Friday, November 25, 2011

Loving the Interweb right now

There are a few lovely things that I have been loving around the interweb recently.

I just can't get enough of Katie over at Head, Heart, Health for her inspirational and motivating post action. I have follwed Katie along her journey and watched her transformation into an amazing, warm and inspiring lady. I can't wait to see what she does next!

I am also loving Tiny Buddah - so much of what is written on that site is speaking to me so loudly at the moment.

I guess I am trying to connect with who I am and be a part of that person even more so that I already am.

I am journalling and doing yoga, trying to absorb buddist philosophy and live a little more authentically.

I want to stop being concerned about what other people think and start doing the things that resonate most strongly with me.

I feel like I have all these amazing intentions and am not really acting on them so well. I think it is partially because I am worried that I wont enjoy what I find through this exploration process. But at the same time I want to start being kind to myself and free myself of the invisible walls and rulles I create for myself.

I feel like I need about a year of navel gazing and contemplation before I will find my way.

I think the first step is to embrace yoga a little more thoroughly. I am able to clear my head and think far more thoroughly when I am practicing regularly. The very thing I find I don't get enough time for!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Dress Surgery

Before - Frilly and Unnecessary cap sleeves

After - Sleeveless and infinitely more Wearable!
I found this pretty cotton summer dress in a local department store yesterday and while I liked the fabric and the style I didn't like the sleeves - even on the rack. I thought that I would try it on anyway just to have a look at the fit.
While I was in the fitting room I tucked one of the sleeves underneath the shoulder strap and it looked so much better. I then commenced to have a look at how the dress was constructed and whether or not I could do some surgery to make it better for me. All it needed was a bit of bias tape around the outer sleeve hole - there was enough fabric in the sleeve to do this - so it came home with me.
It was relatively easy and I am really happy with the result.

 I went to Spotlight today (just to get a zipper!! I promise) and had a bit of a look but came away with absolutely zero inspiration. I have so much trouble with fabric selection - I have trouble translating the drape of the fabric over to how the dress will look when it is finished. I am grateful for the internet in this respect because I can go searching for how others have approached the pattern and get some ideas.

I know that the patterns have suggestions on the back for fabric selection, however sometimes an unexpected fabric can work surprisingly well. The Sorbetto top is a good example of this - the first one I used a drapey light voile and it looked good - but it also looked good in the heavier cotton. I think perhaps that some of my problem is confidence. I don't want to spend money on the more expensive fabrics tat I know love because I don't want to risk messing it up - I know that this will improve in time - that is partly what this blog's purpose is I guess.

365pix/11 Those Eyes


Those Eyes!

Everyone in my husband's Family has those eyes. My sister in law takes him out and people think he is hers.They are crystal clear and the most perfect aqua blue.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The "Masquerade" Apron

I have wanted to make some aprons for a while now but the thing is i'm not really a fan of the more traditional style aprons - I wanted something that had the feel of a dress with the practicality of an apron.

Initially I went looking for a smock pattern but couldn't really find anything that I liked immensely - so with that in ming I set about resigning my own dress apron.

What I have here is really just a muslin - the fabric is a old sheet - but I think that the pattern itself  works. I didn't quite manage to get the halter neckline exactly right but I put a small gathering stitch in the front bust midline which adds a quaint design feature.



You can't really see in the pics but there is a sash that wraps around the waist that forms from the waist ties.

I wanted something that I can wear around the house over my clothes for small children to wipe messy hands on and baby food to get smeared on and yet still be able to look like I was wearing clothes rather than an apron.

It is like an Apron that Masquerades as a dress - thus the "Masquerade" Apron.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

To Do List


So many thing to sew - So little time...

365pix/10 I Munch

I munch

365pix/9 Cute Boy


365pix/8 Picnic


365pix/7 Housework


Sorbetto 2.0



I picked up this fabric at the recent St Vincent De Paul Warehouse sale for a mere 50c. I didn't know that beneath the rolled up bundle was a mess of hacked up cut outs within the fabric. I made do anyway. There was enough good fabric remaining to  make another Sorbetto. This time I gathered the neckline rather than making a centre pleat. I think I prefer this finish. I also cut a size 8 rather than a 12 and it fits me much better. I did still take in the side seams a little though.

