and I am learning to just get on with it. I actually thought i wouldn't have to unpick these garments but there was several unpicks which meant the whole process was not as easy as it should have been.

 A model i am not.

The skirt is from Vogue 8938. I made it slightly longer because i like to wear my skirts a bit longer. I made the 18 because I wanted a fitted skirt but I wound taking it in several inches and pegging it in about 2 inches. I am quite happy with the skirt. Its comfortable and will be great for work.

The top is  McCalls 6566 view C.

I made the XL with very generous seam allowance. The bottom is the contrast sheer and the neck trim is the shear as well. I quite like this effect.

I shortened the sleeves by 2 inches and lowered the neckline by about 2 inches as well. 

I'm not particularly happy with the top. Its not practical without a top underneath, and the back is a bit wonky. I like the trim on the neckline though. I don't particularly like the fit. 

I think I will make another top to go with the skirt, a pink Lola Tee from Tessuti's.

This should work well and be far more practical. 

I certainly will make a few skirts though. They will work very well in my wardrobe.

Stash Busting

Well I haven't done nearly as much sewing as I had hoped but I still have a week of holidays. I have made a striped skirt that I will post when I have a photographer around. I think I will have to try and work out how to time my camera. Actually I'm not sure it has that function.

Anyway today I did some stash busting. I looked at my stash, which I love , but even with several lifetimes I will never sew it all, so I decided to take some fabric, actually a garbage bag full, over to Achieve Australia at Meadowbank. This is a treasure trove of patterns and fabric and various other creative pursuits that people have donated. Its an organisation that helps people with a disability to live and work and participate in community activities. So I'm sure my fabric will find a loving home and hopefully someone will enjoy creating with it. The best part is the profit goes to a cause I am passionate about.

I'm looking forward to some sewing this weekend, proably inside with the air-conditioning on.

Finished McCall's 6605

I finally finished my blouse. It always takes so much longer than I anticipate but i am quite happy with the end result.

I did want the blouse to be quite full and it is.

I think next time i may make the size smaller. There were no fitting issues i just followed the pattern.

It is a lovely cotton and it will be very cool for work. 

I didn't have too many problems with this it is quite a simple make. Although i did have a bit of a problem with the neck band. I'm not sure if the facing stretched or I didn't cut it out carefuly enough but i had to put a couple of tucks in the collar. Unless someone is breathing down my neck i don't think anyone will notice.

If you need an oversized shirt i would recommend this pattern. I did cut the pattern upside down as well but you really can't tell.

McCalls 6605

Fabric from Spotlight

The best laid plans .....

Oh well my plan to finish my blouse yesterday didn't quite work, oh well, social events way laid my plans. However i did have some sewing fulfillment, new purchases.

Lovely new purchases from Tessuti's. Not sure what to do with these yet but it does give me great delight buying fabric, one of the great pleasures in life.

I wish i could pledge to stash busting but the part about not buying fabric, i know i would fail at that.

I could pledge to make something from my stash before i buy anymore fabric, so i guess a half pledge is all i can manage. Does that make me weak, I'm not sure. To be honest i don't buy much fabric when its term time, i buy mainly in the holidays, luckily i have another 2 weeks of holidays. I guess i can confess.

 I AM A FABRIC ADDICT !

The Beginning

I have been inspired by so many people on sewing blogs from around the world i thought i would give it a go myself. I am a little reluctant to put myself out there but oh well why not , its a new year a new start.
Also I'm not all that savy on the computer but i guess i can only improve.
I live in Sydney and at the moment I am on holidays so i am hoping to sew a few items for work. I need clothes that are cool and comfortable so that's my main priority.
At the moment I am sewingMc Calls M6605. I'm using a cotton i bought from Spotlight.  I

wanted something cool and light.
Not a great photo but when i find my camera hopefully that will improve as well. For some reason i had trouble with the collar but i think i have worked it out and hopefully will finish this shirt tomorrow.