Month: May 2011

children's clothing, kids clothing, sewing

Stella’s abigail dress

There were enough garments sewn and/or altered at Sewjourn to get me through weeks of blog posts!  Consider yourself warned.

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The pattern is Abigail by modkid.  I made the 3T size for Stella. I was able to use scraps left over from a t-shirt and a pyjama top – despite being bought about a year apart, they coordinated!  Beautiful quality cotton/lycra from Darn Cheap Fabrics (not from the $2 per metre table this time – I think they were around $7 or $8 per metre).

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Stretch fabrics make such comfy dresses for kids (and we all know how much I like comfy). This was an easy dress to assemble and will possibly fit for a couple more years – I can let the sleeve hems down and the dress will just become a tunic as Stella grows.

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This dress was constructed almost entirely on my Janome Mylock 744D.  In a previous post I mentioned how often I swore at my overlocker when I was at Sewjourn.  Well, now I have to speak nicely to it and apologise – because after I returned I made it into the sewing machine shop and bought some new overlocker needles.  And I put them in the overlocker.  And now it is sewing perfectly (although it’s still a bit noisy and I think that there are better overlockers around).  The moral of the story?  When your machine is skipping stitches and sewing badly – change the needles.  And make sure that you put in the specified type.  The HA-ISP needles have made all the difference to my overlocker.  And I’ve stopped swearing.

by thornberry
adult's clothing, refashioning, sewing

non-maternity jeans

I bought a pair of Rock and Republic jeans for $2 at the Lancefield op shop last weekend.  They looked as though they’d never been worn, so I just bought them figuring that they looked as though they’d fit me.  When I did try them on, the fit through the legs and hips was great – except that the rise was TINY!  These jeans were so low cut that they were almost indecent even before bending over.  So I did what any self respecting seamstress should do – I cut off the waistband and replaced it with a wide stretchy band of ponte knit.

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These are now extremely comfortable and the rise is more than socially acceptable. I usually wear fairly long tops, so the chances of the band being seen are very slim. I did remove a few rivets and the zipper pull before stitching the band to the jeans – no need to break any overlocker needles!

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There are a multitude of tutorials for converting regular jeans into maternity jeans, and I suppose that what I have done is pretty much the same – except easier!  The rectangle I cut out for the band is a few inches shorter than my waist measurement, which should keep it tight enough to keep my jeans up.  It had to be stretched a bit to fit it onto the jeans.  So there you go – convert your uncomfortable jeans with too-tight and/or too-low waistbands into these comfy “maternity” jeans! 

by thornberry
adult's clothing, sewing

McCalls 6164 view B

This is the third time I’ve made McCalls 6164.  I sewed view A back in March, and while I was at Sewjourn I made a plain long-sleeved version to wear as a pyjama top.  At Sewjourn I also completed view B.

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I lengthened the sleeves from three quarter to full length by overlaying the view B sleeve pattern piece with the view F sleeve pattern piece, lining them up at the underarm seam and cutting view B for the shoulder and view F from the underarm to the wrist. This seemed to work fine. I used the scoop neckline, but rather than turning it to the inside and hemming I cut a separate band of fabric and stretched that on. I think it gives a much nicer finish.

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As with the other versions, I straightened the pattern out a bit through the waistline. My waist/stomach measurement is about two sizes larger than my bust and hip measurements (especially at the moment) so I always have to adjust the pattern pieces to accomodate my apple shape. The fabric is a mystery knit from the Darn Cheap Fabrics $2 per metre table (and yes I do have more of it). The gold stripes are metallic and a little bit scratchy, as well as being a little bit sheer. I definitely needed to wear a camisole underneath. And check out the shape of those sleeves!

