Stitch 2 Stitch

I’ve been putting off sewing other than cotton for awhile now all because I am a little intimidated by it as well as I’ve heard that it can be tough to sew. On top of that, this coming from my mum who has had upteen years of sewing experience, I find it really daunting! But I am glad that I finally took the plunge and went for it anyway.

Although it was different to sewing cotton or poplin, I didn’t think it was that bad hence, it’s true when people tell me ‘you won’t know for sure till you try’ and I did. I’m glad I didn’t put it off any longer. On top of that, it was also my first time trying to use ribbing as well as doing gathers!! For me, these are personal achievements which mean a lot to me since I am a newbie.

I didn’t read the instruction on how to do gathers but instead, I had flashbacks and images in my mind as I reminisce the times when mum used to sew and I remembered bits of this and that, and on how she did it. So I put 2 and 2 together, add a bit of common sense and voila, my gathers came together! I am one VERY VERY happy mommy!!!

My latest dress which by far is the one I am most proud of, on a personal level. Only because after 2 failed attempts of making a dress for Arianna, this one finally worked out! [I am hopeless is measuring!!!] Also, this is my first time using ribbing [that red bit around the neck and armhole], first time using knit fabric [stretchy fabric] and most importantly, my gathers actually came through!! So yes, this is really a great achievement for me on a personal level. I am very proud of this dress.

Arianna modelling for me. I think she’s gotten used to the idea of me making her try on stuff coz as soon as she sees a new outfit or some piece of cloth that I’m holding, she comes to me and stands relatively long enough for me to see if it fits. Smart girl!

Lil Miss Lady Bug

Can’t say much about this dress except that when I first finished it, it was too loose on Arianna and then I ‘cleverly’ though I’d bring this bit in and that bit in, and then it became too small. *sigh* It’s apparently going to be Pacman’s now. *lol* Poor Arianna, I’m glad the dress above suited her well! Now everyone is happy. Fabric type is cotton.

What a lovely name to suit this gorgeous flowery poplin fabric I bought in my first ever stash of fabric from Spotlight. But sewing up this dress very nearly did me in!

Took me many days and night of brain wreck to think of how to put this dress together. To some or perhaps many, this would be some simple 1hr job but OMG, no thanks to my pregnant brain, I just couldn’t figure out how my mum sewed a dress almost like this albeit a very much better one, smocking to be exact. I turned the dress over, inside out and in every direction position except undoing the whole dress of course. But still no luck. In the end, I caved in and did it MY way and this is the outcome.

Looks fine, but won’t fit Arianna. The length is nice, the chest is fine BUT the armhole is way to small. There is no way I am undoing this coz I just wouldn’t know where to start seeing that I’ve sewn the pieces together in a way that I was want to undo it. Here’s hoping mum can come to the rescue. Otherwise, there goes another practice piece.

So till today, I dare say that my weaknesses in all the sewing I’ve done is slowing adding up :

• hardly imaginative or creative
• measuring skill to die for [NOT!]
• armhole failure

The only bit that I dare say is good about my attitude is that I am not giving up that easily as I would with other handicraft. Sewing has since become somewhat of an obsession which I highly doubt could be bad unless I forget that I actually live in a REAL world. For suffice to say that when I’m sewing, I’m in my own world and I think I’ve reached the stage where I can actually admit that sewing is therapeutic. Or perhaps on the other hand, its a great way to stick to a diet coz I almost always forget to take my meals!!!

It was a slight disappointment that I didn’t get to go to Spotlight on Monday coz Ted was tired and I really did understand but he made up for it and took me this morning! Such a good husband….

And on top of that, I had almost 1.5 hours of alone time browsing and looking for stuff on my own! That was super priceless coz I really can’t think or stay focused when I have 2 people tagging along behind me – it’s SO stressful! Ted had taken Arianna with him to go get more memory for his laptop and left me at Spotlight. It was awesome!

And the icing on the cake was the fact that I had spent a lot less than I had initially expected. I guess I had forgotten to take into consideration the 20% off everything including sales items and I’m one who normally goes for clearance and sales items. Why pay more when you can get it less right? Must be that stray Scottish blood in me la…. *lol* And here is the damage done this time :

I’m absolutely loving that red Cat fabric but I don’t know what to do with it yet. In fact, I’m not even sure I got enough of all the fabric as I remember my mum telling me that it’s best to buy more than less. Hence, I bought 2m of each fabric and am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be enough for whatever future patterns I plan to make.

The only reason that it took so long to get some of my stuff was because #1. This was the first time I was buying ribbing and I had no idea what they looked like and it took the 3rd saleslady to take me to the exact spot where they were and I swear I could have boxed myself in the ear! But if only I knew what they looked like all rolled up, it would have made my life a lot easier. I had passed that aisle a million and one times and never knew. Aiyooo! #2. Actually finding a sales person to ask where I could get tracing paper and was eventually told by the same 3rd person that I had to ask for it at the counter. So I ended up buying 4m of tracing paper which cost AU1.50/m just in case. I didn’t think it was that expensive and it will hopefully last for awhile.

Other stuff I bought was more elastic but different width size and lace to spruce up some of the simple ideas I have in mind. Since I have not tried making any dresses for Arianna, I plan to try one pretty soon and a little bit of lace might make it look nicer.

As for patterns, I had gone insane lately and got me a whole pile of pattern books! *lol* Yes, I know I may have gone overboard thanks to this really bad habit of mine which is taking things to the extreme too fast. But I don’t think it was a big mistake at all seeing that I got 3 books from eBay and only really forked out more moolah for something which was definitely worth it! [Thanks Aida for the recommendation!]

Needless to say that I didn’t mind spending my money on Ottobre – it is SO worth it that I am thinking about getting the other edition that Aida suggested to me too!! Anyway, have not started anything today but will start tracing out some patterns tomorrow and begin something new. Yiippeee!!

