I got myself completely organised and set up a little production line so that I would - in theory - be super duper time efficient. Unfortunately I wasn't as organised as I had thought and only had enough wadding for my test run and 2 more mitts. So I did that many and will have to return to make the others later. I'm proud of my good intentions but may have to work a bit harder on the pre-planning bit :)
Sunday 22 September 2013
oven mitt tutorial
I got myself completely organised and set up a little production line so that I would - in theory - be super duper time efficient. Unfortunately I wasn't as organised as I had thought and only had enough wadding for my test run and 2 more mitts. So I did that many and will have to return to make the others later. I'm proud of my good intentions but may have to work a bit harder on the pre-planning bit :)
Tuesday 17 September 2013
Clutter and chaos
It is one of the reasons that I love having the attic room - I can go up there, start a project, allow chaos to have its way and then when I have run out of time pop downstairs and close the hatch. No one sees it and I can just re-start exactly where I left off. Of course this does have its downfall when my husband pops up to the attic to find something and I jump up in horror - 'don't look up there'
But as much as chaos seems to be attracted to me while I am creating there is something truly wonderful about having a good clear out. Tidying everything away - clearing up the scraps from the last project and packing up elastic, ribbons and threads. There is definitely truth in the saying 'tidy house, tidy mind' or in this case 'tidy room, tidy mind'
So this morning I decided that before heading off to work I would avoid the temptation to start another new project and instead I would have a re-organize. I headed up and started sorting. I have to confess I really enjoyed myself - it was definitely much overdue and I can't believe that one person can drop so many pins on the floor - but all in all I loved it.
I found some odds and ends of fabric that had been buried by new purchases - I'm now excited to try to make something with them.
Saturday 14 September 2013
Back to it!
Oxfam Fashion and Back of the Wardrobe collaborated today to recreate the styles that were being sent out on the runways. All their styles were made from pieces in the charity shop! It is inspiring and shows that it can be done - we don't have to spend huge amounts of money or accept un-ethical shops to wear clothes of a certain style or trend. Here is a link to a picture of one of the styles they re-created but check out the full story on twitter.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BUIehf0CAAIuQ1i.jpg:large
I love clothes but I hate so much of what clothes represent in our society - exploitation of others, disposable society and pressure to conform. That is just one of the reasons I love charity shop shopping so much. But I'm also creative and I love to change things to fit who I am. So back to it I went today.
A lovely chat over tea and cake with a friend, a speedy peddle home on my trusty bike just beating the rain and I headed up to my attic - let the fun begin!
This was my starting piece - something I got well over a year ago and intended to re-create it for a friend. It has sat buried in my sewing pile for ages - finally it was time to get stitching and give it some life again!
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Getting my applique on!
So I've been sewing for quite a while now and in a more focused way for a number of months. It is easy to get stuck in a bit of a rut and just do the same things over and over again with different fabric. So I'm trying to make myself practice different techniques and maybe make some more interesting projects rather than just rely on finding fabulous fabrics to make things fun! (although I will always love beautiful fabrics)
Today it was all about applique. I've done it before but never quite gotten the neatness that I want in a finished product. I sat down and have had a good play around - practice session over and I set to work.
I found that choosing a stitch length just above zero worked best for me and then selecting the narrowest zig zag stitch that my machine offered. I don't have a special foot for my machine to do applique so just used a standard one. Once I got going my best advice would be to take it slow and steady.
I had bought some great fabric at a charity shop last week so decided to use some of it to make an apron and to incorporate in one of my favourite shapes - a star! So here was how it went.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and as always if you give this a go then please do share photos!
Sunday 8 September 2013
I love a bit of upcycling
Here is what I started with
What a cute face! :)
The issue I had with this project was just how big the face actually was. Removing any part of the face distorted the photo so I knew the bag was going to have to be pretty big. I decided to add some t-shirt fabric in a neutral colour that I already had and curved the edges to reduce the size a little bit.
This is the finished product
I embraced the size and went with it in the end with some chunky handles and side panels to make it have a bit of depth. This bag will be a perfect companion on days out to the beach or heading to the shops. As I was creating for http://www.pinkhot.co.uk/ I reckon this could be a perfect bag to carry her beads and projects around in! Check out her site there are some wonderful pieces on it!
I'm pretty happy with it and think it totally proves you can always make something usable from the things in your wardrobe!
Thursday 5 September 2013
I love sewing but writings pretty great too!
I love sitting down and sewing! I think anyone who knows me or read this blog once or twice would realize that pretty quickly! Fabric - colour - prints - new projects - ideas - finished projects - I love it all! I started doing the blog because it was mentioned by a number of people and I thought it might be fun - what I didn't realize was quite how much I would enjoy it.
I try to write once or twice a week and other than a little blip seem to be having reasonable success in this area. I actually look forward to putting everything to one side and sitting down to write. I was concerned at first that blogging would become another thing on a never ending to-do list, just a chore to tick off but it has turned into the opposite.
How rarely do I stop and take time to reflect on what I am doing? How little time do I spend considering my next step? I fly quickly from thing to thing and suddenly I am making time to sit and think - to write about what I'm thinking or what I've made this week. I'm finding that time out energises me and gives me space to enjoy the things that are going on around me.
I've also been amazed at the sudden connection with other like minded people spread out over the web. Sharing their skills, questions and advice with one another. Celebrating the skill and talent that each one brings. It's been brilliant! Social networking - when used to celebrate one another - is really good fun!
So what am I saying? I guess I'm just writing today to express my realisation that I'm loving blogging. So thank you to all of you who read, comment, like and share the things I've been putting up! It really does put a smile on my face and I love hearing from you all!
