Sew Darn Tired

My Mum called me the other day - she asked if I could go over and thread the needle to her sewing machine as she couldn't see well enough to do it. This is Mum's 'modern' machine - she used to sew all our clothes when we were young on a Singer treadle machine like the one I bought last year.  - and just to add some context to this; I have 4 sisters! Also, without patterns, just like she learned in Cyprus where she grew up.  Don't you love the '70's floral decal on the machine. Notice on the instruction booklet "Now with NEW elastic stretch stitch"! It kept breaking the thread when Mum was trying to sew but she had the stitch length and tension set wrongly and the thread was probably 20 years old. I sewed up the curtains for her to save her the grief! It ran like a dream.  While I was cleaning it up before I used it a younger sister said  "are you cleaning it because you think you're going to get it???"... doh!.. n one...

That's a funny title! My girlfriend likened the colour of my kitchen to the colour of the Mediterranean sea and the Greek flag. I am Greek so it's kind of fits! The kitchen isn't finished yet - the windows need a final coat of gloss, I intend to buy a few wall cupboards and hopefully a rangehood and cupboard plus I have a roller door cupboard that is awaiting help to bring it upstairs. However, it has been the most atrocious weather since finishing the painting last Sunday (and my son was home)and the paint wouldn't dry and besides we have been busy with the last days of school holidays. Sun comes out on Tuesday apparently, just in time for school. So here is where I am up to: BEFORE AFTER What do you think? The cupboards won't stay that colour but will go a stainless colour. I do love my 50's kitchen and I think with some wall cupboards it will be much better with more storage space - the cupboards nowadays are 600mm wide but when this house was b...

Image from www.sewingpatterns.com I buy lots of my patterns at  www.sewingpatterns.com  in the U.S. Currently they have Vogue at US$4.99, Kwik Sew US$5.99, Simplicity at US$4.99 and you can also get Lekala Patterns here too. The postage can be expensive (exorbitant more like it) but when you break it down per pattern for us suckers in Australia, it still works out very cheap (especially when you consider how much some Vogues go for).  I don't get anything from them I've just used them and passing on the sale. I have had one pattern from two different orders come incorrectly, but an email is all that is required to get it fixed and usually they don't ask for the wrong one to be sent. One I had on backorder (it showed available and then then didn't have it) and they sent it F.O.C (free of charge) when it did come. Pretty good service overall. They have these sales all the time for all the major pattern companies and they have lots of independent pattern...

I wanted to name this post "Hi, my name is Sofie and I'm a sewing machine addict." but I thought it was a bit long; but seemingly not untrue! Won't have time to play but will let you know when I do! Oh, it's missing a throat plate but not bad for $5! Oh, and the reason she's called Em? Well her serial number starts with this and Em is a machine of 1957!

Remember when I said I was flat out like a lizard drinking.. well now I feel like a cat in a tree... ha.. not really. This is my new neighbour's cat. I came up my front stairs and here he was.. he lives in the unit behind this one. That is my tree that is getting cut in about 2 weeks (when I finish the kitchen) as it has grown madly in the last 6 months right over the neighbours lower roof and clothes line. I have good patient neighbours!   Just to give you an idea how high it is.. that tree top is sitting above the 6 foot fence! At first I thought maybe kitty is stuck, but then I corrected my thoughts as I figured if he was stuck, he'd be crying and he just looked bothered that I'd noticed him. When I spoke to his owner, I was told that he stares down the big possums (brush tail as opposed to smaller ring tail)and that is a good thing! They poo and wee  mark their territory all over my deck and large outdoor table (must get around to making that cover! note to self)....

Like the old saying goes.. "flat out like a lizard drinking". Well I'm not drinking.. anything but water and fruit teas cooled, but it is so hot here that it is hard to sit and sew or do anything really. I've been to my sister's place a few times this week.. she has a pool. I have had my week with my son so we've been doing catch ups, shopping and a 9 year old's party at Kingston Park Raceway. Normally it is for go karts but due to the age of the boys, they were 'racing' on dodgem looking go karts.  This week, my son is at his Dad's and I will finish washing down and then painting the kitchen. We then have one week left of school holidays and I'd like to go away for a few days. Then when school has started I hope I have the energy to also paint and organise my sewing/study. I'd like this all done before my last semester at uni. I work so much better when the space is organised and fresh - not two words I'd use when describing my ...

This dress I made last summer from an old pattern that my friend has at the moment. I'd forgotten about it until the other day. She dropped it off and I remembered it needs to be taken in under the arms as it is too wide as usual. It was a very fast make and made with some fabric I liked enough to buy as a remnant but not enough to make something truly serious. I do love this dress because it is cool looks different and is interesting. The white collar has ties and wraps around your waist. This Lisette skirt and shirt pattern I cut out last summer also and made the skirt up on Saturday but had no grosgrain ribbon to finish it. I completely forgot to get some at Spotlight the other day in the excitement of getting red sparkles! It is linen I bought at the fabric sale I go to about 15 years ago (have I written this before? - I've got a bit of deja vu). The paisley I got at a Sewing Guild meeting where they brought fabric they didn't want (including the silk floral I s...

I hope your introduction to 2013 was safe and happy. I had a wonderful night with one of my younger sisters and my girlfriend neighbour.   Firstly we had a small bubbly, goat's cheese and crackers at my neighbour's home. We caught the ferry, went to a nice bar in town just by the City Cat Ferry that leaves from near our homes. We met some lovely people had some bubbly, got a taxi when we needed one and made it home at 3.30am! We made some new friends who were lovely gentlemen and good fun for the evening.  I was thrilled that I got many unsolicited comments re my dress. Many young girls old me they loved it and were disbelieving that I made it. I saw a girl with a gold sparkly mini and I told her I thought it was lovely and she said "oh I really like your dress!" A great start for 2013. I don't make resolutions or plans for my life generally (fail to plan, plan to fail?) and as I have my last semester of uni coming and needing to prepare for...