Before and after garden photos

My patio and side path are finished.  The only thing left to do is to cover some bench cushions in fabric to match my chairs.  The fabric is ordered and should arrive next week.

Before

After

Love this solar light

Beside the garage before:

And after

Beside the front door before:

:

And after:

3 tops and machine embroidery

Now that I have my coverstitch machine I've been able to finish 3 tops.

Itch to Stitch Uvita.  This was a linen knit from Spotlight that I ordered online.  When it arrived I was dismayed at how bright it was and it sat in my stash for a year.  Now that it is done though I actually like it.

The neck binding was folded to the inside and finished with a narrow coverstitch (!!!)  Look how neat that double row of stitching is.

And it looks so professional on the inside.

Another Itch to Stitch Uvita.  This fabric has sat in my stash for around 4 years, just couldn't decide what to do with it.   Another win.  And dig that pattern matching!

This time I decided to go for the active wear look and did a reverse coverstitch.

Love Notions Laundry Day T.  This time I did a 3 needle coverstitch in contrasting colours.

My wrist pincushion has been used constantly for the last 4 years.  It was time for a new one.  The pincushion design is from Kreative Kiwi.  I adapted it to turn it into a wrist pincushion.  It was easy to do.  The last step of the design is to add the backing fabric onto the front of the hoop, covering the main design.  Before adding the backing fabric I taped down 2 pieces of elastic on top of the right side of the embroidery on top of the hoop.  The raw edges of elastic were outside the design area, so the length of elastic was lying on top of the design.  Carefully taped it down to ensure it didn't get caught in the last round of stitching.  The backing fabric was then laid on top of the design and the elastic and stitched down.  Then take it out of the hoop and turn it around.  Then it was just a matter of measuring the elastic on my wrist and attaching the two pieces of elastic with a zig zag stitch.

This is the petal table topper. Another design from Kreative Kiwi.  I didn't realise the back petals got folded towards the front, otherwise I would have used the fabric the other way around.  So a bit disappointed.  My own fault for not reading the instructions properly

Babylock coverseam BLCS2, garden update

I did it!  I bought the Babylock Coverseam BLCS2.  After months of waiting I had a text from my sewing machine shop on Thursday that the shipment had finally arrived.  Went to the shop yesterday (Saturday) had a demonstration and a bit play and bought it.

I'm loving it so far.  I have 3 jumpers that are completed but just needed hemming and neck band finishing.  Yesterday I played and played and finished 2 jumpers.  The only time I had a problem was when I must have had it threaded wrong, just the tiniest thing will throw it out.  But I changed the thread and rethreaded everything from scratch.  I had the thread lock on for both the loopers and the thread and it worked perfectly.  I've not had any of the dreaded skipped stitches, not even over seams. 

The garden is still a work in progress.  Here are a few more pics.

Plants have arrrived.  Camellias and bromeliads

Front path is being relaid.

The new circular garden is almost ready.  This was made from 2 semi circular beds that were on the patio.

The stain for the fence and trellis

Path is nearly in and garden bed being readied next to the fence.

 The fence has been stained.  Trellis still to be stained.

Pavers relaid.

SewOverIt Vintage shirtdress

I finished my second Vintage Shirtdress from Sew Over It.

I bought the striped cotton sateen last year from Spotlight.  After buying it I didn't know what to do with it as I felt it was too much for an entire dress, but if I made a skirt, what sort of top would I wear with it.  This vintage shirtdress pattern easily allows different fabrics to be put together.  I bought this white cotton eyelet embroidered fabric from Backstreet Bargains and they are a great match.

I um'd and ah'd about the buttons.  Go with white, or make the top pop out with navy.  I decided on the navy - why be boring in my memade garments!

Changes I made to the pattern:
Lengthened the centre front bodice by 3/4", tapering away to nil at sides.  You  can see in the first dress that the waist seam rises at the centre front.  This alteration has prevented that happening.
Shortened the 3/4 length sleeves.  The pattern comes as sleeveless or 3/4 length.  I wanted short sleeves.

time to sew was 6 1/2 hours total cost $42;   $24 for cotton sateen and $18 for embroidered cotton.

Baby gifts and garden project

In around 6 weeks we will be welcoming a little baby girl into the family.  This meant I had the chance to make some cute baby gifts.

A hooded towel and a couple of baby bibs.  The machine embroidery designs are from Kreative Kiwi - Bathtime buddies.  I so enjoyed making these, fun to make something cute.

I also made a couple of  holders for the sewing room. One for my hoops and one for my rulers.

Again the design is a freebie from Kreative Kiwi.

I've started a fairly large landscaping project.  Had the team in last week and they'll be busy all this week and possibly into next week.  The main project is to update my patio.  The area is paved and over time they have buckled and sunk and it was looking very messy.  So the pavers are being relaid, putting in a garden by the fence, removing climbers from the trellis and replacing the trellis and painting the fence.  A L shaped garden bench is being made to order for by part of the trellis and the fence.

At the start of the work

 The pavers have been lifted. Roots from the climbers have gone all the way through the patio.  The men are having to remove all the roots.

 stuff to go under the pavers is delivered.

Climbers and trellis have been removed.

 

Pavers are being relaid

 New trellis has arrived

 Oh yes the gate has been taken off.  The latch needs to be fixed as it wouldn't close.

 New trellis put in place

Other trellis in place.  the fence has been stained, trellis still to be stained.

 This is where the garden bed will go, has a wooden border stained the same as the fence.