The Loot from overseas!

Crikey what a couple of days. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
My sister rang me on the 23rd in the morning to say she was getting a divorce, and wouldn't be coming down for Christmas. *sigh* I spent the whole day worrying, as you can imagine. She rang a couple of times to see what time mum was getting in, I thought she was going to go meet them at the International airport before they got the domestic down home.
You can only imagine my surprise when I pull into the airport carpark, and walk up to the terminal to see my sister, nephew and her husband all standing there waiting for me! I screamed! The divorce was a ruse to put me off the scent. I was pretty angry, but just so speechless they'd arrived.
So we went inside and waited for the famdamily to arrive, who were just thrilled to bits and so excited to see her there as well.

Meant there was a lovely family christmas, and we got to share my nephews first Christmas.


Now, the 150kg of luggage later, here's the sewing goodies, thread and buttons etc only. The fabric is nothing exciting, 10m of interfacing etc.
But the accessories!

One bag of jean rivets

Zips, rivets, invisible zips, jean buttons, domes

D&G Buttons! Most probably fake, but who knows! lol

She said there were packs of thousands, and she only got a few!

Dior Jean Buttons

 Levi's Zips

 A few of the thread cones. I don't imagine running out anytime soon.

More keep appearing from suitcases as they are unpacked.

Merry Christmas all

Sorry you guys, still no photo of the dress as I haven't thrown it on since, it's all ironed and took such a long time, crinkles at the slightest touch, so I don't want to have to iron it all over again LOL!!!! Will do xmas day pics.

I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, as I am going to be extremely busy over the next few days, (aren't we all!).
The famdamily arrive home in 5hours time, with close to  110kg of luggage. Including a lot of sewing bits, can't wait to get photos of it all!


Thank you all for following my blog, and your comments throughout the last 6 or so months! I love reading the comments, and have made some wonderful friends .
I've really enjoyed blogging my sewing, and seen it progress throughout the year. If someone had told me this time last year, I'd be making my own jeans, sewing my own winter coats, and have a wardrobe compromising completely of home made garments, I would've looked at them like they were nuts.

So a Merry Christmas to you and yours. May it be safe and filled with lots of laughs, and lots of love.
For us, it includes a lot of sun! You guys in the cold part of the world are jealous right? 30deg C days. Days by the pool. Love it. Although I must confess, I'd love to have a White Christmas one year. 

I'm personally glad to see the back of this year, and am hoping 2011 will be better.

Can't wait 'til Christmas..

2 weeks today until that big fat fella comes down our chimneys and leaves us all presents..I love Christmas, it really doesn't feel like it though, normally I'm so in the spirit! Maybe when I pick up the tree next weekend it'll make it feel a bit more Christmas like.
Not even the smell of Christmas lilies are giving me that feel.

So yesterday and today I whipped up my christmas day dress.
It'll be perfect for summer, and hopefully it'll be nice weather on Xmas day..
Really made the pattern up myself, took a basic style, and added in the neckline pleats. The back has an exposed zip, with shiny silver plastic teeth and also has pleats on the back neckline too..

I nipped it in a bit more at the waist to give it a bit more shape, but I'm happy with it, it's so comfy, and it looks awesome with a belt too!


I hadn't done my hair in this pic, I got sewing and didn't want to stop!

Hi all.. christmas is creeping in

Only 15 days until Christmas would you believe! 13 days until my parents are scheduled to come home, but my mother isn't doing too well with her arm so may be home early.

I've been on a go slow with sewing, but I did manage to get a pair of jeans made the other day, well 3/4s. Same as my other pair, just different colored topstitching and pocket design. I love that pattern.

This weekend is going to be my weekend to make a dress for Christmas day, so look out for that post next week.

Veering off from sewing for a momento

Seems to be coming a bit of a habit this veering away from sewing, I just haven't done much lately, have got a pair of jeans cut out though so I might whip them up tomorrow, it's coming into summer and I need more 3/4s. It's pretty cool that I can get 2 pairs out of 2m, if I find denim on special, it makes for a very economical pair of pants!!

