Sewing plans afoot.

I have had visions of Spring sewing dancing around my head for almost two weeks now. Tasia recently launching her beautiful blouse and shorts patterns only increase my anticipation for the coming Spring. Almost two years ago I came across a dress made from Liberty fabric that looked simple enough to make. I plan on drafting one similar using the Sorbetto pattern as my starting block, then altering it to suit my vision.

Before I rushed off and ordered my Liberty fabric, I first needed to make a wearable muslin from substantially less pricey fabric, to ensure I have the fit just right. I knew that Spotlight sells imitation Liberty (Japanese lawn) for $15 per metre. Luckily for me, two of the three fabrics I ended up buying were on sale for $5 per meter, so I bought enough to make two dresses and a Sorbetto top for work. I also got some bias binding to match.

 It was interesting to see the change in this fabric when matched with various colours of bias binding.

In the end I chose the pale brown as I think it calms the fabric down.

 I paid full price for this Japanese Lawn, so this will be made into the 'proper' dress.

At $5 per meter, this will be my wearable muslin. Hopefully it won't look to gaudy when finished!

This is a style of print I don't often wear (I am a floral's girl at heart), but I think it should look good made into a Sorbetto and worn for work.

Now you know what I'll be doing tomorrow!

Sam xox

Sorbetto top #2.

I've been meaning to blog this Sorbetto for a few months now. I made this top back in October as a gift for Mill for her birthday. I wanted to post her a handmade item that wouldn't weight too much (postage cost in Australia is exceptionally high), and the Sorbetto fitted the bill nicely.

As this was made for the purpose of 'sleepwear', I used a soft cotton fabric with small blue and white stripes. Some cream bias binding for the neck and arm holes matched the fabric perfectly and added a soft tough. I stayed true to the pattern and had this cut out and sewn up in under an hour.

I intend on making a few more tops from this pattern this year. Thanks again Colette patterns. Click here to print yourself off a copy of this charming pattern for free.

Sam xox

Sewing in 2012 - looking forward.

 ~ Jamie and Sophie - both loving Christmas ~

As life calms down after the Christmas/New Years celebrations and begins to return to normal, I wanted to take a few minutes to record my goals for the year ahead. I don't want to assign numbers to the amount of clothes/ quilts/ gifts I will make this year. Instead I want to set goals based on actions and aspirations, without strict time limits.

For the blog
> A series of posts on using your overlocker/serger. I want to share with you some tips I have learn along the way and different features your overlocker/serger may have.
> Quilting!!! I believe I seriously neglected quilting in 2011 on this blog, so I will get more posts up on 'all things quilty'. Who knows, I might even convince a few of you dressmakers out there to give quilting a try :-)
> How-to's. I have a few how-to's in mind for the blog this year.
> Giveaways. Items other than dressmaking patterns!
> Post more projects. I find I neglect to post about my projects until they are finished. I think this takes away a little from those who read this blog and are learning to sew or are interested in the process of sewing up a pattern. I will try and get better at posting along the way.
> More outdoor photography of my finished garments. We now live less than 500 meters from the ocean, so I should be taking advantage of this amazing backdrop.
> Book reviews. I have a number of books I have purchased that I would love to share with you all.
> Some more Etsy favourite posts.

For myself
> I want to organise my sewing room and fabric stash better. This will take time and thought but I really really need a better system.
> Balance my sewing and quilting time. I feel that I have been spending far more time sewing these days than quilting, and this has to change. I have a number of quilting UFO's waiting for some attention, and they simply are not getting it from me. Need to change this.
> I want to make more clothes using Liberty of London fabrics (don't we all?).
> I want to learn how to use my French Curve ruler... anyone have one of these and use them???
> Knit a scarf for winter this year using good quality wool. Does anyone have any tips where to buy good wool online?
> Make a baby quilt for a friend who is due in June.
> More Skype craft days with friends afar.
> I want to expand my 'cooler weather' wardrobe. I find that living in the climate I do in Australia, that winter for us only gets really cold for less than two months of the year. My winter wardrobe basically consists of jeans (4 pairs) and cardigans (10 of these). I only own three long sleeve shirts! I basically get by on very little in winter, and it can often feel unstylish and repetitive (seriously, how many ways can I wear my cardigans and jeans?). So I would love to make a coat this year, and some pencil skirts that can be teamed with tights.

~ Fireworks on the harbour ~

Before I embark on my 2012 sewing adventure, I just want to take a moment to thank you all for your encouraging comments and emails this year. I love the online sewing community that we are all a part of, and cannot thank you all enough for the feedback I receive through my blog and Burdastyle. As someone who does not have many sewers in their life, I find our online community invaluable. I learn so much from reading other peoples blogs (I need to comment more and share the love), learning from my own mistakes and the successes and challenges of other bloggers. All the knowledge, projects, and ideas that are shared online are inspiring and encourage me to continue to sew. 

