Friday, 6 January 2012

Simplicity 9877 or The Zombies Ate My Brains.


I included a shot of the clothes line in honour of Mary Nana ( sorry no rubbish bins though )

How else can I explain the fact that I made another bandaid top or shirt to be precise.
My youngest DDs  play a computer game called Plants vs Zombies - they have installed it on my computer and therefore I get to watch it sometimes while I wait to get back my rightful property.
It looked fun so I played it as well but I am not as good as them and therefore on several occasions the zombies have eaten my brains ( my girls if they are losing just click out of the game and start again - wimps -whereas I allow the zombies to eat my brains - it doesn`t hurt at all ).

The real reason I sewed this shirt is procrastination .I pulled this beige ribbed cotton out of my stash to sew a dress muslin before I cut into my lovely Liberty lawn . The muslin needs two alterations - a sway back adjustment and for me to get rid of some of my christmas, birthday, New Years eating binges that has settled in comfortably  on my lower abdomen .

Instead of putting the remnants of this fabric back I decided to sew it all up - it has been in my stash for about 16 years - I have no idea how it got into my cupboard and it has only survived stash culls because it is a decent quality fabric. I find it hard to get rid of such serviceable fabric even when obviously ugly or boring or whatever. I had never had any idea what I was going to do with the  fabric which is why it has been around for so long but then had the idea to use it to practice flat felled seams inspired by the lovely Carolyn of Handmade by Carolyn.


I sewed Simplicity 9877 an OOP pattern dated 2001. It is a basic button blouse with cowboy shirt variations . I have another similar pattern but from Butterick. ( In fact I counted up that I had 13 patterns for variations of button blouses !)
I am very proud of my flat felled seams although not perfect . I did these seams everywhere - shoulders, sleeves, sideseams . They were tricky on the long sleeve seams and also at the armscye  but just really needed some slow and careful pinning and  sewing . These seams look very professional and I am definitely going to be incorporating these seams into future shirts .
I really like the fit of this shirt - it is not too baggy and not too tight - it is just right ! The front darts are really long slits sewn together - easier than marking and sewing darts . It also has back darts but I eliminated these since this will just be a around the house shirt. There are no bust darts included.   It has a separate pattern  for the front band but the collar is only one piece- it  doesn`t have a separate stand . There are cuffs with a continuous bound placket. The hem is curved . Just a basic tailored shirt really.
All in all I enjoyed experimenting with a new pattern and a new technique with this less than stellar fabric. I am sure that the dog and the garden and dishes and housework will not mind my beige boring button bandaid shirt.
I am happy to report that my next project will NOT be a bandaid top .
Cheers Janine.

Friday, 30 December 2011

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.

Monday, 26 December 2011

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.

Friday, 23 December 2011

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.

Friday, 2 December 2011

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.

Friday, 25 November 2011

Vogue 2033 - The Geoffrey Beene Designer Band-aid Top.

I reckon it is pretty important to have a good sense of humour - it helps to  get  you through the tricky bits in life and there are lots of those and to not take yourself too seriously. I think I have a healthy sense of humour hence why I am posting this top I made.

I was given quite a few patterns back in the early 90s and through successive culls only a couple remain including this Vogue 2033 - a Geoffrey Beene designer pattern for three quite different and classical styled tops / shirts including the dropped shoulder loose fitting version . Lately I have seen tops around like this and delved into my pattern stash and thought it was time to give it a try - I mean
I have only had it for about 17 years.
 The fabric is a soft gold paisley jacquard with small white polka dots . It looks and feels like silk but it is not - I will not lie. I very pleased with this fabric and imagined wearing this top out to romantic dinners  and other such soirees .  I altered the pattern to add in bias cut bands for the sleeves  and added store bought white satin bias binding for the neck. I used french seams twice ( I took a too big a bite the first time and the top was too small for my liking ) and added a self fabric belt  .
Once finished,  with great excitement I tried on the finished garment and looked in the mirror and then A GREAT BIG OHH moment . - I`d just sewn a really large bandaid. The soft gold colour suddenly looked like a  flesh / beige tone and even the little white polka dots resembled  those tiny perforations you see on bandaids.
So learn from my mistakes - Do Not sew flesh coloured fabrics unless you are in need of bandaids.
PS - I quite like the pattern - I will use it again - perhaps in bright green or blue or pink  or anything but beige. Cheers Janine

Wednesday, 23 November 2011

The 80 Year Old Burda Skirt .

Headless shot today - just out of the shower and early in the morning - you know what I mean.

Finally complete - this skirt seems to have taken so long . I started this in mid-October and finally finished two days ago. I wore it all day yesterday at work and can say it was a success.
Why am I calling this the 80 year old skirt?
Well,the  fabric is at least 40 years old, the buttons are 30 years old , the pattern is 6 years old and the lining I `ve had for a few years as well. Only the zip and thread were new.
I was given this linen ( along with various other dress and craft and home dec fabrics )  from my (ex) neighbour Steph when she moved. Steph tells me this came from  mother`s stash and she can remember it from when she was quite young ( Steph is in her mid 60`s) so I feel really honoured to be given this . This heavy weight linen is really lovely and was very easy to work with. I can see how people become very fastidious about fabric after working with this stuff.
Burda skirt 107 from April 2005.

I used an old Burda WOF pattern -Issue April 2005 which includes the infamous twist top ( yes I have made it !) . I needed a simple skirt as the fabric is heavy weight but did not want the skirt to be completely plain . Burda is great for providing patterns which are bit different to the Big 4.
 This is a straight skirt with forward placed side seams and includes a belt which is sewn into the back darts. I eliminated the fly front and inserted a lapped zipper in the back seam. I also did not add in the pockets and walking vent but top stitched the front seams .Despite eliminating the walking vent I did not have any restrictions in walking , bending over etc at work.
 This time I remembered to add a lining to ( hopefully) reduce the linen wrinkling but forgot to insert the lining inside out ! Oh well what`s a sewing project without some kind of mistake hey . Anyway I love my new skirt - it is very summery and fruity and I can`t ever remember having a pink skirt before ( unless I was six years old or thereabouts ). I would recommend this pattern to anyone ( oh and the chance to sew with linen too ).
Close up hanger shot of skirt front.
back view showing belt insertion.

Next up are some quick and easy PJ shorts for my two older daughters while I ponder on a pattern to use with another special fabric - Liberty of London cotton given to me by another friend !
Have a nice day. Cheers Janine.