Quick jean mend

I don’t like shopping for jeans. And I have to wear them for my work (when I m waitressing) and not all jeans made the same and of course they production of jeans isn’t great for the planet….. but it is really hard to them second hand. Even though most of mine are I still sometimes need to get new. 

So my favourite pair developed some holes after the wash on the inner tights. I wear them a lot… so I didn’t see the point of paying a lovely lady at the Cardiff central market to do something I can do…

And with some “sewing room” hack…. I put my machine on the ironing board. It is stable and just enough room for some quick mend/fix. 

Well ideally I would have used the lighter thread but it worked just fine. I fix then second the hole developed and I didn’t wear or wash them until they were fixed. I think that’s a key really do good mend. 

I watched the YouTube tutorials…. It suggested the bondaweb (one you iron on then peel and attach more fabric) but I did have any so used interfacing. And a lot of stitching! 

Mending your clothes is an act of rebellion! I refused to buy new and prolonged the life of my loved garment! 

And now that I m ok to sew on top of the ironing board I am tackling my toiles! It’s super functional once I need to press I just put the machine on the floor and plug the iron on! So stay tuned for more 

It’s been a while

Sewjo was pretty much missing. Didn’t help that sewing bee came to an end and what amazing season it was! These made to measures were so incredible I almost woke my snoozing husband on the sofa when I was watching it… 

Just amazing….. make me wonder about my own abilities really. Not comparing coz we are all different and still learning but yeah I hoped to progress more but now. 

But instead I am super tired and unmotivated. 

Well as I was saying I don’t have constant sewing space and small kids and sewing bits don’t really mix. School holidays don’t help when I spend the day with troops and then trying to not to be overwhelmed by it all. My eldest is non verbal and little is having hard time being two… so it can be challenging. 

I didn’t even watch many of my favourite sewing YouTube people. But I did pick up some sewing magazine and was so inspired to do some of the patterns that came in but then I didn’t ready really them. And that too is unusual. 

But I am trying to when I got an email from lovely Kayleigh from lovely Fleur et Ours shop I had to get some goodies. She had a summer sale too. 

So I got a big remnant in that checkered fabric. I was thinking dress by mother convinced me to make trousers and maybe something for boys from left overs. Or maybe top and trousers into the fake jumpsuit. Or maybe Safiya dungarees ? The fabric with flowers was a mystery bundle with some surprise haberdashery in this case these lovely wooden buttons and matching thread. And I got Tauko after watching Fold Line talk about this. So happy days I feel more inspired. I also need to make more undies and fix my favourite pair of jeans. And I finally want to finish up all my unfinished things and toiles that I have cut out…. And maybe do some embroidery/cross stitch. 

Me made me 2023

Some mermaid made 2023 coming to the end and I tried to participate. I didn’t make a public pledge, it was more like a small meat challenge tried to me made out of it every day if possible outcomes are and see what I need what I’m lacking what is too small or too big. Basically where am I made and audit the wardrobe.

I did reach for staff in forever, like one of the dresser for really nicely. That’s the blue Suki dress by Tilly the buttons. Same with my Star Wars dress aka 1st dress I made, it was snug in the summer and fits nicely now! 

Suki dress

Star Wars dress aka Bettine by Tilly and buttons again 

Same with a cropped Indigo top which I did and we are really bad. I’m wearing it now. I think it’s super cute.  

Indigo top hack

What are the discoveries I do have close. I don’t fit me and it’s fine body changes are normal and physically natural. There was still on the finally got my summer clothes out from the attic, and discovered that one of the favourite dress is only worn once doesn’t fit anymore! But that wasn’t a me made.

Another discovery, I made that SoZoe undies are the most comfortable pants I own. I reach to them every time and already cut out and start sewing more pairs. Sorry no pics! 

I also have nowhere nice to take a picture. Really need to finish tidying and decorating the house.

And the fabric I buy is all very flamboyant and with pattern and I probably need to get some plain fabric and garments that go together without pattern clash. It’s not really me. The first photo is all I’ll go get some jerseys and linens and make some T-shirts yeah! But I’ve  never before made any I’m not sure how quickly can make one and I didn’t want to buy new fabrics just yet and on a whim as I have enough in my stash for now. So I went to my local charity shops with hope dining some plain tops and the pre-loved universe delivered. I’ve bought several tops that are good quality last couple of seasons and give money charity, win win! 

I also seen some more items that are missing. I really enjoy wearing pijamas (that fairly new thing, since little Grayson arrived, I used to be a tee in bed kind of person) so exploring what I can make. 

Currently I m in my Sofiya trousers (but they have a tiny hole, joys of vintage fabric) so I will make more trousers and shorts! 

Sofiya shorts. But ones I want to make (hope I have enough fabic) will be form cute African wax print. 

And here are the trousers! I m planning a stripy pair with shorter leg length for summer. 

So here we are happy end of me made may! Hope you have learnt things!

New skill. Continuous bias tape

My sewjo is cooperating … well it’s to do with a 2 year old who stopped napping and doesn’t want to sleep at night either. I guess it’s a stage. A very tiring stage. So I didn’t do much sewing. 

I wanted a quick win. That would include pile of mending, well did all the hand sewing, not putting patches on torn knees of big boy’s joggers. But it’s next. 

I wanted to finish my scrappy/parchworky sewing machine cover. And I needed a bias tape for the edges. Also never attached bias tape before or quilted for that matter. So new skills, satisfying make two birds with one stone! 

