Slow Fashion Just got Slower

I have spent this term learning pattern making with St George and Sutherland Community College, and loved every minute of it.  I had to get over the sick "I'm in over my head" feeling in the first lesson, but thanks to a great teacher and taking things a step at a time I got quite far along the road.  It unraveled a lot of the mystery of patterns.  Drawing them up was more like an exercise in geometry than creative genius.  It was an extremely satisfying process for my mind that is clearly far less terrified of maths than imagination.

A Change of Name - What do you Think?

I've been thinking about changing the name of my blog.  I'm not worried about losing readers, as I certainly don't have many, and intend to make it clear where I can be found in the future.  While it was coming up with the name that finally got me to sit down and start posting, it hasn't really stood the test of time for me, its too long and not very evocative.

I'm considering

• The Hare and the Tortoise (although this very nice blog exists already)
• The Snails Pace
• A Snails Pace of Life
• It's a Snails Life
• The Snail and the Tortoise

As you can see I've got a bit of a snail thing going on, the underdog of the cute crafting movement. 

I don't usually invite comments in my posts, due to my low readership and not wanting to watch the tumbleweed roll by the comments section.  But here goes..... Any thoughts on the name change?

Space Station Costume

The school's book week always fills me with a mix of fear and ambition.  Particularly so this year as my son was still mentally scarred by the supposed Harry Potter costume I threw together in two minutes for the school disco.  It's rubbish-ness did not escape the attention of the other kids there.

I love that my kids think outside the box for costumes, not stopping to consider whether their ideas might be humanly possible. For the first time this year the book parade had a theme, Space.  Despite the fact I don't think this theme has much to do with books, or lends itself to costumes brilliantly, we rose to the challenge.

Weighted Vest - Hopefully the Ugliest Thing I Ever Make

A year or so ago a wonderful teaching assistant at my son's school recommended I make a weighted vest to help him settle in class.  They are known to calm kids with autism spectrum, sensory processing, attention and anxiety disorders.  They work upon the same principle as feeling cosy under a thick blanket, I know I do, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.

I watched Temple Grandin the other night and it seems the idea initially came from her being hugely calmed by some sort of cow squeezing machine, I don't know what it is, I'm a city girl.  Temple Grandin has been a pretty revolutionary force in the understanding and treatment of people with autism spectrum disorders.  As I google this I realise there are machines on the market for humans that do the same job, but a vest seems a lot more practical for a mainstream classroom.

It's the Thought That Counts

I have a 70's pattern book that has some pretty groovy threads in, and some pretty awful ones too.  One of the patterns is for a very cute Angel Top which I enjoy making for friends with little girls.  One of my good friend's twins recently (read several months ago) turned one.  They are a boy and a girl and I was keen to make the Angel top for the little girl.  It's a pattern I've made many time, but it's incredible how I can still get things wrong.  My only mistake was turning the sleeves up a little too much, but given that I can't fit it to the baby it's all guess work anyway.

Life Got In The Way (and Minecraft)

As regular visitors (hello Shell and Kate) will be aware it's been a long time since I've managed to post anything.  This is partly because I've been exhausted from a rough few weeks and partly because my creative efforts have turned to things that will make it a bit better.

One good reason to not be sewing so much is my missing of seeing live bands has finally overwhelmed me and I've done something about it.  After years of wanting to see The Herd I heard last Wednesday morning on the radio that they were doing a free gig in Bondi that night.  The fact it was free, drivable to and parkable at got me over the nerves of going on my own, and I'm so glad I did, I loved it.  I loved it so much in fact I went to see Big Scary supported by Courtney Barnett on my own a couple of days ago too.  This was also fantastic, but sitting around between acts pushed my self consciousness limits a bit.

Family Fimo Time

A few weeks ago I bought a necklace with Fimo beads at the Pop & Shop Market in Kyle Bay.  It's a lovely necklace, which I am complimented on every time I wear it, not a common occurrence for me.  While obviously I can't claim any credit for this beyond choosing it to buy, it has inspired to revisit another hobby I enjoyed in the past, Fimo.

My older son's homework was to make a solar system diorama, so I seized the opportunity for some Family Fimo Time, and here are the results.

Little Prince Costume

Last November my son wanted to dress as The Little Prince from Antoine de Saint-Exupér's novel for his school Bookweek parade.  I loved that this beautiful classic had caught his imagination over Ben 10 and Zac Powers, but obviously a pirate would have been easier.  My other son picked the Jabberwocky, but this was so ambitious I didn't feel much pressure.  

Fun with Dyes

Here is "Project I've been meaning to do for three years" #57.  I had a couple items of clothing that were too stained for me to wear respectably, and also a skirt that I liked the shape of but found the colour drab.  So I thought I'd revive my former love of tie-dye, and also experiment with dip-dying.

Ground Cushions

I don't really have much to say about these cushions made from the offcuts of my earlier larger cushion.  They seemed like a practical idea to stop little bottoms getting wet, and were easier to make than the cushion with rounded corners.  Also they're dull enough that I had to get Dougie to jazz up the photo and now have photographic evidence of one of the few times he did exactly what I wanted to do.