As I am sure sewing is for a lot of you, sewing for me is a form of relaxation, a way to escape from the stresses of my everyday life, to focus my energy and thoughts on something other than the demands of my job, relationships, and life worries. The thrill of creating something from a pile of fabric and some thread, for me, cannot be matched.

I hope that in 2012 I can encourage others to pick up a needle and thread and 'give it a go' or tackle a more difficult project. You might find that you like it. :-)

I can't wait to share 2012 with you all. Happy New Year!

Sam xox

Sewing in 2011 - looking back.

As the year draws to a close, naturally our minds begin to run wild with sewing goals for the year ahead. I know mine is. Thoughts flashing through my head of scalloped edges, Colette patterns, vintage fabrics and lace detail. I must make an effort this week to write it all done (note-to-self, reread Emma's New Years Resolutions post)! I have already read some inspiring 2011 review posts this week by fellow seamstresses Gina and Lauran. I am sure many more will appear in the blogosphere before this week ends.

Here is my sewing recap for the year past...

Skirts and Dresses

Walk Away Dress - Butterick 6015

One Pattern - Seven Bloggers Dress

Simplicity 4310 Dress

Vogue 8184 Dress

Pillowcase Skirt

Simplicity 2656 Skirt

Tops

Sorbetto Top

Simplicity 1430 Blouse

Pendrell Blouse #1

Pendrell Blouse #2

Undergarments

French Knickers

Madeline Mini Bloomers

Casey's 1920's Chemise

Quilts

Pinwheel baby play mat quilt

Retro quilt

Other

Nested Bibs

McCalls 5861 Bikini

Brooch Board

Pin Cushion

Eighteen creations isn't half bad! Considering I went into sewing hibernation for many weeks pre and post house move, and have basically dedicated December to Christmas craft, I am surprised I have sewed this many things.

Highlights for me this year have been:

* Having my Pendrell blouse featured by Tasia on her blog! I was thrilled that the woman who designed the pattern liked my creation!

* Joining a sewing class.

* A new sewing machine and overlocker/serger (Christmas gift).

* Making a number of handmade Christmas gifts this year.

* Learning to machine quilt on my new machine (very basically though).

* Collaborating with Marie, Reana, Kat, Rachel, Jen and Amy on One Pattern - Seven Bloggers.

* Making a cake for my Grandparents 50th wedding anniversary - complete with royal icing!

* Teaching Sarah how to sew.

* Adding to my collection of vintage patterns.

* The new addition to our feline family.

* Moving house and building a veggie garden.

My final goal for 2011 is to get my sewing room in order (does anyone else feel like they are constantly battling their sewing room/space? I do, doesn't seem to matter how big or small it is, somehow it never feels like it is in order).

Sam xox

My new sewing machine!

I was a super lucky girl this birthday! For my other gift Jamie gave me a brand new sewing machine! Good bye 13 year old machine from the 90's, with your 10 different stitches and very difficult button hole stitch. Hello brand new Pfaff Ambition 1.5.

I am in complete love with it. It has a ridiculous amount of stitches, which I have been testing out on lots of scraps of fabric. It has a touch screen that is used (amongest other things) to select stitches, adjust width and length, and even stitch in words and phrases.

There are lots of other neat gadgets on this machine. Like the button foot which actually sews a button onto fabric. And the button hole foot which automatically sews a button hole, simply by placing the button you are using at the end of the foot, it senses the button diameter and sews a button hole to the perfect matching size! Or the needle down button which makes the needle always finish every stitch in the down position, making it easy to pivot fabric around corners (such as in quilting). Or the automatic beep when it senses your bobbin is running low! Or the securing stitch button, which stitches a couple of securing stitches at the beginning and end of your stitching. No more reverse sewing here.

The machine can also quilt, which is really exciting. I had tried machine quilting on my old machine, but as it only had bottom feeders it would always end in a mess. This machine has top feed dogs too which makes quilting much neater. There are even a few "antique" quilting stitches to choose from which gives the illusion of hand quilting. Love it.

And because I couldn't snap a photo of myself using the machine, here is a photo of a random chick using a Pfaff Ambition 1.5...

Watch those fingers under that needle!

So I am officially in total love with this machine, and have been very tempted to take a day off work just to play with it. But I haven't. I've been good. Can't promise the housework will get done tomorrow though...

This makes turning 27 just a little bit easier ;-)

Sam xox

Simplicity 5034 wrap dress in progress.

~ I am sewing view 4 ~

Do you ever embark on sewing projects that end up causing you more trouble than you anticipated??? 

