This week...

...I have been busy with different things! Still I managed to finish basting my couture dress (hurrah!) but lack of light and an unfashionable Sunday face/hair prevented photo taking. I also managed to advance with my knitting (even after having to unknit).
But I have a few unrelated to sewing deadlines which I procrastinated and left till last minute. I have also been busy doodling. I am not the best at drawing but keen to develop and practice. I'm doing a Fashion Design City & Guilds and it's definitely helping me.

Unrelated to sewing, all my recent low mood has made me think a lot about what I want. I think it's important to re-evaluate what is important and what makes one happy but boy, it is hard work and unsettling!!
Have you ever had a time in your life when you want to radically change something? How did you deal with it?

A belated Kelly Skirt

I have probably wore this skirt more times that the number of sentences in this post. Finished sometime in November and photographed in December I'm not quite sure why I didn't blog about it sooner.

This is the Kelly Skirt by Megan Nielsen. A super easy and very comfortable skirt. I used a remnant of a woollen fabric given to me by my mother in law and apparently given to her by some lady who didn't need it.

Photos were taken by my colleague, so I couldn't harass her for 10 or 20 takes. The scenery around my workplace is beautiful, lots of trees and a little stream, where you occasionally can spot kingfishers and small deer. It's not very private though and being quite a "stuck up" environment I don't feel confident with a tripod for self portraits.

In construction, other musings and your feedback welcomed!

Sewing has been slow here, but I reckon you already noticed that. It has been slow for quite some time but it's not because my love for it has waned. The reasons are far more annoying but I won't dwell on them. I have been sewing and knitting and have some works in progress.

First my Couture Dress from Crafsty Susan Khalje class. I'm not quite sure when I started this, probably  a year ago. I almost chucked this project to the UFO bin, I'm just not loving it. The class is fantastic and the sewing tuiton by Susan amazing. But I'm not loving the dress. It doesn't help that it's intended to be a work dress, I know...how exciting! Still, I decided I need to overcame this and just get it done. I'm in the process of assembling (hand basting) the whole dress to check fit once more. When this is done I'll get a photo of it, below is an earlier photo of the fitting of the muslin.

Second the last episode on my Skirt trilogy. This is actually the first skirt pattern I decided to use and the fabric will be familiar as well. Fabric is cut and all is ready to sew.

I was planning on sewing the vintage dress briefly mentioned here and have traced all the pattern pieces but after thinking long and hard decided not to start a complicated project before I finish the one in progress.
I have also been knitting this lovely cardigan from A Stitch in Time. The back is all done and currently doing one of the fronts.

A few other important musings:

• I changed the look of the blog (and will tweak a bit more). I want to revert this blog to a personal sewing blog.
• That is why the Suzy Patterns banner is gone. Suzy Patterns hasn't been scrapped though, it's still a work in progress. When I am ready to launch, a new website, separate to this blog will be launched. This might be a while, a proper while. A Suzy Patterns tab will be added where any news or a current status will be available.
• I am also adding an "About me tab". Something different from the conventional and pre-set about me in blogger.

So I welcome your feedback? Do you like the new look, anything that looks bad and anything else you'd like to see? And is there anything about me you would like to know? Ask me any question!

A Shirt for Rob

This is McCalls 6044, a nice and simple men's shirt started ages ago and finished just in time to wrap and give to Rob for Christmas. It's my second make of this pattern and aside from a few mistakes it went quite smoothly. I think he likes it.

I hope you all have a lovely end of 2012 and I hope to be back stronger and happier in 2013! Love you all, thank you for sticking with me through my good and bad moments.

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas my dear readers! I thought I would share some of my lovely presents with you.

My first presents were opened earlier in the month, when I celebrated Christmas with my lovely knitting group. Secret Santa was involved and look at what gorgeous and talented Julie got me. Believe me, I had tears in my eyes! It was so unexpected and I have been struggling with my mood/ confidence lately so this was very special.

Next is another Secret Santa, this time the amazing one organised by the also amazing Kat. Look at that pattern. Swoon!!!

And finally some other lovely presents I go from my lovely husband :)

I'll be back before the end of the year to show you some photos of a recent make. Till then, be merry!

Tale of Three Skirts: Part 1

I finished this cute little number some weeks ago, and have already worn it a few times (including to the fantastic Birmingham meetup). I got this fabric on a swap at the Walthamstow meet up and even thought it is a synthetic fabric, it was a delight to work with. Thank you so much Karen, for wanting to get rid of it!

The pattern is from the August 2011 Burda Magazine. It is my first make from a Burda magazine and also my first make following Portuguese instructions (I learned to sew in English so do not know all the technical terms in Portuguese, even though I am Portuguese). It is a wrap skirt so really quick to put together. I spent a Saturday night catchstitcing the hem. If I may say so myself, this is gorgeous work!

I still have plenty of fabric and will be making another skirt. Stay tuned, I'm going to rock this Winter in skirts!

Last but not least, I have stalled with my Couture dress (reasons for it later) and have decided to very slowly start the below beauty. Very scary, as will be using some expensive wool flannel. Might post some muslin and progress photos as I could use your help and support on this make. My confidence is a bit shattered.

Have a great week ahead!

Black & Blue Soul

Black and Blue Soul because Alma means soul in Portuguese. I have finished this Sewaholic Alma blouse sometime ago but only today managed to photograph it. I have been sort of out of sorts (if that makes sense) and some things take much longer to do.
I am really happy how this Alma turned out. Shame that the weather is turning too cold and I have to wait till next Spring to wear this again.

I used a very soft cotton-like fabric which is a bit of a nightmare to work with. I decided to go with contrasting black cuffs and collar and love the result. I planned on doing the black belt as well but the fabric was so fiddly I decided to ignore that. I'm happy I did as I botched up on the narrow hem and will not be using this blouse untucked. I love it with some high waisted trousers!

I'm slowly getting back to sewing (and knitting) regularly. Have quite a few projects on the go now. Focusing on getting one ready to wear next Saturday for the great Birmingham Rag Market meet up.
Will try to keep you posted on how it goes!