Mother's day and chores.

Wow, I have had the BEST mother's day (or should that be mothers' day?!) ever today! Breakfast in bed, homemade cards and flowers, and millions of kisses.  Then, I had tea and cake with my own mum - wonderful.  Days like today I LOVE having three children.

But the down side to being a Mum is.... chore sewing! For example, Beavers badges:

In the last couple of weeks I've sewn eight badges on my eldest boy's Beavers uniform. His first year, he seemed to get no badges, now they are positively throwing them at him.  He is so proud of the achievement, and checks off each one on a little list. So I'd have to be a terrible Mummy not to want to help him display them; but that doesn't stop it being booooooring! After many attempts to put it off, I finally had to suck it up and do it.

/

I've also re-hemmed seven pairs of school trousers this weekend - the boys will keep growing!

Grey trousers, followed by grey trousers, and more grey trousers. So dull. But, the boys tell me they're doing me a favour, as "you really love sewing, don't you, mummy?" Grrr.  Do other stitchers try to wriggle out of sewing chores, or is it just me that's lazy?!

Sewing for others

My current project is making me feel a bit overwhelmed, as though I'll never finish it! So I need to share my thoughts out loud...

I really want to make a dress for my beautiful niece, but I've not made anything before for someone outside the immediate family - I'm getting a bit freaked.

I knew I wanted to make something from HappyHomemade Sew Chic Kids.  This book is AWESOME.  I've spent a long time umming and ahhing, before choosing which one I'd go for: design E with beautiful pin tucks on the front.

Once I'd chosen, I thought "Cool, let's rock!"  I traced out my pattern and bought my fabric. But then I had doubts about my ability to "finish" it nicely enough to give as a gift.  I worried about the elastic in the neckline.

I've never had these anxieties sewing for myself or my own children.  Why am I so freaked out?  She's only 8 years old, so rationally I know she won't judge my sewing.  But I do want it to be nice for her, something special just from me.  My word - I feel as though I've never sewn before!

My doubts multiplied until I gave up on dress E and decided to opt instead for design J - the V neck dress.  It looked easier to achieve.  So I drafted the pattern, cut out my fabric, then realised there will be raw edges on show around the neckline hidden only by some lace.  After mulling this over, I've decided to abandon the lace and line it instead.

Still haven't put needle to fabric yet; and, to procrastinate further I've decided I'd do a "practice" version in miniature for my young daughter Immy, to iron out any construction worries.  Now I just need to crack on.

Did anyone else feel this way the first time they made something as a gift?  How do you feel when you sew for others?

Trousers for the boys

I've recently joined The Monthly Stitch collective.  I'd been reading their posts for a while, but didn't feel I could sew to order like that.

Then, I realised: hey, I don't need to do every challenge, just ones that fit in with my general plans. Well, February's challenge is to sew trousers, and my boys desperately need some new ones, so here goes...

They love a bit of army camouflage! I liked the blue, but versions in green have already been requested by the boys (as that's the proper army colour)!

The fabric is a thick heavy duty cotton; it has the weight of a light denim, and it was a joy to cut and sew.

The pattern is one from my Nan's stash.  She must have brought it to sew for me back in the Seventies.  It feels fab to be sewing it for my boys. It's an easy pattern with no zip, just an elasticated waistband. This suits me as I still need to develop my limited zip skills, and it suits them as it makes the trousers super easy to pull on when you are aged 4 or 7.

I nearly had a coronary trying to work out how to do a blind hem stitch! I've lost count of how many  tutorials I watched online, but I couldn't get my head around it! Eventually I decided I just had to walk away.  Laurie's pair I hand sewed, but with Rowan's I persevered the following day, and eventually managed it. But not without rather a lot of swearing! The trick will be if I can do it again next time.

Even though there is three years between the boys they rather like to be matchy-matchy.  Despite much squabbling, I think they love each other really.

Details include cute little pockets which have already been used for stones, mud and stolen coins!

Theses picture were taken at Emmaus in Portslade, It's so lovely there with vintage finds in the chapel shop, a fabulous cafe and secret gardens to discover.  They had a lovely time and it was a great way to kick-start their half-term holiday.

In other news, Onesmallstitch has nominated me for a Liebster blogging award.  Very chuffed! Just got to put my thinking cap on for my answers...

Stylish Dress Book Vol 1. Design Q or... my best make yet!

