(sew)everyday notions

Here's two bags I sewed up for gifts recently! When sewing garments as gifts often sizing/fitting can be an issue, so sewing bags is a great alternative!! The first is Taylor Tailor's Desmond Rolltop Backpack for my Brother.  I used a thick grey cotton in from my stash, almost a denim? The hardware is mostly repurposed from old bags. I would have loved to buy one of Taylor's hardware kits but shipping to Australia made it a bit prohibitive for this make (and I was sewing to a rather close deadline!) It was an pretty easy sew, just taking it step-by-step with the instructions.  Between the instructions & the great sewalong I definitely learnt a few new tricks for sewing bags. I really liked the specific notes and guidance for the reinforcing stitches - when and how to do it, to make for a strong & useable bag. I would highly recommend this pattern!  The result is great! It's definitely a pretty hipster looking bag, but so functi...

Indie patterns are my jam, as a mum of small kids it's just so much easier buying a digital pattern & being able to print it without having to leave the house! BUT there are so many great patterns out there that I think sometimes they get a bit lost in the interwebs, and it's easy just to ride along on the wave of new pattern releases (yes, I did just sign up to the Sophie Swimsuit workshop in the middle of our winter!!).  All this to say, I have loved this Blouse Marthe pattern since its release in 2014, so why did I wait so long to make it? I love it! (I joked on Instagram about my hashtag #justbloodymakeit , which was inspired by the vintage wearing pledge #justbloodywearit . Sometimes I need to just make it, instead of thinking about it and thinking about it some more...) Perhaps I was waiting for the right fabric to come along, and this is a perfect fabric-pattern match. I picked up the lovely navy silky silk at a recent Brisbane Spoolettes High Tea...

Finally it's cooling down around here!  This is the Hero Vest by Toni from Make-It-Perfect . A vest can get daily wear around here in our fairly mild cooler season. I picked up this pattern on sale recently through Indiesew , and waited for the right fabric :) About a month ago I joined the Brisbane Spoolettes for a High Tea in the city. It was my first sewing meet-up and it didn't disappoint! What a lovely afternoon it was. Of course there was the imperative fabric & pattern swap and before you knew it I had some Nani Iro double gauze in my hot little hands! (THANK YOU! to the kind person who brought it along!). This fabric is from the " water windows" s eries in  Odayakayo colour way. It has large squares of watercolour print in beige, purple, taupe & grey. To be honest the  taupe/grey wasn't really my scene, but I loved the purple and beige so thought long and hard about what to make from it! Cushions crossed my mind, but the double gauze...

Dressing gown, robe, kimono, cover-up, wrapper.  Call it what you will but I am a total sucker for them. I get so much use out of my Nani Iro kimono robe (it is total double-gauzy-dreaminess) but was instantly taken with the lastest Almada Robe from the February Seamwork magazine. I made two in two nights, both gifts sadly. Sadly because I want to keep them for myself. I have dreams of a liberty version... Wouldn't that be perfect?  Some notes I made up the XS as both my recipients are quite petite. It fits me pretty well so I think I will stick to that size. As this style is a fairly generous fit it makes sewing for a gift pretty easy! This pattern is drafted so beautifully. The gorgeous curves of the seams and cut-on sleeve means using French seams is a breeze. (I always get caught on how-to French seam the right-angle corner of the sleeve/body in a traditional kimono pattern. This pattern negates that with a beautiful curved seam. )  Fa...

Here is the first of two easy makes to have come out of my dining table  sewing room lately! I'd love to give you modelled pics, but... I don't actually fit into either of these makes! My full-term pregnant belly is a bit in the way, but I know both of these will get a work out after bebe arrives. The first is a Grainline Studio Tiny Pocket Tank . I made a muslin of this about a year ago and it desperately needed an FBA which I have only just got around to doing. I cut the size 10 and added a decent 8cms (3in) to the chest (4cm either side). I also added an exposed zipper to the front, because I love the look, and it will make nursing a bit easier. I just drafted an easy zipper placket thingy. There's a few tutorials around the web for exposed zips and I used a mish-mash of them all really. The fabric is a printed viscose hacked out of a dress I picked up free at a swap meet. I love the fluidity of the fabric, and the zip breaks up the crazy print a bit. I used bo...

There's a pretty steady stream of tshirts & shorts that get made for my little man (3 yrs). They don't take much fabric, often I recycle old tshirts from myself & the Mister, and they take pretty little time. I don't usually blog them because they're too busy being worn! But here's a few I've made recently... instead of continually self-drafting (can you call it that when you just copy a RTW garment??) I bought 2 of See Kate Sew 's boys patterns - the Recess Raglan Tee & the AZTEC hooded vest . I debated on spending the $$ for two simple patterns, but the styling and longevity of the patterns (both go to kids size 8) means I'll get lots of use from these two. And they sew up great!! Above: I've got the long-sleeve raglan in size 3T twice, with cuffs. Fully sewed on the serger except for the zigzag hem (seriously can't be bothered rethreading the double needle!). I scooped the hem on the blue/white one for a bit more style. ...

pattern: portside duffle bag, Grainline Patterns fabric outer: upholstery weight black cotton canvas, chevron cotton duckcloth, leather zipper pull.  strap: cotton twill tape (double layer, sewed together). fabric lining: cotton linen, (upcycled pillowcases!) notions: metal zip, thread, interfacing. This duffle has just spent a week beach-side with me, so I can definitely say it's the perfect travel bag. I am such a sucker for bags & luggage & knew this pattern would join my stash when it was released. This duffle is a great size, its bigger than I thought it would be, big enough for a week away. (I am such a bad packer, this really does fit all my junk in).  I took a while finding the right outer fabric. When I saw this chevron I knew it was a winner. I wanted a black base & handles to hide the dirt. (I've seen some lovely white handled bags but I just know I'll get it too dirty).  I also wanted a light-coloured lining so I could find thi...