[needlewoman]

Hello ladies, been reading your posts about all your hard work, and the lack of appreciation that so often emanates from un-sewists. I’ve come to realise over the last few decades that often people just don’t know what to say, unless they are ‘insiders’ in one form or another. In particular, I think it’s tricky for people who know you sew, and are likely to have made the outfit, to say that they don’t like the choice of pattern/fabric but are nevertheless aware that you made it/it took a lot of work – so they don’t say anything!

My pet hate is when people suggest that one is mad/crazy – especially when I make things for other people/their children. Like “why would you bother when the recipients are “not yours” (whatever that means). I think it’s like being colour-blind; if you can’t ‘see’ that colour doesn’t go with that; similarly un-sewists are constitutionally unable to understand the immense pleasure we get from the whole process/ and craftiness in general. However, as you’ve all said, when someone really does ‘like’ something, and says so – either to your face or it comes to you via the grapevine; then the buzz is fantastic, isn’t it? Nothing beats it!!

A collective complimentary well done to you all for the outfits you’ve uploaded recently. All those pj’s, MK must have taken quite some time. And all the HP stuff, and Xmas dresses, presents for teachers and relatives etc.

Am just about upload the altered Christening frocks I wrote about recently – obviously not O + S stuff, but I’m quite proud of how they turned out, and the work was useful in gaining a couple of techniques for the future. The mother of twins thinks I’m a genius which is flattering if inaccurate, but I’ll be more pleased if the girls’ are sprinkled while they can still get into the dresses – which doesn’t leave much time.

Don’t know whether I’m on Santa’s list but the House Cleaning Police are coming to get me if I don’t get cracking! Good luck with the last few pre-xmas days, everybody and enjoy your gatherings.

Fiona

[Tamara]

Sarvi, did you take her up on the challenge to teach her to knit then? I did come into the classroom for a few years running to show the kids in my daughter’s year group how to sew but I didn’t this year and probably just as we’ll. but I would love to do this again with N’s class next year if the teacher will allow it. It is fun to see them creat something using a skill they are unfamiliar with.

Taking advantage of kids sleeping in to do some more cutting/ sewing, this time a sketch book shirt for N. hoping to get quite a few things underway. The kids are recovering with a keep low day which is fine by me. They can veg out inside and I can sew, popping in every so often to make sure they are ok.

[Mama_Knowles]

That’s how I feel too Sarvi. I have ladies ask my all the time to sew for for them but they don’t think they should pay nowhere near as much as store bought clothes that are not as nicely sewn as homemade ones. My mother-in-law sometimes buys Sweet pea some store bought clothes, for one she has way to many clothes already and (2) she always buys plain t-shirts with knit shorts for Sweet pea. ???They make good pj though. 😉

I though I would take a brake from sewing but my 6 year old son wants his rocket pj’s done yesterday so it looks like after I finish cleaning the house tonight I wil have to start on them. His 7 birthday is coming up in a little over two weeks fron now so I need to order the fabric for his outfit. I want to make flannel lined sandbox pants like thte ones Cindy made thisst week, I know he will love them!

[meleliza]

Well of course, Fiona, (Ooo, I love that name. We may need to name the next dolly Fi.) there will always be people who don’t appreciate skill, whether sewing or carpentry or whatever. That’s why it so nice to have groups like this where we insiders can dish. ButI have to say, is there really a woman out there who doesn’t melt over a tiny and beautiful holiday frock? Handmade or not. I mean, that’s like not liking chocolate.

Speaking of tiny frocks, wait until baby girl sees the tiny matching dress for her baby doll! I’m about to put the final hand touches on it now. And if that doesn’t make you melt, your milk has turned to gall. 🙂

[rastis]

woo hoo! last christmas dress is done and dusted… which means i am signing off for christmas ladies… time to clear up the sewing space and make room for guests!

a merry christmas to you all… enjoy it and stay safe

xoxo

[Tamara]

Merry Christmas to you too rastis! Congratulations on finishing your sewing in time.

