Desert Island Sewing: Our third castaway, Rachel from House of Pinheiro

Posted on 22 February, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

I happened to be paddling my canoe one day when I came across another desert island, & guess who I found? Why Rachel from House of Pinheiro, much loved Brazilian blogging from the UK who I have to say stuns me with her modelling looks nearly as much as her prolific & stylish sewing. Added to that the tempting baking treats that she has been known to blog about means that I am frequently inspired & wish I lived close enough to visit House of Pinheiro’s House (I can write that, can’t I?! )!

Setting the scene then …

“You are stranded on a desert island, surrounded by beautiful crystal blue water populated by turtles & tropical fish (no sharks!). You have a comfy cosy shelter, an abundance of food & drinking water & a solar generator. Upon exploring the island you find a container that has fallen off a cargo ship & guess what? It is filled with what seems to be a never ending supply of fabrics of all descriptions, threads & notions!! What chance!

You are allowed to take your sewing machine & sewing box but which would be your 8 desert island patterns? (Note I will leave it up to my interviewees to imagine that their desert island’s climate & their adventures did not only require bikinis & sarongs but maybe more of a variety of clothing- but up to them! This is about designing their dream but limited wardrobe. The patterns might be practical choices, or maybe they have more sentimental meaning). So what will it be?”

The weather in the UK is grey, cold and uninspiring… Thank you, Winnie for sending me a ticket to the Desert Island Sewing… Yupiiiii…

I spend ages thinking what to pack: With only 8 patterns from a personal collection of 100 plus and wish list of thousands. Serious decisions ladies!

Excited to see what I have packed? To give you an idea what I would sew, I have attached some inspiration….

The first pattern was an easy choice: Vogue 8766. With 6 variations already in the pattern cover this pattern will offer me endless fun of mix and matching…

The second pattern, very useful for the masked balls I will be hosting… Simplicity 2253

And a chance to tackle some fabulous and difficult fabrics.

Of course, I need to run chic errands while away and I love comfort of trousers/pants… I have in my stash the perfect pattern and fabric (found the perfect fabric on Edinburgh) that is dying to be sewn! Vogue 8604 offers a cape and high waist skirt too.

Topless isn’t illegal on the sewing island, however I think Butterick 2682 vintage shirt would do the trick to keep me nicely covered and I would own a few shirt dresses too…

My most used & loved garment of last year (Ikat dress) was made using the dress pattern from Sew U by Wendy, so that’s also packed.

You probably don’t know yet but I have a personal obsession with trench coats. I have my eyes on Threads Simplicity 4084 for ages. I am actively seeking this pattern like a mad woman. Can someone swap with me?? I am in a constant scan of ebay and etsy. I promise It will be so loved.

Of course, my Sew-resolution dress for this year, the bombshell.

And lastly, Elisalex…. I had a blast sewing it and would be great to sew more versions. Have you head of the reversalex? Elisalot? [Editor: Lol.....]

My sewing book.. yummm that decision was even harder because I am a bookworm nerd with a shrine of books around the house… I own more than 55 sewing books. Don’t get me started on the baking books. One would think I own an independent book shop lol.

I’m taking my Brazilian pattern design book. I have made a toile for trousers, jacket, dresses, skirts and tops from the instructions.

I simplified its instructions to draft a pencil skirt in 4 steps. I was very lucky to take one week course when I was on holiday home and really enjoy their pattern design techniques.

On my ipod, I would be listening to Seu Jorge, specially ” American Brasil” album…

while re-reading Sherlock Holmes Complete Works from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Like Winnie, I would take a notebook as my luxury item. I cannot sew without one… I also like drawing, writing lists and secrets..

Ps, Did you notice the lack of bikini patterns? Well, I got to wear my 32 pairs I have stored in my wardrobe…

Well,that’s all from me, see you all in the island!

Love

Rachel,

Sources: Fashion Clothes courtesy of Style.com

Book Cover courtesy of Penguin

Thank you Rachel for such inspiration!! I have loved reading your choices & seeing your images. There are some patterns I never knew existed that are incredibly swoon-worthily stylish (very you!). I am also Spotifying everyone’s music choices & what a wonderful way to discover new delights.

Coming soon to a desert island near you ….Sarah from Rhinestones & Telephones….

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Desert Island Sewing: Our second castaway, Zoe of SoZoWhatdoyouknow

Posted on 6 February, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

Hello! Onto our next eagerly awaited castaway on the most awesome of desert islands: the lovely Zoe from SoZoWhatdoYouKnow. I was about to try to write a sentence describing “in a nutshell” what we know Zoe for, but let me tell you, this sentence would be very long! This ultra stylish & super lovely lady with a keen eye for retro style which spilled beautifully into her 2012 hand-sewn wedding, provides us with a seemingly endless supply of refashioning ideas,is the genius behind the Me Made month challenges & responsible for so many of us becoming successful at sewing pants (hers was the first blog post that demystified the process to me) & enabler of vests. I guess she could be clearly described as an influential facilitator of me made & sustainable fashion…. See, told you it would have been a long sentence, & that’s only the nutshell…

Setting the scene then …

Ok, so to clarify before I begin, this desert island I’ve landed on is WARM! Maybe in the interior of the island it can get a little cooler, but along the shoreline there are palm trees and a fair amount of sunshine to be enjoyed. Oh and the sunsets are beautiful, you really must swing by sometime. Bring a bottle of wine with you, I’ll barbeque some prawns.

