Addiction?

Hi, my name is Emma, and I am addicted to fabric.
Ok so you may laugh, but seriously. I'm up to something like 30kg of fabric to bring home. It's a novelty having cheap but nice fabric so easily accessible. Today we went for a drive over the bridge and while everyone else went furniture shopping, I went to the fabric shop around the corner. 6 metres of denim (ok so I may have bought 18 metres of denim in total over the past week, but its SO cheap. Less than half what it is back home, and better quality!) also the coolest leather look brown fabric for only $12! It'll make an awesome jacket.

I cannot wait to get home and start sewing, I'm dreaming of all the things I can make.
I also just bought the Jalie Jeans pattern! I love my Mccalls, but I'm always seeing the rave reviews for the Jalie pattern, so I'll give it a go.

Annndddd, with the selling of my Bernina, I was lucky enough to buy the Juki F600.
SO exciting! Will be a couple of weeks before I get home, so it's going to be a long wait!

My idea of heaven - Fabric Shopping!

Wow wow wow! I had the best day on Friday shopping with a like minded girlfriend (aka Goldgurl!)

She took me to the coolest stores, where I got the coolest bits and bobs.
First off was Davids Emporium! Where I come from, we having nothing of the sort.
So to find a wall full of buttons, I was in heaven. And what did I find, but jeans buttons! How gorgeous are THESE! Sorry the pictures no good, it's just started raining, so lighting leaves a lot to be desired. The jean buttons were 50c each! Fabric was $6/m, it's a stretch satin. And that diamante trim? $5/m

Then we went to a knicknacky you name it store, where I bought a few things, btu nothing of sewing interest so I'll leave that out.

Then was the be all and end all - Designer Textiles. I probably embarrassed goldgurl with my mouth dropping wide open, and the continuous "oh my gawd!".
Merino fabric for $5/metre! Even some fabrics for $1.50/metre. So I stocked up on Merino, and some sweatshirting, and some stretch knits for tops, and denim, oh the denim. Plus a few fabrics for my darling mother too who's back into sewing.
 My mothers, just a soft stretchy polyester or something? Was $1.50/m

 Another polyester knit, it's a mid weight, would be good for a summer hoodie or the likes. Kind of a bluey purple, once again $1.50/m

And then the most devine aubergine merino. This was $15/m, but I saw it and had to have it.

Wednesday I am off to Arthur Toyes, Spotlight (50% off patterns, woohooo!!!)  and then off to try out a new sewing machine.
I discovered the Juki F600. I've been looking for a new machine for a while, ok years, ever since I bought my Bernina Activa. I never tried it before I bought, big mistake, ever since day one, I've hated it, and vowed never to buy a Bernina again!
So looking around for years, there's been the odd few, Janome always been my top choice. But they've never had all the features I wanted. I stumbled across the F600 a few nights ago, and after googling and looking at reviews, all the features I want OR need are on that one machine. It's fabulous! The reviews are glowing, and everyone loves them. I'm really excited to try it out.

Chocolate Brownie and a dream.

 So as I sit here eating a Double Chocolate Brownie, all alone, it's giving me the chance to do a bit of an update on my blog.

First night in Auckland I was right in the depth of the city, and just about died when I looked out the window of the car, and saw a mural on the public toilet wall.

Yes, that is a sewing pattern on a public toilet wall. Of course I had to get a picture. I'd love to know what the purpose is behind it.

Friday and Saturday I am off fabric shopping with friends *Waves to goldgurl*, it's a whole different market up here and I can't wait. I need to make a bit of a list I think to know what a good length is to put in my stash. Of course denim will be on the list if I find any, I already know exactly how much I need for that though.
I can't wait to see what these stores will be like, my town only has the one small fabric store, this is going to be fabulous!
3 sleeps to go!

An eventful few days - ending with a BANG!

What an eventful few days. Finding out Monday I leave on holiday on Thursday for a couple of weeks. (WEEKS without my machine? Dear oh dear - but on the bright side, there's plenty of fabric stores where I'm going, so I'll have to keep this blog filled with stash additions instead of sewing lol)

I finished my skirt, in the end I didn't use a Simplicity pattern, but a skirt from Buda 01-2010. With a few changes.
I didn't use their waistband, just added a stretch knit version of my own (fab idea, it's comfy! lol)
Didn't add in pockets like the pattern says. And I added 4" on to the CF and CB since the burda size wasn't my size. I ended up taking it in 5 inches, so at least I know that particular burda pattern should fit straight off.
Love how the skirt looks on. With heels, and with boots! Will be fantastic for my "Auckland" wardrobe.

