I'm still alive

My real life sewing buddies are asking me why I haven't updated my blog. The answer is: I don't know! LOL. It's not like I haven't been sewing....it's probably more related to the lack of pics I have to show you. Dunno about you all but I find blogs with no pics a bit boring. So prepared to be bored!

Our weekend away was a total success. I made 2 tops & started a bag. No pics. Neither top is completely finished so if I get my A into gear & do that, I can post some pics & a review on PR. Sigh.

However, in other news I have been attempting to fit some pants. I haven't made pants since about 2000 when I had a TNT pants pattern done with the help of my good friend and sewing teacher, Roberta Thompson. But now that I've lost some weight, of course this TNT pattern is now useless. So I battled with adjusting a Burda pattern....it's a trouser pattern, close fitting. Yeah well too close fitting for my legs! So then I thought I might try my hand at the Burda WOF (I know it's not called that anymore but bugger it) mag that I just got. I think it's pattern 140 from the Sept issue. I traced it all off and then had an ephiphany.

I pulled out the TNT pattern from 2000.....went to my sewing notebook where I write all the details of my projects. Very handy...I can recommend doing this & you'll see why in a minute. I had made the pants back in 2000 when I was thinner than I was before I started WW and I had used them later for a fitted pant in a stretch woven with facing waistband & invisible zip. I hadn't realised until I read the notebook that it was the same pattern! So I figured why re-invent the wheel? These pants already have my extended calf adjustment and my fat thighs adjustment etc. So I tried them. OH MY GOD! They're huge. A bit clown-like in fact. So I consulted PP's FFRP pants version and took a 6cm tuck down the back leg. 6cm!! I still have both smiles in the front crotch & bagginess below my bum. My extended calf adjustment has gone to hell in a handbasket, the hip area is now too tight and the waist almost extends to my bust. I've let the front inseam out & taken in the back inseam but still have the resulting smiles & bagginess.

Ergh...it's no wonder I haven't made pants for years. I need to re-think. So much for my idea of having new pants for Christmas.

In other news, I found the most wonderful perfect fabric to match the pants fabric which is bright aqua linen/cotton blend. The top fabric is lighter aqua with splotches of the same colour as the pants fabric and is light enough to use on a lovely gathered top. However the bad news was they only had a metre at Castle Hill Spotlight. I bought it, thinking I could fudge but no. I've been thinking about this for 2 days when I finally bit the bullet & decided to go to Auburn Spotlight. Imagine my joy when I found a huge roll of the fabric. 3 metres have now come home with me. I'm doing the dance of joy. But my joy is only shortlived as the toile for the top is disasterous. Now I know why I usually sew knits.

Is that enough of an update for you? LOL