[Nicole]

Ooooo,girl porn!

[with love Heidi]

Feels like Christmas has come early! I’ve only taken out a couple of things and I’m already seeing Oliver and S patterns. I showed here Zara’s dress (as she has a daughter a similar age), she was, Oh WOW. Well done Nicole.

[Nicole]

Thank you!

[Tamara]

Going hammer and tongs with pjs – tops frst and spent the morning cutting big kid pjs.

Was onto the “reds” when thought that I was getting really good at this assembly line thing and of course without pinning put what I thought was a side seam of a red shirt through the overlocker. Lo and behold I have unpicking to do now! Turns out it wasn’t the other side I attached it to … oh well! Plenty more where that came from.

Broke a needle so changed both. Another two changes of colours to go before I can get the coverstitch machine out and put that through its paces.

Then it is onto the bottoms.

[with love Heidi]

I just finished all my cutting! The next four Harry Potter robes are all cut out and sorted into bags, one whole robe per bag. Tomorrow, the aim is to get them sewn to the same stage as the others. I think it may have to be a no computer day, as it seems to suck time away.

Good luck with the PJ’s justsewit.

[Tamara]

Oh yes the distractions of technology. This is possibly why I get up early, to take advantage of the use of such things as mobile devices in the form of iPads with my name on them (I should really talk in the singular as I only have one). Once the kids rise (one in particular) it is on for young and old and the phrase ” Please can I play on you iPad?” can be heard before the last sound of footsteps down the hall dies away. All I can say is explaining how four hours has gone from just playing on that thing to a 7 year old boy who is still learning to tell digital time is one of my tasks of the day, that and the importance of sharing something with the person who happens to have her name on the said device. Roll on Christmas Day – but only after I have made true headway with the sewing!

Oh sewing, yes that’s right! Up early and preparing to go sew. I won’t be sending anything today though, it will be a personal drop off situation when we are heading north again.

[meleliza]

Well, I knew that today would not involve paint or glue. This time of year, the city is full of little girls decked out in holiday finery, so she’s been ogling for a while. But I don’t mind telling you that I was put out when only the group leader noticed the dress. One of the moms is a friend from before, so she said something, but it seemed like she felt obligated to. And in fairness, some of them only have boys. And I remember all too well looking longingly at all the lovely holiday dresses when I only had boys. Oh well, K likes it. When I showed her on the hanger, she said, in her little two year old voice, “o wow, pet-ty dess! Like it.” Actually, she kind of screamed.

I will put the finishing touches on it and get my dad to take some really good pictures. Tonight I traced off and cut out a simple blouse for myself out of the red silk I used for her sash.

On the downside, her new velveteen coat is already starting to fall apart at the buttonholes. I’m pretty ticked off with this fabric and not sure I want to buy from that store again.

[Tamara]

I can understand how gutted you must feel at the lack of comment regarding your hard work Meleliza. I had to squeeze information of miss 10 the other night about if anyone said they liked her dress. Fortunately a complete stranger complimented her within my earshot as we walked out of the hall but it isn’t the same as having people you know say something nice about it. It feels fake when those who feel they are obligated to say something instead of saying it because they genuinely appreciate the sight that behinds them.

I personally cannot wait to see pictures of this morsel of sewing! It would genuinely make my day!

[Nicole]

Oh Melanie,that beautiful jacket!

Would it be possible to zigzag the button holes together,stitch the buttons over them and sew poppers(sew in press stud things) on the inside for a faux fastening?

I think sewing is a bit like volunteer work,its nice to have it acknowledged but really one is doing it for ones own pleasure.

That is the lovely thing about Flickr,artisan’s recognising each others talents.

[cybele727]

I am having a sewing hiatus with the holidays, but I wanted to share your pain meleliza.

Son has to dress festively but danceable for dance class. I put him in gingerbread pj bottoms I made. He tells me the next day, you know all the other boys were lucky. They had store bought holiday pj pants. Do you hear that sucking sound? The sound of the knife coming out of my chest. My mother tried to explain how lucky he was. He’s six. A boy. Conformity matters.

Then I spent more blood sweat and tears on the “pincess” fairy tale dress.

No one NO ONE said how cute she looked on thanksgiving. Although that was dear hubby’s clueless family. Usually they can’t see over the rim of their cocktail glass!!!

I don’t think between the 7 siblings, their spouses, and kids one could even sew a button! My consolation is that it looks too professional to be “homemade.” At least from far away!

Plus they do not dress for holidays, whereas my family requires dress.

