Thursday, November 12, 2009

My creative space

Last weekend I was forced to stay indoors due to chronic hayfever, and I got a lot of sewing done as a result. But then the working week rolled around again, and the sewing table became the locals' dumping ground again.

Messy again

But never fear - this time it was my rubbish and I didn't let it get out of control. Five minutes after this photo was taken it was clean again and my projects sorted out. These are my two major projects for this week.

Ready to be made into bags

A monster batch of sunnyboys and boxes, already quilted, waiting to be sewn together and sent to Material Arts in Braidwood. Some will be for my Etsy store. The Ink and Spindle fabric which arrived yesterday will be made into some very nice bags indeed, but in the meantime I think it is too pretty to cut out and I'm just admiring it. Often.

Amanda blouse

My Amanda top. It's looking pretty good so far, and I only have a few more parts to construct and add on. But a big thumbs down to BurdaStyle's silly and illogical instructions. I've been sewing from patterns for 18 years and have never been so confused. The fact that there is a missing pattern piece (and corresponding instruction) from this pattern is not helping me at all. Still, it means the next Amanda top will be a heck of a lot easier to make, given I've wasted so much time already.

And as you can see on the chair in the first photo, I have a lot of mending to do too - four blouses and a pair of trousers need to be taken up. But those can wait until the weekend, I think.

Want more creativity?

20 comments:

  1. I hardly use patterns but the instructions on the kids Burda pants that I made a couple of weeks ago completely stumped me too. I thought it was just because I'm not used to using them....maybe it's just because they're not written properly!

    All of those quilted bits and pieces look so pretty in a pile.

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  2. Creativity everywhere ... a bit like my place. Is that some umbrellaprint elephant pattern there?

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  3. pity you had to suffer the sneezing to get a couple of days sewing, but isn't it great to have virtually uninterrupted creativity. looks great

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  4. Maybe the burda patterns are writeen by people who's first language is not english? They often stump me (and I think it's just me - but now I feel better) Looks gorgeous - and I rather like Hugh too - and wwant the recipe for beetroot marshmallow....

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  5. It must be so fun playing with all those gorgeous fabrics. Obviously not so fun with the shirt-making, although I'm sure you'll have it looking spectacular by next week's creative space!
    Hope the hayfever has settled. Such a horrid blight on life at this time of year.

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  6. I am really looking forwrd to seeing that top all made up.

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  7. such a lovely pile of fabrics and goodies in progress!

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  8. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that has trouble with Burda patterns - I've got one that's a top that I ditched the pattern and just did what my inner seamstress told me to do. It worked out fine in the end but was extremely frustrating!!
    I'm loving the colour of the top - can't wait to see it all finished & lovely!

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  9. hmmm...are those serger cotton reels on the left hand side there? I really think I would enjoy owning one of those machines. I am a bit frustrated with frayed seams and the nasty discovery of cotton strings all over the sewn item. your new ink and spindle fabric looks delighful!

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  10. I can really relate to the hayfever situation - good excuse to get some sewing done, though. I am envious of your productive space this week!

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  11. Oh wow... I have so many of those fabrics! I'm loving the Mel Bomba stuff, and those elephants are so lovely... so hard to cut up!

    Boo to missing pattern peices though... :(

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  12. Your own mess is always so much easier to clean up than someone else's! Good for you for persevering with the Amanda top. It woudl have been easy to give up but as you said, at least you'll have a great pattern once you're done.

    Good luck with keeping that hayfever away and getting that monster batch all sewn up.

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  13. I've been suffering from terrible hayfever this season too. . . blah.

    Mending and hand washing. Always lingering.

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  14. Great space!!! Lot's going on and beautiful colors....Good luck with the top, I sooo would have given up...

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  15. I wish I was as diligent as you in clearing up the creative space. Mine still looks like yours did! Great commitment in having several projects happing at the same time and attending to them all. Enjoy x

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  16. Oh those fabrics look so amazing! You must have had fun :)
    Good luck with the top - I can't work out the easiest of patterns and end up making it all up as I go along ;) Great space. K

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  17. at least there is an upside to hayfever!
    isn't it terrible at the moment! happy sewing.

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  18. Great fabrics, as usual. Good luck with the top. Annoying as it is to work out all the kinks the first time through, it always feels so good to fly right through the second one once you've got it!

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  19. Such fabulous fabrics! I need to check out more of your blog posts to see what you make of them. I hate it when a pattern isn't clear and I've been lucky to never have one with pieces missing! Thanks for sharing!!

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  20. Hehe, my mending pile is as big as yours - it's really so boring, isn't it?
    Congrats on finishing your Amanda top - it looks great.

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