Library additions

It is not like I have heaps of sewing or fashion books, no really I don't, and it is not as though I don't have time to read them. Oh well anyway, I bought two more books today. I decided to buy from http://www.bookdepository.com and before you say but that is in England and you are in Australia, yes you are right. I have bought from them a few times now and find the delivery is swift, the postage is free and the prices are better than I can get here (even in department stores).

So what did I buy?



There are a few more sitting in my wish list but these will do for now.

Q before I go. What are your favourite/must have sewing of fashion books? There is always room for one (or two) more ....

Oh dear!

Where does the time go? I can't believe I have neglected both my blog and my sewing for so long. It has been a challenging year but that's life..

I want to get back into a little sewing but know that time is at a premium and I know that if I try to make anything too complicated I am simply setting myself up for failure even before I begin. So what is the answer? A simple goal of one top a month. I think this is an achieveable goal.

I have no idea what patterns I am going to use or what fabrics the tops will be in, I am somewhat out of touch with what there is out there atm, but that will come. I have very little time to ponder this till the kids go back to school so it might end up being 12 tops over 11 months but that is ok.

For now I am checking out the latest patterns and those I have stashed away to see what I am going to make but whatever it will be I can guarantee it will be something simple!

Some progress

OK so it's not on a white shirt, but I did get somewhere today.

Between ... running kids to school in the morning, collecting eldest ds from school before midday, going shopping with eldest ds for new jeans and a belt to wear to a class dinner tonight, picking up 2 Burda mags from the library, doing the grocery shopping, getting petrol in the car, and collecting the other two kids from school ... I have managed to trace off and alter the pattern, and cut out the fabric for a top for myself, and download and trace off a pattern for newborn pants (for a friend who just had a baby).

Unfortunately there is no time to sew now. I have to get the groceries away, organise dinner for the other 3 kids and myself, supervise homework, iron some jeans and a shirt, and then take eldest to the restaurant.

Perhaps tomorrow ...

So ...

I have been leafing through my pattern folder today trying to decide on which pattern to use for the white shirt sew along. I am starting from scratch with a new pattern (no TNT's yet) and I am really not sure which way I want to go.

I am considering McCalls 5433 (view a), McCalls 5522 (view a), and Simplicity 3684 (view d), but I also picked up Twinkle Sews from the library yesterday and love the Balancing Act shirt, although I am thinking that is not the best shirt to start out with.

I guess I need to think about it a bit more, but in the meantime I have some white Poplin I plan on using for my first attempt/muslin so I will be getting that in the wash shortly. Once the muslin is made I have some white shirting with a pale grey stripe (already laundered) that has been waiting to become a shirt for some time, I hope the wait will be worth it.

Never too many white shirts ...

I confess ...

I do not have one white shirt that fits well and looks nice on, sigh, and this is the reason I have joined in the 'never too many white shirts' sew along.

http://www.sewingontheedge.blogspot.com/

Some of the girls are aiming for TEN white shirts, using a combination of patterns and fabrics, but my plans are not that ambitious.

I am aiming to fit, sew, and re-fit (as many times as necessary) the same single pattern to hopefully end up with a TNT (tried n true) pattern that can be tweaked and changed and used again with various fabrics without having to re-fit.

Now to check the pattern stash and decide on a starting point ...

New (to me) Sewing Machine

I love Freecycle!

You never know what you will see being given away and last week my luck was in.

When I saw 'sewing machine' my heart was all a flutter, when I saw it was on offer from one of my friends my heart skipped a beat. I sent off an email straight away and was promised the machine almost imnmediately. It was collected during a lovely catch up visit a few days later.

This is not a unique machine, it is not an antique either, it is a regular machine that you can get (re-branded) all over the place. Why am I so happy about this machine? Well it has something my Janome 6500P does not, a free arm. Now some of you may think no big deal and I know I can manage without one as I have done so for years, but when your smallest person in the house is only 4 and there are things such as little sleeves to sew in and hem it does make it easier.

After earlier receiving back my two older machines I had leant out and discovering bits and pieces missing, and dealing with that disappointment, I am pleased to say that this machine will fill the gap they left quite nicely. I have given it a good clean and it is already running well, once it's had an oil it will be humming along nicely.

The next task is to put aside my scrapbooking stuff and create myself a little sewing space ...

Oh my goodness!

Has it really been months since I posted anything here? I am so sorry but life does get in the way sometimes and despite good intentions there are just not enough hours in the day.

I am pretty much on top of housework, garden maintenance, school stuff for the kids, etc. and have put aside my scrapbooking for the time being (my mojo has deserted me) so besides the Spring Cleaning (which I am yet to start in earnest) there is just the usual day to day stuff to contend with. Hopefully that means I can actually get some sewing done soon.

Stay tuned for upcoming plans ...