Jungle January and the Sabertooth Swap.

The drought has broken.

It really took some doing to get my sewjo mojo a flowing. After so long with problems with my knee and our cold winter I lost the momentum with sewing. I did quite a bit of cutting and just a little sewing but really couldn't get my act together.

It took a great day at Tessutis with my sewing buddies (and Jungle January) to re-ignite my mojo. I took 3 items already cut out and ready to sew. At Tessutis I did the sewing of the seams on all 3, so all I had to do was the finishing - binding / hemming etc. The items made up so quickly and it really made me want to sew again.

In a beautiful navy hybrid crepe from EmmaOneSock I cut a Jalie 8 gore skirt and a pair of StyleArc Linda Pants. These are part of my Artisan's Square SWAP. These will be photographed when I finish some matching tops.

In a lovely fabric from Darn Cheap Fabrics I had a cut out dress from McCalls 5890. This is fabric I first saw on the lovely and talented Thornberry and HAD. TO. HAVE! With its fun scales it fits right into the Jungle. If you like anything animal head over to Pretty Grievances and check out the cat walk before the cruise ends. Yes - it's Jungle January.

It is quite a heavy ponte so will be put in the safari suitcase and pulled out in winter.

Of course I will wear it with a jacket or cardigan like below - but I am thinking more of the Orange StyleArc Fiona I have planned. There are touches of orange in the fabric but maybe full on Orange will be too much. I will have to look when I get the Fiona sewn.

Overall I am happy with the dress.

Oh - and btw - look at what Santa brought me.

This is so much better than the little cutting mats that I used before. Longer than my dining table. No more shuffling little boards around. It was purchased here and is 1.8m x 0.9m (or 71" X 36" for those not in cms). I was able to pick it up at Yagoona so even saved on the shipping.

On the cutting table....

I have some gorgeous fabric from The Remnant Warehouse. It is a Spirograph bengaline. It is more of a wedgwood colour than the aqua in the picture and quite beefy. The feel is lovely and it is a reversible jacquard - although I am only going to use one side (Can't decide which one though). I did purchase some of the red (which is less orange than in the pic on their website) for a dress and may use both sides of that one.

Although this is a departure from my A.S. SWAP, I can't help it - the fabric is crying out to be a pair of summer capris.

Also on the table is a lacy (from the remnants warehouse) little jardi. Short sleeved for summer. You can see the fabric in the pic of the cutting board but if you want a closer look you can find it here.

The lovely Anne at Pretty Grievances also gave me my Sabertooth SWAP partner. This is where we swap animal print fabric with a partner who then makes an item with it.

It was really exciting to receive fabric from Barbara at Barbara Jane Made. (And great to find another Aussie sewist). Barbara gifted me this lovely knit (and 2 spools of matching cotton - oh yeah!) and now I am deciding on what to make of it. It is thick without being too hot like ponte and has a nice recovery.

These are my picks. I can either make a top or use it for panels in a dress. I am leaning towards the top in the lower left corner.

Wish me luck.

Now before I go I want to share a tip I read on Sewing on the Edge. This tip is sure to CHANGE MY LIFE!!!!!! At the moment I and sitting in the loungeroom having a rest after the mammoth task of ironing steam a seam on the neckline and armholes of a dress (believe me - it is a mammoth task - especially in today's heat). Using Barbara's tip I shouldn't have to do that anymore. If you are one of the few who don't follow her or if you missed the post -  check it out.

P.S. I wrote this yesterday but hadn't taken the pics. The temperature has dropped 18 degrees celsius today (that is over 64 degrees fahrenheit) and it is actually cool - hallelujah.

Happy Australia Day to my fellow Aussies

Have a good sewing day.

Are we ready for the Jungle: AKA I have been sewing

We exercised vigorously to make sure we were fit for the trek into the Jungle.

We have made sure everything is packed for the trip.

We looked closely and checked that all paperwork, visas and passports are in order.

And now it is off to Anne from Pretty Grievances' Jungle trek.

Of course we had to dress to blend in..

This is the StyleArc Frankie dress.

Although looking at the photo it is way too short for me so I will be cutting it down to a top.

When I made the Creative Cate top the first time I mentioned that I would like to make it into a dress. Rather than mess with the pattern I purchased the Franki dress which is similar in shape but a whole dress. I think I will try the Creative Cate as a dress as I think I would prefer it to the Franki.

The cowl keeps wanting to turn to the outside but a little tip from the Gorgeous Ann from Gorgeous fabrics has fixed that. Thanks Ann.

The armholes were too big and the band for them too small. I ended up cutting bigger bands which helped fill in the armhole.

I also wasn't sure about the length and it ended up being a bit too short so I have hemmed it with a narrow hem.

I have already added sleeves to the Cate and I think the cowl is a little different too.

I do like it - but I don't love it. It will do it's time in wardrobe probation until I decide if it is a bad Franki or a good Franki.

