Janet Likes To Sew in Bonython | Local business

Janet Likes To Sew

Locality: Bonython

Phone: +61 414 714 589

Address: Derrington Cres 2905 Bonython, ACT, Australia

Website: http://www.janetlikestosew.com.au

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24.01.2022 Arent they beautiful! One of my other interests is collecting antique sewing stuff. Would love to add a pair of these to my collection.

23.01.2022 New Connie Crawford dress pattern http://ift.tt/1DFNA0D Hi all, Just wanted to show you one of Connie Crawfords new patterns. A very pretty dress that will be getting a lot of work in my wardrobe! This pattern will be coming out in May this year. I love wearing dresses in the summer - so cool and easy to wear. I think this one would look nice using some mesh fabric as the overlay. I have a few pieces of mesh in the stash and can never decide what to do with it! How would you use this pattern?

23.01.2022 My first blog post! http://blog.janetlikestosew.com.au/2013/11/first-post.html Welcome to Janet Likes To Sew... ===================== Hi everyone and welcome to my new blog. In recent years, I have been very blessed to make my living by teaching and passing on the craft of sewing, and this blog will be an extension of that. I want to share and promote sewing as a wonderful creative outlet which also has a great practical benefit. We all need clothes so there is always a reason to sew something! I will also showcase the work of my wonderful students as they learn new skills and create lovely things. If you have any sewing related questions, please feel free to ask me here, and I will do my best to answer them for you. I will probably go "off topic" from time to time into other areas of life, and I hope you find that interesting as well. Please join me on my journey! Janet (who likes to sew)

23.01.2022 http://blog.janetlikestosew.com.au/2016/02/im-back.html

22.01.2022 What a neat idea! I do love recycling projects.

22.01.2022 Scissors aint Scissors Sol! https://3.bp.blogspot.com//3Ltdut53kaA1K/s400/IMG_4579.JPG Those of us "of a certain age" will remember the old motor oil ad which immortalised the saying "oils aint oils, Sol!" The same goes for scissors. And thats important for your sewing! Scissors are some of your most important tools in your sewing kit, so you need to have the right sort of scissors and make sure you buy good ones. As a minimum, you should have 2 pairs of scissors - one... pair of dressmakers shears (around 8" long) for cutting out your fabric and a smaller pair (around 5" long) for all your trimming and clipping. The smaller pair are much easier to handle and you are less likely to slip and overcut something. You should buy the best scissors you can afford and test them before you buy them. A good pair will cut smoothly and right up to the very tip. Fortunately, these days an excellent pair of 8" dressmakers shears can be bought for around $60. There are also various styles of scissor handles available from the old style metal handles to various moulded plastic styles. This comes down to personal preference and comfort. My personal preference in scissors is for Ginghers. They are Italian made and beautiful to work with. Gingher make a wide range of styles so there are plenty of shapes to suit any task. Two pairs of my Gingher scissors The other brand I find is popular with my students is Kai. They are Japanese and have a plastic type handle. The handle seems to suit ladies who have small hands better. My Kai scissors You will, no doubt, have heard that using your sewing scissors to cut paper will blunt them. That isnt really true as paper is no worse than fabric. While I certainly advocate that you should only use your sewing scissors for fabric, the way I see it, your scissors have a certain number of cuts in them and you just dont want to waste those cuts on paper.Whats your preference in scissors? If you have any questions about scissors please feel free to ask!

21.01.2022 Sewing Guild Convention! http://ift.tt/1daNrW6 Hi everyone, Im very excited to tell you that the programme for the 2014 Australian Sewing Guild Convention is up on the ASG website, and ready for your perusal! For those of you who are unfamiliar with the ASG or the Convention, it is a week of learning, inspiration and fellowship with like minded people. We have classes for 4 days, plus special speakers and shopping opportunities and meeting lovely new friends. Convention is... in Sydney this year, at the beautifully located Shore Grammar School in North Sydney. My week at Convention is an absolute highlight of my year and often have trouble getting to sleep for all the amazing new ideas whizzing round my head. You will not get a better "value for money" holiday! Heres a link: ASG Convention. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have! Here are some snaps of previous conventions: See more

21.01.2022 Chloe's latest achievements Hi all, As many of my students, colleagues and friends know, I have been privileged to work with an amazing young lady named Chloe who came to me when she was 14 years old. We worked together on her Year 10, 11 and 12 major works and her entries in the Australian Teen Fashion Awards. (BTW Chloe won the state titles for all her entries!)After finishing high school last year, Chloe enrolled at a Sydney based design college - the Karl von Busse In...stitute of Design (KVB). It has been an incredibly busy year for Chloe at college but, as always (!), Chloe blitzed all her classes and has created some lovely designs. If you can't already tell, I am very proud of Chloe! I think you will agree Chloe has a great talent. Chloe's first project - a "simple" shirt dress Chloe doesn't know the word simple. But she still topped the class! Chloe's swimwear Chloe lurves flounces!

