The burn test

I bought 3 pieces of grey fabric from the Western Market in Hong Kong a couple (or maybe 3) years ago, that I was assured was Armani and made of silk - maybe silk linen blend - I can't remember exactly now. I am sure he did a burn test to prove to me. But now when I test I am not so sure. What can I say - it is so hot there and you get confuzzled!

In the photo I tested several fabrics. The two on the left I know are poly, the two on the right I know are silk....so what are the middle two? You can see that they have curled up and outside they do have a shiny look to the burn. But I can rub ash off them. One smells a bit like wood burning. So I suppose (maybe) a silk blended with a synthetic.

Anyway I was thinking of making a dress/ jumper (as per Summerset's suggestion) as a transeasonal garment and using some beautiful Chanel silk as the lining. The lining is also from the Western Market but from a different seller - it has the word Chanel woven into it. A (very) small piece of it was used for the burn test - second from the right. But, I don't think I will waste my Chanel on a poly blend dress.

So what shall I make today - I think a late summer skirt. Cotton from Spotlight! Today it is 35 degrees (95 F) but tomorrow only 21 (70F) - that's Melbourne for you!

I will make a dress/jumper from the Armani (hey I am still calling it that) another day but use another lining. I am now thinking RED lining - with shoes, belt and lippy to match!

What to do next?

Yesterday, I was going to sew but DD's have been nagging for me to get the computers fixed. We have 4 - Ellen's laptop, one pc that has internet access, another pc that somehow has lost it's internet access and an old pc that just won't turn on.

I took the old pc to the shop and yah! it now works, it even connects onto the internet....yippee. I changed the port that the non accessing internet pc was plugged into on the router and shock and amazement, that one now connects. So when the girls came home from school, we had 4 working computers and they all access to the internet. So no more fighting for a computer!!!

Next job will be to look for faster access to the internet. .......

Also yesterday, I bought myself a piping foot! I didn't know they existed. When making Ellen's formal dress I had trouble keeping close to the piping, and I thought I must get an edging foot (or something). Well now I have a piping foot, so the next project should be something with piping.

I am tempted to make something to wear this weekend - going to visit parents in the country with my sister. It is always nice to have something to show off! But I will have only one day to make it.....so a skirt, or a dress? I could make a final summer garment, but I think the weather is going to turn cold........ah, indecision is my middle name.....

And my sewing machine is sounding like it needs a service.....

What Sofie did on Sunday....

Yesterday, Sofie decided she was going to make a bag. She had been making a pencil case at school and felt quite confident she could make the bag.

We searched the stash and found some baby blue corduroy, some blue fur and a remnant of blue and white sheeting.

We also found some iron on sparkles that spelt out "Paris".

So I lost my sewing machine for the day, but was summoned every so often to advise her what step to take next.

Sofie designed the bag shape herself. She cut out the fabric and did all the sewing. She even did the unpicking (only needed to do that once) herself.

She plans on using it as her dance bag - to take her jazz and tap shoes and drink bottle to class.

The fur on the outside forms a pocket. And there is a phone pocket inside as well!

The formal frock, in motion!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words... but what about video??

Advice needed

I am going to make a suit from some fabric I bought from the Western Market in Hong Kong back in 2004. I was told that the fabric is a silk linen blend. I have done the flame test and yes it is definitely natural fibre. The jacket is going to be in the rose fabric (second from the bottom on the left) and the skirt in the matching plain fabric (the one just above it). I will pipe the jacket in the plain fabric (I only learnt yesterday that Janome has a piping foot - Oh what a sheltered life I lead. And to think I just used the zipper foot and hoped for the best on Ellen's outfit...).

Now to my question .....the lining. I do have a silk animal print I could use (sorry no photo - camera still at school) but the poly on the bottom of the stack on left is such a good match. It is a rose jacquard print that I originally bought to make lingerie. I could use one side for the lining and use the other side as piping around the edge of the facing. But would it be sacrilege to use poly to line a silk suit? Happy to hear all thoughts. None of the fabric was expensive.

No camera......

Ellen was all dressed and ready to go. So time for the photos......mmmm.....where's the camera?

"oh, no! I took it to school for an assignment and is it still in my locker!" OK stay calm......AHHHH!!!

What to do? Fire up the video camera and take a video. Now Ellen's assignment today is to edit the very small film, upload it onto YouTube and somehow attach it to this blog. As for me, I am off the the Stitches and Craft show at Caufield racecourse with my sister.

It's finished.....and the shoes too!

All finished (and with 2 days still before the formal!). I undid the waistband and trimmed the netting only. This left the lining and bias strip allowances as buffers against the bits of net left. After a quick wearing test I stitched the binding back on.

The picture on the right is one shoe before the make over and one after. I just put a ribbon on the shoe, tied a bow and attached a heart shaped bit of bling I got last time I was in Hong Kong. I think they were something like 10 cents, so if they don't last the night, no matter.

Here is a picture of the completed outfit. Will have some more when Ellen is all glammed up for the event. Now to go and clean the sewing room for something for me!