For Me

 

I've been sewing for myself, rather than my neighbour, a dress made from the Nigerian fabric I bought recently. I haven't worn it yet, but am happy with how it looks. I altered the sleeve slightly.  I made up the pattern myself and have used it many times. The only drawback with the garments I've made is that the sleeve flips up. I thought perhaps the shape of the bottom on the sleeve causes that, so I've changed it and will have to see if that makes any difference. 

Buttons

 

I wanted to have a go at Lace-lovin' Librarian's new pattern yesterday. First requirement is a 1/2" four hole button. Right. I fetched my button box and rummaged through it. Hmm. I have 1/2" buttons, but they all have two holes. And I have buttons with four holes, but they are all much bigger or much smaller than 1/2".  Thinks, thinks. First of all I had to decide which was more important, the size or the four holes. I think the latter because with only two holes the tatting wouldn't be properly anchored. I used a 1" four hole button, Diane's stitch count, and tatted three rings for each hole instead of two. Worked fine, I'm really pleased. 

Part Two

 

Or perhaps that should be Part Three. I'm still sewing for my neighbour, shorts this time. The fabric looks like cotton, but is actually a stretch fabric. Don't tell anyone, but I cut the pieces in the wrong direction. I placed my pattern pieces as normal in relation to the selvages, but the stretch is parallel to the selvage, so my pieces should have been at right angles to the selvage. Since the shorts are loose, with an elasticated waist, the elasticity of the fabric shouldn't come into play anyway, so I've carried on regardless. Another lesson learnt though, sewing fabrics outside my normal range! 

Neighbourly Sewing

 

I seldom sew for people who aren't members of my family, but there's a time for all things, so here I am, sewing for my neighbour. Cynthia wanted kaftans, loose and cool and easy to wear in Summer. I browsed through Pinterest for ideas and how tos and then made it up as I went along. The top one is cotton, easy enough to work with. I added ribbon to the sides to match the ribbon neatening the neck opening.  The bottom one is a jersey knit, fabric I'm not familiar with. It doesn't fray and it seemed to me that the more I sewed it the more I got kinks and curls, so I didn't neaten the sides or the bottom. The fabric drapes well but is quite heavy, so I hope the kaftan won't stretch out of shape. It's not a fabric I would normally choose to work with, which is the good thing about sewing for someone else - I was forced out of my comfort zone! 

Rhubarb And Ginger

 

Jack planted rhubarb in early September and has just had his first reasonable harvest, 1,2 kgs or just over two and a half pounds. He asked me to turn it into jam. I added apple and lemon juice to enhance setting. I've given away one bottle already, these lot are to go in the pantry:

To Dye Or Not To Dye

 

Is that the flip side of  'to be or not to be', do you think? My plan was to dye curtains and bedspreads like the curtains for the office I dyed in July.  I don't know...  I quite like the cream bedspreads. They might show dirt rather quickly though. I think I'll leave them for now and perhaps ring the changes with a dye job later. 

I learnt a lot, making the bedspreads. Not least, sewing from the right direction so that the bulky fabric was to the left of the machine and didn't have to be shoved through the arch of the sewing machine. Duh, I know. 

Do you want to see the inside of the cover? The top consists of two layers, sandwiching the raw edges of the frill, which keeps it neat:

The Second

 

I finished the first bed cover and am working on the second one. Metres of fabric in my lap. It is easier second time around, if only because I know it's possible! Last time I tacked the pleats by machine and they slipped badly, so this time I've tacked them by hand. Hopefully they'll stay in place when I put everything together.