Organisation and Part 1 of my Stash Stories (Knits Part 1)

Please tell me I'm not alone in the need to constantly reorganise my fabric stash?

I am hoping once a good system comes along I will no long feel the need to do it so much but as it stands it's a weekly task.  

Today I decided to start photographing everything so I could keep an electronic record of everything I have, like a library. I also think I might print off the pics and put them into notebooks where I can write down what I wish to make with them.  

Does anyone else do this? How do you find it works? What's your system? 

I think I might combine this with a weekly post so you guys can offer up suggestions of possible makes and/or other ways to store or catalogue it all.  

No time like the present to start so let's have a look at my current collection of knits (I actually have more coming in the next week too so I'll update that at a later date). 

Ok so first: 

I have just over a metre of this black stretch lace (and 10metres of picot is in the pic too incase you're wondering) which I bought last week from a little shop I found in Forres last week called Varis Crafts.  I think it was £6.99 and the picot 30p per metre.  I'm thinking I could either use it in conjunction with another knit for a Closet Case Files Nettie bodysuit or go down the obvious route and make knickers.  What do you think?

(Little lady hands like to stroke this one)

I think I have about a metre and a half of this plummy coloured ruffle knit left.  I *think* I bought it on Etsy a while ago so I can't remember how much I paid for it.  You might recognise it from when I was making the Ohhh Lulu Grace knickers?

I keep toying with the idea of maybe making a cute little vest top with what I have left but I'm not sure it won't make me look uber busty as the girls are quite big already and the ruffles might accentuate them?? 

I have about 5metres of both the one above and the one below.

The top one is very stretchy so maybe that could also be a Nettie? The bottom one is more a t shirt material so I reckon I'll need to take a wee daunder round all my favourite pattern sites online and see what I can find.  Unless you have any ideas? 

I have a metre of each of these interlocks left.  I've used the pink and yellow already  as you see above but the white it uncut except for a tiny sliver I used to line the gusset (I hate that word) of a pair of knickers.   With only having a metre left I guess I'll either make something for one of the kids or need to combine them?

I'd love to hear what you think so drop me a comment :) 

Putting a PDF patter together: Colette Sorbetto Sewalong

Hey all

This is the first post in the Colette Sorbetto SewAlong as mentioned yesterday.  Print your free download from here . 

This is how to put your pattern together once you have printed it off for those who haven't done this before. 

Your first step is to check that your test square measures the 4by4 inches that it should. 

Simply lay a ruler or measuring tape along each side to check.  If it's wrong go back and reprint the pattern.  

Next you will see each A4 sheet has a rectangle drawn on it.  Cut round these.

Each square has little triangles with numbers on them.  Match the numbers side by side . . . 

And top and bottom . . . 

And Sellotape them together. 

Your finished pattern pieces all taped together will be laid out like this. 

The next part is up to you.  Either cut out your size according to the Collete size guidelines or trace the pattern out in your size and then cut. 

Sorbetto Sew Along

I know most people in the sewing blogasphere have already made a Colette  Sorbetto however . . . I.HAVE.NOT * I hang my head in shame*. In an effort to rectify this I have arranged a Facebook SewAlong with members of a group I have today been promoted to admin on * yay me* 

If you fancy joining please feel free to come and join us here: 

And then look for the post with the link to our SewAlong event:

Please excuse the screenshots but at the moment my iPhone is the only way I can post. 

Hope to see you there, Gem xx

New month new blog name!

Morning all

Just dropping in with a quick post to explain why the blog name has changed.  Hopefully you have notice that Bug and Squish has been replaced with Gemscar Sews. 

The name and the web address have both been changed and I will be amending the Facebook page today.

In a nutshell when I started the blog I thought the focus would be clothes for my 2 littles but as my skills have developed I'm doing a lot of adult clothing too and I didn't think the original name fitted any more, so I changed it (after ALOT of thought) and I hope you like it.

So I have to go as today is puppy collection day but I will back later with news of a Facebook Sewalong I am running.

Have a good day everyone, Gem xx 

Pinup girl dress

So you may remember a while back I started making the Cynthia Rowley  1873 Simplicity pattern? Well I may have hit a slight stumbling block in that I may have accidentally run out of material! I know, I know rookie error! But I loved the pattern and was desperate to get it made soooo in stepped some fantastic PinUp Girl sheets which I bought from Asda! 

Aren't they fabulous? I also lovethe  other 2 sets in this pic so they may end up being turned into pretties too.

I started off by taking all the seams apart on the bedding and washing it.  I always prewash my fabric and then I started creating my bodice.  I used the lovely ladies for the main fabric and the fantastic pin dots for the lining.  

The bodice came together really well and I am particularly proud of the lining up on my darts on the back.  Check out that shoe!!! At first glance it looks like one shoe but it's actually a 'cut n shut' of two! *insert proudface* 

The bottom of Simplicity 1873 is made with a pleated skirt which I had intended to create however the material proved to be a bit too soft to hold the pleats so I went with gathers and I really loved the end effect round my waist.

Once I attached the skirt and bodice I decided to add the 22" concealed by hand rather than by machine for 2 reasons. 1) Sadie was being a complete pest (my machine) and I didn't quite trust her not ruin my dress) and 2) I have recently become obsessed by Homeland season 1 and I kinda wanted to watch it in peace while I hand stitched without the noise of a machine. Oh actually there's a 3 aswell! 3) Handsewing is soooooo calming for me and I really enjoy it so it was a win/win. . . win!

So the last thing to do is hem this baby, buy shoes and get her photographed to show all you lovely people :)

Thanks for stopping by Gem xxx

Me Made May 2014

I'm still in full swing with th challenege in that 23 days in and I have worn handmade every single day, however there's been little point in me taking pictures as it's been repeats galore.  I knew that this would happen as I don't have many me made outfits yet so I had planned on making as I went along.  Unfortunately the whole household has been ill over the last 2 weeks and I've gotten hardly anything done *insert sadface*

I am super happy though to hate our new addition with you!

His name is Dexter and he comes home to be with us on June 1st yay!!

The longest to do list ever!

Please, please tell me I am not the only one who has about a million billion projects on the go at one time??

This is the PinUp dress that I am working on and hoping to wear out to a meal with the hubster and our friends on the 25th.  I really, really need to pull by finger out and get it done!  See, I've got the bodice all cut out and ready to sew BUT the skirt  I have put off repeatedly because I know it's gonna need to go on the floor to be cut out and it always hurts my back doing that. *sigh* I may just have to bite the bullet and get on with it!

I also have a quilt that has been in production for, ahem, 2 years, that I NEED to finish because it has owls and it just know they will look awesome in the end.  I'll photo it when I've done a wee but more.

I'm also planning on making my very first garment from a Burda Magazine (from 10/2013 if you're interested).

I'd like to make a girls and boys version of this for each of the kidlets.

And these are only the start of my list.  Sheesh, do you guys plan loads too? 

Thanks guys xxx