I Am So Happy It’s Done!

Hello, hello!

With the sun rising a little later in the morning, it has been so difficult to get out of bed when my first alarm goes off.

And a little confession… I have 8 alarms set to go off every morning! 😂🫢

I keep on snoozing or dismissing them which makes me scared of oversleeping, hence so many. And another curious detail is that they are not all your usual times.

I have them set at 05:45, 05:54, 06:00, 06:06, 06:09, 06:15, 06:21, 06:31. 😂

And it really takes me all this noise, up until the last alarm, to get out of bed in the morning, especially these last couple of weeks.

I’ve only ever come across one other person that does these odd times, but I’ve never come across someone who sets as many alarms to get up!

Please confess to me if you do this too! 😂

Stitches of the Week

Two O Nine Fabric - Hanbok Vest(Sewing Therapy)

It’s finished!😎

This was on my sewing list for at least 2-3 years and I am so happy it’s done!

But not without a little hiccup!😂

I started to press the side seams using another layer of fabric between iron and vest, and that was going alright.

Then I pressed the shoulder seams without the extra layer of fabric and the heat was a bit too much for the wadding!

I think you can guess what happened!😣

The heat melted and flattened a little bit, removing some of the quilted puffiness in the area.😏

It’s not too dramatic though. It still looks good and you probably wouldn’t notice it if I didn’t point it out.

I found pressing my bias binding quite therapeutic and I actually made more than what I needed, about 5 metres. I’ve saved it to use for another project sometime.

This was a really nice and easy sew, and definitely one to look at if you’re thinking about making a gilet. Plus, this one is a free pattern!

I do want to make another one sometime but I will probably change it up a bit. I’m thinking about removing the overlap at the front and I would need to change the location of the ties because of that.

And I will probably just use batting next time or fleece to avoid melting the wadding.😂

• Fabric: the cream and black is a wool mix, the polka dot fabric and ties are a cotton poplin and wadding
• The Drama: I partially melted my wadding!😅

Lander Pants - True Bias

Since the Hanbok Vest is finished, a new project is on the horizon.💃

I’m still in need of bottoms in my wardrobe, I have 2 trousers and 2 skirts in rotation.

And the Anna Allen Phillippa Jeans and True Bias Lander Pants have been on my radar, for a long time now actually.

So I took to Instagram stories and asked everyone to help me pick which of the 2 to make.

82% of you voted on the True Bias Lander Pants!

Which means that’s what I am going to work on next. 😀

I found this printed denim in my stash that was given to me by a lovely subscriber, Lynn, and I think it’s going to fit the brief perfectly!

I washed it already and the colour ran a bit. 😣

I am so glad that I didn’t put any clothes in the same wash, just some bath towels. So I now have new bath towels! 😂

Anyway, the fabric is ready, I just need to retrace my actual size which is the more tedious task.

I don’t know though if I want to make the long length version like I’ve done before, or try the above ankle length. I don’t know which one I will give more use.

If it’s above the ankle, I need to think about what colour socks to use, if it's full length, I don’t see my socks so I don’t have to think about combining them with the rest of my outfit. 🤔😂

Decisions, decisions…

Then if I go ahead with this fabric, I was thinking, do I pattern match the pockets, or do I cut them on the bias so the print is deliberately in the wrong direction?

More to think about.

I probably won’t have time this evening to make a start, but I’m sure I'll get around to it sometime during the week.

But what’s been playing on my mind is, I’m planning this sew, but I haven’t even started making, or really settled on a plan for my outfit for the Janome event I am hosting in November! 😟

I don’t know if I should start stressing about it now. 🤔

• Fabric: Possibly the colourful denim, I will see when the time comes for cutting.
• The Drama: The fabric died my other items in the wash and I need to trace a new size!

Skill Builder of the Week

Clean Sewing Machine

When was the last time you cleaned your sewing machine? 

This week I decided to see what was under my needle plate because I can’t remember when was the last time I cleaned it and there was a lot of fluff! 😣

So let this be your sign to show your machine some TLC.

It will help your machine run smoother, be less noisy, allow your feed dogs to grip the fabric properly and avoid skipped stitches.

Your machine should have come with a little brush to help collect the dirt, but if you don’t have one, a toothbrush or makeup brush can do the trick too.

Remove the needle and presser foot, then remove the screw on the needle plate to access the area below. While you are at it, remove the bobbin casing as well and dust it off too.

You can also use a vacuum cleaner, just take care to not leave any of your small items, like the screws, needle or presser foot in the way because you will be dismantling more than just your needle plate! 😂

All it takes is a few minutes, your sewing machine will thank you for it!