21.01.2022 Seam Allowance Guide - one of the best sewing gadgets https://2.bp.blogspot.com//gzfpsgGxRao-G/s320/IMG_4606.JPG Hi all, I thought it was time for another of my favourite sewing gadgets - the Seam Allowance Guide. This would be my second favourite gadget, outside the essential sewing tools. So what is this gadget? It allows you to add or subtract to any pattern that needs adjusting. You just set it to the required width and by following the black ring instead of your sci...ssor blades and you are automatically cutting the extra you need. This tool enables you to add to side seams if you need some extra room, add longer hems, or seam allowances to patterns that dont have them included. It is also great for adding seam allowances when you draft your own patterns. Very quick and accurate! Another of my favourite uses for this gadget is when a pattern only includes 6mm or 9mm seams. Im not a fan of those narrow seams as there is no room to adjust the garment after it is constructed. I prefer 15mm seam allowances which are more forgiving. Especially handy when wardrobe shrinkage occurs between seasons ;-)Another nice feature is that the Seam Allowance Guide is Australian made. If you want one of these super handy little tools you can get them here:seamallowanceguide.com Enjoy! See more

21.01.2022 Gadgets http://blog.janetlikestosew.com.au/2013/12/gadgets.html Gadgets... ===================== One of the things I love about sewing is the range of gadgets available to make sewing easier. There are a million gadgets out there and I have quite a few! Some gadgets are great and others are a waste of money. I am going to share my favourites with you over time and I hope you find them useful too. My number one favourite tool is very simple. Its a seam gauge. Nothing magical about it - just a simple 15cm ruler with a sliding gauge on it. Its small and easy to use to mark hems or seam allowances. The sliding gauge means you dont have to look at the numbers on the ruler. It is also helpful turning out corners as it doesnt have any sharp edges. Do you have a seam gauge? Is it on your top 10 list? What is your favourite gadget? http://blog.janetlikestosew.com.au/2013/12/gadgets.html

21.01.2022 Steven and me on our wedding day!

19.01.2022 An Interesting Exhibition https://4.bp.blogspot.com//s3/26320502543_edf0a412fb_o.jpg Hi all, Just wanted to share some photos I took at an exhibition we visited during our trip to Washington State to visit Connie Crawford. It was a display of contemporary Salish wool weavings at the Suquamish Museum. The Suquamish are the local indigenous tribe. The lady who produced the weavings is Danielle Morsette. I think you will agree they are beautiful and exquisitely woven. Enjoy! This garment is made with plant material as well as wool

19.01.2022 What a great idea! Thank you Marcy Tilton!

17.01.2022 Woohoo!!! My gorgeous student Chloe has just won both her categories and Designer of the Year at the Australian Teen Fashion Awards! Im sooo proud.

17.01.2022 My First Group Fitting Day! Hi all, As many of you know I am associated with the very talented and well known pattern designer Connie Crawford. I have been learning Connies art for a couple of years now and a couple of weeks ago I held my first group fitting day with my ASG Neighbourhood Group - Sew and Reap at My Sewing Supplies. The unique thing about Connie Crawfords patterns is that she doesnt just promise an excellent fit, she will fit you into one of her 52 differ...ent sized shell tops to prove it!I have been beavering away making my own set of shell tops to fit my students and any other interested ladies. The day went well and I was able to fit everyone in our group. Only a few small alterations are necessary to get a perfect fit, as you will see with Annes personalised shell. Annes finished shell Annes first fitting I also shared with the girls what to do once you have the fitted blouse block. Everyone was very excited to explore the various options you have, once you have the perfect fit. I am available now for any other groups or individuals who would like to learn more about Connies fabulous fitting patterns!

