Can't rush a challenge

Oh no, I fear I'm dripping with sarcasm here already, and I haven't even started yet! I better just go straight to the photos, so I can distract my hungover and boring brain!

So here's my current pattern, from the lovely Amanda (who kindly sent me a few of her patterns to try out! The Dearheart is extremely busy planning a wedding and caring for people, so no time to indulge!) and it's Vogue 5900, and looks rather maternal to me! I've just got to do a few things on it, but thought I'd post this for a Work In Progress (WIP) for you to have a geek at. The material is from the stash, but I got it in Spotlight on spesh (can't remember the exact price) and it's a very light, almost see through cotton lawn. I have used some of it before, before I started this blog maybe (as I can't find a post about it) but it was a shirt thing that was a bit too puffy for me so it went to the Op Shop.

I've changed a couple things so far, I didn't want to do lining/facing as this cotton is so lovely and soft, I want to make it for a preggers gal, who needs her clothing nice and light. It's hot here in Syds, so if you're pregs in summertime you want light material. So instead I remembered how I'd use bias binding for the edges when I make tshirt dresses, and rather than folding it under and topstitching it, I thought I'd just leave it and iron it out. Looks nice for the edging!

I'm making the white dress, from the pattern front above, but with no sleeves. But I did decide to keep the pocket in so I hope it still looks good!

And once of the best things I've learned recently is to do the facing thing (where you put a bit of fabric right side to right side, sew a long V shape, slash down the middle, and turn) and I really like using it now instead of bias binding edges on the slash. It is less material and I've found (especially in that little girl's dress I made recently) it gets bulky when I do it.

Oh! And I just clicked over that post and remembered that Sew I Thought gave me a nice nod with a Kreativ Blogger Award, sorry darling! I did receive one of those just recently, and so won't post it again, but here are my results! Thank you kindly though, you're a total babe!

Phew! I totally got through the post without any stupid hangover talk! I tell you, I can get really boring and sarcastic whilst in this state, so am very pleased with my silly self for just writing NORMALLY. ERK!

See you soon, Veronica

Party Day Parents!

Yep, today's going to be a day where my Husbie and I pretty much pretend we are real life parents as we're throwing our DOG a First Birthday Party. ERK! I feel weird, but overly excited at the same time, to become one of 'those' Dog People, but figure we'll just do this once and not subject our friends to this kinda mania every year with Doggie Darling.

Friends and darling loyal readers, I promise my writing here won't turn into a dog blog but just for now, just for this weekend, I think I'm all loved up over my darling little baby, and cannot resist posting about her! Here is Doggie Darling with a new friend she found on the street on her birthday:

I'm beginning to feel a little bit agro over the stuff my Husbie and Doggie Darling keep bringing home after their walks together. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hard rubbish ravaging, I've found some excellent shelves, cute medicine cases, chairs, tables, and other stuff in my time that I still have and love. BUT, you can imagine my WTF moment when I saw this blue thing.

Oh well, Doggie Darling seemed to like it. Here's her 'Best Doggie in the World' moment:

And here's what happened to her new 'friend':

 Yep, snow all over the backyard. The Blue Friend really should have come with a 'Not Safe For Children Under 3' line...

So for her First Birthday Party today, I'm googling dog cake recipes (YES, one of 'those' Dog People) and think I'm going for a peanut butter one on this Homemade Cakes Site so I'm off down the road for a play in the park with Doggie Darling and I'll pick up some more peanut butter and vegetable oil on the way home.

And as for her Birthday Party? We're going down to this darling lush green park (that's also a sporting area for some parts of the year - Go Newtown Jets!) with our friends and if I have time this morning, I'm going to make a stupidly big red tutu for Doggie Darling to wear. WTF am I doing!!!!??? I must love her so much!

Talk to you again, when I'm back to normal and when I have some news on this dress as part of Amanda's Vintage Pattern Challenge, as I really truly have been in the sewing room, just no pictures yet.

Buzzy after a bizzy week

So almost this time last week, I was here:

With darling fun friends. And this week gone has been full, but at least it has gone quickly. One day, when I have time, I'll explain the extent of actually what I do for a day job. As this week has been busy, surreal, but actually quite normal. Sometimes I'm just too bamboozled and really just wanna look at that photo above for a really really really long time.

