and sew it seams ........

Butterick 5046

2012-02-06T20:13:00.000+11:00

I've had this pattern for ages, and I was super keen to make it up in some fabric recently purchased at The Remnant Warehouse. So here t'is:

Sorry about the wonky photo .... after a week of rain rain and more rain, we just experienced a proper summer weekend - but after about 20 photos, this is the best I could get ..... too sunny!!! The fabric is a printed cotton - very soft and a great print - you'll have to take my word for it ....

Easy pattern, I cut a 12 for the upper bodice and tapered to a 14 for the lower bodice. The only change I made was to fuse on some interfacing on the front self facings.

Have a great week everyone!

Pink for Linda

2012-01-28T20:05:00.000+11:00

Butterick 4985
Fabric: Embroidered Crinkle Cotton from Gorgeous Fabrics
Great pattern - went together quickly and without fuss. Lovely and cool to wear. I lengthened lower bodice pieces by 3 inches. I like the collar and the shape of the neckline. The spilt sleeve is great for hot days. I made a Size 14.

Across the Ditch with Style Arc's Kerry Cargo Pant

2012-01-17T15:03:00.000+11:00

Happy New Year to you all!!! I've just returned from a wonderful holiday in New Zealand ...... the mass of water between Australia and New Zealand is affectionately known as "the ditch" - a 3 hour flight from Sydney to Christchurch.

I can't speak highly enough about New Zealand as a holiday destination - we had a fabulous time - the scenery is spectacular, the towns aren't overcrowded (well, apart from Queenstown - which was dubbed "Surfers Paradise on Steriods" - but still a great place - take the Gondola to the restaurant for an evening meal - amazing!!!)

I'll try to resist the urge to fill this post with our happy snaps (I think we took over 600 photos!!!) ..... so I'll move on now to Style Arc's Kerry Cargo Pant Pattern that I made up just before leaving.

I made them in a fairly heavy black linen. I wore them to death on holidays - they were perfect for travelling where the weather was sometimes quite cool and other times very warm - simply fold up the cuff into the 3/4 buttoned position. Style Arc instructions aren't written like other pattern companies, they are an order of construction. Since these have a drawstring at the waist - they are very easy to make. The addition of the pleated pockets give them a ready to wear look. I made a size twelve - and they fitted well. I made them about 15cm shorter than the pattern, simply because I didn't have enough fabric - but they were still about the 7/8 length on me - fine for summer.

Wanaka - the Cinema Paradiso - where the chairs in the theatre are an eclectic mix of old lounges, a topless VW beetle, airline chairs .... a great atmosphere - shame about the movie "Midnight in Paris" a waste of money and time!!

Teamed with my own screen printed T Shirt!

Of course, I had my radar tuned to fabric shops along the way - there weren't many ... but this one is Queenstown had a lovely selection. I bought some red and black prints, and while we were there, the cafe owner from next door bought in the leftover cakes for the fabric shop owner to give to his chooks - but he gave 4 cream filled doughnuts to me!! I must say, while it was a lovely gesture - they were really the biggest dollop of fat and sugar I'd tried to consume for some time - even the kids couldn't eat them .... shame the chooks missed out!!!

How cool are these chairs? From Seletti Boutique in Queenstown.

Fabric Vision in Papanui, Christchurch - a lovely, lovely, lovely shop in a town that needs all the loveliness it can find - great staff - had a fab chat to one of the ladies working there. Bought a couple of pieces there too.

And now a couple of touristy shots ......

The "Haka" show on the restaurant at the top of the Gondola Ride in Queenstown - so interesting and fun!!


Lake Tekapo - the prettiest place I think I've ever been to - the bluest lake, the loveliest flowers (lupins) everywhere - great hiking walk up Mount John - loved it!!

Horse Riding at Hanmer Springs

Back down to earth now .... wishing you all a fabulous .....Twenty Twelve!

Giving and Receiving Handmade Style

2011-12-25T19:11:00.000+11:00

As another Christmas Day draws to a close, I'd like to wish you all the very best for this Festive and Holiday season. I was thrilled to receive this Handmade crocheted rug from my lovely sister in law, Kim .... I've often admired hers, the colour combinations are just lovely ... thanks so much Kim!!!

Over the past 2 weeks, I've made 16 pairs of Boxer shorts and 25 Screen Printed Tote Bags for gifts ....

Mostly for the blokes .....

But some for girls ....

Also made a couple of iPad covers, the first time I've used these great little Twist Locks ....

I used the Photo Emulsion screens I made at my recent TAFE course for these bags ...

And finally, one of my paintings for mum - she loved it!!!

And after a big big lunch, I now need a little lie down.

Vogue 1220 and our Soiree

2011-12-18T19:27:00.000+11:00

Here is Vogue 1220 - A Donna Karan design in Martin & Savage's KUDOS fabric - 55% Linen, 28% Polyester, 15% Viscose and 2 % Spandex. - hope you're impressed with all that accuracy!

I made a straight Size 12. The fabric estimate requires 2.6m of 150cm wide fabric - I only had 2.25metres of 130cm wide fabric - so I squeezed every last drop out of this - and I had to cut the belt short and put a join in, and I also had to put a join in the placket. I didn't cut the bias strip for the back neckline raw edge - I just used some satin bias binding. I fused interfacing to the hem facings - glad I did - provides far better structure. I raised the placket positioning about 5 cm higher than suggested so that the neckline wasn't too deep. I also interfaced the inside facing to support the buttons, and I think I should have also interfaced the whole front facing section and also slip stitched it in place as I found it popping out every now and again - I can still do that.

Great design, interesting lines and shape - shame my fabric creased so much - but that's linen! or should I say 55% linen!

Here are a few snaps of our Handmade Sewing Studio's End of Year Celebration at Cozzies Cafe Swansea - lovely night - some raffles and tissue pattern flower decorations .... thanks everyone for coming - fantastic company and great food!

Home Sewn Gifts for Baby

2011-12-16T23:04:00.000+11:00

Sally & Smith Puppies - Pattern by Ric Rac as seen previously

and a great little travel change mat from Nicole Mallalieu ....

For this one I used thick towelling ...

And this one, quilted calico ...

Welcome to the world Chloe and Emmerson!!!

Kwik Sew 3854 Shorts View B and Screen Printing

2011-11-27T17:46:00.001+11:00

I've blogged about these shorts previously. I've added about 14cm to the length ...... to best suit my needs!!

They have a nice wide waistband piece that fits nicely. Size: Medium.

My dog thinks the remote is a treat.....

Fabric: a brushed drill - purchased locally - cheap enough to try out these shorts - but the ghosting isn't great!
Great pattern - fabulous instructions - just a couple of suggestions .....when they suggest to understitch the waistband pieces - start and stop 2cm from the ends - so that the corners turn nicely. The pockets are a little shallow - but they are deep enough for my needs (dog treats and remotes).

No, I didn't make my T Shirt - but I did screen print the little design on it. I just finished a 3 week "Screen Printing on T Shirts" course at Newcastle TAFE. It was a great course - 3 hours on Saturday mornings. We started with Paper Cut stencils - I paper cut this little fellow, then we did some photo emulsion designs. We learnt to make our own silk screen frames, and lots of other printing related ideas. So much fun!

The teacher's sample. 2nd colour applied with a transparency stencil.

The "proper" design students will be selling their designs at Newcastle's next Art Bazaar.

My collage for transferring to a photo emulsion screen - my aim was for detail!!!!

My photo emulsion screen.

The exposure machine for photo emulsion screens.

And finally a few pics ...

Me and Mum

A cheeky galah checking out my photo shoot. As I write this blog I've been listening to Dig Internet Radio - such great music - love it!!

Bye!!!

Colette's Peony Dress .... when you're in a hurry

2011-11-27T15:06:00.000+11:00

Hindsight .. always a good thing! Well, I should have toiled this one first - live and learn!! It's Christmas Party season so to kick start the season of good will and peace, I made this Colette Peony Dress.

I realise that I don't quite make the Colette demographic, but I am smitten with their designs, and I thought this was a sweet little dress.

Fabric: A stretch cotton sateen from The Remnant Warehouse, Sydney - purchased on the recent PR Weekend. Lovely to work with and lovely to wear!
Size: Well, the photo below shows where my measurements landed on their size chart - very interesting as you'll soon see. So I went for the Size 10.

General Notes:
We're all familiar with Multi Sized Patterns - they have their advantages and disadvantages, but I must say, that it can become mighty difficult to follow your size line at times (amongst a total of 10 sizes!) - this of course is not limited to just Colette Patterns - but probably worth mentioning.

I would also like to see Colette add Metric units to their patterns - their lovely new book has both imperial and metric - so that's great! Sewing instructions were very good, beautiful in fact - great diagrams and everything is clearly described - with lots of links for more information, eg. putting in an invisible zip. I added black satin piping to the neckline and the belt. What's better than pre made bias binding? Well, pre made satin piping!

I used my new Piping Foot to attach the piping - very easy - just position the piping under the groove in the foot and move your needle position - too easy!

So, back to the fit ... yes, I should have made a toile, but when one is in hurry ..... ok, so here I'm at the stage of putting in the zip, up to this point, I had been quickly sizing the finished front bodice on me - looked OK .... on the dummy.... uh oh ..... I had heaps and heaps of fabric on the CB to take in ... of course I should have considered this before the sleeves went in .... but I didn't so I just cut off the excess from the CB seam and inserted the invisible zip. This in turn distorted the boat neckline. So now it doesn't sit very well. The interesting bit is that the front bodice looks a tad small in the following photos ... so if I'd have gone up a size - the back would have been huge. Now, go back to that measurement chart - my bust and waist was smaller than the 10 - very interesting. I'm not sure if I'll make this again - probably not - I mean, it's sweet, but I have other fish to fry if you know what I mean.....

About 8cm had to be trimmed off the CB seam.

Anyway, so here I am at Christmas Party No 1.

I just realised that not only did I not toile this, but I didn't even look up PR for any reviews ..... I love it when I learn things!! Happy Sunday everyone!

Just a tad proud ....

2011-11-12T16:29:00.000+11:00

One minute you're grinning from ear to ear with a new babe in arms and the next minute you're sewing a suit for his Year 10 Graduation ....

1994 - and I made that dressing gown!!!

Pattern: Burda 8186

Sizing: From direct measurements he was a 36 only for the waist, and 34 for everything else. I cut a 36 for the pants and a 34 for the vest and jacket. I did a tissue fit and added 5cm in length for the sleeves of the jacket. The pants were a bit tight at the waist so I had to take off the waist band and take out side seams and CB seam - add a little extension to the waist band at CB - and all was good elsewhere.

