Sew Darn Tired

I got these patterns last year from my friend in the US. I finally made the waterfall coat from some delicious raspberry wool. This is from the fabric sale I go to... $4 per meter!!! It is a bit fuzzy on one side and shiny and smooth on the other. It is beautiful and soft and perfect for this jacket. I just got rid of my wool coat I bought about 25 years ago. Sounds like eons, but in Brisbane it got worn only on cold days when I was going out, it got a lot of wear when I bought it but mostly for going into and back from work, so really not a lot of wear on a day to day basis. I saw it had worn through a couple of months ago so time to go. Don't get me wrong, I knew it had to go years ago but I wasn't working for 12 years so wasn't budget for it or real need either. It seems all my photos will be in the work lift. Sorry I know they are terrible but I just don't have a good photo set up or the time (mostly no inclination). I had my backpack and walking shoes on. ...

This should be called the *rapiest photos ever.. anyway, this is from probably two months ago. I have just had no time to get good photos or me wearing them even though I wore them a lot during winter. Of course winter here is about 5 minutes long.  I scored the Style Arc Halle Stretch Skirt from the Spooleetes High Tea in April. I love the asymmetric front. The skirts below are not in the order I made them.  It's a great pattern. Three pieces and I can cut one out and sew it up in 30 minutes. Perfect work skirt.  This piece of fabric was from New Zealand when I was living there in 2003. It was just a small piece and just enough for a front/back straight piece using the back pattern piece only, with splits on the side. It is excellent fabric and a very plain but useful skirt. The  second made was the very spongy black patterned knit stuff. I bought this at Darn Cheap in Melbourne last year. It's soft and warm and very easy to sew. It was the full siz...

Well after working out I had nothing to wear and making stuff for my niece, I've found a real sewing mojo I haven't had for a while. This is just a teaser post really, as I haven't any photos of most of the stuff I've made.  So first up is this Vogue basic design pattern I made last Saturday (as well as a skirt). It's a boxy, 2 piece pattern... I made D - in the cow pattern and headless red one. I made it out of a remnant piece of wool knit stuff that is in a mushroom colour. I have been trying to use this piece of fabric for about 5 years but it was not enough for anything. I'd played tetris with this pattern before but this time I made it work. If you can see, the pattern starts at a 14... I have the tiniest shoulders and this looks like I have my big sister's top on. It's comfy and warm though... I've worn it twice already. Goes so well with the skirt I made. No photo of the skirt yet though.  The other thing I've nearly finished ...

These are the last (unless I get some spare time this arvo) of the sewn things of 2015. I used Kwik Sew 3674, a pattern I got at the 2nd hand shop a while ago. Quite a useful little pattern if you have a young girl around, with two different looks and the puff sleeve dress without sleeves (like I've made below) makes it three looks. The dress above is made from remnants, both I got at Spotlight in separate purchases for minimal money. The owls are so cute I couldn't resist and my friend's daughter just loves getting me made dresses! She's only 5 but very tall (think 7 or 8 year old) so it's nice to make her something her age that fits. She has seen the fabric on their last trip down from Yeppoon and I promised a dress from it. They are moving back in a number of weeks and so she will open it with her other presents. When I made the dress below, I just leave the sleeves off, overlock and turn over the armholes and then make a casing for the straps... this ...

I decided that I need to write a plan of the things I need to make before moving onto other things. I wrote a plan, which you can see below and then immediately cut and made a simple vintage top, as you do.  It is made from a cut up cotton voile, strappy summer dress I bought last year for $10 that was too voluminous, to my ankles, lined in plain cotton voile which basically made it unflattering and way too hot for our summer. I love the bright colours and I love the cotton voile. You may notice that this top was not on the plan.  I'm excited about this top for two reasons. One it worked out and fits and the other reason is because I thought it was a size 14 but it is a size 10. That actually makes more sense as the shoulders, neckline and length is perfect (if just a smidge tight in the bust but I am an E cup).  No gaping in the back either which is something I really struggle with. I'm really pleased with this little top and will make more. It's actua...