Update !!!!

I am working on the Ginger ! I hope to have it finished tonight so that I can wear it to my brothers wedding tomorrow ! Very excited !

I gave Dolly a bra, and padded her out. measured her up and she is good to go !

Making piping now, and then will sew the waist band on, then gotta do the back seam, add a zip, press and hem.

That's right people - I could have a finished garment TONIGHT !!

Birthday presents

Hello,

I thought I would share some of my birthday gifts with you. I am a very lucky lady.  Love you Mr P ! xx

People -------------- Here's Dolly !!

I know Dolly is going to be properly useful in my forthcoming sewing adventures. I love her already  :-)  The brilliant thing about her is that she is not at all body conscious ! What a wonderful way to be  ;-)

I was also VERY VERY lucky to receive this next gift.....

An overlocker ! Pheweeeeee !!!

I sourced her on Ebay - she was half the price of the exact same model currently selling in the shops. Her telescopic rod was broken in transit (the lady that sold her to me did a wonderful job of packing her - I think it was the delivery boys that mistreated her !), but Mr P bought a new rod for a tenner, and then promptly fixed it !
Ta da ! She is perfect.

The only trouble was after fixing her up, I had to thread her. Friends, to be honest I had heard horror story's about threading these things, and I was scared. But I can happily report that it was not difficult at all. Time consuming and fiddly yes, but difficult, no. I was super pleased as I secretly thought I may have received a gift that I may never be able to use. Now she does not scare me at all.

I was very proud of myself. We tested her out, even Mr P had a go. We are smitten !

I obviously bought myself some gifts (well why not), and here they are....

I have already got plans for all these fabrics. This time I took patterns along to the store, and it helped loads in choosing; usually I just amble about and buy random stuff.

I hope you are all having wonderful weekends, I know I am  :-)   Being a year older is not that bad after all.

K xxx

Birthday !

Hello !

Its my birthday today ! Another year older !! WOW.

I was lucky enough to receive some lovely gifts and I will share them with you tomorrow. Mr P took me to Wagamamas, my favourite, and no mean feat as its a 1.5 hour drive there from where we live in relatively rural Devon.

Going to sew up the piping tomorrow for the Ginger and see if I cant get it finished !

I have not yet had any drinks to celebrate, but I am off to make myself a Pina Colada right now.

In other news, my blog reader no longer updates with new posts from people. Is this happening to anyone else ? Does anyone know how to fix it ? It is irritating the hell outta me as I love looking to see who has updated their blog, and having a good ole gander !

I hope you are all having a very happy Friday,

K xxx

Piping and new stuff !

Hello friends,

I am working on the ginger still, but I had to wait for the following to arrive in order to make the job of making piping a little easier.

I am exceptionally pleased with these purchases !

I could not resist cutting the corner off some fabric, my word the blade is sharp ! I was totally blown away !

This is the fabric that I am making piping out of for my ginger...

Friends, I am EXCITED !

Here are a triple of absolutely brilliant you tube vids on making piping, this lady's example is for a chair cushion, but the process is the same for any piping.

This woman is a legend, and see how she joins all of her bias pieces together ! She shows time no mercy ! Absolutely spot on skills for a sometime seamstress.

People, I have been very lucky, its my birthday on Friday and Mr P has purchased me a Babylock 750 overlocker/serger, and a dressmaking dummy. Excited ? Moi ??

I have bought batting to pad the dummy out, and I am excited about turning Dolly into Kirsty ! (in body shape at least - no more awkward back fitting for me - collette crepe you will be mine !)

Unfortunately the overlockers telescopic rod was broken in transit, but as she was half price I am keeping her and will just replace the rod. I am excited about using her - and I will share more with you once she is up and running. Of course, as it is not officially my birthday yet, I am not allowed to play with these new toys until Friday so no photos yet.

As it is my birthday I treated myself at Heathcotes (of course) and I will share the new purchases with you soon. I also bought rotary cutting blades, babylock serger feet, a bottle of pink champagne, a square curve and a double tracing wheel ! Its turning into a tailors shop in here, a tailors shop without (so far) any garment output.   ;-)

In other news I have been harvesting blueberries from the garden this last week, its all very exciting !

I hope you are all happy and well,

K xxx

Almost there

Hey people,

So, as promised I have some pictures of my almost finished skirt  :-)  I love the fabric, its a furnishing fabric, probably not the best to start with, but I so loved it, I had to have it.

Was going to sew this evening, but have some other sewing related task to do tonight, more on that later.

So, without further ado - my almost finished Ginger ! Sorry for the not so great snaps ! I ran out of flat surfaces to pose my fabric on ! (this may be a bit picture heavy -  but I did warn you !   ;-)

The altered pattern....

1 panel cut out ...

and lined......

Waistbands cut and interfused........

All the pieces together......

(Nearly) all sewn up....

Almost there     :-)

Hope to have some actual wearing at some point within the next week.

Happy Monday people,

K xxx

Sewing !!

YAY !!!

I have been sewing all afternoon, just finished for today, but I am that close to having a finished Ginger ! Today I interlined all the skirt pieces, ironed on fusible facing, sewed the seams and pressed and attached the first waistband.

OK, so the stitch picker is now out and I am unpicking the waistband, but hey ho.

I think I may be finished in the next couple of days, if I can get back on the machine, so I will show you the finished item very soon.

I am very pleased so far with the fit, and cant wait to get it finished. I was going to add piping, and as I have had to unpick the waistband I think I just might. Either navy or green, I cant decide yet.

Friends I cant wait to show you something wearable, this will be my first completed adult item of clothing. Sorry nothing to show today, but I dont have the pictures ready yet.