Fabric: Vest fabric from Tessuti's Sydney - textured polyester - lined with Habotai Silk from Gorgeous Fabrics. Pants and Jacket fabric wool plus Lycra from The Fabric Store Sydney - very fine and lightweight - in hindsight I would have preferred a wool without the Lycra - I think that the Lycra limited the pressing and steaming qualities that wool has on it's own. For the jacket I block fused the following pieces:

Front
Side Front
Front Facing
Back Neck Facing
Under Collar
Collar stand
Top Collar Pocket welts and flaps
I also fused interfacing on the hem allowance of the the back, side back and sleeve.

I cut the under collar on the bias ( not suggested by the pattern) and it all fitted very well.
Jacket was lined with Silk Satin.

Instructions: The instructions are very brief - but adequate if you've made a jacket previously.

Some details:

This is a bobbin case for my Bernina machine - the hole in the finger is for the bobbin thread when you're sewing buttonholes.

Corded buttonholes - the cord (Perle 8 Crochet Cotton) is placed at the back of the foot and then travels under the foot to be secured at the front of the foot while the machine stitches over the top of it.

Then you need to pull through the threads and tie off before snipping.

I used this shiny thread on top.

Preparation for welt pockets:

Key hole Buttonholes on jacket:

I used 2 strands of Rasant thread and a size 100 needle.

And no, I didn't make the shirt or the tie! This was a time consuming and high stakes project to tackle, but I enjoyed it very much because it was an important project for an important person!!! I think it's a very good pattern - each items fits well - and I'm glad I added that extra length to the jacket sleeves.

Time now for a little observation of the changing seasons ....

Improvisational Screen Printing

2011-11-06T10:12:00.000+11:00

Nothing like a bit of fabric colouration to put a spark in the weekend.I did a workshop with Marie Therese Wisniowski organised by Newcastle Printmakers at Studio 48 New Lambton.

A few silk worms munching away quietly as we worked.

Low relief objects and crayons.

Cold Wax Resist

It was great to learn some new techniques and to have a play with colours - lots more experimentation required .....

And just to finish with a few snaps from the Blacksmiths Primary School Market Night - a lovely night - I did a bit a sewing, but mostly talking which is just as nice!

Enough pouff for the WOW dress?

2011-10-20T15:48:00.000+11:00

After attaching the crinoline to the hem of the Vogue 2962 dress, I still thought it needed extra fullness, so I made a tulle petticoat. Sugardale makes super cute petticoats and she has a great tutorial, but I wanted something a bit quicker and preferred to use my Ruffler foot than gathering the conventional way. The memories of gathering big bits of tulle remain after making my wedding dress about 21 years ago! So here she is all pouffed out .......

I did the petticoat in four tiers - each one 20cm wide. I added a soft cotton fabric as a header to the top tier to reduce the amount of harsh tulle at the waist. The top tier was a strip of 5 metres, the 2nd tier was 7.5 m, the third tier was 8.75 metres and the bottom tier was 10metres. Now there is nothing particularly clever about those lengths - really just a stab in the dark. I did a few test pieces of the ruffler foot to work out the gathering ratio - so that I didn't have to pin each piece to it's connecting tier.

Ruffler foot in action

Testing the gathering rate - there are a few settings on the foot, plus you can vary the amount of gather with the stitch length - so in this example, the rate was 1.27.

Basic straight interfaced waistband to finish the top.

I added an underskirt of lightweight soft cotton to reduce the itchiness of the tulle.

The back has a placket opening and one hook with several eyes so that it can be adjusted to suit the petite 40's waistline or ......

So she's all ready for her big night out at Blacksmiths Primary School's Market night this Friday Night (21st Oct) - where I will have a stall - ... and ..... will I be wearing it? No, she's a pert Size 10 - my daughter may be able to wear it - but alas, she looks so good on the lovely lady mannequin, I'll leave it at that!

Sally and Smith and the Crocadile Dundee Needle

2011-10-17T20:11:00.000+11:00

I'm often on the look out for projects suitable for Beginners - something that is easy, uses minimal fabric and other bits and has high impact ........ Introducing Sally and Smith from Jodie's new range of Beginner Sewing Patterns.

I really enjoyed sewing these little guys - it's not often your sewing project actually comes to life - with those teeny weeny button eyes and that coy smile - how can you resist? They are a beautiful shape to hold, and Smith's little legs can be moved to various poses. If you're not familiar with Jodie Ric Rac - you'd be in the minority - she's a Celebrity of the Softie world - and I must boast that I met her in real life earlier this year.

I've never used a Doll Needle before - and man! You call that a needle????

Sorry if these 2 photos cause distress - it is only polyester filling inside after all .. and she can't squeal with pain cause she hasn't got her mouth yet!

Great little pattern with super easy step by step clear sensible instructions!

I'll be cutting out some more of these and sewing them LIVE - this Friday Night (21st Oct) at Blacksmiths Primary School's first ever Night Market - I'd love to see you there! I'll also have some Ric Rac patterns available for sale.

And I just noticed that I have 101 Followers!!! WOW! Nice to meet you all .......

Pattern Review Sydney Weekend

2011-10-15T18:55:00.000+11:00

Just returned from a quick trip to Sydney to join the Pattern Review (PR) girls for a weekend of ......

Fabric Shopping

I was most impressed with The Remnant Warehouse, 494 Botany Rd, Alexandria. Lovely selection of fabrics, presented well, good prices, super friendly and knowledgeable staff - what more could you want?


Standard Knits 52 Pemberton Street, Botany

5 metre minimum cuts on a very very big range of Australian made and dyed knit fabrics.

Metro Fabrics - 1/ 619 Princes Hwy, Tempe - The sheer quantity and range of goodies at this place was truly overwhelming!! And there's a gigantic IKEA store being built right across the road - so future trips should prove most beneficial!

Boning - every possible variation!

Then, lunch at Newtown and this little gem .....

All Buttons Great and Small -419a King Street, Newtown

Leather, leather, leather, snake skins - unbelievable!!! 707 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo

Then just enough energy for these 2 lovely lovely shops:

The Fabric Store, 21 Cooper Street, Surry Hills

Tessuti's, 110 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Dinner after our BIG DAY OUT was enjoyed on Crown St .... after spending most of our money on fabric we struggled to scrape together enough for the bill ......

Next day - a workshop.....

It was lovely to meet Lena, I did her workshop about adapting patterns for knits considering the stretch factor - very interesting!

So I must apologise if you're sitting there experiencing a severe gut wrenching attack of envy .....it was all Sharon's fault! Thanks Sharon it was fabulous and fun!!!! And always good to meet new sewing folk from across the land and Tasman Sea!

Vogue 2962 - using Crinoline / Horsehair Braid

2011-10-11T16:49:00.000+11:00

Our local Public school is having a fundraiser market night and I've decided to have a stall to advertise my classes and maybe sell a few patterns and bits and pieces. I thought it would be good to have a special "wow" type garment on one of my dressmaker's mannequins to attract attention. So I decided on Vogue 2962 in navy stretch sateen with a spot or two - fabric from Spotlight (get it??). Anyway, I wanted a really full dramatic skirt and I've been reading about using horsehair braid (Crinoline Tape / Stabiliser) in the hem.

Before Crinoline in Hem

After crinoline in hem

Don't you love those waistlines???

Sewing Crin to the hem on the right side - this tape is 54mm wide

Turn the hem under - pull the little threads at the top of the tape to ease in fullness.

Pin on the right side to stitch


See the little loop pulling the braid tight?

While I was quite impressed with the fullness and definition the tape gave the hem, I think I will have to make a tulle petticoat to add extra fluff. This is an easy straight forward pattern - it's just BIG - heavy - bulky - the hem circumference was 5.35 metres - phew!!

Check out Gertie explaining this technique here.

Kwik Sew 3854 Shorts View B

2011-10-06T14:06:00.001+11:00

The weather round these parts has been somewhat fickle - it's taken until today for me to get these shorts out into the open ... I've made Kwik Sew 3854 View B in all 5 sizes so that I can run this as a workshop. Here is the Small (Left) and the Medium (Right).

Kwik Sew 3854

I used these snaps on the Denim shorts (above) quite easy to apply.

Extra Small

I used these Anorak Snaps for the red shorts - totally painful - maybe you need much thicker fabric, but I struggled and damaged every 2nd Snap with these ...

Fabric Covered Buttons on the Large Shorts


Jean Buttons on these Extra Large Shorts

These are very cute shorts for youthful legs .... I've cut out a slightly longer pair for myself which you may or may not ever see!!! Would you like to learn how to make these shorts? You'll learn lots and lots of great skills and finish with cute shorts for summer (when summer actually decides to arrive ) - contact me to join a class!

Open Studio

2011-09-29T15:34:00.000+10:00

I've mowed the lawn and I'll run the vacuum over ..... I'm having an Open Day this Saturday 1st October, 10am to 2pm. So if you're in my neck of the woods (Newcastle, NSW, Australia) pop in to say Hi!
I'll have a wonderful 25% off the retail price of a wide range of sewing essentials - Rasant Thread, Gutermann Thread, zippers, machine needles, markers, lovely lovely interfacing, patterns, kits, bits and bobs of fabric ..... and lots more. I'd love to see you!

Where? Maneela St, Blacksmiths

Nicole M's A Line Skirt

2011-09-02T17:26:00.000+10:00

Nicole M has released a new skirt pattern. It's an A Line with a wide yoke. For this one I used a grey wool crepe from Block and Roll at Belmont and I pieced together some Lisa Ho Silk that I've had in the stash for many years - from the Fabric Store, Surry Hills.

The Lisa Ho Silk has two pretty sides - I fused on some soft Hansel Interfacing onto each side and pieced some strips together. This generally made a wedge shape -I attached a binding to each side.

I lined the skirt and added a little lined section to the bottom of the panel piece that would hang below the hem of the skirt.

I also fused a piece of Hansel to the wrong side of the skirt where the panel would be attached.

Here are the pattern line drawings.

This is a fab pattern - it's a gentle A Line as opposed to a circus tent A line that you often see. The yoke is firm and snug.

Here is a shorter version - made in denim and I added a ruffled piece of the selvedge to the hem. I made this one before the wool/ silk one - my first was cut as a 12 - but had to take in about 2cm on each side, the wool version was cut as a Size 10 - but as I handled the wool piece so much, fiddling around with the panel placement etc - it grew and grew - should have stay stitched the waist early on - so ended up taking it in as well.

