Sewing Machine

I have a brand spankin' new one of these!!!!!  I used it on the weekend!!!  I'm in love. ♥

I have a very basic little Brother sewing machine I bought about 22 years ago. It has served me well seeing me through sewing droughts, patches of sewing bliss and travelling up and down the East coast with me a few times. But it's starting to break down. Bits don't close, the light hasn't worked for years, some parts are bent/broken from all the moving and the front loading bobbin is painful to unravel all the time.

So my Mum bought me a brand new machine. Bless her. ♥

What did I sew? I hear you asking. Let me share.

 I had a black skirt that was an awkward length. It's a tierd skirt made of soft, cool cotton that wasn't long but it wasn't short and the length just made me look dumpy. So instead of giving it away to the op shop I decided to lengthen it by adding a piece of ribbing to the top and adding elastic around the waist. As I never wear a tucked in top this won't affect how I wear the skirt and now I have a brand new wardrobe item!

I did the same with a pair of long pants made of stretch crepe. They fall beautifully and are soft and lovely to wear but slightly too small around the hips now and keep falling down because they are hipster pants. I've sewn a piece of ribbing on to the top of them the same as the skirt and now they'll be more comfortable.

I also... attached a shoulder strap back onto a top, patched a tear in one of my favourite summer dresses so that I can wear it again this summer, sewed some seams on two pieces of clothing where the stitching has broken and started making one of these for my daughter's brand new "grown up" paint brushes I have for her upcoming birthday. I'll take some photos and make a tutorial on how to use recycled items to make a quick and easy roll.

I used to sew a lot. I started drafting patterns for my dolls at 12 from one of Mum's old drafting books. We didn't have a lot when I was growing up so I used to enjoy making new clothes to go out in. Then I got busy. I moved to Sydney, worked in a bank and jumped on the end of the 80's "Greed is Good" train. I ended up broke, in debt and had to move back home. A tough lesson but one well learnt. Since then I haven't been a big spender. Although we live very comfortably accumulating stuff just isn't important to us. I still shop the sales and don't spend extravagantly. We have a budget and we stick to it. I'd rather have the money to travel a bit, show our children some of the world around them and live an uncomplicated life.

Now I'm rediscovering the thrill of creating with the sewing machine. :)