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My husband has christened this the “Tutankhamun flange top”.

by thornberry
miscellaneous, musings, sewing

Sewjourn stats

  • 1 beautiful cottage
  • 1 light filled studio
  • 9 exceptional women
  • 2 days away
  • 2 superb pub meals
  • 2 tasty breakfasts
  • 2 yummy lunches
  • 6 blocks of chocolate
  • 1 apricot shortcake
  • 1 bottle of brandy
  • 14 machines
  • 1 laurastar
  • copious laughter
  • 1 gaypod cover
  • 13 hours sleep in total
  • 73640 instances of swearing at my overlocker
  • some bottles of wine and beer
  • no photos taken by most of us
  • 2 pairs of jeans bought from the oppie for $2 each pair
  • 1 dora nightie for Stella
  • 1 pair of pyjama pants and 1 matching top for Clare
  • 1 abigail dress for Stella
  • 1 abigail dress for Clare
  • 1 toiletries bag for Stella – still needs the binding stitched down
  • 1 quilt block completed
  • 1 a-line skirt for me
  • 1 pyjama top for me
  • 1 striped top with funny sleeves for me
  • 1 top with neckline pleats for me
  • 1 orange cardi/jacket for me
  • 2 pairs of pants altered for me
  • 2 huge cutting mats used with a rotary cutter
  • design features rather than mistakes
  • too many marvellous garments made by others to list
  • too many beautiful quilt blocks made by others to list
  • 2 people wielding knitting needles
  • 1 person arranging crocheted squares
  • 1 person missing her sewjo
  • 1 person off teaching a class
  • 1 day of sunshine
  • 1 day of rain
  • lots of fabric and patterns swapped
  • no televisions watched
  • no internet used
  • no newspapers read
  • 2640591 stimulating conversations
  • 3846201 ideas shared
  • 1 wonderful weekend
by thornberry
miscellaneous, musings

not crocheting, reading

Riding my bike to work has stalled.  I was almost hit by a car three weeks ago and since winter has drawn closer I’d be riding in dusk and dawn and frankly, I’m still a bit spooked about riding on the road.  But I’m missing exercise (and my stomach is growing fatter at a rapid rate).  However, there is a bright side – I’m catching public transport to work, and when you work five days per week that makes for lots of commuting time.  But I haven’t been crocheting, I’ve been reading!

reading, not crocheting

I’ve mentioned before that I’m part of a book group, and that I rarely seem to finish the book. So this year I’ve made a new promise to myself – even if I don’t read any other fiction, I WILL finish my book group book! And finally, this month I have. We’ll be discussing Kavalier and Clay in around 10 days time. What a super book!  And now I’m reading last month’s book, Flowers for Algernon.  Loving it too.  Then I’ll get to the month before – Jasper Jones.

I used to absolutely devour books.  I read quickly, and used to get through many books each month.  But then I had kids and started crocheting and other things took over.  I’m enjoying getting back to the world of fiction and imagination and words.  (And did still manage to do some crochet at school council last night so not all is lost on that score).

by thornberry
miscellaneous, musings

oi

For some reason I’ve begun to say “oi” whenever I want to get my daughters’ attention (usually when they are doing something wrong or ignoring me).  What is with that?  I’ve never said “oi” before.  But over the past few weeks it has sneaked into my vocabulary.  It does usually seem to get a response.  But for how long?  And do I sound like a bogan?

by thornberry
crochet, other people's craft

Megan’s autumn shawl

Speaking of friends – as I did in my last post – I’d like to introduce you to my friend (blogless) Megan.  We met when first at university and living in residential college, way back when I was only 17.  We’ve partied together, laughed together, travelled together, cried together, and despite having lived in different countries at different stages and different towns at different stages, we’ve remained friends. How many years now Megan? Gulp, I think it’s over 25 years….

Megan's autumn shawl

Megan brought a basket full of assorted autumn toned yarns along to one of our Sewjourn weekends, and began to crochet them together at random. I think that her initial plan was to make a blanket, but she stopped at a shawl. And it’s just perfect. Each row uses a different stitch to the one before, depending on Megan’s whim and the behaviour of the yarn. And I know that she has worn it a lot.

