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Melissa in Australia

By Melissa in Australia,
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Melissa in Australia

Melissa in Australia

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7 hours ago, Jane in NC said:

@Melissa in Australia--Do you ever sleep? Amazing work.

 

The only thing I can do at the moment is sew. I can't do housework  or anything  like that yet and am completely housebound. I can sit and would rather sit and do something, hence I am sewing for at least 4 hours a day. Patchwork with simple designs is less mentally taxing than garment sewing. Even then, I am doing lots of unpicking.

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Jane in NC

Jane in NC

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Last month I mentioned that I was knitting some fingerless gloves from Spincycle Dyed in the Wool, yarn that a friend had given me (after she wound the skeins into balls). I hadn't realized that the yarn would change color and wasn't really sure where these gloves would go.  One pair is close enough as a color match.  The other is not--but I'm rather charmed by that.

I'm meeting my friend tomorrow and will offer her a pair, then find a home for the second.

spincycle cloves.jpg

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Miss Tick

Miss Tick

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Posted
8 minutes ago, Jane in NC said:

Last month I mentioned that I was knitting some fingerless gloves from Spincycle Dyed in the Wool, yarn that a friend had given me (after she wound the skeins into balls). I hadn't realized that the yarn would change color and wasn't really sure where these gloves would go.  One pair is close enough as a color match.  The other is not--but I'm rather charmed by that.

I'm meeting my friend tomorrow and will offer her a pair, then find a home for the second.

spincycle cloves.jpg

Neat pattern!

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Melissa in Australia

Melissa in Australia

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Just about to cut out pattern for a cute top.

 But it is an European pattern, so I thought I had better measure myself to check sizing as I don't often use European patterns

I measured myself and was pretty impressed. Never before have I had classic hourglass figure

Looked in the mirror. Definately just plain me

Measured myself again. Wow

Can't be right

Measured myself again just to check. I had the fabric tape measure backwards, starting at biggest number

😱

Just an example of my current mental confusion. No wonder I am not allowed to drive at the moment. I can't even use a tape measure

😂🤣😂

 

 

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

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I have a pattern and some fabric from the vintage fabric store. I want to make a top for myself for spring, but I am bring a total coward about cutting into that fabric. Does anyone think I can get away with some sort of short toga top where I just wrap it around myself and tie up with a belt? 😜

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Jane in NC

Jane in NC

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13 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I have a pattern and some fabric from the vintage fabric store. I want to make a top for myself for spring, but I am bring a total coward about cutting into that fabric. Does anyone think I can get away with some sort of short toga top where I just wrap it around myself and tie up with a belt? 😜

I understand your fear of commitment. My trick is to stare at the fabric for a bit and let it convince me that it really wants to become a particular garment.

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Miss Tick

Miss Tick

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Posted
19 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I have a pattern and some fabric from the vintage fabric store. I want to make a top for myself for spring, but I am bring a total coward about cutting into that fabric. Does anyone think I can get away with some sort of short toga top where I just wrap it around myself and tie up with a belt? 😜

Or maybe buy a cheap fabric and try out the pattern on that first, before you cut into your precious fabric.

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Miss Tick

Miss Tick

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Faith-manor said:

I have a pattern and some fabric from the vintage fabric store. I want to make a top for myself for spring, but I am bring a total coward about cutting into that fabric. Does anyone think I can get away with some sort of short toga top where I just wrap it around myself and tie up with a belt? 😜

It has been done!

https://youtu.be/GjX2NT_XZCs?si=rU3MYp_7FRFDYUTO

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Emba

Emba

Posted
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I finished my DS’s quilt, and though I had my doubts as I was making the blocks, I really like it now, and he is really surprisingly thrilled with it for a 12 year old boy.

i think my doubts had to do with the color scheme. He chose the colors/fabrics and some are not my favorites, but all together I really like how they go together. I had a lot of fabrics in my stash that were given to me, or were bought cheap by the box in thrift stores and weren’t exactly to my taste.98351E7D-5545-4047-834D-00F114476E42.thumb.jpeg.5b34502c0a24b11b1af1fac94ffa2758.jpegF8C1A165-2F97-4F2F-87F0-E61D18616CDF.thumb.jpeg.935e93b9d2267f660fdcf2d9cbd86174.jpeg06450DAE-7E4C-4817-A200-66C5A5E80824.thumb.jpeg.d94d4891759e1ffdbb32df7b13484d9f.jpeg07E69D63-9EDC-42E3-9D5D-44B18E031788.thumb.jpeg.b5de0e4d9ffac168495acb26b4310b7d.jpeg

 

I also made a makeup bag for my niece for Christmas.

