Sew Darn Tired

Sorry not a great photo - using my new tripod but it doesn't make you look better! This is one of the Simplicity Amazing Fit patterns. I am too tired to look for can't find the number but it has a nice cross over bodice but I made a 10 and went to a 12 in the waist and a 14 in the skirt but it all seems too big. I will take at least 4-6 cm off the sides of the skirt and look to see if I can take the front in.  I am pretty short at 156 cm and a bit chunky at the moment but I seem to always make stuff too big ... this is despite checking the measurements. I am very short from the shoulders to the waist but with a D bust and this makes fitting a nightmare. When I did pattern making at Tafe I  made  my own sloper but alas that was 18 kg ago!    This pattern has the various cup sizes but I think the D is way too big for me.  The back is a little high and could have at least 6 cm taken out... I think I should make the back a size 8 with the front a 10 a...

I mentioned I am a member of  Freecycle  locale Brisbane. This is their mission statement: "Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community." Freecycle is active all around the world and basically you "offer" or "want" something and put it on the local site.  All members get email updates daily of stuff wanted and on offer.  Then you make arrangements for collection/drop off  via email through your local Freecycle email address. I needed a piano for my son who has been learning piano for two years and practicing on an electric Casio keyboard. These don't actually have the complete set of keys so he was running out and that limited his learning.   His keyboard was doing strange things and we were getting desperate. (He had his tonsils and adenoids out last week so he hasn't pl...

I bought a ruffler a few years ago and it's quite a scary contraption but does an excellent job. Recently I made a friend's little girl a dress from some scraps from Kindy sheet sets I used to make and sell. I always used 100% cotton so these scraps were perfect for a dress for our hot climate. I used this old Style pattern (what happened to Style?) for the bodice only as each scrap I had was too narrow for the skirt which is slightly A-line on the pattern.  I just joined 3 panels that I had and gathered at the top.  I then made a bias ruffle from some scrap gingham another girlfriend gave me and used the extra ruffle to cover the straps. Ruffler contraption Makes a nice gather   Recipient of dress All small scraps - straps not attached yet   The bodice I lined with the gingham fabric as the print on the front is a rubbery texture and would stick to you on a hot day.  Cross over straps I used the ruffler for gathering of the sk...

My girlfriend was dragged to the auto shop with her husband - funny I don't think he goes to the fabric shop with her, but that's another story.. Anyway as she is bored in this shop, she was looking at the funny things around and she bought me a Christmas gift there of all places. Yes, a magnetic parts tray... it has a rubber base (stops it slipping) and it is magnetic so it keeps all the pins in place!  I always use a small tray to throw my pins in as I am sewing along but how useful is this when you knock the tray over! I love it! And it was all of $10 ... who would have thought! Have you had any "tools" from unusual sources? 

Hi just a quick post to say  sewingpatterns.com  is having a Simplicity patterns sale for .99c with a maximum purchase of 10 patterns.  I have used them twice before and it is very quick service and they are very helpful. Even with the postage it will still be cheaper than 2 or 3 patterns at full price here in Australia! Good shopping!

So I have all this free time as my son is going to his Dad's for a week on, week off (for the first time in 4 years) for the 6 week Christmas/summer holidays!  I thought I would get more done but I am exhausted and I have just had Christmas at my place so full clean up and set up took it out of me!  I bought a Karcher water pressure hose and blasted the green off everything - after a year of rain everything went yukky and I couldn't have that for Christmas. So in this long post, after sorting out the photo business (see previous post) I can let you see what I have been doing.  Add to this making Stollen (German Christmas bread/sweet) (about 10)and cooking a ham (for the first time) and a turkey for Christmas in the Weber kettle (they both turned out great!)and I could hardly move yesterday so I just tidied up and mopped the floor and today I start other things.   This is a Simplicity pattern that I have made up - (2217 I think - one of the Amazing Fit patterns...

Well, I think this is my last post for the year. Such a cliche but I really can't believe how fast this year has gone. My son (right) and his best friend at school Christmas concert. (Edit: as I couldn't work out my photos I left this as a draft and forgot about it... I have worked out my photo problem - small issue with wrong year on date that is now fixed! so please excuse my comments about "before".) Some reflections about my year: I have learnt so much... that is formal learning at university and also personal learning that we do every day.   My relationship with my ex partner has really improved and that has been a blessing for my son especially but for all involved.  I have learned that I don't need to hang on to some friendships that have had their time and I can (and am trying to be) true to myself. I have also learnt that, true to words of wisdom from one who had gone before, some people treat you like their project and when they ...