With treats from an earlier library event to sustain us and the air-conditioning to cool us, we were off to a promising start!
Our FOML, expert in all things fabric (and a lot more besides), led the way as she cut out these very cute looking owls who are going to transform themselves into oven mitts and then fly their way all over the world as Christmas presents! As it's our last SSS for 2014, we won't get to see the final product unfortunately. We do know there are going to be some very lucky folk who receive these beautiful handmade gifts!
Our chronic cutter-outerer fooled us all this Saturday as she worked industriously on converting a shop-bought pair of pants into something designed especially for her! There was much discussion as to the best way to do this. As cloth and patterns are so expensive, sometimes it makes economic sense to buy something ready-made that has potential and then use your sewing skills to adapt it so that it fits and suits you perfectly. It works very well when you pick up an item at a bargain basement price. It's a lovely way to combine the best of both ready-made and hand-sewn options.
One of our participants is very productive every time she comes. Having young children at home and being accustomed to the interruptions that they bring, she positively flies through her projects at SSS when she has a straight run. This Saturday she put the finishing touches to a lovely pink outfit for a very lucky baby! Then with a flourish, out onto the lovely big tables that we have in the Community Meeting Room, she spread a beautiful emerald-seagreen fabric. Armed with plates from the kitchenette to hold the pattern pieces in place (pins are so passe), she swiftly cut out pieces to make herself a dress. A quick change of thread on her sewing machine, and she was zooming away sewing the pieces together. The dress was half way to completion when we finished SSS, not too bad for an afternoon's effort.
Over a coffee this resourceful sewer told us about the wealth of sewing assistance there is on the internet. As a relatively new sewer, she has found the assistance from sewing bloggers all over the world invaluable. She has found cyber-sewers to be very friendly and eager to share their skills with those who are seeking assistance. Free patterns are even available! It certainly adds another social dimension to what can often be a solitary craft.
Another keen sewer had been inspired to emulate a gingham tablecloth she had found, so she was industriously cross-stitching away on her own hand-made tablecloth. As she was using a different sized gingham square to the original item she was a bit disappointed in her efforts but it certainly looked great to us. (We are often our own worst critics. I guess the disappointment kicks in when the reality of the project doesn't fit the vision we had of it and then we have to make that mental shift in appreciating the beauty of what we have created.)
Recently, another Saturday social sewer had popped on this simple shift she had bought and worn in winter with a long-sleeved t-shirt underneath to find that in summer, things looked a little different without the T-shirt. With a bit of assistance from our FOML expert in all things sewing, the shoulders were taken up (very hard to pin one's own shoulder seams so another great reason for a solitary sewer to attend SSS!) and the shoulder seams re-stitched, so hopefully now the dress can be worn in summer as well as winter.
This was our last Social Sewing Saturday for 2014 but we will back in action, starting Saturday 31 January 2015. Looking forward to hearing about what you have created over the Christmas break and even more interested in hearing your plans for all things sewing in 2015!