15.01.2022 A new chapter for Janet, who likes to sew! A new chapter has begun for me, as Steven and I have made the move to Canberra. We have moved to a beautiful place right by a lake and with lots of wildlife. Pics attached. So firstly I would like to thank all my many students with whom Ive worked over the last ten years. It has been a joy and a pleasure to get to know you all. Ive had a wonderful time and thank you for your support and friendship.... So, whats ahead? I will continue to teach but with a different focus. As many of you know, I represent Connie Crawford here in Australia. As I have done over the past few years, I will continue to run workshops and seminars sharing Connie Crawfords simple techniques for achieving a beautiful fit in all your garments. I will also offer personal classes tailored to your needs. Also, at the request of my most recent students in Sydney, I will be offering monthly workshops for all of my past students in the Southern Highlands (half way between Sydney and Canberra) where you can receive guidance and support with your ongoing sewing projects. Details are yet to be finalized so stay tuned! Frodo and Cooper have settled in well and Frodo particularly misses all your cuddles, pats and attention. Lastly, if any of you need any help with your sewing please feel free to ask me here or you can pm me.

13.01.2022 http://blog.janetlikestosew.com.au//christmas-greetings-20

13.01.2022 Connie Crawford Webinar Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you know about a wonderful opportunity to learn from one of the best teachers in the sewing universe. Connie Crawford is offering a sewing industry tips and techniques webinar. It will cover such things as:... sewing construction order interfacings working with tricky fabrics sewing darts perfect topstitching plus much more! While the webinar is live and filmed in the USA on 15 December, once youve registered for the course you can watch it at any time that suits you in the next 30 days. You can get more information here. You can register here. Ill be participating - hope you will too!

12.01.2022 Hi everyone, Here is a link to Connie Crawfords Facebook page. There is news of her latest patterns (which, of course I recommend to everyone) plus links to some very helpful youtube videos, and some photos of Connies amazing studio. Enjoy!

11.01.2022 Time with Connie Crawford: Steven and I have just returned from a trip to Seattle USA where I was very fortunate to spend 10 days working with fashion designer and pattern maker Connie Crawford. For those of you who dont know Connies work, Connie is a highly respected figure in the home sewing arena. Connie designs patterns for Butterick and has her own pattern line as well. To read more please click on the picture below.... http://blog.janetlikestosew.com.au//time-with-connie-crawf

10.01.2022 Looks girls! Casper is famous! But no scenes from the studio.... a little disappointing.

09.01.2022 Chloes latest achievements Hi all, As many of my students, colleagues and friends know, I have been privileged to work with an amazing young lady named Chloe who came to me when she was 14 years old. We worked together on her Year 10, 11 and 12 major works and her entries in the Australian Teen Fashion Awards. (BTW Chloe won the state titles for all her entries!)After finishing high school last year, Chloe enrolled at a Sydney based design college - the Karl von Busse In...stitute of Design (KVB). It has been an incredibly busy year for Chloe at college but, as always (!), Chloe blitzed all her classes and has created some lovely designs. If you cant already tell, I am very proud of Chloe! I think you will agree Chloe has a great talent. Chloes first project - a "simple" shirt dress Chloe doesnt know the word simple. But she still topped the class! Chloes swimwear Chloe lurves flounces!

06.01.2022 Sewing Tip - Hat Elastic Can Cure Gaposis http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Hi everyone, I want to share one of my favourite fixes with you. Ever made a top or dress thinking all was good with the fit, only to find the neckline or armholes gape? There is plenty of advice out there on ways to avoid the problem before you cut the pattern, but none tells you how to fix it after youve made the garment! You dont want to waste all your good work but how can you fix the problem? Hat elastic is... the answer! Hat elastic is a single core elastic - only one strand of rubber (or whatever they use these days). You thread a piece of hat elastic though the channel of the neckline or armhole seam and gently ease it in until the gaposis is gone. Tie off the elastic with a reef knot when you have the easing just right. A reef knot should not come undone - a granny knot would not stay tight. If you dont know what a reef knot is, have a look here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuNwp_Pi33s You want it to pull in the excess fabric, but not so much that you cause the neckline to gather up. it is quite surprising how much you can reduce the size without seeing any gathers. This technique works really well with ready-to-wear too. Often RTW garments dont have darts where they should and that can make the armhole gape. Its also great for jumpers, if you feel the neckline is unflatteringly low or wide. See more

06.01.2022 Just wanted to show you the super cool, super hero outfit Tracey made in class for her daughter and dolly. How cute is that! Especially like the personalised superman logo. Its also reversible - purple with a pink logo or pink with a purple logo. Great work Tracey!

