Stitch 2 Stitch

I actually finally managed to get some time to sew and I managed to pull off 4 tshirts, 1 pair of pant and a skirt for KR. I am rather pleased with how they turned out. I haven’t taken any pix yet coz I forgot and chucked them in the wash. Lol Can you imagine…me? Forgetting to take a pix of what I just finished sewing?? O well….

So now that I’m sort of, kind of, on the roll of things, I’ve since traced out a dress for Arianna and a 2 piece tunic and pants combo for KR. I already know what sort of fabric I’m going to use – it’s going to be that absolutely soft cotton batik my mum got me recently! I’ve been mulling over what pattern to sew the fabric with and I thought this would be excellent coz I need some contrasting patterns so that it looks better. So I can’t wait to get stuck into it!

Also, waiting for me in the mail yesterday was a $20 off purchases over $80 voucher from SL!!! It’s been ages since I stepped foot in there and although I am still buying my fabric from mainly eBay, I still prefer to actually be there to touch and feel what I’m buying. It’s only coz I don’t to get to go to SL as often as I would like to is the real reason why I’ve resorted to getting my fabric online. But it hasn’t been all that disappointing really. Especially when you’ve found that one eBay seller you know you can trust and who has fabric that you like. And since I’ve been working, I think I deserve a little present for myself.

DH saw the voucher on the table and he said that he’d take me one of these days!!! I’m so excited…it will have to be on a weekend coz that the only time we are free. Most likely it will be on Saturday coz we’ll be at my ILs on Sunday. Man, Saturday can’t come fast enough!!!

I have been a bit of a naughty girl today at work. The thing with work is, it’s gets really full on in spurts. The times I’m most busy is during the students break times, before classes start in the morning/evening and after classes finish. Between those periods, I’m quite free and I find myself getting really bored! So I’ve brought my book in to read. But sometimes even that gets boring so I go on the net. Anyway, while on the net today, I was reading up some books on sewing and I chanced upon this rather interesting tip/quote :

Pressing is an essential phase of sewing. Good pressing can enhance a poorly stitched garment; poor pressing can destroy a well-made design. – Sew any fabric By Claire Shaeffer

 To be absolutely honest, I couldn’t agree more. And while we’re being honest and all, I never used to press when it was required. It was only quite recently and a little before I read this that I started doing it and I realised the difference it made to the garment I was sewing. So they weren’t making a fuss about pressing for nothing! These days, I try my best to press when it is call for but I have to admit that because it’s takes a bit of mucking around to set the iron up and all that, I do slack in that area. I’m not one of those really lucky people who have a sewing room to themselves. I wish I had one though, maybe one day. But for now, I normally make do with just ironing on the dining table where my serger AND sewing machines are sitting – side by side. 

Thank goodness it’s just DH, DD and I at home during dinner time or it would be such a torture to store the machine every now and then. Can you imagine how much less I’d be sewing then?? *shudders* The bit that normally needs pressing I noticed is the hem, neckline if you’re doing facing as well as if you’re topstitching cotton woven especially. And by pressing, it really makes sewing easy and the end product better looking too. So next time pressing is require, I reckon it’s best to do it!

Don’t be lazy like me…..heh.

From memory, I sent Missy in for her service at the end of January coz I remembered that the warranty would soon expiry. O, if you didn’t know, I’ve since named my machine Missy. How I came about this name is still a mystery to me but it’s just that when I got her back, I announced it on FB and when I typed it out, the name just came to be. It said, “YAY!!! Missy’s home!!”. And that’s how she got her name.

Anyway, since she went in, DH had happily set up his laptop in Missy’s place and was having fun with his new-found space coz the girls couldn’t reach it and he didn’t have to muck around setting it up everything he wanted to use it which was quite often since he’s home everyday with the girls while I’m at work. So he’s been working on his game and mod whenever he get a chance. Pretty much what I do when I’m sewing. I sneak in a couple of seams throughout the day when I can. And people think I just sit and sew the whole day, and do nothing else! What world do they think I live in?? *lol* If I had a maid to clean the house and get all the meals ready, you bet I’d be sitting and sewing the whole day. Sadly, in my world this is impossible.

And now that I’m working full time : Monday to Friday, 10 to 6pm….sewing has seriously taken a backseat! Even after Missy came back, DH hadn’t really put his laptop away and I knew that with me working, I wouldn’t really be into it. So Missy sat in the box for awhile coz my sewjo had gone walkabout anyway. But only recently did my sewjo come back coz I’ve been meaning to sew up some tshirts for KR as well as some summer dresses for Arianna. I will have to start now coz we will be heading off to Malaysia in May and that is not long from now seeing that I don’t really sew fast. Also, I’m looking forward to sewing a Mei Tai as well. I’ve got the fabric that I need and even got me some sling rings too! J I might give the Omnibohu a try as well. I will have to decide which one I want coz the fabric is only enough for one.

Anyhow, I finally set Missy up last night after DH packed his stuff up so I have already cut out 3 tshirts and a girly one as well. I’ve only done part of the first tshirt and I already noticed ONE mistake. I cut it on the wrong grain!!!! Aarrrggghhhh….pisses me off when I do silly mistakes like that. It’s something I should NEVER be doing since I’ve been sewing for almost a year now. Silly, silly me!!! O well, what can you do, eh? Thankfully, the shirt is a little big so it won’t be tight on her just yet. So I’m just waiting for time to go home so that after the kids are gone to bed, I can sew and relax. Really looking forward to getting back on the horse!

Gotta love giveaways! I just recently hosted one and I’ve since sent off the prize to the winner. Hope she likes it. Now I’m on a giveaway hunt…and this one is from Grosgrain. Pls let me win it!

YAY!!! Got a call on Wednesday from Janome that Missy [I suddenly decided that I'll call my sewing machine that] is coming home!! YAY!!! Yes, after being sewing machineless for more than 1 week, I think it is about time that she came home.

While I hardly had time to sew this week anyway coz of work and all, I can’t wait to start up again. I’m not sure how I’m going to manage coz by the time I get home from work, I’m so knackered. And while I used to be able to stay awake till about 1am every night, staying up past 11.30pm is now a miracle! lol I blame it on my job. In any case, I will have to think of something coz I really want to sew up another mei tai using proper cotton drill which by the way, I haven’t bought just yet. Have to convince DH to take me to Spotlight to get it coz the ones I’ve seen on eBay is just not appealing enough and the ones I like is not suitable!! Also, I really hate it when I have to pay so much for postage. Seems like such a waste, you know?

O well, while I ponder on the list of things that I have in mind to sew, why don’t you pop over to Little Munchkin and join her welcome-back giveaway? I hope I win it!!

Thank you to all of you who took part in my first ever giveaway. Many thousand apologies for not announcing the winner earlier. I had planned to announce it yesterday but I was just too knackered after coming home from work, so today is the day!

And now…the winner of my first giveaway is….JADE!!! *does a dance*

I’ll be contacting you soon for your addy so I can post it out to you. Congratulations on your win, I hope you enjoy the fabric and when you do create something out of it, please let me know so that I can link you up and check it out!

To those who didn’t win this time, not to worry…I had loads of fun doing this giveaway that I think I’ll be having another one soon enough!!

Just keep your eyes peeled….. Happy Crafting!