First proper project

Okay, so the reason I am calling this a proper project is because I am actually following instructions this time, lol, which I don't usually do. Usually I just "wing it" I like that saying "winging it"

Here is the pattern that I am attempting, yes it says its .70 cents! Mum brought a suitcase of patterns from www.trademe.co.nz and this came inside the suitcase long with a whole lot of other patterns. So the blue Butterick 5084.

I have sized myself to be a 12 and will alter it in height and where needs be.

I have a tiny bit more cutting and them time to piece it together, will blog later with an update!!

The pattern had never been used, so there was a lot of cutting involved!

I am very lucky to have a nice big table to cut material on, before this I was using the floor and that was not so nice or easy! I use the spare room too, so this table is easy to collapse when we have people over.

Its great to have a manikin.

I can pin up all the pieces once I have cut and it just makes

 the dress easy for me to visualise.

More presents....

I think I might be getting some expectations of creating garments now... Got another sewing book for Christmas and I also picked up my mums "Fashion design class 92" sewing book.

I remember when I use to quietly take it from mums bedroom into mine and be so intrigued by it. So maybe now I can implement some of what it contains. Ill post images of the pages as I go.

The sewing book I got is called "Illustrated guide to sewing couture techniques" so ill read a bit first before posting comments on the book.

Looking forward to going home and getting into sewing something. 

Christmas Present

YAY, I am so lucky, I got a sewing manikin today for Christmas, one that I can shape to me, this is great. No more walking to the bedroom to look at myself in the mirror and try to pin myself without pricking myself.

I have since set it to my pear shaped measurements and am looking forward to get something made!

Its not working!!!!! Why is it not working!

SO SO SO MUCH FRUSTRATION. All I wanted was to make a simple elastic skirt and I screwed it one after the other after the other. I did make the skirt, well I made a few.

I thought I was doing something wrong in my sewing to make it go puffy at the back and the front, it should go straight down but it puffs out instead.

So annoying.

After a lot of Googling I came to realise that the blue pretty flowery material that I brought was not right for the skirt I envisioned, it was too light. What I should have done was figure out what type of material I needed beforehand. 

Or maybe I should have read the really good Burda book the mum gave me!

The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook by +Nora Abousteit and Alison Dahl Kelly

After feeling stupid I took a few days off!

It started with a birthday present

So after lots of whinging and taking clothes to mums to hem, my darling hubby brought me my own machine. Determined I was to use it!

The machine that I have is a Brother N530, i like it! 
Click here for info 

So far I have played with quite a few settings, it is very easy to use, has 3 different speeds. Nice and easy to change the bobbin. For me its great. I have had a play with the different sewing patterns, but I don't think I will be using those much.

I will admit that I have made one skirt which turned out pretty good after about 3 attempts. That was a pencil skirt. I made it with the wrong material so it kinda bunches and creases at the front when I sit down, but I can live with that.

My ups and downs of sewing

I haven't sewn since College, you know tech class, forced sewing, along with wood work, metal work and cooking - if they still do that these days then you will know what I am talking about.
I did like it but just the same with most things, time took a hold and I haven't done anything since.
That was about 15-16 years ago.

Why I started again...
I hate not being able to fit into store brought clothes, HATE IT! I am a short pear shaped women and with that comes 6 inch hemming up of clothing, jeans that never fit right and gaping pants that never fit right.
I want to be able to have more control
I want to be able to wear pretty clothing and not worry about how it will fit

So join me in my journey of how I sew. 




A little about the Pear Shape!
I have read that the pear shape is the most common figure proportion for women, this makes me feel a little good! What that means is that the widest part of your body is below your waist at your hips. No matter what your height is, you can be a pear shape.

So for pears, it is all about balancing out the hips to the upper part of your body.
 Also attracting more attention to the upper half then the lower half. Eg: wear dark colours on the bottom and bright colours on the top, bold necklaces are a great accessory to give attention to the top half of your body. Wear clothes that focus of the upper half to give attention to that area more.