Excellent instructions - and just the best way to secure the yoke around the invisible zip - LOVE IT!!!

Handmade Baby Gifts

2011-08-31T13:26:00.000+10:00

Friends of ours recently had a baby ...... so I was happy to make a few little things to welcome Baby Luc.

I used Nicole M's free Bib Tutorial and managed to get some Dick and Jane fabric from Block and Roll at Belmont. The towelling also came from Block and Roll - it's lovely and thick.

I used 12mm wide blue gingham purchased binding - and it wasn't easy to sew on in one hit - I had to zig zag it on first and then turn and stitch down - quite a fiddly little job!

This is a cute bib pattern - highly recommend!!

I also made a another little backpack - in the same fabric combinations as before - this time I added a little loop / strap so that it can be hung up.

Baby Luc lives in Indonesia and he's already travelled back to Australia recently, so I think this little fellow will need a back pack with a transportation theme as he grows! This is a fabulous pattern from Nicole's new book.

Finally, I did a rolled hem around some lovely bamboo / cotton interlock fabric for a wrap.

Welcome Baby Luc!!!

Art Classes at Marks Point

2011-08-27T11:35:00.000+10:00

My daughter started Children's Art Classes with Trish Menegazzo at Marks Point several years ago. She thoroughly enjoyed it, but then stopped for quite a while. Here is some of her work:

In an effort to encourage her back to art, I decided I'd go along with her ..... Trish's work is quite inspiring ....

She uses a wide range of mediums .....

And I could just stare at this all day long!!!!

Anyway, I thought I'd have a go at some fashion drawing, sketching, and have recently completed three little pieces using mixed media ...

And now I'm hooked!!! Trish is a patient teacher with excellent ideas ..... If you're interested in having a go, she is having a special workshop day for this "Fish" on Sept 10th at Marks Point (Lake MacQuarie / Newcastle, NSW, Australia). It will be a full day of fun and creativity - you honestly can't go wrong!!! Give Trish a call on 0403 749 631 - she also sells her artwork if you'd like to add a special piece to your work / home.

I must say, it's with clever people like this in my neighbourhood that I am eternally grateful to live where I do!

Finally, this is my daughter's recent piece she did for my sister's birthday ...

Enjoy the weekend!

Craft and Sewing Show - Reflecting on the Newcastle Show ...... What happened to dressmaking?

2011-08-21T11:07:00.000+10:00

Apparently ... it was SEW ME! I've been going to these kind of shows for quite a few years. Generally I find that they are a variety of crafty pursuits - mainly attracting females. There have been a number of name changes over the years - either with the Newcastle or the Sydney shows / expos / fairs - "Stitches and Craft" "Craft and Quilt" etc.

I think that variety in any pursuit is a good thing. So these shows cover patchwork, quilting, beading, scrapbooking, yarns, dyes, laces, haberdashery, bag making, and so on - essentially just about every craft need is generally covered. When this show was advertised - I noted that the name had changed to "Craft and Sewing Show", well, at least I didn't think it was called that last year? Anyway, with the word "sewing" featured prominently and the fact that "It's Sew You!", I was a bit more excited than usual this year - sewing - YAY!

OK. Well it didn't take to long to realise that this was just another craft show. Yes, there was variety, but I am perplexed about the lack of attention to the dressmakers amongst us. How many sewing blogs are there out there in the sewing world? How many great new exciting independent pattern makers are there out there? How great is the interest in sewing clothing? Well, from my perspective - HEAPS and HEAPS and HEAPS!!!

Why aren't the pattern companies interested in promoting their products in these arenas? All of the sewing machine brands were there .... and, as I did my time on the Sewing Guild stand - the question we were most often asked was "Where is the best place to buy good fabric?". The Craft and Sewing Show had tonnes and tonnes of fabric to buy .... patchwork fabric that is .... where were the fashion fabric retailers?

Of course, there aren't many independent fabric retailers left in our local area - but there are a few. I know that we have a large national store that sells fabric and just about everything else that sewing folk need - and that's great - but where were they? I just see so much need in our community for people who want to learn to sew, and for those who want to sew clothes and learn new techniques and to get great results .....so many opportunities .... the TEXSTYLE exhibition (a selection of the Senior Textiles Students major projects) is a case in point - fabulous creativity and technical skills - this section of the Craft Show attracts hundreds and hundreds of high school students - they come to be inspired and to go home ready to create ..... after the exhibition they wander around the rest of the show - do they see fabulous fashion inspired creations, tools, materials?


http://www.craftfair.com.au/Sydney2011/app/pages/view/texstyle8/

I know that it is very expensive to have a stall at these shows - and that the energy involved in setting up and organising is quite immense - I also realise that internet shopping has changed the way people prefer to purchase - and for many people they really don't have the luxury of choice .... but I do see these shows as a great opportunity to promote garment making skills.

So there you have it - my rant for the year ....I'd love to know what you think ......

Newcastle Craft and Sewing Show

2011-08-16T14:25:00.001+10:00

Newcastle Craft and Sewing Show

August 18 - 21, 2011

Newcastle Entertainment Centre

I'll be there Friday morning at the Sewing Guild stand - come along and say Hi!!!

Rose Panel Skirt

2011-08-14T20:01:00.001+10:00

Fabric from Tessuti's - a Rose panel printed on Denim.

I've had much trouble loading photos on blogger recently, mainly the ones I have to rotate - they won't upload in their saved rotated form ???? So my lovely daughter introduced me to Picnik and now I have made a collage!

Plain and simple straight skirt from a pattern drafted for me at Studio Faro in Sydney in 2005.

We've had a wet and grey quite miserable day here today, so it was lovely to have a glimmer of sunshine just as I finished this project - down to Pelican Marina for a location shoot.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Sirdar Weekend Denim, Style Arc Laura Top and a Satchel

2011-08-11T21:12:00.000+10:00

After my last knitting marathon, I was determined to find a pattern that would better suit my needs (that is = easier, quicker) ...

Button from Newtown - All Buttons Great and Small

The lovely people at Stitch Bliss suggested this knitting pattern book ...

I chose this design ...Design I .... and I used Sirdar Denim Ultra Yarn (60% Acrylic, 25% cotton, 15% wool), Shade 502 ...

They also recommended this book which is a fantastic resource, I didn't even have to ask mum to help me make this one - everything is explained ....

step by step with lovely clear photographs

... but even armed with all this I failed to change needles after starting the rib rows, by the time I realised I had already made good progress, and my family urged me not to undo what I'd done ... I was willing to .. anyway, I was so carrried away with enthusiasm that I just carried on and so the finished garment is a little out of "whack" - I really don't care - it's wearable - and I've learnt a great lesson!!! This was a great project to work on - very quick and straight forward - I'm keen to make another one - properly this time!

I made a long sleeve tee from my Laura Dress Pattern from Style Arc - just taped together the yoke and main pieces, and of course made it shorter. This is a great pattern - too easy!

And to close with ... one of my students recently finished her Satchel bag, using the Large Tote and Satchel Pattern from NicoleM Design - a very popular pattern around these parts! She chose a great Japanese inspired quilting cotton for the flap. The pattern was modified slightly - made a tad larger. Great work Nic!!!

I've tried 3 times to insert this photo correctly! Arrrrgh! Just stretch your neck gently to the right .... lovely!

My First Ever Colette ... Negroni Men's Shirt

2011-08-07T14:56:00.000+10:00

Well, I have actually made the Colette Mini Bloomers previously, but that was a free download pattern. So this is my first proper Colette pattern. I was very impressed by the presentation of the pattern in it's cute little booklet format with a linen finish on the card - the diagrams and instructions are excellent.

Sewing Notes:

I haven't made a men's shirt for many many years, so for the sizing I just decided to go the XXL - the actual measurements were chest (XL), waist (XXL) and neck (L) - so it was a bit all over the shop - I had a look at one of Shaun's (hubby) ready to wear shirts and it seamed to compare well with the XXL of this pattern.
Now, I haven't actually seen this shirt on - I left instructions for my son to take photos - and Shaun said he was happy with the fit. The sleeves look pretty big to me - hmmm - maybe I'll make them short next time - not 100% sure if I'd change anything else for another shirt - he does have very broad shoulders so the fit may be fine - from the photos anyway!

FABRIC: Poly Cotton Blend for Spotlight - Vintage look - it said that on the label!! About $4 per metre.

As I sew my projects now, I have started to take notes along the way since I've started writing the Pattern Reviews..... so here are my jottings from along the journey....

- I was surprised that the pattern required 3 metres of fabric.
- The booklet format of this pattern is lovely.
- I block fused the interfacing - I used a lightweight woven interfacing.
- They have the option of downloading pocket options.
- I used the pocket template hint for pressing the pocket.
- The pattern pieces are very well marked - "first fold" and "second fold" .
- The variable seam allowances are clearly noted and make sense.
- They have an interesting and neat way of sewing on the yoke - no hand stitching - all beautifully explained.
- Great diagrams - overall excellent instructions.
- Stitching the sleeve - I put the sleeve against the feed dogs to ease in the fullness - a little tricky - they have you stitching from the centre to each side - mine had too much ease to work that way.
- The curved flat fell seam of the sleeve was very very very fiddly - I'm not sure I would do that again. It's lovely that all the edges in this shirt are stitched down, but if I made it again, I would probably just overlock the sleeve - unless anyone can enlighten me on a better way to flat fell the seam.
- Hemming the shirt - they didn't fold back the front facing to machine stitch in place, but I did.

Summary - Totally impressed with this pattern. The design is nice, the fit is good and the instructions were fantastic. It was an enjoyable project to complete. Highly recommend!

Enterprising Local Folk

2011-08-05T11:28:00.000+10:00

Just thought I'd give a shout out to a few talented and creative local people I know who are out there in the big wide world designing, making and selling their wares .... Firstly, Sheryl was one of my very first students who took to bag making like nothing else. She has recently launched her store on MadeIt.com. Her bags are beautifully made with quality materials.Great work Shez!

Next up is Heidi Adnum. I've known Heidi for many years, and at the time, I thought Heidi was heading for the corporate world and the food industry, but now she is an accomplished photographer and crafter. She has a great website and her photography and bunting is available on etsy, she also has a blog.

Finally, Miranda Earle is a local fabric printing gal .... I've done a printing workshop with her and it was great fun. Her designs are intricate, rich and distinctive. Have a look at her Blue Caravan shop. She is also on Facebook.

It takes courage, lots of time and a degree of risk to venture down the path of a handmade business. I take my hat off to them and wish them well!

