Sew Darn Tired

So I've made up another t-shirt from McCalls 5087 again today. The colours are a bit brighter like the top photo. I didn't have enough fabric to make the long sleeves so I thought I'd add a piece but then I didn't like the proportions so I thought about a cuff... it is pinned in the photo above and I haven't hemmed it or put binding on yet. You can't see the side seams because they are so well matched!! Ha ha yeah me! Even on the sleeves it's mostly perfect.  I think I like the length of the cuffed sleeve best - much better proportion. I bought this at the second hand shop for about $3 and it is lovely medium weight soft, soft cotton. The colours are solid but what looks grey is a very fine blue or black and white stripe. I think I may but it a bit shorter too. I have a remnant piece of navy ponte knit so I might make an elastic waist skirt to go with it.  Oh if you are in Brisbane, you must go to Trad's at Save City at Cannon Hill. It ...

\ Yes, finally I have sewed! Yesterday I hemmed two pairs of trousers for a friend of mine but I didn't bother taking any photos. Today I made McCalls 5087 from 1976 (I was 14 and in grade 10!). I made it from some cotton knit stuff I had just to test the size and fit. I didn't have enough of each fabric so I made it with the dots on the front and the back and sleeves out of this washed out stripe fabric. I had some scrap red knit stuff (notice my wide reaching knowledge of knit fabrics?) that my girlfriend had given me to make my first binding!  I basted the red on with the normal machine then sewed it with the overlocker. Then I used a twin needle to finish it off and although I saw it wasn't quite right, I only noticed tonight that I should have put one needle in each fabric... of well this was just a test garment.  Notice how one thread for the twin needle goes into the normal holder but on the other side there is also one. I've never notice this befor...

I had my final exam this afternoon, so now I guess officially I am unemployed as opposed to being a student. I think I shall miss the young people and the camaraderie I enjoyed with them the most. Of course learning never stops.  I'd like to say a few things about studying at my age. Firstly, I don't feel my age.. but I guess none of us do. It has been a wonderful experience. When I started I had NO idea about  programmes like Powerpoint, Excel (still don't really), how to format in word etc but they young people didn't laugh or criticise or make derogatory comments; no they helped me and I couldn't have gone on without their encouragement and support. None of the young people questioned me being there; I was as old or older probably than their parents so it was very encouraging. I supported and helped them but they never let me down and that gives me great hope. I am grateful for being able to go to university at my age and to get an insight into something I did...

I bought this top for $5 a few months ago (it is inside out here) and I LOVED the colour and the gold sequinned cross on the front. What I did not love was the big sloppy nothing shape on me. So first chance I got (I had a concert to see last Thursday - Killing Joke if anyone is interested and there is a photo here from Scene Street Magazine where we made it in print !) I made the necessary changes. If you look closely you can see the shape of the change by the pins outlining the shape to make some arm holes and give some shape. I used an outline from the pattern in the bottom left of this sewing magazine my German girlfriend brought back from Germany last year. I couldn't find my french curve ruler so had to use something. She also brought back some Simplicity pattern magazines and another one I think I can't remember the name of. I really like this issue - lots of really nice simple shapes. Of course they are like Burda pattern sheets (and the instructions are in Germa...

So more food. Pea and ham soup. A winter staple here but I've only started making it a few years ago. A smoked ham hock, carrot, onion, garlic, pepper and water. I put it in the pressure cooker for about 1 hour and then took all the meat off the bones and put in one pack (250 grams) of dried split green peas and slowly simmered until the peas softened. If it gets too thick I just add a bit more water. I don't like soups too thick. I put the meat back in the pot and then eat. Some nice toasted seedy sourdough bread and it's perfect. It freezes well too. Yummy for cold nights. 

Sorry for the BAD photos! I must be the last person to make this skirt.. in my defence I made it last winter and didn't finish putting the zip in and hem it (although I had pressed the hem up!). Yep took about 15 minutes... If you don't recognise it it's the Rachel Comey V1247 that many have made. I haven't made the top - even though I like it, I think I have too tiny shoulders to make it work, but if I have nothing else to make up (ha) I will give it a go but without the French seams - I don't have time for fancy insides! I have this cut out (since last summer) in a white and green circles. For this one I made it without the waistband and drafted some facings. I am short waisted and even without the waistband I feel the yoke of the skirt is at least 3-5 cm too long. The pockets sit (on me) right where my widest part is and accentuates my tummy. I'm wearing it here with the wool unlined jacket   I made a couple of years ago  and then it shrank when I was...