Hot tips for sewing like a professional ...and another giveaway (and a little bit about life and work, too).

I'm over at Sew Mama Sew at the moment, giving a few tips on the things that help create a professional finish in your sewing projects.  I'm also giving away a copy of my new book over there. And best of all, in the comments section, people are sharing their favourite sewing tips, too.  What a bonanza of a blog post it is... get over there NOW!

...and here we have another detail of one of the bags made while writing the book.  This is a version of the Melbourne Weekender, in denim and a hand-printed Pippiejoe fabric.

 

Meanwhile, behind the scenes of You Sew Girl....

 

Lately, the weeks seem to be flying past in a blur of workshop preparation and teaching, wound around parenting and house-keeping and general business-running.  I haven't had much time to look up or out. 

 

 

The biggest news in these parts is that I've been offered a new job... a real job (my Dad will be happy), and I've decided to take it on.  I'll be teaching in a Fashion College part-time. I can't help feeling like it was some sort of godsend. 

 

As the dust has been settling after the big move last year, I've been feeling absolutely ready to make more changes in the way that I do things, but not knowing exactly what form those changes might take.  I've been struggling with the fact that I love teaching and want to continue it, but that my product-development mojo appears to have gone walkies... so how do I keep YOU SEW GIRL going into the future?  

 

The new job offers a new direction that inspires and excites me, and I'll be able to continue my own classes and wholesaling the products that I already have. I might regain pattern-writing mojo or maybe I'll just write the occasional book... who knows?  But for now, I have something challenging and inspiring to sink my teeth into (and it will keep paying the bills!). It feels like the beginning of the next phase.  Exciting times, indeed!

 

While preparing lesson-plans and resources, I was surprised to see just how many geeky sewing and fashion technology books I own (this collection was just tidied up on the table one day... there's a 2-metre high bookshelf in the corner, with the rest of the collection bulging out). 

 

 

I've also been busy prepping for my own workshops and for the gigs booked around the traps with other businesses, guilds and sewing groups. There will one day be more photos of pattern-free clothing to show... I've been making, but not poncing about with the camera. 

 

On the home-front, we're fighting colds and can't seem to shake them, so have just been working around them.

 

The girleen has been using her time away from school to brush up her drawings of My Little Pony characters. (As impressed as I am with the likenesses, I'm lamenting the absence of her fantastic imagination in the artwork.... ).

 

In between bouts of cold, we managed a day out to ACMI, with the wee girl and her friend. 

 

We went to the DreamWorks exhibition, which was fantastic ... until the last bit (when they were hungry and tired).  The kids were made to wait about 10 minutes for their turn to use the much-anticipated animation software, and were then only given about 5 minutes (with a stress-inducing countdown of time-nearly-up) to get to understand the software and develop an animation.  They left feeling grumpy and frustrated and teary, because they barely had the background drawn when time was up.  It was beginning to look like a disastrous day (with nearly-nine-year-olds and their fragile emotions...).

 

As a cheer-up measure, we went out for sushi, regrouped and then hit the permanent exhibition at ACMI.  The kid's section there is full of excellent interactive activities, and they had a ball.

And then we hit the playground on a gorgeous Autumn day.... so all ended well.  Phew. 

And in between all of this, I've been knitting (and going to the dentist... which is where this photo was taken).

 

 

 

 

And so, life whizzes by... 

 

So before it passes... get over to that book giveaway and share your sewing tips! :)

The Better Bag Maker - Reviews and giveaways (and generally being out there in the world).

I set up a window display in Melbourne today.

 

It took hours.... and while I was lost in a  tangle of fishing line and climbing up and down a ladder, I watched as passers-by stopped and looked at my work (nobody seemed to notice me, which was lucky, because I was doing things like getting tangled in fishing line and dropping the scissors all the time). 

It was nice to see people being interested.  Nobody laughed and pointed.  Nobody mocked.  Phew! It's always a bit scary putting something out into the world, for anyone to judge.

