keelysews... sometimes

The weather has been atrocious this 'summer'. Perfect for sewing. Also perfect for curling up with a good book, watching dvds, or playing video games with the kids (are they still called video games?) . Despite all the other distractions, I have finished a spare pair of cricket trousers for DS. He's off to sunnier and warmer climes in Brisbane for a few weeks for a cricket tournament and needed a second pair. Reluctant to spend much on what is essentially a back-up pair of trousers, I went a-hunting in the stash and came up with 5 metres of white bengaline. I like bengaline to wear normally, but this is white . What on earth was I thinking when I bought it? Oh yeah, I remember - it was $2m on a clearance sale at Spotlight. :) I haven't sewn trousers for DS in a few years so the next problem was finding a pattern. I settled on Simplicity 5362 . By measurements DS just made it into the adult Small, but I've been burned by the Big-4 patterns and their sizing before so ...

I don't know how many readers will be familiar with Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby but you may see the resemblance...... right down to the wrinkles on the sleeve/arm, lol. Those who are familiar with the show may understand why I'm saying "Blobby, blobby, blobby" in a funny voice lately. :) If you're not familiar with it, you'd just assume I was mad, lol. I came across this knit fabric in my stash and seeing as it's a soft snuggly knit and it had been a cold week, I combined it with Simplicity 4327 to make a tent nightshirt . I had 6m, bought at $2m in a Spotlight clearance. I'm not sure what I was thinking of when I bought that much of a bright pink spotted knit. I chose a size by my full-b ust measurement and it ended up a bit big. Sherril has commented that it's not too bad apart from the sleeve length. And big does = comfy, but I'm feeling very much like I could be this guy - After I'd made my sleepwear, I decided to spread the pink around...

I managed to get to Spotlight this week and picked up a few patterns to add to my (mumble mumble) 500+ stash. Vogues were on sale so I picked up a couple I've had my eye on - Vogue 1034 Because one day I will make a pair of jeans for myself Vogue 1036 I like the details on this jacket. Vogue 2967 I'm not sure about this in a woven but I like the details for a knit top/t-shirt. Plus I picked up Simplicity 3514 for my two daughters for summer. I won't get to making any of these for a couple of months. This weekend's plans involve overlocking the edges of a bundle of hug rugs for school, a nightie for me and hopefully I'll get a start on a jacket. This will all be around looking after my youngest daughter who ended up in the Emergency Dept last night. Friday night is not a time you want to have to go to ED unless you're prepared for a looonng wait. But if you do, a child with blood all over her face who goes really whoozy gets you through faster..... only to...

I'm heading into exams over the next 2 weeks but afterwards I have 3 weeks off. Yayyy !! My "in the holidays" list has grown to ginormous proportions. Luckily I didn't specify which holidays I was going to do it all in. ;-) Anywhoo - whilst clearing the decks a bit and putting the covers on my machines, I unearthed the ever growing UFO pile. I figured I could give one last night to tackling a couple. Any excuse to procrastinate a bit more. First up was the mesh Ottobre Rose top I started a few weeks ago. It was sitting here waiting for the hem to be done. I'm not entirely happy with it and I obviously need some better support with those floobies at the side! The side seam easing from the fba is also off even with taking the side seams in. What the heck - it'll be fine under a jacket. Or, I could just never lift my arms. Of course then I could never do anything. That appeals. See, there's always a silver lining - sewing mistakes mean you can get a hous...

The end of another working week - well, ok, I only work 2 days a week, but the kids are still home on holidays so it's felt like 5 days work and then a working weekend. ;-) Still, only one more week before school. I think. (I should probably check that. ) The top/dress has been worn. It has been ooh-ed and aah-ed over and now it is sitting back on my sewing desk. Not because of any problem with E's (DD2) sewing I'll hasten to add. Nope, yet again, this is a bit low. I could unpick and replace the entire front inset, but that would involve remaking about half the top (shudder!). I know E was keen to sew but I don't think she's quite ready for frog-stitching, and neither am I. After talking it over with E, a solution has been reached. I'm going to add a band of the same fabric across the top. When that's all done I'll add a photo. Also awaiting a photo op is the fluoro orange tee. S (DD1) came back from her friends house badly sunburned. Parental nagging ...

I have over 400 patterns. Okay, okay, todays purchase puts me at 494. Plus magazines. Sheesh, you'd think I'd sew more than I do wouldn't ya? I was surprised last night to find I didn't have a pattern that fitted all DD1's requirements. Sure, I could have used a basic tee pattern and remodelled it but Spotlight had patterns at half-price so I figured why re-invent the wheel if I didn't have to. ( See why I have 494 patterns? ) I went straight to the Simplicity book to look at the Lizzie McGuire and So Raven patterns. This is what I ended up with Simplicity 3811: I have some fluoro orange striped tee-shirt knit that I acquired from my mothers stash recently. This is a genuine 1980's piece of fabric ( does that qualify as retro? ;-) ) and it's been quite funny to see similar fabrics in some stores this summer. I'm going to make the shorter striped top.