Nosey Parkers

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Buffy, balls and batik

Another happy trip to Dandenong Savers yielded three Buffy novels I hadn't read (though that state of affairs did not last and I finished all three in a glorious reading binge - they're like chocolate, I can't leave them alone until they're done). Ah, how I miss Buffy! They had twenty or so of  these novels and about a dozen Angel ones but I limited myself to three, though it was tough choosing. $1.99 each.

A bag of assorted eyelash-ish yarn for $2.99. There are eight untouched balls, and two part-balls to add to my burgeoning yarn stash.

Approximately two metres of a really pretty cotton batik fabric, destined to become a skirt. I think. At $3.99, it was impossible for me not to buy this, even though I really don't need more fabric!

Sewing for Ebay

Four new tunics just listed on Ebay. I haven't been Ebaying much this year; sales were rather slow on my last few listings. Perhaps I have exhausted my market there? Perhaps it's the GFC - it seems to be the scapegoat for everything...

Feed me, Seymour!

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Shoulda known...

More Slow Stitching, french seams, facings sewn down, no raw edges.

Not so pleased with how this garment turned out. I should have known, really, that any pattern marked "simple" is usually bound to be a disappointment, but I wanted a basic sleeveless top. The pattern includes a sleeveless version and one with long or short sleeves with a vee/square/round neck variation. It has bust darts and the neck and sleeve edges are fully faced, so I had high hopes that this would work out to be that basic shell top, but nope: gotta keep looking. It's wearable under something else - which is what I wanted - but
I'm disgruntled with the neckline. I chose a square neck because I don't have a garment with that neckline, but the finished result sits oddly out from my body. Not much, but enough to be annoying. I adjusted the bust darts (is anybody else above a B-cup irritated by that constant adjustment for the fuller busted?) but they're still not quite right. I also cut this at a size that should've matched my measurements according to the pattern envelope, but turned out to be at least two, perhaps three, sizes too large; I did a pin baste to try it on before sewing a seam, and ended up cutting it down two sizes but could have cut a little more and still had it fit.

I had issues, too, with the sewing instructions. I know these simple patterns are aimed at new sewers, for the
most part, but I think this one is teaching bad habits that will be hard to unlearn later. Why bother to face the
sleeve and neck openings with a finished edge facing (nice and neat) measuring about two inches in width, then instruct makers to edge sew at one inch, so that there's a nasty flappy bit of facing flopping about on the
inside of your garment, probably crinkling up and spoiling the fit? Instead, why not either make the facing narrower, so it gets sewn down completely, or use a wider edge stitch? I looked at those facings long and hard, trying to convince myself  I could live with those flappy facings, but in the end I couldn't. As I often do, I ignored the instructions and made my own up. I considered cutting the facings down, but laziness prevailed and I edgestitched a wider margin as they were. It looks fine and it's better for my peace of mind :)

So, I have a wearable garment in a colour I love. Bonus, if a qualified one given my misgivings above. Would I make this again? Nope. It requires more tweaking to make it a truly satisfying piece than I'm willing to put into what is meant to be a simple garment.

Grumbly

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Illuminati

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Another nice round number! 

Bitchin' stitchin'

A selection of wrap skirts listed on Etsy over the last few days.

This one is from an op shopped length of retro green lusciousness. If there'd been a little more of it, I'd have made this for myself but it was just a tad scant.






Blue and green floral, from an op shopped sheet. I'm not sure it's actually vintage, but the motif harks back to the sixties/seventies. Pretty, anyway. I still have quite a bit of this one left to turn into something else. I wonder why the fabric stash never seems to diminish despite all my making? I've bought very little over the past two years but the pile is still humungous.

                                                                         
An op art-ish cotton skirt from a piece I bought on sale, though I can't remember if it was at Spotlight or Darn Cheap, who are exactly what their name says. I love this design.







                                                       

And this purple and white geometric pattern, made from a huge length of polyester I bought on Ebay about an eon ago. I try to use natural fibres, but sometimes a design will suck me in. I do like the geometric patterns. Bold is good.

Dreaming of dreaming of dreaming of...

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The other night I was in bed asleep dreaming that I was in bed asleep dreaming that I was in bed asleep dreaming.

Before I was sucked down the vortex of that particularly mindbending rabbit hole, I distinctly remember thinking: "This way madness lies."  And I woke myself up.

My attempts to teach myself lucid dreaming have not quite reached fruition, but recognising that I'm dreaming and being able to wake up on command are definite steps forward.

In-a-box

"Hmm. This is new. Dunno about new."

 "I suppose new is okay."

 "Let me try this new on for size."

"It fits! Or I fit. Whatevs."

"Aaaaaah. I like it. Cat Seal of Approval granted. Now get away from my new."