So I imagine my life is going to be a moderately active one, there may be some fire wood that requires collecting and those prawns aren’t going to catch themselves. So I’m thinking jersey, comfortable and practical (plus doesn’t require ironing, I’m not going to want to iron too much unless I’m working on a sewing project).

1. Therefore, my first Desert Island pattern is going to be my self-drafted batwing top, both the slash neck version and the woven collar version

[Editor's note: I understand that Zoe aims to have at least the slash neck version available for download soonish, so other sewers can experience how comfortable this top is! What a scoop, you heard it here first!!]

Here’s another one to whet your appetite

2. Continuing on the jersey theme, I’d also bring my self-drafted T-shirt pattern as I’ve made a squillion variations from it, including contrast yoke tops, short sleeved versions and gathered sleeve head options.

3. But what to wear those with? Probs some sailor trousers of some description. I’ve recently located some other sailor trouser pattern options I plan to give a whirl, but on this island with only 8 patterns, I’d best take my tried and tested option: Burda 8488

I really hope there’s some navy, red and mustard linen in that fabric store that’s washed up with me.

4. For warmer days and for prawn-catching, I could do with a pair of shorts. I’m pretty excited about my recent purchase of Kwik Sew 3854, but once again my judgement leads me to taking a tried and tested pattern instead, so probably the Burdastyle Ruby shorts pattern would do the trick (my previous versions can be seen here: and here)

I hope there’s some sets of super cute buttons washed up with me, because between the Ruby shorts and Burda 8488, that’s a lot of buttons I’ll be getting through…

5. I don’t wear skirts very much these days, but that’s largely because I don’t trust the British weather. On my desert island the predictability of sunshine would make a skirt pattern a wise investment. I’d go for Simplicity 2451. The mini skirt version (view D) is so quick to make and easy to wear, plus the pockets would be useful for all the intriguing little things I might find when walking along the shoreline.

6. For days that are too hot to wear clingy jersey tops, looser woven tops would be preferable. Simplicity 4589 gives lots of options to create a variety of loose fitting but super-cute woven tops. I’ve made this a whole bunch of times before with great success and have another currently in the pipeline.

7. And although I haven’t used it myself for a while, my one true pattern-love, Simplicity 3835 [Editor's note: link to very bargainalicious e-pattern] would have to come along. I’d be able to make all sorts of easy to wear tunic tops and dresses, some with contrast sleeves, some with and some without the neck band, some using the fuller sleeve pattern I adapted, some with a keyhole back, some with patch pockets, and so on. I think this is the only dress pattern I’d bother to bring.

I don’t think there’d be much point in getting ‘dressy’ if I’m basically hanging out on my own the whole damn time.

8. Oh no! I only have one pattern left! Hmm, I’m hoping Winnie might bend the rules and let me bring my vest and pants patterns as a kind of undies set?! [ I don't know, what do you think people?] If that’s too cheeky and not allowed, I’d take the pants pattern and redraft the vest one using my T-shirt pattern as a base!

A sewing book? If the definition of sewing book can be stretched to include pattern cutting, then it has to be Winifred Aldrich’s ‘Metric Pattern Cutting’.

I’m always tweeking and adapting my sewing patterns, and with a limited number of eight on this island, I’d be even more likely to mess around with them to create different looks and styles.

My luxury item would have to be my overlocker. I’ve grown way too used to it making finishing raw edges and sewing jersey a breeze. I think I’d feel it’s absence during sewing projects bitterly. And with not much to do with my time except sewing and trying to ferment the native fruit into a primitive alcohol, I’d best take it with me!

Disk?: Beck ‘Odelay’. I haven’t listened to it for a while but it’s very upbeat and diverse, plus comfortingly familiar so a good choice I think in the circumstances (I’m a bit concerned I’ll get a bit lonely on this island).

Non-sewing related book: I was toying with bringing Hunter S Thompson’s ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’, which is the only book I’ve ever read more than once and enjoyed just as much the second time, I find it really entertaining. However, I would be mental not to take a copy of ‘Nella Last’s War’, which is the published diaries of a British housewife during the Second World War who took part in a Government ‘Mass Observation’ Initiative.

(Image from Good Reads whose review is here)

She was such an intelligent, perceptive, deeply thoughtful and caring woman, and her diary reading touched me deeply. With a lack of human contact on this Island, I think I might need to be reminded about how challenging and multifaceted human interaction can be.

