Just a tempter ...and I even impress myself!

I'm finished.... uni that is.. until March next year! Phew what a semester. I also had two court dates in the last 10 days (I'm self litigating a property settlement) so I am exhausted but for now I'm free!!

So this is just a tempter as I said as it is nearly midnight and I'm beat. I started a 5km running programmme... this means I do it on my treadmill (I bought a cheap one a few months ago but haven't really used it much). This is from a programme that Fehr Trade mentioned on her blog a few months (weeks??) ago. Anyway I'm not making any claims about wanting to do a marathon next year or anything ('cause I don't want to) I just want to get my fitness from where it is (passable) to much better. I like swimming so I have a pair of training togs (swimmers) ready to be cut out so I can start swimming again soon.

Bought at a Thrift shop for $1 recently

But before I can do that I had to make my son a pair of boy leg togs today. It is the big school swimming carnival tomorrow and his team is Mercury which is red. His last togs I made too here - right at the bottom, it's not a good photo but he loves them but they are just getting a little small so I made him a red pair this afternoon. I don't have a pattern (I just cut it off a pair we bought in Cyprus in 2009) and sort of made it up as I went, but the front is lined and when he tried them on this arvo he was thrilled (doing a little Elvis like dance!). But no photos yet - I'll get some tomorrow in action.

Now to the tempter...

This is from 1981 - on envelope it says "sale Bayards" that was a department store here - now closed :(

G. Wagner bought this in Bayards in 1981. Bayards was an old department store here in Brisbane and I loved going in there with my Mum and sisters when we went to town. They had a great fabric department downstairs (I have some fabric from Mum that was bought there - I've just looked at some archives and apparently it specialised in fabric!) It was beautiful... all wood shelves and counters and on the top floor was a huge model train exhibition and I remember buying one of my favourite pairs of shoes there when I was young.

Anyway... back to now.. I have nearly finished this dress tonight in a black and white stripe of about 1 cm width. I was just testing it out really, it was cheap fabric ($4 per metre at Spotlight about 6 months ago - but has a lovely feel but it a bit thin) I don't know much about knits to say what it really is but it's nice. Anyway I'll finish it tomorrow or Saturday and post a photo... and here we come to why I impress myself.. it isn't obvious but the pattern has a seam right down the front but my stripe matching is so good you can't even see there is a seam! Yeah and the dress looks FABULOUS! I could do with a sway back adjustment but I'll show you the pattern piece to see how unusual it is making a sway back adjustment difficult (there is ONE piece and a facing which I'm not going to use). Congratulations and thanks if you've read to here! Phew!

Trying a vintage togs pattern.

Hello, it's been a while again. Not as long as some bloggers who have recently returned to blogging...up to 7 years, but I'm glad people are coming back. I never joined Instagram as I'm not that fussed on 'social media' and more with people who write about their sewing. So back to sewing. I picked up this vintage McCalls togs pattern. It's quite a good value pattern as there are three very different and interesting swimsuits included. That's pretty rare. It's a size 16. I decided to make view B. All of the patterns have pieces for the bra cups too which is really great. Photographed with it is a Burda beach wrap. I can't find the magazine number right now, but it's at least 10 years old. Basically it's a large square of fabric with arm holes cut out. The fabric is genuine 70s towelling. I know because Mum bought it to cover our 'fantastic plastic' vinyl couch. Vinyl was preferred back then...

Kwik Sew

So recently Spotlight had Kwik Sew patterns - 3 for the price of 1. I don't really need any patterns as I have plenty but some took my fancy and I'm keen to sew some up. I have been really liking the waterfall jackets... I have a Butterick pattern (not mentioned yet but brought over from the US with a friend... that's another post though), a New Look cut out and I liked the length of this Kwik Sew one too. I was seduced by Kristy's beautiful version of the jacket on the right. Don't expect to see it fitting me so perfectly but it looks nice and easy and it's a bit different and a bit timeless too. I was thinking of sailor type pants but when I saw this shorts pattern, I thought I could make them up and see if they suit and I may be able to lengthen the legs and not have to trace out a Burda one. Not sure how KS patterns fit me as I've only made a dress a while ago now. I have these cut out from a leftover piece that was not enough for anyth...

Island night... PNG cruise

Well hello again. I've just come back from a cruise to Papua New Guinea and I made a dress for Island night. Island night or any theme night is just a suggestion... there is no organised event, meals, activities; just a dress code suggestion. As soon as I read that, I searched for this vintage surfie fabric I bought years ago at an op shop. I was thrilled to use it. I needed an easy pattern that I could make 2 days before the cruise departure and one that I would wear again. I used this Style 2911 pattern that I only bought online a few months ago. Style are my favourite patterns. I cut out a size 16 but had to reduce it to the 12. It's a great simple but elegant pattern and it went together perfectly. My machines liked it too... they cooperate when they like what I'm making and it was a breeze. I cannot believe that we didn't get one photo of it on. I was thrilled with it and even tho there is some ink staining you can't really see it as it's so busy. I had ...

Sew Darn Tired

Search This Blog