It’s not colour coordinated it’s more oh look that’s a nice fabric where and it’s precut too! Not sure why I have these in my stash but super satisfying to just pull out ready cut out strips! 

So I had my bias tape makers but I never used them and after doing some YouTube research I made this…. Meters of it in fact!

Used pompon maker as a base to wind it up to keep tidy. Tell you one thing, it’s satisfying make and bias tape maker are a little trickier to use than expected actually. Or maybe it was just me. 

But in the end of the day I need to make wider tape or rethink how I m finishing the edge. 

I will be definitely make more tape and will finally tackle some of DIY Daisy projects soon that involve bias tape. But definitely wider tape next time! 

Sew frugal 23 make

With my sewjo  being slightly AWOL, I didn’t think I’ll be able to participate in #SewFrugal23. It is an Instagram challenge where you should only use free pattern available to everyone, so not that comes in sewing magazine, or anything similar and fabric from your stash. Oh, and there are prizes! 

But suddenly out of nowhere, I just made three pairs of pants.

Personally, I think those tropical craziness are the prettiest ones and neatest ones I made. 

I used free pattern from Sozoblog by Zoe Edwards. The pattern has two options for the gusset. Very detailed instructions and lots of other useful tips and tricks, like how to deal with fold over elastic, making with knit fabric. I mean Zoe is great and they should listen to her podcast called a Check Your Thread.

It was my first time making with stretch fabric of any kind, and definitely my first time is full of elastic or making undies. I did enjoy making the underwear, even though it was tricky and new techniques.

So far I made three pairs and they’re all not quite right. I do find the fold over elastic process. Very tricky time-consuming and I’m not the neatest person so it’s going really against me in this case.

I’m glad they are under garments, but they are so incredibly comfortable. I don’t think I event had a pair of undies that are this comfortable! 

Though tips for the future, if you got out the pattern ages ago and don’t sell it for over a year it’s my worth checking your measurements as I discovered that the tropical pants are an inch to big bad, still perfectly wearable and so comfy.

I definitely will make some more again. I still have blue jersey left and some of this tropical fabric and they have different colour fold over elastic. I might  want to try different technique me before putting fold over elastic on. I tried when you sell it on one side first, and then on the other, but the garment seems stretched out and didn’t look very pretty. It’s fine to wear by just aesthetically, wasn’t very pleasing. And I didn’t catch some fabric. The original message Zoe recommends is a bit too fiddly for me. Maybe I just need to pay more attention.

My lovely husband told me that they look like old man budgie smugglers. Isn’t it lovely? 

As for #SewingFrugal23 I also cut out Sabrina scared by little pomegranate and hoping to make it this weekend.

Culottes. Most recent make

So I got the simply sewing magazine I really like the patterns in it. And I always like a sewing magazine. Well almost any sewing magazine… 

These. They took my fancy. And I want to learn new things like invisible zip on these… I measured funny. I’m like a little log shape with big boobs and butt sticking out. And not at the best shape of my life but that’s ok. So my hips measured at size 10 and I was like size 14 … I did think to toile. Good job me actually! Used one of crazy fabrics I got of eBay in bundles, I was hoping if anything I could wear these at home. Like a wear at home wearable toile. But I digress. 

I have seen so many lovely versions and even some super useful with adjustment and how to fit…. 

But what I did forget that this type of bottoms don’t suit me. I can’t wear chinos for example as they create empty air bulge on the front. Butt usually looks phenomenal (yes yes it  blooming is) but the front is bizarre. 

So I stitched them up, ready to adjust the at the back darts and front pleats and I put them on…. They were too tight in the bottom with hungry bum effect. And way too much space on the front, all the fabric and not enough body. So I have decided it’s not a good fit, shape for me and will take too much work that I am willing to put all the work in and then not being happy with fit anyway. 

Instead I made this pin cushion. Stuffed with scraps, ribbon was saved from something too. Go great win for sustainability… but not a win for culotes. 

I will have to figure out what trousers will look good. And will be not making any for a while I guess. Ah can’t win all the time. 

Oh by the way if anyone wants this pattern get in touch! 

Sewjo where are you

Perhaps it’s because I don’t have a sewing space and takes me to move the  table (sometimes to a different room) the bring my sewing machine down (I have to keep it ware from little fingers) get all the bits and get ready…. So I just haven’t been sewing very much.

Hopefully the sewjo will come back. I did manage to drag the table from my original sewing space from living room by myself, but had to enlist husband’s help to take it back. And I did mend some trousers and joggers and shorten a pair of jeans. 

The shorten the jeans I used a nice reel tutorial from Instagram by Angeline Murphy. It’s very easy to follow and my came out little bit wonky so do not look too closely, but they are correct length now.

I mended two pairs of husbands work trousers as a chef has provided by work, and sometimes it rips and I don’t see the point of just buy new ones when you come fix something. And I also mended my older son joggers they went on the knee and they pretty much new! He is a very active child so that is expected.

I am excited to make some new projects, but I’m also back to gentle exercise and watching what I eat and drink, so I can lose a bit of roundness. I just don’t feel a strong and as fast as I want to be. I want to finish my toiled I have already cut out and ready Danika jumpsuit from the fibre mood! It’s actually the second attempt at that toile … as the 1st one I messed up but fabric wasn’t great and was fraying too much. 

Oh and on the subject of these jeans. They are Levi’s from charity shop!