williamsews

 The last Levi jacket I made a few months ago was alright except for the sizing; the large was barely a medium, and it was the largest size on the Mimi G pattern, so perhaps things will be better with a Kwik-Sew pattern and if it doesn't work, there is an extra-large to try. I made a cardboard copy of large because I didn't want to cut up the pattern. A muslin is ready to sew.  Levi jackets are tricky, so putting together the muslin will be an excellent test run. That's all for today - it should be a treat to put this together. All the best, Will.

  The weather is too perfect and I just have to be outdoors; it’s the nicest summer, neither too hot nor too cold – plus the lawn grows in days. I’ve planted tonnes of seedlings and and prepared a lot of cuttings. Anyway, the latest shirt is finished, or at least, a muslin. I copied the pattern using the 1.5cm original seam instead of ‘my’ 1cm seam and ended up in a bit of a mess. After decades of using 1cm, it was difficult to adjust, apart from sewing the larger seam, anywhere I had to press under an allowance was tough; I usually just press without thinking about it but had to keep measuring as I went along. This was a sheet in its former life but it’s a nice, soft fabric. It is too small for me but a friend liked it, so I added shell buttons, he thinks it’s great and it isn’t wasted. I don’t know if the shell buttons are bad environmentally, I think not (hope not). The pattern is Simplicity 8753; ‘B – Modern Fit’ – It seems that I must be ‘A – classic fit’ because it was too ti...

  I’ve copied Simplicity 8753 and shall make a sample to ensure that it’s right, there have been a few alterations – I am doing view B, not too loose and not too tight. I have to make the same shirt for someone else but in a 38″. I usually use a 1cm seam but have left the 1.5cm or 5/8″, it’s easier than altering it, I’ve been sewing a 1cm seam for so long, so I shall have to concentrate. I visited the big fabric shop in the city and bought a shirt length of denim. I want to make a Levi jacket as well, but this denim is quite lightweight and not heavy enough for a jacket, so that means another trip to the shop–it was a rushed trip last time but maybe more time next visit. A visit to the Op shops (charity shops) was fruitful this week with a hoard of wooden cotton reels and two enormous cones of thread, I used a normal cone to show how large they are, I won’t use them up in my lifetime but I shall use the Day-Glo orange soon, perhaps on the denim. More pattern transfers to card this ...

  A new collectors’ term. I’ve been buying vintage patterns from charity shops for years but, because not many people sew anymore they are becoming rare, so I turned my searching to eBay and Etsy and have found great patterns. The patterns are sometimes sold as ‘Factory folded’, which means that they’ve never been used and are in their original state. I thought that’s good because they’re complete in all sizes, although some are sold as complete but used and honestly, I didn’t care either way. BUT now I have discovered that serious collectors want factory folded to add to a collection, like people who buy toys, etc. and never use them or even take them out of their box. I have grappled with this because I buy them to use; I bought a Simplicity a few days ago and I want to make it…but it is unused. It’s impossible to deal with two huge 2m sheets of tissue paper… so, I cut it, I did feel guilty but the desire for the shirt overrode that. This is the pattern hacked and ‘ruined’ but it...

  A lot of rain; it’s been a cool and very wet summer and it’s almost half over, perfect. Last year the heat was overbearing and bushfires all around… this year it’s floods instead, Just like Dorothea Mackellar’s epic poem. Anyway, all this means lots of lush growth so a lot of time has been spent taming the garden instead of sewing. I have two new patterns that I’m wanting to try. I tried a MimiG Levi jacket, but the sizing was out and not a good cut, so this one may be better and a shirt for me as well as someone else as it’s multi-size, it looks like a good pattern. It’s a matter of going to the fabric shop in the city and buying denim, but I’ll make a sample or ‘muslin’ first from fabric I already have. I shall work on the pattern today and have a break from the garden, it’s raining intermittently anyway. Slowly winning the battle of the garden, it had been neglected for some time and needs a lot of help. The patchy lawn had been top dressed and looking lush. This part will be ...

  After the disaster of the last shirt, I thought it would be a good idea to have a break from making them. I have a few bowties already to go and I do enjoy making them. The tied tie is a Christmas bowtie which I was able to wear this year because the weather was cool. I wouldn’t make a very good gentleman’s dresser as it was difficult to tie it on someone else. This was bought for Valentines Day ages ago, perhaps it’s time to make it as well I am also finally going to finish the quilt I started long ago – the piecing part is fun and intriguing but the quilting is much less fascinating. Anyway, this is halfway finished and shouldn’t take very long. It’s too late to give as a Christmas gift which is a pity. It’s 2.2m x 1.75m and only two layers, the back and the patchwork, no wadding, so it’ll be a light quilt, Summer has been cool and wet so far and the first month is almost over, I know it’ll heat up. I prefer winter. It seems to be a short time ago I mentioned the Frangipani out...

  …I’ve had a few… and this shirt is one of them. It seemed like a good idea, something different, but I lost interest and struggled to finish it – I only meant it to be a sample, made from sheeting – perhaps a mid-weight fabric would be better. It can be worn without a belt. Anyway, I have a friend who wants it, so he’s welcome. On to the next big thing. I had a problem with the safari suit pattern I’d bought, it was wrongly labelled, my money was returned but I have no pattern (that is probably what inspired me to try this one). Safari Suit patterns are hard to find… or at least hard to find in my size but I shall continue the search. We are experiencing my kind of summer weather, cool and wet. I prefer winter to summer, so this is very nice indeed. I hope everyone has the best Christmas they can. Take care,  Will.