Guilty

Hey everyone.  I just wanted to say sorry for the lack of blogs.  I have actually been doing some sewing and crochet but I feel guilty for not doing the other.  Does anyone else feel this way?  I still have some christmas sewing to do, but everytime i think of doing it i just want to make more stuff for me.  Too many things on the to do list.  That is my problem.  After all the Christmas stuff is done, I am going to try to do one project at a time. This of course will not happen, as I love making stuff for other people.  But less stuff for them and more for me..... that's the plan.  And more blogs. 

My first granny square

Look!!! I've made what I hope is to be the first of many granny squares.

I should have been sewing my christmas presents, but I was so tired I didn't trust myself with a machine that has a sharp object going at a very fast speed, so wook and a wooden hook did it, and I must say I'm quite pleased with my first attempt.

For more crochet inspiration check out Lucy's blog.  She has really beautiful hooked lovelies.

The borrowed beauty

Hi folks.  Bert is still in the ICU for sewing machines, but a colleague of mine kindly lent me her mother's 1973 Singer.

 
Isn’t she lovely?  And she sews like a dream.  I just might have to get myself a little work horse like her. 

To test her out I made my very first applique t-shirt. 

I think I’m in love with this fantastic process.  What can I applique next?

Waiting for Bert

Well it’s official.  Bert’s broken!  I have tried all the things in the manual to fix him and all the things on the internet.  He’s still poorly. Proper poorly as they would say here in Devon.
Yesterday I packed him up and sent him off to the hospital for poorly sewing machines – Brother UK.  It was a sad day.

So I have to apologise for the little hiatus in blogging.  I have been wallowing in the despair of the demise of Bert.  Stupid I know, but he made me so happy, and then in one day…. all that happiness was taken away from me.  Who knew a sewing machine could give such joy?

In my mild depression I turned my lounge into a cutting room for a few days and cut all of my Christmas presents out.  Now I just have to get Bert back to get them all sewn up in time for the Big day (or the Big Send-off).

To keep me happy, I’ve been watching The Nameless Cat play in her new box house.  She has a little thing for boxes,

.......................so I cut some holes in my Lady Valet box and made her a play house.  She loves it!!.

I hope to be back blogging almost daily (my ultimate goal is a blog a day) soon.  I might do an interim post on The Fairy Godmother’s quilts if anyone is interested. 
See you soon, Cyd.

Bert's broke

I just have to share... I think Bert is broken.  I'm not sure, but I'm too scared to do a thorough investigation.  I was trying to complete my 1st dress for a 40th Birthday party last night and at the 85% completion mark, he decided to start eating the fabric. 

Hopefully some rest and a good talking to will fix him.  If he is really broken, I'm afraid there will be many late Christmas presents this year. 

Too much excitement for one day

What an exciting day it’s been here in Devon. 

Firstly  I have managed to felt my first projects with mediocre success.  I bought some wool suitable for felting (the first attempt was a disaster as I didn’t know there was such a thing as ‘super wash’ wool).  I did some cute 5 minute daisies using this free pattern. 

I looked up how to felt and  A,- I don’t have a top loading machine.  Most people here in the UK have front loaders as they are smaller (laundry/utility rooms are rare),and  B – I couldn’t justify a full load of washing for these tiny darlings.  So I filled a Tupperware like container with hot water and a drop of fairy liquid (apparently this helps bond the fibres), called my mate 'Happy Ness' the quilting queen, in Australia, and shook my little heart out for however long we chatted for (about an hour I think). Ultimately I would like them to be more felt-y but an hour of sloshing some flowers in a box is quite long enough thank you.  Next time I’ll wait until I Skype my friend Sheana… we usually chat for about 2 hours… should be felt perfect.  They are now pinned out on a towel drying into shape ready for some cute button centres. 

Next, I re-fashioned my first thing from my wardrobe.  I have this really comfy dress that had open sleeves which I didn’t like, so I threaded Bert with some brown thread and voila… one re-fashioned dress, fit for a bingo winged antipodean. 