Thank you Zoe for taking the time out to draw together your choices for your desert island. I think I might have been able to guess your skirt choice ;-s !! But you have also given us some other interesting patterns to explore, totally perfect for desert island life! [And you know it was a complete toss up for me whether my luxury would have been my overlocker.] I am looking forward to following up your musical & book choices too. Loving all that is coming out of this series, any one else finding new inspiration?

Next Castaway will be Rachel from House of Pinheiro. Watch this space!!

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Desert Island Sewing: Our first Castaway, Roobeedoo

Posted on 25 January, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

Here starts some fun! Who better to leave her foot prints on the sand than Roobeedoo, that definer of individual gorgeous personal style and inspiring stitching & mind-blowing knitting, whose provocative blog also shares great reads & glimpses of life in a rural Scottish hideaway.

I was thrilled that she agreed to be my Desert Island Sewing guinea pig. Let me set the scene …

“You are stranded on a desert island, surrounded by beautiful crystal blue water populated by turtles & tropical fish (no sharks!). You have a comfy cosy shelter, an abundance of food & drinking water & a solar generator. Upon exploring the island you find a container that has fallen off a cargo ship & guess what? It is filled with what seems to be a never ending supply of fabrics of all descriptions, threads & notions!! What chance!

You are allowed to take your sewing machine & sewing box but which would be your 8 desert island patterns? (Note I will leave it up to my interviewees to imagine that their desert island’s climate & their adventures did not only require bikinis & sarongs but maybe more of a variety of clothing- but up to them! This is about designing their dream but limited wardrobe. The patterns might be practical choices, or maybe they have more sentimental meaning). So what will it be?”

So I’m stranded on an island and can only take 8 sewing patterns. Hmmm. Am I starting my wardrobe from scratch? Do I have to work for a living? Is there public transport available? Or can I just stay in one place and do nothing all day except sew, read, write, knit and think?

What’s the weather like? Can I assume it’s neither too hot or too cold and that it doesn’t rain or snow?

1. Straightaway my first thought was the Pattern Runway Scalloped Shorts pattern. Yes, really!

My “wearable muslin” in caramel-coloured cotton twill is the garment I reach for most often when I want to take photos of a new top. Even though my trousers in the same fabric went to landfill a long time ago, for some reason these shorts are my go-to blank canvas. Why? They fit so well. They just do. I love the scalloped front – it seems so sculpting. My thighs are honestly not my best feature, but with these shorts and some thick tights, I feel invincible. What a shame they aren’t work-appropriate! But I am on my dream island and I can wear whatever I like. Since I am stranded out here, I might take the time to draft some longer legs and turn them into trousers. Now there’s a good project!

2. Next up has to be the Blouse Airelle (Deer & Doe patterns). I have made it twice (here) and (here) and I am not done with it yet. To be honest, I need to tweak the fit a little, but even in its current straight-from-the-packet size 36, I know it is a “keeper”.

It has no annoying fastenings to grapple with, all the pieces fit together perfectly and I have so many plans for variations – a lace yoke, piping, a curved collar instead of a pointy one, no collar at all, a dress-length version… And it is just so French! It has a certain je ne sais quoi, n’est pas?

3. But I also need knit tops. The winner in this category has to be the Renfrew. It is fearlessly fitted, with good slim sleeves. I have a deep dislike of wide-sleeved tee shirts on myself (I blame 1990’s maternity wear) and this pattern is the perfect antidote.

(Roo’s post about this make here)

4. A skirt pattern. I need at least one of those. I am torn. My instinct is to say Megan Nielsen’s Kelly Skirt because I have made it 4 times and I wear it so often. But do I really need a pattern to make another?

Couldn’t I draft it out of my head? Ach, soddit, throw it in my trunk!

Oh my, I am half-way there already…

5. A dress. I need a dress. Well, that’s easy – it’s the [Deer & Doe] Robe Sureau.

(Link to Roobeedoo’s post about her Scottish Sureau)

I need to do a small bust adjustment next time I make it, but that’s OK, as I have all the time in the world on this island of mine.

6. OK, I am going for a “four for the price of one” offer now, and I am going to nominate the Lisette Portfolio pattern. I love the top, the dress, the tunic and the trousers. I could live in this pattern. I am not trying to impress any employers or gentlemen out here, so I can go for comfort-dressing can’t I?

7. Shoot me – I forgot my pants! My self-drafted knicker pattern please! I can live without a bra, but I need my knickers!

8. Oh dear. The last pattern on the planet. What is it going to be? I think I will go for a wild card. Just in case I am marooned here forever, I would like to have one impossible dream pattern for something I have no occasion to wear and that would take me forever to make. A magnificent silk evening dress. Something like the Eva Dress E20-6632, 1929 German Evening Frock and Scarf.

The other luxury would have to be an unlimited supply of sock yarn and needles. I could get by without patterns, but I couldn’t survive without yarn and needles.
And the book? I have to be completely honest – I don’t have a sewing book that I care that much about. Here’s an idea – I would like this one, and would teach myself to make bras

A non-sewing book… that’s really hard! I think I will have to say “Middlemarch” (George Elliott) even though I am already immersed in the audio-book.