D416C115-B124-4CB8-98CE-46CCA9088C29.thumb.jpeg.5eda92694fe5373b878d8e6e47de8afa.jpeg9FAFACE8-4E36-4A5A-8752-98CBBDA34A8A.thumb.jpeg.95074a894016eda1c439e20bb3fb9e9f.jpeg

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

Posted
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1 minute ago, Emba said:

I finished my DS’s quilt, and though I had my doubts as I was making the blocks, I really like it now, and he is really surprisingly thrilled with it for a 12 year old boy.

i think my doubts had to do with the color scheme. He chose the colors/fabrics and some are not my favorites, but all together I really like how they go together. I had a lot of fabrics in my stash that were given to me, or were bought cheap by the box in thrift stores and weren’t exactly to my taste.98351E7D-5545-4047-834D-00F114476E42.thumb.jpeg.5b34502c0a24b11b1af1fac94ffa2758.jpegF8C1A165-2F97-4F2F-87F0-E61D18616CDF.thumb.jpeg.935e93b9d2267f660fdcf2d9cbd86174.jpeg06450DAE-7E4C-4817-A200-66C5A5E80824.thumb.jpeg.d94d4891759e1ffdbb32df7b13484d9f.jpeg07E69D63-9EDC-42E3-9D5D-44B18E031788.thumb.jpeg.b5de0e4d9ffac168495acb26b4310b7d.jpeg

 

I also made a makeup bag for my niece for Christmas.

D416C115-B124-4CB8-98CE-46CCA9088C29.thumb.jpeg.5eda92694fe5373b878d8e6e47de8afa.jpeg9FAFACE8-4E36-4A5A-8752-98CBBDA34A8A.thumb.jpeg.95074a894016eda1c439e20bb3fb9e9f.jpeg

Wonderful!!! Love all of these.

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

Posted
Posted

Sigh. I really must sew. Must. I went to a fabric store on near my sons' apartment on the west side of the state. It was the most wonderful fabric store. Tons of marvelous natural fabrics in the apparel department, luxurious velvet that was priced competitively, button heaven, high quality zippers that I cannot buy anywhere near home, and some I haven't even seen online.

I spent well, too much. I have two stacks of vintage fabrics from two other online sources. I have a LOT of quilt fabric.

I really must stop collecting beautiful things and actually DO the sewing thing. 😂

I am most excited about some pale, beige almost buttery looking linen that I found. Somewhere I have a wide leg,  summer pant pattern, and I think it would be wonderful made with this fabric. 

Must.sew.

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

Posted
Posted (edited)
10 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

It is always good to gather the fabrics for future projects

Says me who just bought a LOT of fabrics on the boxing day sales

I am so glad I am not the only one in collection mode!

It isn't a horrible thing really. (Convincing myself 😁). Two years straight, I sewed deeply into my fabric stash and made 13 quilts followed by baby blankets and 18 baby outfits. Apart from scraps of 1/2 yard/meter or less, and a few larger pieces of some solid colors, I didn't have much left.

My concern is my sewing machine. 23.5 years ago, Mark paid $880 USD for an Elna Quilters Dream for me with bonus money he earned at work. She has been the most amazing machine. I sewed so many costumes for the kids, clothes for dd, curtains for two houses, tote bags, blankets, easily 60 quilts, and various other jobs. Last year she finally needed $175 in repairs. I was warned that parts are getting hard to get because Janome bought out Elna and promptly ended the company in order to eliminate the competition. Well, now my little workhorse is no longer winding bobbins again and is messing up on a couple specialty stitches. I have an independent bobbin winder - which does a spectacularly crappy job causing its own set of problems - and I can avoid using the specialty stitch. But just to have it looked at is now $100 without any work done, and if it needs part, they might not be available. Her comparable Janome for same features, abilities, and quality is $2200 when it is on sale!!! 😱😭

I don't know how far I can sew into this new stash of fabric before she gives up, and I am so sad. I know she is just a machine, a piece of technology, but she is like a dear friend to me. I don't want to end up with a crappy, cheap machine that I have to fight with (like my mother's piece of junk Necce) to make work or my daughter's affordable, but loud, clunky, very limited capability Janome. I think I am having some weird sewing machine grief! And I can't get a machine like my sister's. She lives in France and has some lovely, not horrifically expensive base model workhorse that didn't break the bank. I checked, and it isn't for sale here, and of course would not be wired for our electrical system unless they decided to produce a US model.

