[with love Heidi]

Aghhh! My strap adjusters slots are too narrow to allow me to thread the strap through twice!! 🙁 Now I will either have to find new hardware (not easy where I am as I have only found one shop with them) or make the strap out of navy as it is a less chunky fabric than the hounds tooth or see if I can find something at the op shop to cannibalise! It is so frustrating as I can see how close it is to finished but need to do the straps to get to the next step.

[needlewoman]

Thanks for help about Popover, and Seashore, H, and for encouragement about CC, J. How many flowers in how many hours??????? Don’t have option of using next size up for Seashore so will go with carefully echo tracing to give another 1/4″ at side seams. Now, have good measurement for Miss 4’s length for this dress so will get cracking asap. Have lovely elephants on gold, and blue/yellow stripe fabrics. I so love cooperative parents.

So cute that your boys “need” clothes/hats like Grandpa, MK. Ladies, for something very touching, check out NotSewPlain’s photostream for darling modified Ice Cream dress for her new Preschooler.

[Tamara]

I timed myself yesterday and I could easily do more than 6 flowers an hour. They are different sizes so of course you take that into account. I ordered some extra thread on the weekend thanks to my colour card. I am hoping it is a better colour match for one set and will contrast nicely with the other set of flowers left to do on the tree.

I am putting most of my waking hours into completing it as I have heaps to do and with lots of hiccups home wise to send one round the bend with distraction, I have given up on running after housework and will make up for it later. A normal high priority is for once on the very back of back burners.

Besides Friday is a couple of days away and I want to be ready for the library dress!

So today I will be working solidly from now until about 3pm – about 6 hours if I include a break for eating. That should see me get through another colour or two on the border.

This project is certainly channeling my (somewhat hidden) adventurous spirit and sending me to the far reaches of my comfort zone and I just love it! Having said that though I am so looking forward to getting back to garment sewing.

Tamara

[Nicole]

Nearly finished Tildy’s coat. I had forgotten how well the Secret Agent coat goes together. It is one of the best written and well drafted patterns I have ever sewn.

I am working on a blog post/tutorial too.

[needlewoman]

Goody goody gumdrops, Nicole. Your tutes are wonderful, and no assignments are required. T’s coat is just marvelous, and I, (and I’m sure many others are looking fwd to it being modeled by your youngest). I may give it a go next Australian autumn/winter. Good to know that it’s such a user friendly pattern.

Way to go, T!!! Will be posting Missing Person Ads if this quilt is not posted on Flickr well before Christmas.

Completed very first CC garment today!!! The Chickadee skirt in red cord with buttons as decoration (buttons from Big W). Mother thrilled, and she showed me angelic photo of Miss 4 1/2 in the passed-on turquoise corduroy 2+2 Blouse in Size 4. Comes nearly to her knees because originally made for taller child but the color of top/trim suits her so well!!!

Working on Ice cream dress for another MIss 4, and have Roller Skate, and Seashore Dress cut out to sew up on weekend. Looks like the ironing will be neglected – again!

[Tamara]

Hahahahahahahaha Needlewoman you crack me up!

It seems We all said “jump” and Liesl said “how high” because the patterns are here! Yay! But nay! Because this quilt must be done! If ever I enter “an appliqued quilt” section in the royal next year GET ME A STRAIGHT JACKET!! Or tell me to start in January.

I went mad sewing blue and dark blue and started on som pink on the border but I am still waiting for my express parcel of the threads I meed to complete the applique. I have decided to “wag” the sports day tomorrow and sew flowers instead. Combine that with today means that hopefully they will all be sewn on by Saturday morning. Yes I will pull a long shift on Friday.

I will print off the library dress pattern ready for the weekend and start planning fabrics etc.

[with love Heidi]

Just printed off the art museum, now to tape together the vest and trace the 8 with 10 length and then find fabric for the first run through. I was going to use A bright blue and white stripe, but I am not sure about matching the stripes on the welt pocket, I might just sew it in a plain. And only 5 pattern pieces!

[Tamara]

Good God who taught me to spell? Grr!

Anyway, five pattern pieces is very daringly cool Heidi! At least we won’t be sticking bits together for the rest of our lives – more time for actual sewing.

Which brings me to the point. I am sitting here biding my time with two children at home waiting for the teacher (or someone from school) to call ack with passwords etc for the kids’ mathletics accounts. THEN maybe I can do some maths of my own in the sewing nook.

[with love Heidi]

Of the five pattern pieces for the vest only 2, front and back, need taping together! And they are made up of 4 pieces each very simple. It’s all cut out and I’ve sewn the darts in the lining and the shoulders together. My new Chaco type chalk wheel (mine’s Clover brand) makes marking the darts super easy. Off to babysit again so I’ll have to wait for tomorrow.

[Masha Richart]

Five pattern pieces? That is awesome.

I sewed a fleece sleep sack for baby boy from the Kwik Sew pattern I recently got. Very easy to sew and it is helping my zipper confidence. However, my machine is giving me a lot of trouble zigzagging appliques. I made some appliques of knit fabric and attached them to the fleece using non-stretch fusible. When I tried to zigzag around, every once in awhile the zags skipped a stitch, making it a straight, not a zigzag stitch. I checked tension, changed needles, etc., but no luck. This happened last time I appliqued on knit. So it’s a good thing the sack is not a gift! Still cute and no one will see the skipped stitches while he is sleeping. I have one more sack cut out, but I inadvertently bought an invisible zipper for it. Should I bother trying to sew it into fleece – seems like a bad match – or wait until I can get out and buy a regular one?

I have to wait for my husband’s paycheck to hit (sometime today!) so that I can order the Playtime pattern. Older daughter desperately needs new leggings and will soon need some comfy cold-weather dresses, and I can’t wait to get started!

We have a birthday party on Saturday for which I am going to make a Lazy Days skirt … however I am kind of at a loss on how long to make the elastic since I don’t have the child in front of me to measure. I also have six yards of Valori Wells Della flannel and a nightgown pattern so I suppose I could trace and cut those today.

[Tamara]

Good for you spending hubby’s pay on Oliver and s patterns RTWG. He will see it was a wise purchase with all the playtime outfits you will make – so much better than marching three kids to a shop for clothes and having to bare the price at the end of it.

I was hoping to print off the library dress today but the son has taken over the office computer (the only one with email and a printer) so I will have to wait.

Still no sewing. But instead I watched a craftsy class so even though I didn’t actually sew, the instructor did – does that count?

I might go toss the child off for the minimal time it will take to print the pattern just so I can do something. I need a break from flowers.

[lattemama]

Roundtheworldgirl – Can you make the skirt with buttonhole elastic? That way you can sew a button on the inside and let the parents adjust the skirt when it’s being worn. Makes the skirt last longer too.

I’m actually getting an itch to sew again after a few weeks’ hiatus. If the printer at work will just play nice I plan to print off the new patterns today and cut and tape tonight.

[Masha Richart]

That is a good idea about the buttonhole elastic. Unfortunately I don’t have any and have no idea where one might acquire it here. I should order some to have on hand though!

Just ordered Playtime and Art Museum. Can’t wait!

[Tamara]

I wonder how hard it would be to sew a button hole onto a piece of elastic you already have? I have never tried myself but it can’t be that painful if it is made to be sold that way. I am wondering if you use a little bit of stabiliser would it work?

[with love Heidi]

I tend to use 50cm/20″ as my basic elastic waist, but I also never sew the waistband completely closed, I leave about a 2″ gap. This way I can easily pull the elastic tighter and often it will stay tightened without any extra sewing.