Moon Child

 

 I've been trying to get Jay to create her own fashion/make up/style etc blog for a while now. She's been experimenting with different looks and styles, and I think having her own blog would be heaps of fun for her.

 Uh, that's not what I meant when I said stand with one foot forward....

She's been promising to make a blog for a while now - so I'm giving her a taste of how much fun it is jumping around having your photo taken, and then plastering it on the internet.

Artax! You're sinking Artax!

Cute, no? (Am I biased? No way)

The Christmas Pudding bag

This bag actually has nothing to do with Christmas, or puddings. I just think it looks like a fat little pudding.

Actually it looks more like a pizza when it's lying flat.

The fabric is leftover from a dress I made years ago, proof that it IS worth hanging onto bits of fabric "just in case" I need them.

The lining is a soft silky rayon.

This was made exactly the same way as the previous bag here, but it's smaller.

I added the lace around the opening to hide the rows of stitching for the ribbon casing. In order to keep the stitches invisible on the inside, I had to hand sew it. I loathe sewing anything by hand. It takes foreverrrrrrr. It gives me neck and back and head and eye aches. And half the stitches were visible anyway. But it looks nice from the outside.

 

To finish, I added two red buttons to the ribbon ends.

 

And there you have it. My little Christmas Pudding bag.

 

Sack bag experiment

When I first saw this piece of fabric, I immediately knew it could make a perfect circular bag. It's much brighter than it appears here - it's actually a bright lime green.

I think it was originally a tea towel or something. 

Anyway, I cut it into something vaguely resembling a circle, and then used it as a pattern to cut out some lining. In hindsight, I really should have used a lining fabric which, you know, doesnt clash so hideously.

I sewed the almost-circles together, leaving an opening to turn them right side out. Before I sewed up the opening, I stitched a single button hole in the outer fabric, and used the buttonhole width as a guide to sew a channel all the way around, through both pieces, several inches from the outer edge.

Through the channel I threaded a ribbon for a drawstring, and attached some buttons to the ends to stop the ribbon disappearing inside the buttonhole.

Then I added a couple of handles which in no way match the outer or lining fabric.

And there you go. One sack bag. As experiments go, I think this one was fairly successful! The next one will look slightly less multiple-personality-disordery.

Leopard Print Fur Coat

*whispers* the leopard print coat is finished.

 

The pattern is Butterick 5569.

  

Alterations: 

The collar. I took 2 inches off the width. It would have been far too wide and flapping around all over the place. I also rounded off the corners.

  Pockets. The pockets in the pattern are stitched into the side seams. Instant hip-enhancement. Bleh. I swapped these for some square pockets on the front of the coat.

I used some vintage buttons I've had for, you know, ever, to match the lining.

 

 Kitties!

 

 

I used lining on the underside of the collar to make it sit flat.

 

And now here I am looking fabulous in it.

  

Oh I say! It's Lady Winchestah! Hurrah!

 

 

  

 Showing off my vintage bits

 

Looking generally pleased with myself

 

 And the rest of my outfit today

 

Cardi - Dangerfield

Skirt - Wyse

Tights - Cotton On

Cami - Jay Jays

Necklace - a gift from Hair Goddess Sarah

Boots - Opshopped

 

 Am  I pleased with myself?

 

Do I think I look awesome?

  

Yes yes.

  

Topped my look off with this fabulous bag I received as an early birthday present from my cousin.

  

Probably would have been less pleased if I'd known my hair resembled a mad dandelion all day.

 

Yikes.

 

Insert Post Title Here

See? I'm alive!

I just realised it's been almost a week since I posted anything and I've been generally absent from commenting on all the blogs I follow... various reasons apply, which I won't waste time whinging about! Get on with it! (she said to herself)

I also haven't done any sewing but I do have some good news - I have a 4 DAY weekend coming up and I plan to spend much of it sleeping and sewing and celebrating my Beloved's birthday.

I will hopefully finish this coat I've had going foreverrrrrrrr now:

 

The pattern is Butterick 5569 and I'm making the mid-length version in (surprise!) furry leopard print. (Or it might be cheetah?)

  

I also have a new bag design to try out. I've had 3 handbags this year so far (all retail) and each has broken in a different way. So I must make one! I can't show the design here because it's still in my head, but I can show off the 1940's polished cotton I'll be using:

 

 

It's very soft and thin, so it needs some serious lining. I've only been wondering what to do with it for about 2 years now.

Finally - speaking of birthdays - The Countdown is ON. It's just one month til my own birthday, and it's worthy of a countdown because it's the big 3-0 this year. Yikes! It's like I'll be a Real Adult or something. So the next month will be peppered with posts about the dress, shoes, cake, theme, and suchlike (because there WILL be a theme! With costumes!)

For now, here are the shoes I plan on buying:

 

Full costume reveal still to come! (As well as actual sewing posts.)

Oh! And speaking of shoes! I finally made a decision about which pretty items to buy for my feet. I can't wait til they get here! And I have some awesome boots to show off tomorrow. Whew!

Mumsie

Mother's Day is this Sunday and I'm getting in early because it's also my mother's birthday this week. Besides everything else I've learned from her, she showed me how to use a sewing machine, thus creating a life-long passion. Here are some of her own sewn creations.

My quilt. Everyone in the family gets a quilt at some stage. Mine was a 21st birthday present, although it took so long to make, I think I got it for my 23rd. I requested black and purple, which is what I got.

 

 

I will never lack for lavender thingies so my clothes smell nice and moths are kept at bay.

 My bed runner (yes, I stood on the bed to get the entire thing in frame... )

 And matching cushions (there are two, but they're identical)

 

 

My Christmas wall hanging, which stays up all year long

 Complete with angels

And happy little wise men!

There are also some Christmas tree decorations but they're all crammed into a bag somewhere...

 She also makes bags and various accessories.

 This one has a flower clasp

 and lovely contrast lining

Mum also makes a LOT of things for craft stalls, charities, aid organisations, people on low income, etc. This includes clothing, knitted blankets, toys, children's quilts, and so on... A lot of these things are just donated or sold for a token price at church sales. These are some little stuffed animals for a church craft stall in a few months time.

 

 I love this elephant.

 

And finally, the woman herself. My mumsie,

Aged 3 or 4 (check out those blonde curls!)

Aged 12, and, according to the back of the photo, wearing a STORE-BOUGHT SILK DRESS. Very exciting for a gal whose own mother made pretty much everything she wore. (Seriously. I'm from a long line of sewists.) She's with her sister here.

 

This is my favourite photograph of her. Aged 24. Great hair style.

 

This weirdo kept following her around on her wedding day. Oh, wait...

 Why, who could that be?

 

 Happy birthday and Mother's Day, Mumsie.

 

xxx with love from yor dorter.