Here it is with a cardi (RTW) which is how I will wear it - even as a top.

Next two items are the StyleArc Barb pants (sewn in StyleArc's Bengaline) and the Island Ali Top from StyleArc.

Alright alright - the top isn't exactly animal print but surely a trekker gets extra cruise bar credits for wearing the actual jungle itself!!!

The Barb pants are my December item for Make a Garment a Month and the top is my January item.

Simple review (I will do a detailed review on PR)

Barb - Love them. They are more slim lined than Linda and perfect for the Bengaline that I have been amassing. I also made the waist band double the width and slightly smaller than the body of the pant and therefore - no elastic needed.

Island Ali - hmmm - love the style but maybe a little tight (all that Christmas pud and cake - what - who said and wine????). This was a little more of a complicated sew than I am used to. Lots of concentration. Thanks to JillyBe for the guidance on her blog.

The neckline is too high and will have to come down a couple of inches (even though I had already taken some off)

I haven't added the elastic - a bit too tight for that.

One thing that confused me greatly was the side panels.. They were not symmetrical and no indication of whether the higher bit went at the front or back - so I just guessed. It looks like this.

I thought what better fabric to create an Island Ali in than this gorgeous fabric from Knitwit.

New things

- Using my rolled hem foot for knits (thanks JillyBe)
- Using FOE (Fold over elastic) - liking this but not liking the fact that it is not readily available - I still have envy of the wall of FOE that Alison came across in NZ. I did buy some on ebay but having the right colour available at the right time isn't easy.

Reflections

There have been a lot of reflections and top 5s around the blogisphere which I have enjoyed immensely. When you read someone's blog on a regular basis you loose track of all the wonderful items they have made and a snap shot of the year is like a smorgasbord.

I am not going to do a top five - simply because my sewing isn't at the stage where I can pick 5 I am totally happy with, nor will I do a five misses. Just some reflections on the year and on a few different items.

One of the things that I am heartily sick of is pilling.

Killed by the pill - these have gone into weekend wear as my gentle front loading washing machine has pilled the fabric already. Both the dress and the top didn't hold up. All my other garments are doing fine but these were 2 of my favourites and were quickly killed by the pill.

Most worn outfit for 2013.

Last year was the year of the dress and I enjoyed making and wearing them - and will make more - however this year (the beginning anyway) will be mainly separates to try to build up my wardrobe with the exception of today's Franki dress and the dress for my SWAP.

I also enjoyed initiating the Plus Sized Pattern Pyramid and Scary September.

Ahead in 2014

I have joined Sarah in the RTW fast. I have only purchased 2 items since I started sewing 2 years ago (with exception of undergarments ;-) and want to keep that up. This is one of the reasons that my wardrobe needs to be built up (my sewing has been slow and sporadic in successes LOL). I may have to break this fast to purchase an interview outfit as I will be hitting the sidewalk looking for a job soon and my sewing isn't up to job interviews just yet.

I shall also continue on with SarahLiz's Make a Garment A Month Challenge.

One of the things I am committing to in 2014 is purchasing quality fabric. Now you will still see some cheap and nasty fabric appearing in my sewing and that is because I have already purchased it. I want quality now.

I actually need to do a fabric purchase fast too but I have tried them in the past and failed dismally.

In just the short span of days of this year I have purchased the following:

*sigh* that doesn't even count what I purchased at the end of 2013.

I make this pledge - I will TRY not to purchase any more fabric..... I will TRY to only use fabric from the stash.... I didn't really stretch my skills last year. I will TRY to do better this year and try to incorporate new skills.

Sit and Sew at Tessuti's Sew Inn

Well what a day yesterday was. Seven dedicated sewists landed on the doorstep of Tessuti Fabrics in Surry Hills (at their invitation - thanks Dilliander for organising it with Tessutis) for a wonderful day of sitting, sewing and chatting and of course - fabric shopping!!!

Above are Kristy on left, moi in middle, Sharon on the end with Wendy at the cutting table. Velosewer and Margaret are missing in action from the photo - probably roaming the aisles drooling at the fabric - I know that is what I was doing in a Zombie like trance when I first arrived). Dilliander (from Pattern Review - and winner of Tessuti's gridlock competition) took the photo.

It was a great set up - no need to lug our machines as Tessuti's had Berninas set up for us and a couple of overlockers. This is the area where they normally hold classes. They will be putting up next year's classes soon and I am hoping to join the "bring your own project" class. It was amazing how many customers came over to check us out and see what was going on - and asking us for advice!

The stunning Colette from Tessuti Fabrics made us feel more than welcome. Check out the blog she and Lisa write about Tessuti, their fabrics and patterns. We really couldn't have had a better hostess. She was on hand to help if there were any questions about the machines, showed us where we could get tea and coffee, chatted to us about our sewing and offered us a lovely on the day discount.... as if the fabric wasn't tempting enough..... and yes *sigh* a couple of gorgeous pieces came home with me. (And I know I wasn't the only one from our group who had a little splurge or two) I really had to restrain myself. Their fabric is of such a fine quality. This is what I purchased.

