"Sew-Along" and Frock-Alone Show and Tell

Recently Lazy* Daisy Jones

blogger, seamstress, hooker (I'm talking crochet thank-you very much!), collector, restorer of old stuff, and all round good egg

* I have no idea where the lazy comes in!

wrote a post (or two!) extolling the virtues of the McCalls 3341 skirt pattern. Daisy described McCalls 3341 as the perfect project for the beginner sewer.

Even though I didn't actually believe her at the time, it turned out

a, that she was right, and 

b, there were loads of stitchers with 'L' plates on out there in blogland, who were itching to give 3341 a go. 

So lovely Daize bowed to the pressure of her adoring fans and decided to host a Sew-Along.  And she did it with aplomb. From cutting to sewing (and everything in between!) Daisy taught us how to sew a totally wearable A-line skirt.

See, here I am wearing mine

(it used to be a vintage bark cloth curtain)

 

It even has a...zip!

 

If you have ever wanted to run something up, Daisy's sew-along is the perfect place to start. I highly recommend it. I have tried other sewing tutorials and the only thing I ended up with at the end of them was a pounding headache. After sewing along with Daisy, I not only made a skirt (with my own bare hands!) but I also learnt a heap of new skills.

 

Did I mention I inserted a zip?!

 

Here is the link to Part One which tells you everything you need to know to begin.

 

As far as sewing goes, I always thought I was a bit of a klutz. I blamed it on being left-handed (let's face it, in a nutshell I'm what you'd call...unco) Now I know I can do it. All I needed was someone (Daisy) to start at the beginning and explain things simply to get me started and give me confidence. 

 

I'll always be grateful to you for this Daize, you're a great teacher. Thank-you x

 

Since I 'conquered' 3341, I am so excited about sewing - I'm imagining my wardrobe bursting with home-made clothes! I have even made a dress! (and it's ALL down to Daisy's sew-along)

 

Here it is

 

Simplicity 3833, a reissue of an original 1960's pattern. Vintage 1970's fabric.

 

 Notice it has:

 

sleeves

 

button holes

 

and

 



the mother of all zips!

 

note: this morning when I ponced about in front of the camera it struck me (again!) how much I hate having my photo taken. How I survived Frocktober  last year I'll never know! Here's a dodgy looking 'full frontal'

 



Just remember (and I keep telling myself this) it's not about me, it's all about the frock ;)

 

Thanks for reading x

I can't think of a title.

I found this 'plant stand' on the side of the road. I think it used to be a paint pot stand in a Kindergarten - brushes and water in the middle, primary colours around the edges. But I'm not sure...

 

A little collection re-discovered while rummaging in the shed.

 

I never liked this glass block window in our laundry until we hung these vintage macramé hangers and now I love it. Thanks Tam x That's a Peperomia in the basket on the right. It has the weirdest flowers (weird but good)

 

Lillies on the kitchen table (under our old Michelin sign)

 

A beaten up little table we picked up from the side of the road (its timber top was rotten so we replaced it with a piece of ply)

 

A new arrangement on Lucy Violet's old hall cupboard. Albert Namatjira print picked up at the tip shop a few years ago, hand-made basket (they're both hand-made, but I'm talking the really special one on the left) a fortieth birthday present from Anth.
(almost a decade ago. Crikey Moses, that's scary!)

 

One of a pair of sweet little side tables I'm currently revamping Lovely Courtney from Apprentice Extrovert is helping me out here. Courts knows everything there is to know about totally knocking the socks of pieces of furniture you and I wouldn't ordinarily look at. She's an inspiring woman in many ways actually. Check out her blog. You'll see what I'm talking about.

 

Here are the legs after I got rid of that ugly stain. So much nicer naked (well the legs on the left are naked - I've waxed the legs on the right) Sanding them wasn't fun...those mouse sander thingies make your hands go numb after a while, and ours is a bit big for my hand so it was tricky to hang on to - it almost took me for a ride every time I turned it on - but discovering that pretty wood underneath (look at the variation in colour and grain) made it all worthwhile. Now for the hard part, i.e. waiting for the primer to cure. Six days to go (and counting) before I can (hopefully) make those little white laminate bits a bit more interesting (not getting rid of all the laminate because I think it's quite nice) Patience is not one of my virtues, I am itching to get started, but so far I have managed not to give in to temptation. Tomorrow may be a different story.

 

In other um...news I have signed up for Daisy's Sew-Along to learn how to sew this skirt (not very inspiring sketches on the pattern, Frumpsville City actually IMO, but don't be put off. It all comes down to fabric choice - you should see Daisy's skirts! They're lovely!)

I have been wanting to learn how to sew...something for ages, and when I read the words "beginners dream" I was in! Daisy has even promised to teach us how to insert a zip! My sewing nemesis!

Find more details here if you'd like to sew along too.

 

(I have sewn (ahem!) pillowslip skirts before, but let's face it, how much sewing is involved in threading a bit of elastic through the end of an old pillowslip?! Plus elastic waists look totally crap on me!) 

 

I know this post is all over the place "like a mad woman's breakfast" so why stop now?! I'll end with this beautiful photo from Lauren Fleishman's Love Ever After series.

 

Anth on the right, moi on the left. Kidding!!! I wish I was that glamorous ;)

 

All of Lauren's photos (and their little stories) are lovely, but this one, for me, particularly so. Feel like a bit of love this arvo? Hit the link. You'll be glad you did. 

 

p.s. some of these pics have appeared on my Instagram thingy(?) so apologies if you've seen them before. I am trying to make an effort to keep blogging even though I have been sucked-in by the quick and easy fix that is Instagram. This post has taken me longer than you'd think (by the standard of it!) to write as I just can't seem to sit down in front of the computer. I hoped by now I'd be able to show you our new loo and laundry (something you might be remotely interested in!) but we are still waiting for it to be tiled (after the last debacle we have called in a favour from someone we can rely on to do the job properly, unfortunately this means it will be done when he can fit us in) so don't hold your breath for that one!

 

Thanks for reading, skimming, struggling through this, whatever x