Another Day, another dress

Lately, life has been a cycle of job hunting, working on my data collection for an upcoming website, food preparation, chores and walks.  I would probably be enjoying life if money wasn't an issue and I could enjoy this time off...however, the other day, I realised that I love dresses.  In the summer, I live in dresses but never really thought about dresses all year round...however, as I grow older, comfort is a big factor in my wardrobe.  I have to be comfortable in what I wear and I find I dislike some items of clothing more and more as I grow older.

Things I've discovered about myself...I dislike things around the waist, Just no.  I feel boxed in, suffocated, bloated so no.  I like something that I can slip and not have much more effort in wearing clothes.  Shoes have to be comfortable.  I have to look the feel and the look of the fabric.

That said, I made another dress for the slightly warmer weather.  I have a feeling that I will live in this dress soon.  I'm pleased with the results.

Dresses and Changes

I have many reasons for making my own clothes.  For starters, I was so disappointed in the lack of variety, poor quality material and fabric...it actually started to depress me going into clothing stores.  I wanted better, my own style, natural fabrics so I started to make my own clothes.  Granted some of my earlier clothing is still in great shape but my tastes have changed.  I feel like it has been a voyage for me, learning who I am again and what I like.  I've discovered that I am not a fan of trousers, that I love dresses, I love patterned tights, I love coloured shoes, that I love cotton...and more importantly that I love to sew and knit and I'm not bad at it either.

I have also discovered on my voyage of making my own clothes that my skills have improved, along with this, the quality of my own clothing has improved.  I am able to modify and adapt patterns to fit me now, I add french seams to my tops and dresses so I have no messy frayed edges inside, I have an overlocker that makes me feel like I have a finished, tidy object.  

For my knitting, I am understanding more about lace knitting, I am able to look at a pattern, dissect it and reassemble it into something that I love and this has been a wonderful thing.  I still feel like I'm growing older but happy with my new identity, my new look.  I've forgotten that I'm not defined by boundaries that other people put in place, that I am still me, I am still that individual that never fit in at 18 and now that I'm 50, why should that be any different?

This dress is for sell in my Etsy shop on special order.  I love the fabric and hope I can find it again as it is a beautiful cotton needlecord.  I wear it all the time and it has never faded or lost it's shape.  It is my favourite dress in my wardrobe at present and I plan to make more.

It has been a while

I haven't blogged for a very long, long time.  I've lost touch with the blogging world as my world fell apart around Easter this year.  I had to walk away from my job and completely just shut off for a while.  However, there was a silver lining in all this upset, turmoil and conflict in my life...I began sewing again and even sold my dresses.  

I published pictures online in a group on Facebook and received some orders for my dresses and sold about 7 items of clothing.  Then, I thought at last!  And it just fizzled out.  I don't know what to do next.  I'm not very good at promoting myself.  I know I need to improve this, but my self esteem took such a kick in the guts this year, I really have struggled to pick myself up.

I want to be positive again, creative and have a better work life balance.  I keep getting emails from former colleagues and my tutor asking me to return to teaching and not to give up.  I really don't think they understand what it was like me for me at my last school.  I just can't do it any more.  However, I am starting to job hunt again.  I will rebuild that confidence that I once had.  I will also publish another knitting pattern and hold more competitions to win prizes!  I will blog again and share my projects and create an Autumn collection of clothes to buy in the shop as well.  All of this will happen.  It has to because I realise now that if I'm creative I'm at peace with myself and my life does fall into place then.

I thought I'd post some pictures of dresses and tops I made.  Maybe it will inspire people to buy something from my shop!

My friend Carol looks stunning in my change of hearts dress

A simple wrap dress, the fabric is 100%

I have two versions of this top, one with little sleeves and one that is sleeveless

Summertime and Creative Pursuits

I haven't been blogging for a very long time.  Real life and my teacher training commitments zapped any energy I had for anything creative for almost a year.  I had zero energy and for the winter, life was literally, teaching on my teaching placement, preparing for my lesson, doing university and little else.  My teaching placement was also a regular pain in the backside to get to and it meant I was out of the house for 6:15am five days a week.  I had so much to work to do that none of my school holidays felt like holidays, just extensions of lesson planning, preparing my teacher training portfolio and working on university work...the only difference was I could do it from the comfort of my own home.  However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and I am now officially a computer science teacher in Secondary Education.  Hooray!  