I think I am going to spend the next few days pouting about my machine, and then will just have to suck it up, cut some fabric, and sew things until my precious Elna gives up.

Oh, those simple, flannel scarves for the adult kids were a big hit. I have had numerous photos sent to me of them wearing them all over the place, and many thank you notes. I had no idea they would be that popular. I made them as simple stocking stuffers with no thought that they would be popular. So now I am on the hunt for wool sweaters at thrift stores because I want to felt the wool, and then use scrap material I already have for lining to make simple mittens for them.

Edited by Faith-manor
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Mona

Mona

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

Sigh. I really must sew. Must. I went to a fabric store on near my sons' apartment on the west side of the state. It was the most wonderful fabric store. Tons of marvelous natural fabrics in the apparel department, luxurious velvet that was priced competitively, button heaven, high quality zippers that I cannot buy anywhere near home, and some I haven't even seen online.

I spent well, too much. I have two stacks of vintage fabrics from two other online sources. I have a LOT of quilt fabric.

I really must stop collecting beautiful things and actually DO the sewing thing. 😂

I am most excited about some pale, beige almost buttery looking linen that I found. Somewhere I have a wide leg,  summer pant pattern, and I think it would be wonderful made with this fabric. 

Must.sew.

I’ve been collecting clothing patterns this past year, but haven’t made any of them. It’s hard to find the right fabrics locally. There are no apparel fabric stores near me and it’s difficult to buy online because I can’t see and feel and stretch the fabric. Buying the fabric when you see it is a good thing. It will be there when you get your sewjo back. I’m interested in these wide leg, linen pants. Sounds like something I would like.

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TechWife

TechWife

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Posted

I did have time to do fancy gift wrapping! I’ve appreciated the art of presentation as part of the gift since I was in my teens. When I was in my 20’s, I wrapped a lot with fabric, but got away from it. Last year I found some YouTube videos on gift wrapping and got started. This year I repeated some and added some new techniques.

In case you’re curious, with one exception, the tags are on the bottom of the gift. There are ways to incorporate them, I just decided to do it this way. Maybe next year I’ll make tags, too.

IMG_2023-12-30-133855.thumb.jpeg.ca998ace895ae37afa49ffa41ba0c424.jpeg

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, TechWife said:

I did have time to do fancy gift wrapping! I’ve appreciated the art of presentation as part of the gift since I was in my teens. When I was in my 20’s, I wrapped a lot with fabric, but got away from it. Last year I found some YouTube videos on gift wrapping and got started. This year I repeated some and added some new techniques.

In case you’re curious, with one exception, the tags are on the bottom of the gift. There are ways to incorporate them, I just decided to do it this way. Maybe next year I’ll make tags, too.

IMG_2023-12-30-133855.thumb.jpeg.ca998ace895ae37afa49ffa41ba0c424.jpeg

Beautiful!

 

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

Posted
Posted (edited)

Faith is a very very very bad girl. Her greedy little alter ego took over her body and compelled it back to the fabric store for another $113 expenditure.

She really is a naughty little gremlin whom the goody two shoes Faith had no control over. 

I now have enough double layer gauze and chambray to make the greedy little girl 3 shirts plus the pants, another night gown, and some quilt fabric for my niece in law who is my alter ego's partner in fabric greed crimes! 😈

Edited by Faith-manor
Typos
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Melissa in Australia

Melissa in Australia

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5 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

I am so glad I am not the only one in collection mode!

It isn't a horrible thing really. (Convincing myself 😁). Two years straight, I sewed deeply into my fabric stash and made 13 quilts followed by baby blankets and 18 baby outfits. Apart from scraps of 1/2 yard/meter or less, and a few larger pieces of some solid colors, I didn't have much left.

My concern is my sewing machine. 23.5 years ago, Mark paid $880 USD for an Elna Quilters Dream for me with bonus money he earned at work. She has been the most amazing machine. I sewed so many costumes for the kids, clothes for dd, curtains for two houses, tote bags, blankets, easily 60 quilts, and various other jobs. Last year she finally needed $175 in repairs. I was warned that parts are getting hard to get because Janome bought out Elna and promptly ended the company in order to eliminate the competition. Well, now my little workhorse is no longer winding bobbins again and is messing up on a couple specialty stitches. I have an independent bobbin winder - which does a spectacularly crappy job causing its own set of problems - and I can avoid using the specialty stitch. But just to have it looked at is now $100 without any work done, and if it needs part, they might not be available. Her comparable Janome for same features, abilities, and quality is $2200 when it is on sale!!! 😱😭

I don't know how far I can sew into this new stash of fabric before she gives up, and I am so sad. I know she is just a machine, a piece of technology, but she is like a dear friend to me. I don't want to end up with a crappy, cheap machine that I have to fight with (like my mother's piece of junk Necce) to make work or my daughter's affordable, but loud, clunky, very limited capability Janome. I think I am having some weird sewing machine grief! And I can't get a machine like my sister's. She lives in France and has some lovely, not horrifically expensive base model workhorse that didn't break the bank. I checked, and it isn't for sale here, and of course would not be wired for our electrical system unless they decided to produce a US model.

