Sunday 25 November 2012

fabric: my mood altering substance of choice

I meant to post this during the week but was too busy sleeping!

I was able to not buy fabric yesterday (put some delicious green linen back on the shelf that would have been great for the hobbit apron, but not at $38m) because not only did I stock up when in brisbane only 2 weeks earlier, but I'd also shopped online and it arrived early this week. Although I'll try to wriggle on the fabric diet hook and say that at least I discarded half the fabrics I wanted to buy (both IRL and online shops).

I got the end of roll grey cotton voile with black tufts & white stripes. Just noticed it's a cross weave of white and black  It'll be an ideal early 1800s gown to go under my half made open robe.  The cotton shirting on the right is for a work blouse/shirt. I photographed it sideways by mistake and though I might prefer this to the proper direction I remember the only time I cut a blouse on the other grain cos I preferred it, it was just that bit tighter a grain and that shirt was never quite comfortable. So much so that I gave it away rather than keep wearing it.


I'm thinking that I need to use the shirting this summer. If only I could find my half cut out blue herringbone linen/rayon. I also want to dye some of the other linen/rayon to use this summer, maybe a berry red?

Saturday 24 November 2012

Sydney sewing bloggers meetup

Kristy from lower your presser foot,  mentioned Christy's (Little Betty) suggestion of a sewing blogger meet up here in Sydney for today.

Despite still not feeling the best I joined them a little late and managed to not buy any fabric despite visiting both Tessuti & The Fabric Store in Surry Hills.

It's always great to see velosewer, Sandra, and Sharon, and to meet new-to-me sewing enthusiasts  - scaredstitchless etc.

I took one dodgy photo in Tessuti (which I might not be thanked for!)

















At the Fabric Store I hit the fatigue wall and sat looking at KwikSew patttern book & noticed 2 patterns that others making a hobbit costume might find easily adaptable.  First up K3065 for the blouse with changes to the sleeve length.  In fact it's reminded me of an early intention to elasticate the waist and underbust to make sure it doesn't ride up while I'm wearing it.
















And then K3220 for the bodice. Place the CF line on the fold at front, and at the back cut half or quarter of an inch from the CB line, and don't add a seam allowance so that there's approx a 2" gap between the lacing.  It still needs to be fitted more closely to the body and boned to keep it from bunching up etc.















By the time we were all ready to leave the Fabric Store for a tea/coffee/wine I felt shattered, so I got a cab home. 

And slept for 2 hours. This is the year of sleeping, not of sewing.

fabrics for the hobbit - pre & post dye

I tried very hard to use stash fabrics for my hobbit costume, if only because I have so much to use. This is the first from the stash that said, hey I can be hobbit-worthy.

I looked through the spreadsheet for suitable candidates and decided that these could be made to work with some dye. The pale pink no longer really suits me, and there's enough for an underskirt. After overlocking the cut ends & prewashing them I added 2x fire red and 1x silver grey Jacquard iDue to the washing machine.


I was feeling all paranoid that the dye had made them too matchy-matchy but I've told myself to just deal with it!  I need to use the fabric I has instead of buying ever more in search of elusive perfection. I also allowed myself to buy some check lawn for the blouse. It made me infinitely happier than a plain offwhite.


On the top: left fabric is the linen underskirt, and the top right silk/linen for the bodice centre front.
On the bottom row: plaid lawn for the blouse, floral print for the side & back oof bodice, and plaidy fabric is the over skirt. I'd like to dye some green linen darker for the apron, or I've got some coarse weave linen I could also use.

I'd better get started cutting the blouse & skirts ... the easy peasy items

Not the best of years

Turns out I've had another health problem all year that's just flared up ... gall bladder issues.

Now most people with gallstones have no problems, and when I say most it's around 70% are hassle free.  I found out from my ultrasound & CT scans earlier this year (for other issues) that I had them and the reason for the scans was tickety-boo fine but BTW gallstones.  Even the more problematic lady-parts ultrasound at the end said BTW gallstones. (What the???  how are they even close!!!!)

Anyhoo, it turns out that the reason all year that  I've (1) had days off my food (the sushi a month or so ago wasn't not-right, it was me) and that (2) off & on when I've gone to bed I flopped around like a dying fish cos of a whingy ache-not-pain around my right shoulder blade is all because my gall bladder decided it was unhappy. I've had no other more common pain or signs.

I think I've avoided hospital for this year, but at least even though it's only a matter of time, it's not as likely to be a sudden emergency when it happens.

I'm hoping my energy levels will be better and I'll get some actual sewing done and therefore have content to blog about.

Monday 19 November 2012

baby-stepping to a hobbit costume

I know I could draft the hobbit blouse myself - using the Elizabeth Stewart Clark chemise directions but to be honest I know that would just lead to even more procrastination. So I squizzed peasant blouse patterns & thought Simplicity 1915 would be easy enough but wasn't prepared to pay the $18 price tag in Australia. Not even prepared to buy it 50% off at Lincrap.

But while I was there I thought I'd look at pattern books, something I haven't done for years. I was flipping through Burda and spotted in their Historical a set comprising chemise, 2 piece drawers and a corset. Which amused me cos the drawers are a different era to the corset and the chemise isn't a proper period pattern but it is exactly what I wanted. I got the pattern even though it was $16 and not on sale cos I want the corset pattern as well as the chemise.

There's some fuzzied up logic in there somewhere. 18x50% saved me time only & still needed tinkering. $16 saved me time with way less tinkering and got me the entertainment value of the pattern set AND the corset pattern.

Wednesday 14 November 2012

new fabric for current & soonish fabrics

One of the many highlights of my weekend with friends in Brisbane was a shopping trip to several fabric shops. I got 3 fabrics in each of the first and last shops. One in the middle gave me ticker shock even though I was warned it was luxe, and very luxe at that.

Here's the haul.
Top left is going to become a vintage style summer dress, and top right the petticoat skirt for Idris. Not perfect I know but it was affordable in a tight budget year to be.
Middle left is to be a summer lawn blouse, and the brown/red tiny check is going to be my hobbit blouse, and a 1800s fichu.

Bottom left I almost squeed, regency dress fashion plate below (posted on LJ by lamodeillustree), and bottom right is going to be a regency open robe. wooot.  ow that sheer isn't a dead ringer, but it's the best I'm ever going to find so I just couldn't resist.

Friday 2 November 2012

easy peasy costume - pyjamas :)

I'm going to a Rocky Horror themed party tomorrow night and decided that I'd go for the comfort costume option - Columbia's PJs+mouse ears. She wears it in a song, which one I can't remember but it doesn't really matter.

I've taken almost no progress pics ... they're not exactly fascinating.

PJ pants all done, elastic on the waist -


then 5 automatic button holes & I can sew the buttons on by machine if I set it up right. Other wise I can sew them on the train out to the party.  Must double check my make up bag for

and the top is 50% done. body assembled, sleeve assembled, collar assembled.  Tonight I'm going to pin the collar and facing ready to blast in 1 steady seam ... then I'm stitching the facing down.  hem is overlocked ready to eyeball tomorrow morning, and I'll pin the sleeves in ready to blat around & then overlock.