Oh what a beautiful weekend - and time to fess up - winner of contest announced

The very talented Sharon from Petite and Sewing organised a sewing weekend at the Mecure Hotel in Parramatta. 15 sewistas took over a room to converse and create to our hearts content.

What a great weekend.

We each had our own table which was a real treat. No worrying about encroaching on other people's room. There were 2 ironing boards and irons set up at the front although a lot of the sewists had their own iron and board set up - and thanks heaps to Sharon for letting me use hers.

There were capachinos on tap - not the cheap stuff - but the Geoge Clooney type in a machine that did it all at a touch of a button. There was yummy morning and afternoon tea and delicious warm lunches (steaks, fish. veal, chicken) to feed the hordes.

I arrived about 9:00 ish on the Saturday with my Janome and Elna both accompanying me to our great getaway, along with pre-cut fabric for a few items ready to sew.

My goals were easy ones. I wanted to walk away with some work clothing which I am still desperately in need of.

1. StyleArc Abby Cardigan in a teal slinky from EOS to match my teal StyleArc Linda pants (alreay worn TWICE since the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
2. McCalls 2401 TNT dress in a wonderful double sided knit from the Remnants Warehouse.
3. StyleArc Marni Ponte jacket in a matching double sided knit
4. Busting Butterick Jacket in a rust hemp / cotton (finishing)

You will notice that I left the jacket I was working on for my Busting Butterick challenge to last. This is because I really wanted some "quick wins" for my weekend - things to walk away with that I can wear immediately and my jacket is still very much a muslin.

Finished garments will be shown when I can take pics.

It was a fantastic weekend and I feel lucky to have participated. Not only to concentrate on getting some clothes sew with no interruptions, but to meet some great ladies who share the sewing love. I wish we had one every weekend!

Now onto other news...

My facts and lie contest.

Here is the wash of the responses:

1	I have para-glided off the beach in Corfu Greece	4
2	I have written 2 crime novels	4
3	I used to lie in confession	3
4	I hung out with Biker gangs when I was younger	0
5	I have a small tattoo of a Rose on my shoulder in honour of my Grandmother Rose Evelyn Scifleet	1
6	I have been attacked by a Serval and have a scar on my hand from the attack	1
7	I have shot guns and rifles	4

So what is true and what is a lie???

First a confession of another type.

Due to a technicality there are 2 falsehoods. One an error of language and one a deliberate lie. Due to fairness I have decided to put respondents for both into the pot for the surprise package.

Now - I saw in the comments that I must have led an interesting life..... well as we will see in a moment - anything can look interesting - given the right spin.

1. I have para-glided off a beach in Corfu Greece

Now here is my problem. I have para-sailed off a beach in Corfu.. I got the language wrong. It was, after all, in 1987 and my memory is not exactly perfect. Due to the different levels of complexity and risk involved in para-gliding as apposed to para-sailing - I will put people who voted for this into the pot. 

2. I have written 2 crime novels

Clever Ista sussed out that I didn't say published! See - not as interesting a life as it could have been. Unfortunately it was back in the days of DOS operating systems (thanks God for creating Bill Gates who created MS Windows!!!) and actual "floppy" discs - so whilst I have them printed out (on a dot matrix printer) I don't have them on a computer anymore. I wrote them in response to a couple of competitions - many decades ago now. Needless to say - I didn't win - and whilst I used to sit there imagining myself the next "Earle Stanley Gardner" (Thanks Anne) nothing ever came of it. But it was fun at the time.

3. I used to lie in confession

*Sigh* I must confess (ha ha) that this is true. I mean - I was a GOOD girl. I was the one who used to make tea and sandwiches for the little old ladies in our neighbourhood. And in the lead up to first holy communion I had to do confession on a weekly basis. What 7 year old child sins ON A WEEKLY BASIS??? Well not this GOOD girl. I mean I was naughty at times - but jeez - not on a weekly basis.. And when you kneel in those scary dark boxes (yes I hear you Mrs Mole) and say "Bless me father for I have sinned. It has been - jeez a whole - 7 days since my last confession and these are my sins..... It kind of sets you up to have to confess to something.... I mean - I was right for the first confession - reeled them off like a pro.. but then I was done. The next week - in that short period of time - at the age of 7 - I HAD NOT SINNED. So being a good catholic girl I couldn't say I hadn't sinned - that would have been the sin of arrogance. So being a people pleaser as I was then, I used to make up my sins - I guess another sin in itself. So the priest was happy - got to absolve me of my sins. I was happy - another person pleased. The nuns were happy as I knelt and did my penance - the things a kid has to do...

4. I hung out with Bikers when I was young.

Hmm - no one picked this. I must look like a biker chick. It is alas true - but again - not as "glamorous" as it seems. I was very young. Between about 10 and 12 and I was really hanging out with my sister and older friend (who actually ended up marrying one of the bikers). They were very kind and protective of me. By the time I grew old enough to know what was happening around me - I wasn't hanging out there anymore. But still - some fun memories.

