A scrumptious piece of fabric!

I bought this gorgeous piece of fabric before, 2.5m for $14! What a bargain.
It's a light wool (possibly a blend, not sure on that)

Isn't it just so divine. I think it'll make a wonderful skirt - out of a pattern that I have drafted myself!!!

I didn't get to class this week, have had an incredibly stressful week that I wish to never repeat and the stress has flared up my glandular fever again. I swore I was dying again last night. Though after this last week, dying probably isn't a joking matter. lol
But my tutor is emailing me through the instructions, so I can work on my pant block at home before next class.

I got up this morning and did some embroidery on the machine for someone. It was after I unhooped it, that I realised I had caught the sleeve into the bodice of the bodysuit. *sigh* It's going to be one of those days!

Pattern drafting - week 3 - doing my head in!

Having a very disheartened day today. After putting on my bodice block tuesday evening at class, we sorted out the couple of adjustments that needed to be done. That's fine, I understand what needs to be done and where.
But it's HOW I get those adjustments to be finished. things like lowering the neck line and adding the dart in, I fully understand and it makes full sense. But I have to add approx 10cm to my back waist length.

Now excuse the language, but WTH! I redrafted the pattern fully on thursday afternoon, no such luck, it came out identical. What on earth am I doing wrong? Or misinterpreting.
How the hell do I add 10cm to the back block, it's going to be sloped here there and everywhere. And if it's drafted originally to my back waist length, then why the hell doesn't it fit!!!!!!!!!

I'm truthfully over this bodice block. This is the 3rd week we've all been on it, and it's starting to get very old, very quick.

Next week is pants, btu I honestly see us all having to relook again at the bodice judging by what I spoke to another woman on the class about yesterday.
I wish we could all get one to one help for this bit.
I also feel for the one woman on the class who's bodice was fine first pop. She's had to suffer through the whole thing with us, it's not really fair on her.

So bitching whinging Emma is out in full force today!
I'm just so disheartened by it all. Can't work out what I'm doing wrong! Nightmare!

Pattern Drafting - my epic fail and the revisit!

I apologise in advance for the terrible out of focus pics. The camera was not willing to focus today at all. Might have something to do with the wee drop it suffered? (might?? who am I kidding LOL)

The one in the calico is the first version. Crikey. See why I was so utterly disappointed? lol

The next one, is todays version. There are a few wee changes needed here and there (the back neckline is too high, the back of the bodice needs to coem down about an inch. So if the inch went off the neckline, and to the waistline, it'd be perfect.
Finally, the bust points are in the right place. I think this is the part I am happiest about. There is still some gaping that could be eliminated in the armholes(but I do know you need some gaping in the armhole for ease of movement when sleeves are attached), and some slight gaping in the front neckline. But overall, I am 100000000 times happier.

And Fat. boy oh boy. After seeing my pic in my skirt a couple of weeks ago, I almost died. You know how you see yourself, but don't "see" yourself? That was me. Can't believe I let it get this bad. But I have joined www.myfitnesspal.com which is great. I started last monday, so here's hoping there will be a loss! I have just over 37kg to loose. *gulp* but baby steps, is the key.

Enough about that. I'm off to sew some knickers from the fabric I bought earlier this week, and also make a plastic bag holder for a friend! So here are the photos.

 See my bust points? Errr. Wrong!

 Dear, oh dear!

Not a bad fit really!

The whole back needs to be lowered quite a bit.

Pattern drafting - week 3 - bodice block AGAIN.

Well last night was week 3. We all had to put on our bodice blocks.
It became fairly apparent, that our measuring SUCKED. We think it was because we are all amatures at this drafting thing, that we weren't exactly sure where to measure. Sure we had a diagram, but with none of us ever having measured anyone else before, we really weren't sure. So we unanimously agreed that our tutor should measure us, and she did. Some of our measurements were wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out!
We all felt very happy that we were measured correctly, by someone who knew what they were doing.
I think this is all part of learning and personally feel very happy that it happened how it did.
We then redrew our blocks, this time starting with the front, as we all seemed to get very stuck on the front (maybe because we did the back first last week, and attempted the front ourselves?) Mine looks rather good, but the test will be when it's made up in calico or similar this weekend.

And while everyone was getting measured (we all stayed for the first couple)we started to loose people out to the fabric part of the store. LOL. It was so much fun all of us wandering around looking at fabrics, some times they choose something that you'd never normally look at.
So today, I bought enough fabric to make a few pairs of knickers. It's beautiful fabric and as the store owners are due to have a baby over the next few weeks, they've started a sale, that is running until baby is born! Great idea.

