[with love Heidi]

Ikatbag has a scabbard tutorial, it’s very simple but it looks like it would work well. The scabbard is at the bottom of the post. http://www.ikatbag.com/2013/10/the-third-clue-battle.html

[Tamara]

I was hoping to do some different sewing tomorrow but it seems as though this table runner doesn’t want to be completed!

[meleliza]

No, Tamara, I do not want to swap. 🙂 I hate the heat. You can always wear another sweater when it’s cold, but there are only so many things you can take off when it’s hot! I’m assuming you mean 55 centigrade? That is in fact, beastly hot. I hope no one gets ill from it!

Hoping to install zippers today and finish up my sashes. I’m also cleaning up the Christmas decor in preparation for my photo shoot Saturday. And of course, as always when I’m finishing up a project, it can’t stop thinking of ideas for the next one! I just got a sample of scrumptious silk taffeta and can’t help thinking what a lovely Fariy tale dress is would make. Simple, with just the petal sleeves and the tiny bow.

[Tamara]

Yes I totally agree! Too hot to cool down better to warm up. Yes degrees c is what I mean. They will be ok. They will pull the pin and come back later if conditions are just too unbearable. They are good like that and we wouldn’t push the unnecessarily. And the cooler will bring the shed temp down so they can work. We wouldn’t let them work without it.

Table runner almost done and now I can get into the office without interrupting calls I will be finishing this thing once and for all today.

[Masha Richart]

Thanks for that link Heidi! It prompted me to do another search and I found something else that might work, with a proper sheath and everything. Now I need to figure out if I can get away with doing it in fabric or if I should spring for some fake leather.

Last night I drafted the Traveler tunic. I made the last one in a straight 16, and it worked surprisingly well, but I think a 14 + FBA will be better. So I drafted out the 14 at the top, lengthening the armscyes to 16 per Nicole’s great tutorial on her modified Continental blouse, but kept the 14 width until the waist when began to grade out to 16. Today I have to perform the FBA.

This may well be a case of not having left well enough alone, especially since I am planning to cut this tunic of a fabric I like more than that of the original, but I don’t think it should be too terrible.

But first I have to finish the princess dress! It has been an enjoyable sew since it’s not modeled after any princess in particular and I’ve just been making it up as I go.

[with love Heidi]

It will be great to see if the FBA works just as well as the straight 16. I use one all the time now. Glad the link helped and I’m looking forward to this princess dress.

No sewing today, but cleaning and fun cooking! Marmalade, candied orange slices, cake and crumble!

[Tamara]

RTWG I went to adjust a pattern as per the instructions on Joi Mahon’s craftsy class and tried performing her version of an FBA. It came out all wrong! I can do the other (original) version no probs but it is fun to try new and different ways of doing the same thing isn’t it?

I would love to make the traveller dress view A as a shirt. That is completely getting back to the roots of comfy clothing. Then I could make that classic white shirt that has been missing from my wardrobe for so long.

I am still yet to really make a list of things I would like to make this year. I am still wading through the things I failed to finish last year! This table runner was left to its own devices yesterday as I took a day off. Well actually I was turning my creative thoughts in the direction of really fun and easy hairstyles for my daughter to do when school goes back. I couldn’t stop watching the how to’s they were so fascinating.

But seeing as I am in the office/ sewing nook. I really don’t have an excuse to avoid finishing it and better to do it now than tomorrow when it will be so hot one won’t be able to move let alone sew!

[Mama_Knowles]

That sounds a bit like me Tamara, I am trying get organized but have not gotten very far yet. I lost my steam these past few days. I need rest today I think. (I had another spell last night). I did manage to cut out Garrett’s sketchbook shirt and field trip pants yesterday. He is super excited! I do love it. : ) I have to go to town and buy some gray and kaki thread before I can sew any of it. I have every color of thread under the rainbow but those two, is that always how it is?! I will have to buy a few things to make Garrett’s book bag as well so the trip will count. (we have been snowed in for a week now here but today the snow is suppose to start melting, yay!)

[Sarvi]

Same here, Sharon! If I need peach thread I’ll have one sad little squiggle left next to ten spools of teal. Sometimes I say what the heck and use the teal thread anyway.

I was very gung ho for the School Photo tutorial and then I totally ran out of time and steam. Going to try to get it back today. I got stuck waiting for a car repair near a beautiful yarn shop and now I’m in a kind of knitting vortex with four projects on the needles and I’m positively itching to cast on a fifth.

[Nicole]

Knit Sarvi, knit.

Tildy wears your gorgeous cardy so very often.

I finished the Deer and Doe shorts for Zara. V pleased!

Last night I made a rash vest for Elsa using the Field Trip tee pattern and some boardies from a vintage pattern. She purchased the fabric herself!

Today I hope to cut out a very unusual vintage blouse for Zara from some spotty Spotters voile.

Feel better sweet Sharon. xx

[Tamara]

Have that rest Sharon. Hopefully you will feel much better afterwards.

Sarvi I did that with cross stitch after going to a needlework shop I used to visit constantly in my “living in the city” days the cross stitch project is now my project to do when the kids have their piano lessons. And because we are on a break it hasn’t been touched!

Nicole, I was on the deer and doe site the other day and was pleased to find they had a shorts pattern. I am seriously considering getting some of the patterns to try for miss Imogen. My concern is her waist measurement which isn’t tiny – she’s more straight up and down still but she would fit the smallest size hip and bust wise.

Elsa’s rash vest I will be interested to see this. It was on the list to do last summer for the kids but of course I never got there in good enough time.

I have one side of the table runner left to do. I will leave the border unquilted and will just bind I think. I really need to get on with other things. Time is marching a bit faster than I would like.

[with love Heidi]

Love Elsa’s rash vest and bordies!

I haven’t done much sewing for a couple of days. But I finally managed to trace my school photo dress and get the lining washed. But I did manage to do a big sort and tidy of all my sewing patterns. The Oliver and S ones were all stored well but I sorted through my random 5 files of mostly self drafted and internet tutorial downloads I have used, so now they are sorted by category I should be able to find what I’m looking for. 🙂 I also arranged all my Oliver and S patterns in alphabetical order. http://www.flickr.com/photos/73669617@N07/11882766085/in/pool-oliverands

[Nicole]

Thank you Heidi.

Next time I will make the neck a wee bit bigger but otherwise it was perfect for a rash vest (and I am so happy she still wears one)!

Last night I cut out and started to sew a vintage blouse for Zara, the sleeve cap measures 4 1/2 foot pre-gathered! http://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/11886836564/ Its a lot of gathering and careful pinning but she is very pleased with the results so far.

[Robin]

I’m going to cut up 2 yards of Heather Ross seagull fabric and turn it into a Colette Patterns Hazel dress. Crazy I know, but I can always chop it up if I don’t like it.

[Tamara]

Having a hard time picturing the seagull fabric. It must be one of those highly sought after prints. Hazel looks like a great pattern – lily looks very similar I think. I have the hawthorne pattern but it is on the list. I need to find the perfect fabric for it.

I think the swimming gear is great Nicole. She chose her fabric well. I personally think it is shocking how our teen girls here don’t cover up to go swimming – rash tops are a no no for them it seems. If I had a say in today’s swimming attire, I’d be booed! Bring back the bombay bloomers of the noughties last century. At least there was minimal threat of skin cancer wearing them! The girls here don’t “do” rash tops but I wish they would!

I am willing to get into the nook early today. Yesterday I succumbed to heat sickness (and I wasn’t outside at all) so today I am head down sewing to make up for it despite a repeat horrid temperature again. Yes I am STILL doing the table runner!