New Year - still old projects

Its a whole new year. Hope it will be a happy, exciting, fun-filled year for all. I have some nice dreams for the year - we will just have to wait to see if any of those come around.

I am still working on my holiday resolution of finishing off some of those projects. But, I'm doing ok, I've sorted out quite a few.

First was a tote bag I'd started. The reason I stopped with this tote bag was the effect the fabric had on my sewing machine. There was something about the grain in this that my sewing machine hated, so this has been sitting around, pinned and ready, with all but the top hem complete. Done! Pat myself on the back with that one.

The last two were a bit trickier.

One was the same cowl neck pattern as a previous post but using a very light knit fabric I had got at the fabricabrac sale (another previous post). I haven't used knit much at all so this was a learning experience for me. The outcome is ok but I think with this type of light fabric the neck needs to be lower cut to get the drape of the fabric.

The second was a quick attempt at using a scarf I'd found in an odds bin whilst secondhand shop roving. The fabric on the scarf was wonderful and I loved it. I thought it could make a wonderful top.

I just used a basic straight across bust section and elastic (a line under the boob line with thinner elastic and thicker elastic for the top part). I really like this and would make straps for it, but sadly I just suspect it won't hold. I used iron on interfacing for the bust part to give it strength (and not be see-through) but the scarf material is so light I suspect it will eventually pull apart at the seams, and the interfacing won't stop that. Its already a bit touch-and-go, and whilst it will hold for a wee while, I wouldn't risk it anywhere without a back-up top (which ain't the way to dress really is it). However, the design is easy as pie and I like the simplicity, so I might try it on a sturdier fabric. Watch this space.

Whispering drawer of unfinished projects

I am working through the non-stat holidays over Christmas in the day job, but I have tasked myself in the down times with finishing some of those sewing projects that have been hanging around cluttering up drawers and generating guilty feelings.

I used to laugh at a friend of mine who started things incessantly and then left piles of stuff strewn around the house of half finished projects. It has taken a while for me to realise I am also that person. I have two drawers of unfinished projects and when I open the drawers I have to slam them shut again because the guilty feelings of lost interest come seeping out. With so little time and lots of fun things to do - it seems to take a real effort to go back to something I've moved on from and finish it off. Often more so because I may have put the project down because it got a little hard, or a little dull, or I made an error and the thought of unpicking everything again seemed too much to bear. However, I am sure they silently whisper to me making me feel mean when I opt for some new project. So you get the picture - that’s my holiday plan.

The mission so far …..
So far I have finished off some wee birdies I started. These were to be Christmas tree decorations but … well clearly if they are, its going to 2011. They may transform to being a mobile or something so I have placed them in the "presents" box.

I have also managed to finish a top I had started (pattern from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross). I got half way through this top months ago before realising I needed to make bias binding for the inside neckline. This raised two issues: 1.) I have yet to find any kind of inner peace with bias binding. And 2.) because having started with a contrasting fabric, I didn't seem to have enough of that fabric for the length of bias binding necessary. So I have carried a wee slip of fabric around trying to find a match whenever I happened upon a fabric shop. No such luck. My new determination has meant I just found something vaguely similar and went to finish it off. (In hindsight - I should have just used the same fabric as the top itself. And as it happened, the amount of bias binding needed was much less than stated so could have done it from the remaining scraps anyway. ah - sigh).

I'm not in love with the result. Its too short given how wide the top is (- I really should have lengthened the pattern as I always like my tops longer) and the neck sits slightly oddly. For some reason my bias binding seems twice as wide as the picture for the pattern. Given the instructions were incomprehensible to me, and I had no idea what was supposed to be happening, it may suggest the route I choose may not have been the correct one. Nevertheless - the point is this. Its finished! It won't be making it to my favourite top pile, which is a shame because I liked this fabric and in my mind's eye it was going to be great. Nevertheless, in emergency situations it will keep the sun off my shoulders, and if nothing else and it will be out of my "unfinished projects drawer" and that’s a start.

Nebulous Kingdom

I absolutely love the designs and prints that Anne-Julie Aubry has produced. Love them all! I find it hard to pick ten or twenty that I like the most. Just gorgeous.

This very talented woman sells her images through her etsy store called The Nebulous Kingdom. I bought some of her mirrors a while ago to give to friends as little presents, but got so carried away I ended up buying heaps. It was too hard to choose. The one with the design shown here I kept for myself.

You can see her work at Anne Julie's Gallery!

Apron for Mummsies

I had promised my mum months ago that I would make her an apron for her birthday. I had a bit of a panic when I realised her birthday was this week and I hadn't started. But I think it turned out ok.

I bought this fabric a wee while ago and totally love it. I had to keep reminding myself that birthdays are about giving and being generous, not hoarding loved-fabric in your cupboards.

It was a bit slap-dash and not exactly well planned - lets face it, I made it up as I went along - but it seems to have worked out. I'll put up a wee tutorial shortly if I can make my approach seem ordered.

Makara

An absolutely stunning weekend in Wellington allowed us to take a hike around Makara.

Makara to me epitomises all things great about New Zealand. A 20min drive from the capital city and you find yourself at a beach with a sprinkling of houses and a shop selling cold drinks, and a few like-minded individuals. You can wander around the coast walk, climb a (pretty flamin’ steep) hill and look out at the world. If you lie in the grass and soak up the sun you can almost believe you are all alone in the world – save for a few errant sheepies.

On this particular weekend the sea out to the South Island was astonishingly flat, and the colour of the water was spectacular. About a hour up, down the other side, and around the coast, the bloke hopped in the water and was able to grab large paua just a few metres from me on the rocks.

(oh, and I’ve figured how to bring him down to my fitness level – make him carry 20+ kilos of wet dive gear up the hill and we may be about the same fitness level.)

I loved these kids we spied. They had grabbed a few bits of log for a canoe and a branch for an oar and were making the most of life. Perfect!

Cowl neck top

Having searched around for a pattern for a cowl neck I lucked upon the selfish seamstress blog. SelfishSeamstress. Thanks so much for sharing your pattern - not at all selfish - it was just the impetus I needed.

I used this pattern, making allowances for the fact I'm wider (sadly) and I like my tops on the longer side. I also added some short sleeves with a few gathers at the top of each sleeve and elastic around the 'cuff'.


This was my first go with some left over fabric from a shift dress I made. Its not the best handiwork in the world but it holds together and I managed to wear it to work today and look respectable enough. (Note: In taking this photo I have skilfully enhanced the clothing wrinkles (bad posture) and pot-belly (bad wine consumption). Perhaps I should have straightened myself out and taken another photo, but sometimes you just need to go with it right).

I have just treated myself to my Christmas present of an overlocker so now I should be able to make the same thing but with much nicer seaming next time. This fabric is quite sturdy and I'm hoping to use the same pattern idea but in something with a bit more drape so the neck hangs.

Fabricabrac

I made it to the fabricabrac sale in November. Was my first time but what a treasure trove. Fabric people are all the same aren't they …. hoarders - every last one. We are all guilty of hoarding bits of fabric for years in the hope of making something wonderful. These brave ladies had opted to part with some of their horde.

I came away with quite a concerning amount - see the photo of the motherload below - but have already vowed to ensure that they don't become items in my own stash and I'd actually use them. That’s my pledge - watch this space.