Sew-What-You-Like Workshop Mosaic - November Dates

To think 
none of these items 
or any of the others I didn't get photos of
existed 2days before 
the October series of

Sew-What-You-Like Workshops

1. Wrap T, 2. Top REfashion, 3. Paua Top, 

4. Firecracker Skirt, 5. Change of Heart Skirt & Top, 6. Tea Frock,
7. Skirtunic, 8. Frog Wrap, 9. Cushions,
10. Lined Change of Heart, 11. Tunic REfashion, 12. Birdie Bag,
13. Finished, 14. Hands, 15. Finished

and 
the worlds a better place now they do.

The November series of
Sew-What-You-Like Workshops
are open for booking

Thursday & Friday 
14th & 15th
9:30-2:30

or

Saturday & Sunday
16th & 17th 
10am-3pm

Contact me [Jody] for details
sewoutsidethelines[at]westnet[dot]com[dot]au   

Sew-What-You-Like Workshop - Day4

The 2nd day 

for the 2nd group

of  

2-Day All-Day Sew-What-You-Like Workshop participants

saw an explosion of finished creations

The delightful  JoAnne joined us for the first time

 having keenly watched the Blog for some time 

Jo had a pretty good idea which direction her creativity would take

starting with an unwearable wrap skirt
transformed with fabric & frogs
into the perfect skirt for summer 

an uncomfortable op shop sourced top
was refashioned into a one-of-a-kind wear-anywhere tunic

and two tops that weren't being worn
are now one top Jo will wear 

Sue has been a regular paticipant in workshops
for a few years now
 and has also joined me on every Busselton REtreat
I could go on for ages about Sues ability
suffice to say Sue is now coming to class confident enough to have created her own patterns
as evidenced by this Top
created by copying one of her favoutite tops



with only a few minor pattern adjustments
Sue now has a Top pattern perfect for her



which is also what happened with these white pants
starting life as an op shop sourced Size 24 
 after creating a replica pattern of her favourite comfy pants
Sue created the perfect for her Size 14 summer casuals
and the Top was refashioned from too-small to perfect-fit
by adding a little extra in the side

knowing what to expect

Elise came armed with her already cut out Change of Heart Skirt

only this time we lined it

which means that Elise has earned the title of

first-ever-person-on-the-planet to create a lined Change of Heart Skirt

and after creating 4 zippered cushions 

Elise is well on her way to being an expert

earning her the other title of

 Studio Zipper & Cushion Queen

and our darling Kate

who is always so happy to be here

who fills the Studio with fresh air & light

nearly made a Tea Frock

which she loves so much 

there's plans to fill her wardrobe with them

Everyone that walks through the Studio doors is different

every creation which is created here is different
expectations vary from person to creation and back again
what always remains the same however
is the reward and sense of achievement
experienced on a similar level by everyone

so lets do it again
in November!

Sew-What-You-Like Workshop - Day3

For me it was Day3

however for Elise, Kate, Sue and Jo 

it was Day 1 of their 

2-Day Sew-What-You-Like Workshop

and just like the group before them

these girls hit the ground running

 with sewing machines fired up

and hands going flat out

I'm looking forward to capturing their completed creations later today to share

...it was all too much for little Lola.

Sew-What-You-Like Workshop - Day2

A magical moment 

when everyone is simultaneously sitting

and I think to grab the camera

most times

everyone can be found at various spots throughout the Studio

doing their

'thing'

 

Rennae cleverly thought to create 

a Change of Heart Skirt

which can be worn with her very clever top

The pattern for the reversible Top 

was created at an earlier workshop this year

and if you look closely enough you'll see what we did

a myriad of different ways to wear the 2 pieces

Jeanette was inspired to REinvent a skirt 

she would never wear

into a Tunic 

she will live in

Bree completed her firecracker of a 

Splice Skirt

which I'm pretty sure she wore home

and Fiona created a gorgeous Liza Top 
which could easily be worn with her Satchel Bag
and Liza Pants [when finished]

there were a few other bits 

created, REfashioned & partially finished

which I have no doubt I will see at a later date

just like Jeanettes 

brocade bedspread Jigsaw Jacket 

which was started earlier in the year

finished at home

and worn to death while visiting family in Europe recently.

As much fun as these 2 Days were

with this lovely group of talented & enthusiastic individuals

I've another couple of days of sharing creativeness up my sleeve 

today was Day 1 with another group of

like-minded women.....

Sew-What-You-Like Workshops - Day1

Wished I'd given this idea a little more thought

I'd have taken more photos then 

tomorrow I'll do better

Today was Day 1 in a 

2-Day All-Day 
Sew-What-You-Like Workshop

with 4 participants we were at capacity

Fiona was the new kid at school

wishing to refresh sewing skills she'd abandoned years ago in High School

her completed Satchel Bag 

was sewn like she'd been sewing her whole life

so good it went straight to fb 

Bree hit the ground running
having prepared her next Splice Skirt the night before
this ones going to be another knockout
with the 3rd layer a surprise



lunch was a delight
great conversations in lovely company eating yummy food 
enjoying the fresh air & sunshine 

Rennae brought her delicious Pumpkin Pie to share

 and tomorrow we get to do it all again

when I'll be excited to share 
Rennaes first Change of Heart Skirt
complete with first ever darts & perfect zip insertion
Jeanettes first ever Skirt-to-Tunic REinvent
along with a new summer top & skirt
Bree will be wearing her new Splice Skirt home carrying a few completed REfashions
and Fiona will surprise us with her new found enthusiasm.