On the top is a most exquisite 100% silk chiffon with a self stripe. Underneath is an amazing faux suede. I say amazing as it feels so much like suede I can't believe it isn't. It has a wonderful weight to it and was initially going to be a skirt - however there was a bit left on the roll so Colette threw that in too so I am thinking my TNT dress may get another edition.

I was initially drawn to the silk as I was lucky enough to get in quick and get some of the paprika coloured stretch bengaline from StyleArc before it sold out (yes - it went in the blink of an eye) and I wanted some fabric to match the Barb pants I am going to make with the Bengaline. Then I saw the suede and I was in LURVE. So these items have been re-homed in my stash until my skills are up to using them....

I managed to finish a Style Arc Fay skirt and half of a Style Arc Pia top at Tessuti's and am hoping to finish the top today (if I can drag myself away from stroking the suede!!)

BTW - Anne over at Pretty Grievances has announced Jungle January mark 2 ... how exciting. Purr Purr. I did look at a beautiful peach leopard silk at Tessuti's. Glad I hadn't heard the announcement before going as I am not sure I could have resisted it had I known..

What are you up to today?

Border line border print Cate

Well here is another Creative Cate top. This time in a border print.

I purchased this fabric and have been troubled by it ever since. Being 5'8 or 177 cm tall I was having problems with the space between the "borders". It wasn't a border on the selvedge but a repeating pattern and if I wanted the pattern at the bottom of a top, I had to cut into a bit of the pattern at the top and every pattern I had chosen for it was not practical. It would have been better had I purchased more of the fabric - I could have simply incorporated the pattern in both the top and bottom of the pattern - but alas - I had only purchased what I would normally for a top and therefore I only had 2 purple pattern bits in my fabric. This gave me pause. Until I came up with this:

I put the pattern at the top and I cut a "band" and put it on the bottom. Now I am entering this into One Pattern Many Looks on Pattern Review and I don't think it breaks the rules of drafting as no drafting was done. Instead of adding the 4 3/4 inches to the bottom of the pattern I need for my height and stomach, I added twice that much in a folded band.

I don't like it as much as my animal print one - maybe it is the band - not sure - I will have to live with it for a while - but am happy with it if for no other reason than it gets my purple pants out of the wardrobe they had been sitting in for 2 years as they were an orphan. I don't know what possessed me to buy them in the first place as I had nothing to go with them - I guess they looked good on the TV. Now they have a friend to play with.

Now to other news:

I have almost completed 2 items for Jungle January - Vogue 8815 peplum top and a skirt in an animal print that matches my first version of Cate..... however ..... my newly purchased second hand Elna 744 is skipping stitches BADLY in the coverhem....... I don't know if it is the needles or it needs a service.... *sigh*. Sad news is ... I don't know if they will be done in time to make an appearance on the "cat"walk. Luckily the sleeves on the above was done just as it started playing up and the bottom was taken care of with the "band".

I don't have any more of the "special" Schmetz ELx705 needles that came with the machine.... There is a drought of them is Sydney.... I don't even know if you can purchase them here. I will change the needles and see if that helps.... otherwise... I am going to have to take it in for a service. :-(

Any fellow Sydney sewists - especially in Inner West area - how much does an overlocker service normally cost and do you know any good service people?

Help!!!

StyleArc Creative Cate Top - Jungle January

Jungle January has jumped onto the calendar and here is my first item to parade:

The Creative Cate Top from StyleArc patterns.

Many people have reviewed this top on PR however I was a little concerned that it would suit me. My main concern was the sleeve length. I need sleeves to hide the tuck shop arms but was concerned over how a lengthened sleeve would look on a style like this. When I saw Kelly's version I was happy to give it a go.

The purrfect fabric for this is my animal mishmash that just goes purrfectly with Prttynpnk's Jungle January - in praise of textile beasties. I love the colours of this fabric and the feel is divine too.

In addition to lengthening the sleeves by 2 3/4 inches I lengthened the body by 4 3/4 inches. I also changed the hem to a "shirt tail" hemline as I like the look. I am very happy with the outcome.

I also added some stay tape to the shoulders.

Only 3 pattern pieces and one is a small neck band for the back!!

This top is so easy it practically sews itself. I can prove this - look how good it is - certainly not my sewing!!!! Sews up quick too. Just put the neckband on, sew up the sides and then attach the front cowl piece to the shoulders and sew. The hemming is what takes the longest.

Pictured with StyleArc Linda Pants

The top took 2 1/2 hours to sew. Very easy and highly recommended.

This will now be the first item for my Artisans Square SWAP 2013

I see many many more of these in my near future ...... hmm .... do I hear one pattern many looks contest???