Sewing around curves

Peter pan collar

There is nothing more frustrating than when you have sewn up something and the curves are not so curvy. It is probably because the seam allowances haven't been snipped enough.





To get the best out of your curves the trick is to snip every 10mm or 1cm in your seam allowance so that it allows the seam to curve around as well. Once you have done this, then make sure that you press it well on the correct side.

Words and Pictures - Tucked up in Bed

We have just got some great new fluffy doonas in our house, and now that it is getting colder it is getting much, much harder to get out of bed in the mornings. One thing that I do love however is that first cup of coffee in the morning that Skip Shopper brings to me while I am still tucked up in bed!

Thanks Pip for hosting one of my favourite themes!

Back to school?

Sewing Class, circa 1890s
Originally uploaded by Iowa State University Library Special Collections

I have just booked my sewing classes in with the Kensington Neighbourhood House for terms 3 and 4. There will be:
* Kids Only class after school on Tuesdays,
* Basic Learn to Sew on either Tuesday afternoons or Thursday evening term 3
* Intermediate Learn to Sew on either Tuesday afternoons or Thursday evening term 4
* UFO (UnFinished Object) Workshops (sit around & sort out those things that you just can't seem to finish...) 25th July, 29th August, 7th November, 5th December
* Basic mending workshop 5 September

Tra-la

knock, knock

250
Originally uploaded by =sm=

I am knocking on my own bloggy door and I'm not allowed in...apparently it's a known issue & it's just some bloggers who are affected... baa humbug.. I was going to respond to some lovely comments...do a couple of things...I can sneak in the backdoor!

How's that?

cotton, linen, wool, viscose, polyester, silk....HELP

I am so deeply absorbed at the moment in designing a training course on fabrics that all I can see is 3 pages of different fabrics....When I try to think of the most common fabrics, all I can see is that they are all used...I am too, too close.. Help...I need a quick lifesaver outta here. What are your first five fabrics you think of.

words & pictures - remember

I remember, I remember, I remember that beautiful strapless cobalt blue taffeta frock that I designed myself that I wore to my year 11 formal. I remember the hair that I curled to go with it that stuck out way too far...and the white court shoes & white stockings....the blue and pink eyeshadow and pink lippy. Precious. I was with my best friend. She had a dress in the same colour and permed hair. She had white court shoes. We were like twins. Our dates were not. Our nights did not end the same. Mine had really bad garlic breath and I couldn't bear to go near him. He just annoyed me in the end. Hers was really nice. They were best friends too.

I remember the 1920's style cream dress I designed and made for the year 11 deb ball. I thought I was going to marry that boy. You have no idea when you are 15, but you think you know everything. I remember how much my heart was broken the next year.

I remember the dress I designed and made for the year 12 formal with the red and black lame fabric and red and black tulle with the daring split and all of the diamantes I glued and sewed onto it with all of its angles. I remember the big hair and Michael confessing his love for me completely out of the blue, and someone else slashing themselves later in the night in the bushes.

Dresses have all of their memories that are entrenched in their seams and they tell their stories for all their years to come, whispering them out of the closet for people to hear. They help the stories to keep coming out. They keep the remembering....the laughter, the tears, the sadness, the dances, the goodtimes.

Thanks Pip for a lovely theme of remembering!

Now that's a tool!

It took me a good while to work this one out. I got it in the fantastic stash from Betty (my friend's relative who had worked as a seamstress), so I knew that it must have had a really good use. I finally worked it out & it is REALLY, REALLY useful - still.

Can you work it out? Those blades are sharp & turn around so that you can select each one. It measures 12cm long & the circle is 5cm wide & the blades are 9mm, 14mm & 18mm wide. Does this help?

Chaotic creative space...creative mind?

Why does my space always end up like this? Anyone else have this problem?

Time for a clean up...again!

Words and Pictures - Fragant

I love waking up on Sunday morning to the fragrant smell of coffee and waffles. Coffee is one of my favourite smells in all time, and the smell of waffles cooking in the morning is just precious. The fragrance fills the house until every corner has been saturated with waffle. Then we gobble them up covered in maple syrup, tomatoes, bacon, lemon & sugar, yogurt, or whatever we feel like, and sip our coffee. Yum.

Egg-Free Waffles:

2 Cups of flour

1&1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups milk

1 tbsp sunflower oil

Whizz this all together & then put a few tablespoons onto your waffle iron & cook until golden. Enjoy!

Thanks Pip for a great theme again this week.

Words and Pictures - Rainy Days

Out the Window
Originally uploaded by derok7

I love waking to the sound of the rain drops falling on the tin roof. Plip, plop. I know that I will be able to warm inside and watch the rain through my window as I try to sew. Somehow I find it more inspiring working inside when it is raining and cold. Heater on, tea and coffee flowing, CD stories talking to keep me company, I feel nice and cosy as I look out the rain now blasting on the window. The plants seem to grow as I look out at them in the rain and the green takes on a different shade with the changing light. My fingers find it hard to keep warm on these rainy cold days no matter how many clothes I put on and I can't really wear gloves while I am working as I need the dexterity. Swoosh go the cars to break the concentration. I love the warmth and dryness that I feel now as I work from my home studio. I hear the school bell. Time for the onslaught. I open the door to the cold, wet blasts. Two minutes tops before they come flying through. Here they are, heard before seen, running feet on wet pavement. No raincoats on, of course. "Hey, shoes off please", and in they run. "It's so hot in here, Mum!", it's time for afternoon tea.

Thanks Pip for the theme for this weeks words and pictures! Join in & play along.