The Little Black Magic Dress

I made a LBD! Never thought I'd do it, but I was so thankful I did.  Mc Calls 6886.  Legendary pattern. It was for a function to which I was planning to wear something much more shiny. I am so glad I rather went for this in the end! I was almost overdressed as it …

Medieval Feast Coming Up

My big son - the one who weaves his own chainmail and sews his own gambisons and costumes - has his 21st birthday this month.  I am planning, and testing recipes, and ordering Honey Mead...because it will be a Medieval-themed party. This is the Birthday Boy:  in a robe he made for a Medieval Fayre …

Snapshots from a Lifelong Journey

Lately I lost a bit of motivation for this sewing blog.  It feels as if there is really not that much one can say about making comfy winter clothes, but be assured, my daughter and I are still thoroughly enjoying the output, even if I do not write volumes about it! Here are the most …

Grey Areas

Not much happened on the PR Pattern Stash Contest Front, I am afraid.  I finished two items and the third has been on the sewing table for two weeks...mostly because disaster struck. The geyser of our home burst.  It used to be built in behind an oak closet in the spare room. The closet and …

A Morning Journey to a Place of Vision

Picture credit: DIDA Clothiers on Facebook To see more of their beautiful creations follow them on Facebook and visit their website at  http://www.didaclothiers.co.za/   It is a Tuesday morning and the appointment is for 10h00. At 9h20 I send Doris Ikeri an apologetic text.   ‘Might not make it! GPS says I’m 9km away, but something …

Sewing Space and Sudoku Progress

(*Procrastination alert*) Just look how the Daughter's winter casual wardrobe is coming along!  I only have 5 items left to sew.  I have grown tired of the black and grey palette. Although I have all the fabric I originally planned for the remaining items, I decided it is time to rather go shopping again.  We …

Art Nouveau Ladies and Vintage Sugar and Lace

  Sewing is progressing slowly in this house: occasionally stuff happens, it just does not get photographed.  Some fabric for The Daughter's Sudoko Grid for her winter school wardrobe got "re-deployed" elsewhere.  In the process I started ANOTHER Sudoku grid for a "Performance Wardrobe" for her Jazz gigs.  More about that later. This jacket/coat is …

Sudoku Busted!

The contest gallery for the Pattern Review Sudoku Contest is filling up.  The wardrobes the ladies are creating are wonderful.  This is one of the highest-standard challenges I have seen taking shape yet, and still: it does not feel like a competition at all...on the discussion board everyone is helping each other out with advice, …

Fail February: Reversible Recall

Red of Sew Red-y is helping a lot of us to 'get closure' on our less successful projects this month, with her Fail February initiative. I got stuck on the third item for my Sudoku grid, and with stuck I mean properly stranded, taking three weeks to produce an unlined unfitted cape-like jacket with unfinished seams. Thing …

Swimming under the Rainbow

...and some Jazz Photo Fun. Before I forget:  Happy 2017 to all concerned! I have not sewn anything for almost a month! The dress in the last post has been standing unfinished on the dressform since I last blogged. We went to "Our Mountain Home", and though I seriously contemplated taking Herr Pfaff along, we were …