I do have things to prepare for over the course of the summer but for me, there is something ever so nice about having free time.  I almost forgot what that was.  So far, I've made 4 tops for myself, done a vine lino print and I'm currently sat here with a nearly complete cardigan on my lap.  I'm currently piecing it together and I will no doubt have to watch some youtube tutorial on how to do the neckline. How did I ever learn anything before the days of youtube videos?  They are my problem solvers videos to any things that don't make sense or I do not understand in sewing or knitting patterns.

Owl top number one.

Flowered top number two

Here are two pictures of two sleeveless tops I've made.  They only took an afternoon to make.  I have also made a long sleeved and short sleeved version, pictures should eventually follow.  One of the things that has transformed my bad attitude to pattern cutting is a rotary cutter.  How on Earth did I manage before?  It is so much easier and more precise.  I don't think I could ever go back to using scissors to cut out a pattern.

Normal life has been fairly stressful.  I have a new teaching job in the Autumn but it is the most awful place to reach by public transport.  We are currently house hunting and you know what stress that brings.  We are also on a time scale, no pressure there.  I wonder if we are being too picky or if we got lucky with this house (apart from one set of neighbours).  The houses I see are either too small, wrong location, out of budget, no parking, fixed furniture, kitchen with not enough room for our fridge.  Then when I see a suitable house, bham!  It's gone, let already...so I continue to look.  I feel like I spend far too much time trailing through houses to let...I see the same old houses with stupidly high rents still sitting there because someone won't lower the rent and the rent is just too expensive for most people.  There has got to be something out for us...

Back To School

I have been very busy lately, adjusting to my new life of being a student again.  I'm doing my teacher training to be a Computer Science teacher in Secondary Education.  As it is a postgraduate course, I hit the ground running.  There is tons of reading, assignments, lectures, observations and countless other stuff.

It has been a whirlwind and I'm trying my best to maintain some kind of work/life balance thing.  Of course, this is no easy task as it's hard to know when to stop, how much to do, etc.   However, yesterday I was very focused and spent the entire afternoon doing subject based knowledge revision so tomorrow I only have to modify/update/proof-read my final version of my coursework that is due on Tuesday.

Which means today I have a FREE day!  Woo hoo!  I'm actually very excited about this.  A guilt free day to indulge myself however I see fit.  I am going to go out shortly with my son for a long walk, possibly to Salts Mill.  Salts Mill is definitely one of my favourite places in Yorkshire.

Books, books, books!

Hopefully, I'll have a bit more free time to do some sewing as well.  I had a sewing frenzy two weeks ago and completed two nice tops as well.  I need to post images of those but every time I remember this, one of them is in the laundry basket or the ironing pile.  I promise to post pictures of those very soon.

I also want to watch the Matthew Collings show on Abstract Art on the iplayer later today. I find what Matthew Collings has to say about Abstract Act absolutely fascinating.  It is so hard to believe that art was once so influential and had such an impact on society.  Today we seem to be immune to the messages of art or numb or something.  It makes me sad as I find art so inspiring, it leads me to different paths and trains of thought in how I feel about life and myself.  Art should never be ignored.

Tops!

Last week, I went to the Hepworth Museum in Wakefield with my son.  I wasn't overly impressed (beautiful building with mediocre exhibitions) and we both saw everything there was to see in 45 minutes so we decided not to eat in the cafe there (who pays £8 for a BLT sandwich???) and go to Leeds instead...especially since it was on our way home.

It turned out to be a worthwhile trip as we had a super cheap lunch for £4 for the both of us and I got some lovely fabric for £6!  It wasn't enough for anything big and exciting but just enough to make a sweet little top.  Here are the results below:

Lovely soft cotton

It only took me a day to make, in between various jobs around the house (heaven forbid I stay focused on one activity at one time...that just seems to be beyond me.  I get so easily distracted.) ...so I'm pleased with the results.  I hate tight fitting clothes on me but equally, I have this fear of things looking like tents on me.  Yes, I'm closer to fifty but that doesn't mean I have to wear clothes that make me look shapeless and without any personality!  I'm starting to gain more confidence with modifying patterns to suit me more.  A nip here, a tuck here, etc.  It's been a process but a worthwhile one.  I have another top I'm making and will, hopefully, finish today.  Then I can post those results as well.

