Update

The lovely Lynda from Lynda's Sewing and Swaps stopped by my blog to see if I was okay as I haven't blogged for a month and have also been a little behind in my blog reading. How lovely to think that someone across the ocean is thinking of you. It really makes my heart feel warm to know that I have made such good sewing buddies. So I thought I would update you on what is happening on the road to sew wear.

First I would like to thank all who gave advice on the problem I was having with World Press. Chris - your solution of pulling down the edges worked. Thanks.

Also a huge thanks to Rhonda Buss from Rhonda's Creative Life who posted to me all the way from the USofA a wonderful Sew Stylish magazine that she is featured in. I was lucky enough to win it on her blog (on my birthday at that!!!!) and I really enjoyed reading all of the great articles. Very informative.. It was very generous of her to pay for the postage (which was eye popping) - what else would you expect from someone who put a lot of time and effort into her inspiring Mary Bridge project and is a pilot who rescues animals. My absolute hero.

And I was also amazed to see our (Australia's) gorgeous Pete Evans on the inside back cover...

If you want to see Pete in action you can watch episodes of My Kitchen Rules on Chanel 7 where he is a judge along with the smooth and delicious Manu Feidel. Yum - and I am not talking about the food.

I would also like to say a big thanks to Fiona from Seams Straightforward and Lynelle from You Sew Girl  who were worthy recipients of the Leibster Award and kindly passed it to me.  Also the gorgeous and prolific creator of lovely suits Dorothy Dotdot at Sewing fun things, who received and passed on to me the Sunshine award. Thank you ladies - I am warmed and humbled by your awarding this to me. As I have been a past recipient of the Leibster  (thanking Valerie from Valerie's Own Blog) I won't go into all of the questions and passing on but I do want you to know how grateful I am that you read and enjoy my little blog.  

In other news I spent some time a few weeks ago exploring a bit of the "wholesale" end of sewing in Sydney. Thanks to a class I attended with my local ASG (on fitting - fab class) I found out that there is a gem of a place in Surry Hills called E M Greenfield (30 Ann Street Surry Hills) which is a warehouse for sewing bits and bobs. Up two flights of stairs (Phew puff puff) I found an Aladdin's cave of magnificence. 

A while back I purchased this much 2 inch knitted elastic (great for the waistband of the SA Barb pants) for $7.50 a metre

1 metre $7.50

Yesterday I purchased this much of 2 inch knitted elastic (exactly the same) from EM Greenfield for $12.50 for the WHOLE ROLL - a massive 50 cents a metre.......... Woo hoo.

25 metres for $12.50

There was so much stuff that I would need a week just for one aisle. And I didn't even venture up the next flight of stairs to the fabric. Gotta love this place.

I also sussed out Standard Knits but alas they no longer sell by the 5 metre min. Only by the roll and a roll is way too much for me.

After being disappointed at Standard Knits I moseyed on to the old favourite Remnants Warehouse - which strangely enough is not a warehouse (like EM Greenfield) and purchased some off-cuts off their off-cut table.

If you look closely at the above pictures of the elastic you can see some lovely striped suiting fabric that will be made into a jacket and pants (or skirt depending on my mood).

Also this lovely rib knit

This is my favourite - a wool blend with stitched detail. The colour is closer to the 2nd picture but doesn't show the detail as well as the first. It is also a matt felt look not at all shiny.

This is what it looks like in colour and texture - Will it be a dress or a long skirt to wear with boots????

On the table 

I have almost completed the StyleArc Haper Jacket out of beautiful Navy Hybrid Stretch Crepe from Emma One Sock - just need to cover and sew in the shoulder pads (that I purchased at EM Greenfield for $1.50 a pair) and give it a final iron.

And then I shall do a crepe version of the Linda pant out of the lovely matching navy Hybrid Crepe.

Unfortunately sewing has been put on hold for a little while as I have been given a full month's worth of work (commencing on Monday). A lot of people think that you turn up on the day and train but I have to write activities, session plans, prep assessments, compile excel records etc etc which takes a lot of time. I have a class of 14 and weekends will be spent marking work and projects and then prepping for the following week (although I will take a little time out for a get together of sewing friends)

Also, straight after the last day of training (Friday 23rd May) I will be leaving for a lovely sewing weekend away so therefore I have been spending time cutting patterns out and putting sewing projects together so that I don't waste time away.

Problems with World Press or problems with my computer????

Is anyone else out there experiencing the following problem when trying to comment on World Press?

See where you have to type in your comment - It won't expand out.

This has been happening on all the World Press sites I comment on and has been for a few weeks now. I have tried googling it but all the results are very old.

Anyone have a solution?

Sewing Sister's Sydney Social Stay

Hey all, the gorgeous Lynnelle (L from You Sew Girl) is coming down under and we are getting together in Sydney on Sunday 18th May..