And in the end, it all came together (sort of... I still want to tweak...). 

If you're in the city, you can see the display at the CAE info shop*, on the corner of Flinders Lane and Degraves St. 

*I'll be teaching a few classes at CAE over the next wee while.

 

There is a blog tour (with giveaways!) being organised as we speak, but while the finishing touches are being done to the schedule, we have a few early-starters for you. 

 

If you pop over to PatternReview.com now, you'll find a review and a giveaway there. 

 

If you're not a PatternReview member... why are you not?  It's a fantastic resource for all things sewing, and basic membership is absolutely free ("Friends of PR" membership has extra benefits and is only about $30 a year).

 

 

I'm getting a little tired of showing the same old photos from the book, so here's a bit of 'behind the scenes' for you...

For every finished bag you see in the book, there were a few fully-developed samples made.  I like to refine and tweak each design, and know each project thoroughly before I start writing instructions. Then I make it again to test that my instructions make sense...and after that, I send the instructions to a pattern-tester to check it again.

This is the Toronto Convertible Tote/Backpack in Saffron Craig fabric and denim.

 

 

 And this is the Barcelona Satchel in a blue colour-way of Yardage Design's "Fans".

 

 

In the book, the Melbourne Weekender is in a Pippiejoe fabric, and here it is in another of Caitlin's gorgeous hand-printed fabrics. 

 

(Did you know that Caitlin has joined Ink&Spindle? What a wonderful one-stop-shop that is!) 

 

 

This Marrakesh Overnighter is actually the bag on the cover of the book, but I'm posting this photo here because (yes... again...) it was stolen from the Stash Books stand at the London Book Show.  

 

 

It's in very distinctive Kristen Doran fabric, and is a one-of-a-kind... so if you see it on the streets of your town, you know where it came from!

 

I'll be back with more news of the Blog Tour, but I can let you know that the first stop is one of my fabulous pattern-testers, and you'll be able to see other versions of the bags that are in the book.  Check out Blogless Anna.  She'll be posting her blog tour contribution next week!

 

You can see more of the bags on the Flickr group I created for the book.  Feel free to share your creations made from the designs in the book there.

 

 

Pattern finished and winner drawn..

 

 

I'm about to send the finished TWEEN SEASONS COAT pattern to the printers. 

 

 

The grading, labelling and sampling of all the sizes took a lot longer than I imagined it would... I graded it to US sizing (8, 10, 12, 14) first and then realised that Australian kids sizing has a size 9 between 8 and 10 (with exactly the same grading increment as sizes10-12).  Changing that (and all the little size numbers) added a couple of extra days.

 

Then I had to organise models who actually fitted into the larger coats.... My poppet looked awfully sweet, but a little bit swamped in anything above the size 8. 

 

 

I borrowed some older, taller children. That took a bit of organising, too, but well worth the wait until the weekend.  The kids were great and they fitted into the larger coats (and really liked them, too).

 

 

It feels wrong to blur out beautiful faces like this, but I feel strongly about not posting images of mine or other people's children here,where anyone can have access to them.

 

Just look at the coat and imagine the beautiful face of a child you love.

 

 

This is the back view of the hooded version.

 

 

 

 My darling girl loves her Size 8 coats.  She has both hooded and collared versions (hooded version was left at her father's house before it was photographed).

 

 

 

She finds it's the perfect Spring coat - ready to pop on when the breeze is a bit too chilly... and pretty damn perfect for indoor sewing on a warm Spring day, when everyone else is in T-shirts....apparently.

 

 

Mr Random Number Generator drew a winner for my giveaway.  Amanda - we'll be sending you a pattern as soon as they're back from the printers!

 

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on the giveaway post.  I'm so sorry I haven't had time to respond to any of them, even in the smallest way.  I hope you all got my little telepathic messages....?

 



News from abroad, now that I'm home.

Before I launch into the holiday snaps, the big news from abroad is that to celebrate the launch of You Sew Girl Patterns into the US market, and the recent availability of my book YOU SEW GIRL in the US, the divine Ms Oona Balloona is hosting a giveaway of my book on her blog.  If you live in the US or Canada, go visit her blog NOW!