[with love Heidi]

Getting there. All seven of my robes are mostly done. I need to make and sew on the hogwarts/gryffindor (not sure which yet) badges, finish sewing them up (only one seam) and then top stitch around the edge. I sewed for about 12 hours of yesterday and so far have clocked up about 9 today!

[Nicole]

Lidia’s dress finished!

Off to cut out Tilly’s.

Then there is just Elsa’s and a few dolly dresses if I get time.

[needlewoman]

Hi there, just saw the red Xmas frock, Mo5; wonderful, and blondes can look so good in red! Good luck with the rest. Congrats, rastis, and I hope it’s a wonderful time for everybody. Meleliza, I’d be honoured to have a doll with my name – second name is Maree – Fe Maree rhymes, too. Hope you are going to post dolly dresses; I made and dressed 5 rabbits for my 5 nieces when they were little, and they were an enormous hit! Even by my brothers, their fathers!! Way more enthusiastically received than anything I ever made for them to wear. However, on the plus side, I heard from the mother of the music boxes/MIP skirts tonight, and she’s thrilled. Plans to have kids wear dresses to Xmas lunch as her husband’s rellies all craft, and she expects an appreciative welcome. How about that?!

Not sewing right, now but plan to as soon as living quarters are cleaned/cleaner. Need to make a size 4 Ice Cream dress by end next week as birthday gift for 31/12; and as a couple of baby outfits and possibly another Music Box to give to my holiday host’s family. Now, that pressured sewing over, quite looking forward to returning to patchwork, and my cross-stitch when it’s too hot to move.

Good luck with pj’s, MK -didn’t you just finish pj’s for everybody?. I loved them all, by the way. The pink and beige for SP looked particularly cosy, and sweet.

[with love Heidi]

Found a fantastic hogwarts badge image, it looks like it’s really an embroided badge! Tried to do image transfers onto black material using the dark image transfer paper, it was a total disaster! Images printed the wrong way, the black sapping all the boldness out of the colour. So I’m going to try the iron on white transfers out of the draw and hopefully be able to finish them up today. And then to make wands!

[Tamara]

Up to doing the armhole facing and putting the skirt lining into another Fairy Tale dress. I have a size 10 sketchbook shirt cut and ready to assemble along with a red pair of sketchbook shorts in a size 10 also I think.

Pj bottoms are being done along the way when the matching thread comes up and then tonight I will do the t-shirt hems – the hem guide went walk about so will just do them on the normal machine.

Hopefully I will be finished by midnight, including a Christmas service break.

[Tamara]

Just the hand sewing to do on this dress now. I did the lining the wrong way round whoops! Don’t have time to correct it now so if the tulle is too irritating then I will change it round to the right way.

Now onto the sketchbook set.

2 hours before the mandatory break of the day.

[Nicole]

Tilly’s dress finished but we are off to a Christmas Road show so no more sewing tonight.

I shall prep for a big family Christmas Eve breakfast when we get home.

I am making 3 kg of cod into kedgeree. Yummy but stinky!

Fingers crossed tomorrow afternoon I can finish Elsa’s.

Should be do-able.

[Tamara]

One pair of Mickey short pj bottoms done and the Dr Suess ones just need the waist band and elastic. Then it’s onto the sketchbook set while changing thread along the way. I plan to put in some serious hours tonight.

Borocca induced efforts I think.

Any ideas as to how to tame a zip back to the bottom again? The zip on the Christmas print dress doesn’t want to shift past the waist seam. I think it has something to do with the fact it has been washed so many times this week – I did the zip up before popping it in each time.

[Sherry]

I was once told that a candle rubbed onto the teeth of a zip would make it run freely. Haven’t tried it on a zip but worked well on the tracks on the windows and sliding doors. I hope that might be helpful. Good luck tonight.