So now to the veering part.
For years, I've had very long, very straight eyelashes. I even used to trim them when I was younger, and have always hated them. Yes it's lovely to have long lashes, but when you have no curl to them, they are a pain and just don't have that pretty look.
I'd read about eyelash perms, and finally treated myself after a long exhausting week. Never have I done something like this, so it was a real treat!
She had a lot of problems, as my lashes are quite thick, I guess it's why even when I've used those lash curlers, they've never stayed curled, no matter what I tried.

Once she'd done it, and I looked in the mirror, the tears welled up. It's absolutely amazing, for the first time in my life, I have curly lashes. And they just look so beautiful, my eyes are so different!!!

Here is the before side on.

Here is the after

My left eye looks ultra gimpy there. Strange lol.

But the difference in the lashes is amazing. For anyone who's ever considered it, do it!!! Totally painless, and only took 30mins.

Ribbon Tree Centerpiece.

How great are these.
http://justsewsassy.com/2010/11/16/tuesday-tutorial-christmas-grove-centerpiece/
I love the one with the ribbon/tule wrapped around!
They'll be great centerpieces for Chrissy day - which I'm so looking forward to.

Sewing Room - COMPELTED.

Well, after 6 days, a lot of sweat, tears, and copious amounts of pain killers, the room is finished. (pain killers + paint fumes = Happy Emma! lol)

I'm sure you remember the embarrassing before photo. Quite dark, and messy as, give me a couple of days and that will be the same lol.

Now, for the afters. walking in, it seems a lot bigger. Must be because there's no pattern on the walls?
The curtains are shockers, now I look at them against nice crisp walls. But apparently you can get curtains made for a good price over in Cambodia, so may look into getting my parents to send some back home with their friend next week.

And woops, no valance on the bed, that might be a later today job when it gets too hot and I need to go to a shop with aircon ;)

Can't believe I have to do this.. But here we go!

Have just been informed by a family member, a certain person from my past has told them about my mothers accident.
For a few reasons, we didn't tell the family member, as we were waiting until in person when parents were back so they could tell them...
The only way I can figure they found out was through stalking my blog, as I have no communication with them whatsoever.

Yes this is a public page, anyone can see and I have to take responsibility for what is being put on here. HOWEVER, that does not give any person the right to go and speak to my family members about something like that.

So - if you are reading this, and you know damn well who you are.
Leave me alone.. Leave my family alone. And don't try to act like you still know every bit in my life.
In other words - keep ya trap SHUT.

The makeover - it's finally happening!

After dreaming of painting the sewing/spare room for so long, the time has finally come.

The person who's staying here for a while, has gone away for a week, it's the perfect time to do it.
Insane me thought so anyway.
The prep was pure hell. a few years ago, my darling teen brother covered the room with posters (obvious as to why really, the decor wasn't really teen boyish). And when he removed them, every skerrik of blu-tak (poster tack?) was left behind.
After going over the walls many times washing it, and finding new bits each time, I finally cleared them. Then it was time to tape off the kickboards, door surrounds, ceiling etc.
What a nightmare, I won't do this again when friends are busy.

Finally - it was time to paint.

 Before:

After the first undercoat.

Oil paint. It stinkssssssssssss.

So now you're probably wondering what this has to do with sewing right - I promise you it does..
I need to sew new black pants  - mine are covered in oil paint..

A new me..

Well after all the headaches I had, I thought I'd get my eyes checked.
Turns out I do need glasses - for long distance. Just a small prescription now, but apparently my eyes will get to be progressively worse due to my Fibromyalgia over the years.

The glasses arrived today - wow it's like HD tv. I put them on and everything is so much clearer, and sharper.
Excuse the slobby photos, I have just been bumming around home, and didn't even bother washing my hair today.

Sewing related - but totally not!

So we all know those of us with small sewing spaces will spread out everywhere.. (surely it can't be just me lol)
And often will have to clear off the dining table, set up a heavy trestle table, or the worst of all lay our fabric out on the floor, when we go to cut out our patterns. I find it so difficult and painful, so usually get someone to help me lift a trestle table up, but it's never quite high enough.