Whoarrrr, check those sexy white legs ;) LOL

I also managed to get a pair of jeans made from stretch denim finished yesterday, so now I've got a good few pairs to take away. This pair is SOOOOOO comfortable, hugs all the right places, I love them.

And today, I thought I'd get my great aunty's sewing machine out, and test it to see if it went, so I could sell it to a girlfriend who's just started sewing. The wee Elna Contessa was left to me when I was 10, almost brand new. It went like a dream, btu when I got more serious about sewing, I upgraded.

So while testing it, it went like a wee ripper as always. Stitched beautifully. The friend and I were sitting there talking about it, when all of a sudden BANG!
Well I just about jumped out of my skin, let out a few words(Bazinga would've been the most appropriate!) and ran outside, carrying said machine which was billowing with smoke!
What a laugh it gave us - afterwards.
I think that machine, is going to go the sewing machine graveyard!

So I'm leaving, on a jet plane... ok not quite, in a Beech 1900D. But that just doesn't sound right when you sing it. ;)

Gorgeous fabric, but oh what to do!

A few weeks ago at Spotlight, I found this fabric and it's so gorgeous, has a bit of stretch etc. I just fell in love with it, and bought 1.5m. Kicking myself now, as I just don't have enough to make a dress etc.
I thought maybe a blouse, but really, how often would *I* wear a blouse? haha.
It'd also look fabulous as a trench coat.

When I go to spotlight in the next few months, I'm hoping I can pick enough up to do either a sheath dress, or a trench coat. They also had a red with black, it was stunning too, but I love the starkness of this white.
But for now, I'm thinking that Simplicity 2451 will be good, view D.

Drab to FAB!

Well after my ugh day yesterday, a couple of girlfriends suggested I keep going on the jacket and see how I feel when it's done - wise girls they are!
When I had the jacket on, it looked drab, dull and just a bit boring.
But I kept going and finished it anyway. The second the collar went on, it changed the whole look, wow!

I did have a couple of issues while finishing it off. I attached the front and back facings, however, they didn't stretch to fit! Ugh. It was a huge mission to cut and stretch and gain every last millimetre to get it to fit, and after a lot of swearing and sweating it was done. (Thanks mum. LOL) I'm not sure why they didn't fit together, error in the pattern, or error in myself? Who knows.

Putting the zip on was interesting - slippery fabric + slippery zip = frustration. I got up and walked away a couple of times. Then thought, hey, why not hand baste it in. (6 months ago I would've told someone where to go if they mentioned hand sewing. Now I love it) It worked perfectly, held it steady enough for me to machine stitch it without any shifting.

Everything else went together well though, and the outcome is a jacket I'm feeling quite content with. I think it'd look lovely in a jacquard fabric. Or even in sweatshirting. A versatile pattern really.
I like it zipped up fully, however for a different look, I unzipped it a bit, and pulled the left front out (Would look awesome if it was a contrasting fabric!) and it just gives it another style.

A disheartened day!

Well I finished another pair of non stretch jeans. I know for future reference, I don't like jeans without a bit of stretch, I always thought it would be the opposite really.
These are ok, and only ok. But they are wearable, and that's all that matters really.
I am happy with them really, except for 2 things.

One - the gaposis at the back waistband. I'll put a dart in here, the seam of a dart wont bother me, since I never have waistbands showing anyway. I need to figure out how to adjust the pattern though, so I won't have a dart, it'll just be reshaped.

Secondly, the little bit of bubbling or whatever at the right front, what's up with that? I don't remember that on any other pair of jeans I've made. lol
There is a bit extra fabric in the crotch area too, but ugh, I give up. LOL

I changed this pattern slightly off my "master". I removed 1.5cm off the yoke, and added it onto the pants back, since I found in previous pairs the yoke started too low down my butt. I also took off 2cm from the size of the pockets, they always looked too big.

