williamsews

  A lot of birds visit my garden, along with butterflies and bees and I don’t like to use toxic products, I have been using Roundup in the areas away from creatures but that has made weeds a problem – I usually let them grow and pull them out (or leave them), one is tedious and the other untidy. Non-toxic has to be the answer. I researched this and the main ingredients seem to be; Salt, white vinegar and dishwashing liquid. The recipes vary, so I just tried different mixtures and it doesn’t seem to matter much – probably more is best. The rules seem to be that the vinegar and salt are the killers and the dishwashing liquid is the accomplice because it helps the mixture cling to the weeds. The mix is lots of salt and vinegar and a cup or so of liquid. The result is amazing, this gravelled area was smothered in weeds just a week or so after weeding but I sprayed this area two months ago and not a weed. The downside, if there is one, is that nothing will ever grow where salt is used a...

  A new shirt finished, great fabric and pattern. The colour is richer than the photograph. Like this, the camera on the new tablet isn’t as good as my old iPad. There is enough of the same pattern in a tan colourway for another shirt for someone else…my next project. These are from my quilting fabrics because I don’t want to travel far these days. The tan is also nice, it’s an easy pattern to use, it doesn’t seem to have an actual beginning or end. Hot and humid today, summer will soon be over. Keep well, Regards, Will.

  Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. Finished a new shirt, for someone else. It was difficult fabric to handle; it frayed and was loosely woven, didn’t like being ironed, and generally a menace but it’s good to be challenged from time to time. This is it. There is no more fabric in my cupboard except a winter piece, I was going to the fabric shop this week but I may buy some online, although it’s better to feel and handle fabric before buying, that’s part of the pleasure. Now the festive season is over, shipping will probably be easier. The recipient decided on yellow buttons, a good choice. That’s my lot for now. Take care, Will.

 "Gingham"  comes from the Malayan word genggang, or "striped."  The way we identify gingham, is as being a contrasting-check shirt, this was not how the fabric was originally. True gingham is distinguished primarily for being a "dyed in the yarn" fabric, meaning the yarn is dyed before it is woven. Jake Gallagher, GQ. I've finished a Gingham shirt with the new small collar. It seemed to be forgettable fabric, polyester, like school uniform fabric, but it made up rather well. No bias pockets or trim. I thought straight would make a change even if more fiddly. There was the new tiny collar, keeping the stand the same size as the deeper collar has helped it sit well. Perhaps it would be good to make a cutaway or rounded collar using this piece next time. On a different note, I use 'leader scraps' when I'm sewing to start off on a seam without having to hold the threads. My friend David Beschi saves and frames them bec...

  Made a new, smaller collar for the block shirt, the pattern is a vintage Simplicity from 1979, so it originally had a high collar with long peaks. I shortened it by 1cm and made it less ‘peaky’ years ago but have gone further this time and taken another 1cm off. It makes a nice little collar. This is the progression from the original. The collar stand was shortened from the original to the middle size, but not for the latest. It makes a neat little collar that will work well with bowties. It’s risky to travel far these days and the major fabric shop is about 20ks away, so I’m just using whatever I have, which isn’t much. There is enough gingham for a shirt but it’s Polyester, not a favourite fabric. Merry Christmas, Stay safe, Will.

 Made a shirt out of light-weight denim and was going to use the wrong side for a contrast yoke but decided against it. The wrong side is a nice grey, but it didn't work. Will be using the block shirt pattern; Simplicity 8711, issued in 1979. I occasionally think I'll use one of the other vintage patterns in the collection, but it always ends up this one, I know it fits and have made lots of extras for it, different yokes, pockets and collars, etc. One thing I like about it is the back yoke/lower back, the back is curved and the yoke is straight, this pulls it into the neck at the back. After watching Seinfeld in the '90s where Jerry wore a lot of shirts made with great fabric but they pulled away from his neck at the back which isn't very flattering (apart from the looseness and big sleeves of shirts in that era). It's going to have a placket front. I bought some embroidery threads recently, mainly because they are shiny...

  I’ve made a shirt, it’s been a while, I seem to have lost interest and have given away a lot of sewing stuff; three machines and tonnes of fabric. I almost gave away the very old machines but the charity shop didn’t want them and I’m glad now and won’t be that foolish again. It is an unprepossessing shirt, plain blue, but the fabric is soft and pleasant to wear. I had a serious battle with one of my overlockers and had to admit defeat. Perhaps it needs a service.  A wet and mild summer was promised, and it seems to be just that, it’s rained for two weeks and the garden is bright green and lush. I took a cutting from a gardenia last year and it has flowered, the perfume from just one bloom fills the whole room. I hope there will be a lot more flowers as summer progresses. That’s my lot, Take care, Will.