Evidence of past sewing and Burda Style 09-2010-121 skivvy

I have been parted from my sewing machine for nearly 2 weeks. This is difficult for me, even if I am having a wonderful time. I did lots of knitting.
See my new scarf?

I really like it, particularly as it fits nicely into a poacher pocket on my jacket.



See my children's new scarves? They are at Lorne Station, Lightening Ridge. The children claimed to like their scarves, but appear rather disgruntled in the photograph. This may, or may not be, due to my insistance on taking their photograph when they would rather be doing something else.

I had great intentions of posting photographs of assorted family members actually wearing their sewn-for-hiking-and-camping garments, but unfortunately the weather was mostly against me.

That would be a spectacular view from the top of a cliff...... if the fog lifted.
There is some sewing under those coats - and I did sew 3 of the raincoats, but that is old news. The jackets worked very well for walking 20+km per day in mostly heavy rain, although in my jacket, the section of the poacher pocket for which there is no flap was a mistake. I will have to sew it shut and insert a zip internally if I want my muesli bars to stay dry.
Did you spot the mittens? They are fairly noticeable in the lime green remnant polar fleece
.

The pattern is Green Pepper F790, which I have been using for about 15 years. It was a very useful pattern when I lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but I had not made new mittens for a while. It takes about 15 minutes and itty bitty pieces of polar fleece to sew - just as well when the boy discovers that he mysteriously has no gloves during the chaos that ensues at our place whilst packing for a trip. (He rejected the pink leopard print hand-me-downs for some strange reason)



In this gratuitous shot of Katoomba Falls, (we had terrific weather for waterfalls) there is an excellent view (well, the most excellent view that I was permitted to take) of the boy's favourite hat. This has been his favourite winter hat for several years now, and unfortunately, when he tried to put on the original, reversible version, it did not fit. In the other hour of sewing during the packing evening, I separated the two layers of the original hat, and added a new band, to make the hat deeper. Fortunately I had gathered the original hat at the brim, so there was no circumference growth issue. It still surprises me that retrofitting and mending takes me far longer than making a completely new garment - or maybe it just seems longer ;).



During the second day of hiking, the rain stopped briefly, and I was able to take a photo of the robot hoodie in situ. He is very pleased with it.



Here is some more temporarily clear weather,on the way to Mt. Solitary, and one of the man merino tops on the recipient, alas under a rain coat. He is fairly pleased with it too.
On the third day of walking, I can show you, under 2 other layers, one of these tops - Burda 09-10-121 (with an 08-10-112 sleeve, because I had already adjusted it for my sturdy non-Burdaesque limbs)

photo on the fire trial of Narrow-neck.



You can't see it? You are tired of my raincoat?
Here is a photograph with more garment clarity, in the first, cotton-lycra knit version.



I thought this was okay, for a skivvy, so made a merino jersey version, after shortening the neck by about half. Naturally it fits completely differently, as knit fabrics are like that, even if you think the stretch is about the same.

The garment doesn't thrill me sartorially, but it was gratifyingly warm, yet comfortable for hiking. I just wish I had used my beautiful merino on something more becoming.

This week I have been returned to the vicinity of my sewing machine, but sadly report that I have done nothing with it other than mending one of the tents, which is my pet hate, and does not count as sewing. Unfortunately there seems to be lots of dull work on which to catch up, but I have high sewing hopes for the weekend - after I make some new work trousers to cope with the effect of Easter eggs on my dimensions ):. We should have walked further!
I leave you with clear evidence of the sewing brainwashing I inflict on my offspring. My children spotted this whilst we were visiting a (tourist converted)opal mine. Two of them called out in chorus "Look Mum, a sewing machine!"

I was completely convinced of their veracity for at least 2 seconds.