Preschool Backpack and a Satchel

2011-07-30T18:02:00.001+10:00

I couldn't wait to make this ....

A super cute little backpack ...

In "Transportation" fabric - with a nostalgic bent ...

From this rather excellent book .....

In fact, it was so much fun that I made a slightly larger version:

.. in corduroy with a pretty print .... I think Nikki is at the Melbourne Quilt Show this weekend - buy a book a she'll sign it for you!!

Sewing Notes:
Nicole Mallalieu's recent book "You Sew Girl" covers sewing skills (equipment, gadgets, all about patterns and techniques) and projects including accessories, bags and purses and pattern free clothes. There are 19 sewing projects in total.

The patterns are printed on separate pieces of nice quality paper - you don't have to open out a huge road map to find your project pattern.

Fabric:
For the preschool backpack I used a solid green organic cotton canvas from Marcus Brothers - this is a lovely quality fabric - as well as coming from organic cotton they also claim that the fabric was dyed in an eco friendly manner - I believe that this particular fabric has been discontinued - but you may still find it around. For the contrast I used a "Transportation" panel from Marcus Brothers - the colours and authenticity of the vintage style is delightful. For the larger backpack I used two baby cords with a small floral print from a little patchwork shop at Nundle, NSW.

General notes:

You may need to think about very strong sewing machine needles if you're going to use a fabric other than quilting cotton weight - parts of this project require you to sew through many layers - you need a machine with grunt!!
The instructions are very well laid out - the spiral bound book is great to just flip and concentrate on one page at a time.
All requirements for the project are clearly set out.
The seam allowances are 1/2 inch - which converts to 1.26cm - at times the instructions say 12.6mm or 1.25cm - I know that it's all the same - but it may confuse some people.
EDITED TO ADD: on page 99, the diagram under point 1 is incorrect (edited to add: actually the diagram is not incorrect - I do apologise for this - the way I interpreted the diagram was that the long edge of the Back piece was being stitched to a long edge of the front piece, when actually it is stitched to the short side of the Front - the diagram in the book shows that the Back piece is sitting ON TOP of the whole Front piece - it's the underneath parts that I didn't see - thanks Nikki for clarifying this) , all other diagrams are very well set out and the photographs are very helpful as well. There are handy tips throughout the instructions.
If I make this again, I would add a little strap as a mini handle in between the top of the straps.
A bias maker is a handy little gadget to make the bias for around the flap - I use mine all the time.
p 103 - Line the Bag - the pattern suggests as 12cm gap for the turning through, but as mine was made with a fabric on the heavier side I would suggest leaving a larger gap - otherwise the turning the bag the right side out can become an anxious experience.
Finish the Bag (p103) Step 1 - slip stitch the CB seam closed - strictly speaking it is not a CB seam but a side seam - and I pretty much always machine stitch the gap together.
I used a plastic toggle to fasten the cord around the
This is a great sewing project. The finish is neat and professional. The use of the metal slide adjusters and rings adds that special touch. There are lots of possibilities for contrasting fabrics. A strong, sturdy and special backpack for children.
To make the larger bag, I just experimented with making the pieces wider and longer. It's really not that difficult - make the basic preschool one first and then modify accordingly.
Looking forward to making other projects from this book!

And just to finish ... one of my students finished this bag last night .... the Large Tote and Satchel made from canvas off cuts (cost - all of $1!!!) and he used a number of metal and plastic pieces for fastenings as well as webbing for straps. Excellent work!!!

Style Arc Laura Combo

2011-07-25T21:15:00.000+10:00


Pose courtesy of Karin!!

So here are the last of the Sydney photos - I wore this outfit to see Jersey Boys and the next night to see Mary Poppins - nothing like travellin' light! By the way, both shows were amazing - the music of the Jersey Boys was great - even though Franki Valli's voice can be annoying - the music in general was fun! Mary Poppins, all I can say is, if you haven't seen it - YOU MUST!!!

Anyway, the Laura Combo from Style Arc ..... I'll present my notes for each item....

Laura Jacket
Size 10. I've made two of these jackets, the first was in a medium ponte, and it was evident that the fabric was not drapey enough for this design - the collar didn't sit right. My second one was in a lightweight knit - much better. I used some strips (two cm wide) of fusible interfacing to reinforce the shoulder seam. The collar/ hood (the pattern actually refers to a collar / hood even though the drawings don't show a hood - yet the pattern shape looks like a hood ...??) anyway, since the seam is exposed it may be a good idea to do a Flat Fell or French Seam if you don't want the overlocking stitches to show. Also, be aware that the wrong side of the fabric will clearly show in this pattern. To finish the front edges the instructions say to baby lock or overlock edge stitch. I thought I'd try a specialty thread in one of the loopers to give it a nicer than ordinary finish .... it took much trial and error to get the right thread - but I was happy to find this one while at the Quilt and Craft Fair ....

In summary, great pattern - even in the slightly heavier fabric where the collar doesn't drape as well as the softer one - I have still worn it alot. It's a slim fit. The instructions are basic - but it is really easy to make.

Laura Knit Legging

Size 10 - the fit is snug - as it should be. I used a lycra that is too shiney - I need to make another pair in some better fabric. Basic construction steps, no diagrams but the experienced sewist should be fine. There is a slight typo in the instructions ....2. Using a safety or sew the front crotches .... Anyway, a great legging pattern.

Laura Dress

I used a grey light weight interlock for the top portion and a Martin & Savage polyester / lycra print for the main part. I also used a mesh lining (just for the main part of the dress) to give this some body and so that it wouldn't cling to me. I think the dress ended up shorter that I thought it would from the drawing, but, I still really like this dress. It goes well with the Laura Jacket and the tights, but equally well without the tights. It has a slim fit - and feels great to wear. Lots of possibilities with mixing up fabrics and colours. The picture has no Centre Back seam but the back is clearly cut with a seam and there is no reference to sewing up the CB seam. Otherwise an easy construction and a good multi season piece to add to the wardrobe.

Vogue 8634 Mars Red and Style Arc Bella Wrap in Rosa Rose

2011-07-20T16:14:00.000+10:00

Vogue 8634 -A Pattern Review Top 10 Pattern for 2010

Even though I've been back from Sydney for ages now, I've still got a few blog posts to write that relate to that trip.

Whilst in Tessuti's at Surry Hills, this fabric jumped off the shelf and grabbed me around the legs - it pleaded and pleaded to come home with me ... what could I do? It was causing an embarrassing scene in the lovely shop ... so home it came ...... this is an amazing fabric (aren't they all??) well, it's a substantial weight - but with a super soft handle - it has a double layer - the outside layer is textured and wrinkly and the inside is just smooth - hello MARS RED! So I introduced Miss Mars to Vogue 8634.

I lengthened the top design to dress length and took out the seam under the bust (well, everyone else did too). It looks OK without the belt - but probably better with a belt. I also narrowed the sleeves down to the wrist to be a little more snug. This is a great pattern - comfortable and warm. I couldn't see this fabric on their online shop - but I phoned the Surry Hills store to get some more and their Chatswood store had 2 other colours - just too good I keep tellin' ya!!!

So, did I buy anything else from Tessuti's? ..... Well, would you have walked away from this???

Rosa Rose - Stretch fine Rayon/Elastane printed jersey. And here it is in the Bella Wrap from Style Arc.

Super easy to make - I'm sure this wrap will get lots of use.

Another Modified Sling

2011-07-14T13:34:00.000+10:00

Another bag, on a similar theme to this one. Same pattern modifications - lengthened and slightly widened the bag. This is a great pattern - lots of variations to opportunities to add your touch to the overall look.

Apart from that ... further pics from our recent trip to Sydney ... this time for the button lovers out there - from All Buttons Great and Small, Newtown .... enjoy!

Ready, Steady, Knit

2011-07-11T12:58:00.000+10:00

Well, not quite - this took me 2 years to knit!!! I am a complete novice knitter - yes, I've made numerous scarves and squares sewn into rugs, but I've never made anything with a proper shape for wearing.

I borrowed a library book and launched into this cardi .... it took forever, mum had to help me with the tricky bits, there are numerous mistakes - repeated rows - but they are sort of consistent - and there was no way I was going to unravel it... it doesn't hang the way it does in the picture and it weighs a tonne! But it's warm and I WILL WEAR IT!!!

Now, I did plan to title this post as "At least it's finished!" but I had to find a way to link in a boast for this picture ....

I went along to a screening of "Ready, Steady, Cook" in Sydney with my son and our school. It was an experience - good fun - and those chefs are quite amazing - they really do cook it all in the time allocated!

On a different trip to Sydney, this time with my 14 year old daughter, I was delighted with this display in a Supre shop - I can't actually bear to go into a Supre shop, but I happily snapped a few pics and waited dutifully outside. (Warning - if you click on the Supre link - you may get a blast of music which is played at 10 times the volume in the shops - hence - don't go in!!)

On our way to Haigh's Chocolate Shop in the Strand Arcade, we stumbled upon an amazing and beautiful display of fashion creations from TAFE students .... so much talent and creativity - a real treat!

On the knitting front, I have nearly completed a waistcoat - and have started a 2nd cardi - well, what are cold winter nights for???

The Weekend Wrap Up

2011-06-27T12:51:00.000+10:00

So we start with the ASG Industry Day at the Simplicity Warehouse at Revesby. We had some great guest speakers and the opportunity to purchase patterns, trims, notions and fabrics. Jodie "RicRac" Carlton had us in "stitches" with her stand up comedy routine .... the girl was an absolute hoot and it was just amazing to see the many totally cute and clever little toys in real life that I had seen on her blog over the years. And ... just to warn you - there will be many photographs on this post ....

Jodie in action "And this is a Bernina Sewing Machine, and the machine on the right is an ... an ....??"

As you can see, Jodie is a legend, and we could all relate to her hilarious anecdotes - especially if you've ever had a teenage son. Her imagination, skill and sense of humour is mind blowing, and I came away with the reminder to practise those pelvic floor exercises!! If you haven't seen Jodie's work before - pop on over for a look - the patterns for her toys and other projects are also available.

Another speaker was Renee Wedell - a Haute Couture dressmaker with experience in Paris working for Givenchy, Balenciaga and Chanel - this lady was truly amazing - her skills, her challenges, her life experiences - there is no other way to say it - but, just amazing. She had made clothes for Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy amongst others- it was a pleasure to hear her story.

Balenciaga Dress

Also, at Simplicity, John Byrnes spoke to us about some new pattern ranges that Simplicity has been developing, basically to encourage new sewists with simpler patterns - so that should be interesting to watch out for. Once again, another truly worthwhile ASG Industry Day.

