keelysews... sometimes

I cut out 2 long sleeve tops last night. Now of course the forecast is for a warm spell. Typical. Never mind, cold is a-comin' so I'll get to wear them soon. At the rate I'm sewing, they might even be done in time for winter! Shock and horror. First up, because the overlocker is threaded in black already, is a black (how'd you guess?) version of an un-maternity-ified Ottobre 02-2007-20. After that is a mesh version of the Ottobre Rose top, without the rose... and with long sleeves that aren't puffed. (For the drawings see here. ) Talking of Ottobre, my Ottobre magazine finally arrived! Yayy!!! Considering they were sending it the Wednesday before Easter, it didn't do badly getting across the world already. I've had a read through, mused a bit and there's more in it I like than I'd originally picked from the website. It'll be delivered over for Judy to use tomorrow. After all, can't have the girl popping out of her clothes now, can we? ;-) I...

I had a bit of unexpected free time so I decided to check out the new patterns from the various companies (dunno where my brain was when I typed counties, lol). Rather masochistic of me as it'll be about 6 months before they get down under but still fun. Simplicity 2921 I know my youngest daughter is just going to love the unicorns! Kwik Sew 3591 . This one looks like it could be very handy in the rumpus room. I don't know if I'd ever actually get around to making it but it's a good idea. I really like the side twist on this one. A bit different. McCalls 5644 These are cute. I can see my DD1 wanting the cat one. Vogue 8497 Wow. I'm inspired. I want to make the green pieced look top. The purple looks interesting with the gathered (?) neckband. I can pass on the red zig-zag effect at the moment but it might grow on me.

Lisa aka The Domestic Diva: Good for you to resist the urge to buy more fabric...there's always tomorrow...LOL!You've been tagged:http://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/quirks-obsessions-and-random-things-about-me/ Dawn: Thanks for the tag! :D I had a hard time thinking of seven about myself. Once I started though, yikes, there are more than just seven weird/random things about me. lol. and Michelle: Thanks for the tag! :) I'm currently working on my response/tagging... Thanks Lisa!(and I held out a week!) And Dawn and Michelle, you're welcome! It seemed a fun one to do. It was amazing how many things my family seemed to think were weird about me. The amount of fabric I buy (and store) was mentioned more than once. I claimed that in a community of sewers that wasn't weird! Liz: Definitely go shopping without your DD. I hope that the fabric you 'need' is still there. I was shopping with a friend and her DD said to her "Just because it is on...

Isn't the year going fast? Already we've had Easter, and now the kids are counting down the last few weeks of the first term at school. Easter passed in a blur. We spent Good Friday putting the first coat of paint on the extension. (Never, ever listen to your builder when he suggests a roughcast finish will match - unless he promises to pick up a paintbrush as well.) Even with the recommended roller sleeve it's a nightmare. We painted happily then turned around to find the drying paint doing this - Loads of little pits showing up without any paint. Aaaagh! At about that point I luckily had to head off to the library to do my assignment. It took hubby a day and a half to go back and stab paint into all the patches like this. To reward myself for my industriousness over the weekend I went back to visit that fabric I liked. Surprise, surprise, 2 metres managed to come home with me. ;-) Each of those turquoisey dots is about 1.5cm diameter (about 9/16ths of an inch I think). Th...

I've been tagged by Lisa . The rules: * Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog. * Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. * Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. * Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. So..... 1. My DH never lets me forget that when I watched Mad Max2 I cried when the dog was shot. 2. I hate my food being mixed on my plate. I don't even like the different items touching. However, I love one-pot meals. Weird, huh. 3. I love horror movies and being scared. So you'd think I'd enjoy being scared by the spiders that have been coming into the house lately. 4. When I was a kid I used to climb trees and jump off the garage roof. Now I'm scared of heights. 5. When my hubby has read the newspaper before me, I have to get it tidy again before I read it. 6. I'm the oldest of 11 children. I have 6 brothers and 4 sisters. 7. I love Absol...

Just a quick post before I go off to learn all about Piaget's stage theory. I will say, it's very handy having children when you're studying development and learning. :) I was so strong yesterday. I popped into Fabric Barn (as you do when you're passing i.e. only parked a block away) and saw a knit that I really really want need. But, I don't know exactly what top it would want to be so, I resisted adding to the stash. Would you believe I left without buying anything?! I was helped by my 11yo DD constantly repeating "want is not a need, mum". I keep thinking about it though so I think some will have to come home with me after Easter, if it's still there. And this time I won't take DD with me to the shop. I wore my red top on Tuesday and got lots of compliments which was so cool (pathetic aren't I, lol). I never thought of myself as a red person but I guess this one works. It's just opened up a whole raft of new wardrobe possibilities. I m...

