In Threes

This little, short sleeved, kiddo cardigan has been finished in record time. Just in time for winter :) There isn't too much to it, but even though I'm not a very fast knitter, I still managed to complete it in just over three weeks.

The kiddo didn't want to be photographed though.

I tried to get her to stand still...

Here's the bad still image. I really need a new camera. Me thinks it will be my upcoming birthday gift.

Details ravelled here.

Woodland Sorbetto

I feel like I'm the last sewist in blogland to make a Sorbetto, but I now know why I've seen so much of this pattern since its release.

This is made with a cotton poplin from Spoonflower called Woodland. I purchased it late last year when Spoonflower offered free shipping. It took over one and a half months to arrive, due in most part to the Christmas shipping rush, or not-so-rush.

The Sorbetto is sweet, and fits well. I actually thought there would be a little more ease, but I'm still happy with the fit. I have found the tank to be a little short though. Was I supposed to add hem allowance? I sewed a scant hem and it's still maybe half an inch or so too short.

There will definitely be more of these simple tanks in the future.

Costs
Pattern: Colette Sorbetto = free
Fabric: 1 yard poplin = $20 Spoonflower.
Thread: from stash
Total: $20

My other Spoonflower purchases from last year include:

A fat quarter of mask fabric called "Who do you want to be today?" The boys were gagging for me to make these when it arrived. So much that I hid this fabric not long after, in the hope that they would forget about it and stop bugging me. Now that I've re-found this, and I've fessed up to having it, I have no excuse but to make these quick smart.

This globe panel was a 'why not' purchase. I really should make it....

This mobile panel was supposed to be a gift, for my new niece, Ruby (who is now 2 months old! whoops). But time got the better of me and Ruby already owned a mobile, so now I need to wait for a new baby girl to arrive.

Don't we all just need a little more time to get everything done?

Oink! Oink!

I know two wrongs don't make a right, but take this Burda hog!!

I headed to my local library today and found almost every copy of Burda magazine since 2008, including two 2012 issues! Woot woo!

I'm not sure if I can claim responsibility for this surprise. Does my local Burda hog read my blog or have they just gone on holidays? I'm not sure. Despite my dislike for their pattern hogging, I couldn't help borrowing six issues myself. I think I'm going to have a busy week tracing!

Many readers asked which library I go to for Burda, but look, I'm not going to tell you that information am I? *sorry* It's hard enough getting the good issues without y'all starting to hog too! What I will tell you though, is that most local libraries, in Sydney anyway, have online catalogues, so you can check if a library stocks the magazine before you leave home. I'm pretty sure you don't have to live in area to borrow from a library, so you might find that it's only a short drive and to get your hands on a few free patterns.

To Carolyn - yes, I can reserve issues of Burda if they are currently out on loan, however, this incurs a $1 fee. I know it's only $1, but if I'm not 110% certain that I'm going to sew a particular item, it seems like a waste of money just to look at a magazine. How much of a tightwad do I sound like right now??

On a different note, have you seem that I am the featured seamstress on the Colette blog?? So excited! Can you believe my brother in law call my meringue skirt, a Wilma skirt, as in Wilma Flintstone! Seriously, he has no idea!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win one of three Seam Allowance Guide sets.

Seam Allowance Guide GIVEAWAY!!

I'm sure I am not the only sewist who gets excited by a clever gadget that makes sewing a little easier and faster. The nifty Seam Allowance Guide, which I mentioned back here, is definitely one of those gadgets.

Even more exciting, the makers of the Seam Allowance Guide have given me not one, but three seam allowance guide sets to give to my wonderful readers! Woot woo!

Each set contains two guides, one for flat edge scissors and one for scissors with a slanted blade. You also get an extra couple of black bands, which I guess are handy to have if you ever lose one. These little black bands are the marker that you use to cut your fabric. They can be moved along the guide to change the seam allowance that you want to cut. This is especially helpful if you want to add a greater seam allowance on a highly fitted garment, like a pair of pants, so you have more seam width to play with to get the fit right. Clever, right?

Now, to get your hands on one of these little gems, just leave a comment below telling me which pattern you would use a Seam Allowance Guide for - Ottobre? Japanese? It would also be nice to see you become a follower of my blog - over there in the Google Friend Connect . I love being able to see my readers and look at their blogs.

I'll leave the competition open until 7pm Sydney time on Sunday 25 March.

Good luck!

Project Success! Style 2130

I promise I won't start every blog post with 'Project Success' or 'Project Fail', but I felt I needed to balance yesterday's fail.

Taking inspiration from a few skirts that I've pinned, like this, this and this, (I'm so pleased to be actually using some of these images!!), I made this skirt in just over an hour and I know will become a highly worn garment.

After purchasing this ponte knit skirt from the Op Shop (with an elastic waist no less!) I knew I need more of that stretchy, comfy, ponte goodness in my wardrobe.

With Style 2130 (c.1978) in hand, I headed to Spotlight to pick some navy ponte knit fabric. This flared skirt is actually an eight gored skirt, which uses less fabric than a circle or half circle skirt.

As I used a knit, I omitted the zipper and instead ran some elastic in the waistband just in case the fabric doesn't recover well during wear. I stays up just fine and is super comfortable. I added a few belt loops because I know I'll need them.

Can you tell me sew-jo is back! I'm so excited. I have projects planned, cut and ready to go. I also have a few projects waiting to blog. I've got a little more energy and I'm loving sewing again - rather than forcing myself to do it!

Project cost:
Pattern: Style 2130 C.1978 = 50c Op Shop
Fabric:  1.4m navy ponte = $19.60 Spotlight
Thread: from stash
Total: $20.10

Project Fail. Vogue 1247

Sometimes fabric on the discount table at Spotlight should stay there. Sometimes fabric that costs $1.50 per meter, isn't even worth that.  Sometimes, when a project is going so, so wrong, you shouldn't even bother finishing it.

I blame this project failure 80% on the fabric and 20% on my sewing.

I cut this pattern about two days before I sewed it. The fabric is a mystery polyester crepe fabric. It's drapey and opaque and kinda weighty. As soon as I moved the pieces, most of them warped out of shape. I'm not sure if I cut them off grain, I don't think I did, but the fabric moved in all sorts of weird ways.

When sewing the fabric continued to behave in an odd manner and as it was  polyester, it didn't respond to a good pressing. The construction of the top was relatively easy though, and the french seams meant I didn't need to change the thread on my overlocker - always a good thing! I didn't succeed in matching the centre seams very well, but I already knew the project was a failure at this point, so didn't bother trying very hard. I also haven't clipped the threads, that's how bad a fail this baby is!

This pattern won't get the better of me though. I will try again and I'm confident it will work.

Hope you manage to steal some moments in front of your machine this weekend.

Happy sewing!

One less scrap

Before the remnant returns to the stash, I quickly whipped up another peasant style dress for the kid.

Again, I used the Heidi and Finn Sweet Dress pattern.

Excuse the breakfast dishes still on the table.

I don't think the kid can have enough of these dresses and I love how quickly the come together.