Sew Darn Tired

I normally get my Burda magazines from the local library as I don't see them around often to buy. I only have one that I have bought and I still haven't made anything from it.  Imagine my surprise when I got February 2010 issue on Wednesday and saw this..... In particular the coat on the right.  Why am I surprised? Because in April 2009 I made this coat.... ...The one on the right... and it looks like this.... It looks much more pink in my photo but the fabric is exactly the same as in the Burda photo!  That is my beautiful boy and we were at my friend's wedding in Auckland.  It was a beautiful day and we stayed 2 weeks in their home while they went on their honeymoon to Raratonga (I think it was). I rushed the end of it so I need to redo the sleeve ends.  It is not a lined coat pattern (actually it has one of those annoying half lining, so I tried lining it myself and it's just only ok.  I did not know of sewing blogs back then so I had not ...

This is the Burda pattern used for my black dress (view B the white dress - the other is skirt and jacket).  It has a delicate tulip skirt and the pleating of the front is kind of unusual.  I have done it and it looks like the outside and inside views on the instructions but I have a feeling it isn't quite right so tomorrow when I am less tired I will look again.  It seems to have one of the pleats kind of off grain so that's what makes me think that. I mean that when I hold the skirt up it looks off. So my camera is now downloading and I took some photos of the partly made dress and large paisley and it's hard to see but the row of dots around that small paisley is also part of the larger paisley and it reaches about 20 cm long. As I said the pattern is woven in so it has a lot of stretch.  Having said all that I am pleased with how it looks so far which is made up bodice (no side seams done yet) and made up front and back skirt.  This is supposed to be fully...

Well it seems I can sew still! I have been busy this last week cutting out pattern pieces; some with fabric some not yet.  I planned to cut out an easy Burda skirt and a simple simplicity top but of course I completely changed my mind and thought I should make a black dress. I have had this black paisley fabric for at least 15 years.  It's a beautiful cotton and the pattern is woven in, not printed.  (when Apple call back and fix my camera download problem later I will post a photo of it).  I bought this fabric for about $2 from the designer place I have mentioned before - they sell off their stuff so cheaply but it is fabulous quality . I have been waiting for a pattern that would work with this fabric as the paisley is quite large; say 10-15cm.  I have thought about lots of stuff but suddenly on Sunday it came to me ... Burda 7488(seems like when Apple also reinstall everything I'll also be able to scan the pattern envelope so you can see what I am sewing). ...

Well, now I've done it.  Tilly at  http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/  has started a Crafty Christmas Club   for those who are making Christmas gifts.  So I have added her button to my blog ...well I plan to make some pj's for some not to be mentioned, some house slippers for my son's Japanese piano teacher and maybe a bag for the teacher's present.  I'm not going to stress too much or put too much pressure on myself either as I want to enjoy making them and not feel bad if I don't get it all done .... but, if I don't commit somewhere I fear I may not do anything either. Tafe has finished last Thursday but then my son came down with chicken pox and is home.  We haven't gone out since Saturday and he is getting bored.  I also had to get two lots of  important court documents done and handed into the court and along with my last two weeks of tafe, it has been a very stressful time. Docs in today so I feel better. I also have some curtain...

I was reading  www.thelaststitch.blogspot.com  and Johanna mentioned a site   www.luxirare.com  which I went and had a look at.  The stuff this girl makes is nothing short of amazing... really fantastic stuff and very innovative but it got me thinking something I have often thought of.  When people value more expensive goods like clothes, bags, shoes etc and dismiss the cheaper chain store type stuff (more what I can afford) they forget that someone  still makes it.  Some poor person more than likely, who works for nearly nothing, to make available what we consider basic things ... the clothes we wear, the shoes we love etc... Unless people are buying real hand made items or top end goods, someone is probably getting exploited making this stuff.   I have never been comfortable with this and so steer clear of designer stuff (not that I can afford it but I wouldn't anyway), brand labels and merchandised kids stuff.  I try to instil in ...

Ok, so this isn't the most exciting thing you'll see for sure, but at last I have sewn something!  Two nights ago at 10pm I realised I would just be too hot to wear my winter pj's another night and so I cut out a pair of cotton knit sleep shorts! I have had this fabric in my stash for probably 15 years, always with the thought of making pj's but never got round to it.  (This is a shocking photo but something in my camera is not allowing me to download photos and so I take it with the built in camera in my imac!) It's not a great job but really I have been so busy that even if I had the inclination to go and buy some pj's, I couldn't. And I don't have that inclination at all.                                                                                       ...

Well... the blog, not the patterns.  Had you there!  You thought "oh my goodness... she has actually done some sewing!" ... but it's not to be!  I do like New Look Patterns though! Kristy from www.loweryourpresserfoot.blogspot.com  has mentioned this humble blog in reference to clever names.  That's probably why I have noticed many more people looking (with the cute map thingy on the bottom). I'm sure that's from the remarks in Kristy's blog.  (Wow did you see that three dot burda coat!!..) Too bad more sewing hasn't been done lately although sew darn tired is how I am feeling mostly lately. My son is on school holidays this week and next, but I only have this week off from tafe (doh.. didn't work that one out soon enough!) and we have friends from New Zealand coming next week with their baby! My son will have a 2 night sleepover with his cousin (they have a big, big place with every mechanical thing known to boys so not sure he will notice I...