An old love rekindled.

While I have been writing these posts on old projects, I remembered how much I love embroidery. It seems to have sparked a new desire to do more again.

So on came a new internet search while I was supposed to be writing my first assignment on Medusa. I am studying Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds, this year. I would like to share with you what I found.

Here is a site that has some lovely free patterns and a FAQ section.
http://embroidery.about.com/  it is heavy on advertising but definitely worth checking out.

http://www.royal-needlework.org.uk/  the Royal School of Needlework, lots of information. I would like to do a couple of their courses next year if  funds allow. In the meantime I stocked up on books from their on-line shop to learn some new techniques.

I have rotated that picture several times however it wanted to appear sideways each time. sorry.

http://www.embroiderersguild.com/
who have two magazines -
stitch and embroidery , which are both worth looking at.

For those of you who are interested the exhibition below is taking place at the ashmolean museum in Oxford.
On the Saturday 1 December there is a  big stitch event. I also hope to attend.

Threads of Silk and Gold: Ornamental Textiles From Meiji Japan Exhibition | 9 November 2012 – 27 January 2013 | Galleries 57, 59 & 60 | £6 /£4 Concessions Many of us are aware of the beauty of the traditional Japanese kimono: Threads of Silk and Gold introduces the less familiar but equally spectacular ornamental textiles that were made in Japan for the foreign market in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Intricate embroideries and tapestries, dyed silks and velvets entranced Western audiences with their sophisticated designs and brilliant craftsmanship. The exhibition highlights Meiji textiles from the newly-acquired collection of the Sannenzaka Museum in Kyoto, one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of its type in existence.


Wow so many events to do, we also have comi-con/expo (just found out Matt Smith, Doctor Who will be there) and hyperjapan that we want to attend.

How do you decide what to do when there are so many good things going on, On what to visit / do and what not to do. Perhaps we should play Diceman.

Sew Vala. x

Another direction? Time for a change ?

I have been wondering for a while that a change is required to update and refresh my blog.

I have seen some lovely blog designs out there, background, title designs etc.
I have asked my daughters to help me design and change mine, as any teenager does, they start get board then give up and walk away to do something much more intersting instead.

So I thought I would change slowly, while I figure out the tech stuff.

Firstly the name of my blog, (I know I have talked about this before, but it turns out I was not ready).
When I started blogging I was not ready to open myself up to the world, ok I know I do not have mega following like some, and I like that. but still I hid and since I won the blog award in which you give a little more of yourself to your readers I realise I am still hiding.

When I first started blogging it was under the psudo Sew Vala and the blog was titled 'make it sew... trial and tribulations of sewing'. This I chose as a trekker, trial and tribulations is a  DS9 episode and a pun on TNG make it so'. But graduly I thought this title made it sound as sewing was such hard work. Yes it is I am a slow learner, mainly because once I do something I like to repeat it over and over before I move on  (look at the amount of shirts and dresses I have made from the same pattern) perhaps I should move on more quickly, this way I would learn more to get out of my comfort zone. But sewing and making is also really enjoyable and what I live for. If I cannot create I get 'nouty', grumpy if you like.

So I changed the title to Vala Sews...  with the intention of adding a witty line but the witty line has never appeared, because I cannot think of one. Any way Vala was choosen from one of my favourite characters from SG1 another sci-fi show, My real name is Di. I am a very ltteral person, I once asked my friends to sum me up in one word, idiviualy, to see what they would say and they all said the same thing, unconventional. Which to be honest I was very pleased with, I thought and still think its cool.

I have a very small bussiness selling jewellery, lapquilts and handbags that I have made in the past at craft shows. But my goal is find a style and sell unqiue clothing, or made to order. I have had lots of inquries into the yellow hoodie and plan to make more in different designs of my own which is a start. I have discovered a great love of Japanese Gothic Lolita or Gosu Rori as it is known. It was my daughters who showed me these and have asked for me to make them these clothes as buying them from Japan can be very expensive. My eldest saved up and bought a fabulous outfit from Japan, when it arrived, she was rather taken aback. The outfit is lovely but made from such cheep material she was a little disappointed but loved the overall design, she payed almost £100 for this outfit. My skill will get there and when it does I will be able to create a similar outfit for less than half of that. For which I am sure she will be happy, and if this makes her happy I hope it will make other too.

So in the future there will be inspirational pictures and hopefully completed designs from Gosu Rori while I learn and then some of my own creations. I think my daughters may feel I myself am too old for the look but with some adapations I may 'get away with it' outfits. Along with the Steampunk I adore and of course many more loud shirtd for S.H. I am trying to get my son into them but with no success, jogging bottoms and hoodies for him, I am sad to say.

What does the future hold, well I hope a bright and new colourful blog, with a new name (please keep an eye out for the change and do not be surprised when it happens, wondering who is this.)