O, on another note….this is just for fun really, I have started a new site to post all my sewing adventures and projects called Stitch By Stitch. Feel free to link me up and gimme some traffic love!

Needless to say, I’m still in the jammies mood and have been busy churning up another pair of jammies for Arianna. I swear the first time I was making those cotton bear jammies for Arianna, Pacman was just kicking away as if unhappy about it but since then, I’ve completed 2 sleeping bags and a pair of booties for her so she really has nothing to complain about! *lol*

Anyway, here’s the finished product :

The jammies…

The buttons….after I sewed them on, I realised that it was just TOO pink!

Arianna modelling for me, thank goodness she was in a rather good mood or forget it!

I found that so far, my weakness is getting the sleeves right. First time, it was sleeveless so I escaped, then I sewed 2 sleeping bags and surprisingly, instead of getting better, I seem to be getting worst at it! And with these jammies, the armhole is just dreadful! I will have to re-do them again although the pants fits her fine. Told you I’m a pants expert. I’m not sure if perhaps my pattern is wrongly cut or what, I can’t really say but these are not patterns from the book but my own cut so I believe it’s coz I made them, I am not seeing what is wrong.

In any case, I am looking forward to a whole stack of pattern books coming in the mail hopefully this week so I can start cracking! But I must say that I need other fabric to work with la, I’m kind of sick of flannel….and I’m wondering what to sew using Poplin!!! I’m just SO boring right? I need some imagination and creativity la….

Ok, perhaps I am exaggerating a little but I do feel to a certain extend that other than the day I got married and had Arianna, getting myself a sewing machine is definitely on my list of the best things that has ever happened to me.

To be absolutely honest, I never saw myself sewing anything let alone actually owning a machine. Despite having a yoyo interest in handicraft due to my extremely short interest span and mind you, I’ve tried my hand at just about everything from knitting to crocheting to patchwork and crosstitch, but I never really found something that I really liked. So I am very pleased that I finally found something that I can foresee myself doing even in my old age.

It took me a very long time to reach this stage and the only reason why I seem to have the drive and perseverence to stick this one out is because I realised that sewing is the one thing that, to me, gives me the end product fastest. With such a short attention/interest span, I really need something that keeps me wanting to complete it so I can see what it looks like in the end. Then I move on to more….and on top of that, I do have to thank my mum who is an absolute superwomen when it comes to sewing. Hence it is an added bonus for me for when she comes out here to help me with Pacman because I am so going to strip off as much information and knowledge as I can from her! It is certainly a time I am really looking forward too.

Although I know I still have a long way to go before I am anywhere near as good as my mum, I believe that I will improve Stitch by Stitch.

Yes, I dare say that I am considered an addict to sewing! *lol* The thing is, I don’t have that many fabrics to play with and also hardly any patterns to try out so I decided to buy an online downloable pattern from Sewing Patterns just to see how it works out coz they weren’t THAT expensive. I paid $5 for 4 infant patterns and although everything was printed out ok, it is SUCH a hassle, in my opinion to assemble the pages. Damn leceh! So I am actually putting it off for now until I have to motivation to get down and dirty my hands with glue and what nots. That will be the last I ever get it online like that but on the flip side, I have taken Aida’s advice and spent a bit more moolah on an Ottobre magazine, particularly the 1/2009 edition and I hope to get it in the mail soon. But that too would require me to trace out the pattern but I think that it better than glueing this and that, here and there.

Today, I decided to do something really simple since everyone swears that it is and well, it was. Only thing was that since I improvised [as usual] what with using flannel and all, it didn’t quite turn out nicely.

My first time sewing booties and definitely needs more work!! Meant for 6 – 9 mth but I think not these ones….

Another attempt at sewing a sleeping bag and this time I made it bigger and sewed buttons on instead of the snap fasterners coz I figured out how to use the buttonhole function on my machine. I think I’m getting better at this.

Finally, Arianna posing in her new PJs. Gosh, this girl is getting harder to snap shots of!

Yes, she does have Mummy’s wild hair!! *lol*

Since I started sewing, I dare say that it has become an addiction. I think many will not believe that Wordscraper and TV have taken a backseat! *lol* Some say that sewing in theraputic but I don’t feel that way – I personally get this drive to complete the project so that I can move on to another piece. And that is what is keeping me focus and interested. Before this I had dabbled in many other craft interest like crochet and knitting but these are things that take a VERY long time and omg, you have to be super precise with how many stitches need to go where and the number of stitches they have. I think my brain cells will die trying to remember them all!

But sewing…aaah, I think I have finally found a place where I can totally zone out the world around me. Anyway, these are the last 2 pieces that I’ve completed :

This is the other half of the set which I had posted the other day. I used to think that sewing button holes were easy-peasy and seeing how neat my mum’s are, I thought I could pull it off as well. Thank goodness for those buttons – my button holes were horrendous!! Really have to figure out how to use that sewing button hole function on my machine. Might pop by the sewing centre on Monday when we go do our weekly shopping.

Animal print sleeping bag – This one has a story behind it. It was initially suppose to be a baby gown. Where the bottom is supposed to be open but somehow I had miscalculated and well, didn’t really have any ribbings for the cuffs and collar so I had to improvise and ended up with this. [Yes, you're right about those eyelet thingys, Aida. They are utterly useless!!!] I used snap fasteners which you have to manually sew on since I suck at sewing button holes! *lol* This is flannel so will come in handy when autumn and winter comes. I just hope Pacman can fit in it, otherwise I take it as a practise piece.

I’m not sure what to sew next but I think I should try my hand again with this gown thingy. Wish me luck, but I think I’ll end up with another sleeping bag…..seem to prefer it somehow.