Lynnelle is currently hosting a trench sew-a-long on her blog and I am really excited to be able to meet her (not that I am participating in the sew along - trenches are out of my league at the moment).

Remember the magnificent coat that Lynnelle made.

If you would like to get together with us on the 18th please let me know. Haven't got a place yet but will let you know when I know possible numbers. Any suggestions?

Also, any great ideas on what Lynnelle can do in Sydney? I have put forth the following suggestions..

Climbing the Sydney harbour bridge

Visit the Opera House

Powerhouse Museum

Sydney Zoo

Sydney Aquarium

The Rocks (first settlement of Sydney)

There lunch cruises too on Sydney Harbour

Would love to get a group of sewing sisters together.

A Bundle of Barbs - On trend or so last week?

Well you know I love me some StyleArc and I have finished 3 pairs of StyleArc Barb Pants in StyleArc Bengaline. They go together so quickly and I LOVE the way they feel.

As I had sewn them twice before - the first one in stone and the second (tweaked) one in cocoa I knew I was okay with fit (well - my version of okay - I haven't worked out if seams are right and what the pulls mean) and at this stage I am happy so I purchased new rotary cutter blades and cut the fabric for all three pairs at once. I then took them along to the SewInn at Tessuti's on the 8th and sewed them all up in the morning. I hadn't hemmed them though which is why they haven't had their photo taken until now.

Here is the version in Paprika Bengaline along with a previously sewn Cate top. Excuse the wrinkles - they have been out in the car and shopping.

Alright - alright - they are orange - but if StyleArc can call it Paprika then so can I!!

I had originally put them on with the spice coloured Michelle tunic but thought that it was much too much orange for one person in one outfit at one time. Am I finally learning restraint??? God I hope not.

Here is a hanger shot of Mint and Red..

I have also sewn (but not completed yet) a lime green adaption of the barb to be a more Capri length.

So - am I on trend with my bright coloured pants - or am I several leaps and bounds behind the herd?  ......... I am not that worried about trend - I just love my bright pants.

The style is something I wear a lot for business and purchase at Ezibuy but these are the colours available -

Oh joy - so colourful - not. They cost $50 per pair or 2 for $89. Now the cost of StyleArc Bengaline and my size makes it a little cheaper to make ($32) but not a massive amount- but oh the colours when you make them yourself!!!!

My cocoa coloured ones were Bengaline from the The Remnants Warehouse and ended up only costing $14 to make as their Bengaline is sooo much cheaper - a little thinner - but still good - but I love the colours of the StyleArc ones.

BTW - I just purchased a whole lot of Aubergine coloured Bengaline from StyleArc and sooo want to make another pair of Barbs but the colour is just so gorgeous I might make a work suit. Egad - that means jacket and skirt.

I am not putting these forward as my March garment for MAGAM - still hoping to get something "new to me" done.

Next up is my lime coloured capris and a lime coloured caftan top (maybe too much lime??)

What is on your sewing table?

Make a Garment a Month Challenge - March Plans!!!

Sarah Liz has posted the March theme for Make a Garment a Month (MAGAM) challenge. I had to laugh out loud when I read it. It is me all over. Could have been written just for little old me.

"So as sewers, maybe we should steal a march and declare our own spring sewing war - you know, the one we all have every year, and never quite win - garments planned and not quite sewn."

Guilty guilty guilty. Go directly to jail and do not pick up $200 for more fabric.

I have made plan after plan after plan - all beautifully laid out in PowerPoint with few completions (although I am doing well with my current SWAP plan for Artisans Square).

As a matter of fact, my failure to complete plans made me say that I won't post any plans for MAGAM but do what my sewjo mojo tells me to at the time. In honour of this month's theme, I am actually going to post plans!!!! But I am going to post a few and then decide in March (I will probably end up doing something completely different and therefore defeat the theme!!!!!!!)

My  MAGAM has been hit and miss. I missed October, got in November and December. I did make something for January (the StyleArc Island Ali top but it had issues that are now fixed but didn't get fixed by end of Jan), and of course I have done February.

Now do I tie in my March plans with my Artisan's Square SWAP? Jalie top with a lovely ruffled knit. It is planned and not yet sewn.

Or do I tie it in with Pattern Review New Pattern to Me competition? Hot Patterns Manta Ray Skirt and top in an aubergine (image doesn't show correct colour) stretch crepe. This has been planed to be sewn for some time now - however not written down

Do I do another top on my SWAP plan that first appeared in a Plan in 2012

Or do I do something non competition related and as yet unplanned - although I have been thinking about it for some time? Fill my wardrobe gaps with neutral non patterned tops?

Or do I do something completely different? Decisions decisions!

What should I do?

And what about you? Are you planning for March?