Ok, back to my USA trip...

We survived the journey home, and are currently enjoying every moment not spent in an aircraft or airport.  

The wee girl declares she's never going any further than a couple of hours on a plane EVER AGAIN, although during the 26 hour journey to the USA and the 30+ hour trip home, her determination to keep the sunny side out made me very proud.  She was a little trouper.

I had all manner of internet and computer issues while we were away (which continue here now I'm home) and I can't access the photos on other gadgets yet, but here are a few snippets.

We spent an extra week in Portland, enjoying time with family and seeing a few sights.  I didn't get to see an awful lot of the city itself, but I liked the bits I saw.
We had one perfect-weather day in Portland, and an ill-timed attempt at visiting the zoo (zoo was closed).  We visited the nearby library... (great idea).

We ventured out into the gorgeous green wilderness of Oregon...


 ..and encountered a wilderness of coffee flavours. (Peanut butter.... really...?)


 There was wild-and-woolly weather, driftwood and beaches...

...clam chowder and sand dollars (these shells)..

and ...oh my goodness, the wee girl wearing jeans (albeit with a handmade knitted top).

There was a great day spent with the gals of the American Sewing Guild in Portland, and I forgot to take photos. If anyone who was there can share some images with me, I'd love to see them.

It's taking a while to land, unpack and sort through all the follow-up and catch-up that needs to be done.  And there is sleep to be had.  I'll be back soon with more... and hopefully a bit about crafty goings-on.

A Winner and a Wagger

I know... you thought that I forgot about the book giveaway...

 

I didn't.  I drew it today.  Congratulations Candy - you're about to receive your own copy of my book YOU SEW GIRL.  I hope that you enjoy it.

It was a little late in the drawing because I was out all day on Friday.  I was at the beach and at a party and generally nowhere near a computer (just an iPad, occasionally).

My poor book-writing brain had reached its limits, so I took the day off... and then took Saturday off as well (spent with family). 

It felt a bit like wagging school (not that I ever did that... girly-swot that I was), but at the same time it was absolutely necessary.  Shut down and restart.

It's the Easter weekend, after all....(I know that because of the number of sucking-up-to-Easter-Bunny cards found about the house).

 

I'm back into the manuscript now - at the creative, tarting-things-up end of things while I await the feedback from pattern-testers.  I also have to finish off a bit of sewing to do. (Manuscript-finishing is akin to blog-finishing, it seems.  There are linings to be made!)  There is much to be done, but the end is in sight.  I can begin to breathe again.

I enjoyed sewing up the last of the hero-pieces for the book in this gorgeous Echino fabric, although it was almost too pretty to cut up.

I hope you've had a great Easter break, and that you and yours are well, happy and rested.

 

A Clearance Sale and A Giveaway

This is part of the big pile of bags, purses, hats and garments on my (carpeted-and-used-as-a-playroom) garage floor.  This week, they'll be priced (mostly under $20) and hung up, ready for the

 

BIG CLEARANCE SALE

 

 I'm having this Saturday. 

 

 

 

Saturday 23rd March

 

3/99 Helen St Northcote

 

10.30am - 3.30pm

 

 

 

Production samples, display and teaching samples... and excess samples.... I have too many samples.

ALL TO CLEAR.  All going for an absolute song.

 

I'll also have a few things like a box of vintage tablecloths, some feather boas, discontinued bag hardware and patterns.... odds and ends.  I need to make some space.

 

 

Please note: The showroom/shop won't be open on Saturday (I can't manage both) but if you want to put in an order for bag supplies and pick it up on the day, contact the office during the week and we can get it ready for you.

 

And I'm sorry - I barely have time to price and hang up the samples, so the sale will not be listed online anywhere.  You really need to just come in or send a personal shopper.

 

-----------------------------

 

And now - the Giveaway....