5. I have a small tattoo of a Rose on my shoulder in honour of my Grandmother Rose Evelyn Scifleet

LIE - Loved my grandmother Rose. Have nothing against tattoos. DON'T like needles. It's funny - Leigh Ann - the one person who picked this - did so for a funny reason.

"At first, I was going to choose #6, because it seems unlikely (I didn't even know what a serval was--I had to look it up), but then I decided that anything that sounds so unlikely is probably true! So I am going to go with #5, the rose tattoo on the shoulder, because by an odd twist of logic in my brain, that seems like it could easily be true, so probably isn't!"

6. I have been attacked by a Serval and have a scar on my hand from the attack

Again - not as glamorous as it seems. No I wasn't on safari in the wilds of Africa but in an Australian Zoo in the 70's. This was before the time of the great enclosures they have now. Back then they just had bars. I swear I didn't put my hand through the bars... I was simply pointing to the cat too close to the bars and as swift as could be - both paws came out and grabbed my hand. Luckily I didn't panic and just peeled it's claws out of me. It was obviously looking for a snack - some finger food perhaps!

7. I have shot guns and rifles. 

Yep I have. When we were kids my grandparents had some hunting rifles - which my brothers used to shoot fruit off the neighbours trees (in suburban Sydney too). Anyway - I had a turn - couldn't hit anything. It was not long after that, my mother got rid of the rifles. Just recently (a year or so ago) my sister was saying how she would love to shoot a gun.. just to try it. I did too. So I booked us a session at the Sydney Olympic Shooting Range. It was great. We both got 50 rounds of ammunition and under the watchful eye and tutelage of a worker there - we shot targets. Fun but I am glad that Australia has strict gun laws and have no wish to pack metal on a regular basis.

Well - now you know way too much about me. 

And now to draw out the winner...

Drum roll please.

The lovely L from You Sew, Girl 

L - please email me with your address so that I can send a "surprise package" your way.

Also, I would like to give another prize to Leigh Ann who was not drawn out of the pot but did get the "original lie" right. Leigh Ann, please also email me your address.

Email is bevinvest (AT) bigpond (DOT) com

Style Arc Abby Cardigan

As promised here are a couple of pictures wearing the Abby Cardigan - front and back. Next Abby I make I will definitely make longer and probably come down one size but add a full bust adjustment. The sleeves and back are a little big. I am still getting sizing right

Hmmm - photos are somewhat revealing aren't they - pant view from the back - not so good!!! Static electricity is a killer isn't it? Maybe I need a puckered butt adjustment - is there such a thing?? These pants are ready to wear but wearing out - so I am going to take them apart for a pant pattern. I am not quite up to crotch adjustments!!! Is anyone?

I have purchased some hi-tech matte hybrid crepe from EmmaOneSock. (their name for it - not mine). I don't know why it is called hi-tech - I am hoping that the fabric is like the fabric in the invisibility cloaks on Harry Potter and make all rolls, lumps and bumps disappear!  I saw it on Margy's blog A Fool for Fabric and knew I had to get me some. It was expensive - especially with the cost of shipping (apparently it is heavy) - but I desperately need new slacks... I purchased teal and navy and chocolate....

Next on the agenda is the start of my Spring wardrobe.

I am going to commence with a copy of a ready to wear top that is one of my favourites but again - wearing thin. (Notice it is BLACK!! Although it looks black and white it is actually a pale gold)

It is a boucle type?? knit (bubbly???) very comfortable but has risen up a little as my stomach has expanded out a lot!! It is a cross over. I am going to make it in the below material that is the same as the one in the Abby cardi but in blue. I will make it a bit longer (to cover pucker butt!)

Once I have the template for the slacks and top I will feel much better about using patterns and adjusting them.

Until next time.

One pattern many looks FAIL! & S.W.A.P Swapped

(Warning warning: long blog - it has been a while!!!)

Well - I didn't get to do my one pattern many looks entries. First I had hurt my ankle, then visitors arrived... then I started preparing for sewing....

First - the border print didn't fit - the space between the border pattern was too small for the length of the top. Second - I forgot to gelatin the blue chiffon so it was running all around the table when I tried to cut it so I put it aside to pick up the white material. That cut well and I was happily sewing away........ only to find that I had sewed the sleeve on to the top inside out - with the overlocker!! My family thought this hilarious - not so much me.... I decided that I didn't like the material enough to sit there unpicking the overlocked stitches so I thought that obviously this competition was not for me!!!

