Adjusting an old chemise

I had major surgery a few months back and my recovery has been hampered by lingering chest infections so I haven't been able to do any major projects. I've been focused on maintaining a minimum of ten minutes of A&S activity a day.

One thing I did manage to do this week was to shorten an old chemise. I think I made it back in the early 2000s, and I rarely wear it because it is quite heavy fabric. I originally made it almost ankle length, which is a bit unmanageable. Any time I wear it I think 'I must alter this' and then I put it off or forget. 

It was only a very quick job because I hemmed it with the sewing machine, but I am really glad I managed to get this one small thing ticked off the to-do list after so long. Small wins!

The embroidery motif on this chemise is taken from Shorleyker's 'A Scholehouse for the Needle':

Hemming of Body Linens

Today I am hemming body linens again. My furry helper is ill & this sort of sewing is quite soothing. No idea what day I am at now in the second round of the century challenge.

Sewing the enclosed seam flat.







Tacking down the edge of the partlet prior to pinning the second fold into place. Although it seems like extra work, I do it this way because I have a lot of issues with my hands and it hurts to sew. Any extra, uneccessary fabric manipulation just means unnecessary pain.

Hemming and skirt tucks

Today I am working on finishing a project for a little friend's birthday. The task is hemming and adding tucks to a skirt.

A&S Century Challenge - Seam Treatments

More hemming & seam treatments today.
I used to hate this sort of work, but now I really like it & find it relaxing.
Which is probably great, because I think I have about a million more hours worth to go.

A&S Century Challenge - hemming

Today I turned up a hem. When I'm tired and/or sick (which is most of the time!) I start slouching and  end up tripping, so hopefully this will help. It certainly is making the gown hem stand out very stiffly.

A&S Century Challenge - Seam treatments

I haven't posted for a few days because I have been quite sick with pleurisy and a chest infection, but I have tried to continue the A&S Century challenge.

Today I wasn't up for more than some very simple seam treatments.

Yesterday I helped to judge some A&S competitions.

The day before that I did some hemming and sewed some sleeve ties on.

The day before that I sewed hooks and eyes onto skirt openings.

All boring and slightly tedious jobs that are easy to put off. The Century Challenge has been great because it is encouraging me to get lots of little jobs finished - usually the ones that I tend to put off.

Days 8 & 9 - 100 Days of A&S (Hemming and Split Stitching)

I couldn't post yesterday, so you get two day's worth today!

Day 9
Boring old hand hemming again today.

Day 8
Spent a good part of the day adding spangles to an embroidered caul at an SCA demo, but also managed to finish off the split stitch championship patches.

Day 7 - 100 Days of A&S - Hemming

Today I have been hand-hemming table linens.

Heat Wave (again)

Although it is technically Autumn, we are having a heat wave again where I live. I put some projects on hold temporarily to hand hem some linen to use as a palla to wear with my Roman garb.

Although I don't generally enjoy sewing, I find that I do enjoy plain hemming. The continuity of it is strangely meditative.