I have been listening to it in installments for months now, when I am sewing at home alone. I am really appreciating the humour when I hear it read aloud.
And music? Oh dear. That’s SO difficult! Only one disc? Maybe I ought to go for something that is repetitive by its very nature… how about “Glassworks” from Philip Glass? Beloved of a million soundtracks and adverts for good reason.

But I think I would go mad if I had it on repeat…!

Thank you Roobeedoo! I have so enjoyed reading about your choices and going through your blog to revisit some pictures to use! You have not disappointed with your castaway style! Huge swoonings going on here, & thank you for introducing me to some Philip Glass I’d not heard before- I love it.

Thank you to everyone who replied to the first post proposing this “Desert Island Sewing” idea. It’s the kind of thing that could get you thinking what your choices would be. If you would like to let me know your patterns please email me at scruffybadgertime(at)gmail(dot)com and I can start to compile some stats. If you want to blog about it, leave me a link because over time I will try to feature as many of these as I can! I’m sorry I can’t get to everyone all at once, but for now I have lined up a few bloggers to participate, just to get some momentum & spark some interest

(Yes I know we’re looking at the machine’s behind, but it was nicer distribution of palm trees etc…)!

Here’s the code if you want it:

<a href=”http://scruffybadgertime.co.uk/search/castaway”><img src=” http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i374/Scruffybadgerti/DesertIslandSewing_zps8d7ffe79.jpg “></a>

Happy weekend everyone

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Pattern Pyramid winner

Posted on 21 January, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

Thank you everyone who entered this latest round of the Pattern Pyramid. You know you all deserve to win, & I wish you could….

I can now announce the winner of a stack full of gorgeous patterns….

My cat will be severely disappointed to lose the source of his fascination (he still keeps going back to it!)

Get on with it woman, you know you’re prevaricating! The winner is Beth from Sunnygal Studio! Congratulations Beth, I have emailed you to find out where to pass on this stack of promise .

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Desert island sewing

Posted on 14 January, 2013 by scruffybadgertime

OK, who’s curious like me? Have you ever wondered whether there are some top patterns that us home sewists would chose above all others if we were forced to pick a few? I’ve been mulling this over for a while & then this idea grew, it sounded a bit like Desert Island Discs, a BBC Radio 4 institution, where guests (famous in some way) are interviewed whilst they also chose their favorite music tracks. This is a great way to discover more about the guest beyond the celebrity, & can be really interesting. Now I am not a regular listener, but it can provide some fascinating perspectives. My favorite was Morrissey’s ( of course as I love his speaking voice and wryness as well as his music – his luxury if not allowed sleeping pills was a bed!).

So I’m applying this approach to sewing….and here starts “Desert Island Sewing“. I am lining up other sewing bloggers to participate in this game as part of my quest so that I can gather data and analyse for themes. There will be stats, charts & pies, promise! and we can see if there are any trends. Hopefully, like me you’d find it an interesting way to learn a little more about other sewing bloggers and you might see some inspiring choices!

To start it off I’d better be the one to set the ball rolling, let me describe the situation:

You are allowed to take your sewing machine & sewing box but which would be your 8 desert island patterns? (Note I will leave it up to my interviewees to imagine that their desert island’s climate & their adventures did not only require bikinis & sarongs but maybe more of a variety of clothing- but up to them! This is about designing their dream but limited wardrobe. The patterns might be practical choices, or maybe they have more sentimental meaning). So what will it be?

I have to chose 8 patterns

1. Simplicity 2154- a retro 1960s reprint
You know I love this blouse in all its fake pussy bow glory, it’s just TOO CUTE!

I adore that it is a 60s pattern (but with the luxury of modern tweaks & proportions) and that it also provides a stylish cardigan, jacket and pencil skirt. I can see a lot of mileage in this, being able to adapt the skirt as my basic block. This is a multi practical choice for warmth and cute style. Love love love love love.

2. Next up, if I had the chance, if it was warm enough, I would wear shorts to death, it’s the attraction of bare legs in the sun that I love, & this doesn’t happen that often in our climate. So, desert island = yes! Much as I was tempted by a 1960s sailor pattern, I’ve just gotta stick with the trouser love if my life, Sewaholic Thurlow, Tasia’s at Sewaholic shown below.

Canvas shorts, denim shorts, gingham suckers, the works. And that there are trousers too – bonus! No brainer. Tell you what I would perfect these pockets & become a welt-ninja.

3. Which would be my absolute basic top pattern do you think? I bet you can guess. Yes, another Sewaholic pattern, the mighty Renfrew.
It is so adaptable, making t shirts and jumper weight cosy sweater knits. I’d try adapting it to make tank/ vest tops too for wearing with my shorts ( with plenty of saucy nautical details )

Click through to original post

4. Ok, so that’s all the sensible practical choices. I can now let myself loose on my pattern collection and find that the rest of my choices are dresses! Whoop whoop! My top priority is another retro reprint – Butterick 5747.