Other fun things that happened over the weekend gone:

 

  

Oh hello. Is that me? With a wine glass? Talking? Never!

Oh yes, friends. And they are pin curls. How freaking dedicated to the art of Pincurl Saturday am I? That's two swims in the ocean (see far above phot) and socialising as well, and still I ditch the free roaming locks for the classic pin curl. It certainly sets my hair for the week as the curls are still in there today!

Anyways, today I finally got a minute in the sewing room and have started on something new (a nice pattern of the vintage variety!), and as Husbie has a lot of work on this weekend I think I'll try and spend some quality time with my machine. Love and miss my old buddies.

Hope your week has been nice and you're keeping well! Talk to you soon, hopefully with some new clothes to show you!

Happy Birthday Bubby Bunny Chunky Monkey

I've been down the coast for a minibreak, had a day of work on a Sunday, and generally tried to keep up appearances by gushing and hiding my tiredness, my period pain, my coldsore, and my hangover.

Thank goodness I survived!

But, I didn't want to miss telling you about my darling little bubby's birthday!

 

This is Doggie Darling when she was still with her real mummy, so not sure how old she is. BUT ISN'T SHE CUTE!?? 

Now Husbie and I have a million nicknames for her; Bubby, Bunny, Chunky Monkey, Ratbag, Naughty, Baby, and heaps more but you know her as Doggie Darling.

And now she's one year old. What a big girl! She's at her full height (for those of you who don't know, she's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier of the UK variety) but she'll chunk out a lot more in chest and perhaps the head area. Hence Chunky Monkey.

I love her, Husbie loves her and the Neighbours love her too. They looked after her over the weekend, and we missed her so much, we'd look at all the cows along the freeway and say 'Oh look at the cows, they look just like Doggie Darling!'. We went down to a place called The Buzza, or so my darling abbrev. friends called it. I LOVE ABBREVIATION! I'd shorten any word if I could. And sometimes I shorten a word and then add a cutesy bit to it. So yoga becomes Yogez. Pronounced Yoh-gz. Like Rogues. Embarrassed becomes Embarrow and then Embazza. And so on. Please don't hate me! I love the English language and adore it so much more when I can make it my own. And hey, I'm a spelling nazi (if you haven't noticed) and always practice correct grammar and spelling online AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

I digress.

So Happy Birthday my little dog, welcome to being a grown up. (And please stop chewing up the outdoor chairs. And please stop jumping so high when you meet new people.)

Dentist Day...

 

  

  

 
 

  

\

Refashioning up some baby things

We all love some pillowslip refashion around here in DIY/sewing heaven/blogland and I had this spare pillowcase after using the other one in a reversible apron last year. It's from an opshop here in Sydney, I just can't remember where!

But it's cotton, vintage looking with fawn dots and peachy feathers on it, very cute!

I had seen Kristy at Lower Your Pressure Foot, make this one up before, it's a Butterick 400 vintage pattern for babies and her advice about sizing (You can see her cute baby modelling the tunic at around 6 months - I think?) really helped, because whilst the pattern is small and you think it's a baby size, it's not really a newborn size. BUT, when I opened up my pattern, the owner before (all my patterns are second hand) had marked and resized the dress front and back pieces, so I assumed this was ok for a smaller baby. Still looks kinda big:

 

  

But even the buttons are thrifted, so once again, it's entirely secondhand and totes upcycled. I like the exposed pleats/darts around the neck. 

For a while there all my friends were having boy babies, and whilst they are just darling, I've been trying not to make baby clothes for them, as shirts and shorts are harder for me to think about. Dresses and tunics are easy peasy, so finally with the girl baby news (2 in the past 6 months and another few to be born soon) I'm very happy to use the smaller scraps or fabric pieces up for frocks!

Yay!

Anyways, I'm going to see Gossip play now (we have a major music venue right near our house, so just gonna stroll over! Luxury!) and have some fun. It's been a busy week and it's only TUESDAY. I feel like complaining a LOT, but things will get better as the week rolls on. We're going down (or up - can't remember!) the coast with friends this weekend, so can't wait for that!

xoxo

Round 3: Vogue 5900

Here's the next pattern in Amanda's Vintage Pattern Challenge, from her stash:

I love the Vogue tagline, "Best in Fashion, Make it Yours" ... awesome 1960s advertising! The description of this one says "Slim, slightly gathered skirt in regulation or ankle length, and above knee length fuller skirt, join highwaisted bodice. Buttoned back closing below oval neckline"...