So, Sunday was the Craft and Quilt Fair at Darling Harbour. My friend Nicole and I helped out on Nicole Mallalieu's stand. It was a great fair - on my quick buzz around I saw a good variety of stalls - and I noticed great interest in yarns. Nikki's stall was consistently busy, and it was great to see some friendly faces and other bloggers.

The items on the top shelf are some of the great projects in Nikki's new book.

Nikki & Nicole

Hands On Printing Activities

The gorgeous Sewing Guild girls roping in new members.

Delicious Yarn Creations

And so, the sock monkeys and I need to get back to the normal routine. Ciao!

Sewing Stuff in Sydney

2011-06-24T20:57:00.000+10:00

I'll be forging my way up the F3 over the weekend .... Saturday the ASG Industry Day - can't wait to meet Miss Clever Pants .... and Sunday I'll be helping the equally Miss Clever Pants at her stall at Darling Harbour for the Craft and Quilt Fair - pop in and say hi and remind me that I do not need any more patterns, fabric or doo dads ...... have a great weekend everyone!

Style Arc Kate Dress

2011-06-06T13:10:00.000+10:00

Continuing on my wave of Style Arc Patterns, here is my Kate Dress. Tempted to make it in 'Royal Blue" but decided instead on a very nice Art Nouveaux Print from Gorgeous Fabrics. It is a fine and lightweight jersey. I made a Size 12 - my previous Style Arc's were size 10 - but since wearing the jacket a few times - I decided to go up one size - just a little too snug under the arms. This Size 12 fits great.

Very straight forward to sew. There are a few curiosities with these patterns - possibly stemming from their Industry background. Anyway, they suggest using a stretch thread - I interpreted that to mean woolly nylon - which I often use in the bobbin - I've never used it as the top thread .... not sure if that's what they mean. They also recommend to use Vilene Tearaway to stabilise the neck and front edges - and then the remove the tearaway at the end - that's foreign to me - I just used some lovely soft Hansel fusing that I was recently able to get my hands on. So it was fused on - and left there. I also used strips of Hansel to stabilise the edges for turning under - front edges, hem edges and sleeve hems - worked a treat. As I write this post, I just got a reply from Chloe at Style Arc about the Tearaway.... here it is: "We use vilene tearaway sta's because it saves one process in fusing the required area and the machinist is able to sew the seam to the exact measurement - then tear it away when the garment is completed." I must say that Chloe and the team at Style Arc are very responsive and reply to emails very promptly, they are happy to receive feedback!

I think there is less fullness on this dress than shows in their diagram - you could easily add fullness but cutting and spreading the pattern piece. But again, Chloe form Style Arc replied that they will alter the diagram to reflect the less fullness. But, I still really like this dress - the fit, the style, and the I didn't have that uncomfortable feeling about worrying about the neckline gaping or the front wrap unwrapping!

Hansel Fusing - Super Soft and light - it has a slight stretch as well.

Fused Hansel to the edges.

Hansel Strips applied to hem edges & overlocked.

Oh don't hurt me Big Louis!!

And yes, there will be more Style Arc appearing soon - I'm doing the Laura Jacket at the moment.

Style Arc Terry Tie Cardi and Vogue 1061 Pants

2011-05-30T20:55:00.000+10:00

Caught! How to use the remote control .... Here is my Terry Tie Cardi - pattern by Style Arc and fabric was a remnant from Tessuti's (I think) - it's a merino knit - and very lovely to work with. This is a quick and easy cardigan pattern, with a relaxed front - just the ties keep it together. Easy enough to follow the brief instructions - except I forgot completely to apply the neck binding stay and their are no instructions on how to finish the front edge. I emailed Style Arc and they promptly replied with some pics of how they babylocked the edge - which looked to me like a rolled hem. I ended up just machine stitching the front edge down - in the pics here the edges have not been finished. I made a Size 10 which was fine. I can see myself making this up again.

The black pants are the pants from Vogue 1061 - I made the tunic coat previously. The stretch pants do not have an elastic inserted - the waistband has negative ease and they simply stretch to fit. I used a heavy ponte - to be honest, I thought I was turning a bit senior citizen with these, but ahhh they are great! Especially since I'm likely to wear them with longer tops. I made a size C - D - according to my measurements. The back fits well over my bum - but I could fold a little of the excess out of the front. The front darts seem to be placed too close together too - didn't photograph that sorry. I finished these pants last week - and I have already worn them heaps - so that's a pretty good testimony I guess!

Vogue 1061 Tunic / Jacket

2011-05-16T11:36:00.000+10:00

Ahh, I needed this! After the marathon of the tailored jacket it was an absolute pleasure to sew up a quick project. One of my students made this recently and she lent me her pattern. We added about 5.5cm in length to each body piece. Photographed on location at my tap class this morning - thanks Miss Cherin!

Fabric is again from Martin & Savage - called Diagonal Knit - it is Poly / Rayon and Lycra - quite lightweight - yet warm - perfect for the current cold snap we are experiencing. The pants in this pattern look interesting too. Well, I'd better practice my new steps .... knock heel toe heel dig ball change heel heel .......

Finished: Style Arc Sara Jacket

2011-05-12T21:37:00.000+10:00

Oh joy oh joy! This is one project I am super happy to have finally finished!! My Sara Jacket made following Sherry's wonderful Ready To Wear Tailoring Sew Along.

This is my first Style Arc pattern and their instructions are sparse. If it wasn't for Sherry's expertise I would have struggled big time by trying to decipher the industry speak in the instructions. There are no diagrams in their instructions - they are basically an order of work.

The fabric was a Martin & Savage "Monaro" mostly polyester, 40% wool and a little spandex. I should have gone for a 100% wool, there are tiny press marks and indentations from the polyester component.
The pattern is beautifully drafted - I did add about 1cm on most seams around the bodice (I had a Size 10 pattern) - tapering to nothing on the upper bodice. The many notches are really helpful and I have fallen in love with hem notches! I love the block fusing and fusing the hems - the jacket really feels like a proper one!!

I love my lining - shimmer rayon purchased at the recent ASG Industry Day.

I'm very happy with my welt / jet pockets. The breast pocket was done following the Reader's Digest book - and it isn't fantastic - I couldn't follow the pattern instructions and they weren't part of Sherry's instructions - but something to master in the future. I did 2 bound buttonholes - Sherry has a separate tutorial for them. And even though I did quite a few practice ones, on my jacket one was good the other quite disastrous - the little welts were a tad too short and I had trouble poking them back through after slashing the opening, so had to do a re-apply and oh well - live and learn!!

Overall, it was a long but rewarding project. I can highly recommend Sherry's Sew A Long - she is thorough and her tips and techniques were wonderful. The only hand sewing is sewing on the buttons and the little bit of hand sewing on the facing of the bound buttonholes. I am now in need of a quicker project, however, I know that I really really should make a another jacket to reinforce all of the skills from this project. Sherry made her coat in about 3 hours ...!!!! Mine - well, much much longer than that, but I feel that I have learnt so much that I could cut that time down considerably now that it's all in perspective!!! Well, I guess you should watch this space to see if I do as I should!!

Learn to Sew Classes

2011-05-04T15:07:00.000+10:00

Just thought I'd show off some of my student's work. Shez made this Vogue 1061 Jacket - however, Chez is modelling it - great design - superb back detail.

Fabric is a very nice double knit from Spotlight. Sleeves are very interesting - and "elephant style" with elastic ruching in the bottom section. Well done Sheryl! I've got a plan for this jacket pattern myself .....

Nicole made a little iPad cover last night - how cute are the polka dots with the denim - I even get to play with the iPad sometimes!!!

New student Cathy is always busy making little dresses for grandchildren - this a Burda pattern in a great print.

It wasn't hemmed at the time of the photo ......

And finally, another new student and another Nicole, made this knit tunic for her mum. Love the colour and the print......

With a little tuck on the sleeve hem .....

I very much enjoy our classes - always fun and a mighty pleasant way to spend 3 hours! If you're interested in coming along - and you live in my neck of the woods - Newcastle / Central Coast, NSW, Australia . please contact me - I have vacancies in the Tuesday Day time and the Night time class... I must add that I have recently been emailing a lady who was really keen to join my classes - and we've been organising times etc... then she wanted to know how long it would take to get here ..... from ..... Corvallis, OREGON!!!! What a shame!! And, a parting shot taken by my son, Sunrise from my beach, Blacksmiths Beach on Monday 2nd May.......

Sara Jacket Progressing .....

2011-04-29T11:57:00.000+10:00

I'm progressing along with my Sara Jacket ..... here is my lining - it's rayon - I think it's called Shimmer Rayon - for reasons that are self evident. Still need to attach the sleeves.

A couple of notes about Sherry's wisdom in this sew a long..... Seam Allowances - my pattern (Style Arc Sara Jacket) has 1cm seam allowances and 6mm seam allowances around the neckline and around pocket pieces. Yes! The narrower allowance does make sewing much easier - she explains it all here.

The great thing about the Sara Jacket is that because it is "industry based" all of the pattern amendments that Sherry recommends have already been done - like the mitred corner on the sleeve cuff ....

And the "steps" at the ends of some seams .....

And I have found my new Sleeve Board absolutely fabulous ...

Here is one of my pockets - flap and jet - hoping the other one works out as well!!! Her instructions and photographs are just perfect!

Block fusing is the other fabulous part - here is the fusing I have used and the body and handle it gives the fabric is just wonderful!!

Anyway, you can probably see that I'm enjoying this project very much and I totally appreciate how much effort Sherry has put into it ...... just before I go, you have a little more time to get your entry in to win a Sara Jacket Pattern - leave a comment here ..... it is a Size 10.

RTW Jacket - Style Arc Sara Jacket Toile

2011-04-25T14:58:00.000+10:00

So I ditched the original Burda Coat pattern that I started for this Sew A Long - Sherry was right - it is a coat meant for a European winter - so my idea of just shortening it wasn't going to cut it - no matter which size I chose. So I purchased a Sara Jacket from Style Arc and made a toile - Size 10.

I think it is a huge improvement! But still a little snug - especially across the back.

There are some problem areas at the armhole near where the side panel seam meets the sleeve - it is a bit bunchy - so will have to try something to fix it ... I will also have to add a little extra at each seam - mainly at the back to prevent that pulling at my waist.

So back to the table I go!! And if you'd like to win your very own Sara Jacket Pattern (Size 10) leave a comment here.

