Sewing homework - prepping for the triathlon.

For homework this week I have been organising myself for the sewing triathlon Mill and I will be having Sunday to Tuesday. Three days and two nights of sewing! I have 6 projects I am aiming to complete:

1) Simplicity 2656 Skirt

2) Another Pendrell Blouse

3) McCalls 5861 Bikini

4) Retro Quilt

5) Madeline Mini Bloomers (free pattern)

6) 1920's Chemise Inspired Top (free pattern)

I have now laid out all the items needed for each project, and for sewing in general, on my spare bed...

Bikini ready to be made!

Only missing pocket lining for this skirt.

The very cute buttons I found for the pockets!

Retro quilt top and backing fabric (a sheet).

Sewing Bible!

Love this pattern.

These will be my cute pajamas for summer.

Close-up of the chemise top.

The total so far! So excited!

Looking at all the projects laid out like this gives me butterflies. Sunday just cannot get here fast enough!

I still need to buy a few final things for the day:

- Pocket lining for the skirt (in grey)

- Blouse fabric

- Quilt wadding

- White thread to tie the quilt with

- 1 yard bloomer fabric (in silk, chiffon, or georgette)

- 2 1/2 yard ribbon for bloomers

- 2 1/2 yard elastic for bloomers

- 2 yards of silk for the chemise top

- 1 1/2 yard antique-look lace for chemise top

- 1 1/2 yard ribbon for chemise top

- Sewing thread to match the above

Phew. Wish me luck!

Sam xox

Sewing homework - needle sizes.

"The purpose of Sewing Homework is

to record my process of learning

as a self-taught seamstress."

This week - needles!

For my first week of Sewing Homework, I set myself the task of learning about needles. I wanted to know why there were different sizes of needles, and what the different shaped needles were for?

I had been pondering this ever since Christine and Meg told me I should use a ballpoint needle for the bikini I am making. A what point needle I thought to myself? I knew I had to do some research...

Turns out a ballpoint needle is recommended when sewing a knit fabric as the rounded tip of the needle pushes the fabric fibers apart as it stitches, rather that splitting the fibers like a regular needle would. And did you know you can also get ballpoint needles for your serger/overlocker? I certainly didn't!

Here are my pages for this week...

~ Click on the images to enlarge them ~

Every week I will record my learnings in my Sewing Homework diary, scan the pages, and on Fridays I will post them on the blog, in the hope that they might be useful to you too.

Sam xox

Scalloped edges.

As you know I am loving the "Betty Draper" suit jacket Tilly made recently. I finally found the pattern for sale online last week in my size - so now it is on its way to me. Finding people's blogs who have made vintage garments I like is pretty exciting! If I love the garment enough I go in search of the vintage pattern they have used on eBay, Etsy, and other online vintage pattern stores. This search can take many weeks, sometimes months, as I search and wait for the pattern to appear for sale in my size. Does anyone else find this the tricky part of vintage clothes making? Actually finding the pattern in your size?

What I like about this jacket is that it is lightweight enough for Australian autumn/winter weather. I also like the femininity of the scalloped edges. I think they are a really cute feature and help the jacket to look good when it is buttoned up.

Speaking of scalloped edges, the Burda Style website recently wrote a brief piece on sewing scalloped edges. Even if you are not considering making a garment with scallops any time soon, it is still worth checking out for the gorgeous photos of vintage clothing. Just lovely.

On a side note, I have been working on my Sewing Homework this week and will be "handing it in" on Friday :-)

Sam xox

Happy new year.

I could begin this post by sharing all my new years resolutions with you, but to be honest most are pretty lame and revolve around healthy eating, money and exercise -> boring!

Instead I will write about my sewing goals for 2011.

Goal #1 - Prioritize sewing time during the week.

I have been bitten hard by the dressmaking bug, and after a few successful attempts at making some basic clothes, I have dreams now of making more detailed, complex and time consuming garments. The main challenge for this will be that I work full time, and find it hard during the week after a long day at work to then spend a few hours working on my projects at night. When I do try I often find that I am quite tired and therefore make silly mistakes, which makes the whole thing take longer and become not so enjoyable. My goal is to try to get up early one or two days per week before work and spend a good hour or so working on my projects. I've worked out that if I am in my sewing room ready to go at 6am, I could have 1.5 hours of sewing time before I even had to start thinking about getting out of my pajamas or having breakfast (the benefit of working 10 minutes from home!). Hold me to this one guys!

Goal #2 - Sewing homework.

I have never had any formal lessons in sewing or dressmaking. The most I have had is a 3 hour class on a certain dress pattern. I am mostly self-taught (thanks to the internet and fellow bloggers - thats you guys out there!) and because of this I am finding that the world of dressmaking is beginning to overwhelm me. I am quickly learning that selecting a pattern is the (very) easy part. It is the techniques, fabrics, and notions that go with a garment that are the key points to the process. I find (like most of you I'm sure) that with every pattern I make I am learning a new skill or technique. But there is still so much to learn. Hence this goal. I want to set myself "Sewing Homework" each week, whether it be to learn a new technique for a pattern I'm planning to make, or research different fabric characteristics. I will buy a visual arts diary and use this as my "homework book" to record my studies/learnings each week. I will blog regularly about my homework and share the information I learn with you all.

Goal #3 - Finish my quilts.

As many of you know this blog originates from "My Quilt Blog", a website that ran for a number of years and enabled a lovely group of people to meet and become a sort of virtual quilting group. We shared our projects as much as we did our daily life happenings, and we quickly developed friendships that continue online today. The site has since closed and most of us can be found lurking around on blogger :-). I know since I began the "no-clothes project" I have totally neglected my quilts - I hear them calling to me, and I will reply by finishing them this year (Mill you are going to hold me to this!).

Phew, I think these three goals will keep me busy for a while!

On a side note, I wanted to share with you the Sydney fireworks as seen at midnight from my balcony.

And finally, as I begin another year of sewing adventures, I want to say thank you to everyone who reads my blog and who communicates with me through comments and email. It means so much to me to have your feedback and to know you all enjoy reading, it makes this whole blogging thing feel a little bit more real :-)

Heres to 2011!

Much love,

Sam xox