.... for my Ottobre Woman magazine, although not quite as eagerly as Judy is waiting for my Ottobre magazine and all those maternity patterns. ;-) .... for some sewing time. To quote Carolyn I got the "Wanna Sews" bad! I have spent the last week working on assignments in my spare time. They're coming thick and fast for the next 8 weeks or so, which means it leaves the way free for my DD at the sewing machine. She is sewing a bag for sewing class at school and complains because they don't get enough time (there are 3 to a machine). Knowing she can use my machine at home, she has been letting her friends use the school machines first. I think there's an ulterior motive - she claims my machine is easier to use. .... to win Lotto - aren't we all?! It might help if I actually bought tickets though. .... for someone to free the housework elves that I just know want to come to my house. One thing that has been accomplished is the start of the um, 'vege garden...

I had a sudden realisation. Not counting weekends, I have worn an Ottobre (or Ottobre based) top for 14 out of the last 15 days. The one day I didn't was because it was a cold day, so I wore a long sleeve shirt instead. Yet, I'm still thinking I NEED more Ottobre tees. Hmmm, when can you have too many gathered neck or scoop neck tees? Perhaps I should make the rose top tee next. :)

Finally! I have finished my red Ottobre tee. At last! It only took me 4 days. Although in my defence, after I cut it out, it just sat on my desk for 3 of those. Out of curiosity I started a stopwatch when I started sewing. Lets just say I'm never going to hold the record for sewing speed. One tee took just over 2 1/2 hours (blush) or in reality, it took an episode each of Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy and Men in Trees without the advertisements but with stops to go "Oh No!" (Jack's boat sunk!). Gotta love that multitasking. ;-) I can just imagine what a sewing class report card for me would look like: Planning a project: 8/10; (Dreaming about said project 10/10); Completion: 9/10; Productivity: 2/10. Comments: Keely generally has no trouble in planning a number of projects to work on. However she lacks decisiveness and finds it difficult to limit herself to one project and see it through to completion in a timely manner. She often has trouble concentrating and has b...

(Well, that's annoying. The photos originally posted fine but now they've disappeared. Okay, I've got them back. Everybody keep your fingers and toes crossed....) I'm playing around with Blogger and seeing if I can change how I put photos in. These two are my 7yo sewing and then modelling the result. This is the top she sewed (with a bit of help) that I posted about on Jan 25th here . It is Butterick 4970 sized down to a 8 because I had only bought the 12-16 sizing. This photo was taken before the extra was added onto the inset. Answering a few comments: Firstly, thanks to all who do comment. It's quite cool realising there are comments. I know I'm guilty of lurking on a lot of blogs and only commenting infrequently. ( hanging head in shame....) Sorry! I'll try to do better. :) Paula - My 2 girls aged 11 and 7 still like me sewing for them. The oldest actually thinks it's cool. She likes unique but similar and I'm encouraging her to start sewing fo...

Over on Patternreview there is a thread about blogs . One of the issues mentioned was that it could be difficult to read light writing on a dark background. Consequently I decided to try a change. It's going to take a bit of getting used to. :-) I feel like I should only be sewing clothes in colours complementary to the blog. Talking of sewing.... It's turned cold and I need some warmer tops. Ottobre of course. :-) But this time with long sleeves. Of course, that jacket I've been putting off would come in handy too.... maybe at Easter. I'm taking a night off from study and I'm planning on a new top tonight. I'm nowhere near Debbie's 'one hour tee' speed but lets see what can be done.

I've finished my new top and I'm wearing it today. This is actually a black top but I've lifted the brightness so that the twist is visible. Plus all those wrinkles and lines, lol. I swear they're not as visible in real life. I'll just make sure not to stand in any spotlights! I think overall it worked out quite well. I do wonder whether the twist could come up a fraction higher? Hubby doesn't like it, then again he doesn't like any twist or wrap tops. :-/ He thinks that the twist makes it look like the fabric is straining horizontally. Hmmm. What do you think? As to the making - I started with the good basic Ottobre tee 02-2007-02. For the back and the front inset/underlayer I used the pattern as is. For the front overlayer I used the front piece that I'd done the small fba to for my brown top . I straightened the edge to a long V and added an extension to go on the fold for the twist. After making one front and holding it against myself, I went back an...

I've spent the past week feeling like I'm running to catch-up as I've settled back into studying. I hadn't realised quite how bad a fug I'd settled into but at least by the end of the week I felt like my brain was starting to come back online. It's been fun and that's only a week! :-) I have missed getting any sewing in so last night I sat down to play. I've started with the Ottobre tee pattern (what else, lol) and I'm having a go at frankenmorphing it into a twist twinset, blatantly copied from Kwik Sew 3360 . For this first attempt it's from a plain black cotton interlock as I'm not sure how it'll work. Hi-ho hi-ho, it's off to sew I go......