Modified Sling Bag

2011-04-24T19:25:00.000+10:00

Inspired by this

I made a Sling Bag - I modified the design by lengthening the body of the bag by 3".

I raw edge appliqued a variety of printed fabrics to the body of the bag.

I made this for my nephew's fiance's birthday ... Happy Birthday Kim!!

And to close with..... a couple of my daughter's snaps from this Easter weekend ....

Sunset at Valentine,NSW 23rd April, 2011

Have you entered my give away? You could win a Style Arc Pattern - a Sara Jacket - leave a comment on this post.

Style Arc Pattern GIVE AWAY

2011-04-22T12:00:00.001+10:00

Ever since I heard about Style Arc, a new AUSTRALIAN pattern company, I have been stalking their website .... I've been drooling over their designs, but really saying inside my head that "No, I already have too many patterns..." ....well, after my recent rather horrible toile of a jacket for the RTW Sew Along - which I chose from a Burda Magazine because it really was the only suitable jacket pattern I had and I was determined to NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER PATTERN........ well, I had a change of heart and went along to join Style Arc as a member - after all, it seemed the patriotic thing to do!!

I ordered the Sara Jacket pattern as my free pattern with my membership and I also received a cute little gift in my parcel! I plan to make a toile of the Sara Jacket this weekend. I have been emailing Chloe from Style Arc and chit chatting in general about patterns and such, and she kindly sent me another Sara Jacket Pattern as a gift for a giveaway! WOW!

So, if you'd like to be in running to win this great SIZE 10 SARA JACKET Pattern from Style Arc. This is what you must do.....

Go to the Style Arc Website and have a look at their designs. While you are there - enter your email address to receive their newsletter. Then leave a comment here on this blog and tell me your favourite design.
To increase your chances of winning you can also:
"LIKE" the STYLE ARC Facebook page - just leave another comment here that you did that.
Post about this giveaway on your blog - providing a link back to this page - and leave a another comment here to say that you did that ....
Please remember to leave your email address in your comment so that I can contact you if you win. Alternatively you can privately email your contact details to me via info@handmadesewing.com.au

SIZE 10: Please check this page for details on how they size their patterns.
This pattern is for experienced sewers, they provide brief step by step instructions, but if you check out Sherry's Jacket Sew Along - you'll get very detailed instructions for a jacket of this style.
Good luck!!! Winner will be drawn on May1st, 2011.
ETA: Everyone welcome to enter - a global give away!

Libby Dress

Kate Dress

Terry Tie Cardi

ASG Industry Day

2011-04-09T22:10:00.000+10:00

ASG Industry Day today at Niagara Park. As always there were 3 excellent speakers who enticed us with their skills and knowledge. Firstly Larraine Jenkins presented a range of helpful tips for general dressmaking, including lots of products to assist in the process. She recommended some products from Judi's Studio in Orange. I purchased a new sleeve pressing board to replace my old constantly collapsing one. I already had the pattern weights and clapper from Judi's - great products and she does mail order.

Out with the old ....

Then we had Marina Lindsay - a fibre artist from Sydney. Marina showed us her embellishing techniques (needle felting) and her lovely range of embellished items. Then she demonstrated another favourite of hers - the couching foot - which was great. I have dabbled with the embellisher previously, but my most recent experience involved lots of broken needles, but after today, I feel that I could give it another go - it is a great technique.

Feeding specialty yarn through the couching foot.

Finally, Maureen Locke Maclean from the Central Coast gave us a presentation of her Shibori techhniques where she uses natural indigo dyes - a process that is just amazing!! She also uses the embellisher machine - not so much to "felt" fibres to another fabric - but to give interesting effects to a fabric alone. I am constantly amazed at the talents of people like our three speakers today - I can totally appreciate their time and skills to produce work that has developed via their passions over many many years - and we are so lucky that they share their enthusiasm and ideas with us!!

Ready to Wear Tailoring Sew - A - Long Part 1

2011-04-08T17:33:00.000+10:00

I've joined up with Sherry's RTW Tailoring Sew- A - Long. She has put so much effort into this so far, I'm lagging behind, but, will catch up eventually.

Step 1: Choose Pattern: BWOF 12/2009 Coat 126 - Except I probably don't need a long coat - so I'll make it a shorter version.

Step 2: Choose Fabric: Good 'ole exciting BLACK!!!!!

Step 3: Make Toile
So I traced a size 42 - according to my bust measurement. Needless to say, there will be some adjustments to this pattern.......

At this stage, these are my plans to refine the illfit of this jacket:

1. Adjust for forward shoulder.
2. Shape in all side seams to give a slightly less "boxy look" - just give more shape definition at the waist.
3. Now, I don't have shoulder pads at the moment (I can't believe I disposed of all those 80's shoulder pads!!!) - anyway, I still think it is too wide at the shoulders - will trim that back about 1cm.
4. The sleeve - I'd like some advice on this - take in both seams? Reduce the head of the sleeve? Not exactly sure what to do - I have some "fit" books at the ready.

New Look 6948 - OR - Why I'm glad I have a teenage daughter.....

2011-04-07T09:43:00.000+10:00

This was my one last piece of warm weather sewing for the season. Shannon did a couple of great versions of this. I did View A and cut a size 12. Fabric is a gorgeous soft knit from Martin & Savage Fabrics (Lonsdale Mini Stripe 60% Polyester, 32% Viscose, 8% Spandex). Super quick and easy to make. It fitted me well at the bodice, but hugged my bum in a less than flattering way.
Enter a teenage daughter - ahh, better. Then after these photos were taken 5 cm was taken off the hem - but I bet you knew that would happen!!!

A Cute Little Colouring Book

2011-04-05T07:45:00.000+10:00

When was the last time you coloured in? For yourself? Have a look at this cute little book of previously unpublished sketches by Yves Saint Laurent. Those textiles / fashion teachers out there might also like this to help your students with fashion sketches.

"Whimsical ...... imspirations from art and flamboyant tributes to the world of show business .... get ready to explore the creative, marvellous and revolutionary world of the iconic designer."

Published by Walker Books. I purchased mine from the Book Depository. Now to find some coloured pencils ......

Vogue 1625 Rebecca Taylor Dress

2011-04-03T17:15:00.000+10:00

And here we have Vogue 1152 - Rebecca Taylor dress. It's a very pretty design with some lovely details: shoulder yoke, gathered sleeves with cuff, gathered panel piece with contrasting piping at the centre front, shirt style hem, elasticed mid section at back. I made it in a lovely lightweight cotton from The Fabric Store at Surry Hills (I think that's where it came from??).

Having read a few reviews, I cut the front bodice on the fold and raised the V Neck by 5cm. I cut the neckline and front panel piece as one and lined the body of the dress. I feel that the neckline is still a little low, and the neckline doesn't fit exactly snugly around my bodice - perhaps because I cut it on the fold? On the sleeves - I kept the stitching lines in for the little pleats at the sleeve cap.

I managed to fine tune my rolled hemming skills on the lining section - it worked really well - wasn't game enough to try it on the curves of the shirt tail hem shape. Verdict? Well, I feel self conscious about the depth of the neckline and the little bit of bagginess around the neckline, but have since been told that I'm being too critical ??? It's pretty and summery and cute, but probably not my 100% favourite.

On a slightly different note, here is a snap of Nicole and me at NEIL DIAMOND!!!! It was a terrific concert at Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley Vineyards, and I am wearing a top blogged about here. That guy sure can entertain - he has a fantastic repertoire and a superb voice!!

Sporty Spice

2011-03-28T18:24:00.000+11:00

Well, I wish! I do enjoy participating in a quite a few exercise based activities - Zumba, tap dancing, Pilates ....and I never feel that great in the gym wear available commercially, so I was super keen to try the Jalie pattern that quite a few of you have already made. Fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics - and this stuff is JUST FANTASTIC! It's super super soft and drapes like anything - it's light and stretchy and I love it!!

This is an excellent pattern I have only made Jalie twice before - but I am super impressed with the sizing - it fits as it should!! It was really really quick to sew up.

I extended the leg length.

They have a contrast waist and and side panels which feature a little pocket for keys / MP3 etc.

Now, this bicycle is an electric bike - we've been trialling it from Sydney Electric Bikes.They are heaps of fun to ride, then recharge, and ride again - you do have to pedal -and then the motor kicks in ... cheating? Well, better than sitting in a car I say!

Fabric Printing with Miranda Earle

2011-03-27T19:43:00.000+11:00

I have just completed a weekend workshop of Fabric Printing at Miranda Earle's studio. It was fabulous fun made all the more enjoyable in the company of some mates: Nic. Trish and Tony. Miranda taught us how to use square and triangle lino blocks to produce repeatable designs. Her own work is distinctive and quite beautiful. I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Inspiration for my design.

My initial sketch.

Design transferred onto lino block and the carving process begins.

Nic and Trish in action.

My design printed - Here I chose to print in sections ready for a bag.

Trish's delicate and gorgeous poppies.

Nic's fantastic fish!

Tony's Japanese inspired design - a striking and effective overall print.

Great work - thanks Miranda!!!

For Linda

2011-02-27T16:17:00.000+11:00

My old school mate from way back, Linda, was in need of some light and easy little dresses. She had a ready to wear one that she liked and I traced a pattern from it.

The ready to wear one was made up in chiffon - which she liked - so I got her some samples from Block N Roll at Belmont (NSW) for her approval. Linda isn't traveling very well at the moment so she can't get to shops etc. She likes to wear the little dress as a nightie - so why not have some nice fabrics and pretty colours to cheer up one's day??

I made her 5 little dresses - they are all lined - and relatively easy to sew up. The have a shoestring tie going through a casing for the shoulder straps. I had mixed success with a rolled hem foot - maybe the lightness of the chiffon was too finicky - it worked and then it didn't work - I need more fine tuning with this one, so most hems were turned once and stitched and turned again and stitched - which was super easy - not pressing or pinning - I guess I was just hoping that the rolled hem foot would do it once - anyway - will work on that one.

Rolled Hem Foot - Bernina

Now, this little Fasturn gadget was an absolute GODSEND!! It made all those spaghetti straps quickly and without fuss - I purchased mine on an Australian Auction Site - so look out for them - just wonderful!

Piggy tail wire hook that grabs the end of the tube and it is then pulled through the larger metal tube and voila!!

I just delivered them to Linda and she loved them! She made me a lovely bracelet - thanks Linda!!