A REfreshing Reality Check

How refreshing to be reminded 

that this pale blue dot we live on 

is the only home we have ever known

or likely to 

after watching this short, informative,

 beautifully presented, reality checking, 

must see video

I think you will agree 

we all could be a bit nicer to it 

and while we're at it

each other

I'm sending the link through to the 12yr olds teacher

in case she feels like I do

that this should be shared 

my 12yr old sat mouth open not moving a muscle

only commenting at the end 

"we're so small"

and we are

that doesn't mean we're insignificant.

One of Those Things - Hand Stitching my Ideas

I was going to call this post
'Things To Do with your Hands when you Can't Do Much with your Feet'

I rolled my ankle
tearing ligaments
a couple of weeks back
which meant I had to get good at using my hands
to keep from going loopy 
while I sat foot up day after day

armed with quiet resolve
I threaded my needle & started to embroider

first came the idea



then the words




followed by flowers



it was an enjoyable yet strangley awkward experience
[my favourite type]
no instructions in uncharted territory without time constraints  
only stopping once I'd achieved something 
which resembled the original idea I had

I call it 
'one of those things'




sometimes the trickiest part to anything you've never done before

is knowing when to stop

which is what's happening with my next
'one of those things'

I've a feeling I may have gone too far with this one

....and yet strangely

I don't think so

see what I mean

strange & awkward

love it!

In-between embroidering

I managed to crochet my body weight in Grannie Squares

not quite 

however it feels like it 

they take for.ever 

  now all I have to do is Whip Stitch them together
this bit sounds fast...

The other thing I worked out
while indisposed 
was how to take sexy shots 
of a manky foot 
in 100yr old Crocs.



Foot's much better
and ready for 4 days of creating with others
this time next week. 
x

Latest [Cardy] REfashion - In the Beginning...

This is how it begins

*

*

*

you're in your favourite Op Shop

looking for who knows what

when you spy

the perfect orangey/ecru stripey cotton cardigan 

you hesitate 

it's 2 sizes too small 

and not a colour you're familiar with wearing

your hesitation is short lived

because you decide you like these colours [together]

and you're reminded that

you can make it fit

Home you come cardy in hand 

prepared to file it under, 
'for the right project on the right day'

when an invitation for a catch-up is organised with a friend

and you know 
you can't possibly go if you're not wearing the refashioned version of your newest aquisition

never mind that the day is fading fast

there's dinner to cook

children to wrangle

and all the other stuff that could potentially derail & ruin the momentum

priorities dictate proceedings 

and out come the scissors

and the first thing to go is the ribbing 

to be replaced with the bottom of a floral top

because you knew right from the start the ribbing once removed

would release & relax the body of the cardigan

enabling you to add contrast edging

thus allowing for a better fit
which meant this REfashion was going to be pretty straight forward 

if only it was that easy

in your mind you formulate a more layered look

out comes the bin of trims

and you play with ideas

as the lights are turned on 

and the Walking Foot is attached

those ideas blend & meld to become a reality

and before you know it

you're done
you created something you're very excited to wear the following day 

which you do

I did
and I'm looking forward to doing it again

as a foot note

no child starved due to my domestic negligence

instead one of them took the inititive 

& cooked dinner herself...

which was just a little bit more exciting than the successful REfashion. 

Never say Never - New Workshops

With interest in my workshops

exceeding my ability to continue to say no to people

I've snuck in a couple of sneaky ones

All Day Thursday & Friday

24th & 25th October

9:30-2:30

$260

and 

All Day Saturday & Sunday

26th & 27th October

10-3pm

$260

There's one spot left in each workshop 

 and with school back next week

that gives me little under 14 days 

to get my act together to sort out the buttons
that have been sitting like this for 2wks

nothing like a deadline to inspire motivation.

If you're interested in joining us 

to shake off the winter blues 

and start creating some spring sensations

send me an email

sewoutsidethelines@westnet.com.au

with class sizes teeny tiny 

and no limit to what you would like to undertake

it is literally

first in best dressed!

*
*
*
Both workshops are now FULLY BOOKED. x

How To:: Cut the Buttons of Your Cardy is PRINTABLE

Have you heard that old saying about Thought

when someone comes back at you with

"I thought I did...." or "I thought you did..." 

 you say 

"you know what thought thought, 

thought thought he'd farted 

but when he looked he hadn't, he'd....!"

well I thought I'd included a printable version of my most popular blog post 

and guess what 

when I looked I hadn't

so here it is.