This weeks lesson?

Measure twice - cut once

Pattern Drafting - week 2 - My Block

Right, so I finished drafting my block this morning for front and back bodice. It doesn't look too bad on paper.

 Here you can see what I mean about using pencils only ;)

 Front

Back curve and front curve before I cut the pattern out.

So, once this was all cut out, I got it sewn up in calico (muslin)

Put an invisible zip in the CB seam, beautiful first time round *takes a bow*. 

Got everything all stitched together, put it on and oh dear!

The pics will come when the light is a bit better, another dreary rainy day but lets see if I can remember what was wrong with it. 

The bust points were too high, and too close to my CF.

The armholes gaped like crazy. 

The neckline was all gapey. 

I didn't even look at the location of the back darts, I was too disheartened.

Would make a cool bodice for a dress though when it fits right. It's just a block, but I'd like a nice dress like that.

So to end on a high note - 

How do you catch a unique bird??

*scroll down*

You-neek up on it..

courtesy of my mother - I couldn't come up with something that lame!!!

Pattern Drafting - week 2

Right, so week two of pattern drafting has been and gone. I've just got home and had some tea (10pm argh) and now it's my wind down time. I hate night courses, I'm so past my bed time.

We all tried our skirts on. The only thing I need to do is alter my dart placement, and take about 1/2 the SA off, so it's a bit looser. Otherwise it's not too bad. I'm rather happy with that.
Then we got to tonights drafting - the bodice. Cue a happy Emma moment!

I was so excited. Got everything going well, and then I hit the shoulders. Cue Emma so utterly confused moment. It really started to get me so confused, add X here "but I've already added X there so do I need to add more to X" ARGH! LOL.  In the end, I think I got it, but I guess the real test, will be when I put it on. But we all had a wee bit of trouble with the same thing, so I didn't feel totally out in the cold.

We only had enough time to draft the back, so have been given notes to draft the front. How is that for scary! I hopefully will understand it more having the notes and images in front of me, and not havign others saying their measurements out loud while I'm trying to think of mine. I can't wait though, and then will hopefully get it made in time for next weeks class - the sleeves!

My french curve hasn't arrived yet - hopefully it's not too far away, because I could really use it.
I bought one from www.sewessentials.co.uk for a great price.

Biggest lesson learnt this week? 

USE A PENCIL!

Pens don't erase when you make a serious screw up!

A fabulous invention!

How great is this wee tool!

 Seam Allowance Guide

It snaps (magnetically) onto the side of your scissor blades, so you can cut however far aside from your pattern for a SA! No need to painstakingly go around and mark the SA.
Great for Burda patterns, and SELF DRAFTED! I neeeeed these!
Only $15AUD ($20NZD, $15.80USD)
Fantastic idea.

Block made up

Right. So here is my first skirt block made up. In calico. Excuse the terribly lit pictures, it's shocking weather here today so there was lots of fluorescent lighting goin on!

Overall, it's not too bad. The hips need a wee bit of work as you can see.

 Front

 Side YIKES!
WW here I come

Back.. sigh

Next week I'm assuming we will learn how to make those slight adjustments needed here and there.

My skirt block.

So here are some basic pics so far, I haven't got around to cutting out the pattern pieces yet as you can see, but it's interesting to see it like this, as you can see it's all been drawn as one, and it all started from a rectangle.


The pictures aren't that good, the pen color vs paper color isn't crash hot for photographing. The Back is on the left, front on the right.
You can also see the back curves down slightly at the CB, to accomodate the lift of the skirt from the bum. I've overexposed one of the pics so you can see this shape in full.

I'm really looking forward to cutting this out and getting it made up in calico.

 Front  

 Full view of back.

 Front and back side by side

Close up of back

Who needs sleep, really?

So I had my first pattern drafting class last night! 7-9pm. It was great fun! But of course by the time I get home, grab some tea etc it's late, and then my mind was buzzing buzzing buzzing with everything that happened in class. I got 6hrs sleep. Not enough for me right now, I'm suffering enough day to day on 9hours sleep, it seems the mono keeps knockign me back!

Anyway, the class.

It was great. We took all our measurements EEK. And then got straight into it. I now have a skirt block, made to my measurements.
That has to be made up before our next class. After I got home and was thinking about the pattern, I realised that given my waist is significantly smaller than my hips, there's quite a significant curve from waist to hip so the waist is a lot smaller, and I'm wondering how on earth I'm going to get this test skirt above my hips! LOL. I am thinking that I may need to add an invisible zip to the side seam so I can put it on.

