Some Lovely Links

Here's some links that have caught my eye this week, probably when I was supposed to be doing something more productive. Hope you enjoy them.




I am so in love with this Thread Wrapped Necklace tutorial from Studs & Pearls. Isn't it cute!

Here a great tutorial for Bleach Painting on Fabric from A Beautiful Mess, I think this would be a great idea to personalise a tote bag for a pressie.


I love playing around with different colors for my nails, spotted this idea for a DIY mani on Drop Dead Gorgeous. What a cool way to spice up an outfit.


Fellow Aussie Blogger - Scared Stitchless - has many great things on her blog. She posted a few weeks back about Fabric Sharpies to decorate fabric. I love what's she's doing to decorate the tank. I think I need some of these now.


I've seen this getting around Pinterest for a while so I just has to share it on here. What a great idea to graffiti a wall with moss!

Till next time!

The Tulip Top

So finally I got to finish my top that I previewed in my very first post. Seems like it took forever, in all reality it was finished over 3 weekends but when you get to sew for only a few hours a week everything seems to take forever. 

I have to admit that the fabric was a bit of a bitch to work with but I'm totally thrilled with how it turned out. It's based on the lovely Tiny Pocket Tank available here from Grainline. I wanted something with sleeves, saw this sleeve pattern which is for the Sorbetto Top and thought I'd give it a whirl. Turns out the sleeve is a tiny bit bigger for the tank pattern but I just put a pleat in the top of the sleeve and happy days! 


I put in an exposed zipper in the back, my first ever.

In another first, I didn't know what to do about french seams on the curve of the armsyce so I just zig-zagged over the raw edge of the seam. I've since learned that I can in fact french seam this area, booooo!

I'd love to make this up next in a silk, just to challenge myself even more. 


Now I have no more sewing projects on the go. I've been putting alot of thought about what to sew for the cooler weather, well as cool as it gets in Brisvegas in Winter. I really like this Cropped Blazer Pattern from Salme Patterns on Etsy but cant find anyone who has made up this pattern. Maybe I should quit being a wuss and just give it a bash, what do you think?


Till next time!

Here's one I prepared earlier.....

Apologies in advance for the cheesy title - makes me think of an old school cooking show. Anyone remember Peter Russell Clark? No just me hey.....(silence). I'm sure you're not reading for some random chit chat about cooking, so onto the topic at hand which is one of my recent creations. 


I brought the Tiny Pocket Tank Pattern from Grainline a little while ago after seeing it on various blogs including Little Betty who has made several versions now. After making some adjustments such as a Full Bust Alteration and a Full Back Adjustment (not even sure if that's the proper name!) I was totally happy with the fit and thought the next step is a dress. So here she is (me and the dress)

Please excuse the 35 degree crazy lady hairdo. So alot of the adjustment were achieved thanks to Mr Google & Co, but basically I just lengthened the tank down to knee length and slightly flared it out to allow for some hip room. 


I added an elastic casing on the inside, first time doing it ad turned out fairly well. 

Did my standard french seams on the inside, 2 thumbs up to the genius who invented french seams!

So the whole thing was pretty easy to put together. Fabric is courtesy of Spotters, a lovely light cotton voile. I'm not usually a flowery type of person but this really caught my eye, plus the lines of flowers create stripes and well I'm a stripe addict. Already worn it a few times but now it will probably start migrating to the back of my closet for winter, alas poor dress I still love you!


On another note, has anyone heard about the Craft and Sewing Show which is getting around Australia? I've never heard of it before so I might have to get along to check it out.


Till next time!

Some Lovely Links

I get easily bummed out with not being able to sew on a regular basis. I can usually only get to it once a weekend because of something called "Work" that gets in the way in between weekends. So therefore I satisfy my creative desires by browsing other people's blogs for ideas and inspiration. Here are some of the Lovely Links that have captured my imagination this week:


I'm totally digging this tutorial over on Stripes and Sequins for a Fringed Necklace. I think it will be a great way to inject some color into a potential drab winter wardrobe.

Source: Stripes and Sequins

Another blog I love to read is Chasing Cait, she works as a Personal Stylist and I love how she gives advice on Fashion but not at exorbitant prices. Here's her advice on researching trends, this one about Loafers which I am coveting for the cooler weather.

How's this for cool! A hand stamped Pony Print Dress from A Beautiful Mess. Check out the tutorials while you're over there, seriously drool worthy stuff.

Such a shame I hadnt seen this tutorial earlier over on Cotton and Curls. This pintuck top would have been super cute for a summer top, oh well maybe it can be a winter top too?

One of my new fav Aussie sewing bloggers - Little Betty - sewed up this awesome dress in a lovely Liberty fabric. Might have to get this pattern and stash it away for next Summer!

Till next time!

Hello and welcome to my little corner of the Blogosphere! I brought my first sewing machine about 2 years ago, only for taking up hems and alterations, one of the curses of being vertically challenged. Gradually I got more interested in construction of my own garments after getting so frustrated at what's available in retail stores, now it's become a real passion and a way to escape the boredom of being cooped up in an office all day. I mainly sew for myself but have done a few little side projects of home decor and quilts, I think I prefer making clothes.

 

Mother Nature has not played nice with our normally sunny and warm Brisbane, we've had really no summer here but regardless my focus of late has still been on light summer tops and dresses. I know before too long that I'll have to start thinking about constructing garments from more cool weather appropriate fabric, I am holding off as long as I can because I'm really not that experienced in these kind of clothes. Summer clothes is more my thing, all nice light floaty fabric in beautiful colors. So I still have an item or two in the planning/production stage that are Summer appropriate, hopefully these can layer up easily when the weather does turn cold.

 

So this weekend was spent drafting and sewing a summer top, based on the Tiny Pocket Tank by Grainline which I absolutely am in love with! So far I've made a tank out of some light seer sucker and a dress from a coral voile. I wanted something with sleeves so nothing like giving yourself another challenge when you've never done sleeves ever! That little puppy will get a brand new post all of it's own, but for now here's a teaser of the fabric.

I brought it from the lovely Fabric Store in Brissy. I cant quite remember the fabric content, I thought it was Linen & Cotton but it is quite floaty, I sense there may be some silk or rayon in there as well. 

Till next time!