Productivity - I have it at last

I went to the sewing guild yesterday and had a busy time. I didn't need to take the 3rd skirt as I didn't get to even touch it.

I tackled the near doomed UFO skirt - it got to the point where I didn't care how well something was done, so long as it was done. Look at this zip insertion for example. Worst ever, but I just don't care!  I attached the waistband today, and topstitched it as the interfacing started to lift. I don't care if it's sewn in and not fused.  I started stitching in the ditch but halfway changed ... nobody is going to see it as I don't tuck in tops. See what I mean, what an attack of the "Just get it done" when usually I'd take the effort. But after 2 years and 7 weeks, pffft. Get it finished.  The buttonhole is done, and I got this button from the stash - it's a lavender and almost perfect match to the periwinkle blue.  This fabric just doesn't want to photograph properly.


Next up, the purple skirt from the Burda WOF pattern. I think it might be a smidge too long, but I'm not going back unless I get laughed at when I wear it. I topstitched the panel seams, and put the zip on the RHS as I don't need to wrestle with a zip over the seamlines. The original pattern had an elastic waist so there wasn't this to think about (had I done that). However, with my waist & hip difference, I get too much fabric bunched in the shortness that is my body. blech.

A solution was found for the misbehaving overlocker

It was the pressure of the foot that was severely out of wack. It took 2 days, 1 bottle of wine and multiple readings of the manual to even find this would make the fabric gather while the tension was otherwise correct.

According to the manual the front edge of the screw thingy should be 1mm below the surface of the overlocker cover. On mine it was 1mm above and as I have no memory of doing that I'm a little baffled. Technically it's possible I did it while sleepwalking, but it's unlikely.

Anyway, after switching thread types; cleaning out any lint; rethreading from scratch many times; adjusting the differential feed; and much bad language and glasses of wine I had success.

I got the UFO skirt overlocked but the zip isn't in it yet - lets not rush these things ;) I also cut out the next purply skirt in the same fabric. (one on the right, it used to be pastel pink.


For the purple I'm using a Burda World of Fashion pattern - from the December 2004 issue. It's #148, and though it was drafted as an elastic waisted skirt, I definitely changed it to darted with a side zip.

hobbit chemise is nearly complete

Tonight I spent a hideous half hour re-threading my overlocker from scratch.  There's one tricksy part with the lower looper, ie the first thread to be done, and it took multiple goes, two needle nose tweezers and a deep seated relief that I had no alcohol in the house.  I would have resorted to drinking some and it would have taken even longer.

Anyhoo, all is well I only have the neckline and sleeve hems to go.  Here's the hem being belted around. I overlocked and turned it up, and eyeballed the hem all around.  It's an under layer and in theory only seen by me. Hopefully I don't end up in emergency, and if I did the last thing they & I are concerned with is that I overlocked a costume hem that isn't on view.



Yes, I need to work on the overlocker tension as it's a smidge tight, but *underwear*.  Do I sound like I'm trying to convince myself ;)

Oh yes, I'm using Burda7156, a little shorter, and definitely shorter sleeves. I needed to cut it out of 3m of 112cm wide, as I needed 1m for a fichu (neck scarf) for my working class regency. I thought the sleeves looked crazy wide, & they were. I took 13cm (5") out and they're still puffy.

Oh, and my dreadful attempt at photos of my tv screen (my netbook doesn't have a cd/dvd drive so no screencapping ability).  Look at the ugly cap on this woman. -shudder-

Start with pre-shrinking

I'm actually making incremental progress towards stitching.

Winter is coming. For realz ... it's the last couple of weeks of autumn this side of the world and I need more work clothes that fit & look good.  I've selected some deliciously dark chocolate brown wool in a sort of crepe weave to make a skirt.  I've selected a skirt pattern I used back in January 2007, from a 2004 Burda magazine.
I'll start stitching the hobbit skirt tonight ... I would have last night but I had a crampy tummy {rolls eyes} ... crampy for none of the obvious reasons.  At least all the threads etc are together.

Here's the choc brown wool - this photo is really bleached out ... that's a navy top I'm holding it up to. Yep, navy not blue. n The Burda pattern is style 148 from the December 2004 magazine.