It was great fun. So now I've got a good idea of what extra wee tools I need for the class, and am going to endeavour to get them before the next class.
Do you know I CANNOT draw a square. Well I can, but do you know it ends up on a huge crooked angle?
I need a tsquare, so everything comes out nice and square. Or some handy quilters ruler with grid marks so I can get it dead square.
I also noticed my sewers curve (not a french curve) is just slightly too small length wise, so I need to get a french curve as well to add to the inventory!

Now everyone realises that NZ runs on the metric system. Except as I use SO many downloaded patterns, mainly created using the Imperial system, I find that a lot easier to use. So everyone else in the class was using metric, and here's me, the youngest, using imperial.
I might try change next week, just so I can be fluid with everyone else.

So now it's 612am, and I am exhausted, with a huge day ahead. But I'm happy and excited, and can't wait for next week. Or friday when I can start on my muslin block!

One week today - so excited!

I'm so very excited. This time next week I'll just be arriving home from my first pattern drafting course. I have everything I need!

Hopefully I find it really enjoyable and get a lot of knowledge out of it so I can really make sewing my own.

On a good note, our only pattern/sewing store finally sells Vogue patterns, I did a wee scream of glee! And then was disappointed when I found out they are not sourcing Butterick or McCalls. I really thought that having Vogue would mean all BMV! 

Bought Burda 3-11 the other day too, some great plus sized tee and long sleeved basic top, which I love for layering in winter, that will be my project over the next weekend. It's getting really chilly here, we had our first frost of the year, beautiful, but brrr!

This issue has wedding dresses in it. Well, I am shocked, they are hideous. 

You can see the line drawings of them on this page.

Wedding dresses burda 3/11

I'm slowly getting over the Glandular Fever (mono), every so often I start to feel a bit worn out and need to rest. Today I thought I'd lie down for a wee bit, and woke 3hours later, woops! 

A bit of a boring post, I wish I had some cool photo or something to add to this. But bring on next week when I start the course, there'll be photos of something I'm sure!

A bit of fun!

I am getting really excited about my drafting course starting in a couple of weeks. So I finally added the wee finishing touches to my folio I made, to keep all my rulers, pencils etc together.
The picture isn't that crash hot, but you get the idea.

I am loving this tarty girl on the front, it was a fab design from www.embroiderydesigns.com and she is so gorgeous I just couldn't resist. The text was part of the design too, she's actually holding a needle and sitting on a thimble, how fab!

inside there's a wee zipper pocket for pins, erasers etc, anything that can fall out. It looks a bit upside downish, and that's because it is really. I made a big muck up, did all the pockets beautifully, and then realised when I fold the folio closed, everything drops, woops. so I just restitched without moving the pockets (lazy as can be) but it works, and that's all that matters.

2 days left to vote!

Voting is almost ready to close for the Lined Jacket contest.
Head over to Pattern Review and check out the incredible entries! We are a talented bunch over there, that's for sure!!

Pattern Review Lined Jacket Contest Gallery

I'm doing slightly better, the glandular fever hasn't affected me like I expected it would. I think the worst of it must've been when I was sure I was dying haha.
Just still taking it easy, I get exhausted if I do too much.

Have fun looking and voting over at PR :)

I'm alive still - just..

No really, I swear these past few days, I've been dying. Although today is looking better, so don't get sewing for something to wear to the funeral just yet ;o)

I've been rather ill these past few weeks, and came down with a terrible cold a few days ago.
So there's been no sewing going on in these parts at all. I can't even think of something I'd like to make, how unlike me is that.
But I have been filling my resting time, with a book, and I just thought I had to write about it.

I usually read only in bed, before going to sleep, so I never want something too heavy that will make my mind race, I like light, chic lit type stuff.
This book is called The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, by Eva Rice.

It's set in the 50s, and well it involves a girl who makes her own clothes, and a lot of parties so of course - fashion. See why I enjoy it now??
The novelist truly works wonders in transporting you back to that time, as though you are one of the characters. It's almost a blissful book to read. It takes you into Selfridges, shopping for gowns, into beautiful old medieval english houses, into the Ritz for dinner parties.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it (all 5 times over the past year lol) and just thought I'd tell you all who were interested in a light hearted chicklit read, it's a great book.

So once again, not about sewing. But it is there, slightly.
Hopefully I get my sewing mojo back in the next wee while. I'm hanging out for my pattern drafting class to start in a month!

Update: Doctors office rang today. Tests came back positive for Glandular Fever (mono..) No wonder I felt like I was dying! lol

Home Deco Sewing Sucks.

How's that for a positive start to a blog post!