04.01.2022 Which sewing machine should I buy? http://ift.tt/1mJphtJ For beginner sewers, this is my most frequently asked question. It is quite a dilemma! There are machines out there that sell for $100 and others that sell for thousands of dollars. Which brand, what features, new or second hand? Are they all the same? I have pretty clear views on sewing machines - what you need and dont need. So... The short answer to the big question is "get a Bernina machine"....Continue reading

03.01.2022 A croquis! - a great way to see if a style will suit you. Hi everyone, Have you ever heard of a croquis? A croquis is a sketch of a proposed garment. A great way to personalise a croquis is to create a drawing of your figure in silhouette and then you overlay sketches of garments you are considering, to see if they will suit you. That way you can avoid expensive and time consuming mistakes creating a garment that really isnt you. I have been wanting to use this technique ...for ages, but never really knew how. Then recently I saw a short video on the Threads Magazine website. You will need to subscribe to the Insider Content to see it, so for those who dont have that, I will try to explain how to do it. First of all you take a photo (or get a trusted friend to do it for you) of yourself in your undies or a tight fitting leotard. Put your hands on your hips so you get a clear view of your side shape. This will show your silhouette. Print the photo and using thickish tracing paper draw the outline of your shape with a pencil. Once you are happy with the results (of the drawing, not your figure!) then use a marker pen to make the drawing permanent. Then you can either draw your own designs in pencil over the croquis or, as I do, test some pattern pictures to see how I will look in them. As you know, pattern pics are of tall skinny models and the artistic drawings are even worse! So this is a great way to see how they will really look on YOU. So how do you translate the tall, skinny version onto your croquis? Firstly, youll need to scale the pattern picture to match your croquis size. So if your croquis is say 20cm tall then you have to make the pattern pic 20cm as well. You will make an enlarged photocopy. The percentage increase is simple to calculate: Say the pattern pic is 9cm tall and the croquis is 20cm. Just divide 20 by 9 and you get 2.22. Multiply that by 100 and you get 222. That is the enlargement percentage you will use on the photocopier - 222%. Now you have the pic and the croquis the same size. The next thing to do is to trace the pattern outline onto your silhouette. You do this by dividing the pattern image into 4 sections: the upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left. You trace the outline of the pattern to match your silhouette at the shoulders and the waist and hip area. Youll have to make a few adjustments for your own figure and then you just fill in the gaps. Here is one I did from a Marfy pattern. You can see how the dress changed proportions to show how it would look on me. I still like it so it will get made (one day!). This one is a Burda dress. I like the style but thought the neckline was wrong for me, so I tinkered with it and Im happy with the new design. Try doing your own croquis - its great fun! Let me know how you get on and please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

02.01.2022 If you think time flies (and who doesn’t) read this interesting post about how sewing has changed over the last 10 years! Great post.

02.01.2022 Hi everyone! Ive been quiet lately because life has been sooo busy. The most exciting part is that I am in the USA with my lovely husband Steven attending the Puyallup craft fair. I was given the amazing opportunity to work with one of the best people in the sewing industry - Connie Crawford. Connie is an expert pattern maker and fitter. I have been here learning her methods with the plan to bring them to Australia. Connie has visited us in Aus a couple of times but I will be able to help fit ladies on an ongoing basis. Stay tuned for further details on that new aspect to my business. Here are a couple of photos from the trip.

02.01.2022 A Favourite Pattern http://ift.tt/1hXGBdF For those of you who have had lessons with me you will recognise this pattern: Kwik Sew 3552. This is the pattern we use for our first set of classes. While it is a nightshirt pattern it can also be made up as a dress, top, or a cozzie coverup. I have seen sooo many versions of this made by all my students and it always looks good! Seems to suit everyone! Reusing a pattern like this in different ways means you get great value fro...m your pattern and since youve already made it before, it will be quick and easy to repeat the construction. So here is another more advanced way to use your pattern. I think this dress looks so pretty. It has darts, a bit more flair and a slip underneath but would certainly be worth doing. Not exactly the same as Kwik Sew 3552 but it would look very similar. Have a go!

02.01.2022 Well! Imagine my surprise when I saw this article in the Australian Sewing Guild Inc newsletter. Id forgotten Sue Neall was writing an article about last years convention (including my work) but what an honour to be on the cover! feeling excited.

02.01.2022 You heard the man - head to your sewing machine!

01.01.2022 If you think time flies (and who doesnt) read this interesting post about how sewing has changed over the last 10 years! Great post.

01.01.2022 Hi everyone, Over the past 3 years I have been working with a wonderful young lady, Chloe on some amazing projects. Here is her latest effort! I think youll agree it is a beautiful outfit.