I've been looking on pinterest for sewing and knitting inspiration as well as tumblr.  I have to say I like the look of tumblr better than pinterest but pinterest wins hands down for dress inspiration.  I found a wonderful clothing designer with lovely timeless dresses in Liberty fabrics and my head was spinning with ideas for clothes for the Autumn.  I really need to be on the ball for the Autumn.  I keep reading up on my dress code and course expectations and I really, really, really do not want to be in bland, awful, dull clothes but still look smart!  I want colour, I want timeless, I want dresses, not plain black trousers, black cardigans and plain shirts.  Oh my.  I do have a lot of work to do, don't I?

Finished Dresses

As promised, two photos of the finished dresses.  Both are pink flowers.  One is a lightweight fabric and the other one is a sturdy cotton.  I added belts to both of them to stop them looking like tents.

For your viewing pleasure, I give you dress number one:

Yes, I make a rare appearance in this photo

And now for the second dress (minus me):

A pale pink but heavy sturdy cotton.

I have to say I like the second one better than the first.  I think that mainly because the second one the fabric is a good quality cotton while the first one, I'm not sure what the material is but it is very lightweight and feels flimsy in comparison.  I'm sure that both will grow on me.  I'm getting there with my hand made wardrobe...slowly but surely!

Sewing Project Update

I've been busy with life and sewing.  I'm currently in the process of making some dresses for the Autumn.  I spent time researching and looking for a dress pattern that I would like and finally bought what I thought was the best pattern.  However, there is still a lot of trial and error going on with the sewing process.

The first dress I have made is with some fabric my mum bought me from Liberty.  She says its a cotton but it has a strange silky feel to it and I can't find it any where on Liberty's website to verify what it is.  I did wash it first before sewing as it stank heavily of perfume!  The fabric is a little too light and floaty and creases incredibly easily.  I still have the edging to do on the little capped sleeves and make a belt for it.  I took it in yesterday to stop it looking tent-like but it still seems that bit too wide.  I need to find a balance between it looking too floaty and clinging to the wrong parts of my body.  We don't need to emphasize some aspects of growing older!

The second dress is made of cotton, 100% woven cotton.  This dress already feels much nicer and since the cotton has some weight, it hangs much better.  I only have the sleeves left to do on this dress.  Both dresses are actually pink flowers.  I am not normally a pink person, I'm trying to step outside my comfort zone and have more of a variety of clothes in my wardrobe.  We'll see.  I prefer my blues and greens.  This said, my next dress will be a pale blue with Paisleys.  I think this dress will have more of an appeal to me.  Who knows?

But for now, there are no pictures as they are works in progress.  But I promise to post them as soon as the dresses are finished.  It won't be long now as I spent all of yesterday sewing and plan to continue today.  The weather forecast is wet and overcast with grey skies so it is always encouraging to do my sewing.  Also, my other half has taken the PS3 down to London with him while visiting his family!  Noooo!  I was playing "Dishonoured" and loving it....so yeah, no distractions so I am being on the ball with my sewing.  Of course, you all knew that there had to be some hidden factor behind this sudden burst of "motivation", didn't you?  You know me all too well.

Two New Dresses

I'm hoping that the weather will be reasonable enough to wear two new dresses I made this past week.  I can hope.  They are both 100% cotton and from the Stylish Dress Book, one of my Japanese pattern books.  I got the book from Salts Mill and I've made two tops from it last summer.  I made them "large" even though, I'm hardly what I'd call a large person.

First off, the blue flower dress:

Pretty blue flowers

This dress should have been so simple to make but the neckline caused me no end of grief.  I kept getting confused which way to put the pieces and I had to unpick the neckline twice.   The original pattern called for five pleats in front but I opted for a gathered neckline instead.  I'm glad I did.  It hangs much nicer this way.

The second dress is fabric my son picked out.  Its a box style dress.  If I was to make it again, I'd make it a little smaller but live and learn.  Here's a picture of the end result:

It has two pockets on the front as well.