This is the pleated knit tunic from The Stylish Dress book volume 1 by Tuttle publishing.  And I have to say this is my favourite Japanese pattern book to date.  I LOVE each and every design.

The best thing about this tunic is without doubt the tucks; they are beautiful, and they create such wonderful folds in the fabric.  I am glowing at how mighty fine this garment is.

Now I am not saying it was an easy make.  Knit fabric and I are not exactly best friends. But I was determined to become at least nodding acquaintances with jersey knits.

I think the secret of my success here was... practice.  Here is what my first version looked like.  I made this one last week.  Yes, I know it's really wonky, and the stitching is a disaster, but I am a firm believer in learning from one's mistakes.

As wonky and lopsided as this is, the thrill I got from finishing it was immense, and it will do for bed!  Anyway, no sooner had I finished this than the next was cut out ready to go.  I practised the pleats on scrap fabric as well, and over time I got better.

The result is: I love it.

I can't say I didn't have help: sewing bloggers are marvellous at sharing their knowledge. I learnt so much from everyone's tips and tutorials.  Tilly and the buttons advice is good, and she links to other bloggers with even more advice. Really helpful.

The fabric is really pretty, grey and brown with gold - it is lovely, soft and fluid.  A lot of my ready to wear clothes are jersey, easy to wear and no ironing required. Would I sew jersey again? Yes, yes, yes. I have bought some more fabric in preparation.  But I'll tell you what, I can't wait to sew some nice sturdy non-stretchy cotton.  Bring it on.

Go on then - another cossie!

Take an old blanket fit only for shredding, some teeny tiny scraps of yellow fake fur, and put them together.  What to you get?  A scary monster!

Raarghh!

 Not that scary, Rowan!

 What big feet it has!

Hee hee! 

In other news this week: I was asked for sewing advice!  My friend thought of me as a sewing expert.  I was rather chuffed.

I helped her to figure out how her machine works, and tutorered her children in sewing a few straight lines.    It was lovely feeling that I'd inspired her to sew too - what a confidence boost.

With my confidence growing, I'm tackling jersey fabric again for a new project. My first make was horrendous, but I finished it.  Time to try, try again.  Is your sewing confidence growing?

Walk like an Egyptian!

My lovely eldest son Rowan needed a costume for his Ancient Egypt day at school, and I needed a quick sewing fix.  Wahoo.

Take one slightly hideous gold cushion cover circa 1970, a tiny scrap of blue cotton, a quick scribble, and away we go.

I used my beloved friend pinterest here to research cossie ideas; then, the design was drawn up by Rowan and me.

I didn't make a pattern, just made it up as I went along: much more fun than measuring and following instructions.

 The collar is fastened by velcro, which is easy for a boy to do and un-do.

The little wrist guards just slip on.

And the belt is elasticated at the back, so is easy to get on or off.

I have made a small boy very happy, with very little effort. It's made me rather happy too.  The only downside was he was buzzing so much from such a great day today, he's only just gone to bed!

Where's my SEWJO?

This last week I have done precisely no sewing!  Each night I've asked my husband how long since I last stitched anything! Seven days in a row.  My machine has been giving me reproachful looks, and I have felt frustrated and moody.

On the plus side, my sewing stuff is neat and tidy on its little trolley.  My thread is no longer pic and mix, but now colour-coded!

I've sorted my patterns and my fabric stash, and I've finally started to go through the large amount of fabric which I inherited from my Nan's house.  But that will be a long-running project.

Plus, I stole an idea from a friend, creating a little ironing space next to where I sew, on the top of my trolley.  This means I don't even need to stand up to press seams... if I ever sew a single seam again!

All in all, I feel SEW organised! Get it? Sew organised? Sew... oh, never mind!

I'm hoping my energy will come back.  There have been lots of lurgies going around, and the miserable weather also saps your strength.  But there will be sewing. Just possibly not very good sewing. (I'm worried that after a break I may have forgotten how to do it!)

I have a perfect project to ease myself back in: fancy dress for a seven year old.  Rowan needs an ancient Egyptian costume for school on Tuesday.  Something will be produced by hook or by crook.

This is what I'm aiming for, with just a few scraps of fabric to play with.  Come on SEWJO, come back to me...!

How do you feel, when you have short periods when you can't or don't sew?  I'm surprised at how down it's made me after only a week.