Summer Fresh

2011-02-27T14:15:00.000+11:00

Whilst traveling north recently we stopped at Murwillumbah where Shaun had spent a great deal of time as a child visiting relatives. His cousin's wife is a keen sewist and so suggested a fabric shop to me ... in a rather impressive building that once served other purposes I found this little gem .....

I purchased a shirred fabric panel - for a skirt - I am totally amazed at how these pieces of fabric are manufactured - there is a shirred section for the waist - or it could be at the bust if you wanted a little dress, then there are sections of (I'm guessing) jacquard woven detail, then plain white, then some more woven detail - that has a "tension" to it - not shirred but some tighter woven rows .... the piece I purchased had the shirred section mistakedly already cut off so they sold it to me for half price - so I just overlocked it back on.

One centre back seam - hem the bottom and finish the top edge and all done!!

I also made a top from a lovely light cotton double gauze, Martin & Savage fabric using Simplicity 2365 (View B).

I made a straight 12, and the only "issue" was instead of 5 buttons I only did 3 - the buttons aren't functional as the top slips over your head - but 5 would have been too high and probably not able to be easily slipped over my head. I really like this pattern - the little madarine style collar and the sleeve cuffs and the pintucks ... will make this one up again. The skirt's fullness is limited towards the hem by the tighter tension I mentioned previously - so you can't take giant big strides - which is OK - must remember "lady like steps" in this one!

School Based Projects

2011-02-26T14:18:00.000+11:00

And sew it seams that I must apologise for the break in transmission - not exactly sure what happened - but here I am with more pics about stuff I make ...... Revisiting some projects from the past, from things done at school (me as teacher not me as student).

Mixed Media Wall Hanging - a seascape that we did at St Philip's Christian College, Waratah, taught to me by Jan Cummings.This was a great project. It started with a rectangle of calico to which the students added overlapping leaf shaped pieces of fabric graduating from dark to light colours - representing the ocean. Then they added some "glitz" tiny snippets of sparkly fabric and allsorts of other fancy yarns, then a layer of black tulle was added and then they stitched by machine over the whole lot in wavy lines - many many rows of stitching - excellent for building up machine confidence without the fear of making a mistake.

After that the piece was embellished with seaweed made using Solvy and machine embroidery, and organza leaves curled and heat set, and hand stitching more seaweed, maybe even an octopus. We also made sea creatures using Polymer Clay and they were hand-stitched on. Add some borders, backing and binding and there you have it!!

Later, I took some of these techniques to a group project at St Paul's High School, Booragul. This was a quick little project at the end of our unit - using the same idea of overlapping materials with tulle and then the students machined it all together in a postcard sized piece. I then bound them altogether for a wall hanging. Each student's name is attached to their piece of art. Individually they look pretty ordinary, but collectively they look impressive. And here it is outside the Principal's office.

Finally, I'd like to introduce to you my new little friend, Big Louis. British Shorthair 4 months old, currently quarrantined from Miss Maggie (very jealous Border Collie), we're hoping for a happy union in the coming weeks.

More history ...

2011-01-19T17:47:00.000+11:00

OK - so this is nearly too funny to talk about - circa 1991 (thanks for your previous comments about my sewing past - seems to have sparked some of your memories too!) - final year Textiles Project (actually it was a Fashion subject - again, too funny)....

Inspired by a talk by Patricia Black ... (1. How did I remember that name??? and 2. Here is her website!!) - I took a piece of leather - not lovely soft handbag type leather but affordable CRAFT type leather -hmm OK - then I wet it and then moulded it around my torso and tied it tight with bandages - the idea being that it would mould to my shape as it dried. And I do actually have photos of that process somewhere ...... When it dried (many hours later) it was snipped to reveal a corsetty type of shape and I put holes up the back and tied it with leather thonging. The corset was also tanned.

The rest of the ensemble is dyed cheesecloth made into extreme harem pants (!!!!) with a matching wrap. Plus note the little leather anklets and wristlets.

Photographed in my backyard - my Dad was a plumber so we had an interesting back yard of just about everything .... not sure what the look was that I was actually after - experimental? viking? hippie? Probably a combination! Enjoy laughing at with me!!

Summer Holidays

2011-01-11T20:09:00.000+11:00

McCalls 5671
Perfect Knit Wardrobe
Fabric - I think a rayon / lycra blend from Sckafs, Indooroopilly.

Just returned from a lovely Summer Holiday - even though most of Queensland is currently experiencing devastating floods - the coastal surfing town of Coolangatta was warm and sunny for 3 days, then overcast for the rest of the week - still - a great getaway - the waves were amazing - not that I surf, but the "sets" at Rainbow Bay were just awesome to watch.

The above dress is lovely to wear - the fabric is divine. I cut a 14 at the hips at 12 for the bodice - I had to lower the shoulder seam by about 2 inches - may have been too much - but a good summer dress in the end.

These little fellas were everywhere .....

And here is New Look 6870 - I've made this before - it is actually a top pattern - but I wanted an easy lightweight cool dress for the holiday, so I just lengthened this pattern - it's nothing particularly fabulous, but good for strolling around the coastline. Fabric from stash - lightweight cotton.

New Look 6870 was given a real work out with a couple of little dresses for my 13 year old. She declined to model for me, so here they are on the "lovely lady" .... recognise this fabric? - ummm - just hate to have too much leftover fabric ....

Great pattern - quick and easy - and versatile!

Holiday mode is wonderful - though currently experiencing the need to catch up all the nitty gritty housework I tend to avoid when my mind set is in sewing overdrive - so the sewing pace may be a little slower while I clear out the conscience!

A Step Back in Time

2010-12-28T20:57:00.000+11:00

Are you ready for a step back into my sewing past? I was reading Shannon's Blog recently and some fabric that she was using looked familiar ....hmmm ... I was prompted to dig around the old photo albums to look for the gold and silk fabric that I used on a collar for a little tie up top - the sleeves were sheer black and it was worn over a LBD - I think it was a Burda Pattern - I probably still have it ..... anyway, it may be nothing at all like Shannon's great little skirt - but the journey back into my photo albums was fun and I thought I'd record them here ... Anyway, the above photo was for my Graduation Dinner 1992 - I distinctly recall only finishing the outfit 5 minutes before we had to go - I did that quite a lot in those days...

Jayne's Wedding, Nana Glen, NSW I made the dress plus Shaun's shirt!! 1989

3rd Year Uni - I did a B.Ed (Home Economics) - I drafted & made this dress, made the hat, the gloves and the bag!! 1989

Mick & Ann's Wedding 1989 I think?? I made the dress.

I made this jumpsuit - woo hoo!! late 80s I guess

Looking like an old Grandma - 1994 - Leonie & Mick's Wedding - I remember I had tonsillitis that day - it shows!! I made the Jacket - tailoring at Uni and the dress - and the hat - I did Millinery after Uni at Newcastle TAFE - loved it!!

1990 - My Wedding Day - it rained and rained and rained - here is the driver holding an umbrella for me. I made my dress, the bridesmaids dresses, the flower girl's dress and the groomsman's bow ties and cummerbunds - I had heaps of time - Uni holidays - 3 months!!

Sewing my little heart out on Mum's old Singer.

The overskirt had lots of crystal organza bias strips sewn on in wavy patterns - I don't know how I did it without a bias maker!

Late 80's -I didn't make the top - but I made the pants - they have a leather yoke.

For Maree's wedding -I made the dress and jacket.

And for Alison & Rory's wedding I made this cute little number - lots of weddings in those days!

!st Year Uni - 1988 - Full Circle High Waisted Skirt and Stretch Knit Top - I loved that skirt!!

Same skirt with a blouse made at Uni.

This was 1990 - Shaun and I just announced our engagement - I made his seersucker shirt, my skirt and top and my sister Georgie's Jacket and Skirt - or did Mum make that?? Can't remember...

Geraldine's Wedding - same dress as before - different hairstyle - the French Roll!!


This was a 4th Year Textile's Project - I made a child's playmat - it's difficult to see the detail here - but it was a journey of experiential learning - and many many hours of work - not sure what happened to it - it went AWOL before my kids appeared on the scene.

So there you have it - funny hairstyles - thinner physique - I had a great time in those Uni days of sewing for my course - after that my life took a different direction - I taught Nutrition for many years, had children...... and then after many years, high school teaching brought my back into Textiles - and here I am - glad to be back!!

Under Estimating

2010-12-26T14:38:00.000+11:00

I under estimated how long it would take to cut 126 x two and a half inch strips ....

I under estimated how long it would take to cut 15 x13 by 21 inch panels, and lots of circles and fabric for binding....... and I under estimated how long it would take to sew all of those bits together .... so it's been pedal to the metal to get this quilt finished for Christmas - and at lunchtime Christmas Eve it was done!!! It's for my nephew - Banjo who is six .... and yes I know a 6 year old would rather toys for Christmas but that's what everyone else could get him ... I used Monica Poole's "Sea Spray " pattern - it' a quilt as you go - so the best thing is that it's all quilted rather than sending it off or struggling with it yourself (well, that's my experience of quilting!).

I didn't applique as many circles as the pattern suggested - my time frame was tight ...

The reverse:

So, with a good half a day up my sleeve I made a big cushion for him as well - with some leftover circles on denim for one side, and the other side has a photo collage ..

I think he liked it!!!! And so with an hour or two I finished these cute little lavender bags that have been in progress for a while .... they made great little gifts

And for me??? Well, I've been very good this year - as opposed to other years when I've been bad (ha!) ... clever Santa brought me this necklace from some clever local girls - the Strutt Sisters ....

It's reversible!!

And how clever is that Santa??? I also got this handy little reference card set - it was advertised on Burdastyle I think - it's a "How Much Fabric" guide (not that I'm buying fabric at the moment - or probably for quite some time yet ..... but if I was .. I know exactly how much to buy!!!)

And as quick as a wink - and inspired by these sweet girls .... I finished these key fob things on Christmas night .... bit late for pressies - but ready in the wings ...

Merry Christmas to you all!

Secret Santa

2010-12-19T20:28:00.000+11:00

Last Friday was our last day of school before our glorious long summer break. Our staff do a "Secret Santa" and my gift recipient was Richard ... who just happened to be my Faculty Coordinator and who just happened to be taking 12 months of leave to live in Mildura ..... so, he was a likely candidate for the "Handmade" cogs to start turning .....

I made some boxer shorts and plastered some photographic images all over them .... pics of Newcastle, pics of various Faculty Social things, school excursions etc.