I figure I could actually wear this in slightly cooler weather with some tights and a long sleeve t-shirt underneath.  I'll probably wear this on weekends and when I'm not working.  Remember, stupid dress codes and other people's ideas about what you should and shouldn't wear.  I might be accused of having too much fun in this dress.  Enough of my whining.  Two dresses completed.  Oh how I love time off from work!

Made Me May

I didn't know this as I'm always a bit slow on trends, events, fashions, etc. but its "Made Me May" month.  I found out about it in Ysolda's blog and read more about it here.  I had no idea but anyway, I decided this week to dress in something I made at least three days a week.  And you know what?  I did it.

On Monday, I wore my mandarin shirt.  Tuesday, I wore my paisley and roses shirt and Thursday, I wore my olive green cardigan.  Tomorrow, I will wear my owl top or something else.  I still have great lengths to go with regards to producing my handmade wardrobe but its a three day weekend so time to sew a dress!

I have great ideas for this dress I want to make.  I've been looking at Pinterest for ideas.  One of the things, oh it pains my heart....that I actually fell in love with was this tunic dress.  Lisette 2245.  Oh its so my style but sadly out of print!  NOOOOO!!!!  I even discovered a pinterest board with admirers of this dress.

Oh how I wish for this:

Tunic Perfection
 

Awww.....how could such an unique and timeless pattern as that be out of print?  Its a real shame.  I even looked on ebay.  Yup.  Still, more pictures to come of more sewing inspired ideas and a some works in progress knit-wise.

Cream, short sleeved top

I spent most of Saturday and a little bit of Sunday sewing another top for myself. This one doe not have the mandarin collar but just a simple round neckline. I was supposed to put some lace around the sleeves and the bottom of the shirt but I think it would have looked too busy. Also, I only had bit of one cream lace in the house and I didn't really want to venture out just for a bit of lace.

Here are the results:

I decided against the lace in the end but it looks fine.

I have been enjoying this creative time sewing tops but now I need to focus on skirts and dresses. I have 2 lots of fabric left. Actually 3 lots of fabric. I have one pink one with lots of flowers, a blue and green flower one and finally an olive green one with leaves and vine patterns on it. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

I have found it very therapeutic sewing as of lately. I've been very careful with my sewing and making sure to iron pieces to get a neater finished top. It has been working. While I sew, I find I stop beating myself up about life in general. I feel just calm. Isn't that what everyone needs?

Mandarin Shirt Completed.

My most recent top did prove to be a challenge.  It is a pleated short sleeved short with a mandarin collar.  I am actually very pleased with the results.  Here is a close of the collar.  I don't think the picture actually does it justice.

Close up of the collar
 

The fabric in the photo makes the fabric look darker than it is.  It is actually a dark blue.  I had to hand sew the inside of the collar and make it with invisible seams.  It took time but it was worthwhile. 

Here is a picture of me in the shirt. 

Finished Top.

It is a very flattering cut on me, well, that's my opinion.  Its always hard to decide what I should be wearing at my age.  When I was young, I just wore what I liked, there wasn't always all those questions such as "Does that suit my shape?", "Is this age appropriate?", etc.  Those things happen with time.  You think as you get older, you become less preoccupied with how you look but you just find you have different issues.  Such is life.

I have some cream fabric with little pink, green and blue spools of thread on it.  It is very sweet indeed and very much me.  I'm debating what to make with it.  Another mandarin top?  A three quarter sleeved blouse?  A tunic top?  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

This time off from work has been very constructive this time.  I have had the opportunity to see old friends, spend time with family and sew.  Normally I return to work after a break thinking I didn't use my time as productive as I could have.  However, I realised that this time, I really need to knuckle down and get on with things.  I just feel so much more at peace with myself.  I need to do this more often!







 

Cost Effective and Long Overdue Update

One of my friends recently asked me an interesting question about my sewing. I was sat across from her and I was feeling pleased with a top that I sewed the other week. I told her I made this top and then she asked me if sewing was cost effective. That was it, no other questions, just that. Was sewing cost effective?

