Wednesday, 14 October 2015

Slow progress





So I've gone back to work and I am really enjoying some spreadsheet stimulation. It's a shame that I have had to sacrifice my passion in favour of work and family but believe you me this
 is not the end. My poor hubby is having to share our bed with pins as I've started taking my sewing there too. My weekend schedule is packed for the next two weeks but that's life. It gets in the way sometimes.

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Failing to plan is planning to fail

It's October already and I must admit I haven't hit this year's sewing goals. I'm nowhere near making a quarter of what I planned to make. Maybe that's because my plans where just in my head which didn't give me any deadlines.
This lack of planning has also resulted in me getting overwhelmed with the amount of projects running all at the same time. So I'm going back to basics and drawing up a list of garments I really want to make for AW15. 

First on my list is this Butterick coatigan.




From the moment I saw this pattern I had to have it. It's an easy style which can be dressed up or down and doesn't have the time commitment a tailored coat would require. The pattern also comes with a dress which I intend on sewing after I've completed my Palmer/Pletsch tissue fitting classes via Craftsy.

Next on my list is OOP McCalls M6600 shirtdress. I started sewing this piece back in August  for the ThRed and Needles challenge by Ruqayyah Davis and was making good progress until an emergency project overtook it (can't remember what that was, clearly it wasn't important). All that's left are buttons, buttonholes and the hem.

M6600

Lastly a bit of charitable sewing. This is a chef's outfit I made for my neighbours reception class, Simplicity 3650. I reinforced most seams considering 4-5 year olds will be wearing it. I finished it well into the start of the new school year but I'm proud of my achievements. Better late than never.


Well, that's it for now. Wish me luck with that coatigan.

Sew, FinancePro

Monday, 28 September 2015

Hello and welcome

My name is Farirai but most call me Farie. I'm finally joining the bandwagon and creating my own little corner in cyberspace. Why you ask? For a long time I've wanted to share my talent with like minded seamstresses so I've decided that today, my 30th birthday is the best time to do it. There's no better time than today hey? I've come to realise that life is not worth living unless you fill it with the things you enjoy most.

And what do I enjoy above all else? I love sewing. I fell in love with sewing while I was in Grade 7 (aged 12) working on our leavers' project, a hand sewn pencil skirt made out of a flimsy lightweight viscose. I was so proud of my achievement that on the last day of primary school I ripped the CF seam in my uniform, donned a white Tee and said skirt. It didn't have a secure back fastening and as I strutted my chubby looking self down to City Hall I almost exposed myself. I still blush just thinking about my near-miss indecent exposure but for the first in my short life I had found something I was really good at.


Fast forward to high school and I got a joint highest mark for Form 4 Fashion & Fabrics. I didn't get the prize (my report book did acknowledge my achievement) but I was convinced I was going to study Fashion & Textiles for my A Levels. Well, my very loving African family clearly didn't think so. Back then practical subjects were seen as inferior compared to 'academic' subjects such as Maths, Science or Accounting. Success was measured by whether you became a doctor, lawyer, engineer or accountant. 

Given my limited choices and that I had passed accounting with an A (total fluke) my career path was carved out. I have enjoyed a career in finance for the past 9 years however nothing is more fulfilling than sitting behind my sewing machine and watching a piece of fabric transformed into a wearable garment.

So, with that said I hope you will enjoy reading about my sewing endeavours, the good, the bad, the wadders as well as lessons learnt........... and not repeated.