I purchased this fabric with the intention of 'whipping up' this wrap dress. Boy was I wrong. This dress has now taken more that two weeks of intermittent sewing to get to this point...

Problems I have had thus far:
* I could not get the pleats and darts on the skirt right. I swear I followed the pattern correctly but the skirt ended up being much wider than the bodice. Also, when worn, all the pleats added a lot of weight to the hips, so I removed most of them.
* I lowered the neckline, because it was seriously choking me.
* It turns out my shoulder to waist measurement is quite short, or I have a high waist, and this is a problem when sewing a dress that wraps at the back. When first made up the back gaped terribly! I threw the dress in a ball in the corner of my sewing room for a week, then my mother-in-law suggested I raise the waist - duh of course! I raised the waist a couple of inches and good bye gaping back!

Simultaneous to this project I am making some summer pyjama shorts (or pajama if your in the US)... a quick project that is guaranteed to work.

All I have left to do on my dress is sew on the bias binding, attach the ties, and then hem. Hopefully I will get this done by the end of the weekend.

Sam xox

The teacher becomes the student.

Last weekend we had my sister-in-law Sarah and her partner to visit. Sarah and I spent Sunday afternoon sitting in the sun, drinking bubbles, and reading magazines as my chickens 'free-ranged' around our feet. About twenty minutes in Sarah asked me the magic question - "Could you teach me to sew?". A conversation rapidly followed that uncovered her plan to replicate a beautiful quilt she had found in an antique shop (the photos of said quilt were stunning!).

My brain clicked over as I thought of what sewing project she could embark on right there and then. I showed her the bikini I had made myself at the beginning of this year, and she was keen! We set ourselves up in the sewing room, and an evening and a morning later Sarah had her very own bikini. She did a seriously amazing job. There would not be many people who can sit at a sewing machine for the first time and manage to sew an elasticised garment using four way stretch fabric. She was thrilled to bits and I hope she has now been bitten by the sewing bug.

 ~ And sew it begins ~

 ~ Sewing elastic onto four way stretch fabric perfectly - and this was her first time sewing?!? ~

Monday evening I quickly changed from teacher to student as I began my 12 week sewing course at a local community centre. The course promised help with any sewing project I brought along. I decided on taking my scalloped jacket/skirt project as this little beauty has been taunting me for some time. I just have not had the confidence to tackle it yet. 

~ Light pink fabric is for the skirt lining, Liberty fabric is for the jacket lining, dark pink is the main fabric ~

~ The cutting tables were so roomy ~

During the class I was able to sew up a muslin of the skirt and have it checked by the teacher. The fit was perfect so I cut out my fabric. I was taught how to sew tailors tacks to mark the dart placement instead of using chalk. I have the skirt now all cut out and my homework this week is to sew it up to the point where the zipper is inserted, as I will do this in class next week.

Sam xox

Un personne, un weekend.

My weekend was lovely. I had the house to myself and had absolutely no plans. Here's what I did with all my free time...

~ The housework got done ~

~ The washing was put out to dry ~

* I did not make this quilt.

~ Some magazines were borrowed from the library ~

~ An old woolen picnic blanket found a new home ~

~ The most amazing vintage store was discovered ~

~ Some vintage items may have been brought home from said store ~

~ Spring sewing preparations were made ~

~ Spring sewing began ~

* * * * * * *

I also did an 11km walk and a spot of gardening. I am now feeling very refreshed and don't want to go back to work tomorrow.

How was your weekend?

Sam xox

Sweet nothings.

~ A very nice lingerie & unmentionables sewing pattern book ~

Hi friends,

Life has finally settled down and I am getting my sewing mojo back. It's amazing ins't it how when you're life becomes hectic and chaotic, things slip away? I let my sewing slip away for too long, and it has made me sad :-(

My machines spent one month packed in a box, another month trying to find their place in the great mess that was our spare room, and admittedly the last few weeks being mostly ignored. Last weekend we were reunited, and I think I have been forgiven.

On Friday I had the day off work and made a point of tidying up and putting away the last few bits and pieces in my sewing room. It is now organised and ready for sewing projects which will just mess it up again. I placed all my patterns on my shelves, and fabrics in their piles. It was a good reminder of all the projects that have been patiently waiting to be made for these past three months.

In the afternoon I went to the Newcastle Craft and Sewing Show. The tag line for this even was "it's sew you"... but it just wasn't! None of the stalls in the 8 aisles inspired me. To be honest about 15 seconds after entering I wanted to run, as it all really wasn't my taste. However, a little voice in my head grumbled "you've just paid $7 parking and $14 entry to be here. You ain't leavin' yet!".