I think I am going to spend the next few days pouting about my machine, and then will just have to suck it up, cut some fabric, and sew things until my precious Elna gives up.

Oh, those simple, flannel scarves for the adult kids were a big hit. I have had numerous photos sent to me of them wearing them all over the place, and many thank you notes. I had no idea they would be that popular. I made them as simple stocking stuffers with no thought that they would be popular. So now I am on the hunt for wool sweaters at thrift stores because I want to felt the wool, and then use scrap material I already have for lining to make simple mittens for them.

I sew practically everything on my 1940s singer treadle. I love it. No fancy stitches at all but some pretty cool foot attachments

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Melissa in Australia

Melissa in Australia

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16 hours ago, Emba said:

I finished my DS’s quilt, and though I had my doubts as I was making the blocks, I really like it now, and he is really surprisingly thrilled with it for a 12 year old boy.

i think my doubts had to do with the color scheme. He chose the colors/fabrics and some are not my favorites, but all together I really like how they go together. I had a lot of fabrics in my stash that were given to me, or were bought cheap by the box in thrift stores and weren’t exactly to my taste.98351E7D-5545-4047-834D-00F114476E42.thumb.jpeg.5b34502c0a24b11b1af1fac94ffa2758.jpegF8C1A165-2F97-4F2F-87F0-E61D18616CDF.thumb.jpeg.935e93b9d2267f660fdcf2d9cbd86174.jpeg06450DAE-7E4C-4817-A200-66C5A5E80824.thumb.jpeg.d94d4891759e1ffdbb32df7b13484d9f.jpeg07E69D63-9EDC-42E3-9D5D-44B18E031788.thumb.jpeg.b5de0e4d9ffac168495acb26b4310b7d.jpeg

 

I also made a makeup bag for my niece for Christmas.

D416C115-B124-4CB8-98CE-46CCA9088C29.thumb.jpeg.5eda92694fe5373b878d8e6e47de8afa.jpeg9FAFACE8-4E36-4A5A-8752-98CBBDA34A8A.thumb.jpeg.95074a894016eda1c439e20bb3fb9e9f.jpeg

Absolutely love the quilt 

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Harriet Vane

Harriet Vane

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, TechWife said:

I did have time to do fancy gift wrapping! I’ve appreciated the art of presentation as part of the gift since I was in my teens. When I was in my 20’s, I wrapped a lot with fabric, but got away from it. Last year I found some YouTube videos on gift wrapping and got started. This year I repeated some and added some new techniques.

In case you’re curious, with one exception, the tags are on the bottom of the gift. There are ways to incorporate them, I just decided to do it this way. Maybe next year I’ll make tags, too.

IMG_2023-12-30-133855.thumb.jpeg.ca998ace895ae37afa49ffa41ba0c424.jpeg

So beautiful!!!

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Mona

Mona

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

Faith is a very very very bad girl. Her greedy little alter ego took over her body and compelled it back to the fabric store for another $113 expenditure.

She really is a naughty little gremlins whom the goody two shoes Faith had no control over. 

I know have enough double layer gauze and chambers to make the greedy little girl 3 shirts plus the pants, another night gown, and some quilt fabric for my niece in law who is my alter ego's partner in fabric greed crimes! 😈

Happy to enable you any time 😂

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Mona

Mona

Posted
Posted (edited)

This was a birthday gift for my friend’s 11yo daughter finished earlier this month. It’s the free Moda Love pattern. Afriend quilted it for me. The lighting in the room wasn’t very good, so the colors may be tough to see.

 

image_5339CDBF-7CBC-488A-A7B4-774A2D44CE4C.jpeg

Edited by Mona
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Jane in NC

Jane in NC

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, Mona said:

This was a birthday gift for my friend’s 11yo daughter finished earlier this month. It’s the free Moda Love pattern. Afriend quilted it for me. The lighting in the room wasn’t very good, so the colors may be tough to see.

 

image_5339CDBF-7CBC-488A-A7B4-774A2D44CE4C.jpeg

Mona, what beautiful work!

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