Sewing Mathematics -2011.

Fabric Out greater than > Fabric In = I can shut the cupboard doors ! Yey.

Now I just need to work on those bags/ baskets / boxes of fabric on top.

BTW - that is not a dalek sticking out in the corner.

Next year when we move house my husband and I are sharing a space for his office and my sewing room. I don`t want my husband to realise how much junk - I mean precious sewing stuff I really have.

So my Sew Year Resolution is not to buy anymore sewing supplies unless it is needed to complete a project.

Happy New Year from me and my sewing mate Toby.

The Xmas Aftermath.

Xmas come and gone for another year.
I do love Xmas . - Watching my girls open their presents - they earn pocket money during the year for doing set chores and therefore apart from biannual shopping clothes trips, largely fund their own purchases, social life etc during the year. So I love a chance to spoil them a little.

                           - Over the top lunch - it only happens once a year !  This year we had roast garlic and rosemary lamb, home made baked ham , cold roast chook,  home grown  roast veges including  potatoes ( boiled , then roasted in duck fat and then fried - I don`t think there was much nutrition left at the end !) ,parsnips ( we sowed parsnips years ago and since then they have been self seeding - it`s great to go on a parsnip hunt in the orchard and vege garden ) and pumpkin. Then there were the desserts - dark and white chocolate tart ( made by my youngest DD ) , boiled traditional xmas pudding ( made by my eldest DD ) with brandy custard and trifle. Then afterwards there was the currant and cherry xmas cake ( peel free for my sister-in-law ) and gingerbread building ( a church this year ) and rum truffles ( not to  mention the pre- nibbles , drinks and obligatory healthy salads ) .This year I did not overeat ( finally learning in my middle age )  - just a little of everything and felt just right at the end.

                       - Kris Kringle surprise present - a relative who will not be named goes around her house and picks out unwanted stuff - last year she gave my middle DD a necklace - it just happened to be the necklace my same daughter had lost at her house ! This year she gave my youngest daughter a candle with a gift tag attached indicating it was obviously an old rejected gift.  She also gave a handbag to another relative  ( who is only 8 ) that had an old ( unused thank goodness )  tampon in it !  We actually find this amusing and spices up  xmas day . By the way it is not through lack of funds that this relative does this as she goes overseas sometimes  several times a year - she has been all over the world multiple times. This year it was Canada , the USA and Hong Kong and China.
 

                     - a family game of dictionary - someone chooses a word out of dictionary that no-one knows the definition of and then everyone makes up one - all the definitions including the correct one are read out and you score points for guessing the correct definition and  tricking people - it`s lots of fun and you only need a dictionary and pencils and paper.

At the end of this day  we were treated to a spectacular storm that had a rainbow at the end - quite fitting I think.

Best Wishes.

Writing my small sewing blog and reading others has brought me happiness and comfort .
I thank everyone who takes the time to share their  passion for sewing clothes - whether they are novices or experienced, whether they sew from the finest luxurious fabric or from op shop finds , whether the patterns are old or new. Discovering that others have the same passion has been a marvellous revelation - although I know my sewing  / style / writing  is not is the same league as many other bloggers I do still share the same love . I also thank everyone who has shown me support in this blog - I really appreciate this and  being a small part of this sewing community.

 I am looking forward to 2012 and all the future possibilities it holds . I am looking forward to everyone`s creations and the associated chit chat.

So to everyone everywhere I wish you all safe, happy and healthy holidays .
I hope 2012 brings your wishes to you whether they be small or large.
Cheers Janine.

The ultimate Sewing Experience (for me ) .

The Ultimate Sewing Experience - sewing a wedding dress for myself or one of my DDs?  sewing a bias cut silk chiffon evening dress ? sewing a couture technique fitted jacket?  Nah !  For me the ultimate sewing experience are PJ shorts.

Cheap and Cheerful Polyester Satin remant.

Sewing PJ Shorts are quick. easy and brainless sewing - like sewing meditation or yoga - it is totally relaxing.

Japanese cotton -only 40cm wide fabric but the roll had over 12 metres on it ! ? traditional Kimono fabric. Brought home from Japan by my daughter - a gift from her host family.

You can use up small remnants of fabric not big enough to sew anything else with but too big to discard. I also get to use little bits of ribbons , even almost empty bobbins and spools of threads that have been  hanging around forever.  

Polycotton remnant - white with small navy stars. Very soft !

                     Best of all they get used heaps of times. ( Also alleviates sewing guilt for not sewing for significant others and can be used for future  bribes - I sewed you some PJ shorts so you should take the dog for walks  for the next month etc etc . ) ( Not that the bribes work but worth a try .)

Liberty of London Tana Lawn - I got this from my mother - she bought this in the 80s for only $5.00/metre when Buckley`s and Nunn a department store in Melbourne was closing down.

I used New Look 6928 an OOP pattern for sleepwear. A pretty standard one seam pants pattern. I took off several cms from both the waist and the leg length - my daughter`s preferences. This pattern has both an elastic waist and a narrow tie inserted in the waist - helps to tell the front from the back and looks a little bit more upmarket !

Overall I find sewing PJ shorts VERY satisfying.

 Anyway all of this sewing `meditation` has helped me decide on the pattern for my next project. Until then Cheers Janine.