I haven’t made this yet, but I swoon every time I see it. I’d make sailor dresses first of all, in all sorts of colours with both skirt variations, then mess around with all sorts of other fabrics, including a taffeta full skirted version. The skirt pieces also make good options for using on their own as cute skirts, different from the pencil skirt block above (oh, I am ever practical).

5. Next up a dress I still haven’t sewn but will this summer, promise. A 70s zip through with a MASSIVE collar.

I like the plain blue sleeveless version best and would make a stretchy elastic belt (made with rainbow elastic) , maybe trying to find one of those ‘s’ shaped buckles from the belts that boys used to wear in the 1970s. I could see this in all sorts of fabrics, spots, stripes, checks and plain. It would be perfect for bronzing those shoulders. Long sleeves for cooler times.

6. Simplicity 1880 is another pattern I’ve yet to sew, but I am a huge sucker for a shirt dress and as it also comes with a wrap dress I’ve got all sorts of styling options and a flirty skirt.

Sunni from a Fashionable Stitch led a double sewalong using this pattern and there are so many gorgeous versions I’ve seen.
I found two stunning dresses made by A SewingLife

Images from A Sewing Life, link as above.

Can you see why this features in my top patterns? Plus, I’d be able to use the bodice as a shirt block, the skirt is another style to,add to my repertoire…

7. To challenge myself I’d also finally have enough guts and time to finally tackle Gertie’s bombshell dress. Could you imagine a more perfect make for a desert island - a slower careful make, perfecting my fit? Hawaiian print would be my first version (I must have sub-consciously remembered Lladybird’s awesome version)

I’d then make one in turquoise Chinese brocade.

8. Finally I would opt for a Wearing History pattern, some 1930s beach trousers and halter top, because think of the style (G&T in hand) and they are described as for the beach after all!!

I do not own this pattern, but think it would fill the gap in this desert island set admirably.

But you may notice that I have not chosen a swimsuit. Let me tell you now, this is a desert island….having a plentiful supply of dress patterns is more important than covering up when sunbathing I’d say…;-)

Next, in desert island discs, you are allowed to take the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare ( but don’t have to on my desert island if you don’t want!!) but I’m going to see which sewing related book people would choose.

This is hard, as before last week I would have taken one of my Japanese 1970s pattern drafting books as the idea of making a cool 1970s wardrobe whilst learning drafting appealed to me. However, I ordered Winifred Aldrich’s “Metric pattern cutting for women’s wear” and have to say that there is so much to learn, so many garment variations, style details I have never even conceived, let alone tried that it would have to be my sewing book. I can imagine turning to this book & it occupying me when contemplating version 21 of a Bombshell dress….

Just to spice things up a bit, I also would like to know which non sewing book would get chosen.

Mine would be One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, my favorite ever book. It’s one of the few books I’ve read more than once, & definitely the only one I would ever want to read lots of times.

I love getting lost in the magical descriptions and convoluted sentences, miraculous and tangential plot, so much so, it inspires me to write.

Which leads me on to my luxury…you are allowed one luxury,

Mine would be resources for writing/ journaling, having been inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude I will want to write! I’d have lots of time to do it by hand and make it look lovely.

Click through for source

Finally, music. This could provide unexpected insights. But which disc would I chose?

Well, for me this was a tricky one as I seem to survive on playlists, however, an album I would never tire of is “Always and Forever, the best of Louis and Ella“.

Not only is it 50 songs of velvety Ella and dulcet Louis , I’d be able to sing along, taking either Ella’s or Louis’ part and feel I wasn’t alone after all as I would be in duet with one of these greats (with no-one but the parrots to hear my creaking tones! Oh, just imagine the cacophony!!!). There are songs that are just so happy, (and Louis so makes me smile) and would have me swinging my hips, as well as gorgeous duets such as the awesome Summertime. There are so many artists that I listen to endlessly for three months, become my fave of the moment, but then I hardly listen to after that, moving on to the next. Ella & Louis are always there in my faves & do not wear with constant listening.

So please let me know what you think about this idea. Is it entertaining? Does it satisfy an inner curiosity? Have you ever wondered these questions yourself? I am hoping to post maybe every two or three weeks, a different blogger each time. Tell you what, I am Mega Excited by it!!!

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If I had a magic wand ….

Posted on 5 November, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

I think I would have magicked a weekend like I just had. I can pinpoint three things that even on their own would generate massive excitement levels, but pulled together in one weekend? I feel like one blissed out girl.

On Saturday I was full of happiness to make my way to Birmingham for my third visit to the Rag Market, meeting some old friends as well as making new ones. I shall not elaborate or repeat what others have already written – but visit here to find out what it was like for Marie, who with Kat took on the massive responsibility of organising us, feeding us & not losing us when we drifted our own ways! She also describes what fantastic hosts they were, our activities and who was there. Thank you for all your hard work & attention you both.

