I may have (ha!) mentioned it here and in some comments on your blogs, that I really, really want to get back to sewing. So much that I shipped my sewing machine all the way to Curaçao.
It arrived safely and I did take it out of its bag once, to do some mending (I ripped a curtain in our rental, so I had to repair that), but that was it. But I still was thinking about sewing.
But there were some things I needed to buy before I could actually start (and I’m determined to count three things to be able to link up with Carole’s Three on Thursday)
1. Fabric
Two weeks ago I found myself alone in Punda (city center), waiting for my husband, so I decided to pop into a fabric store I knew. I have been thinking about sewing myself some dresses because I have only a few that I can wear in this heat, so I asked for 100% cotton. They didn’t have much choice in that (“only African prints”, they love their polyester cloths here), but I found two options I liked.
Step one taken. But then the fabric just sat there, waiting patiently for me to actually do something with it.
2. Pattern
Last week I was in one of the bookstores (we sadly only have two on the island) and decided to see if they had any pattern magazines. Of course, I was late to the game: they only have Dutch magazines and those have fall and winter clothes now, but I did find myself a magazine with patterns that can be adapted to summer clothes.
This pattern looks a lot like one of the (store-bought) dresses I’m wearing a lot here. I just need to make it sleeveless and I would like something like a drawstring in my waist, to make it less baggy (that other dress has one).
Here it is again, different fabric, different model. (By the way, I do like that these girls have normal sizes, but I happen to be a lot thinner, so I’d love to see it on a skinny model too. The pattern is for all sizes, so why not show it on all sizes?)
I’m also thinking I could just make simple skirts. Not too hard to do if I get the measurements for the panels right. And then I would have enough fabric left to make bags or pouches or other fun stuff.
3. More stuff I need
So, a happy ending? Show and tell?
Not yet. I still can’t start sewing, since I don’t have pattern paper or anything that I could use for that. Didn’t bring that with me from the Netherlands. So now I hope that the little craft store I have found on Instagram has some. I am excited that I actually have a reason to pop in there, so I guess I’ll do that the next time I go grocery shopping (the supermarket is really close to that store). If they don’t have it, I’ll have to try the bigger fabric store, but that’s in a part of town we don’t visit often. If I go there I’d have to buy some more fabric and maybe even some yarn (they have a small collection) just to make the trip worth it. Just kidding. Sort of.
Also, I realized when I was writing this, that I don’t have an iron and I need to buy some interfacing. I did bring some zippers and buttons, but I’ll have to look if those are the right size and/or color too.
Need to go shopping. While I’m at it, I think I’ll try to find a nice knit to make this pattern too. I love this design (But why is this one shown on a skinny model only? Somehow these magazines still don’t get it).
To be continued…