I just can't help myself,

I have signed up for another sew-along and made a public commitment to reduce my stash this year over at Cation Designs and the awesome badge is on my sidebar.

I, Sharon of Petite and Sewing, commit to sew ¾ of all projects in 2013 from Stash. Fabric purchases will be less than the yardage used during the stash sewing in 2013. 

Notice I haven't said I won't purchase fabric


This now means that I need to keep tabs on how much fabric goes in/out of the stash, and I am definitely not measuring how much is in there, all I will say is that there is plenty for me to play with.

I have a new top and skirt to show you and they are both from Stash.

Look what the postman delivered ...

it is the top Quilt Sew Sew Sue made using New Look 6648 in a lovely silk jersey.

Now Sue wasn't that happy with this top and her photos showed this pretty clearly, and seeing her post was titled "Should it stay or should it go", I cheekily said that I might know a home for it, if it is going.

Sue very generously offered it to me.  I did check with Sue what size she had made and it was a size 12 and by the pattern measurements I would have made up a size 10 so with that in mind I accepted Sue's offer.

Unfortunately I still have the same pull lines across the girls, I think this is mainly due to the fabric only being a 2 way stretch and Sue did tell me that it only just made the stretch guide.

The rest of the top isn't tight, in fact the neckline is quite low and the gathers disappear due to too much fabric in the hip area.

Problem is I love the colour and the feel of the fabric, but not sure if I will wear it with those pull lines?

What do you think?

Dressmaking with Stitches- Volume 20

Here is the Index for Volume 20 for Dressmaking with Stitches (formerly Australian Stitches), please take a copy if you want.

I have also sent a copy to Lynn Cook, Editor of Dressmaking with Stitches.

Enjoy

Bra sew-along

I have finally succumbed to the inspirational posts from Carolyn showing us her gorgeous bras and have signed up with Amy from Cloth Habit for the Bra Sew-along.

Back in 2005, I did try and make a bra at the first ASG Convention I went to in Adelaide, and I still have the partly made bra and the adjusted Booby Traps B003 pattern.

I will start with the Booby Traps pattern and with Spotlight having half price patterns at present I have also purchased KS 3300 which is another style I like.

On the way to work last Thursday I called into Metro Fabrics at Tempe to purchase some underwires and check out what other goodies he had, major overload of all sorts of goodies!

So I have taken my measurements and worked out what size I should make and next up is to make a test bra to see how it fits and of course what adjustments I need to do.

I am wondering what I have got myself into!

Tangerine Alma Blouse

When Sewaholic announced her new pattern, the Alma Blouse, I was very tempted as the cute neckline on View A had me intrigued so when the special was on, I jumped at the chance to purchase this pattern.

Due to the fitting issues I had with the Minoru and not being a pear shape, I realised that the Alma Blouse is very similar to my very modified TNT blouse, Vogue 8572 (OOP).  I traced off another copy of my TNT blouse pattern and then added the neckline detail from the Alma Blouse as well as drafting the facing pieces.

Next up was what fabric to use.  I've had this piece in my stash since 2003 so thought it would be a good time to use it as it was one of the 2012 Pantone colours (better late than never).

I'm not sure what the fibre content of this fabric is but polyester seems a very good choice, it takes a lot of pressing to get reasonable looking seams or darts using steam and a clapper and it frays like mad.

However after all of that I am rather pleased with this blouse.

The creases are from wearing this top all day.

This is my 2nd piece completed for SWAP 2013 - Everyday Collection.

It wasn't until I typed up this post that I seem to have a bit of a citrus theme going on, so do I continue it with the lemon blouse or make the brown denim style skirt out of linen?

I wonder which it will be 

Another year has disappeared

and my sewing highlight of the year was to be announced as the winner of the Stitcher's Guild 2012 SWAP Competition, I still get a thrill when I think about this.

Interestingly with all the sewing focus for the first 4 months of the year, I felt that the remainder of the year wasn't as productive, lets see:

1 x Pants
3 x Skirts
8 x Tops
3 x Cardigans
1 x Jeans
2 x Dresses
1 x Jacket
1 x Vest
1 x Hand knitted garment
3 x Jewellery pieces
3 x Craft
5 x Bags

Wow that is a total of 29 items sewn, however the craft items are listed as 3 when each of those had a least 3 pieces to each of them, so not a bad year at all.

I never thought I'd make a bag, now I have made 5 in 1 year, a bit scary!

Patterns used:
Sure Fit Design - 1
BWOF - 2
Simplicity - 1
Vogue - 2
Jalie - 3
Kwik.Sew - 1
Moonshine Bags - 1
Nicole Mallalieu - 1
Hot Patterns - 1
Sewaholic - 1

Favourite Me Made Items

This would have to be the Minoru jacket, I love it, it gets worn every chance I get and the Jalie Jeans are still in high rotation.

The other item is my Leather Handbag, I'm just loving this bag.

2012 Sewing Goals - How did I go?

• Complete 1 garment a month - 20 garments means I have certainly done that.  I think I am going to reword this goal, I manage to do the sewing but not cut out and sew that garment in the same month.
• Complete at least one competition either at Stitcher's Guild or Pattern Review - I definitely achieved this one, SWAP 2012 at Stitcher's Guild, and I entered in the Handbag, Best Pattern and Jeans contests at Pattern Review.
• Play with the binders for my Coverstitch machine and get comfortable using them - Oops this didn't happen.

2013 Sewing Goals

• Complete at least 22 garments (20 in 2012, 24 in 2011).
• Play with those binders!
• Complete at least one competition either at Stitcher's Guild or Pattern Review 

And finally, a collage of the pieces I made in 2012.

Orange Circles

This is another version of my TNT blouse, Vogue 8572 (OOP) in a wonderful orange self patterned linen that I purchased in the USA last year.

For this version I chose to do French Seams and use Hong Kong finishes on the zip seam as well as the armholes so this has taken this blouse up a notch or two.

There is not much else to tell you, so here are the photos:

Note the colour of the zip pull.

The zip itself is very different in colour to the zip pull, but the zip pull is what you see!

This wasn't planned to be in my SWAP, however it will go with my everyday collection and can be counted as the "one garment may be sewn before the official sewing start date" so my first SWAP piece is completed.

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Thank you for all the comments on the Hot Patterns Riviera Summer Breeze Tie Front Top, you have convinced me to have another go at this pattern and I will let you know the results, it may still find a new home.

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Wishing you all a wonderful New Year and all the very best for a fantastic and sewful 2013.