This weekend I'm planning to take some time to craft with the new fabric I got yesterday and as the weather's meant to turn I'm imagining being tucked up in my attic with the rain beating down on the windows. Whatever I make though I'll be sure to blog about it!
Wednesday 28 August 2013
Productivity!
Out the house by 8am for a quick run (quick as in short not really very fast at all I'm afraid) and home again to clean the house and shower. I sorted what felt like a mountain of laundry and jumped on my bike to pop round the charity shops. Surprisingly this mission was due to a lack of clothes that fit me these days rather than my usual fabric hunt so the hunt for jeans began. 4 shops later and I had 2 new to me pairs of jeans and 2 tops - quite enough for one day. Looking at what I have bought reminds me that there is really no reason not to get stuff 2nd hand. It's ethical, cheap and you find some fabulous things. This is one outfit I bought today which in total cost me £7 - I mean really! I have to admit I'm so happy I have a really fabulous pair of flares again! I love them so much more than skinny jeans!
After that I picked up some food shopping and popped into Akrams Oriental Supermarket to stock up on spices and Tabasco and I wobbled home on my bicycle - just a tad over loaded!
Lunch at home with fresh rocket snipped from my garden today left me feeling super duper happy that I am actually able to eat something that I have grown! Which led me perfectly to heading upstairs to nestle myself away in the attic and sew.
The sunshine has been shining so brightly today and as I was sewing it poured in through the slanted windows - combine that with a gentle breeze and how could anyone not be inspired to create lovely things.
I finished off a few projects that required completion and then turned my attention to some fabric I picked up a few weeks ago courtesy of my local Sue Ryder shop. And this is what I made - a fun skirt with a simple smocked waist band.
If you fancy making it just follow the directions for the kids summer dress. Just replace the chest measurement with your waist/hips and make the skirt as long or short as you want it! Follow this link to bring you to that tutorial!
http://daydreamsandsunshine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/summer-dress.html
So my conclusion is that sometimes the more you get done the more productive you become! More busy definitely did make more time today!
Well happy sewing and as always post me some pics of your work and I'll share them on the Facebook page!
Sunday 25 August 2013
Pillow Case to Tote Bag
Wednesday 21 August 2013
Waste not Want not!
I love someone complimenting a skirt I have made and being able to say 'this? thanks - I made it from a pillow case, duvet, shirt, scrap etc etc'
This week I did some alterations for a friend and took up the hem of her dress. This left me with a strip of fabric too thin for much to be honest so I decided to turn the leftovers into a hair band. Simple but something I wear often on those days when an outfit needs that extra touch or when my hair just decides to be disastrous and covering up is the safer option!
So how did I do it? Simple, quick and easy as can be.
You will need;
- a long scrap of fabric - mine was about 5cm wide but you can make yours much wider to create a thicker band.
-needle
-thread
-safety pin
-pins
1. Cut your fabric to the length and width you require. The final band width will be half of the fabric minus about 1.5cm seam allowance on both sides of the fabric. It is important that you try to keep this as straight as possible so if you can use a ruler or measure to get straight lines.
You can see that mine still had the hem of the dress on it which I made sure didn't show in the final product by sewing to the left of the stitching.
3. Pin together and sew a straight line from one side to the other ensuring your seam allowance remains the same from start to finish
4. Now take your safety pin and attach it to one side of the tube you have created. Push the saftey pin into the tube and gently ease it through teasing the fabric out as you go. Once the safety pin is through the other end of the tube the fabric should pull through easily so you can now see the right side of the fabric in a tube.
5. Fold the raw edges into the tube at each end of the hair band. This can be done to create a straight edge or you can create a slant so that the band naturally slants towards a point at each edge.
6. Now stitch each end and trim all loose threads. Press the band and pair it with an outfit of your choice!
And there you have it the finished product! Nothing needs to be wasted especially not fabric! The whole project should take no longer than half an hour if you are stitching with a machine and it creates a great accessory out of something that otherwise might have gone in the bin! It makes a cute gift too!
Happy sewing!
Saturday 17 August 2013
The therapy of sewing
This week I have been using up my odds and ends of fabric to make little bits and pieces - cushion hearts and coin purses mainly.
Because of the size and light nature of the fabric I've been hand sewing as a pose to sitting at the machine. Now don't get me wrong I love my machine - I love the speed, the straight lines, all the different stitches and generally how simple it makes bigger projects. But sitting down on the sofa with a needle and thread has a very different charm.
I've been enjoying watching each single stitch develop and the repetitive motion of weaving in and out of the fabric. I've enjoyed the extra time it takes and the close attention that can be paid to the development of each project. Sitting quietly isn't something that happens a whole lot in my life and patience certainly isn't my natural gift. Between a job that involves constant interaction with people to generally being an individual who loves to talk endlessly I sometimes could go days without being quiet and taking time to sit and think. When I'm sitting at the machine it's wizzing away and I think just about what's in front of me.
So this week to suddenly stop for periods of time to sew by hand and just be has been quite different. Yet I loved it - my conclusion is that sewing is my kind of therapy.
I can talk constantly but actually say very little. This is something I've been told a number of times in my life. But stopping talking and just being with my thoughts is a quite different feeling.
Watching a project steadily develop, feeling productive and yet embracing the peaceful quiet around me and enjoying my time to process my thoughts has been amazing. Everyone needs their bit of 'me time' and for everyone it looks a little different.
For me as I focus on crafting more regularly I'm going to try to make sure that a part of that each week will be without the machine - sewing by hand or maybe doing some knitting - something where I can sit and enjoy my own thoughts. Honestly I'd recommend it! I might even keep my eye out for a comfy chair as an addition to my attic craft space - somewhere I can curl up, sew and enjoy the sky above me. Sounds like a freecycle check is in order :-)