I made them from Homespun fabric and I used a transfer paper designed for T Shirts - the images do come out a bit plasticy, but I haven't had great results with other alternatives - and I was doubting that he would actually ever wear them until he immediately ran to the little boys room and put them on and then joyfully pranced through the staff room in a manner I had not witnessed before! I used BigHugeLabs to do some fun stuff with the images - one of my favourite sites to play on. I passed them around at our luncheon for everyone to sign - I think he was pretty pleased with them........ So what did I wear?

Well firstly observe the venue .... the picturesque Lake MacQuarie Yacht Club - it was a very hot day, very overcast - but there would be no place better to wrap up 2010 ....

I made a Tunic Top and some 3/4 elastic waist pants.

I used a Moonshine pattern by Monica Poole called "Artisan Tunic" - and I was very happy with it - my only niggly problem was that when tracing pattern you had to add on the extension for the side splits and I think extra for the hem - why not just include them when the pattern was printed? But other than that the instructions were good and the fit was great - I cut a size 14. The top has magyar sleeves which I thought would look ill fitted - but I think it all fits quite well. It's a lovely quick top to make.

My main issue with this combo are the proportions - I think the top is a tad too long - even though it looked OK when I tried it on before hemming - maybe it's just the 3/4 pants - anyway - it may be better with jeans. I also foolishly cut the sleeves too short and had to sew on an extension - I omitted the 3 pockets and the cuff on the sleeves.

The top fabric is a detailed sequinned cotton from Chic Fabrique - I had to used a walking foot to four wheel drive over this terrain .....

And the pants are a lovely light and cool fabric called "Summer Crush" from Martin & Savage - 80% Polyester and 20% cotton - you can't iron it - it's one of those twist and dry things. I have a feeling these will get heaps of wear this summer.

Well, the end of busy weekend ... two parties on Friday ... two on Saturday .... no more on the radar - so I'm thinking of diving into some sewing before the craziness really begins.

Party, Bag and Dress

2010-12-12T12:22:00.000+11:00

It's that time of year again and I recently had a little Christmas get together with my students at a local and very great little restaurant, Cozzies Cafe at Swansea. I set the table with discarded pattern tissue and presented a little sewing gift for each of my guests ..... thanks girls!!! We had a lovely night!

Back in the studio, and here is a bag finished by Nicole. It is a Wrap Bag and Nicole used old denim jeans spliced with some upholstery weight fabric and she also used brown piping to divide each section.

This is a very big bag - heaps of room - perfect for those who carry EVERYTHING them ...that is, new mothers and maybe students or a great beach bag. The recycled jeans are an absolute winner for bag projects - so much character and strength!

And for me ... I've had this dress cut out and waiting patiently for about 6 months, so it's great to finally make it up and wear it .... it's also great to get some location shots .... can anyone guess where I am???? A no- brainer really ...

Back to the dress ... the Selfish Seamstress alerted her readers to this one ... BWOF 05/2008 Dress 125. Take note of how the styled photograph from the magazine is quite deceiving - but the line drawing is interesting (you'll have to go to the SS's link above).

I used a Martin & Savage fabric called PR Pinstripes - Cotton, Polyester and some Lycra.

The dress is fully lined - I used a Cotton/Silk from Tessuti's.

This dress has great potential - it is comfortable - and will transfer to many seasons - just throw on a jacket and you're set! Construction was straight forward - well, as straight forward as Burda can be!

Do you like my beads? A 10 minute project using resin beads from Empire Beads - sort of makes you think twice about one's hobby??? And the final shot - here is my Shaun - my patient and loyal photographer in our only self timer shot - I bent my legs cause I had no idea if we made it into the frame.

McCalls 9233 Pants

2010-11-30T11:22:00.000+11:00

Now for the pants from my 4 day Palmer Pletsch workshop in Sydney 2 weeks ago. We tried on the gingham "shells" that were made up to determine our size - I was a 14. Then I used McCalls 9233 to make the slim fit straight leg pants. I was tissue fittted - and adjustments included lowering the crotch curve and folding in the centre back fold (there are adjustment lines printed on the pattern pieces). I then cut them out of some black mercerised stretch drill (2% Lycra). And therein lie the problems. Over the course of the workshop we determined that stretch wovens are problematic - oh yeah - just as everyone knows and as everyone blogs about!

My pants were huge on me - even though the tissue fit was snug. So I ended up taking just about every seam and dart in again, re doing the waistband - dropping the waist down about 5 cm - now the side seams are very much off and the back is overly "pulled in" the waistband gapes at the back .... but, all is not lost, they are wearable and lessons were learnt - stretch wovens are a beast unto themselves! I could have gone down 2 sizes for this fabric!!

I also ended up making them 3/4 instead of full length ....

Miss Maggie is very interested with that thing in my hand ...

So, here are the 2nd pants - the pleated trouser. I was at first reluctant to make them - not terribly fashionable - but in the end I was pleased I did..... I used a grey wool - lovely and soft from Chic Fabrique.

Again, the crotch was lowered and the centre fold taken out of the back - there are 2.5cm seam allowances on these pants - to allow for fitting - and that was great because I had to taper the side seams for my hips.

I really only tucked my top in for the photos - but I quite like it. We also tied a piece of elastic around our waist to draw on a true waist line - I was surprised how much most of us cut of the top of our pants! And most of us added to the length as well.

The pockets had a pocket stay cut out in lining fabric and the waistband was the usual rectangle - but they advise how to ease it on using the side seams and other landmarks as markers. I think these will be well worn next winter.

Catching Up

2010-11-27T15:43:00.000+11:00

Firstly, thanks very much for all of the lovely comments from my previous post - much appreciated!

Now for a quick round up of happenings from my studio.... 2 simple little skirts for my 13 year old - just like shop bought ones! I used thick black elastic and gathered up a rectangle of fabric to attach to the elastic.

Next, I'd like to show you some of the things that my students have been working on ... I often forget to photograph their stuff - I will try to get more... Here is L's bag. L is a uni student studying to be a Technology teacher - she came to me to upskill herself in Textiles - she worked on a range of decorative techniques to make coin purses and this bag.

She also refashioned a plain black jacket to a sleeveless jacket and put the sleeves on as "tails" with lots of machine embellishment - very clever! She is prac teaching at the moment and is sharing her new skills with her Yr 7 and 8 classes - Good Luck L!

These are S's bags - she is an accomplished bag maker! The one at the back is from Hot Patterns and the others are from a Vogue Pattern - great for using up little bits of fabric. Great work as always S!

And this is Nicole - she made a fantastic denim skirt using an independent pattern - the name of which escapes me at the moment - but I'll find out - or maybe she'll leave a comment to tell us? Anyway, she used strips of a Japanese craft print to highlight the gores in this skirt - and it fits her beautifully!

Great work Nic!

Back to me ... and here are some pants from Butterick 4077

Fabric is a superfine Cashmere - from the Fabric Store (Surry Hills) and the pants have a faced waistband and cargo pockets - no particular fit issues - I cut a 14. The top is the JJ Blouse - free pattern from Burdastyle - this is a great little top! Fabric is a black spotted cotton voile.

I recently did the Pants Fitting Course with Sue Neal - the Palmer Pletsch method. It was a great 4 days at the Martin & Savage premises in Sydney. We tissue fitted, cut and sewed and I will photograph 2 pairs of pants I made soon. Here is one of Sue's samples of a mock fly, pocket stays and pockets.

There are always a couple of naughty kids in every class - and here they are .....

playing dress ups with fabric scraps ....

And here we all are with our certificates and champagne after 4 long hard days!!! Thanks Sue - great course!

65 Steps to a Vogue 1117

2010-11-07T14:30:00.000+11:00

You may remember the fabric, and the chosen pattern ....

and so the marathon begins .... make a toile - which really isn't my normal mode of attack - but thought I'd play it cautious with such scrumptious fabric and a tricky little pattern .... these photos are actually the 2nd alterations to the toile ...

I cut a 12 - tapering to a 14 around the hips - this was a little too big - so took it in about 1cm on each side seam from the waist down. I also had to bring in the back darts about 0.5cm and adjust about 1cm for a sway back - that all gave a much nicer back definition. Everything else seemed OK.

The marathon continued with very careful cutting. With such a large print repeat, I checked each piece and cut out like my life depended on it - there is a centre front and centre back seam on this dress - so that was my matching priority. I read some reviews of this pattern, and I found that Allison's advice was very very useful in terms of sewing the little side front and back panels (thanks Allison!). The dress is fully lined - I used Silk Habotai from Gorgeous Fabrics. Everything went very well - however, I also added a bound edge to the raw edges of the CB vent - I used satin bias binding.

And after 65 time consuming steps here it is ....

I should have worn a strapless bra - but they annoy me - I'll have to investigate a more cooperative strapless bra - cause my bra strap showed up in photos of this as I wore it last night .... the front detail is lovely ...

Check out that seamless continuity of pattern!!!! BTW - I used an invisible CB zipper ....

I am very very happy with this little number and it will get plenty of wear with the coming Christmas and end of year celebrations.... not to mention a special BIG NUMBER birthday party for a friend who lives at ....... (hah! jokin'!) - she'll know what I mean! And here I am with some of my school buddies from my 30 year School Reunion last night ...... my how time flies!!!

Just a Kiss AND Aloha!

2010-10-12T22:31:00.000+11:00

The clever clever Miss Nikki has released a new purse pattern .... who can't say "No" to a little kiss??
Here is mine in Anna Maria Horner fabric ....

And there are just the cutest little purse feet on her back side ....

Check those clasps - KISSING!

The frame is 200mm - super cute for a special little evening purse.

And look what I found on my doorstep this week ..... well actually I had to go to the Post Office to collect, but this makes a nicer photo ..... ( I have actually swept this since the photo in case the clean police are out there watching me!!)

All the way from the lovely Miss Shannon (Mushy Wear) in HAWAII ...... a box of gorgeousness in Purple Splendour ......
You know how people say - "I never win anything - not even at the Chook Raffle" ...... well .... my number certainly came up this time - I won it on her recent giveaway!!!!! YAY!!!!! Here is my daughter eagerly opening the exciting parcel ...

A gorgeous beach towell - which will be very well used .... and Chocolate Macadamia Nuts, a lovely lovely HANDMADE purple linen bag that Shannon made - already has been put to good use! Sweet Onion Macadamia nuts - haven't tried them yet, After Sun lotion and pineapple shaped Playing Cards .... such a wonderful range of goodies - thank you so much ...... and go and visit her blog - she is a super stylish clever girl!!

And speaking of super stylish clever girls - head on over to Western Australia - right this very minute ..... the gorgeous Miss Carolyn is having a giveaway .... Good Luck! Kiss Kiss!!