I've seen those wonderful leafed Horn sewing cabinets, but almost $1000 here to buy one. Never in my life.

So the next best thing - Ana White (previously Knock Off Wood) has created a woodworking pattern and instructions for making a drop leaf table!
http://ana-white.com/2010/10/a-sewing-table-for-small-spaces.html

She has made it 30" high. Which just isn't quite hgih enough to use for a cutting table in my opinion, so I will be making mine at 37" high. (instead of cutting it 26 3/4", I'll be cutting it at 31" to accommodate my new height, the thickness of the MDF and the height of the wheels)

Isn't it just fabulous!
I'm debating on including the middle shelf divider. No machines will be stored in there, so what I'm thinking is not including the shelf but putting a small draw in there instead at some stage in the future.

3/4 jeans - talk about happy!

I am so in love with these. Can't wait to make another pair or 3. LOL.
Only thing is that wee pull on the zipper cover - if anyone can tell me how to remedy that happening, I'd be very grateful!!!

Originally I was going to cut the jeans to have a a 68cm length from lower waistband, but accidentally cut them 65cm, you should've heard the language when I realised! But actually I'm pleased now, and will use that 65cm length again, it's a good length on me. I'd just been sitting down so you can see the slight creases in the mid hip region.

 Man I have a funny shaped bum! LOL.
I was hitching them up a bit while the photo snapped. woops.

A sneak peek!

Well it took a while - 2 weeks, but the 3/4 jeans are finally done.. Am yet to get a picture of them on my body, but they fit so well and are so comfy. That Burda 7738 jean pattern is definitely my fave.

So here is a photo of the top of them. Don't they look wonderful! Made from a crosshatch denim, so have a great grain to them.

Cowls are IN!

Cowl neck seems to be so in this season, and are everywhere I look. So of course I had to have one similar to the one in my post below..
With the use of Burda 7519 - I sort of fiddled here and there to get what I wanted. I'll also be using the free Cowl neck with lower band made by Hot Patterns available from www.fabric.com to make another at some stage.
I gathered the shoulders, and also the lower side seams to give it that slightly gathered look, and I love it, plus get loads of compliments on it.
I added 2" onto the center front, as I was worried it would be too tight - but now the cowl is huge and if I wear it without a top underneath, I'm more than flaunting it!


The fabric would have to be my favourite. It took me a long time (MONTHS) to figure out what it said. It wasn't until I draped it on myself in front of the mirror one day that I figured it out. Here is a photo of me standing in the mirror.


I bought it while on my Auckland trip, from Arthur Toyes - if anyone sees any more there, I'd love a metre or 2 to make some togs!!!!

Voting is open!

Woohooo - Voting on the LBD contest is open. There are such wonderful entries, I'm sure people are having a hard time to pick just the one! Mosey on over and don't forget to vote if you are a PR member :)

LBD Contest Gallery

I picked up the overlocker the other day, it's fab! Haven't had a good chance to use it yet though. I'm getting shocking headaches if I do much sewing, or anything that requires any focus - even peeling potatoes, good excuse to get off dinner duty - except there's only me! lol

Will be off to the doctor this morning, am wondering if it is possibly my eyes, but just want to get it totally checked as they have been constant since I got my migraine.. Will see how that goes and hope that I can soon get cracking on the machine! I managed to get some 3/4 jeans cut Saturday, and the pockets attached yesterday, at this rate I should be done by summer ;o)

 

Quiet on the sewing front!

Wow I haven't posted in AGES!
The skirt was made - beautifully. And doesn't fit. so it's going to the wardrobe until it does.
The top worked out beautifully, havent managed to get pictures of it yet.
And ended up making a top similar to it yesterday, will try and get pictures tomorrow.

Has been very quiet around here since everyone left overseas - although there has been some Drama.. My mother had a bike accident in Cambodia, and she crushed the ball of her left Humerus, and broke her right wrist. Thank goodness for medical insurance, they flew her out to Bangkok for treatment and she was operated on last night. As long as she stays in Bangkok for 2 weeks, she will be allowed to go back to Cambodia to continue their holiday.

