Monday, March 28, 2011

the thing I hate most about sewing - is cutting

Why does cutting fabric have to come at the beginning of a sewing project?

I have to psych myself up for cutting into fabric - especially when sewing clothes for myself.  First there is always the concern as to what size am I exactly?  Then there is all that precious fabric... yikes.

Today I have been brave and cut into some of the Nani Iro fabric.  I have wanted to make a top for myself in this fabric for a long time.

This is the pattern I am using

It is New Look 6962.  I have chosen the cross over top style, longer length and am yet to decide on the sleeve length.  I am thinking about making them long for winter.  The cutting is complete and I will let you know how the sewing goes.
Happy stitching.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

flattered


I felt very flattered this week to receive a Stylish Blogger Award from Julia.  Julia's blog specialises in special occasion clothes for girls.  Visiting her blog is a great way to check out sewing patterns!  Thank you Julia.
In accepting this award there are a few rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person giving the award

2. Share 7 things about me.

3. Pass this award to other bloggers I have recently discovered and think are fantastic.

4. Contact these bloggers to tell them I have awarded them.
 
7 Things About Me  
  • I married my high school sweet heart and we have been married now for 24 years - I was a child bride ;)
  • I referee and play netball, it is supposedly social, but we like to win - especially against the youngies
  • My local cafe knows my coffee order (I love my caffeine fix)
  • I am a real mix of ethnicities - Scottish, Swedish etc, but am very proud to be part Maori, my iwi is Ngai Tahu
  • I wish I could speak te reo and hope one day that I will make the time to learn
  • I have a terrible sweet tooth (and a fattus assicus as a result)
  • I used to call my elbow my "wilbowa" and zips "bizzes".  I still call Jelly Tips "Wip Wop Welly Whips" and my children thought that was their real name for a long time.
So now you know a little bit more about me and maybe a few of my eccentricities (believe me there are plenty more).

Now to the hardest bit passing along this award to others who I stalk in the blog world. How do you choose, there are so many worthy recipients out there, so in selecting I have tried to think about those I have discovered more recently (so if you are not on the list I have been stalking you for a long time).  And have limited it to three.

To Lisa over at Big Little who has just had the most beautiful baby girl and makes the most delicious things out of vintage textiles.

To Mary Jane over at Sweet Emmelie- I covet one of the quilts that Mary Jane has made and I want to come to the next birthday party!

To Megan at Mouse House - I am very impressed how you have gone from zero to hero in the sewing world in such a short space of time.  Megan classified as a non-sewist when she first started her blog and look at her now!

Anybody else got some special blogs they want to share?

Friday, March 18, 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

a present for a 3 year old friend

After much frustration over my sewing machine yesterday, I did eventually finish this...


a little shoulder bag for a very special friend. I popped her name under the flap.




The body of the bag is made out of denim that I had in my stash and the lining is Going Dotty Raspberry from Kokka and the fabric on the flap is Babushka Dolls and Cat again from Kokka.  The pattern was made up as I went.

Happy stitching.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

at last some sewing


Now I am cheating a bit as these cushions were made in December, but I did not blog about them at the time.  They are made with Heather Ross's Far Far Away 2 fabrics which is in the shop.

I would post the product of today's sewing but is has not been without its trials - my sewing machine tension was off - I mean way off and no amount of turning the dial would find the right spot.....Sh*t, B.#**$. 

I changed the needle ....... still no good - BUM.  I want to sew!  Plus I am already mentally calculating the repair bill - double BUM.

And then I resorted to getting out the screw dirver and taking off the foot plate and found the dust bunnies of all dust bunnies - in fact a whole family of dust bunnies lurking in there.  Some of it was almost felt.....try again......aahhhh........all is right with the world again, I can sew.

Tomorrow I will post what I have been working on today - a gift for a three year old friend - I just need to get the right coloured thread to finish the top stitching.

I hope you have had more joy with your sewing.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

still more fabric arrives

OK it's official I have now out grown the store room and am going to have look for other options.  Today a new range of fabrics arrived.


Vive la France by Monaluna, there is more in this range in the shop here


And caravans, you have got to love these retro beauties, they come in aqua and ivory.  They remind me of my sister's caravan named Gladys.  Also have you seen Trelise Copper caravan makeover for the Breast Cancer Cure - now I would love to go caravanning in this beauty


I love her sense of style!

Monday, March 7, 2011

a cold wet sunday


With my sister in town, after the Martinborough Fair, it was a good excuse to bake and eat!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

more new fabric and a free pattern


This dress has been made using two of Robert Kaufman's organic fabrics Summer Flowers and Summer Swirls which have recently been added to the shop.  (Please note this is not my sewing - but I do love it!)  The Itty Bitty dress pattern is a free pattern created by Made by Rae ; Rae is very generous and has a number of free sewing patterns over on her blog, so it is well worth a visit - but play fair these patterns are for personal use only!

Also new in the shop are laminated echino fabrics (great for tablecloths, out door upholstery, bags and bibs) and also some echino nylons (for shower proof coats, bibs, bag linings and shower curtains).


Echino has also done a new range of extra wide fabrics - 152 cms wide.  The fabric is lighter than the more traditional echinos with 15% linen and 85% cotton and is wonderfully soft.  The extra width means it is great for those bigger sewing jobs I am already thinking of using some for a quilt back, now I just need to make some time ......... and clear a path to my sewing machine.


PS - thank you to everyone for your kind words on my last post - I think it meant that I was not in sooo much trouble with Miss M.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

homework


Miss M will most probably tell me off for showing you this, but oh well, I have got used to being told off by my kids.  This year is Miss M's first year at High School and she finished her soft materials homework over the weekend.  The brief was to make/decorate a container to keep all your supplies in for soft materials (sewing).  She knew exactly what she wanted - a sewing wallet or hussif, which I am not sure the teacher had in mind, after going through my fabric stash and also her own (yes my 13 year old daughter already has her own fabric stash.....there is no hope for her).  She chose her fabrics.  My input was technical advice (order of construction, supervision of first use of rotary cutter etc) and some quick unpicking duties when frustration levels reached an all time high towards the end of Sunday (oh how I would love to have someone on hand to do unpicking for me!)

Above is the outside of her sewing wallet or hussif.  Here is the inside (they had to include a list of materials).



and lastly her needle book...


All the materials used were from our respective stashes, so there is a reason that we need to keep such a good supply of fabrics, ribbons etc :)