Megan's autumn shawl

So autumnal! And so appropriate among the leaves of Yackandandah. May there be many more years of friendship ahead.

by thornberry
miscellaneous, musings

on friends

My best blog posts are the ones I write in my head when I’m lying in bed at night.  Erudite, witty, thoughtful, insightful.  Then I go to sleep and the next morning I am launched straight back into the minutae of everyday life and those blog posts never get written.

One of the downsides of working full-time is that I don’t have enough time to develop friendships.  Through blogging I have met some wonderful people I’d really like to get to know better.  People who inspire me and intrigue me; who are generous, talented and have new ways of looking at things.  I really, really wish that I had more time to spend with these people.  Time to explore ideas and really get to know them more.  Whether that be through leaving comments on their blogs, corresponding via email, or spending time with them in person.

My weekday routine?  Up at 6am, leave for work at 7am.  Home at around 5.30pm.  Then we launch into dinner (thankfully my husband cooks it), baths, books, interspersed with opening the mail, checking my email and a rapid skim of google reader, addressing issues of the day, folding washing, tidying up, some bookwork, etc.  Stella is in bed at around 7.30 to 8pm, Clare between 8.30 and 9.00pm.  And I try to be in bed by around 10.00pm.  Time is at a premium.  And somewhere in there I need to connect with my husband, and connect with myself – do some crochet, some sewing, some blogging, some reading.  Sometimes some ironing.  And I’m probably out one or sometime two evenings each week.

I know that this is nothing new for most of you.  Many of you live this every day, and busier.  But I liked it better when paid work was two week days.  And on the other three days I could connect a little with friends, in between school drop off and pick up – actually, I could connect with many friends at school drop off and pick up.  Stella and I had some regular “dates” with dear friends that aren’t happening now.  I am missing my friends, both old and new.  Maintaining friendships and relationships does take time.  I’m feeling very out of the loop.

I know that things will change – they always do.  And I know that my old friends have hung around long enough now to still be with me when I emerge on the other side.  I hope that my new friends have the patience with me to still be there too, and that I haven’t missed the boat with the fledgling friendships I haven’t been able to follow up the way I’d have liked.

One of the reasons I am so looking forward to Sewjourn in a couple of weeks time is that opportunity to spend uninterrupted time with friends.  I no longer feel consumed with guilt when I go on one of my four per annum weekends away – I know that it recharges my batteries and my soul, and helps me to connect better with my family when I return.  And my family have fun without me – I think that this time they are off to visit my parents!  But on other weekends I am loathe to spend too much time away from my family, because I see so little of them during the week.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not actually trying to whinge or complain here.  This is how life is.  I am a very lucky person who in many ways has a blessed life.  I am constantly thankful for the many good things that are part of it.  Every day I thank God for my healthy, happy children.  I have a job that I enjoy and a husband I love.  Pretty good hey?  But my friends, I do miss you.  I just wanted you to know that.

by thornberry
children's clothing, sewing

Imke top

I’m often a little slow off the mark.  I received my copy of Sewing Clothes Kids Love a long time ago, and I’ve only just made my first garment from it.  It couldn’t have been much simpler – the Imke top.

Imke top - pattern from "Sewing Clothes Kids Love"

My fabric selection was no doubt inspired by the bohemian mix of fabrics and prints that are used in the book. I had some garish stretch velour remants in my stash that I combined to become the top. I’d made leggings from one of the fabrics last year (from an Ottobre magazine pattern) so figured that Clare might like a long sleeved tee that would coordinate.

Imke top - pattern from "Sewing Clothes Kids Love"

The thing that always slows me down with Farbenmix and Ottobre (and Burda, Jalie and Hot Patterns for that matter) is tracing the darn things. I hate tracing patterns! I just want to cut straight into pattern tissue and get things happening. Having to trace the pattern slows the whole process down too much for my liking.  So once I have finally traced a pattern, I generally seem to use it more than once. I’ve made a second Imke top since this one and have a third (it will be a pyjama top) all cut out too. The main thing is – what does Clare think of her new outfit?

Imke top - pattern from "Sewing Clothes Kids Love"

I think that she approves!

by thornberry
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