my creative space

...is a mess this week!



I've got half-completed, and yet-to-be-started jobs all over the place.

Plus, I have just (foolishly or otherwise) decided to take part in this quilt-a-long at crazy mom quilts.  It will be only my 2nd ever quilt, and I am planning on giving it as a Christmas present if:

1. it turns out okay and;
2. it's not so fantastic that I want to keep it for myself!

So this week has all about planning and thinking and debating various creative endeavours.  And visiting Spotlight.

I'm enjoying reading what other (far more organised) people have been doing over here.  Thanks for the inspiration, kootoyoo!

Make it Wear It! Challenge completed

The Shearwater Kaftan has been completed!  And it fits me!  I can't tell you how much joy this brings me.  It's kinda ridiculous really.  You see, this is only the 2nd piece of clothing that I have actually finished making that  fits me.  My other clothing endeavours have ended in tragedy - and lots and lots of swearing.  So much so that I have avoided attempting to make clothes for a while.  But...those days are over!  I'm really happy with this creation.  The pattern was quite simple and easy to follow, with no zips or tricky bits.  I also learnt how to make bias tape for the neckline which was fun.  And did I mention it fits me?!

I entered it into the Sew Mama Sew, Make it Wear it! Challenge as a way to motivate me to actually finish the thing.  Which obviously worked, so thank you!

Now I just have to wait until this dreaded Winter is over so I can wear this.  In September.  On the Sunshine Coast.  At the beach.

Next, I'm making this versatile wrap skirt, also by Make it Perfect.  I'm keeping it simple for a little while to rebuild my confidence.  I've got some gorgeous fabric to make this in too.  I'll post some pictures soon.

So hooray all round!  It was a successful sewing weekend!

My creative space

Ok, so I know it's Friday but I really did mean to post about my creative space yesterday!

I have finally started work on the Shearwater Kaftan and so far so good.  I managed to keep the kitties away long enough to cut out my fabric and then got started on the fun part.  So far the instructions are pretty clear and I haven't had cause to curse the thing.  Fingers crossed it stays that way.

I'm crocheting away a couple of things at the moment too.  I'm trying to make a granny shrug and also working on some face cloths.  Crochet is fun.  And super good for doing in front of the tele when it's cold.

Check out some some other creative spaces too.  I did that yesterday and then ran out of time to post myself!

I tried...

I've been trying to do some sewing this afternoon but have given up in frustration.  The reason for this frustration is pictured above.  It seems that the cutting out part of sewing is virtually impossible when you have cats.  Alex thought it would be amusing to run across the room and go skidding through my nicely laid out fabric.  Multiple times.  I didn't find it very amusing.  Certainly not after the third attempt at laying out the fabric.

So being the lovely cat owner that I am, I thought I could distract them by laying out my quilt for them to have a snooze on.  They love snoozing on the quilt.  And under the quilt.  So here they are snoozing away.  Now I can't be bothered cutting on the fabric any more.

C'est la vie!    

Make It, Sew It! Challenge

I am taking part in the Sew Mama Sew, Make It, Wear It! Challenge and here is what I am going to be making.  It is a Make It Perfect Shearwater Kaftan (how lovely!).

Yes, I know it is Winter and that is very clearly not a Winter appropriate garment!  But...there are a few reasons why I am choosing to sew this now:

1. It has no zips or tricky bits so I may actually be able to finish it without chucking a tanty
2. We're celebrating my Dad's birthday on the Sunshine Coast in September and this would be appropriate beach attire for then
3. I'd like to make one for my sister whose birthday is in November (and who lives on a lovely beachy island) and I need to do a trial run
4. I have this pretty fabric at home which I think is just perfect for this pattern

So I have set myself this challenge:  I will complete this in June and it will fit me.

Or else I will cry.

My weekend sewing projects

 had a lovely quiet weekend relaxing, and sewing some birthday presents for my little sister.

I made her this jewellery roll from a pattern in Cath Kidston's Sew (I even successfully put in a zip!  Hooray for me!):

And I also made her this laptop case from a wonderful tutorial at amy a la mode with a nice soft quilted lining and her name embroidered on the front :

I hope she likes them!  Now I just have to remember to post them so she gets them on time!