In other news I went to Heathcotes and spent a fortune (good old mastercard), I treated myself as its my birthday this coming Friday and so I bought presents for me ! I know what Mr P got me, as I picked it ! But I shall share with you next week. I will also share my new fabric buys, very excited as I had a plan this time, I took patterns and chose fabrics specifically. It worked like a dream.   :-)  

Well, I hope you all had great weekends, its a shame that they fly by so fast !

K xxx

Back from Bournemouth

Hello friends,

I had a lovely time back at home, I meant to take pictures of beautiful Bournemouth but just didnt have the time !

I am very excited as Heathcotes in Tiverton have a sale this week, 20% off all Fabrics (shhhhh dont tell everyone !) and I am off there after work tomorrow.

Its my birthday next week, and I have been collecting pressies left, right and centre, and I will share these with you next week.

In other news, I cant believe the wanton thievery and destruction that is happening in London right now. That's my town and I am absolutely disgusted and horrified at the behaviour of a group of people who feel it is acceptable to behave in this awful manner. These people are an absolute disgrace and I am ashamed to call myself a human being when we have people like this representing us.

They are not fighting a cause, rather they are enjoying causing chaos and destruction. I wonder what goes through these peoples minds, I absolutely cant fathom it. If you want to make life better don't destroy your own community FFS !! Look around you and think 'what can I do to make things better'. Honestly !

Rant over, I trust you are all safe and well.  Please people, if you are out and about, be careful. Some people really do have jelly for brains, and are dangerous to normal folk like you and me, going about our business.

Fingers crossed for peace tonight.

Big love  xxxx

Hump day !

So friends,

I am sat here....

With one of these....

Now that's what I call happy  :-))

I was working in Tiverton today, and as such I just had to call into Heathcotes, I tell you that place is going to be the ruin of me !

I managed to sneak these home today  :-)

I love these sailboats.  You know, the nautical theme is all the rage these days.

I LOVE the buttons, they look so nice with this sailboat fabric. I am going to make a sencha using these I think. I think these buttons will look great on the back of the sencha.

I also bought this !

To make a Ginger. Which will be piped with this

I love love love looking around fabric stores, just wish I could come away empty handed for a change. But I am so looking forward to a hand-crafted wardrobe, which will be started in earnest come October.

In other news, I have Gardenias ! They are beginning to flower and I cant tell you how beautiful their scent is. I wish I could share with you, but for now you will have to make do with this

I hope you are all making the most of this glorious sunshine ! Only 2 more sleeps til I go to the homeland, tres excited !!

K xxx

Sunny !!

Hola beautiful people

Sorry for my lack of posting... I have been soooo busy, I have not had a spare 5 minutes. Mr P's sister came for a visit with her adorable family. Friends I never thought I would feel broody, but after spending time with MM, I feel slightly more receptive to the idea of children then I did this time last week.

We had a lovely time, and Mr P and I felt quite bereft when they left.

The weather has been on and off gert lush, and I have quite the tan. This is because as soon as I finish work, I race home and sit in the sun studying. It's made my study time so much nicer having an outside table and chairs. Studying in the summer has become almost bearable.

I have also booked on a local dressmaking class, which is for 3 Saturdays in total, starting in October (the week before my exams actually, not great timing but hey ho). I am sooo looking forward to the class, not only will it be great to learn sewing skills but also fab to meet like-minded people and I am hopeful that I will make new friends and hopefully rally together some folk for a regular 'stitch and bitch'. I am super excited ! It cost £60, and that's for 15 hours in total, which I think is quite cheap !

I also purchased the delightful Gertie's (from the blog for better sewing) online sewing course - you can see a preview here. Not sure that I am ready for the couture skills required to make this dress, but I am ever hopeful as always. I think it will be sometime before I can make a 'tiki' dress, but the sections the course shows on boning (ho ho) and other skills will be invaluable.

Wish I had some pretties to show you but I don't - boo !! I have been slack on the sewing side, but only as I have had another assignment to complete. One more book, one more assignment and one exam and I will be done for the year. Then I will be making (and finishing) gingers all over the ruddy shop !

I am off home to Bournemouth this weekend and I am so excited to see my Mum and my friends, I really miss them living so far away. I really feel for Mr P's sister - she lives in Tas, and does not get to see her people that often. I could see mine more often, and I am lucky for that.

I hope the month of July has been kind to you all. I cant believe we are nearly at the end of it already.

In other news, today I sampled my first home grown cherry tomato - and 2 blueberries. I was too excited for words ! Looking forward to a bumper crop (next year maybe).  ;-)

Well, best get on and do the tea, a sometimes seamstress work is never done it seems.

And, last but by no means least - a massive welcome to new friends joining me on my adventure to find more time !

K xxx

More on-line fabrics

So, the weekend is nearly ended. Boo !

The weather has been glorious here in Devon. Not had time to make as been busy studying for most of the weekend. I must admit, sometimes I have to literally force myself to open the books ! Especially when the sun is shining and I can think of a million things that I would rather be doing instead.  I finish for the year in October - and then I will be make, make, making. Friends, I cant wait as I have so much I want to complete, but I just dont seem to have the time right now.

I really need to finish up my Ginger. I am hoping to be able to work on it for a couple of hours this coming weekend.

But, I have found some more on-line fabric places (even looking at fabric makes me feel creative) - so I will share them with you    :-)

http://www.croftmill.co.uk/

http://www.stonefabrics.co.uk/

http://dittofabrics.co.uk/

No other news to report today.

I hope you all got to enjoy the sun this weekend, lets hope the weather holds for a bit.

K xxx