So I got the curtains done, (but not the lining). They looked fab!!! Then came the task of doing the lining. I find that stage very similar to coat making, once I've done the main fabric, I'm sick of it, and just want them to be finished.

I haven't really been in a good headspace this week, and so my darling mother picked up her needle and threat and tacked the lining on. It was originally going to be a detachable lining, but with my tracks, and location of the hooks etc, it would've been too full, and looked rather messy.

So I have 3 up, and they are lovely. The pleats need to set in a bit, I think I'll get them steam pressed properly. But for now, here's a picture. I was very surprised how well the gold print matches with my wall color.  And I'm loving the blackout lining.

Call me crazy!

Because I'm heading there rather quickly!

I've just prewashed 11m of gorgeous fabric to cut curtains! First ever home dec project, it'll be interesting for sure.

Friday involved a jaunt to another town, for Spotlight (a bit like Joanns). I got the curtain fabric, and some lovely cotton sateen drill, so made another pair of Vogue pants. unfortunately after finishing them I ended up in the after hours for a few hours, with a lot of stomach and chest pains. Fibro related apparently.

So I'm yet to get pictures of the Project Nightmare from the other day, and the pants.

The cutest sewing machine - period!

 I came across this earlier on Trademe. Has to be, without a doubt, the cutest sewing machine I've ever seen. It's so teeny tiny!

Mini Singer Sewing Machine

Today has been a day of sewing. 

• A day of breaking 5 needles on one project - no, I wasn't sewing over pins.
• A day of hemming about 4 metres of fabric
• A day of 6mm seam allowances. Why Kwik Sew has 6mm SAs I'll never know. I couldn't even overlock them, my narrowest overlock stitch was too wide. 

Photos to come tomorrow. When my fingers have recovered from the nightmare of pinning tough fabric.

Pattern Drafting - a tad daunting, or not so much.

Well, I'm rather excited in the fact I'm going to be taking a Pattern Drafting course, right here at my local store! No mail order things, I get to see it, in person, woohoo! Just to even learn the absolute basics will be fantastic.
I have 1.5 months to wait though, that's going to seem like forever!


Two nights ago, I was daunted and really pondering my ability to do this. Sure I could work out the sloper etc, but it's what comes next that had me a bit concerned.
Then last night, I did some Googling, and came across a few things.

The first two, are pattern making "rulers". But it's a ruler, where you mark all your points here and there, and just draw in the curves, making your sloper in literally a couple of minutes. No fiddling around with maths here and there etc

Easy Pattern Making - this is cool. And I emailed to ask what size they go up to (plus size by the way. 140cm bust) and she mentioned a friend of hers has just moved to NZ - the South Island even and is starting a Sewing and Pattern Making School. So I've made contact with her to see what area she is going to be in. I'd die if it was mine! LOL.


Maria Martin Designs - The Pattern Drafter - This is along similar lines to the above one. There's some great wee snippets in her Book section too.

The second was Sure-Fit Designs. This has been around since 1982! It's quite amazing, and I love the idea that there are dozens of sizes. Would be wonderful if you were sewing for other family members, or even selling your garments, just input the measurements, and connect them to make the sloper. Then you've got a block for everyone. It's pretty amazing.
I watched a couple of the videos on doing different things to your sloper to change them, and it just started to make total sense in my wee brain!

I'm totally revved up and ready to go, it's 646am, so I must be excited.
I now feel like I am going in with just a small bit of knowledge, whereas I felt like I knew nothing beforehand.

Hurry up "needs" list for my class, so I can get buying on the rulers etc!

My Dream Shoes - Wowsers

So check what Erica B just posted on her blog.

I just fell in love 10 times over and have never wanted shoes so much. Wow, wow, wow.

Christian Louboutins, from Nieman Marcus

Vogue 2064 - wide legged pants

I've been on the look out for decent wide legged pants for ages! In plus size even.

Then I found Vogue 2064 in my stash of all places. who would've thought I had a decent pattern in my stash all along.

Well this would have to be one of the easiest patterns I've made ever. (I seem to be gravitating towards easy quick satisfying patterns lately!)
There are 2 seams, the inner leg seam, and the crotch seam. That's it. No side seams, no adding on waistbands etc.
I used size 22, but with my ridiculous shaped stomach and hips I added on 20cm total (eeeekkk!) to the very top and slowly graduated it back to nil.

The pants have an elastic waist, but I ended up not even having to add the elastic in, they pull on perfectly, and stay on. Fantastic! They whipped up in about 1.5hrs by the time I'd handstitched the hem.

I love them. Nice and comfy, but cool