Back sewing!

I haven’t done much sewing for a couple of years now.  The few things I’ve tried, garments that is, haven’t fitted well so they’ve ended up being a wadder (as in, wadded up and thrown out).  However earlier this year I purchased a couple of the templates for drafting patterns from Sure-Fit Designs.   I originally purchased the drafting set in order to replace a top that I had bought.  When we were in Sydney last year, I purchased a rich red cotton tunic, made in Vietnam, in the Vietnamese style.  It was gorgeous!  I wore it on Christmas day and had heaps of compliments on it.  Then I washed it….  in cold water… and it shrunk to unwearable size, plus all the seams began pulling apart.  And it faded abominably.  One wear and one wash.  :-(

So I purchased the Shirt, Pants and Dress kits from Sure-Fit – and left them sitting in the cupboard.  Fast forward six months.  Dian and I were in Addicted to Fabric and saw a display skirt they had there, for a kids sewing class.  It was in a heavy cotton fabric, with a pom-pom trim, and was a simple rectangle gathered with elastic at the waist.  So we bought the fabric and trim, and they also sat there for months.  Finally I pulled out the drafting tools, made the skirt pattern and…. left them sitting there for months!  I’m seeing a pattern here….

Finally I sat down and made it.  In only a couple of hours.  It’s an A-Line skirt, as Dian wanted a more grown up and tailored look than the display one.  It fits well, and has room to grow, and Dian loves it.  Just as she pictured it.  Full skirt shown, and then the back view which is pretty much identical to the front except for the zipper.

Today I found my sewing mojo.  It’s been awol.  I’ve learnt how to do an FBA (Full Bust Adjustment) on garments so they fit.  I’ve been inspired by reading other people’s sewing blogs.  We re-opened Down Under Dolls Clothes and need more patterns.  Bring on the sewing!

No more FaceBook

Earlier today I deactivated my Facebook account.  It’s sucking out too much of my time, and I’m finding that I’m overwhelmed with knowing exactly what EVERYONE is doing at every moment of each day.

Sure, it’s been fun, and there are some things that I’m missing already – like being able to ask for links to recipes.  But I’ve had several more hours to get things done today, instead of being lost in the Facebook haze.  It’s a good thing!

Maybe in time I’ll turn it back on, do a huge friend cull and maybe use it again.  But for now, I need to concentrate on my own study, Dian’s homeschooling, being a single parent for the next six months (hubby is being deployed overseas again) and all the other roles that I have.

It’s time for me.

First try at Bento

I have an online friend, Obsi, who makes the most amazing Bento meals and blogs about it.  After seeing her creations for several months we decided to have a try.  The pictures are pretty bad, the only camera we could find was the video camera and stills on it aren’t that great.  So apologies for the fuzzies.

This is the bottom layer of Dian’s meal.  Nutella sandwiches cut into hearts, cherry tomatoes (amazingly still growing in this cold weather), and a bear shaped egg.  Biggest lesson here – the extra large eggs that I use for cake making are NOT good for bento, they’re way too big.

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Top layer for Dian.  Snow Peas, mushroom, carrot, broccoli florets, california rolls with a tiny bottle of soy sauce.

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Bottom layer of my dinner – california rolls.

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Top layer of mine – a fish and a star moulded eggs (two eggs is way too much), carrot, mushrooms, broccoli florets and snow pea salad, and a bottle of soy sauce.

Dian’s Irish Dance

Dian at her second Feis (Irish Dance Competition) She came sixth out of ten for her Beginner Jig.  :-)

Not the best camera work….  LOL