Now for some exciting news!
The other day I discovered a Babylock Imagine overlocker on Trademe. Starting bid of $85! Eeekk. My dream machine, that retails for around $2000 new. I hung out until last night when it was ending, and after a fierce bidding war, I came out on top! Woohooo. Had discussed with the famdamily when I first spotted it, about them buying it for birthday/xmas present, as they'd all been stuck on what to get me, so it works out perfectly.
$395 in the end! What an absolute bargain! I'm chuffed to bits.
I have to go to pick it up this week, but haven't heard from the seller yet - I'm so impatient!

Inspiration!

Don't you just love going inspiration shopping. I admit I did buy a couple of things though. One was a wee shrug to go over my dress on cooler summer nights, and another was a summer top, it looked nice on, was nice fabric and gave in and bought it, after an argument with myself.

But while I was there, I saw this skirt it just shouted out to me

gorgeous right? So it should be for $80.

And then I saw this fabulous tunic, cowl neck, funky print and looked fab on, gorgeous once again, so it should for $65!

So I decided to go to the sewing store to check out patterns for a cowl similar as I've got the perfect fabric for it.
What did I find instead? The fabric from the skirt!!!!! I could've jumped for joy - but instead I bought the fabric and an invisible zip!!! It was the first time that I've ever found fabric from a fashion garment, in our wee sewing store, so I was pretty excited.

 This top called out to me too. $100 it could stay on the damn rack!
It was pretty cool though, had a matching skirt. I wish I'd paid more attention to how it was made. By the looks of it, each of these wee white tulle like strips was sewn into a seam, one by one. As it moved, the tulle kind of floated about giving peaks to the black, it was so pretty.

I couldn't really find a cowl pattern suitable for the top at the store, I did get talking to a lady though, she was so cool, I wish I'd asked for her number or something now!
There's a free pattern over at Burda for a cowl neck top, only in size 36, but I'm sure I can add on where it needs it, since it's a simple pattern.

Cowl Dress Cowl Top

So there we have it, now I'm off to have lunch since it's almost 4pm! It's been a fairly busy day, and slightly emotional too. I had to meet the lady who is renting my late grandmas house, let her in and show her round. At least she loves the place and will look after it well. Just a funny feeling.

Beautiful Blogger

Thanks to Heather of Sewing on Pins for nominating me for a beautiful blogger award.

I thought I'd stop my current Bejewelled Blitz addiction on Facebook for a bit to write the 10 things out about myself. Hmm this could be hard. (both writing about myself, AND stopping BB for a bit hehe)

1. I still live at home! Yes folks, thats right. At the age of 23, I still live at home with my darling parents.
I did move out when I was younger, but unfortunately with my health getting worse, having to give up work due to that yada yada yada, I had to move back home. I'm lucky that my mother is as much an avid sewer as myself, and loves having a sewing room that we can both work in, and leave all our stuff there for another day when my body has given up. Although for the next 3 months - I am alone! Just me, and the cat. My parents are off to Cambodia. They leave Tuesday. *grins and thinks of all the sewing bits they can bring home*

2. I've never had many clothes. Yes really! For years, I've only ever had a couple of pairs of pants, and a couple of tops. Now, every morning I get up, look in my wardrobe which is now laden with clothes, and think hmm what am I going to wear today. And every time I think about that, it really excites me.

3. A year ago, I sucked at sewing. I could sew, but the results were less than satisfactory, they were only useful for rags. I never took pride in my work, hated cutting patterns out so cut corners, never followed SA guides, never knew about fitting issues, and lets just say my zipper insertion left a lot to be desired. We won't even discuss the total fissy hits that occurred regularly with each project.
It's amazing how much can change in a year. When I look at what I am able to create now, it truly amazes me. Especially when I can now do it with ease.