I think I made the mistake in the first Sorbetto  of using a fabric that was difficult to work with. Funnily enough the first Sorbetto is still in the to be finished rack - I need to make some more bias tape for the arm holes.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Project 333


So here it is - the beginnings of my 33 items. 

1. Ralph Lauren Sunglasses
2. Red resin necklace
3. Tiffany silver necklace
4. Silver ball earrings
5. Straw Fedora
6. Red Ballet Flats#
7. Black Ballet Flats
8. Tan sandals#
9. Dark Jeans
10. Lighter Jeans
11. White T-Shirt
12. White Vest
13. Red slouch t-shirt#
14. Black striped shirt
15. Navy striped shirt 3/4 sleeve
16. Navy striped shirt short sleeve
17. Red scarf
18. Patterned scarf
19. Tan coloured cross body/handbag
20. Black jersey dress
21. Navy Patterned dress
22. Denim skirt
23. Black skirt
24. Tan braided belt
25. Grey Cardigan
26. Blue Floral skirt
27. Shorts - Black
28. Shorts - White
29. Gingham Blouse *
30. White patterned sundress *
31.  Colette Ginger Skirt in Denim *
32.
33.

* These items are on the sewing list.
# Yet to purchase

It has been much easier that I anticipated and most of the items are things that are already in my closet. The black and white gingham top is on my list of things to sew - as is a summer day dress and a Colette Ginger skirt. but even with those three items added I am only up to  31.

I'm not sure if it is cheating but I have not included my gym/yoga clothes and house clothes/PJ's. I will have to go and recheck the guidelines. 

If I can teach my 2 year old how to take a photo then I can attempt to take a pic of what I am wearing each day and post it.

I am really excited about this - it is going to make looking polished So much easier!!

I am a mum who does not currently work in a paid capacity so the majority of my clothes are for day wear and hanging out with my kids. In a way this makes it somewhat easier to choose items - but it also means that I have to exclude things like high heels. I may leave a pair so I can slot them into the open spaces if I need to.

We have 2 weddings to go to over the next three months as well - I am planning to sew a dress to wear to the weddings - one casual and the other a morning affair. Both involve the same group of people so I may need to leave the other space for this dress.

Tomorrow I will work on boxing up all the rest. 

I have also set part of my wardrobe space aside for working on the Autumn capsule.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

House Renovation Weeks 4 - 6

Not much has been happening these past few weeks. The builder got caught up in the Qantas debacle and was stuck in Brisbane, then there was rain and just general hold ups with tradies and the like.





365pix/6 Pyjamas


Pyjamas

I'll double up on the 365 post today because it also involved sewing. I love, love, love these cute PJ's that I made for my big boy. With the weather warming up, he was in dire need of some summer PJ's and these have turned out just great.

I made him 4 pairs yesterday and also made another pair for his cousin as a Christmas gift. One pair to go for his girl cousin, however I am going to look through my pattern books and see if I have anything a little more girly that might suit her.

I have the biggest stash of small lengths of fabric - not enough to really make anything for me but enough to make things for small people. Miss 8 the cousin is the only small girl in our family - all the rest are bigger or boys. Many many boys.

There is going to be some serious mischief in their future I think.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Sewing has happened - Sorbetto

I began a Sorbetto blouse last weekend - and then amidst the housework and all of the errands I had to do this past week I didn't really pick it up again until Friday night.

Sorbetto top
It is still not quite finished because I am deciding what to do about the sleeves. I am tempted to add sleeves as I'm not a huge fan of sleeveless.

I made a few little alterations to improve the fit for me. I cut the 12 but next time I think I may cut the 10 - I know it is meant to be blousy but it was quite blousy. I took it in at the side seams about 1cm and I cut a little bit off the shoulders on the outside.

I also didn't take the front pleat all the way to the bottom. I may still do this before I hem though.

