Sew Darn Tired

Merry Christmas readers! I hope the day was full of fun, family, friends and peace. This was my most organised and relaxed Christmas ever. (if we ignore the trouble with the machine for the togs - see last post). I had all the house cleaning, food prep done, gifts made, gifts wrapped and even finished a gift on Christmas morning waiting for my son to come home from his Dad's where he spends Christmas Eve and morning. This is from a dinner I had with an aqua aerobics friend. She was skipping her husband's work Christmas party which is in the heavy machinery industry so she thought a girly catch up was fitting instead.  I wore my Simplicity off shoulder dress in Southbank with the lovely lights and fantastic weather. I've since washed this dress and it's shortened up a bit (natural fibres usually shrink up not across - of the the not so many things I remember from fabric studies in the '90's). I knew this so didn't make it any shorter. I'm hoping the...

These are togs I've made for my sister for Christmas. This is the McCall's 7417 pants. I cut the panels not to match on purpose so that you can see the panelling. I like it. I wish I had some green or black lycra to make some 'piping' so the panels were more pronounced but I'm not too worried. I made the front and the back and then cut the lining pieces off the made up front and back and fully lined them. Isn't the lycra pretty. It's from Pitt Trading and it was only $5 per metre. It feels pretty old but it still is fine and I couldn't resist it. It's slightly goldish and I really like it.  I've got more and another nice black one that for a bit of a laugh... show you that when I get time to make it. This is the top and it's the Noelle bra pattern from Madalynne . It's FREE too. I cut a large and made the band half the width and put some elastic in as well.  Note the green hardware... harvested from an old pair of togs in the...

I don't often get obsessed by clothes but I saw this skirt  and I really love the simplicity. Then I remembered some purple gingham I bought at the op shop a few years ago. It's a beautiful polished cotton with such a nice hand and drape almost like a rayon. I have cut view D which is on the bias and have cut long (will be pieced together) ties. I was playing pattern tetras with this because the fabric was a 1.5 mt square but the pattern suggests 2.1 metres so I have cut the front overlay and the back piece whole, and the under wrap part will be pieced. The other problem with this fabric was it was stretched on one side... so I lay it flat on the floor for a week and kept pulling and stretching it back. I wasn't perfect but not as bad as it was. Did you notice how much for that simple skirt... US$301 and sold out! I'll need a top and I have a cut of beautiful cream crepe (remnant from the designer fabric sale $1) that I will make something up - not sure what tho...

So I've made another Simplicity 8296 but in a dress. I made view E sleeves with length of B probably but I just used the length of 2 remnants from Spotlight.  I think this is the first time in simply eons that I have made something in the current fashion, in current fashion fabric! Here's the back... bad iPhone photo. I made a size 10 at the shoulders and armholes and then graded it out to the 18 at the hips. I could probably go to the 12 or 14 really... it's a bit swishy. I could also use a sway back adjustment too. Bit of a daggy length though. I may take it up a smidge. I also like that this pattern has a bust dart but I make it a little shorter. I have the McCall's that's pretty much the same but no bust dart and no flat panel on the front. Plus it's a much narrower fit so this one is better for my shape. I probably wouldn't have bought this fabric if I'd seen it on a roll for $16 per metre, but as a cheap remnant I'm happier to tes...

Last Sunday my sister called at 8am and said come over for lunch and the boys can have a swim. Perfect, except I just remembered, I bought lycra from Pitt Trading for swimming togs for Alex but I hadn't made them yet. I go to aqua aerobics every Sunday at 9am so I dragged out my Jalie 3242 pattern, measured Alex and traced a size T. I was going to use  Katherine's (Sew Blooms) tips to change a Jalie into togs for boys  but I have a different pattern so with my limited time, I just went with what I had.  I got them to here before having to go to aqua. I came back at 10.20 and then I finished them off and left the house by 12 noon. I used the coverstitch to do the hems and around the ...middle, but I think this makes them look like undies but I also figured it would keep the seams flat and less aggravating.  I get this great elastic from Trad's ... it's elastic that's about 2.5 cm wide and it has nylon tie through it, which is perfect for boy's t...

So I've been sewing some tops. This Simplicity 8296 was one of the ones my friend brought back for me from the States. I also got the McCall's one but I like this flat front band and the McCalls is a different cut and not as wide around the hips where I need it.  This has a dart too and that's useful for me too. The top is made from a remnant my friend gave me a few years ago. It's a lovely soft beautiful, good quality cotton. It was easy to sew and a it's lovely to wear. I've got my ordinary bra on with the straps on my arms. I couldn't be bothered to wear the strapless. I was just off to vote.  All I can think is I am wearing something that is actually in fashion... I always seem to be out of kilter. This is the back view. I've always loved peasant tops/dresses. I think they are a snap to sew and easy to wear and flattering for a larger bust.  I think the bra is really letting me down. My only daily bra died after being washed and worn fo...

Firstly, thanks for all the nice comments in recent posts. I know it takes some effort when we are all so busy. I really appreciate the thoughts. I finished the shorts I was making for my son. Sorry he's at his Dad's so there are not photos of him wearing them. The pattern is the Burda 9965 which as you can see is for jeans type pants. I couldn't find the other Burda pattern I used to make his  cloud shorts  so I just used this one. It's got some weird details like the fold over flap at the hem and the maple leaf look pockets.. yes they are maple leaves as I just checked the pattern and it says "Imported for Canada". Anyone know if the flaps are for some purpose or just a design feature? Oops, should have cropped out my foot!  This is some gabardine that I bought on our recent trip to Toowoomba. $3 for the piece at the op shop. He's hard to please with patterns and colours so I was pleased he liked this. Best fly I have ever done and t...

I made this Vena Cava Vogue 1228 (sorry I don't have a photo of the pattern) out of some fabric I got at The Spoolette High Tea - maybe the second one.... anyone recognise it? I'm not often drawn to but but I like the pattern and it's mostly navy. It's a polyester chiffon but it's quite nice and it was easy to work with. I cut it out last year and had it in a bag... it's such an easy pattern I'm not really sure why it took me so long but probably by the time I got to it, it was out of season and then forgotten and shuffled around in the sewing room. After the coat I really wanted something quick and I really didn't want to cut anything out. I had a Lekala cut and half done too, but couldn't bring myself to finish it (it's done now.. that'll be the next post). I do remember  Up Sew Late  had made a couple and so I read up and garnered that the top was very low. I am about 15cm shorter than Gabrielle (I think she is about 175cm and I...