Burda wof 04-2008-116

Ta dah....

I have finished Burda WOF 04-2008-116. I like this dress more and more. I plan to wear it first time to a photography show opening at the Powerhouse Museum in Brisbane. The good thing is that it will stand up to travel without wrinkles...yay!!

I did have some trouble with easing the sleeves in, but I think it is my inexperience on that score. I used a different photo on my review. I think my tummy looked more prominent on the review photo but otherwise it was a better photo. I think it has more to do with the fact that the fabric is very hard to photograph because of the gold detail on it. However I must say in its defence I love this fabric and I have noticed there is still some in the store perhaps I should get some more...

Here is my review for those interested.

Cape Fear & how it all comes together

I watched the start of the 1962 version of Cape Fear the other night (too tired to watch the whole thing but it looked like a great movie and will watch it again another time). This top really caught my eye.

The other part of this equation is that my favourit-ist black boatneck T-shirt is on its last legs. I dyed it black again before I went on holidays to try and prolong its life but I am afraid it does not have much shelf life left. Sooo, I have been looking for a boat neck T-shirt pattern. I ordered this pattern today (well, with a pile of others... I have to make the postage worth while, don't I?)

I have been de-cluttering magazines so the urge for equilibrium came over me and a few new magazines entered the house. Amongst these was the September issue of Instyle. This picture caught my eye...

This top is by Missoni and costs a small fortune, but I love it and and I don't have a fabric as beautiful as the one it is made up in but it I do have this fabric ..


I bought this on my trip and since I brought it home I have been trying to work out what I will do with it (and why the heck did I buy it...)

Maybe I have an answer now...

BTW I have sewed Burda wof 04-2008-116 but don't have a photo yet as it is too *bleep* cold to put it on to take a photo. Hopefully soon I will get a picture and show you...

Its a secret...

I thought I would start sharing with you some of the things I purchased while on holiday.

Well this is the first one that comes to mind. I bought these in Hong Kong from a company called Top Secret. They make exercise/ sports/ leisure clothes - all with a secret. This is one of the two gym tops I purchased (the other is in the wash as I did actually wear it to the gym the other day!)
Apart from being a really attractive garment, made with fabric that wicks away the sweat, etc (and it is very comfortable as I can attest after my session in a Step class) the great secret of this top is that is has a built-in bra... and not just a shelf bra ... a whole proper bra! Woo hoo - now I can wear those pretty little gym tops without bra straps showing!


I also bought a non-gym top there - a little floaty summer number with string ties - I love it as I hate strapless bras - so now to me this is a great solution! (I am too big busted to go without!)

The prices are also great - the three tops I bought only came to $155 Australian dollars! They have a web-site and you can order from there. I can't comment on what the postage costs, or on what the Internet service is like as I haven't tried it but I am sure I will soon.

The only bad news is that they don't many sizes and the largest cup size is a C (Now I am officially a D-cup I have been told, but I will probably still get these tops as I love them so much!)

Please note NAYY - I just loved these tops and had to share with you!

More Jalie Pants...

Since I made the first pair of Jalie pants, I have had a real blitz and have made four more pairs.



Excuse the crummy photo but they are from L to R:

1. Shorts made out of expensive fabric "St Moritz" from Gardams - really good quality fabric - it will be interesting to see how they fare going to the gym.
2. 3/4 pants made from the same expensive fabric (just shortened the length to match a RTW pair).
3. Full length made of brown fleecy with a ribbing waistband (Spotlight)
4. Full length made of cheap but reasonably good weight black cotton knit (from Make-it fabrics - only $10 a metre, but will be interesting to see how it takes a lot of washing & wearing).

I have worn pair No. 3 (the brown fleece) to death while 'lounging' at home and have worn pair No. 4 once to gym where they fared very well and were very comfortable while I did a step class. So I decided to make more for gym but used a better quality fabric for the next two pair. I hope the fabric will breath at gym. If not I will have to continue the search for good quality fabric to make these pants from. I can't see myself buying gym pants now!

I have also spent money today. First I went and get myself measured up for a bra. I have read so much about this lately I thought it was time I did. I was very conscious that my bras didn't feel right. Anyway I found out I needed to go up a cup size! I thought I might go down seeing as I have lost weight and size around the bust. However I think I have mainly lost it from my back and under-bust (upper waist?) area so maybe that has made the difference. I couldn't believe the fitter though until I tried on the right size bra and it fit perfectly!

