The first 2 of 4

Well as I posted yesterday I have been toiling away. One toile did not work out - I had problems getting the neckband to work - I am going to unpick it and try putting it on again. I think it should have been cut on the bias even though it wasn't instructed to be.

Here is the first one that worked. It is the Simplicity 2336. I haven't hemmed it as it will be a throw away - or I might use it to practice rolled hemming on my overlocker.

I am not in love with it. The neckline is too wide I think but more than that it has a "large" facing on it that ends across the girls and I am not happy with that. If I do sew it up I will either use a band (as in the review from LauraM) or make the facing full length so that it is a "double front" so to speak. The main thing I don't like about it is that the instructions (unless I am reading them wrong) asks you to sew the large front facing onto the front and then the back facing onto the back and then the shoulders together. This makes the shoulders bulky and front and back don't match up exactly after the facing has been sewn on. Much better would be to sew the front and back facings together first IMO. Another weird thing is that the back neckline curves up but the facing was straight - strange - so I made my own back facing.

Curve of neckline shown yet facing is exact rectangle - am I missing something?

I like the length of the top and the fit is okay so I may make it up again with the above mentioned changes.

This next piece is the jacket in this pattern. This I do not like at all. Even picturing it in my mind in a nicer fabric doesn't work for me (the gingham was only a couple of dollars for a complete roll on sale at Spotlight so I thought it would make good practice fabric). I think the shapelessness of the jacket along with my size makes me look real "boxy".

I had intended to make this jacket up in the below lovely chiffon but don't want to waste the chiffon. Mind you - way back in March when I planned this I gelatined the chiffon as per Lena's instructions - it worked fantastically and it has been sitting there stiff ready to be sewed for months now.

I guess that is why we spend the time making up toiles until we get it right or decide it is not for us.


I have great expectations for the top from Simplicity 2344. It looks okay on - once I unpick the neckband and re-attach I will post pictures.

Toiling away

I can't believe that it has been so long since I blogged or sewed. Time had gotten away from me and other things got in the way.

But I am back at it AND in a new sewing room to boot! So today I produced two muslins / toiles (not quite sure what to call them) and tomorrow I plan on producing 2 more. (Pictures tomorrow). So why so many toiles? This ties into the reason I needed a sewing room.

To cut out material I used to have to remove both sewing machine and overlocker, all sewing implements etc from the dining table to be able to put down mats to cut out the fabric then put the machines back to sew then remove machines to cut again etc, so I decided to cut out the fabric for four garments to toile at once and then put the machines back to sew. That was back in March.....

Anyway - I got to thinking - we have a "nothing" room - more like a walkthrough. It has the bathroom, hallway and back sunroom off it and we use it for ironing - hence it was called the ironing room - now re-christened the sewing room. It had a whole lot of old books and a broken futon sofa that collected stuff and an ironing board in it. It had a cupboard in it that was used to store old linen and blankets that haven't been used in years.. so I thought - get rid of the futon and junk and make it a sewing room. Sooo - if I had to get rid of the futon - that entails a council junk day pick up which means I should really clean through the whole house to see what else can be thrown out.. So that takes up a couple of sewing weekends. Then we had visitors come to stay for a while - then I was told by the owner of a training business that I was updating my diploma with that he had sold the business and wanted me to finish my diploma within a a few weeks - which meant weekends creating assessment tools and assessments.... so finally - after making my sewing room I got to start to sew up the toiles I cut.

I purchased a fold up table for my machines - big mistake - huge - once you start sewing it is like sewing on a train on uneven tracks - things were flying everywhere! It was hilarious to start - not so much after a few hours - I feel like I have lost some fillings.

The sewing room:

Easy access to both machines

It is great to have the ironing board within reach

A new home for Babs - which means she has been moved from the lobby where she had many a good time scaring delivery men (my sister made me cover her!!)- and my first full length mirror

Some good storage space

It has been so long since I sewed that Elle had to check that I had threaded the overlocker correctly

And that I had cut the fabric properly

It is great to have a sewing space - Overall I am happy with the space but there are a few things that I will need:

A table that doesn't shake rattle and roll
A chair so that I don't have to steal the one out of my office
A TV / DVD player - not to watch TV (I am so envious of the likes of Carolyn who can put on TV marathons to watch while sewing - I have to concentrate way too much!!) but to put on instructional DVDs

With these additions my sewing space will be complete.

Toiles / Muslins I am doing:



The top from the above pattern - I am thinking of doing this top as the one pattern many looks contest on Pattern Review - still tossing up what pattern to use but this is the forerunner - I need lots of long sleeved tops.

Both the V-necked top from this one (without the gather) and the jacket

And finally this top. Don't know if this one will suit me - it will be a wait and see.

I entered the Natural Fabric contest but didn't get time to do anything with it. There is still time - but the natural fabric I have is so lovely that I want to take time with it so I don't want to rush.

I have been lurking around other sewing blogs and enjoying reading but been so busy that I haven't been able to take the time to comment much. I now look forward to having the time to really enjoy my sewing again and enjoy other sewers projects more. I even joined the Australian Sewing Guild so it is all full steam ahead now.

Until later...