Work in Progress

What am I working on this weekend?

Well first up is an UFO. My Colette patterns Lady Grey Jacket, which if I look back at some notes I made, I started in November 2011. 

Collar hand tailored and steamed

The worst is, when I looked at it the other day, I have done the hard part. I have hand tailored the collar, lapels etc. I used Gerties New Blog For Better Sewing, Lady Grey Sew Along.  And then I just left it.

I even knitted long gloves to go with the 3/4 length sleeves of this jacket.

Now there is a mad rush to finish as I am going away next week and want to take this with me. Nothing like a nice little deadline to get things going!

I am also knitting the Hedera socks from CookieA. This is a free pattern, but I only discovered this after I purchased mine. But that’s ok!

I am using green yarn. Hedera is a type of ivy, and once I had read that I couldn’t bring myself to look at any other colors!

I love the lace pattern on these. It is an easy to memorize four row pattern. This is my first attempt at socks and also a lace pattern. I am hoping to finish the second sock while I am away. I am using bamboo needles, so not sure whether they will be allowed on the plane in my hand luggage. The Air Canada website only mentions allowing plastic round tipped needles.  Not sure what to do there. Anyone travelled and knitted with bamboo needles on a plane?

Very Easy Butterick Dress

Butterick 5247

The pattern envelope says this is a one hour pattern and it really is. From having the fabric on my cutting table to trying the finished dress on was an hour. I have an overlocker (serger) and overlocked the seams as well as using a stretch stitch on my sewing machine. This dress has no darts, so relies of the fabric for the shape.

It is two pieces for the front and back, a cowl neck and a ties belt.

I have made this dress once before, a purple one which is so handy for work. I can see this one being a staple for work as well, with a black jacket or a cardigan.

The best part is the fact that I scored the fabric from our recent swap at the Toronto Bloggers Meet-up. 

This fabric was from Seraphinalina. And she has made the following dress from it.

Mathilde .......at last!

Late again as usual!

By now the entire sewing world has probably made at least one Tilly and the Buttons Mathilde Blouse, but better late than never I always say!!

I chose a soft white cotton fabric with a nice drape (from Fabricland) for this blouse. I know white is so boring, but white blouses are a wardrobe staple for me, especially for work.

I really like this pattern. I love the buttons at the back, an unusual feature for a blouse. I used clear buttons.

The construction steps were nicely explained in the pattern instructions (love the little check boxes!), but if you need more in-depth details you could just go to Tilly’s blog.

I will definitely be making more of this and in more exciting colours! Plus I know it is copying, but I have to do a chambray like Tilly! Luckily we live on different continents so the chance of us bumping into each other wearing the same blouse is minimal!!

A facelift!

For three years my orchid did nothing, now it blooms!!

I have been blogging for just on two years and for the first few months I kept it private, it was just for my own personal enjoyment. But then decided that I would change the settings and make it public. I am so glad I did as really enjoy the interaction with other like minded people.

Now I am about to give my blog a bit of a facelift.

First the name, I want something shorter, so we are going with  "Sew Debbie” (which sort of matches the website address). “Sew I Think I Can Sew” was too long!

Then the layout and color has changed! 

My trusty sewing companion!

I also want to really spent this year improving my photography as when I am looking at other blogs, it is often the pictures that catch my attention. Hence the random pics in this posting!!

Another change is to do a weekly check in of what I am busy with. Sometimes it is a few weeks before I have a finished article photographed ready to go. So this will hopefully keep me more on track, if I have a weekly update of where I am. My theory is that if I go public with half finished items / plan it will motivate me to get them competed more quickly!

On a sewing note I made another shopping bag, from Simplicity 2806. My friends seem to be enjoying their hostess gifts!!