4. I have a younger brother (17 almost 18, he's also off to Cambodia with my parents) and a sister. My sister isn't a biological sister.
She came to us as an exchange student from China when I was 13, she was 17? She lived with us for 18 months, and really did become one of us. I think of her as my sister, and her gorgeous son as my nephew, what else could they be, they are family even if not by blood.
My brother and I get on like a house on fire - flames everywhere and a lot of breaking glass, needing someone to step in and stop us! LOL. We fight like cat and dog, for that reason, you won't find us in the same room a lot.

5. I've always been a crafty person. At the age of 4 I remember my late grandma (affectionately known as Sugar - not nana, granny etc) teaching me to paint. She was a very talented artist, unfortunately I didn't pick that skill up and the best I can paint, is a wall. It's a block color that requires no design lol.
Just being crafty is so much fun. I thoroughly enjoy machine embroidery. And I also up until recently made Reborn Dolls - not everyones cup of tea, but I got a great deal of joy seeing the transformation.
Sewing has now taken over, so my doll making has been packed away for a bit. I find sewing is a lot easier on my body, and easier to leave in the middle of a project if my health isn't the best.
I think I can pick most crafts up really, I know the basics of knitting, can do a small amount of crochet, know how to do tapestries and the likes, but I choose not to! hehe

6. (hey this is actually quite fun) I have a delightful tabby cat, called Sox. We liken her to a newborn baby. She's very demanding, sleeps a lot of the day, loves her cuddles and has her own routine with every one of us.
I love it when I'm sewing during the day, she will come up and have a wee chat with me. Often she will sit and just watch the machine, especially the embroidery machine. It's like a tv for her I'm sure.

7. I'm a fairly decent cook. Actually you may be able to tell that from the size of me, never trust a skinny cook, right?!
My favourite ingredient to use would be Karata pepper, from Cambodia. It's been likened to be the best in the world, and I put it on and use it in just about everything! What's funny is, I hate pepper! This is divine though, and food doesn't taste the same without it. I still hate normal black pepper though.
I also love to bake, but hate to eat anything I've baked, it gets a bit boring after you've been slaving over a cake mixer and then the oven. My raspberry and white chocolate muffins are pretty scrumptious though!

8. My cell phone is never far from me. It is on the bed beside my pillow each night as it's my alarm, my diary, my newspaper etc and I feel very lost if I don't have it.

9. I went on my first overseas trip last year, to Australia. I loved it and got the travel bug!
My ultimate travel dream is to go to New York, stay in the Garment District, and go shopping. One day it'll happen, bring it on!

10. (can you tell I'm running out of things to say?) I drive a Manual (stick shift) car! My car is my baby, and I had a hard time finding it in manual.
Nothing like changing gears, especially with some of the curly wurly roads we have over here in NZ! (oh yes, some of you may not know, I live in New Zealand!)

So there we have it, I hope you've had fun learning a little bit about me.
The nominations I'm going to have to think about overnight. How about I just say all the ones to the right, on my fave blogs list can be nominated? good? great! LOL

It's the first day of daylight savings here, so while it's 830, really it's only 730. I'm shattered so am not far off bed, after a few addicting games of Bejewelled Blitz ;o)

I miss sewing!

It has been a week, and a busy one at that! Have a friend here staying, (in the sewing room! argh) and his toddler comes every couple of days for a night, so it's been a no sewing week, I've missed it like crazy! Lastnight I had a friends 4 week old for the night, scrumptious baby cuddles - there's nothing like them. Even at that age the snuffling snorting at 2am is cute and worth the yawning I'm doing now! LOL.

As of tuesday, I have the house totally to myself, for 3 whole months. Not a single soul around! Woohooo! The sewing area is going to be moved to the living area so I can sit, sew and watch movies! Perfect I think.

But what am I going to sew?
I've got the most gorgeous Karen Walker fabric here, that my sister purchased for me, that I've been wondering what to use it for, it's designer fabric, so needs something funky! So I browse my patterns, then the Burda mags. I've found a great pattern in the 06-2010(*!) of which I cannot find a picture online, so I'll just have to surprise everyone and hope for the best.
It's a skirt, coming into summer I need some more light weight items, so might make a wee wardrobe plan up.