    

My weekend

I love weekends.  I count down the weekdays until the weekends arrive (and feel bad that I am wishing away time like that!) but I just absolutely adore my weekends.  I love sleeping in, heading out for brunch, watching the football, going out to dinner, sewing...just the little leisurely things you don't get to do during the week.

This weekend I worked on a birthday present for my little sister (shhh - don't tell her!) from Cath Kidston's Sew.  I'm almost finished - hurrah! For the first time in a long time I don't have multiple crafting projects going on at the same time.  I shall hopefully rectify that soon, although I'm not sure what I want to work on next?  My quilt was such a mammoth effort I felt in need of a little crafting break.  But...back to it now!

We also headed out to our local council's Sustainability Expo.  It was only a small event but it was good nonetheless.  The picture in the middle is our new Bokashi Bin which I'm (sadly) very excited about.  I have been very much missing our Brisbane backyard and worm farm lately.  Living in an apartment makes things a little tricky but the Bokashi Bin means no more throwing out organic waste from our kitchen anymore.  Plus our little garden will love us for the fertilizer it will receive :)

We also did lots of laying on the couch and keeping warm with my newly finished quilt and our two cuddly kitties.  Kitties who aren't normally very cuddly but are obviously feeling the Melbourne cold as much as we are right now.  That's Alex up there.  Isn't he just adorable?

And now it's Monday yet again, so let us battle on through to Friday afternoon.

Long time no post

Ok, so it's been a while between posts.  I won't bore you with excuses, but I am back!

I am back and I am happy to report that I have finished my first ever quilt.  *insert joy here*

Thanks to an amazing quilt-a-long guide at i have to say... i have now FINISHED a quilt that I absolutely adore.  I can't praise Randi and her quilt-a-long instructions enough because I definitely wouldn't have been able to do it without them.  You should check her blog out - it's awesome!

Here is a very bad picture of my quilt taken with my iphone (apologies):

So as you can see, even though I have been very bad at blogging this year, I have been crossing some things off my 'to do' list - yay me!

Expect to see more of me from now on...

Oh, and a gigantic thank you to everyone who has commented on my neglected blog so far.  You are all lovely.

The frustrations of a beginner sewer

Originally uploaded by Old Shoe Woman

So I have been sewing all day today and it hasn't really amounted to anything.  As a beginner sewer I know that it is a gamble if the thing is going to work or not.  I've been making a skirt for the past week or so and  been going along quite nicely.  I made darts.  I made pleats.  And then today....Well, today I was on the home stretch.  I inserted a zip (all be it not as neatly as it could've been) and then realised there was no way the thing was going to fit me.  It was much too small.  Worst of all was that the instructions for the facing were so cryptic I couldn't make any sense of them!  I tried.  I consulted my sewing books.  I tried again.  I tried to the point of giving myself a headache and giving up on the whole thing.  It's taken me a few hours to be okay with that.  I'm really frustrated that I got to the point of almost finishing the thing only not to!  GRRR!

So I would like to put out a world-wide plea to all the pattern makers out there.  PLEASE make your instructions easier to understand.  If the pattern is labelled 'easy' or 'for beginners' then it really should be.  Put in some more pictures.  Explain those terms that pro-sewers already know.  I'm sure it seems easy to you, but remember when you did it for the first time.  Remember how frustrating it was to not understand. 

I'm going to chalk this one up to experience and move on.  Thank god for sale fabric from Spotlight, that's all I can say!

Too much stuff?

 My promise to make 2010 a year of doing things is certainly coming along nicely.  Although now I just need to quit my job so I have time to do everything!

As always my crafting dreams exceed the amount of hours I have in each day.  So far:

• I'm knitting a very cute monkey (twas a birthday present he was!)
• promising myself I WILL insert a zip sometime soon (I'm a little scared)
• I've just signed up for the "Granny a Day" challenge on Pip's blog over here (you should join in too!)
• I would love to join the Melbourne Burda Sewing Club in their sewalong (i.e. making a whole outfit over a few months)
• I'm half way through making a birthday present which needs to be finished before Australia Day
• I have a skirt pattern and fabric all ready to go

However do you find the time?  Really.  I'd love to know!


JW<3