It is New Year's Eve...

...and here's to the new one!

The New Year is all but a few hours away, here Down Under. As the clock strikes in the New Year, here's wishing you all happiness, prosperity and good times to last all year. 

Next year is at the door...remember life is short, break the sewing rules and try new things, forgive quickly those wadders that haunt us, love truly all the successful sews and skills you will discover, laugh uncontrollably at the funny photos taken by loyal family members when proudly wearing newly made clothes, and never regret anything that made you smile while blogging!

I'm heading off to Southbank, Brisbane to catch the midnight fireworks...

...catch you all sewing up a storm in 2013!!!

Join the January Jungle...

hosted by PrttynPink

in praise of textile beasties!

Animal prints are so hot right now (when have they never been in style?) I've always loved the look of animal print fabric, but I have never quite figured out exactly how to incorporate it into my wardrobe, until one of my latest skirts. 

 Link to this animal skirt

But from reptile to cheetah, from accessories to clothing, there seems lots of ways to add a little animal antics into the wardrobe and get noticed. 

So if you want to have a month of walking on the wild side head over to

 PrttynPink

and have some fun...there is also tons of tiny giveaways and general feral blog mayhem!!!

And just for a touch of bizarre fun, here is my daughters foot with a snake skin we just found in the backyard - she is thinking of a new pair of summer slingbacks!!!

The snakeskin belongs to a naked Carpet Python, a very familiar snake in my local parts. These little lovelies can grow up to 3.5m (about 11 feet) so maybe I can get a matching belt, or bag, one day to match the summer slingbacks...

Christmas Aussie style...

...is celebrated right in the middle of our hottest month, so no snow and sleigh rides for us! We still have all the glitter and razzmatazz of Christmas, but instead of snow we are more likely to have a tropical storm, flooding, a cyclone or a bush fire! Nothing quite says 'Christmas' in Australia than Santa arriving on the back of a fire truck...

But this year it looks like we will be blessed with clear blue skies. Christmas is also within 3 days of our longest day of the year, so it is full on sun, surf, sand and funtimes. Christmas trees on the beach are often seen, and our wonderful lifesavers always have a lot of Christmas cheer on the day...

Christmas Day for us is tomorrow! Yes, being a few hours ahead does have its advantages. Though, I think the New Zealand bloggers sneak in before us even. So, sorry to all my American blogging friends, you'll have to wait an extra day for Christmas.

So while you are all rugged up, we're down here spending time at the beach and swimming...

Our Christmas lunch may be a barbecue in the backyard, or a picnic on the beach. We have Champagne instead of eggnog...

...pavlova with fresh fruits instead of Plum Pudding...

...Santa arrives on a surfboard...

...and our snowmen are made out of sand...

Christmas in Australia is a time for family, fun and friends. Enjoy your Christmas wherever in the world you are and I hope you have the best of fun as we do here...J

A little bit of nip and tucking...

...helps to add interest to this latest top of mine!

Over the last few months I have seen a few tops that have grabbed my attention. Not 'WOW! Look at me tops', but just some simple lines that flow well in a top. Tops along the lines of these...

... a sleek looking Calvin Klein ...

 ...a Michael Kors ...

... this little Macy's knock-off. 

...and this $410 (yes, no misprinting!!!) pleated neck top - yes, just the top and not the whole outfit and accessories!!!...

Butterick 5354 a Fast & Easy top required nothing more than a scant .80cm of fabric (or 7/8 yard in your language!) to easily replicate a similar style top to all the above...

It had all the elements of the above tops, a minimalist looking pullover shell top, sleeveless, and unlined. The pleats at the neckline give the top a lovely boost. It is actually a very comfortable basic for work, or weekend wear. 

Definitely be making up a few more of these for summer - quick, easy and light to wear ... J

Guess who is turning 30 today???

Wouldn't I love the answer to be 'ME', but no, I ticked this milestone off many a year back!

But the creative Amity ... 

... from Amity Originals is sharing her special 30th birthday today with her  Bloodhound puppy, Pumpkin who is also celebrating his first birthday. Special day for those two, I am sure.

Now, straight to the point. Amity is having a super giveaway to celebrate her special day by putting together a swag of sewing goodies - from buttons to bra cups all the way to beautiful fabric! 

So pop over to her blog, follow along, and put your name in the ring to win this goodie bag of sewing supplies - it would be like winning your own Sewing Christmas Hamper...good luck!

Passing it along...

...to my last 9 blogger comments is what this award is all about! I give you The Premio Primavera Blog Award....

The award appears to be a supportive  Thank You for giving genuine encouragement to others via our comments.  You pass the award onto the last nine bloggers (not including those pesky spammers) who commented on your blog, then they pass it on, and so on - it's like a huge nonstop undulating Thank You fiesta! And I in turn thank Cari Homemaker Deserves A Cocktail for passing this on! 

What a great initiative at this lively time of year. Whilst during the year I do struggle to keep up with posting, I always try to comment on blogs I follow. Work just constantly interrupts my sewing plans - but those lucky Lotto numbers just haven't fallen my way yet, so work must continue (for now!)

But holidays are here and sewing comes first. So it is my pleasure to pass on this award to the last 9 commentators on my blog, those that had a peek at my latest skirt. These 9 (well it was actually 10) bloggers didn't have to read my post, they didn't have to leave a comment. But they chose to support me, mostly from the other side of the globe. For this, I am truly thankful to each of them, particulary at this hectic time of year....please pop over to each and everyone of these blogs and support them...drum-roll...

* Spotty Dog Social Club - who not only thought my back pleats looked 'flirty' but she whipped up some super Xmas presents...