Many of my friends are pregs at the moment, so I think I'll make this one up, and then see who'll fit it. It's a size 16, with a Bust 36 and Hips 38 ... so that's actually not that big for a pregs girl. It might be for a darling Melbs friend but we'll see how it turns out. Not sure what material I'll use yet though, as I like all the styles and I like all the fabric suggestions: Seersucker, Cotton Broadcloth, Linen, Pique, Percale, Cotton Satin, Gingham, Calico and Challis... I do have a bit of gingham in the stash... hmmmm, might have to head to the sewing room (after a shower of course!) and do some planning!

Thanks for all your gush about Butterick 7181 The Candy Striped Frock, it does fit me well, but it might fit a Melbs friend better...

and... Happy Valentines Two Weeks (how my Husbie and I see the world anyways), and hope you're having a great Sunday.

Butterick 7181 - TICK!

"Dress and Stole: Day or Formal Lengths" 11 Pieces and "Cut low to show off your shoulders" is the description here, and by gosh I think it shows off my shoulders just enough for me to remember why I don't like strapless bras.

Yay, this darling dress is finished and it's totally taught me a bunch of things along the way! For those of you 'joining me today for the first time', I'm making every pattern that dear penpal Amanda of Adelaide has supplied me (which is 13 patterns from her collection) and talking about the process and giving you a little insight into the pattern. I adore a challenge in the sewing room to keep me motivated and focus, because I turn into a forgetful seamstress and busy lady otherwise. Hence, I'm revealing to you today Round 2 of Amanda's Vintage Pattern Challenge.

So if you recall, I had to choose this pink stripey stuff, because I thrift/op shop all my fabrics, and I'm on a bit of a stash busting rampage at the moment. Pink candy stripes it was because this skirt has over 2 metres of gathering AND darts in the waist. So that's shitloads of fabric, and by gosh it looks good because of it.

The other thing I realised as I started the bodice bits, was that the fabric was quite see-through, and if a girl had to wear a strapless bit of underwear you'd probably want to hide it as well, so I lined the whole bodice with some other creamy pinky stash fabric. AND please allow me to gush at how skilled I am at LINING A FREAKING BODICE! I even attached the sleeves and lined it that way. I can't even remember how I did it now! I think I explained the timeframe in this post, so I guess I did do it and not the Sewing Fairy or Whatever.

The other thing I found out about in this pattern, was to do a 'zipper facing'. It's where you get a bit of fabric long and rectangle like (say 3 inches across and 10 inches down), you do only 3 edges (in my case I overlocked it) and then you stick it right sides together to the skirt, and where you want the zipper to be. Stick it, of course, is the 'Veronica Darling Term' for sew it in a really skinny long v-shape vertically down the thing. (Err, this is sounding bad, hey?) Anyways, then you cut in between the v-shape and then you turn the facing inside and iron it flat and you have yourself a dandy little opening in the skirt that's all ready for the zipper. I'm sure if you google it, someone has explained it better than me!

 

There's the side zipper, with the zipper facing, that unfortunately you can't see, but I'm not fond of showing the inside of my things, because they *can* look dodgy. But in my hastiness to 'stick' aforementioned zipper facing to the skirt, I kinda stuck it in the wrong place, and now the seam (vertical again) of the skirt now sits at the front. It is hidden in the gathers, but I'm not altogether happy with it.

Oh well!! At least it looks pretty spunky!

I just realised how daggy my shoes look since I didn't do them up. My lovely friend took the phots and she did say "You don't want toe strap them up?", and now I realise how much of dork I am. It's Pincurls Saturday again at my house and I just took them out before and yep... I pretty much look like Marilyn Monroe. Whatever.

The stats, as borrowed from Mena at The Sew Weekly (best challenge EVER):
Fabric: Some sort of light cotton or linen from the Salvo's in Tempe approx $2 a metre and pinky cream shiny drill from my stash
Pattern: Butterick 7181, on loan from Amanda in Adelaide
Notions: Lightening Vintage zipper, Vintage buttons & thread handed down to my stash from my friend's granny's stash.
Time to complete: Over 2 weeks, perhaps 10 hours.
Year: 1950s
First worn: Today, just to try it on.
Wear again? Nup, not into strapless bras, will be up for sale.
Total Cost:  $8.50 AUS

Love to you on the weekend!

