Argh inspiration overload

It’s happened again, I have too many ideas going on in my head, have too many things I want to do, I spend every lunch-hour window shopping on the internet, filling baskets but never actually pressing the “continue to checkout” button.  I can’t focus, I can’t think straight.  I need help! 

Ok ok ok, Laura, stop, breathe, re-group.  I have issues.  I have a very distractible flighty brain, my thoughts whizz from one thing to another very quickly.  In fact I’m like a squirrel who’s drunk too many coffees.  You should see me when I’m on a computer, my boyfriend gets a bit motion sick watching the screen when I’m on my laptop, I’m that fast.

The problem I now face is, I have a plan, and want to stick to it.  I’m ready to start drafting my wool half circle skirt and to cut a toile for my darling ranges dress.  The fabrics are washed and ready to go.  Buuuut I’ve just discovered the joys of overlockers and sewing with knits, so want to make this pattern

And this pattern 

and that pattern

and a million more of this pattern

Oh and the ballet dress by DIY Dixie too!

I need to pull up the reigns, and re-stock before I get too over excited and (like I usually do) end up doing nothing.

Maybe I can come up with a compromise.  I have decided to buy an overlocker, and have signed up for a workshop in April that runs through everything you need to know to use one.  I know I’ve already been playing with Zoe’s but she did give me a crash course on how to use hers, and I am a bit nervous a different machine might scare me off.  So I thought if I bought one of my own I could get familiar with it in a structured environment. 

So I am thinking that I should maybe make one more Renfrew whilst I have Zoe’s machine and then put knits aside until April.  So spend March making my wool skirt and at least starting on my darling ranges dress, as that’d be a great springtime dress to have.

Then I have summer to whip up tees and summer dresses in jersey fabrics (my eye is on you simplicity 2443).  I know myself and when there’s sunshine outside I will want to be out in it with my hula hoops.  Sewing indoors will not be a priority for me, so trying to make a few vesty dresses for summer hooping is reasonable I think, as knits are quick and easy clothes to make, and are practical to wear.

Finally come autumn I can crack on with the rest of my plan and make the pleated and gathered skirt, and maybe try my hand at the trousers.

Ok now I’ve put that in words I feel better.  Thanks guys, talking it through has really helped :o)

Farewell 2011

Hi everyone,

I'm not going to do a year in review / round-up post becuase quite frankly my sewing achievements are petty paultry compared with a lot of other bloggers out there.  Sewing hasn't come easily to me, and I have strugged so much with fitting that it has put me off even attempting to make a lot of the things I've really wanted to.  However I do get a lot of satisfaction from sewing, in both the process and the completion of a project, and I do want to do a lot more of it next year. 

With that in mind I do have some serious sewing plans for the new year.  I have already started sewing my peony dress,  I’ve also ordered the fab Darling Ranges dress from Megan Nielsen’s website (then saw you can buy it in the UK at Backstitch, d'oh!), having seen awesome versions by Mary at Idle Fancy and Paunnet.  Not forgetting that I have an altered Rooibos pattern just sitting there begging to be used, so I have three dresses now in progress or being planned in my head.  Hopefully I will finish one of them in time to wear for my birthday on the 14^th January.

I have also been doing some Christmas related sewing and embroidery, check out my post over at Tilly’s Crafty Christmas Club for more info on that!

Have great Christmas everyone and see you in 2012!

Sunny Monday walkies

This isn't a sewing related post, but I have been using Picnik recently in the hope of improving the look of my blog photos.  I thought I would share some pics of a recent walk John and I went on along the South Downs, and show you what I've been playing around with.



A weekend of progress, and a weird interfacing dilemma

I have been quite a busy girl this weekend.

John went on a boys only camping trip (sleeping in a cave, no less) leaving me free reign to cover the flat in bits of tissue paper, scraps of fabric, threads, pins, and other such sewing related mess.

So what have I achieved?

Well first off, I completed one of my gifts, so here it is one Parisian buttercup bag (please ignore the fluff and lint, this fabric is like a lint magnet!!):

This is for a work friend who is off to live in Paris for 3 months (I am very jealous).  So this cute little print seemed to be the perfect choice for the lining.

I also popped to the shops and bought all I needed for my pretty summer dress.  I decided on a large polka dot fabric for this, and will use New Look 6457 view A, making the top band and straps out of a plain white cotton.

All the fabric is washed and ready to go.  Not looking forward to fitting the bodice though, it's my first attempt at an FBA on princess seams!

I have also (finally) cut out all the pieces for my Beignet.  So that's good to go now.

But, when I attched the interfacing onto the facing pieces, the fabric ended up being a bit bubbly / puckery. Have a look at these pics:

I swear I pressed and didn't iron the pieces, so I'm not sure what happened!  Should I cut new pieces and try again, or leave them as they are.? What might have caused this problem and how do I avoid it happening again??
Even besides the weird problem with my interfacing, I am feeling a lot more focused and productive at the moment, so hopefully I will do some sewing in the week.

Oh also, I found out on Friday that I passed my final AAT exam.  Woo, no more exams ever!!!!

Unsuprisingly Laura isn't posting about sewing

Yes well I have to confess my "Amazing plan of action" isn't actually working.  But I protest, it's not my fault!!  I mean how can you by rights sit indoors and study let alone sew when you have this outside your front door!

So I confess that this weekend, which was supposed to consist of one day studying and one day sewing, will now more than likely consist of  me and my fella sitting outdoors in the sun, perhaps some doing some hula hoping and maybe just maybe throwing in a bit of studying.  Unfortunately I am working to a deadline with my college project but the sewing can wait (at least a couple of weeks).  The only thing I must make soon is the purses, but I can do both of those in one evening.

So I think I need to re-think my schedule.  I was banking on this weekend and next but I need to buck my ideas up during the week and start spending my evenings sewing and studying rather than lolling about on the sofa watching rubbish tele.

So apologies, I have no completed sewing projects, or embroidery or even any "in progress" pictures to show you this week.  Sorry to disappoint, don't be sad, but instead why don't you turn off your PC and go enjoy the sun, like I'm about to do!

Oh also, after my project is out the way I am thinking of joining in on Tilly's Sewing Productivity Project, so I can sit down and work out what I really do with my time, and how I can be more productive.  I must confess that I am acutely aware that I don't sew nearly as much as the rest of you sewing bloggers out there!

Happy weekend all. xx