I try to look as glamerous as possible for you all.  One day I'll be as beautiful as Casey, or Gertie

I'm holding in my pot belly for you all.  I'm nice like that.

Then the most beautiful thing happened…. My new lady valet arrived..

I was so so excited, I was squealing with joy.  It took me a little while to assemble her, but eventually I got it together and here she is.

Unfortunately I’m almost the largest size of the small LV (not good for the ego I can assure you), and too small for the Medium LV, so she has some wide gappage, which I hope to fix with some lovely fabric sometime in the near future.  For now, a black tutu (from my only other sewing project since living in the uk) will suffice. 

We could almost be sisters.  I’m the one with the bigger boobs.  Now all she needs is a name.  Ideas welcome.

Also, some of my late night eBay vintage patterns arrived.  Hooray.  I can now start planning some winter wardrobe treasures.  I’m thinking wool tartan/plaid wiggle dress?????

Then… ( I know, can you believe there was so much joy in one day of my life), I found a cute 40s style top in a local charity shop (pic to come later), and a cute modern take on a wrap tea dress.  All for less than £6.  I also found some beautiful vintage embossers, which I am going to go back and get tomorrow for future Etsy/Antipodean Artisan entrepreneurial ventures. 

I also, did a little Krimbo stuff.  I think I have got everything I need for everyone.  Now I just need to make and assemble it all.  Only 38 days to go!  AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And finally I got cracking on my first dress for me.  So far I’m only up to the darts, but I love my carbon paper, and my tracing wheel. 

If only I had used these years ago when I was making dresses and costumes.  Now all I have to do is finish it for a Birthday party on Saturday.

What a lovely day.  Back to the sewing machine for me. Thanks for stopping by.  Don't forget to check out my recently updated 'Translation' page. 

Cheers, Cyd.

The stash is building

Ok folks, so Bert (my sewing machine) and I have only known each other for maybe 8 weeks and already I have accumulated quite a frightening amount of stuff. 

Firstly there is the building and growing of the ‘studio’.  After deciding to take a hiatus from my MSc this year (and maybe longer, who knows), I got rid of my old desk and made a new one.  This one had to be big enough to accommodate my old Mac (which I can’t seem to part with, but is only good for Photoshop and iTunes as it is non-upgradable), my printer and enough space for Bert and me to create beautiful things together.  The studio space was markedly changed with the acquisition of the overpriced but ever so lovely wallie tree, and wallie blackboard.  My flat is rented and thus I am not allowed to put any holes in the walls, so when I discovered these I had to indulge myself.  The table was made by yours truly without the help of Hero Boy. 

Lessons learned:  When making furniture, accurate measurements are a must and impatience leads to wobbliness….

…alas, my table is a little wobbly (but I still blame the old Georgian floor).

Next are the patterns.  I had to move my text books up a shelf or two and move some photography gear under my bed to make space and already I've almost run out of room.

I started buying patterns before Bert and I met.  I am yet to buy any actual vintage patterns, but have quite a collection of new vintage from Vintage Vogue and Retro Butterick.  I haven’t sewn anything for myself yet except for a pair of wide leg trousers (I cut the pattern myself  from a friend’s pair).

Fabric.  My first major shopping spree was in Bradford whilst Hero Boy and I were in Yorkshire in early October.  For those of you who don’t know, there is a large Indian and Pakistani population in Bradford and Leeds, which means lots, and lots of beautiful fabric.  I was a complete white Aussie girl in these shops and I’m sure I amused more than one shop keeper.  Alas, I was in my element and after having a little chat to myself to not be scared of the fabric. I dragged HB around for what was almost the entirety of one whole day.  His response to that was – for every hour I make him go fabric shopping, he will reciprocate with an hour of cricked shop shopping.  Hmmm... I think I'll take my girlfriends next time.

And Books.  I have decided if I am going to get better I need to study a little.

Also I have these beautiful saris from my friend Yogi.  Apparently they can't be worn anymore, and so she gave them to me to do with what I want.  I'm really not sure what to do with them, so would be grateful for any ideas. 

Remember there is about 7m of fabric in each of them and quite a lot of embroidery and beading.

Happy sewing

Cyd