Sew Darn Tired

Well my son has been at his Dad's this week and I have turned the house into a sewing studio. I did some boring but necessary sewing jobs that made me really satisfied as they needed to be done and I wanted to do them before I "treated" myself to sewing for me!   Firstly, I cut some depth out of the crotch of two pairs of  pants - one jean and one cargo - for my son. These were so long that they would have fitted me! What's with kids bought stuff - so wrong in the cut. In the photo above you can see the extra depth - the jeans on top fit him nicely.   This is sewing up the jeans. I took these photos to show if you have a big thickness to sew through it is good to put a small 'block' under the foot (as you see in the first photo) to help keep the foot level. This usually is for the beginning of the sewing - I don't seem to have a problem at the end. The bottom photo shows it without. I've found when I don't have it, the bobbin thread bunc...

A week ago today I finished my end of semester exams. I had three in a row but all were of the afternoon shift so for this non-morning person, it was perfect. This old Butterick pattern was got quite a while ago and I made up a pair of the One-yard Shorts about 5 months ago (out of a piece of remnant  wicking  for $3) in a lovely red for walking shorts! So far they haven't been walked in and now it's too cold but they will get use. They are only 1 piece - sew easy! They are actually a great fit but I lengthened the leg to fit the remnant fabric put a little coin pouch on the inside, sewed them up with the overlocker and used a twin needle to finish the edges. (I realise I didn't take a photo of them.. next post). Even though I should have spent all my time studying, I found myself unable to stop going to second-hand shops to distract me from what I was supposed to do. Sometimes, in my defence, this was a side trip from the grocery shopping, so no real time harm done...

Remember this dress... Well it was so easy I made another a few weeks after and I only realised that I have a (bad) photo of it. It is very washed out (this new camera does this but I don't know how to adjust it - in the holidays I may remember to work it out). I got it at The Fabric Shop for $8 per metre and it is such a nice fabric a really firm but very fine stretch fabric. It is blue with a very light tan colour (both not my colours but I loved it??) The other day I thought I could make some nice undies out of the scraps. I have heaps left so may make a skirt or top too.  This is such a great pattern New Look 6154 . It can be made in an hour and because it has a centre back seam; is easy to make a sway back adjustment (which I need but did not make. The black dress was $3 per metre and I just wanted to test it so didn't bother. The one below - just too lazy for a throw on dress. This one feels "work" to me and I can wear it with a cardi and have a busi...