Good morning Virgos!

Hi darlings, the storm finally came through and knocked off the heatwave at my house (and maybe yours if you're in Sydders like me!) so Doggie Darling and I are refreshed, getting a bit of cuppa tea and computer time before starting the day. (Can you tell Husbie's away on business? I'm posting a LOT!)

I just have to draw your attention to a darling seamstress/blogger/darling who has been busy browsing etsy for some nice patterns of the vintage variety...  Enken posts at Whipstitch and is a bit of a dreamy designer gal and can totally appreciate the need for a jumpsuit, and other fabbo vintage things. But today I spotted her post on Vintage Patterns, and matching the girls up with their starsigns!

Very very cute! Especially this one, which is Virgo (like me!)

Enken's write up is: "The ultimate Joan Holloway… Virgos are witty, clever, good with words and a poison pen. That jacket is just the loveliest little item – imagine making it in a contrasting fabric such as velvet or perhaps even leather! You’re also not nearly as prim and proper as your snazzy little suit suggests – trust me, I’m a Virgo and I know!" (This pattern is also for sale on etsy!)

Yay fellow virgos! And the best thing is that I've actually made HEAPS of dresses similar to this style! Hee hee! This green one being my fave wiggle!

 

Which I've never shown you a picture of me wearing it... Terror! I wore it to a wedding last year that heaps of my friends were at, so I haven't had a chance to wear it again cause it is very nice for a wedding.

Anyways, better rush off and get some breakfast and read the paper! What a nice morning ahead just Doggie Darling and I!

Sending some gush to you!

Jeepers, it's hot AGAIN today lovies, so I'm in the bedroom with all the curtains drawn, a tired out and hot Doggie Darling beside me and we're not going anywhere!

I tried to sleep before, but it's too hot and the workmen behind us are too NOISY. Gah!

So time for some peaceful blog perusing and some GUSH in this crush post to Kristina Sostarko over here (who's JUST started blogging under her own name, and putting her own name on things, so well done! I am not so brave!), but I was in a shopping mood last week (for my sister in law to be's birthday) and spotted a sale for special blog peeps on Kristina's blog. How freaking gorgeous is this print!??

 

Image by Kristina Sostarkos - Here

I just had to make it big so you can go 'OOO'. It's her first lot of prints on 100% recycled post consumer paper ... and it may have been those words and those pictures that had me hovering the mouse over her esty shop link and then I saw the 'blog special sale' and I clicked for sure! I have NO idea how Kristina works, she's a mystery to me, but she's really got great colours and lines and things going on and I LIKE IT! She sometimes laughs off her sewing skills, but my aim is to make something so inspiring to her that she dusts of her sewing machine one day and gives it a go! Sewing's easy right gals... right? Right?!!! (Not at the moment in my sewing room, hence my hanging out here)

Admittedly, I don't spend much time shopping online, and I'm really bad for remembering people's birthdays, so I have one print of Kristina's now for my SIL and one saved up for another good friend. I have to STOCK up!

Also admittedlym\, I don't spend much time shopping at all, today I was trying to describe how expensive mens' sneakers are to a work colleague, and I realised I hadn't been into said store for perhaps 2 years. We're very thrifty round these parts of my world, and especially since we're working on 'The Bigger Picture' we're saving like crazy. At the moment 'The Bigger Picture' is not a baby (I think some of you were wondering) it's something else and isn't confirmed yet either, so can't report on anything yet. EEK it's annoying!

Anyways, it's still hot! Where's the freaking cool change loves?

Wonky overlocking!

Oh gosh, I need help fast! My darling overlocker has started moving around all over the place!

I've returned to the darling pink stripey off the shoulder pattern of 'Rochelle Rochelle' AKA Butterick 7181, and found a wonky overlocker can't do the hems. I'm loving how this dress is turning out, but hate those wonky bits. Does anyone know what causes that? Tension? It's kinda wavey wonky bits, so could be. I'm not a real techy person when it comes to my machines, it's always trial and error...

It's too hot today to do anything, I'm going to take a nap now and rest up a bit. It's going to be cooler later, so hopefully will go back and finish the hem and show you something later! Exciting!

xoxo