Suffice to say I was in heaven, sewing buddies, oodles of fantastically priced fabrics, the largest swap I have ever been part of & lots of pretty things (& people!)

Here is Roisin, aka Dolly Clackett, modelling her “home sewing dress” (how awesome!). In the top right a dress pattern I was lucky enough to bring home & gasp, could you see the white version made with that silk trim around its hem? (Thank you Mellie) Now to the picture in the bottom right. Confession time? I got the swap the wrong way around. I deliberately brought light weight things knowing that the return home would be heaviest. But then I threw caution to the wind & came out with metres upon metres of swap swag (thanks to Claire and Suzy). This did nothing for what I had to carry home. Whilst keeping very clearly to my cash budget (& not using credit cards) I still ended with a whole haul of fabric to feel guilty about (well, not too much. I can cope. I have rationalised that I’m stocking up “just in case” of redundancy, or something like that. Buy it while I can…) Anyway, this is the funny part. I weighed my fabric when I got home. It came to 22% of my bodyweight! Grrr! I’m a lean mean sewing machine ……That pile there is providing glimpses of what I bought: much jersey & knits as well as a trouser length of almost flannel, a few frocks & a skirt or two….& I shall keep you guessing about the animal print, I have clear very frivolous plans, but blame Suzy for enabling them!

OK, so the next day, Sunday, was another day not to sleep in & why would I when I had my first ever free machine embroidery workshop to attend. Not only was I going to be trying something new that involved even more reasons to sit at a sewing machine, but I was meeting Laura from Laura in a Tangle as well. But here is the surprise. I woke up on Sunday morning & against all forecasts there was some fairy dust sprinkled on my heavenly day …

Just how excited could a grown woman be on a Sunday morning ? The first snowfall of the year? Massive flakes of snow, get this, before even all the leaves have gone from the trees. Madness, but beautiful madness. Luckily everyone got to the workshop at the Makery without incident where we were hosted by Susi & Emily.

Susi is a real live textile artist (& artist researcher ) – here’s her blog here with links to current exhibitions. They both led us so well through what we needed to know to get started on machine embroidering -no feed dogs, just an embroidery hoop, a darning foot & some wild & wonderful stitch directions. Freedom! It was drawing with a machine & not needing to worry about where the edges were or how straight your lines – actually, wonky can be very good!

We had some practice on a piece of calico before designing our own piece. The time FLEW by (like it usually does for me when at my machine). We had all manner of bits & pieces to use, including variegated threads, pretty fabrics & lace. This is my design:

And from the back

I tell you I am seriously hooked! At home I went straight away & ordered a darning foot to fit my machine.

Here’s Laura (note she’s sporting her latest Kelly skirt – it’s rather lovely!)

A closer look at Laura’s beach huts & those seagulls!! (I think she misses Brighton …)

And I managed to get a photo of another student’s work, wonderful butterflies:

If you get the chance I urge you to try free hand machine embroidery….it is so satisfying, a bit scary at times, but let go of your desire to be neat & it’s just so liberating & creative….thanks Susi and the Makery

Sigh, hurry up postman, bring me my darning foot & pretty threads …..

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Knicker Blogger Glory

Posted on 16 September, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

There is no way you could describe knicker making with sewing buddies as pants. It was blooming fab! What laughs we had over on the over use of the word “gusset” & what a lot we felt we learned in the arts of elastic stretch-n-zig-zag. But first ….let’s start with the crescendo to the main event.

~~I had managed to arrange a side show for my sewing blogger buddies~~. It was the opening day for the annual Jane Austen festival which started with “the parade” of ladies & gents dressed in Jane Austen contemporary clothing. Never before have I witnessed the outpouring of so many people into Bath Spa station, particularly in full “Elizabeth Bennet” and “Mr Darcy” garb. What a sight to behold….truly fabulous to see the effort people go to, to get in costume. I have to say it made me smile to see people gracing around modern day Bath in empire line line dresses, bonnets and front- flap trousers with top hats.

They congregated in Parade Gardens, what were they talking about?

In meeting everyone at the train station I had the pleasure to get chatting with the guard (ex military with shiny shoes and a great loud voice put to use to hail Mimi from the Cardiff train) who when he discovered that we were bloggers with a love of sewing and that was what brought us together, looked slightly disappointed and said philosophically in his Bathonian accent, “well it takes all sorts” and likened us to train spotters that he encounters particularly on days when the steam train comes through the station. Is this a fair comparison? Are we obsessed about sewing, will we go to any distance to gather and share sewing stories, froth at the mouth when contemplating 1950s ballgowns, possibly the sewing equivalent of the Mallard? Well, I shall let you answer that. Suffice to say that yesterday in Bath, I was thrilled to be joined by fellow obsessives from across the country (but mainly hailing from the south east) – representing the four corners no less with travellers coming from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland creeping in if you count Dolly Clackett….

Meet the obsessives ….

