Sew vintage pt 1

I finally got around to something I have been meaning to do for ages... figure out how to wind a bobbin on my singer 201K. Thanks to YouTube and a print out of the original manual, I managed to wind not 1 but 2 bobbins!  

I also puzzled out how to cut a skirt from a lovely scrap of plaid fabric I found at an op shop years ago, and had stored in a box labelled " Outlander fabrics". But really there was not enough of this fabric to make an Outlander length skirt. But there was just enough to make a past knee length skirt, based on a green plaid skirt I found in my abandoned projects box - another op shop find, but the skirt was slightly too small. I finally figured that by unpicking and widening the pleats, I could add in a little bit more width to the waist. Of course I added in a pocket too. 

So using the green skirt as  pattern inspiration, I cut out the brown plaid. There was just enough for the skirt and pocket, with only a bookmark sized scrap left over! 

Since it was a sort-of vintage styled skirt - inspired by Bernadette Banner's modern day Victorian walking skirt - I thought it would be  the perfect first project to sew on my vintage singer!

The only modern day sewing was that since I thought the wool fabric would fray like blazes, I overlocked the edges of the 2 skirt pieces & 2 pocket pieces ( the skirt is basically 2 large rectangles). 

The singer is a dream to sew with! I love love LOVE the speed control I have with the knee lever, I can sew soooo slowly if needed, like the tricky bit around a zip. And it is much more quiet than my Janome. I even like the smell, which is probably mostly machine oil. I read that they use a bit of oil & that it is recommended to oil the machine at the start of each new project. I figured since mine has bwen sitting there unused for a year since I had it serviced, a few drops  of oil wouldn't go astray. 

I just have to finish the hem of my skirt tomorrow & it is ready to wear. It should be lovely and warm in this chilly weather!

All labelled up!

 Checking my email last week, I saw that Kylie and The Machine had a sale on their awesome labels. I already have some ( Christmas present!) but have not used many ( apparently I  didn’t do any clothes sewing last year!). But they are just so cool I had to buy some more!

They arrived today - and how sweet is the packaging!

Pink cartoon tape on the outside, cute printed tissue on the inside!

These are the labels I bought.  Planning to use them on clothes and quilts.

Already had these, started using some “ this is the back” labels.

Bought this tin ages ago and just realised it is just the right size to hold my labels ( I added the stickers on the front) fits them all perfectly!  

PS does anyone recognise the quote in the title ? 

Sashiko success!

I finished a range of sashiko " samplers" a few weeks ago, with the plan of putting them together to make a cushion cover. I had planned to sew it up in the school hols... so 9pm tonight I sat down to piece it together! Nothing like leaving your school holiday homework til the last minute - exactly what we always tell the kids not to do! 

But I knew it wouldn't take long, and anyway I was getting really tired of looking at the black & white zig zag print on the cushion insert. I ended up having to put the cream stripe cover back on ( hand stitching the broken zipper shut first) to stop the  black & white showing through. 

A quick envelope back from a couple of large  scraps worked for the back panels, and tah dah! Sashiko sampler cushion cover. ( Large " floor" cushion, must be over 20 years old).

New project -more Outlander sewing!

 I have been thinking about this latest project for ages - Brianna’s patchwork shirt from Season 4.

I started by searching op shops for a suitable linen shirt, ended up with a couple but decided on this one ( Adele Palmer would you believe!) 

I dyed the shirt with some cheap home brand coffee -now  labelled “ shed” coffee but jokingly referred to as another 4 letter sh word- because it does NOT smell like coffee, not when you open the jar, nor even  that much when boiling water is added! Very weird!

But it works ok to dye a white linen shirt a cream/ off white colour, & my son has used it to dye leather also.

Inspiration & tips from https://redshoesredwine.com/costuming-brianna-outlander-s4-patchwork/

I cut up a pile of patches - some fabric from the stash, as well as some lovely “scraps” found at GJ’s fabrics on my trip there earlier in the year, and some from Jemima’s in Craigieburn too.

I started sewing patches on while watching a movie last weekend, and took the project with me ( in a smaller box now!) while waiting in hospital on Tuesday when my youngest had his wisdom teeth removed .

 Starting to make some progress now, but I still have the sleeves, collar & back to go- as well as adding some embroidery/ boro stitching. I was reluctant to start because my hand stitching is rubbish, but having done a few sashiko projects now I was more confident to get sewing; and was inspired by Sheila at Redshoesredwine to just start! And now I am hooked!