Sew Darn Tired

This is my Mum. She's recently turned 83. She has also recently (last 6 months) moved into aged care. The first one was terrible but when a new one very close to my and her old home opened (delayed due to covid) she moved into there. It's a lovely place and other than being in your own home, she's pretty happy there and made lots of friends. There is a group of women who have joined their dining tables together so they can sit together and due to Mum putting olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar on her food, and everyone asking for the same, they have now taken to leaving these on the table!  She's wearing a top made from a remnant from a fabric sale which was fill a bag with scraps for $20 .. my friend and I shared the bag and I've made a few things from them. This is a silk chiffon which is a very vibrant floral. I was testing this Cynthia Rowley pattern and it fit pretty well, but a bit short so it has a extra piece on the bottom to lengthen. I was thrilled when I...

This is the Ottobre top no 4 from 5/2017 magazine. I have a lot of their magazines but although I like their basic styles I don't make much. I'm trying to get myself using them more.  Sorry, such bad photos but I never remember when I'm out and about somewhere nice. I made it from some white cotton knit that I bought at a workroom sale locally. The woman was having a big sale and although there were some nice fabrics, it wasn't my style or not that great a bargain to justify stashing. (I've done too much of that already). There was a huge pile of large and smaller remnants and she wanted $20 bag (on of those ugly heavier supermarket bags) so my friend and I shared one bag full and boy did we manage to stuff a lot in that bag. It's a very nice fabric and all the fabrics were good quality. I've got a top cut out of another knit with roses (but I can't find the instruction sheet even though I've tidied everything up!).  I made my top ...

So the cloud shorts are finally finished and I am terrifically pleased with them. Just a reminder; these were cut from two remnant pieces bought from Spotlight at different times, both about 80 cm long, 112cm wide so I did need the two pieces. If son didn't like the fabric the first time it was purchased, it was going to be a bag. The back pocket... I just did this free hand and they worked out perfectly... little label added. I think I need something else now for my son...something more teen like seeing as we are nearly there. Back waistband and yoke matching. Even though it doesn't look like it the yoke matches perfectly too. Pockets and stitch in the ditch for the waistband. Inside fly ... I actually cut off the wrong side here then reattached it so I guess it's a bit of a mess but no one but we will see it ;) I used the industrial way of attaching the waistband. This makes a great stitch in the ditch and catch the underside in one hit. No han...

Well, I couldn't resist. I went to the fabric sale but vowed not to spend too much. I mean, I have linens from there from 25 year ago! (beautiful Italian linens that were then $2 for a 3 metre length!) As it transpired, I forgot to get any extra cash and so only had the amount I had in my coin tray in the car - I use this for the parking meters normally so I better restock it! First up, above, a cotton fabric that is actually more khaki than the grey it appears above. It was .50c and is enough for a pair of casual trousers or maybe jeans.  This viscose (rayon) above matches perfectly and $6 for 1.25 metres of 140cm wide is a good buy particularly when it is a lovely print. This should become a top to match those pants I'll make (cough, cough) above. This a a beautiful piece of linen that is a beautiful watermelon red colour. Dress or drawstring pants? $2? could you resist??  These are merino scraps in a black, purple red and that grey colour....

Baby quilt... not two words I thought I'd be writing on my blog. Friends who I have known since school days (I finished senior in 1978!) are to be grandparents hopefully by the end of this month. The baby's parents are the indie band members from  The Grates . They have a little café called Southside Tearooms  conveniently up the road... and we meet up there often. I have yet to have a bad coffee there...  Anyway, the baby shower was yesterday and I had some gifts;  a new one and three preloved ones that were a great hit 10 years ago... they asked for used things especially. I also decided to make a quilt out of a remnant piece of quilting cotton I bought a few months ago.... it is so soft and the pictures are so cute. So here's the not very well thought out part.... I bought some cotton batting from Trad's. I left it doubled up and then pinned the backing fabric, batting and the quilting cotton together. I sewed white thread on the dotted lines on the quil...

 I made this dress a few years ago. It's a Burda magazine one - sorry haven't got the details handy - and I really loved it. From memory I only wore it once, then I put on weight. I can't do the back zip up at the bodice (but you can't really tell in the photo...I am spilling out of it though - thanks menopause). The skirt part was a piece a friend gave me from her stash, just a polyester satin (thanks Marian) and the bodice part was a remnant of duchess satin from Gardams for $3 from memory. The hem is rolled on the overlocker. I really love the colours and feel of this dress and I'm aiming to get back into this. It's a great summer dress that looks smart but doesn't need a lot of care.  This top is also a Burda magazine make from about the same time ago. This is the second iteration of this top. I loved the first one so much and wore it to death but it faded and pilled. I made it out of this lovely polished cotton from Spotlight a few years ago - it ...