Sewjo: Lost and Found

It’s a strange thing when you have lost interest in something that you usually love to do.  

There was an odd dullness in my life these past few weeks because of the passing of our Wonderful Mother – my Biggest and Most Loving Supporter.  She was someone who constantly asked what was new in my world, someone who listened, cheered me on and encouraged me in every stitch of my life.

I certainly haven’t felt like planing or sewing any new projects – that dullness invaded my thoughts.  

I took a stab at my UFO pile, mending and hemming a few items.  Sort of a sewing therapy.  Turns out, now I’ve got a couple of new tops to wear.

Scrolling through Designer Fashions on-line, I found my Designin’ December  Designer Original.  How are you doing with your search?

I managed to finish a dress which I will show to you next time, when I have photos.  I don’t like how it turned out at all, but I did finish it.  It was important to me to finish it.  The bodice is probably an entire size too big.  I have an idea how to fix it up – perhaps you will have some helpful ideas too?

I was distracted for a while too with the vintage buttonholer on my Singer 500, “Barbie” my Rocketeer.  I spent way too much time playing with it, eventually sewing the buttonholes in my dress.  

This project started way back in May, the #magamsewalong on Instagram announced their May Theme – “May Flower” which worked in perfectly with my sewing plans.

I had this wonderful 100% rayon twill (not a “sustainable” fabric) – cornflower blue and purple flowers on a blue background.

I had this pattern, McCall’s M6503, which I have already traced and altered once to make view B, so this time I thought I would do a different collar style, view D.  I don’t have the faintest idea why the bodice fit so perfectly last time I made this dress and ended up too large this time.

I still had my Singer 500,“Barbie” my Rocketeer, set up from my last bag making project, so I figured I would continue to use her for finishing up my “May Flower” dress.  After all, Barbie came with a vintage buttonholer!  (Never have I seen a vintage sewing machine, cabinet and accessories in such good condition.  Barbie’s previous owner gave her lots of love!)

This is only the second time I have used this buttonholer.  But I am so fascinated by it.  This is where I got distracted again …  

The original manual for the buttonholer explained how the buttonholer worked, gave suggestions on making buttonholes, explained how to prepare and use the buttonholer, gave step by step instructions on how to make each of the different kinds of buttonholes and explained how to take care of the buttonholer.

There are twenty templates, so there are lots of different kinds of buttonhole choices.

The manual even gave the settings for my sewing machine and my buttonholer and they worked together just fine.

Like usual, I practiced my buttonholes first on scraps of interfaced fabric.

Then … Buttonhole Success with my actual bodice piece!

 

I love the sound of these vintage sewing machines.  While sewing with them, I always end up thinking about the inventors, possibly from as far back as the 1800’s for some machines, who decided which gears, screws, wires and needlebars would be needed to make a machine that is still in use today.

Anyway … on to the next project … this sewing therapy has given me a renewed desire to plan and sew …

I started a new bag!  I think this one is “IT!”  I’m calling it the “Rosie Bag”.  I promise to show it to you as soon as it’s done.  

During these past weeks, I have been thinking about my Biggest and Most Loving Supporter.  I don’t think she is really gone.  I’m sure she is around somewhere, chatting with her sister over morning coffees about what “her girls” are up to now – watching and cheering us on.

Happy Sewing!

STASH BUSTING WITH THIS PROJECT?  Nothing’s changed!  Still 132 metres left in inventory.