Rachel from House of Pinheiro
Roisin from Dolly Clackett
Kerry from Kestrel Finds and Makes
Jane from Handmade Jane
Melizza from Pincushion Treats
Shivani from Pins and Needles
Mimi from Magpie Mimi
Tamsin from Pimp my Curtains. (I was also in awe at meeting the crochet legend that is Thomas, Mr Pimp My Curtains as he and his family battled through the traffic to bring Tamsin to the party.)
Laura from Laura in a Tangle
Dibs from Dibs and the Machine

Sheena also joined us from Trowbridge, but we missed Tilly from Tilly and the Buttons as she was poorly, we hope you get well soon Tilly.

Not content with the endurance that was the early bird train from London, it felt fitting to lead the unsuspecting bloggers around the streets of Bath taking in the major sights. After breakfast, tapas or cake at the Cosy Club in the very new end of town we took in some of the Georgian architecture …here we are at the Circus

You can’t tell from the photo below but poor Dibs was in agony. Nothing quite like walking uphill, with high pinching wedges over historic flagstones, even cobbles. How did she overcome her unique form of endurance ? Why she found a pair of super soft flats in a charity shop & handed her wedges over the counter in the hope that they wouldn’t wreck someone else’s comfort….they weren’t going to waylay her a moment more…

Lunch at the Tramshed where we had swaps.

And then the event that we had been working up to, knicker making at the Makery.

The workshop was delivered by the lovely Sarah & Cerys who provided just the right amount of support & expert guidance leading us through the process of pant-making. We were going to be making frilly knickers & so that’s what we did.

Huddled around a large wooden table festooned with trimmings, elastics & jars upon jars of bobbins & thread we were set to work. Our pants had been pre cut to help manage our time, & we had chosen polka dots or florals in a woven fabric.

One of the most time consuming decisions was lace….just how were we going to embellish our knickers …it was going to be an expression of our personalities after all.

There was something SO happy-making about the sound of friends on sewing machines.

Rachel assures us she just doesn’t do “Granny pants”! (They do shrink honest!). In fact the most testing part of the pant making process was getting the shrink which comes with putting the elastic in. This was the aspect of pant making that I felt I learnt the most – the stretch-and-shrink, which way up to place your scalloped edge & how close to sew to this edge. We had the chance to practice on some scraps before launching into our soon-to-become frillies, & that was good. And look, we all created beautiful undies…

Nearest us – check out Tamsin’s who I think should now be called “Pimp my pants”!

I had such a ball & I think everyone enjoyed themselves & also felt that they’d learnt something. The teaching & support was just right with everyone sewing at their own pace & being able to ask for help when they needed it. I have already booked on another class at the Makery – machine embroidery in November…can’t wait!

Thank you to Kate, Sarah & Cerys at the Makery for hosting us. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to share such a fun time with me

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Knickers!

Posted on 2 September, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

Hi Peeps,

Just a quick post to see if there is anyone interested & available on Saturday 15th September to come to central Bath for a knicker making workshop at the Makery. I am organising a group of us to get together and have a just a couple of places left. You will need to be able to get to Bath for 4pm and the workshop runs until 7.30pm. There will be 15 of us in total, with a fair few sewing bloggers you may have already met/ follow / or not, but either way will find out more about them on the day! It promises to be oodles of fun….& you make your own pants to take away & enjoy

There are opportunities to meet up before and have lunch & swaps/ see Bath….still designing the plan

If you are interested and want to find out more please email me at

scruffybadgertime(at)gmail(dot)com

If there are more people interested than places I will take it on a first come first committed to it basis….

Maybe see you there

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Birmingham Rag Market, the sequel

Posted on 26 May, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

Catherine, Marie and I had the most wonderful Saturday patrolling the fabric & notions stores at Birmingham Rag Market. It was a pleasure to be in the company of likeminded sewing enthusiasts, particularly through Me Made May – it somehow seemed appropriate. I had first become aware of Catherine through a Me Made month as she has an extensive me made wardrobe of beautiful clothes, & her maxi skirts in garden photos always stood out. When I discovered her blog, the Makings of an Urban Rustic, I became more aware of the scale of her creativity, crocheting & knitting as well as sewing. And sewing for herself, wonderful 70s styles, plus dresses for her very lucky student daughter. Marie, of a Sewing Odyssey, I have also been a keen follower of for a while now also, her circle skirts & vintage collars sticking most keenly in my memory, & such a delicious Mad Men dress in sky blue that she wore to Brum ….But to find that this lady has only been sewing a relatively short time stunned me, she’s clearly a natural & is swooping up knitted items too now. It was so lovely to find out more about fellow sewing bloggers, to hear their voices, understand a bit more about them & hear them laugh! It was a shame that Debbie of Minnado’s House, the originator of the suggested meet up, was caught up at home with poorly children.

Marie sitting with me in her blue Mad Men dress, Catherine, opposite, in her me made crocheted cardi, lovely long skirt & broderie blouse.

This is my second trip to the legendary Rag Market, first written up here & to tell you the truth I was wondering at my chances of finding it again without Debbie. However, luckily Catherine had some idea of where to go, & taking a slightly different route this time it seemed even closer & avoided taking in so much of the thronging Bullring.

