Sewing Machine has returned to the fold

I am so pleased that my sewing machine is back already! I got a call yesterday to go pick it up and within the hour I had arranged for a friend to meet me after he finished work to pick it up. Yay! I love my Bernina dearly but it is heavy and I didn't want to have to catch either 2 trains or 2 trams in order to get it home. Damn you Camberwell, why do you have to be so difficult to get to.

Now, to be honest I haven't managed any of the cutting I was planning on before my darling was returned to me (to be fair, I expected it to be there for another couple of weeks. Less than 2 weeks for a Bernina service, fantastic). I have traced out the StyleArc Melissa Blouse and I have some vibrant Blue/Purple lawn to cut it out with (which is cheap lawn from Spotlight, and according to Wikipedia it's characteristics seem to be of lining/utility lawn). The main reason I traced the pattern is because I thought I would end up with the cut pieces sitting for awhile, however there is also the fact that after making up the pattern as is I intended to make a few changes. Draft a convertible collar rather than the shirt collar and stand, make a short sleeved version (perhaps with some puff in it, I have yet to decide). and, because this one has darts I may actually spend some time fixing up the back/front width ratio if needed. It has been a long time since I have sewn a fitted shirt.

In other news my mummy arrives tomorrow. Woo! as my dad would say. We are going out to dinner for Balinese which should be lovely. The place is fully licensed and no BYO which they always make sure to emphasis, which is fine, we are intending to have pre-dinner drinks, dinner, followed by after dinner drinks.

Council elections are upon us, la sigh, must remember to send in postal vote so I am not fined. I much prefer going to the voting booth but that is just me.

Politics

The Coalition annoys me. My how they annoy me. I do not consider Julia Gillard's response yesterday let down the women of Australia. There is a court case in process, it was clearly a highly political (and hypocritical) move by the Leader of the Opposition to try and remove Peter Slipper from the position of Speaker. Most of the bad publicity has come from him and his party. I notice none of the party are addressing the accurate portrayal of Mr Abbot as a misogynist. No, we wouldn't want to do that. Wouldn't want to address our own shameful action, let's abuse the Prime Minister. Bah.

A Proud Day for the Prime Minister

I am just so impressed by Julia Gillard in Parliament today. Video found on the ABC HERE. It was well delivered and directed and fully deserved. Very heartening. Sexism should always be unacceptable.

I am still sorting my fabric, will this hell never end? I know I will be happier once I am finished but at this point I just want to give up. Blergh.

I have been reading that spraying your slippery fabric with starch assists cutting and sewing, to this end I have been looking up home made starch spray. I decided on a cooked version and I have to say after spraying 2 different chiffons they have dried nicely stiff, hopefully cutting them out will be significantly easier than my previous attempts. I confess that my past experiences has put me off cutting chiffons and georgettes.

My intention is to make the  blouse from portrait blouse from Gertie's New Book For Better Sewing, let's see if I get to that point.

Spring! All is forgiven

Well what a delighfully dazzling day it has turned out to be. Crummy 15 degrees but glorious sunshine. Melbourne, keep this up and it could be the start of something beautiful.

So, as previously stated, I have been procrasting by way of sorting my fabric. This has been a good exercise, yes I feel crushing guilt because I am not working on my assignments however, I now have 5 plastic containers of various sizes filled with fabric and a piece of paper at the front which lists what fabric is in there and the dimensions. I feel this is going to work well. I still have 4 containers plus various extras to sort through but I still feel this is a positive move. I also successfully refrained from walking into Lincraft and its 40% fabric sale. Yay me! Willpower, it is all about the willpower.

How cute is this t-shirt from sportscraft? I feel I need to make one, sans the breast pocket, of course. I love polka dots, I also love those neutral colours. Regretfully I do not own any (I was about to say in cotton jersey however I think it would be more accurate to say I don't own any neutral fabric at all). I did own some cotton voile in this kind of colourway but I donated it to my sister for her future wardrobe of awesome (which I will be making, so clearly awesome to the max).

On a completely unrelated note I love this outfit Dalida is wearing.
Yes it is completely ordinary but I love it. I must make it. I cannot find an actual video clip for the Italian version, it all clips of women wearing bikinis. Bah. Humbug!

Clearly I fail

At keeping a blog. Ah, I hear consistency is the key to many things, if only I could get the hang of it.

Currently my darling sewing machine is in the shop because the timing is out which means buttonholes aren't and the centreing is close to but not quite. La sigh. I should be working on my assignments so of course with my sewing machine out of commission I am overcome with the urge to sort my fabric. The day looks horrible and dismal so my get up and go for anything that does not involve lying on the floor, lying on my bed or lying in the loungeroom is pretty much non existent.

Last night I went out for a drink (or three) at Prudence, along with a friend and sister number three. Twas enjoyable. I like the fact that I can get my gin and soda in a long glass rather than the short stubby one most places sell it in. I also like the nooks and crannies it has.This is the first time I have been out for a drink in about 2 months so it was nice. I don't drink much at home (although my darling mummy is coming for a lightning visit next Friday to Sunday so that will, of course, be a boozy time). During the night I was severely inspired by my friends yellow duffel coat with hidden zipper, pity it is now Spring (hear that Melbourne, it is Spring, so give me some sunshine) and I probably shan't have cause to wear such a thing. I say this, however, I do have at least three coat patterns waiting to be made plus I am really tempted by this StyleArc pattern. I dislike this months freebie however so I do not mind waiting until November to purchase said pattern.

Since my sewing machine is a gone away (gone ahead) for the next 3 weeks or so I figure I will get some cutting done. I hate cutting and not only because the surfaces I have available to me are insufficient and I dislike cutting on the floor.

My intentions are to cut out - 
The Melissa Blouse from StyleArc. I will cut it out as is however hopefully if I like the style I will make a short sleeved one with bands, in preparation for the glorious weather I know is coming.

The Angela Blouse from StyleArc (actually I have already made it once sans the breast pockets and I love it (why oh why do people think pockets over breasts are a good idea?). I have the sleeves rolled up in the picture for 2 reasons, firstly because it was hot and, secondly because I haven't actually done the buttonholes on the cuffs because my machine had well and truly rebelled by this point.

Butterick B5823 view C, probably in some cotton drill. To be honest I am caught between wanting to make it in the neutral it is shown in and my inner magpie which likes the bright and shiny.

I have a few others I intend to cut however I am bored with typing them up so I think I will leave it until I have actually done something with them.

I leave now, ton continue listening to Italian Radio (1593AM) desperately trying to understand anything being said and to revel in my fabric, also perhaps, just perhaps I shall on my assignments.