Step away from the machine!

Which is exactly what I should have done yesterday!  I decided, as the girlies were at the first of their week long bible club sessions (3 hours mummy time available), that I'd have a go at sewing another top from the first GBSB book.

I made my first one earlier this year, and whilst it proved to be traumatic, I thought that the second time around it would be easier.

I was so, so wrong!

Things went swimmingly until putting the zip in (step 2) came along - I hate zips.  I cannot sew them according to the instructions.  Though I do try.  I tried twice.  I couldn't do it, I kept slipping the fabric and just sewing the zip itself.  I probably should have tacked it according to the instructions, but I thought I knew best.  Anyway, I finally worked out that if I turned the zip over and sewed it face upwards, I could do it perfectly! RESULT!

Then onto the darts - and here I had a brain freeze.  I forgot everything I knew and couldn't remember how to sew a dart.  I must have pinned that fabric a dozen times and still couldn't work it out.  Then I had an epiphany and remembered what to do - only it had now taken me three hours and I had to pick the girlies back up!  All I had managed was to cut out the pieces, sew the sides together and add a zip - in 3 hours!!!!!!

I fed the girls, and hubby, and continued. The next part was the facing - all fine and dandy until I discovered that I'd hemmed the top and not the bottom so had to begin again - I did an awful lot of stitch ripping yesterday I can tell you!

Once that was fitted it was time to do the dreaded armhole stitching.  Thankfully I had mastered my own way around this last time, so knew that I could manage it with a bit of patience.  I ironed said top and got the shock of my life - the zip was in the wrong place!  I had deliberately bought a zip two inches smaller than instructed as on the previous top it went all the way to the bottom, and this time I wanted it to be slightly shorter.  However, in doing this, it meant that I had a gaping hold where the zip should have been, but wasn't!!!!!  How I kept my cool I don't know.

Hubby said, 'why don't you go and get a new zip?'  I worked out that the haberdashery in town closed in 15 mins so it meant leaving immediately.  I rushed the 4 miles into town.  There was a set of temporary lights and a 'delay' sign just outside my turning.  I did a three-point turn, stuffed the car into a supermarket carpark and legged it to the shop - she sometimes closes earlier than my watch says!  Thankfully she was still open and I got a zip!

Home again to unpick original zip and now sew new zip onto almost completed garment which was a tad awkward but achievable.  Then it was onto the armholes and a quick press to finish.  Phew!  However, on closer inspection there is about 2mm of fabric that hasn't caught in the armhole properly so I'm going to have to unstitch it and re-do it, but that's for another day.

 

I'm telling you, I'm not sewing with zips again!

Mummy time today was instead spent crocheting small granny squares for my Foxs Lane grannie hottie.  Kate mentioned a hook-a-long last week and I was contemplating it when Rachelle (aka Ted & Agnes) said she was doing one too over on Instagram.  Kate told me to join in too - so who am I are to argue!  It does seem odd be making a hotwater bottle cover in the middle of summer, but I can't wait to see how it looks!

I also got some new review post yesterday too - doesn't this look fun?!

G x