SarahLizSewStyle

Hi Everyone, Before I write the post on this challenge, I would like to welcome a new follower to SarahLizSewStyle - Sufy,  who is following via bloglovin. Now about the Make a Garment a Month Challenge, which starts in October.  I was musing to myself on a blog post, that I was going to make a garment a month no matter what else is going on in my life. Now it is probably obvious that I have been making more than that, but I am going to have a few more obligations again in the next little while.  My promise to myself is to make sure I find time to make one garment a month, instead of not sewing at all when I get busy. Then some of you expressed interest in this challenge, so this has become a global challenge :) I'm planning this to be ongoing - just to encourage everyone to sew and to connect up via sewing and meet other bloggers too:) So far these lovely bloggers have joined the challenge: Nothy Lane www.aftagley.blogspot.com Gaye - www.hotsewing.blogspot.com

I made a skirt at the beginning of the year - what I call my first blog skirt.  I was determined to make a good first impression, and did a good job of an adaptation of a New Look skirt - complete with the suggested style length. And even I was not happy - taking photo's for blogs was a new thing for me! I wore it a few times in winter, but really was not happy.  The skirt was just a touch too long.  And proportions with a jumper or top were half/half and very dowdy looking. I also wasn't happy with the width of the waist band - I like them just a little wider.  And normally I insert zips well, but I think I was a little anxious about showing all of you my work - so I have a few wobbles on the left hand side which I had ignored, except obviously I hadn't, as I was a little irked every time I saw the offending wobblies. I also did not like the kick pleat - I think the fabric was a little soft for it  (a softer stretch cotton sateen). So I undid it and

Hi everyone, Sometimes fabric is staring at you, and you start to feel quite uncomfortable.   Those little bits bought for a specific purpose that are still sitting there, waiting to play their role in life. This bit of cheap lurex /gauze fabric was one of those pieces.  I only had a small piece that I purchased to make a cowl/infinity scarf.  I would wear it in the evening if we were travelling - small and light enough to pack, and can transform the plain black jumper and skirt/pants into an evening outfit.  I would do the same if we weren't travelling as well - I don't have much need for evening wear and would rather transform an everyday garment with an accessory. I also was rummaging around and found a large frog closure.  I thought this would be ideal to sew onto my polar fleece vest (Simplicity 4032)  that I made earlier this year from leftovers from other projects. It is designed to be worn open, but I prefer to hold it closed - it's warmer that way.

 A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was going to challenge myself to making a garment a month and I few of you indicated that you would also like to join this challenge. My personal challenge is to extend my sewing repertoire and skills while resuming a busier life (I had a quiet patch for the start of this year).  Usually when I get busy, the activity that "gives" is the one that also gives me great pleasure - sewing.  So I am going to make sure I keep going by sewing, even if only in small blocks of time, every day.  That way I will make a garment a month.  Some of you have also indicated that you find sewing difficult - so ladies (I don't think I have any male readers), lets put time aside for ourselves and sew our style. If you want to sew more than one garment a month, that is great - I am sure I will too, but the primary goal is choosing one really nice garment a month to make to completion. I've made a list of those of you who want to join.  If

It happens - I also facilitate the blog "stylethestashsewalong.blogspot.com"  - and accidentally published  a post for that blog on my blog!  I deleted it very quickly, but not before it had hit the air.  Sorry about that - if you click on it, you will find it has been removed. Must be time for coffee...mid afternoon concentration lapse has set in! (Today is my day off so I enjoy my blogs - I have also done my allocated sewing for today as per my new time management sewing schedule!) Sarah Liz

Every once in a while you realise that you are still style - stuck making dungarees, which most people leave behind as toddlers.  Butterick 5821 was my wake up style moment. Butterick 5821 While I hate the jacket - I never liked these jackets when they were first in fashion, I did think the skirt and trousers might make a nice relaxed garment for around the house.  The front is faced while the back has elastic.  The waist is supposed to sit one inch below the natural waist. Now I have always suspected that faced trousers and skirts will not work on me because of my high tummy and high hips - you need larger hips to hold a faced garment up - basic structural principle. I should also have looked at the photo more closely and the design sketch - see how the trousers curve out - I suspect quite full legs and hips are supposed to fill these out. And I was right: Well, this cut is certainly relaxed.  But rather baggy and not quite what I had in mind.  Downright frumpy

I am so pleased with this skirt, I decide to showcase it in a frame :) I made this skirt as part of the Scary September challenge, being held by Beverley (BeaJay) at: www.ontheroadtosewwear.blogspot.com The challenges I set for myself was to  use the Surefit system to draft a skirt.  I had previously used a surefit template to draft a pair of pants, but they did not work out well for me.  So I sort of gave up with the concept at that time.  Now seemed a good opportunity to try again.  I thought I couldn't go wrong with a skirt. Surefit can be found here:  www.surefitdesigns.com  This is the muslin: The muslin worked beautifully.  This block is called a straight skirt, but it is very slightly A line.  I decided that would work well for me and the fabric I had chosen.  Just enough of an A-Line to make walking easy, but not too much to swamp me. I also wondered what sort of zip to put in.  I usually do a lapped zipper insertion, and very infrequently us