Check out Catherine‘s and Marie’s posts for their pictures & descriptions. Here are a couple of pictures from the Badger Cam.

There are outside covered stalls where the fabric is a bit cheaper, then inside are plenty more at slightly higher prices (but not breaking the bank, believe me!) Of particular memory from last time was “the jersey” stall, where there are some fabulous quality jerseys & lycras at £very reasonable indeed. This stall was hosted by the self proclaimed most charming stall holder there. He had us flipping between blushes, giggles & feelings of being aghast.

Cafe Soya was our watering & feeding hole, somewhere we had been before. Great Vietnamese food at good prices, particularly if you are a veggie. I had veggie wonton soup. We all took pics of our meals so elegant were they …

We had the most wonderful pattern/ notions/ knitting swap & just for a taster of my good fortune take a lookee here (also some dark green yarn which I forgot to gather for the shot)

Thank you for these fab & useful bits & bobs. I am already hyperventilating every time I look at those patterns. I’d love to have a posh long dress do & make the sleeveless version of the Style pattern. And as for the Mad Men dresses …. my must makes are the slimline dress with tie neck as well as the A line dress with revere collar …here they are a bit closer.

So onto the buys ….. I already mentioned it was a shop of epic proportions on my behalf, not so much on the purse, but on the biceps. The weight of fabric that I had to lug around! I should have put it on the scales, but didn’t.

Some of it, the rest was on the washing line.

Approximate metreage though is 34m, with at least 16m of that destined for gifts & therefore 10 lengths for “the stash”, some of it with definite plans.

Some more. Yes it is still in piles. Where on earth can I put it all?!?! I just want to make it all up – like now.

Please note that I am still feeling guilty, but less so seeing that half was bought for others (aaah!) I don’t think anyone has the stomach or endurance to last through every single bit of fabric that I bought, so I will show highlights of the “my stash” purchases.

It’s an off-white stripe. And it was something like a miraculous £1 per metre????That really was the deal of the day. I’ll make the full skirted version, making the collar in contrast if I can find a good match.

My collection of polyester chiffons….couldn’t resist them. Blouses, 30s style dresses….not sure yet, but the red looks awesome with the red trousers I am making.

Could not resist this peacock print. It was in the more expensive Fancy Silk store (but still very reasonable), a proper shop to the side of the Market. It comes in different colourways, but this was my fave & it’ll become a pleated skirt. Simple.

And another Fancy Silk Store purchase, I could not resist this. In the midst of a grey un-summery day, this print foretold balmy summer days to come. Although I have never ventured on anything approaching “maxi”, this could be the one. A skirt for covering up pale legs or protecting from a cooling summer evening. I was a bit of a berk though & didn’t get enough cut the first time – all confudwedded with the pattern running across the width I didn’t initially buy enough to circumnavigate my child bearing hips! I am thinking about how to manage seams as I type…I have a 1m piece plus a 0.5m piece….

So that’s it. Next post planned is the continuation of the trouser adventure, aka pants time. In the meantime we are “in summer”, what’s more with a visitation from my youngest who I haven’t seen since he went back to Uni 5 months ago! There will be not much time for sewing, but we are stoking up the pizza oven, organising the BBQ …it’ll be an outdoor weekend with some knitting perhaps.

Enjoy it all everyone!

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Star Wars Day: or guest Me Maders in Covent Garden

Posted on 6 May, 2012 by scruffybadgertime

OK, so I have skipped a few Me Made Days, but promise a round up post very soon as I have succeeded so far in taking all my shots in public, I kid you not, well nearly. (Apart from the 5th which being a lazy Saturday at the end of a very high energy week is considered a day off, as I doubt I will venture far enough.)

My May the Fourth was special in that I had a trip to ….. can you guess by the souvenir my lucky man is displaying? (My generosity knows no bounds – does this show you how much I appreciate him?)

You got it! London town, specifically around the environs of here:

And after snapping a few photos, like this one

And this one of the most beautiful pub I think I’ve ever seen

Look who I bumped into!

Yes, it is Handmade Jane & Karen of DidyouMakeThat. And look, appropriate vintage sewing-machine-backdrop. Past participants of Me Made Challenges, they had not officially signed up for Me Made May 2012, and little did they realise they too could feature, and now Jim has fixed it for them. Jane is wearing her goy-jus Peony dress & Karen is sporting her Minoru over the top of, guess what, yep, one of her many Sorbettos. And me? I am wearing the red ellie dress with a coat you may see quite a lot if this weather resists improvement (definitely not me made, but some nice details …). I promise a full reveal of the new frock in a few days. It is rather a favorite! (Oh, I know, I’m such a tease!!)

Here is the polka dot Sorbetto & Jane’s beautiful Peony, er, and a couple of empty cocktail glasses. It’s not every day that a few sewing bloggers get the chance to share obsessions you know! What a lovely May 4th

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