this is blasphemy

As well as the millions of sewing blogs I love to read, I often stalk craft blogs, and Craftzine is a favourite. Then I see today that they link to a post with "projects you can make with the tissue paper of old sewing patterns". Whaddya mean, 'old' sewing patterns as if they have no value and need repurposing? Unless they are super fugly 1980s style patterns (which I strongly suspect may one day come back into fashion just like the previously daggy 60s and 70s patterns are), I think making the dress is much better than making paper flowers or reusing them for wrapping paper.

Although, these decoupaged boxes by the etsy seller sewinggeek are pretty special and I could see a few of these in my sewing room in future made from prints scanned from my patterns and not the actual pattern of course!:

But I forgive this little transgression because they also provided a link to this gorgeous vintage button tag PDF download from the delightfully generous doe-c-doe:

Too cute! If I still had time for mindless procrastination I could just see myself sewing my favourite buttons onto these for display in my sewing space......

Thanks for all your feedback on the BWOF pants from the last post. Mary Nanna you are so right about not adding extra volume at your widest part - I knew this, and have known this for a long time so why I thought now would be a good time to try something different is beyond me, especially since I'm still carrying about 7kg of excess post baby weight! So for now on, no more pleats for this little black duck.

But as per all your wise suggestions, I did sew the pleats further down the leg and let the hem down a little so that it touches the floor when wearing heels, so they do look better and I will wear them regardless. Speaking of heels, it's been so long since I've worn them they had dust on them! But thankfully they still fit me, I did hear horror stories that some women's feet never return to pre pregnancy size....

Oh and happy happy days, I can finally squeeze back into my pre-preggo jeans! They give me a massively unflattering muffin top a la Kim Craig (from the Aussie version of Kath and Kim not the poor US remake - no offence!) but I can do them up and a few more weeks of schlepping the little one around trying to get her to sleep may see that fixed too.

comments roundup

Since I'm a relative newbie to the world of blogging, I haven't as yet figured out how to email the lovely individuals who leave comments on my posts. So as a catchall action I'd like to thank all of you for reading my ramblings and taking the time to comment. I am hugely guilty of lurking on blogs but now that I know the giddy pleasure derived from comments (or is that just me?) I am endeavouring to have my 2 cents worth when I see something amazing.

When I started this blog it was mainly to keep my real life friends (and my mum) whom I don't see every day up to date with my latest creations, so I wasn't too fussed how many people looked and commented. But it's very exciting to receive comments from very talented sewers whose blogs I have been reading and loving for ages, as well as discovering new blogs to add to my extensive list of favourites.

So….

Carolyn of the legendary diaryofasewingfanatic who commented on my post about seeing your fabric on someone else, I’m sure the woman wearing the Ann Taylor skirt wasn’t amused because you are a ‘plus size chick’ wearing it, I think she was jealous that a) she paid too much, b) yours would have been much better made, and c) I bet you were totally rocking it too.

Shannon of the awesome Hungry Zombie Couture - it’s too funny that you say you have been lurking for a bit on my blog, because I’ve been a massive lurker on your blog!

Antoinette of the diversely creative clevergirl.org - I think it’s our duty as sewers to rescue patterns from the recycling pulp mills of the world, and a total count of your patterns can only be a badge of honour….

Lsaspacey of lifeisexamined - thank you for the lovely comment about my wedding dress – every bride loves to hear they looked beautiful on their wedding day.

To the very funny Livebird, I am not nearly as close to my wardrobe being entirely handmade as Carolyn is, but I’d say I’m about 60% there, always increasing of course!

Colette of the very addictive Sew Tessuti – I will try and think of a project worthy enough for the Tessuti awards, more reason to come and buy more fabric I think!

Melissa of Fehr Trade – I love seeing pictures of your houseboat, so I can’t wait to see your revamped sewing room.

And to the stylish Reethi (of weekend crafting) I stole this idea from your blog, hope you don’t mind!

But a big thank you to all I haven't mentioned specifically above - you've gained a new reader to your blog....

Finally, I hate blog posts without pictures, and I have finished a new dress and jacket from a vintage pattern but with the end of daylight savings time here in Australia plus the rainy and grey weather we've been having I don't have any photos of them! I'll have to leave work early one day to take some (yeah, that's such a good use of my time!)

Speaking of the rainy weather, the dog is not happy about not being walked. Look at the deadly stare I'm getting from him because I'm sitting happily on the lounge blog surfing and watching tv and not walking:

And then, just to make sure I couldn't ignore him, he stared at me like this for a good 10 minutes!