* Interrupted Sutures - who liked my rear end feature, and who spoils her daughters rotten with beautiful clothing...

* Bimble and Pimple - who thinks I am on a roll with the invisible zips, and who is one crazy sewer (in the nicest way possible)...

* Quilt, Sew, Sew Sue - who is popping into Spotlight to check out the new fabric, and who also has just hit the 

BIG 5 0 ...

* Sew, I've Been Thinking...- who actually wants to steal my skirt! She is planning a SWAP with the theme 'Black and Bling'...

* On The Road To Sew Wear - loved my attempt at popping in colour. And she has just turned 1 - well, her blog that is...

* You Sew Girl! - has a twin to my skirt! And, she is dreaming of coming to Australia - as you all should...

* Petite and Sewing - loves my back detail! You name it, she can sew it! 

* P'thrify Sewing Blog - thinks my skirt is worthy of running after my class! A multi-talented sewing lady who travels for work with her incredibly creative wardrobe. 

* Sew Ruth - This dear blogger is currently undergoing surgery and our thoughts, tape-measures and patterns are all with her!

So, grab a cuppa, a wine, or a herbal tea, plonk infront of your dear computer for a few minutes longer and catch up with the above bloggers - you will travel the globe and met some wonderful ladies with similar interest...J

*Apparently I am meant to unearth seven interesting things about myself, but we all know 7 is such a lucky number, and I don't want to blow my Lotto chances this weekend, so have bowed out of this section of the award. If you have any pressing questions to ask about my humble life in the Land Of Oz, just ask away... 

** Just had a funny thought - maybe I should be passing this award onto all the Spammers that feel they need to communicate with me...might be a great deterrent  rather than putting the enabling back onto my blog....

While the pieces are out...

I will jump straight into my next version of this skirt. McCall's 5523 (same as last weeks skirt) but with a different rear-end feature. 

Funnily enough, I have never had so many compliments about my behind as I have with wearing this skirt. Kind of like plain on the front, but one almighty kick from behind. 

The feature on the back of this skirt adds such brilliant wearing ease, letting me chase after those little kiddies in the classroom gracefully!

So this time I used yet another fabric from Spotlight - they certainly are lifting their game of late - a printed linen/blend in black and white. This is going to be very useful in my wardrobe - I have a heap of plain tops to jazz this skirt up with.

Again, I lined it with a white cotton - but, again, not on the pleat detail area. I am really concerned if I lined the 'feature' section it just won't fall as perfectly as I planned. Really, since it is all behind me I shouldn't worry so much, but that's life!  You can see from the piccies that I also used the intended facing on this skirt, just to give it a little more 'something' on the waist area. Was this a wise idea? Well the skirt held up for the day without stretching, so it payed off (luckily).

An amazing fellow Aussie blogger, Suzy from Suzy Bee Sews, is always adding a splash of colour in surprising places when she sews her garments. So, on this skirt I used a strip of yellow bias to edge my facing. I know, out-there or what for me!

And I can't leave without showing off yet another brilliant invisible zipper - just not sure which seam it is hidden away in....it is there under the belt, somewhere....

So after a long, final (yeah, start that party) day at school my skirt held up, minimal wrinkles (unlike the arms on my jacket) and it didn't stretch and end up around my knees!!! I am in love with this pattern, but probably will move on from here now. 

Just will leave you with one parting shot of my rear view...it really gathered positive comments in the hallways. Guess the gym is finally working for me, or should my sewing skills take all the credit this time???

And make sure you pop over to You Sew Girl! who is also whipping up this same skirt, but using a beautiful rayon-poly-lycra stretch woven.    

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Words cannot express the sadness I feel for my fellow teaching friends, students and parents at Sandy Hook Elementary School. To honor and remember all the victims I am participating in the Teacher Bloggers Day of Silence, today, Sunday 16th December, 2012...Judith

A new skirt...

How good is it to know that all you have to do is whip up a new skirt, and you feel like you have a whole new outfit? And when it is an easy to sew skirt, with a little 'feature' it is even better.

New skirt for a night out to a Thai restaurant with a few friends was just the place for McCall's 5523 to be showcased. 

Not a bad little group of straight skirts, four variations to the rear hem area, and plenty of lovely sewers out there have already trialled, sewed, and taken the bugs out, so I was in for an easy sew-up. 

I decided on View D with the 2 rows of flounces. 

For a simple straight skirt it is very effective, and enjoyable to wear. I mainly aim at wearing it over the coming summer months with a little camisole tank top, or similar. Easy wearing, that's what I like!

Now for a few quick details. The fabric is an animal linen/blend print from Spotlight. Beautiful to work with, but fairly frayable which annoyed me. So even though I have lined the skirt all seams have fully finished.

The flounce on the back was easy, just two pieces, hemmed and joined onto the back panel. I found this to be extremely easy, and effective. 

The actual flounce probably isn't that noticeable with this busy print, but in a plain fabric I think it would be a super detail. Easily the two flounce hems could have lace, or a fancy edging added to up the looks value.

My fabric needed lining to add support, so I used a black cotton - it is a summer skirt after-all. But I didn't line the flounce section. My reasoning is that it will look dreadful and not fall correctly. So the back inside lining section is attached to the top of the flounce, and down the two back side seams. A bit crazy to photograph, but you get the picture. And for the hem I just used a strip of black bias to neaten it all up.

And zipper - what zipper? Just how invisible is that with this print...

Just love everything about this skirt, from its incrediable easy sew aspect to the easy wear value. Definitely whipping up another, or two of these for summer wearing...

Back view without jacket.