Then I thought about what I wanted to sew and looked at my SWAP (Sewing with a Plan). Oh how uneducated I am in the ways of sewing! I thought I was so cool creating my SWAP earlier in the year. I, in my infinite newbie non-wisdom, thought that sewing with a plan meant - well - planning what you were going to sew for the next year. Little did I know that it was much more organised than that. That sewing with a plan involves creating a coordinated wardrobe - items that can be mixed and matched so that you end up with great many outfits to wear.

It has only been through reading other's blogs and the message boards at Pattern Review that I learnt the errors of my ways. And besides - my SWAP really wasn't working for me. I missed months and I changed my mind because of the siren call of new patterns and fabrics. Not only that but until the "mini wardrobe" month - nothing would match. Also, my previous SWAP used all my favourite fabrics and I am not yet at the stage where I want to use great material. You live and learn.

So I am going to swap my SWAP. It is a lady's prerogative to change her mind after all.

Why do a SWAP at at all?  Sewing a wardrobe is a big task. Especially for a beginner. The reason is my current wardrobe is not great. Most of it is old and black or if it isn't black it doesn't match with anything else. My wardrobes are busting at the seams with mostly unworn / unwearable clothes. I really do have very few wearable clothes. I am a business trainer that goes to many different organisations and teach everyone including directors of the business. I have been thinking for some time now that I have become lazy in my dressing - I pull out my black slacks (I have many different versions) and then pull out a top. I really need new clothes and to move away from black slacks. And also - what better way to learn? I am going to concentrate on business clothes and then once I have enough I am going to do a wardrobe clean out!

I am going to create a wardrobe based around basic colours. I remember reading Carolyn's Blog - Diary of a Sewing Fanatic where she had purchased 10 YARDS of ivory fabric. I thought to myself - why would anyone buy 10 yards of anything - let alone a plain colour????? Not that I was questioning Carolyn's choice at all - just didn't bear thinking about - when there is all that pretty patterned fabric around.. Now that I have cottoned on to what a SWAP should be, I have had to purchase more of the base colours fabrics that I had in my stash to create a wardrobe - it all makes sense now.

First I chose my fabrics for my base. I know that there are "colours" out there that are supposed to match you - Summer / Winter colours etc. However I haven't had my colours done and this is the fabric I have in my stash. I actually started choosing coordinating fabrics to buy a few months ago now so I have been purchasing with a purpose!


I have looked in my stash to see what coordinating fabrics I have and this is what I have come up with. I have made a wardrobe for each season with some items overlapping as they fit in both wardrobes.. I know I wanted to move away from black but my summer wardrobe is a lot of black and white as I think that it is very fresh looking.
These are my SWAPS. They will take me quite a while to get through (I am thinking years) but will give me clothes that actually coordinate - this will be a first for me.

The Autumn and Winter SWAPs are much more coordinated as I was originally going to start with those ones - until injuries occurred.

Will purchase lightweigh navy, chocolate and white slacks to go with summer

Now - I am sure I wont get through it all - that is not really my intent - and I have heard that people do get sick of their SWAPs but at least it will give me some where to start - some ideas that I can pick and choose from. I will probably only get through a few items from each season. But they will coordinate. The ones I will definitely do are the key items in all SWAPs and then I will try them on and think about the options on the SWAP that will go with them the best and sew as many as I can of those. I am also sure that I will take breaks from my swap when something catches my eye. I may even change the items as I go. I just needed a plan to start with.

I am definitely going to have to find myself a good teacher to help me get through it.

I would love some feedback. Apart from the massive amount of items - as I said - I am sure I won't get through it all - have I got it right this time? Will this work?

I have actually started on my winter SWAP and completed one item. Then I developed a massive pain in my chest - feeling like broken ribs but not tender to the touch. Doctor thinks it is a pinched nerve in my spine so off I went to have x-rays - seems I have lots of problems with my spine - worst being compression fractures of some vertebrae... Will need to have injections into the spine (ouch - putting it off and hoping pain will go away - nothing like being an ostrich) so after I completed this item - I haven't been able to sew. It looks like I will start again with my Spring collection since by the time I will be able to sew Winter will be drawing to a close.

Here is the item on Babs. On person photos when I am up to it.

Mignon knit from Fabric.com

It is the Style Arc Abby Cardigan. I am loving it. (not quite as shiny in life without flashbulbs going off!)  The fabric has a crushed look and and feels lovely. It is lighter in thickness than it looks and I have purchased it in red/blue and teal. I haven't hemmed it - I have left the selvage as the hem but I will need to hem the sleeves as they are too long (although I have worn it a few times with the sleeves tucked up - It is after all black and fits into my current wardrobe). According to the stretch I should have sewn it with the "stripes" running horizontal as in the fabric picture - but I liked the look of it running vertical - especially on the sleeves.

I am pleased with the outcome and Babs was of great help assisting me during the construction to help me figure out what attached to what. The fit is good and I shall make another I am sure....

Until next time.