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Saturday, September 15, 2012

My first skirt make in 10 years- The Kelly Skirt!

120915 My Kelly skirt

I am so excited... I actually spent a relaxing day at home today and did some sewing.. starting on my over ambitious sewing plan from last night.

This is my summary page of my adventures today making a wearable muslin of the wonderful new Kelly Skirt pattern by Megan Nielson.

I looked through my stash and the only skirt material I had was this novelty print denim which I had my doubts about at the time...and I had more doubts half way through... Pleated floral denim gave me 80s flashbacks... Which is when I started and did a lot of sewing as a teenager. And getting out my old Make it East index cards to look up how to do a lapped zipper, even brought back more teenage memories. And yes I do seem to have a thing about white and blue floral patterns! I do think that this fabric would be better in a plainer cut like Karen’s ginger. However, I must say that the top stitching to the hem helped a lot.

I didn’t have buttons or feel like all those buttonholes (using the buttonhole foot on my machine for the first time in over 10 years was exciting today!) so I changed perhaps the most important feature of this skirt pattern... Trust Liz to do that. HOWEVER... I have to say that today’s exercise was testing the cut of the pattern... And in summary I love it! Roomy without being bulky. And I do love the high waist too. AND I also dropped the hemline. Another important thing about this pattern is that it can cope with my sitting cross legged on the ground (sketching) and that I can see how to sew a security pocket into this skirt (more later)




I put my skirt on and went for a walk this afternoon (still had my home cardi on!) and then downloaded a timer app for my iphone and tried to take some photos! So I have included very bad photo of me wearing my skirt – holding my sketchbook as a security blanket (I had just completed a sketch!) I find this whole sewing blog taking photos of oneself wearing finished garment very much out of my comfort zone...but here I go starting the process. (I know there are lots of photos of me online sketching, but it is another thing totally to take a photo of yourself with the emphasis on your outfit!) BTW blue and brown is another BIG theme of mine.


BTW here is a photo of my old Make it Easy cards... they have been used so much. I learnt to sew by 'make it easy' fortnightly patterns in the 80s and doing textiles at school as well.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Megan Nielson Patterns


I found this in my drafts - was supposed to be posted earlier in the week....

120910 MeganNielson Patterns and St Leonards from the gutter again
Funny how things arrive at the same time... I have been wanting to start sewing more separates and really like the look of the Kelly Skirt... of course I couldn't settle for buying just one pattern could I...
now I have to start sewing big time!!!

(not quite my best drawings... I have a break form watercolour and see what happens!)

BTW... as I am posting this I am actually sewing the kelly skirt (more than half way through!)

Sewing Plans Spring 2012




I am really really good at making plans but less so successful at putting them into action. I also love SKETCHING my plans...really?

Anyway... at least this spring, at the start of spring, I am already thinking about what fabric/ patterns I have and how to sew for our summer (rather than a mad panic in May before a northern hemisphere summer July trip)

I had two failed attempts earlier in the year (one in Jan and one in May) and I would like to re-do/ fix them. I really don't want to have to buy more fabric but I do want to get a few essential travel outfits which I realised this July in Santo Domingo is needed in hot humid weather. A very cool dress and a cool skirt with a secret pocket.

My other ambition is to work out how to do a FBA (full bust adjustment) and make a serious muslin that works before I start on the real thing. I have done half hearted attempts in the past which haven't really helped that much.

So time to start sewing and stop sketching... I know!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Sewaholic Patterns

Someone took advantage of a sale and bought some sewaholic patterns.... Now to find some time to do a bit of sewing for the upcoming warmer weather. Yes, more blue and brown I predict!


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