Some of us are participating in the Scary September challenge hosted by : www.ontheroadtosewwear.blogspot.com One participant I think is making a knit top with a flounce at the bottom.  (Well, I know who you are, but I don't want to speak out of turn, or embarrass you).  An adjustment has to be made for a full tummy, which means that a flounce at the bottom of the bodice will also need altering. Now I am only a home sewer and not a pattern maker, but I just wondered if this could be the solution.  Below please see a very quick sketch of a flounce.  The upper edge attaches to the bodice bottom: You will notice I have marked dotted lines within the flounce - one at the centre front, and then two either side.  I would slash and spread the intervening sections of flounce, much like you would for an A-Line skirt.  Because the outer edge of the flounce is a wider circle (remember geometry here), the top of the spread area will be narrower than the bottom: Not very cle

This week has been one of those weeks - but having Scary September goals has helped to keep me focused on getting some sewing  and sewing preparation done.  Unfortunately in bits and pieces. Funnily enough, some of you have been talking about busy lives and not being able to sew, and how this is upsetting for you.  I too am about to resume a  busy life - I had a bit of a disappointment this year, in that I did not get a place in Psychology Honours, but the applications start again soon, and I am hopeful...I know more about the process now.  Applications are very time consuming - takes me a full week to do just one.  I've also got to get the roof replaced on the house, and fix the kitchen and run my husband's practice - he says it has never run so smoothly as when I helped out in a crisis and sort of still am.  Past experience has taught me that when I get busy, I ignore sewing, and then wear ill fitting ready to wear clothes that I hate, then I am miserable etc - I'm sure y

Most of us have busy lives, and fitting sewing into hectic schedules is not always easy.  I try and fit bits and pieces of preparation into some day,s and fit bits and pieces of sewing into other days - and sometimes I manage to do a bit of both. In the middle of a project, I tend to focus, but at either ends, or with simple jobs, I'll often be working on one project while thinking about how to tackle the next. After I complete my skirt, I will be wanting to make the next project - a really scary one - pants again.  So today I started tracing the pattern I might use.  I say might, because sometimes the muslin process tells me that this is not the right pant for now, or for the fabric. The first job is tracing the pattern - I usually do size 8 legs, 10 hips, 12 waist (I'm a rectangle).  I am not sure about the crotch, so I usually start with 8 and put the size 12 curve in as well: Multiple crotch lines on back of pants. The pattern I am thinking about

One Garment a Month- New Challenge starts October Hello everyone, Sunday again, and as you know, I always say hi to everybody, and also welcome any new followers to my blog - and this week I would like to welcome Jessie and Sarah, both following via Bloglovin. As you know, my DH volunteered to upgrade my computer, which was slowly coming to a full stop.  He is also doing the medical cover this weekend - and it is a busy weekend - so I couldn't see when he would  get this done.  The job is started, but  a long way from being finished.  So I have resurrected my old laptop, with DH's help.  And now  I am back blogging!!  :) DH gave me a Tablet a couple of weeks ago, and I decided to look at that and try and work out how to blog on that.  It's a very different platform (Android).  I could get into Blogger and I worked out how I use it on that format.  Playing around with it,   I accidentally published one of my "not to be published" drafts - only the

Just a quick post today - my DH is busy upgrading my computer, and most of my "things" are not yet loaded.  So if I go off the air for a while, that is why.   I'll still be sewing though, and keeping track of your blogs on my mobile phone.  He assures me I'll be back blogging on the weekend, but sometimes it takes longer than he anticipates or he has more demands with his hospital work than anticipated. Okay, part two of Scary September ( a challenge held by Beverly, AKA "BeaJay" - find her and details of this challenge at www.ontheroadtosewwear.blogspot.com  Sometimes I buy fabric that is currently fashionable, and don't get around to making it up.  I think I am also a little scared of wearing "on trend" clothes - I'm not a loud sort of person, and don't really like being the centre of attention.   So I am going to face that fear and make up this skirt length of stretch cotton sateen into a little slightly A-line skirt: And th

I know lots of you are aware of Pantone's influence on colour trends for each season, but Pantone is not the only colour group that operates.  Another is color solutions international.  Following is the predictions for what we will be wearing in Spring/Summer 2014. So no matter what your personal colouring, you should be able to find something to suit you for Summer 2014. I've actually placed these colour trends in a page at the top of my blog so that you can refer to them when you like, or better still, visit color solutions international, where you can find colour trends for Autumn and Winter 2013 and also 2014 as well: www.colorsolutionsinternational.com For some reason, I actually prefer this group to Pantone - I think it gives more scope for personal choice, which is what I prefer.  And everyone should be able to find something to suit their personal skin colouring or preferences. Sarah Liz :)