Sewing
That old dressmakers model Part 3: Got it covered
It’s now the final week of my dressmakers model makeover: the cover. This turned out to be harder than I thought. (For the background on my dressmakers model, read part 1 and part 2.) Cheers! PS, Adelaide readers, it’s not too late to book for this…
Read MoreThat old dressmakers model Part 2: Armed intervention
The arm pattern I made last week for my dressmakers model has been corrected, cut out and sewn in the “good” fabric, which is calico. I went ahead and cut out a pair of arms instead of just one. Read about the beginnings of this project here. …
Read MoreThat old dressmakers model
Sometimes people ask me: Is it worthwhile to have a dressmakers model? My answer is usually no. Dressmakers models have their uses though… They lend an “authentic” air to your sewing room. Useful to store half-made jackets, tops and dresses on. Great for shaping collars. Spook family members when they walk into the room and…
Read MoreA conservative skirt
This week I just finished making myself a lined wool pencil skirt, a project so conservative and ordinary I wondered if I should blog about it. It took two evenings to sew, after I’d cut it out, and I wore it yesterday for the first time. It worked out really well and was very comfortable.…
Read MoreGoodbye Handbag
There have been some moments in the past few years where I’ve thought Why am I carrying this large handbag? I never thought of myself as a handbag person but I’ve been carrying one around for nearly a decade. It started innocently enough: I had a baby and carried around a baby change bag. Then…
Read MoreMy sewing bucket list
Do you have a sewing bucket list? There are a lot of things on my sewing list I’ve ticked off over the years, and yet there are still projects that pique my interest. Here they are: (listed in no special order and with no special time-frame for completion!) A new ultimate trousers pattern. The sort…
Read More3 beaut cushion sewing tips
This week I’d like to share some cushion sewing tips. We had a cushion maker from an interiors shop in our sewing class once and she gave us some pointers on cushion sewing. I thought of her during the recent school holidays, as I finished a set of three cushions I’ve been making for the…
Read MoreBehold! The Dexter!
Some men like to buy their wives diamond necklaces, 60 foot luxury yachts or small islands in the Carribean as tokens of their love. Mine likes to give me obscure sewing ephemera – far more interesting than necklaces etc. And so my latest gift is The Dexter. Intrigued? The Dexter is a hand-held sewing machine…
Read MoreThe Haywoods do Fancy Dress
It’s the final week of school holidays and there’s been plenty of sewing going on here (not much else to do in the middle of a heat wave). Our family attended a fancy dress birthday on Saturday, with the theme of L, E or B (being the initials of the birthday girl). Unfortunately the 38…
Read More2017 Christmas Dress
That time has swung around again where Christmas plans are underway. This of course includes thinking about one’s Christmas day outfit. I didn’t get around to making anything new last year, but thought I might this year. It’s rare that a garment goes perfectly right first go, but that’s what’s happened this week. I had…
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