It's been a while....

Apologies for the lack of posts. After sewing up a frenzy for the ASG Convention, I was all sewn out and haven't touched my machine since the beginning of October!

So to make up for all that, I'm here to show you a myriad of photos. They are mostly items I made for the Convention and the Convention Challenge. You've already seen the purple cami top and mesh overshirt so I'll spare you those. First up is the outfit I wore in the fashion parade on the Challenge awards night. It consists of ponte pants, rayon top and the vest which had 2 pairs of removable lapels.

Here is a collage of close-ups of the vest. I used Snap Source snaps to affix the lapels to the vest. This worked really well. The snaps don't show on the outside of the aqua lapels but they do on the felt ones so I used an aqua snap rather than a silver one. The lapel above is just various embroidery and pearl thread fed through the overlocker and held down with random straight stitching. I then used my Bejeweller to add some more bling via swarovski crystals. I'm quite happy with how the lapels turned out.

Here are some closeups.

This is another of the tops I made for the Challenge. It's Simplicity 1592 (as is the vest) made from a Kaffe Fasset quilting cotton. The cardigan over the top is my new fave, Simplicity 2148. I love the pockets! Apologies for the quality of these shots...my daughter didn't want to venture onto the grass so shot them from a loooong way away!

This top and cardigan were not part of my Collection. I made them just to wear at Convention when I decided to wear aqua and purple all week. The top is Simplicity 2148 again but I made the sleeves short instead of long. The cardigan is New Look 2759 without the front band. I simply turned the fabric over and coverstitched it. It's a DKNY jersey I bought in Auckland, wool/rayon/spandex blend. Very yummy and a different colour purple on the inside!

Oh & I wanted to show you a closeup of the neckline of that rayon top in the first photo. I used my coverstitch machine and a bias binder attachment to do the neck. I absolutely adore it and it was really easy.

Last but not least are the 2 leather bags I made at Convention. The first one is a larger version of the bag I made at Adelaide Convention in 2012. I originally was going to give it to my mother but I may yet change my mind in that regard. :)

And this, dear readers, is the bag I made in the second part of the week. It's just gorgeous! But...as I am finding the more I use it, it's a little big for me. A bit too deep and stuff gets lost in the bottom. But gorgeous just the same.

I couldn't resist buying these 2 little coin purses from our tutor to match my bags. They are so cute. It was only when I got home I realised the top one is actually navy blue not black. Oh well.

So that ends my photo wrap up of what I've been doing with myself for the past few months.The Convention went really well, the food was good, the classes were good and the company was great. I highly recommend you all try and go once in your lives. I will leave you with the view from my room that I had for the week. I can't guarantee you will get a view like this but I can guarantee you will have a fabulous time!

Simplicity 2148

This is part of my secret women's business but I've decided to show you all anyway. :)

I'm entering the Australian Sewing Guild's annual Convention Challenge later this year and this outfit is part of my entry. The Challenge this year is using patterns (Simp 2148, 2344, 1592 & New Look 6082) in Guild colours of purple, green and/or blue. Your garments have to be at least 50% of any of those guild colours. Well of course these are MY colours and I found a tonne of fabric in my stash to use in the Challenge. Lucky old me. However, this purple mesh fabric was a new purchase just because I could.

I'm entering the Convention Collection category of the challenge which is 5-8 co-ordinated garments that one would wear to Convention. In my case, it's going to be knit pants and various tops with a vest and this mesh evening jacket. I'm hoping it will all go well. But of course, it doesn't matter cos I'm sure I will love all the garments I make.

I'm wearing the grape sleeveless number I showed you in the last post underneath the jacket. Of course, the top is not my best sewing as is always the way for me. However, I'm really happy with how the mesh jacket has come out. I used french seams in most of the jacket and a rolled hem on both the bottom of the jacket and the sleeves. It will be one of those tops that is too hot to wear in the summer and too cold for the winter. When I put it on this afternoon, I could feel the cold come straight through the fabric onto my arms even though it was 20C outside today. Brrrr.