The fabric I used is a cotton batiste/voile of some sort with a weave pattern through it. I had it in my stash.

I have moved on to sewing for my big boy - some new summer pyjamas - today. I realised yesterday that I have SO much sewing to do before Christmas as I am making most of our family Christmas presents. First up on the list is an advent calendar. I saw this one last year and loved it so I am going to have a go at recreating it.

365pix/5 Errands

Errands

I haz truck

365pix/4 more ouch


Wednesday, November 9, 2011

365pix/3 Ouch


The Capsule Wardrobe

How is it possible that I didn't know about such a thing before now.

The Capsule Wardrobe concept is GENIUS!!

Since becoming a mum of two I have found it increasingly difficult to have my style and eat it too - so to speak. Part of the reason why I sew - I simply can't get out to the shops on my own for long enough to see what is there and to try things on.

I do a lot of browsing online and often walk past things that I like - occasionally I will think I have nothing to wear and buy a few pieces at random - inevitably I end up with a mishmash wardrobe of things to wear and I am constantly browsing shops and lamenting that I don't have enough spare cash to buy the things I love.

However - if I do this capsule wardrobe thing it will solve all those problems. I discovered this post on How to build a Capsule Wardrobe and while I may have to tweak it a little to incorporate my own lifestyle I think I am going to do this.

I love having simplicity - I would love to be able to look in my wardrobe and just know that everything in there goes together - it is on my list and that is what I have to choose from to wear out of the house for the next three months. Then I can spend that time planning the next three months and saving up money for any key purchases I might need - rather than spending time and money grazing at the shops - lost - no - drowning in a sea of choice.

Here is the base list I have to work on:

1 Sunglasses
1 Purse
1 Laptop/Camera Bag
2 Dresses
2 Skirts
1 Jeans
2 Shorts/Capri
1 Dress pants
2 Light Sweaters
2 Blazers
2 Tanks
1 Button Down Shirt
5 Shirts
1 Sweatshirt
4 Shoes
1 Trench Coat
2 Bracelets
1 Necklace
1 Scarf

Homework for next week - begin narrowing down basedon what I currently own or can sew.

GOAL - to create a capsule wardrobe for the summer based on what I can sew or currently own. Everything else can be put away.

I would love to do the Project 333 thing properly - but I might aim for the Southern Hemisphere Autumn 2012 to begin as I will be back at work then.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

365pix/2 Baby Feet


Baby Feet

Pattern Haul

I am the worst thrifter ever. I am officially useless at finding anything even remotely worth refashioning - even in my own wardrobe. I can stand in the queue behind someone who has discovered a beautiful white linen shirtdress that is just screaming for the hem to be shortened and wonder why that item didn't jump off the rack into my arms.

However, I do seem to be good at finding patterns. I have some cotton sateen that will suit this perfectly, and a wedding to wear it to.

Simplicity 2337

THis is the second time that I have discovered an uncut pattern in my size at the local thrift store - I must have good pattern vibes but not good refashion finding vibes.

I also discovered a couple of other patterns on my list for 50% off at Lincraft this morning. I have a Light charcoal linen blend in mind for the shirtdress.

Simplicity 2246 and 2147
Then I had to have a bit of a splurge on a Colette Pattern - the Ginger skirt - I can see a few of these in my future. No particular fabric in mind for this one.

Colette Ginger
Now to decide what to create first....

Monday, November 7, 2011

365pix/1 My Scooter is Pink


My Scooter is Pink

Yes - I CAN Sew



Forgive me sewing gods for I have sinned - it has been 6 months since I have even so much as looked at the sewing machine.

I have piles and piles of stashed fabric that somehow only ever seems to grow and doesn't appear to ever get used

I was a prolific and confident sewist and now it seems to have evaporated.

A 2andahalf year old and Mr6months - will do that I guess.

All of my brain space is gone; all of my spare time is gone; all of my creativity  is well....gone...somewhere.

I NEED to find it.

I just need to prove it to myself and well...kind of... relearn.