She will wear it for Christmas. I can tell you my family will ooh and ahh. Because they know I made it, because they all sewed at some point in their lives and know how hard it is, and because it is adorable, and so is the wearer. 🙂

The everyday clothes my daughter wears are always remarked upon by her therapists as super cute. And thy ask did I make it or where can they buy it.

So to those who are unable to appreciate the beauty of a lovingly constructed garment, to them, a big old wet raspberry.

Now off to plan what she will wear as a party crasher at son’s winter school party for which I have volunteered. I told his teacher that they were too organized and needed some chaos injected in. I said she is really cute chaos!

[rastis]

i never expect anyone in my real life to notice the things i make- because they don’t!! that is why i love flickr! because you ladies KNOW what work goes into the making and really notice all those little details (as i do about the lovely work you ladies do!!) it’s so nice to share things with others who “get it”… even if you see something that someone has made that is not exactly your taste you still know the time, effort, thought (+love and care) that went into the making! no-one in my real life gets it… my friends and family like to receive the things i make (although i’m convinced some of them still think of it as a “cheap and easy gift”- oh if only they knew) just today my sister told me while she was out shopping she had picked me up a cheap little trinket for christmas (we’re not supposed to be exchanging gifts this year) and since she had got me a little something, would i mind making her another patchwork bag for christmas like one i made her not that long ago and she has since destroyed… um yeah… sigh

anyway- just got another 3 pairs of pants finished after an afternoon’s sewing and i have another dress to get done tonight… feeling exhausted after the crazy day i had today but i’m going to have to push on to get it done… it’s the last thing on my “must be done before christmas” list… so i’m going to try and finish up so i can get my house cleaned and the rest of the things ready for christmas before the family starts to descend on us!

good luck to all you ladies- on the home stretch now!

[Mama_Knowles]

I hate to hear that the you little boy wantde store bought pj’s after you made him a pair. That is heart breaking. 🙁

I was happy and lucky to hear from all the teachers’ at the boys’ school yesterday that they were told by all three boys that mama made their pj’s and how wonderful they are. I had three teachers wanting to buy pj’d from me even. This sure did make smile. 🙂

[meleliza]

Thanks, everyone! I knew you’d understand. But I’m not too upset, really. And it is consolation that the group leader did not think I made the dress, even though she knows I sew. She was really impressed. My parents are in town, so I’ll have my dad do pictures this weekend. Maybe in the bay window with the tree, now that my family room has actual finished walls. And windows.

Thanks for the idea about the buttonholes, Nicole. I’ll look at it and see. One buttomhole is really bad and the zig zag stitching may have eaten away at the fabric. This fabric just raves away when you breath on it. I have used velveteen before, and I just don’t remember it being that bad. I am bummed because I wanted to get two years from this coat. Perhaps this stuff isn’t what the store promised? Perhaps it’s just super delicate? Next time, I’ll have to find a serger to do the edges very first thing.

[Tamara]

I actually find it insulting when family members buy my children clothing! It is almost as if they are trying to send some sort of message that I refuse to understand. But my kids still love their mum made clothes for now at least and yes they too have asked for store bought stuff before and it doesn’t feel nice when they do. Thankfully though the request is not made often.

Great to know the teachers were impressed by the pj making skills Sharon! I had the ex deputy principal want to talk to me about the sewing I did for the show whilst at the presentation night on Monday night. I quickly told her I didn’t enter anything due to disaster after disaster. That seems to be a recurring thing this year.

I think it is fantastic when a non sewer who knows you sew thinks your daughter was wearing a bought item – that is a huge compliment in some respects Meleliza.

I have to wash the Fairytale dress for the second time in two days thanks to preteen boys and water pistols! Thankfully my daughter has now calmed down enough to talk in a civil tone.

One and a half days of sewing and still so very much to do. I need sleep, it’s late!

[Sarvi]

I also feel that way, sometimes, especially when they’re buying things like licensed character products, or stuff that’s super aggressively gendered (for my 3-year-old, who is still somewhat vague on gender) — Pepto pink and sparkles out the wazoo. I don’t sew stuff like that for my kid because I don’t want her to have it, tyvm! Get it for your own kid, nobody’s stopping you.

Rastis, and cybele, and others –I agree — I very rarely sew for anybody else for just those reasons — if they don’t sew, I think they won’t appreciate it, and if they do sew I’m a nervous wreck trying to make sure I’ve done everything right. If a gift is well received, though, I am much more likely to sew for that person again.

On the bright side, one of the caregivers at my kid’s school asked me to teach her to knit after admiring some things I’d made (uh-oh, I am going to have to start being more meticulous about counting and getting gauge) and her teacher now looks each day at her outfit to see what mommy-mades she’s got on, and is always very complimentary.