Now, that's a tricky question because it is all relative with regards to what some people consider cost effective and what isn't. How do you measure cost effective? Price of materials? Time spent sewing? Quality of items made? What specifically? Also, other questions such as it depends upon how much money people spend on clothes, what they consider to be quality and how important are clothes to them? Do they spend hours looking for the “perfect piece” or just buy something cheap and cheerful but disposable?

Olive green cardigan.  Isn't it sweet?

First off, sure I could actually buy myself a mass produced, cheap generic top from certain stores for cheaper but is that what I want? The answer to that is no. I have realised as I grown older, I'm tired of cheap, mass produced, poor quality clothing. I want something that is unique to me, something that I could consider good quality, made with love and care plus attention to detail. I don't mind spending a day or two making something for myself. I find it hugely rewarding. I like that by making my own clothes, I have choices about style, colour, patterns, quality of materials and type of material. It is my way of expressing myself uniquely. I do not have to follow a fashion or a trend, rather clothes that suit me, my body shape, my personality and my sense of style. Why does that have to end at my age? I used to pride myself on being an individual when I was young. Now that I'm older, why should that change?

Green Dragon Fly Top. 

Secondly, dress codes. My past three jobs have all had dress codes. You have to look smart and professional. I hate that. I'm not going to lie, I hate having to conform to a dress code. For the past couple of years, my wardrobe has been bland, mainly blacks and generic tops. I do not look in my wardrobe and look forward to wearing something. I wear the clothes for work because I have to, it is expected of me. Blah. Well, that has to change. How you dress does affect how you feel. I can still look smart and professional. But the clothes do not need to be outrageous or bland. That can be just me. 

Owl Top with kick pleats in the front.  Hides a multitude of sins.

In the past couple of months, I've made 3 tops and knitted one cardigan for myself. I have enough fabric to make 3 more tops and a dress. I'm currently knitting another cardigan for myself. I have an A-line skirt pattern for myself. I intend to make some skirts as well to coordinate with my new tops. The range of colours is blues, greens, pinks, rose reds and creams. Patterns are varying from purple owls to flowers to simple spools of thread. My cardigan I'm knitting is a deep shade of cranberry. Yes, there will be some black in my wardrobe but not as much. 

Blue top made with fabric that was a gift from my son.

 So there has been much progress in my life with my handmade wardrobe. Its high time. I should have done this years ago. So it is cost effective? Yes to me. You can't put a price of feeling content with life.

Winter Blues

I haven't been my normal self lately.  This usually happens in the winter when I go to work in the dark and when I get home, its getting dark.  This winter is no exception and what's worse is the lack of sun.  I am so sick of rain.  I appreciate that they have been having terrible weather in other countries, but the rain in this country gets rather tiresome.

I am looking forward to brighter and sunnier days.  However, with it only being January...that really is a long way off.

On a more positive beat, I've sewn myself another top.  Its in bright greens, creams and browns.  Wonderful shapes, almost like vines and stone staircases combined...or that's what my imagination says to me.  I have some more fabric that is of vines!  I got three metres of it so I'm really debating what to make with it?  A tunic dress, another pleated blouse, maybe combine it with other fabric?  Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Here is a picture for your viewing pleasure:

Green and browns!

I am still knitting my cable yoke cardigan.  I am currently on the yoke itself.  Its taking a while as its a 14 row repeat and I have to do that sixteen times.  Its not the kind of thing I can do while I'm watching telly...well I do, but only if its a programme that doesn't require my full attention.  I don't know where people get this idea about multi-tasking...it doesn't really pan out for me that well.

I did have several days over the Christmas holidays of knitting and listening to music on 8track.  Is anyone else there? I love that you can create, share and listen to other people's mixes.  I have found some amazing mixes featuring some wonderful Icelandic bands and singers.  Jonsi is just wonderful.

Music is a curious thing.  For me, as I've grown older, my music tastes have mellowed considerably.  I used to be into punk and new wave as a teenager and some trash.  Now that type of music makes me feel edgy, uptight, irritable and just plain uncomfortable.  Yet, surprisingly, I have wonderful memories of that time, of places and of people.  But as for the person I was back then...well, I'm happier now.  I think its been a long journey for me to feel comfortable in my own skin as well. 