In other sewing, I am currently making the camisole top from Simplicity 2603, adding the sleeves from the cardi wrap in the same pattern. The fabric is a gorgeous teal merino which I got in NZ last year. It's just gorgeous to sew. I've made this pattern before but it was always much too short so a remake was necessary. I decided to move away from black, hoping to add a bit more colour to my winter wardrobe. 

So stay tuned for a pic of that soon!

It's been a while

Don't for one moment think that just because I haven't been blogging that I haven't been sewing! I'm just sewing secret women's business.

But here are some things I *can* show you.

In May I went away for a sewing weekend where I made some of the secret things. So no photos of that. But I did have a great time and there is another sewing retreat scheduled for August. He he he.

The weekend after that retreat, I did a felting workshop in Woy Woy with NZ felting tutor, Raewyn Penrose. She was one of our tutors at the ASG Convention in Auckland last year and I was very envious of the lucky girls who did her class. So when I was told she was coming over, I jumped at the chance to do the class.

The class was to make this felt and then create a bag but I decided to just keep the fabric as is and use it later. Here's a photo of the finished piece (excuse my tomatoes in the background LOL).

Here are some closeups of some of my favourite bits

Then I decided in order to get the technique of bag-making, I would make this little pouch. No plans for what to do with it though! I used a different background colour and absolutely adore it. So yummy.

I've also been making some underwear. I bought this fabric about 18 months ago when Target decided to change the undies I liked. Grrrr. I got 7 pairs out of 1 metre - one was a toile. I ran out of elastic at the end & needed to sub so just used some cream. I think it looks fine. And besides, who is gonna see it???

The pattern is Kwik Sew 3881, size XL. I did a cross between the full brief and the bikini. I just measured my RTW side seams to get the preferred length. I also used the RTW for elastic measurements and I made the leg openings a bit higher.

A closeup of the elastic attachment using a 3 step zig zag, length 3 width 2.5.

This garment is part of my ASG Convention Sewing Challenge entry.  It's New Look 6082. I've been working on this one for a while cos it was so gapey and low on my body. Anyway, it's now fixed and is fine. The colour is not true to life here - it's more a grape colour.

Last but not least, is a present I made for my best friend. It's a waterproof bag for her to use with her wet sponge/washcloth/whatever you call it. The fabric came from The Remnant Warehouse and is a laminated cotton. The inside (no photo) is just remnants of my much hated Minoru jacket.  I used that old familiar Nicole Mallalieu pattern but didn't box the bottom out.

So that's it for now. I will be back with some more stuff I promise! I'm currently making DD a ponte dress and a merino top for myself. I can definitely show you them!

Another hanger shot

I'm really happy with how much sewing I've got done this weekend. It's funny how much you can do when you step away from the computer!!

This is a top for a friend (hence the hanger shot) which I have promised her since last September. I was concerned about sizing since she's not a tiny chick but I think it will be fine. Turns out it only took me a couple of hours from cutting out to finishing. The rolled hems gave me a bit of grief but the rest was a snap. Now I want one for myself!

Butterick 4989

View D Size XL

mesh fabric from The Remnant Warehouse

$12 for 3m

I only made one change to the pattern and that was using two right fronts for View D. My recipient wanted a drapey open top that she could tie in various ways so I thought View D was perfect for that.

This pattern was one I made last year for myself (View B) but never took a photo of. Maybe I'll get it out when I write the PR review for this one.

In other news, I have made a toile of the top in the ASG Challenge pattern Simplicity 1592. Ugh. For my toile, I just made an FBA of 3cm which I rotated into the gathers. It's tight across the bust, stomach & back. The hips are good. So I let out the side seams & the centre back seam and it's OK except for the bust. So I'll need to do another FBA but leave it as a dart I think. I can't see that I could add any more to the gathers cos it's such a small area.

I'm not sure if this pattern is small (I used size 24 at the sides!!) or if I'm just not used to fitted woven tops. Cos this baby sure is fitted!! I've also just realised that I won't be able to show any of my finished items for the Challenge since a few ASG members read this blog! Bugger.