I could not stop going on about my new coat in the pub

I bought the most amazing coat from a charity shop yesterday. Its fits so good, the only thing that needed doing was replacing the elastic in the back becuase it had gone old and crumbly.

I didn't have long to do it, but I desperately wanted to do it properly and not botch it, as per my new sewing ethic. I picked out the old bit of elastic (a pain since I seem to have lost my 3 (!) seam rippers, thank god for tiny ultra sharp scissors) and sewed one end of the elastic, unstreched to the side seam with the end of the front drawstring waist lying flat on top of it. I tried to pull the elastic and sew, but that was a massive failure, this piece of elastic is a efty mutha. So I flat-sewed the middle of the elastic to the middle of the back, therefore giving me a quantifiable amount to stretch. Then I sewed the left end of the elastic to the left seam again with the end of the left drawstring lying flat on top.
I was getting quite agitated by this time, especially as I was due to go to the pub. My agitation was further exacerbated by the needle breaking off and pinging me in the face! (a first!). I changed the neede, calmed down and finished sewing the elastic. Perfect! This coat combines 3 trends in one, nautical, dress coat and cinched in waist, how cool is that?

(I can't put pics up on blogger so for the time being here is a link to them on flickr)

Wardrobe Machinations

I have made a pact with me and my sewing machine, I am going to start projects and work on them until they are finished. All my unfinished winter sewing projects can go up to the attic until early autumn, there's no shame in that is there? I mean whats the point of beating yourself up over clothes you wont even be able to wear for 6 months?
I have also come up with an idea for my clothes but I think its a bit over the top:
I am going to take pictures of all the clothes and sewing projects I put in the attic so I can keep track of all the clothes I have stored away. I think I am going to look into using stuff like acid-free tissue paper and cedarwood chunks to make sure they are pest and decay free.
I feel like I've started something which is going to become a massive obsession.

Olive, khaki, and lime green

I was in Topshop yesterday and tried on a beautiful cropped jacket in a curious shade of green. It was pretty much khaki but it had a slight twinge, a sharp acidic spike of lime green. It was very flattering to the face.
Since then I have fantasised about making my own tailored jacket, in a similar colour with, -get this: a puffa collar. A sort of open regency style neckline but all pouffed up with the rest being tailored. And one or a few beautiful gold/amber buttons, closing the jacket with loops of gold cord.
mmm mmm.

Sew along with me

I cannot seem to find any good sewing blogs (apart from dressaday). So I have created Sew Along With Me to put pictures up of my sewing projects, and hopefully to swap tips with other dressmakers/sewers.