Thursday 29 December 2016

An unexpected start to my holiday break

I'm trying to post once a week, and I was expecting to have some sewing content this week. Unfortunately I ended up in hospital on Boxing Day, thankfully only overnight. However I left with 2 different antibiotics plus a strong painkiler, and a letter to take to my doctor in 3-4 days. I'm seeing him tomorrow, and i'll be seeing the specialist in the hospital again in 6 weeks about managing a new chronic condition.

It could be much, much worse, and I'll be on the waiting list for a test to ensure its not masking anything worse.

I'm disappointed but can deal with it - especially compared to the big C, which wasn't excluded until the specialist examined the CT scans the next morning.

So much unwanted drama, and it's interfering with my holiday plan to finish the last unpacking and sew some pretty dresses. I'll get to that next week, though I suspect at a slow pace than I hope for.

Thursday 22 December 2016

Another vintage half size pattern for my collection

I'm counting down the work days until I can catch up with friends, relax and get some sewing done in my 2.5 weeks off work.

I took the reins off my impulse control for another half size vintage pattern from Etsy. I like the neckline and hope to use it for one of my dress-a-months ... I've now more choices to make me dither when it comes time to cut out the lobster or any of the other fabrics.


First step is to finish the August martini print dress first, and the last steps on the extremely overdue March dress.

Then I need to use the nautical tattoo fabric, as it had a must-use-by December concept attached to it's purchase, still an achievable goal. I had played with the idea of using a sailor collar pattern, but realise that style is more youthful than myself.

After that the lobster fabric, so it's finished well ahead of the concert. Then the mermaids, and I want to wear the aqua/blue dress to work the first day after our unit moves to head office next year. Deferred to March, and if it's pushed back I'll wear it anyway. It goes with the colours selected by the project design team and someone else joked that we should co-ordinate our clothes. The mermaid print is an equally good choice, but it's not really suitable for the office.

Thursday 15 December 2016

off topic - popsicles for the grown ups

or at least, for those of a legal drinking age.

We just had a couple of 38C days, and luckily Kmart has icy pole (or ice block) molds in stock, at a cheap price. After work last night I stocked up and I'm looking forward to trying one or two of these recipes over my holiday break (I'll be having 2 weeks & 2 days off)

Cucumber Ginger Gin Popsicles
http://www.shutterbean.com/2014/cucumber-ginger-gin-popsicles/

Lime-Basil-Gin Ice Pops
ghttp://www.hungrygirlporvida.com/blog/2012/08/20/lime-basil-gin-ice-pops/

Gin & Elderflower
http://sheerluxe.com/2013/08/09/.VZOhXhNVikp

Gin & Tonic Ice pops
http://www.ginandjewels.com/?p=2518

Mohito Ice Blocks
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2016/02/13/mojito-ice-blocks/

Creamy Margarita Popsicle (though I'd need to make a lactose free version)
http://hostthetoast.com/creamy-margarita-popsicles/

This is the moment when I wish it was feijoa season (4-5 months away, cos these sound delicious
Feijoa Gin Ice Lollies
https://peasepudding.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/when-autumn-gives-you-feijoas-make-feijoa-gin-ice-lollies/

Tuesday 13 December 2016

Another new-to-me half size vintage patternpattern

I'm continuing to pace myself with the unpacking and have finally passed the point where it felt like it would never end.

I've found even more fabric to go into the cupboards. Fabric that I knew I had but was still in plastic tubs somehow, and last night I opened a box of books (I knew I had it!) that was still unpacked from when I moved into my previous home ... back in 1997.  I discarded all but two of them, one that I kept was a prize for coming 1st in 7th Form Accounting for my school.

The pattern drawers are in place, and the tea chest of patterns unpacked into it. I'm sure that I have more patterns in another box but I'll get to them soon.

I got the nautical/tattoo print and the lobster print fabrics out to remind me why I need to keep turtling my way to unpacked. Slow & steady will get there soon enough, and I've taken a rest day each weekend due to exhaustion.

I've bought a couple more vintage patterns, including this Marian Martin #9056 - a half size.

This Anne Adams pattern #4973 isn't half size but I like the bodice detail and can frankenmorph it onto bodice pieces that already fit me.

Monday 5 December 2016

A sewing increment and another half-size vintage pattern

I'm counting down the days (or big sleeps) until I get my iron injection and it's 3 to go.  I'm hoping that it kicks in as quickly as the previous ones did and that the unpacking gets solidly kicked along as a result.  My unpacking has reached as far as my current/summer sewing boxes of stuff, which was timely as I was rescued by a good friend on Saturday. The sewing guild group I'd usually have gone to was cancelled as the venue wasn't available so instead I took a load of laundry and a couple of sewing projects to my friend's place.

I made a very very casual pair of shorts for around the house wear - cotton rugby jersy in a wine red with an elastic waist and unhemmed.  Summer has arrived and I wore out my previous house-shorts when I moved. I'll possibly add a photo soon - they're purely functional so I've something cool to wear when I go hang out the laundry or take out the rubbish.

I also took the March dress, that has been neglected since I realised that I'd also need to make a slip or half slip before I wear it. However, it was easy to reach and so achievable in the circumstances.  As my friend Colleen said on the day, I am unlikely to get around to making the slip until the dress is finished and I want to wear it. She's right.

Unpacking the tote bag I realised that the bodice wasn't with the skirt & sleeve pieces so I wasn't able to get much further than cutting out the shaped band for the sleeve hem. I'm fairly sure that the bodice is in my sewing machine trolley from my last sewing guild day, where I made the new collar/facing. It must have been in September, as I got the microdot fabric at the end of August.

Because unpacking the stash has made it even more real that I need to shop the stash first, I've used vintage pattern buying as a substitute for sewing during the moving process. I bought this one on ebay AU last week, even through I could draft the collar myself this way I don't need to.  The button on each collar is a simple way to draw the eye up the body ... I hope.