Posts by lizhaywood
Countdown to Book Week costumes
Sunday afternoon was spent sewing things for Book Week costumes. It was pleasant to sit and sew in the warm kitchen, as the hail thrashed the windows and the trees bent over horizontally outside. For international readers, Aussie schools celebrate Children’s Book Week by inviting students dress up as their favourite book character. Our school…
Read MoreStyle 2685: fitted, finished and just fine
The yellow dress I started for my favourite 10 year old last weekend is now officially finished. She likes it. The pattern is from 1979, which she considers “olden days”. I thought when I was sewing it, the gathering didn’t seem very full. Although my fabric is a bit crisper than the dress is designed…
Read MoreStyle 2685 or The Case of the Missing Collar
High on the euphoria of actually completing a project on the same day as I started it (swimming trunks for Ken doll), I decided to make something else quick and easy. Or so I thought. In my fabric collection, I came across this pretty dress pattern stored with some fabric my favourite 10 year old…
Read MoreWhat Ken needs (apart from a decent haircut)
After sewing two jumpsuits in a row I badly needed a quick “instant gratification” project. What could be more perfect than swimming trunks for Ken! The poor doll has been swimming in the nuddy while Barbie’s been doing laps in her snazzy bikini. However, my favourite eight year old tells me he’s actually wearing a…
Read MoreRe-creating Thayaht’s Tuta: mission complete
Folks, I’m happy to report that I’ve finished the Tuta and it’s an outstanding success. Read the previous posts here: Part 1 introduction, Part 2 the toile and Part 3 work in progress. I love the utility feel of it…..the pockets, the way the top blouses, the leg cut, all those opportunities for topstitching… The…
Read MoreRe-creating Thayaht’s Tuta Part 3: work in progress
Hello! Read the previous posts on this project: Part 1 Introduction and Part 2 where I got started on it. I’ve never worn a jumpsuit in my life and I think I’m a convert. This week I fitted and finalized the pattern, cut out a navy blue Wear-out-of-the-house Tuta….and haven’t finished it. (It’s school holidays…
Read MoreRe-creating Thayaht’s Tuta: Part 2
Hello, welcome to my second post following my quest to re-create Thayaht’s Tuta. Read last week’s introduction here. This week I made a pattern, cut out a toile and ran it up to check the fit. I kept thinking how glad I was not to be living in post WW1 Italy. Much as I venerate…
Read More99 years of the jumpsuit: re-creating the Tuta
Photo source: Wiki commons Do you own a jumpsuit? Maybe you have many. Have you ever sewn a jumpsuit? It’s been 99 years since the launch of what we now call the jumpsuit. Its inventor was Italian futurist artist Ernesto Michahelles (who adopted the palindrome pseudonym Thayaht) in collaboration with his younger brother Ruggero Alfredo…
Read MorePattern recommendation: fabric boxes
Stitched Sewing Organizers is everything a craft book should be: beautiful, thoughtfully designed projects, gorgeous photography and easy-to-understand instructions. I wanted to make everything in it, whether I needed it or not. The book is a collection of things to make to hold sewing supplies, either for at home or traveling. On the weekend I…
Read MoreHello! New taupe corduroy trousers
The departure of my old much-worn taupe corduroy trousers has left a void (see obituary here). Too many smart-casual country looks are going unworn since they retired…it seems that taupe corduroy trousers are needed in my wardrobe. Meanwhile, dormant in my stash, waiting for its moment to shine, was this stretch taupe babycord with a…
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