SWAP Stripes

I've decided to make 2 knit tops for my SWAP, so here is the first which is another version of KS 3740 with the higher neckline.

This is the first time I have worked with stripes and it did take some serious pining to get those stripes to line up so I could cut out this fabric as well as to sew the seams.

I saw on the Vivienne Files a great t-shirt in this wardrobe (In the bag picture) which I rather liked and was thrilled that I had a very similar fabric which I had purchased from Knitwit's Winter 2010 collection.

I also used Carolyn's Metalicus finish for the neck binding for this top and am very happy with the way it has turned out.

All the seams have been sewn on my new baby, the Elna Lotus so I could see how she would handle the knits and I am very pleased with the results.  I did use my Coverstitch for the hems.

and look at the matched stripes

all those pins worked perfectly.


So this is Item 8 for my SWAP, the Minoru (which has advanced a bit more) is Item 9, so another knit top and another pair of shorts and I'm finished.

One Week, One Pattern

This is the last day of OWOP that Tilly and the buttons organised and I chose to work with Vogue 8572 (OOP), my go to blouse .  Luckily this year I have made two more blouses so I had 4  to work with over the 7 days – 3 x  short sleeves and 1 x 3/4 sleeve.

Here are the 7 days of wearing blouse Vogue 8572.
Even though I have said this after each Me Made month, I still don't have enough necklaces or scarves to help make my outfits look different, this is something I really do need to work harder on getting organised.

On Monday I couldn't help but notice these guys,

two Rainbow Lorikeets, aren’t they beautiful.  Thankfully Roscoe doesn't mind these birds, but chases the Indian Miners that invade the yard.

Not sure why my sewing assistant was so determined to get in the photos this week, maybe he has been checking out Sienna.

Isn't she cute

She is an Elna Lotus ZZ and they were made between 1968 and 1977.  My darling Mum found her for me and has given it to me as an early birthday present.

The reason I am now a proud owner of this cute sewing machine is that I like to go to the Australian Sewing Guild Conventions when I can and I do like to use a sewing machine that I am familiar with.as the classes I do take tend to be a challenge and to use a sewing machine that you are familiar with makes it so much easier.  This year the Convention is being held in Adelaide so the search was on for a small machine that would fit in my carry on bag and still be within the limits.

There is plenty of room for packing around her and she only weighs 5 kgs, perfect.

Here she is all set up ready to sew (well the power plug isn't plugged in).

and look at the accessories that are stored in the top section of the machine.

• Pack of Schmetz 130/705H 60/8 Needles with Elna on the back of the pack.
• Two Elna bobbins (1 is in the rotary hook and there is a cute way to get the bobbins out).
• Missing the needle threader.
• At the top is the quick unpick.
• I think the Oiler is supposed to be in the empty spot.
• Lint Brush.
• Screwdriver, it looks so brittle I'm not sure if I will use it.
• Cording Foot
• Zipper Foot

One of the things that really surprised me is that this machine not only lets you move the needle to the left and right of centre, but you can set the needle anywhere between the left and right symbols as well which, "this is very practical for sewing the rims of collars, cuffs, zip fasteners etc."  This is one of the reasons I went from my mechanical Janome to the computerised version for the needle to move more than one position left or right of the centre needle.

Look how she looks next to my Janome MC5200.

Now to cut out a garment or two and sew them on the Elna to get a real feel for what she can do.

I'm thrilled :)

Charity Sewing and more Minoru

Yesterday my ASG Group at Rhodes had a day of sewing for the local hospital.  Our focus is mainly on breast cancer, making chemo caps and berets and this year we also made some Comfort Packs which contain a Comfort Cushion, Drainage Bag and X-Ray bag.  I made this set.

The Group made a wonderful collection of goodies for the hospital and these will be delivered during April.


Minoru Update

During the week I was able to test sew a buttonhole on the rip-stop and used a piece of organza behind the buttonhole and it worked perfectly.

The next challenge was trying to find some Cord Clips that weren't black or white, and found some at Lincraft at Alexandria, not navy but a mushroom colour.  Rocket Sews did point me in the direction of M.Recht in Melbourne but the cost of postage was a bit excessive for 1 item (pack of 10 cord clips) so I will check with my sewing buddies and see if they want anything so we can do a combined order. 

Getting into the sewing room this afternoon I have:

•   sewn the buttonholes on the hood and used my buttonhole chisel to cut them open

• Joined the hood and lining together, under-stitching the lining so it will stay nice and flat and out of sight, topstitched a channel around the edge of the hood and then threaded my cord through this adding the Cord Clips.
  
• Sewed the hood to the zipper tape (another idea from Rocket Sews) and then sewed the zipper to the collar.

•  Pulled up the gathers on the jacket body, attached this to the collar and then topstitched this seam.

• The side seams and sleeves are now pinned ready to sew.

I've had a very satisfying weekend of sewing and if I want to sew after work this week I need to purchase a light bulb for my sewing room  :)

Minoru sewing

I've had visitors for the last week, so no access to my sewing room, but that all changed yesterday afternoon.

The main fabric which is rip-stop has been cut out for a few weeks now and last weekend at the ASG Alexandria group meeting I thread marked the elastic casing marks on all the pieces and started to add zippered welt pockets to the front, after viewing Maria's Minoru at the same meeting. 

I cut out the lining yesterday, you can see a peak of it in the pocket.

The sleeves are stitched to the front and back and have been topstitched.

I have decided to line the hood, both are stitched but not joined together.  After reading so many other Minoru constructions, I'm trying to decide if I will add an elastic draw string to the hood like Rocket Sews did with hers.  Think I need to do a test buttonhole to see how it works on the rip-stop, my decision might be made for me.

Presenting SWAP Item No. 7

Shorts!

I live in shorts in the summer around the house and dog walking and the shorts I do have need replacing but with my sway back I do not find this easy to do with RTW.

At Christmas my DDS wanted to give me a gift of the Sure Fit pants pattern,but first she needed to take my measurements. So in January I received a pants pattern and a pair of pants (excluding the waistband) made up in this very loud fabric.



At the Angie fitting weekend where I sorted out the Minoru Jacket, Angie also tweaked this pants pattern.

• reduced the waist height by 2.5cm (1").
•  centre back gaposis (you can see the excess above) 1.5cm (6/8") back to nothing 9cm (3 1/2") below. 

• added 1cm to the back crotch length. 

•  and dropped the back crotch curve by 5mm.
• added extra width to the centre front.

I then traced off a new pattern (fixing that centre back seam line) for some shorts and proceeded to cut out the navy twill that I had with me for a wearable toile of the pattern.  The fly front was sewn and all the other seams were basted together for a quick review by Angie, where we took another scoop out of the back crotch curve by 0.5cm (1/4").

When I got home I dug through my patterns to find one that had pockets (essential for dog walking) that I could use and found KS3614 fit the bill.

So after all that, here they are:






Not sure about the front wrinkles, it looks like I have more than the colourful toile, but I do know I was a bit slapdash with the pockets and associated seams.

The back looks better, only has a slight break and wondering if I need to do the flat seat adjustment?

Even with those I am very happy with this version and will definitely make some more, maybe next time add cargo pockets so I don't mess with the side/waist seams.