*=So we are coming up to October, the 10th month. Why is it, that we here are only up to Burda 06-2010 that I bought here mid last month! None of the mag shops can tell me when the next one will be out, nor can the sewing place I purchased my latest one. We can't be that far behind the rest of the world, surely!

Imelda's new shoes.

I totally forgot to show the shoes finished.

I've also loaded my review of my dress up on PR, and have included the links to tutorials I used.
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=55608

The LBD is here...

Well I'm not ultra happy after seeing these pics. There seems to be bunching from the hip area down in some pics? I think it's the way my hands are pushing on the fabric though, it doesn't seem to be there in pictures that I'm not!

So here we go!
I've cropped my face out of most of them, I seem to be making the most hideous faces today! I've also cropped out my lovely bruised arms! Especially from the back view, that was a real goodie! LOL

These are the more "evening" shots. Nice necklace, clutch purse(made by yours truly of course!) and my stunningly fabulous modge podged shoes!

From here are the more day time shots. More comfy shoes, carrybag (for while out shopping with a girlfriend of course!), flower to jazz it up a bit and a woollen cardi.

A couple of retaken pictures, eliminates the bunching at the front.

Now the rear shot.

And finally a terrible shot of the dress on a coat hanger. I'll get one of it lying flat on the ground I think for the PR review.

Ta Da!

Ta da!
Well after a hell of a lot of hand sewing, I am done.
I haven't got full pictures yet. After spending the evening in the hospital with a mirgaine being jabbed all over trying to get a lure in, my arms are black and blue with bruises, not the best look for contest photos :-p

I had a slight fit issue as you can see in the below picture. After sewing the dress and lining together, I had wrinkles on the bust curves, that I didn't have on the muslin.
I ended up re sewing the bust curve. In the below picture, the breast curve on the right of the screen was not reshaped, the one on the right was almost finished being reshaped.

The original bust curve is closer to the seam allowance, the redrawn is on the inside.

This is the inside of the dress.
Including the gorgeous lining, it's such a stunning color.
I had a bit of a hiccup with the original lining - with there not being enough fabric! WOOPS!
Fully lined, the zip is all enclosed etc. It's so lovely.

My truly invisible zip! Second time ever sewing one(first one was a disaster), and man it's come out just so well.

I'm really happy with how it's turned out.
There was a lot of new techniques I tried on this dress.
A CB vent, the invisible zip, my first sleeveless dress that's lined, and an invisible handstitched hem (4hours later! lol)
But the finish is just so wonderful, that it was worth it!

Can't wait to show the full pics, once my arms aren't looking like I've been in a fight!

I've been fiddling.

Well the LBD contest starts tomorrow, and now I'm finally getting over this headache/nausea virus, I thought I better actually make a start on any wee changes I want to make to the dress (the original version from the black sheet lol).

First change - Lower the back neckline.
As it was, it was sitting high up almost even to ear line. I guess that was due to my shortness, but also due to the fact the dress originally was supposed to have the collar.

Second change - Take out the excess in the back shoulders. It was too wide for me, and I seemed to be having a lot of gaping once the neckline was lowered.
I've created a dart about 3cm wide on each side of the CB, and when I cut the dress out, the dart will already be folded out, so there will be no actual dart on the dress itself. It now flows smoothly over my upper back.

Third change - Remove the gaping around the armhole/bust area.
I created a bust dart where the extra fabric was, and once again will be folding this out before it's cut, so there will be no dart on the dress.