I also bought a new overlocker a Janome Mylock 644D. I made the 3/4 length pants on it today. I was very impressed at the demo in the shop, etc but I am not 100% happy with the tension of the stitches on my machine. I think I will re-thread it tomorrow, try again and then contact the shop if I have no joy. It was OK but not as good as the demo piece I brought home from the shop.

Edited to Add: This problem has now been fixed - I just found where I could adjust the knife - the knife was cutting too narrow compared to the stitch width ..it wasn't the tension....yay fixed!!!

Bye Cocy...

My little Coco passed away while we were overseas on the 1st of August. I have found it hard to grieve for her as we were away and busy and now it was so strange to come home and she is not here. She was over 20 years of age and this winter was very bitter cold. I had prepared my son that it may happen while we were away but I was still expecting to see her when we got back as she was so well when we left. I even took her for a check-up at the vet and he said she was in good health for her age. (The age chart on the vet's wall for cats actually stopped at 19 so she was doing better than the odds!) At least Sean was here for her and she actually died in his arms so that makes me feel better than if she had died all alone. Her ashes are being delivered this afternoon so that I can scatter them under a rose bush she used to like to sleep under when sunning herself in the yard. The man will probably think I am a loon as my eyes are going to be red when he comes as I can't type this without tears.

Bye Coco - you were my little friend, my first baby and I will miss you very much....

Started sewing again

I have started sewing again - even though there is heaps of other things I probably should be doing after returning home after 5 weeks away! I have tackled the mountain of washing, got the worst nasty cleaning done, paid the bills and done a grocery shop - surely it is time to sew now.
I decided to start working through my stash and also to do items most needed in my wardrobe. Well, since I have returned from balmy low-20 days in Finland and 30 degree days in Hong Kong, Toowoomba is bloody freezing - when did this happen? - I am sure it was supposed to be warmer than this! So long story short I need long comfy warm pants to wear around home plus some gym pants so that I can return to gym and lose the flabby belly I developed while on holidays.

The pattern of choice was Jalie 2445.

The reviews said to cut it one to two sizes bigger - so I did. I used some stash - a nasty brown velour bought from Lincraft (- grrr, don't talk to me about Lincrap - not happy with their service at the moment!). I also changed the waistband from a drawstring to a wide elastic as I reckon the drawstring is a pain in the butt! I usually wear my shirts pulled over the pants, and drawstrings just add lumps where you don't want them - if I was the beautiful young things on the pattern cover I would have the drawstring and let it all hang out - as you can see from my photo of the final thing I have let it all hang out and you can see what 5 weeks of holiday has done for me!


It has worked out great, so now I can make more for the gym with the fabric in my stash bought for that purpose. However I also now want to buy some fleecy so I can make some tracky-daks for lounging with - as they are so comfy and it is so cold!

If you want to read my review you can find it here.

Hong Kong

Stopover in Hong Kong on way home - warm & sticky weather. A really interesting place but a bit smoggy and smelly...

This is the hotel pool which was on the 39th floor, however the hotel had no floors with the number 4 in it (4, 14, 24, etc) or 13. Yes that is the smoggy sky in the background.
Double decker trams...

Olympics fervour....

Estonia

We spent one night in the town of Tallin in Estonia. We spent most of the time at the old town which was fascinating.

Detail from the carving on the door...

The gates to the old town...

These are some of the different modes of transport for the tourists...

More holiday photos

Some more images from Finland....

More flowers & bees...


The view from Koli...

Porvoo - check out the instruments this folk music band were using....


Inside the old church at Porvoo...

Helsinki...


Sirpa & Heiki's cabin - we had a lovely day sauna'ing, swimming, having a picnic lunch, rowing, fishing.......


How to collect your wild strawberries...

Detail of an old wooden building at Hamina

Imatra - the water is let out of the dam once a day to music to show the rapids....

Savonlinna Castle

I missed this picture of Savonlinna castle in my last post.

I have now left Finland and am in Hong Kong. When I get some photos sorted I will post some more. It is difficult to find places to connect to the Internet.

Our time in Finland went really well. Only one real hiccup - hubby's wallet was stolen. However we got great service from the Police at Imatra, who allowed us in outside of their regular office times to file a report.

As I post more photos I well tell you more about where we went. However I would like to thank my great cousins in Finland who really showed us a good time and looked after us so well. It was very hard to leave them and I wish we were living closer together so we could spend more time with them. I hope in the future to see more of them and perhaps to even plan a holiday to some exotic location so none of us has to travel quite so far.