Feel free to say hello to me sometime too.  I often wonder what kind of people read my blog.

Finished Tunic!

Remember the fabric that I cut out and was ready to sew? Well, I actually finished the project over a week ago. I meant to post them sooner but as often the case, real life gets in the way of blogging. I was back at work, which meant to adjusting to early mornings again and days preoccupied with work. It always seems to take me a week to feel like my old self again after the initial shock of those 6:30 wake up calls.

So, here are some photos for your viewing pleasure:


I'm really pleased with the neckline and the sleeves
 

As you can see the sleeves are gathered!

I have also nearly finished my cardigan. I have one more sleeve to attach to the body and then the rib around the neckline. Oh and add the buttons. I promise to post pictures of that real soon. 

I have to admit, I have this huge mental block about piecing and blocking together my knitting projects. I really need to learn to get over that hurdle. I tried one night after a particularly long day at work to sew it together and the sides didn't match. I was getting all flustered about it when I realised, I didn't match it at the bottom so of course, it was all askew. The following night, I pinned it together very carefully and voilà, the sides matched exactly. A valuable lesson in learning to be more PATIENT.

My next knitting project is going to be done on a circular needle with no need for blocking or piecing together. I feel pretty excited about that prospect so you would think I'd be more motivated to finish my cardigan. I will get there and hopefully, get over the piecing together anxiety.

Procrastination and Sewing

Remember me being full of motivation and ideas for my fabric purchases? Well, if you don't...I don't blame you. I'm trying to get over the all talk, no action thing. The fabric sat on the day bed for a month (or two...) gathering dust while I mulled over what to do with it. I would look at it, feel guilty and then flake out on the computer. I'm sure none of you know what I am talking about with that one.

So today, I spent a considerable amount of time going through my various patterns, asking for advice from both my sweetie and my son...getting the fabric out, putting it back down, looking at my patterns again. Finally...I took a deep breath and made a decision. I hope its the right one. Seriously.

Here it is at present, pinned down, ready for cutting. It was a tight squeeze but doable.

Beautiful fabric, lets hope it washes well.

One view of fabric pinned down, ready for the chop

Another view, note things waiting to be pinned.
 

My biggest worry is how it will fit me. Silly things like: Will it fit me in the shoulders? Will it fit around the expansive hips? Will the buttonholes look crap? I always have issues with fabric that way. Wondering if I was careful enough with the cutting of pieces, doing my tucks and hems...making sure I match things correctly...oh you get the idea. The biggest challenge will be the button holes. I have never done them before on my sewing machine...my old one yes...this one no. Thankfully I have enough fabric to test first and get a feel for things. It should be an interesting process. A huge learning curve potentially. Wish me luck.

A more little time please

Its only Tuesday and I'm exhausted. Work has taken more out of me than expected. I would like my blog to be upbeat and positive and inspiring and all those good things but today, nah, that can't happen. I'm tired, the sky is overcast and I have no energy. Life happens, I'm human...that's how it rolls sometimes.

I have a list of things I would like to do in the forthcoming weeks. Realistically, things might not happen immediately. I would like to sew a tunic dress with my new fabric. The fabric is beautiful and when I look at it, I sigh...to sew this tunic dress would take some time and patience. Patience is in short supply today. Maybe tomorrow if I pace myself, I might begin tracing out the pattern from the book, another day for cutting pieces out and then leave the sewing for the weekend. We'll see...

Anyone else get back to work blues? This too will pass but for today...I'm just going to flake out.

Back to Work with a Bump!

I am back at work now its the end of summer. This always causes me a bit of anxiety and tiredness. I try to avoid it but it always happens, no matter how carefully I try to adjust to new sleeping patterns. I'm not a morning person...I find getting up early difficult and even the walk to work just about wakes me before I get to work. Its a 3 mile walk. That should tell something about my zombie state most early mornings.

The weather has suddenly changed here in the past few days. It did nothing but rain all day Friday and it was actually cold. Saturday was dry but still bitter. I walked my son to his guitar lesson and we had a chat about life and the meaning of the universe as normal. We put the world to rights and then quickly forget our solutions on arrival home. However, that walk was punctuated with talk about the cold wind and what a shock it was to the system.