Most of the stalls were focused on either scrap booking or pre-packed quilt kits. Not that there is anything wrong with these crafts, but there really wasn't any stalls that catered to the dressmaking sewer.

Thanks to the little voice though I didn't turn and run. Hiding up the back of the room sat a book stand that was selling more craft/sewing books than I have ever seen in one space, and they were really reasonably priced. I browsed a number of pattern/dressmaking books and decided upon this one...

"Sweet Nothings" by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader. A book about sewing unmentionables, complete with patterns galore. It was the first time I have found a sewing book dedicated to sewing unmentionable items that include patterns too! I am planning on making some French knickers and have purchased some wide stretch lace from Etsy which will hopefully arrive next week. I guess it is a little too early for me to be giving a book review as I have not yet sewn anything from it, but I have read it through word-for-word...

So this can be considered a pre-book review. And as any good book review (pre or not) wouldn't be complete without some sneak peaks inside the book, here are a couple of shots of whats under the cover (wow cheesy pun, I know)...

~ Some templates need to be enlarged using a photocopier ~

~ Pattern instructions come with detailed illustrations ~

~ Pyjama's made some a vintage sheet ~

~ Double sided paper patterns are supplied too.

You simply trace them onto paper to use ~

You can check it out here on Amazon too.

Sam xox

My Walk Away dress - Butterick 6015.

As promised here are some photos I took this weekend of my Walk Away dress!

I whipped this dress up in a couple of hours last weekend, but had to wait for a sunny day to take some photos. This dress was very easy to make. I have the reproduction pattern so it has the various sizes on the pattern pieces, which was useful for me, as I have a pear-shaped body. I was able to cut the bust to one size, and then the waist and hips in a larger size.

There has been a lot of hating towards this pattern, the general consensus online seems to be that it has no shape and looks like a large apron/hospital gown. I totally disagree. I think (for my shape at least) that it turned out to be super cute and is a perfect dress for our warm Australian summers. I do think though that the success of the dress relies on good fabric pattern choice, and the correct contrast bias binding - otherwise I do see how it could end up looking like the wearer was disappearing beneath 4 meters of fabric!

I wore this dress out today, visiting a cafe and doing a bit of shopping, and three people complimented me on the dress! That never happens when I wear the clothes I make - so for me this dress was a success :-)

I teamed the dress with Casey's latest romantic Edwardian updo. This was my first attempt at the hairstyle and I think its a cute look.

Positives for this pattern:

* The pattern fitted my body perfectly and required no altering.

* The bias binding was very easy to do and finished off the sides nicely.

* Sewing in snaps and button fastenings was a nice change from the usual zipper insertion.

Negatives for this pattern:

* It requires 4 meters of fabric, so this is probably a pattern I will only make again if I find some fabric on sale.

Have any of you ever made this pattern? Would love a link to see your version :-)

Sam xox

A thrifty refashion.

I am super excited about this blog post! Do you remember this pillow case I thrifted a few months ago?(If you look closely at the pile of clothes photo you'll see it poking out). I thought the pattern was simply beautiful, and for only 50c, I thought it a steal. I admit at the time I had no idea what I would actually do with the fabric, I mean, it was only a single pillow case right?

The lovely bundle has been sitting on a shelf in my sewing room for a while now, probably thinking it had been forgotten. Not a chance! Inspiration struck me today, and with a little courage I took to it with scissors and thread, and within an hour I had whipped up a cute autumn skirt.

The first thing I did was stitch the hem down. First reason being I hate hemming and figured why not get it over and done with first. The second reason was I wanted a straight hem line so I could line the fabric up with the selvedge of some neutral calico I wanted to line it with (I wanted to keep the selvedge on the calico and make it a feature, by letting it fall a few centimeters lower than the hem of the floral fabric

I then cut out two rectangles of neutral calico the same width as the floral fabric, with the hem of the floral panel sitting slightly higher than the calico selvedge. I then secured the two fabrics together using a large gathering stitch. I stitched the skirt together down one side.

I cut a long thin rectangle from both fabrics and sewed it together to form a thin waistband. I then sewed the waistband onto the skirt.

I then sewed in a side zipper and finished the side seam, and voila! My less-than-one-hour-50-cent-creation was complete!

~ That's calico popping out underneath ~

~ The calico lining ~

Drum roll please! As I was home alone and couldn't find my tripod, please prepare for a photo with a quality so bad it's really not worthy of being on a blog, but here goes anyway...

~ If you squint you can see the skirt on me ~

I am super impressed with how this skirt turned out. It was super quick and easy to make, and best of all, I don't think it looks like a pillow case anymore.

Sam xox

psst! Just wanted to wish my lovely Jamie a happy 12 year anniversary (of when we began 'dating'... not marriage. We didn't get married when we were 14) :-)