Catch Up !

I have considered getting back to the old blog for quite a while . I started an instagram account but recently a non sewing friend ` found ` and followed me . For some reason I feel a bit embarrassed by that and very self conscious since my posts  basically revolve around sewing and nothing really interesting or amazing ( including the sewing ! )Instagram is easier and I get more ` likes ` but it is limited in what you can write . Also at times Instagram can feel a bit hostile which is  something I haven`t noticed with blogs .  I have realised that sewing and documenting the sewing is my relaxation and safe place so back to the blog where I have real life sewing friends but since they are sewing friends I don`t feel so embarrassed or self conscious .

So for 2019 my sewing has focused on making at least one pattern from all the sewing magazines my daughter bought me from her travels and trying to make up the patterns I have bought from  Spotlight .
I have also been ever determined to sew my stash and not add to it !  To this end I have been fairly successful . I have used all the magazines and now working on the envelope patterns.
And can you believe I have not bought one piece of fabric this year , not even a little scrap ! My ex neighbour did give me a few lovely pieces at the beginning of the year . She has stopped sewing garments completely now and I wasn`t going to say no . She has given quite a bit in the past too and I have sewn up some of this including my last two projects which I will eventually get around to blogging about .
This is what I was given from left to right.  A soft ivory jacquard , an embroidered teal cotton , liberty lawn and stone linen  ranging from 2-3 metres in length . There was also some patchwork cotton . All really lovely and special to me so I will need to think carefully about what these eventually get sewn into.

 



Now onto my first sewing project which was very practical and satisfying in terms of function and stash busting. A lined hat . I made this back in January when it was very hot and humid.  I used all scraps that I have held onto forever . The star twill was leftover from shorts I made my daughter in October 2012 . The lining was stamped in gold Made in Japan and who knows where that was from .

The pattern came from a sewing magazine that I believe is Japanese but published in French. The patterns are fairly basic and include hats and bags and even an umbrella as well as clothes . There are quite a lot of designs as well . I think I will get around to making something else from here sometime but in the meantime there are plenty of other patterns ahead of the queue. I like that the instructions include very detailed drawings so no French is needed  ( also helps that the patterns as mentioned are simple ) .

So that`s it for now.  I will try to catch up as quickly as possible all my other sewing projects . The hardest thing about blogging for me is getting photos of the clothes on me so for now they will be dress form photos unless I happen to get lucky with a photographer or I am bothered setting up a tripod and timer  .
My last photo has to be of my beautiful little boy Toby . He died just over a month ago and I am still
beyond sad and missing him terribly . He was the best little companion I could ever want.

Japanese Stylish Dress Book - Tunic G .

getting used to this self timer/ self shots thing. 

 My last sew of the year - This is tunic G from the Stylish Dress Book .
I was gifted this book from my  friend  this year. She loves sewing for her grandchildren and she thought her teenage granddaughter might like the styles but she apparently totally rejected the idea  . So there is one positive to be said for difficult teenagers ! I ended up with a great book .
Now after I cut this tunic out another friend told me how roomy the patterns are and she made a different top in quite a small size - umm too late !

 Here is a totally unadulterated shot of how large it was to start with. There are no finished garment  measurements that I can see anywhere so  I used size 12 which pretty much accorded with  my personal measurements. I thought that this would be OK because yes the tunic did look very large in the pictures but the models are petite waifs . So I took out a total of 24 cms from the bottom edge  6 cms from the front and back both sides tapering to nothing at the armhole. That was an improvement but still not quite right so I also took about 10cm from the length.
The tunic is still very very roomy but it is comfy and I like the style so it is a keeper. I used a pale ice blue textured ? poly blend and also my favourite buttons - ying and yang mother of  pearl beauties recycled from a top I sewed in the 90s. Wish I hadn't waited so long to re-use them.

I love lots of the patterns in this book so I definitely will  be making up more items but I will be totally more aware of the sizing. The tunic was relatively easy to make and the instructions and diagrams were adequate for someone with experience.

I`m glad 2014 is coming to an end - its been a mixed bag this year - good and bad - and I am just happy our family survived it.
In terms of sewing I managed to sew 25 garments for myself and my family.  16 were for myself and 9 for my husband and daughters. I also sewed curtains , pillowcases and kitchen hand towels for my eldest daughter who moved to Melbourne to go to uni. I was happy with what I made -both in quantity and quality and it all gets worn .
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy and safe 2015. Cheers to a New Year - Hip Hip Hooray.