Wow what a long post with no pictures, therefore here are a few with visions of a bright new new future.

 

Until next time you lovely people Happy creating,

Di (Sew Vala). x

Expo May 2012 part two

Hello friends,

I hope you like yesterdays pictures from our day at Expo, today I will share some more.

Firstly here is what my daughter wore

She is a character from an internet comic 'HomeStuck' , I must apologize she did inform me of the name but it escapes me.

 She let me take a few pictures when we got there, then off she went to the HomeStuck meet-up. Apart from coming across them during one of their photo-shoots (she is far right) we didn't see her all day.
Wow was she hot when we met up at the end of the day. A hot day and a black morph suit makes for one very tired and black dye stained very very happy teenager.

As for me

 Any guesses, nope thought not. No-body seemed to know who I was. It seems you cross two genres and people get confused. Here was my inspirational picture

Can you see it yet,

How about this

Still no. Steampunk Princess Leia.

I am sorry to say only two pieces of this outfit we made the rest was bought.

Using this pattern I made the chemise Simpicity 2163

I decided not to add the sleeves, I satin bound the edge instead. And I also did not do the large colar and used lace and beading to add extra detail.

The other make, was the Leia buns, using a hair do-nut sponge and false hair headbands,

 Even S.H. had a go at sewing the plaits onto the sponge.

 And with plenty of bobby pins they actually stayed in place all day, they were not heavy in fact I forgot I was wearing them.

We were expecting a cold may so the coat only got worn for this shot, such a shame it is lovely. But I am sure I will get lots of use of of it. As for the corset that is definitely going to be worn alot. How gorgeous is this,

As promised tomorrow I will let you about our day.
Now there are at least five more conventions we would love to go to this year if the buget allows, so best get started on thinking up new costumes for everyone.

Have a good weekend. Sew Vala x

Ex-Po so far...

I have been away from blogging but reading all your lovely blogs.

I am currently working on 4 projects,
another Loud shirt,
a vintage pattern twin set hand knitting
my ex-po outfit
and S.H, ex-po out.

So far all I can share with you are the work I have done so far
on my outfit,

 Here is the neckline of my chemise, using frill and pearls handsewn.

And the satin bound sleeve. I have also satin bound the hem, which is a little wonky but works under the skirt.

The rest of the outfit I have bought because my skills and time are not up standard I would like.

For S.H. we have bought the trousers and I will be dying a shirt but I am able to make the waitcoat and the jacket.

I will share those pictures and others when all is ready.

Happy sewing lovely readers,

Sew Vala. x 
 

Good days do happen

Its been over a week since my post, it's been rather a roller coster time for me here. I could feel the beginnings of a downer start to hit, so I tried to get as much done as possible. Which in retrospect I think that may have contributed to my bad past couple of days. But hopefully (well no, lets think possitively here) things are on the up.

So here's to the good things that have gone on recently.

I was offered offered a hugh amount of 'stuff''. 

So glad I accepted the offer, it turns out I now have the most amaizing selection of vintage lace, ribbons, binding, metal zips, buttons and metal press-studs.  I dont think I will need to buy any of these ever again.

Also I have finished the Nepeta coat for my daughters cos-play outfit.

A few of the details I learnt while making the coat.

Overlock the edges before adding the pockets. doh!

the pockets, ( something i have not done before)

a new colar detail, also not done before,

And this was also the first time I have set in sleeves. (I think that's what this method is called. any way it is the first time I have done a sleeve that is not sewn as part of the body.)

Thats a lot of firsts' also this was the first time I have adapted a pattern to such an extent. Here is the orignal

Butterick 5468, And finally here is the finished article,

It's very long and big all over 'thats what it should be' says my daughter. I am happy with how it has turned out and the new techniques I learnt. But most importantly the little lady who it is for loves it. And thats what it is all about. So thats the hat made, and the coat, now we can start the tail, shoes bought, trousers bought and t-shirt waiting to be printed. cos-play expo here we come.

And so on to new projects

And so on to new projects.

Currently on the sewing table are

• Nepeta - cos play outfit for youngest daughter
• Captain Jack Harkness cos play outfit for eldest daughter
• and Loud shirt number 4

here's a sneek peak at progression so far

Nepeta- You may remember I have been asked to re-create this but with cat ears not horns.

I used this simplicity pattern, the cat woman hat for the pattern. I didn't know if it would work as its for synthectic leather and I was using fleace.

She was very pleased with the result, but similing for the camera is not 'cool'

The Captain Jack Harkness is still to be started

Thats it for the moment except to show off another shoe obsession, well botts actually they have everything, buckles, laces and zips.

My winter footwear is sorted, How about you.

Happy sewing you lovely people Sew Vala x