On a positive note, I finished the lining on the satchel my other half crocheted for me. Its beautiful and unique. I'm very happy with it. Its a wool blend with a cotton lining so I will only hand wash this and let it air dry. Its actually pretty hard wearing. Here's a picture for your viewing pleasure:

Inside view of lining



Closed with buttons

I finally got my colouring pencils from the States. All 72 of them. Beautiful ones indeed. So no excuses, I can get on with some art. I also got my beautiful Kaffe Fassett fabric as well. When we were in Liberty over the holiday, they had some there and I won't even tell the price per metre...it was not in my budget!

So yes, lots of project in mind. One tunic dress to be made with new fabric. Portrait of other half to be completed. Cardigan to be finished. 

On the plus side, I'm not ill. All last night, my body ached all over, even my wrists and this is never a good sign. I was convinced that I managed to catch some nasty bug this weekend or from work. However, last night I slept like the dead and feel like myself once again. I think its just Arthur again screwing around my joints and the excess rain we had on Friday triggered a return visit from him. It made me realise that the weather had dry and warm for so long, I was living without pain for most of the summer. Oh the joy of winter coming...grumble, grumble, grumble.

Pleats and (Lack of) Waistlines

At the start of the school holidays, I began sewing a top from the Stylish Dress Book. It is a Japanese import book as lately I've had trouble finding sewing patterns I like, not to mention the crazy prices. One pattern I loved, then managed to cut the pattern too small and we all know this has everything to do with the expanding midriff, shrinking waistline and ever increasing boobs...in my head I still have the same body I had 10 years ago and of course, this is wrong, wrong, wrong. The outcome was the pattern is no longer suitable/usable for my size and I ruined a perfectly good piece of fabric. So when I saw this book at one of my favourite haunts, I was immediately impressed by the loose fits and dresses that would hide a multitude of sins. Since buying this book, I've made a pink smock top and then finished this one off today.

This top was a total pain...make no bones about it. It was a stretchy fabric and on more than one occasion, my sewing machine decided to chew it for lunch. The biggest problem was the neckline. The original neckline called for three big pleats and well, they looked like crap on me. So then I tried an off-centre pleat, it made me look like I was carrying three tyres up front. Finally, I decided on lots of pleats. I got my inspiration from this etsy shop. Her clothes are amazing...hats off to her. I love her waif like designs but you know what? I'm not skinny any more.

Here is the finished top. Along with a close up of the neckline.



Nice fabric but a pain to sew

A close up the neckline...a lot of work but worth it.

I'm getting some Kaffe Fassett fabric soon and I know what I want to make out of that, but that will be a surprise. I still have too many unfinished projects...I think that's the norm for me. I have lots of ideas that need to be documented, dated and maybe then it would be the kick up the butt I need. Anyone else have these problems? 

Autumn Colours and Summertime

Life has been fairly quiet in the past week. For starters, I have finished work until September. (Definitely one of the perks of working in a school) This is great news as it means having free time to pursue my hobbies. I say this as I look forward to having this time to myself all year. It has meant I can do things in my own time as opposed to finding the energy and motivation after a long day at work.

I've made myself a new top with the fabric I told you about. It is definitely in need of a wash now...the fabric has a strange smell, more likely the dyes in the material. Its a simple smock top. I did a dummy version with some cheap material for another version of a top but I don't like the way the pleats hung so I decided on something different. I'm so glad that I decided to make a dummy version with cheap material first rather than risk ruining the new fabric. I still have my beautiful Liberty fabric, which is dress material...so thinking about dress possibilities.

The other half has spent hours blocking and took new photos of his latest work. I'm thinking of trying etsy or folksy to sell his stuff as the shop seems hard to reach. This isn't a site search for shops and it lacks other useful features. Here's a taster of some of his latest work:

Autumn Leaves Cushion



Browns, Greys, Red Cushion

Grey Skies Cushion

I would like some of it to sell but so far, nothing. Yesterday, in a certain chain store, I saw some cushion covers with Autumn colours so maybe some of his cushion covers with Autumn colours will sell. They are some of my favourites but sadly, not the same colour scheme as our house. Maybe if we move, we can rethink our colour schemes. Downstairs we have blues and red and browns. Who knows?