A Cushion That Will Outlive The Outdoor Lounge It Was Made For

We picked up this lounge during a clean up campaign, probably over a year ago.  I was weighing up whether to replace it's existing cushion, and then it was chewed up by our puppy (thanks Dougie).  A year later, here's the new cushion, I'm pretty pleased with it, far more pleased than I am with the chair.  It was always pretty rubbish quality but has been used as a prop for a 7-year old's production of Jack-ass for the last year.

All this progress without lifting a needle

A visit from my parents and the school holidays has slowed to a halt my already tortoise-like productivity.  Doing nothing for about 4 weeks, somewhat numbs the excitement of having finished a dress once.

A clean slate

Last night I finished off the last of the jobs that have been jammed into my sewing cupboard for an embarrassingly long time.  It was one of those nights though that I managed to inject a little disaster into everything I did.

After Five : Fashion from the Darnell Collection

I can't remember where I read that Hazlehurst's latest exhibition was a fashion collection, but it left me more than a little excited.  Granted we're not exactly spoilt for choice of galleries in the Sutherland Shire, but who needs choice when you've got Hazlehurst.  I have always loved fashion exhibitions, and although I had no idea what After Five: Fashion from the Darnell Collection was about, saw no reason why it should be the exception.

A Sewing Haitus - My First Excuse

My mum and dad have very kindly come to stay with us for a few weeks.  I had a feeling that this might slow my crafting activities, and so far have been proved very right.  Sadly my busy-ness this week hasn't even had much to do with the parent's visit, just the craziness, lows and highs of my own parenthood.

Odds and Ends, Bits and Bobs

In the continued spirit of clearing out my to do pile, last night I got lots of very satisfying little jobs done.  And even more satisfyingly decided some jobs weren't worth doing.  I keep telling myself that I should have my bootleg jeans a sensible length so they don't fray at the heel, but I just can't bring myself to do it.  I'm not sure sensible length equals stylish length when it comes to trousers.  The problem is mostly solved by the bootleg being the current trouser cut that equals fashion suicide.

NEWS FLASH: Blog succeeding at job for which it was intended

I read an article about Jane Fonda today, very insprational

I am extremely excited to have finished a second of the projects that I have had sitting in the cupboard for months.  I've wanted to make some leg warmers for literally years, but have been more than a little impeded by not knowing how to knit.  I tried and failed to learn, and also found a pair of (discounted) ethically made leg warmers for 5 pounds from People Tree , so gave up.

The leg warmers I made for last winter

The work in progress

When I learnt to knit from the both much-loved and highly understandable Stitch and Bitch it said that knitters hate the sewing the pieces together bit at the end.  My first thought was that I love sewing so that won't be me at all.  But lo and behold the first garment that involved sewing seams sat in my cupboard for 6 months before I dragged them out again last night.

One week in, one finished peice

The finished dress (not the potato sack).

Longer ago than I can care to remember, I started making a dress from the Sewing School pages in peppermint magazine.  It's a lovely idea, but unfortunately I fell down at the first hurdle.  It had a square in the printed pattern that you were meant to ensure was 10cm, so that the whole pattern was the right size.  Well it wasn't, but I had no idea how to change it so I just carried on anyway, schoolgirl error.  This, plus I don't think it always used best practice techniques, meant that at the end of following the instructions I had a prettily-patterned potato sack.  I was loath to throw away the time, effort and nice fabric so I embarked on a rescue mission.

Granny Squares with some Grannies

 

I made some more granny sqaures today while I was working in a very quiet clothes shop.  It works well for me as the older ladies who come in sometimes have some tips, and I've got no idea what I'm doing.  Apparently I need to be leaving more chain stitches in the corners.  I'm more concerned about the fact they're all slightly different sizes and they're never going to fit together neatly, but not worried enough to do anything about it.  The silly thing is I was embarrassed to call them granny squares in front of the lady I spoke to as I somehow had the idea she might be offended by the association to a small acrylic square.

The Shire Vintage and Collectables Fair

I had an hour or so to myself this afternoon, and my latest excuse not to sew was The Shire Vintage and Collectables Show.  I love this kind of thing but usually feel too guilty to go, also I rarely get it so close to home.  My heart melted at Vanity sets like my Grandma used to have and Sindy wardrobe's like I used to have. I saw some beautiful things, but mostly it inspired me to pull out some of the things I've inherited that I already have tucked away.

You've got to start somewhere

My almost-trusty machine

I've wanted to start a blog about my learning to sew for a long time but for some reason today is the day it's happening.  Probably because I have heaps of other boring jobs to do.

I've always loved altering clothes and charity shopping (as I grew up in England calling it).  About five years ago I inherited my Grandma's old sewing machine and started to try to construct clothes from scratch.  Some of the things I've made I've been very proud of, some have made me laugh and some I've just sworn at.  I love the process of dress making as it forces me to slow down, concentrate and try to do things as perfectly as I can rather than settle for good enough as is my habit.  I find it very meditative.