 

 

As I mentioned earlier, my book YOU SEW GIRL had a few hiccups with distribution, but it's finally available in the USA via Book Depository.

Project-wise, there's a little bit of everything in this book, and a whole heap of sewing tips and techniques to make you a faster, better, more confident sewing whizz...

You can read what the editors at PatternReview.com had to say about it here...

 

And here are a few more pictures from the book, all by the very talented Denise Nestor.

 

To celebrate the availability of the book in the USA, I'm going to give a copy of the book away to someone in the USA or Canada.  If you live there, you could be a winner!

 

To be in the draw, you need to follow the blog (there's a widget on the sidebar) and leave a comment in the comment box below (with an email address if you don't have a Blogger profile with an email address attached). 

 

 OR, follow me on Facebook and leave a comment in the post that links to this blog post. If you post on the Facebook page, there's no need to leave an email address.  I can contact you there through a private message.

 

I'll gather up all the names, draw a winner on Friday 29th March and order the book to be sent directly to you.

 

And now I have to go off and think of something nice for those of you who don't live in Melbourne or the USA....

 

Pssst! Want free passes to the Quilt Show?

I have four free passes to the Melbourne Quilt and Craft Fair next week.

These will be randomly placed in parcels going out in tomorrow's post.

To be in the draw, place an order of $20 value or more in my shop and pay for it before 4pm tomorrow. Your free pass could be in your parcel!

***

I also have one dead computer and a trillion logistical problems caused by its absence. I shall return when things are running more smoothly.....

Ah yes.. well, I ALWAYS do it like this....

You know when things go a little bit wrong....not quite as well as planned, but you smile on as if everything is as it was meant to be...? Yes, I think I know how the designer of this machine-knitted one-piece "playsuit" feels (...and GOD BLESS that poor model - a true professional!!).

I've had a bit of a week of it. ("IT" meaning serious tail-chasing, multi-tasking-while-I'm-multi-tasking and things going a bit wrong on a fairly consistent basis....) I ploughed on. By hook or by crook, the stock and display for the Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair will be on a pallet at Tullamarine Airport on Wednesday morning, ready to go... New bag samples will be finished and hopefully we'll have worked out why, out of the 4000-odd subscribers to our mailing list, only about 150 actually received the last newsletter..... (After Wednesday, I have nearly a week to pull myself and the shop back into some sort of shape before I go up to the show...smiling...).

Anyway.... somewhere in the middle of all of that, I was supposed to draw the winner of the new Draped T-Dress pattern. I smiled and pretended all was normal while I didn't get around to it.

And the winner is ... MARY! Send us your postal address, Mary, and we'll pop the pattern in the post to you.

I also didn't get around to photographing the new bag samples that I finished this week. I only have the work-in-progress shots of this little adventure....

I had a vision... it involved teaming this lovely grey wool honeycomb-texture knitting sample from one or other of my knitting machine (ahem) learning-experiences. I thought that an inset strip of wool in a mock-crock textured leather would look rather nice (in a handcrafted-meets-slick-urban-design sort of way).I measured things, I interfaced things, I used two layers of the knit to make it nice and spongey. I set up the fancy-schmantzy Bernina with upholstery thread and walking foot and stitched it...... All was looking schmick and slick....

And then I noticed this little opportunity for a design feature.....

So we're leaning slightly more towards the "handcrafted" with this one now. But I like it.
I'd like to get his bag finished before Wednesday, too... along with a whole heap of other organising.

Let's just hope my smile doesn't slip...Years ago, I heard a VERY FUNNY radio comedy song - along the lines of "I always do it like this...", in a toffy English accent, accompanied by piano. The song described people having hugely embarrassing and complicated public accidents, and carrying on with a stiff upper lip. A disasterous downhill run on a bicycle ends with " Oh, I ALWAYS get off like this..." Someone getting all his teeth knocked out explains, "Well, I was GOING to get them out..."

Has anyone else heard this and know from whence it came? If it's on You Tube or any audio file anywhere....? CD?