Fourth change - I lowered the front neckline, about 3-4cm. Hey - if you've got em, flaunt em baby! LOL.
I am debating on whether I will do the gathered part around the bust now, I really like how it is sitting without it (although I will need to dart out the excess in the tip of the neckline CF now)

I think that is about all the changes I've made, and will need to make. I will add a smidge onto the front armscye, with the 1.5cm taken off it when the lining is attached, it will be just a bit too open for my liking, so will probably add on 1.5cm, so it sits as it is now. (As the lining currently isnt attached)

The waist/hip area I'm still unhappy with. With my podgey tummy, I need the extra room in the front for sitting, BREATHING and all those other things that we just unfortunately have to do lol. But it looks terrible side on. I'm off to see if I can find a suck me in-hold me tight-lift me up-hide the fat thingy this afternoon. Preferably the slip style, so I'm not having to get totally undressed to go to the bathroom! LOL
UPDATE: I found a suck me in hold me tight lift me up hid the fat thingy! Man it's great. It's a singlet, but it's long enough to go right down to mid thigh if I want it too. And it's comfortable. I'm now 100% happy with my dress. Woohoo

Otherwise, I'm good to go!
Watch this space!!!

Not long to go now!

It's not long until the LBD contest starts, and I'm contemplating changing my dress! Really? Am I insane? (Don't answer that guys LOL)
I LOVE the dress that Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffanys, and apparently Simon Henry's Little Black Dress book has instructions for that.

Maybe I'll just do two LBDs! Now there's an idea ;)

The undercoat has been purchased for the sewing room, it has been slightly rearranged, and today the top coat is being purchased. Fantastic. I'm going to have lots to do over the next few months.
I've been laid up with a charming migraine the past 3 days, so have done no sewing at all. The painkillers don't last long, and this last dose has given me nausea, even with anti nausea meds. Ugh.
But I'm still keeping up with SSS! 1-2 items every day. I love it.

If anyone has the Simon Henry LBD book, I'd be interested on hearing the opinion about the Audrey Hepburn dress, before I buy the book.

6 days in!

Phhhooarrr, what a hot on here today. Almost at 20degrees, the warmest we've had in a very long time!
It's been a long few days here. We finally had the garage sale to rid my late grandmas house of all the extra stuff, what a biggie that was. Then helped my mother and aunty clear the house totally, and today cleaned it top to bottom. I'm in agony pain wise now, hate to think how bad I'm going to be when these painkillers wear off.

Thanks for the emails and comments about whether I am doing ok in the earthquake. It was a biggie but centered a few hours drive away from here, so no damage here thankfully. It did wake me up though.
It was centered basically right under my aunty and uncles place, amazingly it's standing with no damage, a bit bizarre really when other places on farms next door have lost chimneys or more.
No one was hurt, and the prized family hand painted china SOMEHOW managed to stay perched on the wall unit. Wonders never cease.

6 days in to SSS, and I'm loving it. Have worn an item or two every day, whether it's been jeans, underwear, coats etc. Hope to get some sewing done this week, even if its just something small.

So once again, thanks for the concern re the earthquake, we are all fine :)
I'm off to go and wash the oven cleaner, wall cleaner and all the other yuckky chemicals off me! lol

Showing my crotch!

So this is once again Mccalls 5651. First Attempt
As I said with the first ones, I wasn't happy with the overall shape, as I prefer them to be more the shape of the front at the back as well if I'm going for that style of cheeky knickers.
I also was most unimpressed with the construction!

With this trial I made 4 the same, and cut size XL. This time I took a total of 8" off all the way around (2 inches at each side front and back). I used the front pattern for both front and back, and love them so much more.
I also changed the construction of them since I hated how they did the crotch construction.
This time I sandwiched the crotch piece between the front and back, so I had a nice seam, and then stitched the sides of each crotch piece under the picot elastic. It's a much neater finish than having zig zag stitching all over the undies in my opinion.

Picot elastic is my total favourite now! I don't even know if I'm attaching it correctly, but it seems to work for me and looks pretty.
For anyone whos never used it, I sew the elastic wrong side to garment right side, with the straight edge of elastic against the edge of the garment. I stitch this on using a 3 step zigzag.
Then I turn the elastic to the inside, and do a 3 step zigzag from the inside(bobbin thread is showing on the right side of garment). I make sure that I pull the fabric taught away from the elastic so there is no fabric covering/hiding the little scalloped edge of the elastic.
 It is double work, I know, but you do seem to get a gorgeous RTW look in the end. Except where you get a wee bit of fabric poking out from under the elastic that you forgot to trim, woops! You'll see that in the crotch picture.