Sew, I've Been Thinking ...

Because I have no imagination and don't want to have to reinvent the wheel, I decided to start with a few TNT patterns.  I'm trying to wear more blouses as I'm getting tired of knit tops that look the same, so I've started with a blouse that already exists in my wardrobe in about seven different versions.  This is BWOF 01-2008-107 or 108 or something.  I like this without the collar (which I think is #107).    It's been a little hard to photograph this because of the fabric.  I don't actually know what it is, but I suspect it may be a raw silk of some sort.  It feels like a light, soft taffeta but doesn't have any shimmer in it, although the last photo seems to look that way.  I acquired this fabric some years ago, along with several other colours, from a film shoot.  Back when I had an actual career (Production Manager - film and television) it was my job to dispose of all the left over stuff at the end of a shoot.    ...

It's been a while - remember me??  It's been a busy year and a bit since my last post. I'd like to thank Sheila and Faye for checking in on me! All is well.  I've been busy renovating a house, building another and working.  On top of that I managed three overseas trips and am leaving on another this coming week. I have been sewing, not much, but some.  I haven't blogged any of it, but there are a few things I will show off in time. For now I would like to introduce a travel wardrobe I am working on for a month long trip to Shetland this Christmas.  So far I have only been there in summer and as I live in the subtropics my wardrobe isn't that well equipped. The wardrobe was inspired by this cardigan, a gift sent to me from Nepal.  This picture doesn't do it justice.  It is the softest, lightest cashmere I have ever felt. So I collected some paint charts and pulled a page from a magazine.   Then I pulled some fabric from my...

Despite eating constantly, consuming large quantities of wine and not going to the gym for six weeks, I am still too skinny for the few clothes I have with me. With the weather cooling and no immediate arrival of my belongings from Hobart, I needed some clothes. I started with this one which is an amalgam of BWOF 02-13-127 top and BWOF 02-13-128 dress without the ruffle down the front. I made the 36.  The fabric is a cheap poly knit I bought the other day for $6 a metre at Spotlight.  Now, I know I've not had many good things to say about Spotlight in Hobart, but let me tell you that Spotlight Lismore is a whole nother story! This is more purple than it appears in this shot and there is a single row of brown that I've placed at empire line for effect. Also made from another $6 a metre poly knit is this version of V8825 .  I chopped about 8 inches off so it's only a little longer than the tunic version.  When I read the reviews on Pattern Review, someone (so...

Just when you thought I'd disappeared off the face of the earth ... I'm back with an emergency version of Vogue 1020 which is probably long OOP.  I've come home with very little clothing, most of which doesn't fit. The rest is still in Hobart.  I needed a dress to wear and I thought making this in a cotton lycra would fit, but it was still baggy.  I need to put some weight on! I hope to be back to regular sewing soon.  It's been a hectic three months! More later ...

I've been a bit stuck with what to sew next as I can't find the fabric I want.  I saw it when I didn't want it and now I can't find it but then with only ONE fabric store in Tasmania, what else can I expect.  If anyone sees matte gold or champagne sequin fabric please let me know.  Even a bronze would work. These shorts are a real TNT. It's the Burda Ruby shorts that I downloaded free many years ago, pre blog days, in fact.  The fabric is the same.  It's a lovely soft stretch sateen that is leftover from a dress I made to wear to a wedding many years ago.  As I've been slowly packing I keep coming across things that might work for my SWAP, so this keeps with my stashbusting challenge.  The buttons and thread were from stash, too, so these are free.   The mirror shots are a little dark but they do fit me, despite the odd wrinkles.  It's hard to photograph yourself in a mirror.   Here they are on the floor and below you...

I've been listening to a lot of the Tragically Hip this week and it's flavoured my mood tonight. Two weeks ago when I started these jeans I had a plan, not just for my pants, but for my life.  My world has been altered in the past 14 days for reasons that I may share in the coming weeks.  I've had to delay my return home by a few weeks and that comes with mixed feelings.  But back to the jeans ... These started life as BWOF 05-11-116 skinny jeans, which I made recently in red.  As I mentioned last time, I frankenpatterned the pockets of Burda Anita jeans onto this pattern and this time I also frankenpatterned the crotch curve from my best fitting RTW jeans (Levis Bold Curve).  I took the back seam in by about an inch, but that could be because this sateen is a little stretchier than the one I used last time. I am quite happy with the fit, although these pictures make me look FAT. These pants are a nice addition to my SWAP.  The pictures aren't gre...

Now that I my tenure in Tasmania can be counted in weeks, this long weekend (Hobart gets two more public holidays to NSW) is divided between sewing and packing.  I took a couple of hours out this morning to take Molly down to the waterfront and have a look at the Wooden Boat Festival, but the rest of the weekend has been spent in the house.  Between the horrendous smoke from the fires and the unbelievable wind, it's way more comfortable inside, anyway.  I struggle with static electricity in Hobart at the best of times, but today every bit of thread, dog hair and other assorted flotsam and jetsam are all stuck to me and my sewing. First of all I finished up this pair of high-waisted skinny, slouchy pants.   Sorry about the crappy mirror shots but I am too lazy and too busy to waste time messing with a tripod.  You'll have to wait for the SWAP shots now! These are BWOF 03-11-119 and are made from the same fabric as the skirt from...