(sew)everyday notions

If we're taking summer uniforms, here's mine: a breezy tank & a stretch mini. This here is my new striped swing tank, with my beloved denim Mabel (which is in extremely high rotation, along with my unblogged V.2). Add a floppy hat and I've got the Queensland summer days sorted. This tank is a rub-off of a RTW swing tank I've had a few years, with a few mods to fit better. Namely, extra room around the bust, although I think the back is still a touch tight. The original tank has the front hem longer than the back (a lo-hi??) to account for the bust maybe? That difference is quite exaggerated in this slightly heavier knit and I think I'll go back and even them out. For the neckline and arms, I followed Megan Nielsens tutorial: the easiest knit neckline around . For a casual tank, it gave a great finish. I used stay-tape and definitely think it's necessary to give a non-stretched finish. No faffing around with binding = win. Double needle to finis...

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...

With my bump increasing at a rapid rate, I've been sewing lots. A few maternity makes, up-cycling thrifted clothes into easy bump-wear, and some basics for the toddler. With a December deadline (due date!) I want to make ALL the things! Especially knowing my sewing machine will probably not see the light-of-day for a little while. One little splurge just for me was some beautiful Nani Iro fabric to make into a dressing gown. I know I will get a lot of use out of this. I've always wanted an excuse to get my hands on some of the lovely Japenese double-gauze, and needing a summer-weight dressing gown was the perfect excuse. I spent an excessive amount of time trawling Etsy and the internet to find just-the-right pattern & colour way. I needed something that would hide all manner of sins (baby-vomit and other baby-related-unmentionables). It was super hard to choose, but in the end I decided on this gorgeous (2013 season) Fuccra Rakuen Aegean floral with a navy/deep p...

pattern: combination of rub-off of my favourite RTW Country Road blouse & Grainline Archer fabric: cotton navy/white gingham, spotlight this is the make that i bought the Grainline Archer pattern for many months ago (? I think i picked it up in last years thanksgiving sale!). I think it also started #thegreatsewingbinge - it was the creative challenge that really got me & my sewing machine reacquainted in a big way. And I've finally made it! My favourite RTW shirt is a few seasons old from Country Road (Australian). It's the perfect length for leggings or jeans, with rolled up sleeves & a small stand-up collar. I knew the Archer pattern would get me half-way there. There were just a few mods to make. the original  my version Here are some notes I used the pins/paper/cardboard rub-off method that seems to be a popular technique.  The modifications basically involve - a yoke which continues to the front of the shirt, using both collar pieces ...

Any day now, I'm going to become an Aunty for the first time! It's all pretty exciting and of course I had to make something for him or her. A baby quilt is always a winner, it looks like you spent a lot of time & effort on it (which I guess I did!) but it's also practical - something to throw on the ground for tummy time, take for play dates, and of course keep for always as a keepsake. I still have a few quilts my mum made when I was a baby and they are very precious to me. I tried to pick fairly neutral colours, although the peach colour probably makes it look a bit more girly than I originally had planned. I then found this cute rainclouds print for the backing (organic cotton on sale for a great price) and decided to add a small pop into the front of the quilt too. I did a very random strip quilt pattern, just chopping different lengths & using the width of the fabric.To break up the strips, I sliced one long edge off, then just inverted and sewed it a...

a perfect little clutch. take it by itself, with a wrist strap, or across body. fabric outter: chevron cotton duck, black upholstery canvas, scrap  leather lining: quilting cotton Shoes & bags. Yep they're my thing. But I can't make shoes, so bags it is! I love to carry around a big hold-it-all tote, but find my purse/keys/phone invariably get lost. This is the perfect sized clutch for those necessities. Take it by itself or throw in in the tote & you're good to go. I winged the construction, it's just a lined zippered bag (and there are about a thousand tutorials on the interwebs if you're looking for one. I saw a free patter n on Craftsy by Pattern Runway that looked good). A few notes: I sewed the chevron & black canvas pieces together first & top stitched either side of the seam. I then interfaced it as one piece (basting stitches around the edge) , and did a stich-in-the-ditch through the interfacing & canvas t...

  I'm always impressed when I see someone's make with the word "self drafted" in the title. I'm good at following  pattern directions, but always get a bit sloppy when I have to pave the way myself. I've self drafted a few kids clothes, but never ladies so this was a little experiment with a happy ending. I do have the Sewaholic Saltspring pattern and originally thought about using it but I didn't think the gathers at the waist would work for this fabric.  For me, a maxi should be loose and flowing. I have a RTW maxi (Target, 2 yrs ago) that I liked the bodice of so I loosely copied it for this dress. I used a lovely ikat blue rayon from Spotlight. It has a lovely drape and is cool to wear. I used 2.5m and had to use a centre back seam to fit the pattern in. (So very little pattern matching too). A few more notes Front is self faced. I used some slight gathers in the top neckline to give some shape instead of darts. I cut the facing to fit ...