we go…
The New Year walk was walked
, the locals were wished all the best for the 2013,
and the official beginning 2013 portrait was snapped.
The Christmas tree is now on the recycling heap and ornaments have all been lovingly packed away. Every year there are loud protests ( SOooo embarrassing Mum!) when The Angel of ‘Happinosh’, Bad Santa and the Rude Rocket are brought out and hung on the tree but they are among my favourite Christmas decorations and will always have pride of place… secretly I suspect the offspring are rather pleased that their toddler-art is still cherished.
And finally the last crumbs of the holiday baking mountain have been consumed and I can but hope my waistline returns soon to its pre December measurement.
Do I have a New Years Resolution? Not really other than something safely vague about doing more exercise …..
With one thing and another this season seemed very subdued. Toning down Christmas commercialism is certainly welcome… and maybe next year even the perfume manufacturers will get the idea that less is more and we won’t be treated to the likes of Brad Pitt droning on for Chanel in the hands-down absolute winner of worst perfume ad of 2012! It was good for a laugh the first couple of times I saw it but by NYE the entire family could recite the words. Not good.
Anyway I do wish SewVeraVenus readers a Very Happy New Year and leave you for the moment with this helpful idea from 1947 for brightening up your January outfits:
Sorry for being so darned late, but I HAD to comment…try looking up Lloyd Robertson doing the “Chanel” commercial that Brad Pitt looked so uninterested in doing. Lloyd is a now-retired news anchor from right here in Toronto (Ontario, Canada), and he wins hands down! *lol*
Don’t mind me, I’m just a new lurker / follwer here…
Well, welcome Mugsy-new lurker/follower to my parlour!
Lol, huge improvement with his reading dubbed in on Brad, thanks 🙂 Wonderful voice… listened to the video of his most memorable interviews too.
Happy New Year to you albeit somewhat belatedly!
Love the self/canine portrait.
Thank you Catherine. And really good to ‘see’ you back!
Best wishes to you too Jeanne!
Its very hard to keep sewing in the bright summer sun of Sydney in January, so unfortunately my 1930s lounging PJs are still on the table. My friend lamented that the fabric I’ve chosen is too good to be kept at home in pyjamas unseen by the world. But I secretly think that’s the point 🙂 It’s rather slinky though, would you post some tips on cutting and sewing with silky fabric? I’m terrified to go there without a little hand-holding!
Hi Melanie, I think that is the point too!
For cutting out difficult fabrics have a look at the French Knicker tutorial I posted a while ago- I swear by the tissue-paper sandwich cutting method I describe in it. Accurate cutting is almost half the making battle in my book.
As to sewing slidey/slinky fabrics, well, after you cut out test sew some scraps, it really may not be as bad as you anticipate. Use a decent size stitch- not tiny ones as they often can make seams pull up a bit tight. Also makes unpicking easier! Use a new sharp machine needle too. I don’t personally find using loads of pins helps with slidey fabrics- I think all the stop-start sewing while removing them can make sewing lines look a little hinky on thin fabrics. I pin beginning,end and just a couple in the middle is all. A bit of hand basting can help with trickier areas, the armholes for instance. On bias areas I use the 4 fingers of my left hand to sort of steady the fabric grain as it feeds under the presser foot. But do some tests first, your fabric may not be that hard to work with and if it is then at least you’ll know in advance. I look forward to seeing your results when you finally stop playing in the sun 🙂 Give me a shout if you need more hand holding.
Did you by chance see the SNL skits they did of Brad Pitt and Chanel. Very funny. Love your 2013 portrait, looks like all you need is snow and a hot toddy. I’ve been logged off for many days and boy it feels good. So much more time for sewing!
No I didn’t see that but can just imagine the fun SNL had!
With all the mud no snow was needed, plenty slippy as was, and hot toddies were definitely had on returning home – for preventive medicinal purposes of course 😉
Great that you’ve been busy sewing…the internet is such a time hog. A ‘Sew more – Surf less’ screen saver?
request needed.
A pen friend in the Uk sent me for Christmas knitted flowers she said they are all the rage in the UK. I remember them from the 70s and I have photos of my mother during the war with them on her clothes.
They have a pin to hold them on th eclothes. I would love to make them to go on my jackets. I have been unable to find them in my old books.
Any suggestions or patterns would be lovely and I think others might like them as well
Hi Robyne, are you sure it is me, one of the worlds knitting-hopeless, that you intended that question for?? I can cast on and it stops there…
Anyhow a quick google search turned this up straight away http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/flowers.php which may set you on the path.
Wonderful Portrait, thanks for sharing!
A Healthy, Happy New Year! At 82 I’m creating a brand new wardrobe and holding a steady 145 lbs in spite of the holidays and no skiing yet! Aquatics has helped stay “firm” and ready to ski!
How very inspiring- I hope to be as fit and busy as you at 82! Thanks for commenting modgranny 🙂