Now for the second part of my disheartened day!
Ok maybe I'm just having a bad day all round, my fibro is playing up big time, making me grumpy!

So, that biker kind of styled jacket I've been making. I'm all ready to add the facing, hem, collar and then the zip goes on and it's done.
But I'm sitting here looking at the fabric having a "what was I thinking!" moment.
Opinions please? Boy don't I look a happy chappy today! haha

So do I continue on making this jacket? It may look kinda cool when it's done, I just don't know. Would look heaps better if it was black, I wonder how it'd take some dye. Hmm

Another of my talents - I really am clever.

So I know this is supposed to be a sewing blog, but I just thought I'd give you all a bit of a info of another one of my amazing talents.
I make reborn dolls. Vinyl doll kits that are produced blank, and the end result after me coloring, adding a body, adding hair (by either painting or using a needle to root each hair in individually), is a doll that looks a lot like a real baby. A lot of people find them a bit creepy, and a lot wonder what do people do with them.

Most are collected by doll collectors who have collected different types over the years, and this is just the next progression. Some personally take it a bit over the top and give their dolls birthday parties etc, that is a bit strange to me, they are just dolls afterall. LOL
I don't own a doll myself, have never found a true "keeper". Maybe that'll change when I have kids, and want to keep one for them?

So this is my latest one, I've just put her for sale on Trademe (NZ's version of Ebay).

Tillys Listing

I've unfortunately had to pull out of the wardrobe contest for a few reasons, but will still be using this blog for all my sewing creations! It won't die a slow and lonely death just yet!
 

Self Stitched September - who's with me!

Well I think this is the coolest idea!  who else is in!
http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/2010/05/join-me-self-stitched-september.html

I, Emma (www.snuzalsews.blogspot.com), sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-September. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade item of clothing or accessory every day for the duration of September 2010.

The jacket has begun.

Well after a lot of debating on the style and color etc of zip, I finally decided this morning that it would be black with silver metal teeth. Thanks to Liz for getting me the long one, and manage to get the sleeve ones in town here.

So the jacket is now a shell! It's all ready for the zip to be inserted, which is fabulous. What an easy pattern. http://www.simplicity.com/p-3061-misses-jackets.aspx
Still loving my overlocker, amazing how much better it goes, when it's been threaded properly - Funny that really.
Later this week my zip will arrive, and I'll be ready to put it in. Can't wait!


The inside, looks just like plain cotton.


And the outside, it's not as shiny as this, kind of a deep grey.

Jeans mark one

Right, so here's my first pair of jeans for the contest, using Mccalls 5894. Made from non stretch, and I should've done the side seams around the hips a bit bigger, as it's a bit tight. But denim gives right?
So here they are.

Back pockets with free motion design.




My fabulous flat front fly. Fabulous instructions for this by Sandra Betzina. http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3831/video-an-easy-flat-fly-front-zipper






The lovely overlocker job.



My funky wee label I printed for myself.



Ignore the not done hair!


The front view... the horizontal lines across the front are a very obvious sign of being too tight.
Notice the tippy toes 'cause I'm so short?! lol oh and the mis matched socks. Today is a slouch day, if you hadn't already guessed!

Intelligent much?

So I stitch the jeans all lovely (breaking a topstitch needle in the mean time and no one in Blenheim carries top stitch needles, COOL), stitch the side seams, and try them on. Oops, non stretch denim and they don't fit. So I've had to undo them, and restitched, still a bit snug but denim gives.

Now for a few pictures, just how much do I love my new overlocker? Love how it does overlock and straight stitch/chain stitch all at once. No more swapping between machines!


And then a picture of where I sew.. Got enough machines do you think? lol
Ignore the mess around it!

My first time! Be gentle with me..

Eek, so this is my first time doing a blog. It is a bit exciting really!
I've decided to create this, so I have a journey of my 2010 Winter Wardrobe creations(and hopefully more creations as the year goes on!!!)
With the joining of the PR Wardrobe, I have to create 10 items, to go with the current trends, and have 3 months to do it in.

4 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 topper, and one free choice.
Here is a picture of my wardrobe, so far I have the jacket and one pair of jeans cut out! But I need zips, so intelligent having everything cut out, and forgetting the zips, so I better go buy some now!