Squandering the good stuff

It's hot today. 38 degree forecast day. It's one of those dry Adelaide heat days. It feels like a late January day where all the moisture has been sucked out of the jacaranda flowers and the heat haze shimmers on the ashphalt.

I also have approximately one whole school day left on my own before school breaks up. And though the housework is calling me desperately, the dishes need doing, washing is all over the dining table and the floor needs cleaning, I just can't bring myself to squander these precious last hours on housework.

The sewing machine is calling. A 1950's frock is tempting me to sew it for a couple of events I am attending this weekend.

What do you think will win? Housework or frock making?

Do I even have to ask?

image from here

Sewing for the brawnier gender

I don't get the chance to sew for boys very often, apart from sewing Silly Gilly items. So it was fun to play around and get boyish sewing this wallet for my daughter's friend. Made using suede, vinyl and some of a favourite Michael Miller print.

By the seat of my pants

I'm feeling as focussed as a March fly lately, with so many shiny things vying for my attention. The warmer weather has inspired me to sew some new clothes for myself, including a badly executed attempt at these:

 

My measurements are a little larger than the sizes on the pattern I purchased. Easy, I thought after consulting my vintage sewing manuals. Just add a bit to the waist measurement. But alas I am also larger in the belly/hips/child bearing areas as well. I am yet to add the waistband but thought I might try again in another fabric and colour as my muslin. Who makes muslin's these days? Muslin being a test run of a garment made from cheap material. I thought the idea of sewing was that you could just whip something up in an afternoon and be prancing off down the street in your new frock/sailing trousers in no time.

Alas, I've learnt my lesson. Version number 2 is about to be attempted with some timely advice from here. Wish me luck. I aim to have a wearable version of these before next weekend.

Testing one, two, three......

Hello?

Heeellloooooooo?

Cooooooo-eeee?

Anyone here?

There seems to be tumbleweeds blowing through this dang blog. Not much to be read around these parts......
Facing the age-old (well, 10-year-old or as long as blogs have been around) dilemma of whether I keep this blog going....

Avoidance tactics

 

Fitness this morning in 6.5 degrees weather outside on a muddy oval.

Walking the dogs on a sunny but cold and windy beach.

Crusing the aisles at Spotlight.

Deciding to cut apart a perfectly good brand new dress to add panels in so it fits me.

I've done anything and everything today to avoid finishing off those bathers that are starting to do my head in. I'm on the home stretch with them but all these alterations to the pattern are getting tiresome!

Summer sewing

I feel a little topsy turvy today as I'm beginning my first ever swim suit sewing project and it's currently 10 degrees outside! We have a holiday to Bali coming up very soon so I'm determined to get it finished asap.

After searching endlessly through online stores for a 50's inspired swim suit, I just couldn't find one that seemed to me wearable (without bodily parts spilling out at inappropriate times) or affordable (less than $300AU).

So off I then went in search of a 50's inspired swim suit sewing pattern. Again it was difficult until I stumbled upon this beauty:

Mrs Depew Vintage patterns - The One Piece Bathing Suit. 

Mrs Depew very sensibly suggests making a muslin for this one so here I am starting out with a not so subtle shade of green. I'm even considering using bra cups and/or underwire in this toile.... something I've not tried before but there's nothing like jumping in the deep end to stretch the brain cells! Sewing stretch material is a challenge but something I'm willing to try if I end up with a gorgeous vintage style swim suit. Wish me luck!

SIT Canberra 2012 - Day 1

Here is the first installment of a three part series on the craft weekend that has now become a heart warming, soul lightening, fabulous part of my year. Sew It Together. I love these gals.

_________________________________________________

Friday I arrived as bright and early as a sparrow's fluffer at Canberra airport to be greeted with a lovely fresh sub zero temperature outside. Nice! I love the cold though so it was no worry to me.

The lovely Posie picked myself and other crafty gals up in her Black Kidnapping Vehicle (thanks Posie!) and gave us a lovely tour of downtown and thereabouts of Canberra. I must say that Canberra hasn't changed all that much since I was there last in Grade 6 of primary school. The suburbs and city are so spread out that it all has a lovely country feel to it. We made it to the YHA in the city and checked in. I met up with my SIT buddy Megan of EdanRose with whom I had the pleasure of sharing a room last year. This year we even got to share a bed! More on that later.

Off our little group went to check out downtown Canberra. The YHA is so conveniently situated between all of our destinations that it didn't take long to get anywhere. Good choice of accommodation to whoever chose it! We all met up for the first time of the weekend at the Crowne Plaza and lots of hugs and squeals and awkward "I don't know you but I know all about you" moments were shared in the lobby. I got my first sneak peek at some craftiness when I spotted these belonging to Judy (correct me if I'm wrong??):

Then the beautifully omnipotent Sheridan arrived as did the mini bus to take us on our Friday Afternoon Shopping Trip. We filled that little bus and like last year, some of us knew each other and there was a good mix of newbies too. Lots of chatting and getting to know you talk. Even snack bags that Sheridan and her crew has put together for us! Our first stop was Addicted to Fabric - a big shop full of fabric loveliness. I kept myself restrained compared to last year and only drooled over the fabrics. It felt quite odd being in a lovely craft shop and not purchasing. Very odd....




Next stop was Bison ceramics. A lot of the gals in our bus went a bit bonkers over this gorgeous pottery. Again, nothing was purchased by me. Odd.But I was giddy with the colour and pattern in this room. Subtle and powerful all at once.

Our final bus trip destination for the evening, and perhaps the most jolly of the day, was the gorgeous Shop Handmade. A shop with so many handmade goodies that I kept on oohing and aaahing the whole way round that big space. There was a lovely little section toward the back where Sheridan had organised for us to snack on Macarons (Macaroons if you're a Frankston gal like me) and champagne. It was a lovely way to relax, chat with friends and do a spot of shopping. Again me = no shopping. By this stage I was wondering if I had a brain malfunction occurring.

The sweet Kylie finally arrived and by that time the entertainment had started. We were all so happy to see Kylie as we thought she'd gotten lost along the way! Then it was off to dinner at a lovely Thai restaurant and back to the room for some fabric adoration and then into bed. Unfortunately Megan and I had to rug up with beanies and jumpers as pyjama accessories as the heating wasn't working in our YHA room.... not a jolly thing during Winter in Canberra!

Stay tuned.....Coming soon, more photos and hijincks from Day 2 of SIT 2012 Canberra!!