My Contribution to the Pyjama Party

Well here they are – my polka dot wide PJ pants – my contribution to Karen’s Pyjama Party. Very wide cut (Burda July 1994 magazine – I wasn’t going to spend on money on the pattern) but they are very very comfy. As usual I cut out the size as per my measurements and it was way too big...so had to reduce all the way around and re-do my elasticised waistband down lower. Here is BB and the PJs (sounds like a band name!!!) BB= Borromini Bear – read below for more details.

As I started wearing these pants BEFORE 3pm today...there is no way that I was going to take a photo of me wearing my PJs on my bed and post it online...sorry- just can’t do that!!! So here is a photo of me in my comfy corner – surrounded by my books, mainly architecture books (and over 80 sketchbooks stacked end on on the small shelf) with a good cup of earl grey tea (note hand knitted cosy and BB!) and my art supplies. I often sketch in the evening in this spot.

As for my bedside book... I am STILL working my way through The Art of Urban Sketching – which I am very honoured to be a part of! And as you can see have been tagging various pages. (inspiring architecture sketches by others)

Also I am reading these books... It is public knowledge why and when I am going to the Dominican Republic...teaching a workshop on sketching architecture with Frank Ching at the 3rd international Urban Sketchers Symposium... But why the NYC books?

It was SO much fun to be a part of this sewalong. I have a LOT of other things going on at the moment but this sewing adventure didn’t take much time at all, I found it relaxing and the end result is very practical to wear right now. Thanks Karen!!!!! An aside...if I was to make one more pair very shortly that would cover me for Me Made May (unfortunately I have only made summer dresses in the last few years so not appropriate for May in Sydney!)

My First Sewalong!!!

When I saw Karen from Did You Make That was about to host a sewalong for pyjama pants... I knew that this was my opportunity to come out of my lurkdom in the sewing online community. I didn’t want to buy a pattern so I looked through my old stack of burda magazines to find a pattern. The VERY LAST magazine I looked at did in fact have a pair... Very wide legged...but it would do. This was the page of my sketchbook I did that night...it just so happened to be the first cold night we had (here in Sydney) so I got out my winter PJ’s and sketched it....along with another event and re-doing a disaster sketch(on Cockatoo Island) from the weekend before.

Then I went to Spotlight (the only opportunity I had to buy fabric) which had the most appalling selection of flannelette and decided on this blue dolka dot..seriously it was the only option. I wasn’t to find a fabric that didn’t scream PJs as I want to wear them all day on Saturday when I am home. Here is Borromini Bear (also known as BB, or Borro) my very special sketching companion making his debut in a sewing adventure...I am not sure he is quite easy about the whole thing!

Things are out of control for me so I was deciding that I wouldn’t get time to partake of the sewalong... However Tuesday night this week, with the prospect of a Public Holiday the next day (ANZAC day) I actually summoned the energy and started my ‘clown pants’! I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Ok... I could have kept going but decided that I would slow down and sew-along....slowing down meant doing a tea cup sketch...in usual Liz style. Hmm, it is quite as much fun to ramble about my sewing as it is my sketching... And quite a different experience not knowing if there is anyone out there reading it... Also I am quite happy to sketch my sewing projects as I can always hide my sewing mistakes or even my odd tastes behind one of my splashy watercolour sketches...it is another thing totally to be expected to post a photo of me wearing the final outcome.....

Joining the world of the online sewing community

I really do not need another blog in my life... but I also don't want to bore my sketching friends with details of my sewing adventures. SOOOO... here it is..another blog.

For the last few years I have been doing a bit of sewing - mainly summer dresses as it seems to be impossible to find dresses that have a bit of coverage on the shoulder area (I am a very fair Aussie girl!) and length just below the knees. These dresses are also the best thing to wear when I am out sketching in heat. My sewing skills which were really quite good when I was in my early 20s have disappeared somewhat...so I am beginning the journey again.



Here is a photo of me wearing the first dress I made in years...it is perfect for a sketching outfit... there are lots of photos of me wearing this dress on the last day of the 2nd International Urban Sketchers Symposium in Lisbon in July 2011... most of them the dress can't be seen very well ...or like this one, I have my sketchbook and all important sketching bag hiding it...

And I have even been sketched wearing it!!!! THis is a wonderful sketch by my friend Marina from Israel. My little friend is Borromini who comes on my travels with me.

I love thinking about sewing projects and drawing dresses (click on the image to see what I said about this at the time)

Record the successful completion of a project by a sketch (not a photo!) Here is it the wonderful Colette Crepe dress

Record what I see online by a sketch (rather than a pinterest site)

Or patterns that I am interested in while actually at a fabric store (I added the colour later!)

More sewing planning...but also wardrobe prep for a vacation (I always do this).

Ok... I think you get the idea... this is enough for a first blog post!