Butterick 5855 and StyleArc Shelly Top

I have finished another 2 tops. I had them all packed up to go to my ASG meeting at Rhodes to sew on Saturday however arthritis got the better of me and I ended up sewing them yesterday (Sunday AUS time).

They were both already cut and in plastic project bags and therefore they didn't take much time to sew up at all.

The first is the Butterick 5855 Caftan. I made View D. Not a very good pic from their website. I know that there are many people who can easily whip up their own caftan pattern - after all - it really is just a couple of rectangles - but I recall a teacher's comments on one of my projects at school. "Beverley needs to learn to draw straight lines". Well I never did and even the use of the technically advanced piece of equipment called a ruler doesn't help me much. So I figured if I want to cut straight lines I better get someone else to draw them!

I made it in the border print poly chiffon as blogged about in last post. This fabric looks so much better in life. It is absolutely gorgeous. I didn't make it as specified in their pattern as I had borders that I really wanted to incorporate so it is wider than the pattern. I also added an inch on the fold when I cut it, thinking it would give me more neck room - but I didn't end up needing it as it was wide enough as is. I also scooped a bit from the neck - I also really didn't need that. I was going to do a bias ribbon finish on the inside as I did with my tunics - but I had scooped so much that I thought a added neckband would fill it a bit. I do think the added neckband gives it a bit more interest too.

This pattern calls for darts from the bottom of the caftan to under the arms (or half way up) I didn't do this either but just added a line of stitching from under the arm to about the hips - giving a "split" that the pattern doesn't call for. Makes it easier for sitting I think. My tush needs room to spread you know. I added 2 inches to the length and then ended up cutting it off again. The length was perfect as is for my height.

I also did my first French seam across the shoulders. Note to self - in future make sure you trim all the frayed bits off otherwise you get "hairs" sticking out of your seams! I used my narrow hem foot to do the hems (as in my tunics) all the way around. Not much else to tell about the construction. It really is an easy cut and sew.

French seam

Right side of French Seam without trimming the fuzz first - where's those scissors!!!!

Overall, I am very pleased with this caftan. This fabric was one of my first fabric purchases and I don't know if your firsts are extra special or if it is true love with this fabric - but I was too scared to use it until now. Even on what would be considered easy by others - a caftan! It's not the cost - this fabric was a whopping $4.95 per yard from Denver Fabrics. It is more that it is so nice. A shame it is not silk. I would have paid the extra for silk but alas it only came in polyester.

This brings me to a question. I have another gorgeous border print poly purchased at the same time. What do I do? A caftan with the borders on the side like this one or a Michelle Tunic with the border on the bottom?

Now to my next sew. The StyleArc Shelly top.

No need to see the back - moving right along - nothing to see here. No need to see all the lumps and bumps the fabric shows!

Not so happy with this one and you know I am a lover of SA. It is not the way the pattern came together - easy peasy. It is more the look on me.  I haven't hemmed the bottom or cuffs of this. I also haven't ironed the seams. Supervisory Special Cat Elle is not impressed. This was sewn up as a muslin using a fabric I purchased on the internet and didn't read the description which talked about metallic and glitter. Hmmmm - didn't show up on the picture on the web. Teach me to read it properly.

I love me a cross over but I think this cross over it too high for me. The girls are very fussy you know. They like a low neckline and a cross that doesn't go across them but under. Emphasises them too much when the hem crosses them I think. I also don't like the gathering across the tum. I don't know if it is my sewing, the fabric or the size of my tum - but it just looks like wrinkles. That is an easy fix though. As for the cross over, I am thinking of going back to my original thought of using Jalie - although that will muck with my "Making my mARC with styleARC" SWAP for Artisans Square. *Sigh*

I do want make the cross over in this lovely ruffled fabric. Yes yes yes - I hear the yells and screams. Ruffles on big bosoms and tums just adds more bulk - but what can I say - I love the fabric. I am thinking of running the ruffles diagonally on the front following the cross over.

A big thank you to Rhonda  for the compliments on the up do. Here it is in all it's glory.

Courtesy of Jessica Simpson - although I really don't think it is her hair LOL!!!

Second StyleArc Michelle Tunic

This is the second Michelle Tunic I made. I really like this fabric and I did make a change in the neckline.

BTW I am wearing an apricot cami on underneath!!

I love the "flowing" feel of the sleeves.

My first tunic (in the last post) had a v-neck - but I found it difficult to do the bias strip "facing" - don't know what else to call it.

This one I changed to a kind of key hole - I think - I don't know what else to call it.
You can't see it too well in the photos but it is shaped like this. Much easier for me to do than a V.

Back view

Next up is a non StyleArc pattern (I can hear the screams from here!!!)

I will be using a poly chiffon with a border.

Then after that - back to my StyleArc addiction.