Hello friends
There's a little tutorial over there in the top left hand corner, showing you how to make a patchwork star. I made what seemed like hundreds of these for a craft fair last year and they sold out pretty fast. Ideal for using up scraps and dare I mention it, perfect for Cxxxxxxxs decorations?!!
Hope it makes sense! Any questions, please let me know!
It's October Scrap Busting Month at Sew Mama Sew - lots of great ideas for other scrappy projects!
So far our weekend has been a bit of wash out weather wise unfortunately. I'd hoped to take lots of beautiful leafy fall pictures, but alas it was not to be. However, time inside meant a few more completed projects on the sewing machine - including a tutorial which I'll post in the next few days. I'm far too lazy to do these on a regular basis, but given that I use a lot of other tutorials, I feel like it's my turn to offer a little something... Here's a sneak preview - waiting for better weather so I can take some good pictures. See that little button? It's my most prized thrifted button - it took a lot of strength to actually use it!
Speaking of buttons, here's some more of my collection that are still attached to their original packaging. I found a huge stash a while back in my favourite thrift store and it looks like many of these are from the local area. The needle trade was (and still is to a lesser extent) big business in Montreal in the sixties and seventies.
And then a simple little project, this linen and doily tote. Made in just an hour, I never really tire of this kind of sewing project...
How was your weekend?
This weekend I have been reacquainted with my sewing machine, it feels like a while since I've sewn anything and I needed a simple project to get back in the swing of things. Amy Butler's lounge pants again. I've made quite a few of these now and I'd been saving this particular sheet with another pair in mind. They really are super comfy and there was fabric enough left over to whip up a pair for my daughter.
I wasn't sure if she'd go for 'hers 'n' hers' matchiness. She politely declined. Unfortunately, it seems she has yet to inherit my appreciation of old sheets, although she did say that she might wear them on my birthday (so as not to hurt my feelings)! Ah well, on the bright side, they fit her really well, so I will use them as a template for some flannel pjs in time for Christmas perhaps.
More pyjama fun here.
We're past the halfway point in the school holidays here and I'm feeling a little burnt out. In a good way mostly. Our days are full of summer fun, bike rides, swimming, ice creams and staying up late, but I've been flying solo quite a bit with a husband who's been travelling a lot this past month. I've managed to squeeze in a bit of creative time this past week (at the expense of clean floors, I hasten to add) because I find that even a small dose of downtime does wonders for my sanity and helps me to unwind.
Short, sweet and satisfying projects this week include 2 new cushions for my sofa. I realized that our existing cushions were over 10 years old and in dire need of changing. Linen, thrifted doilies and buttons are a winning combination.
Then I whipped up a little rice bag for my neighbour who's been suffering from headaches recently. My children love these when they're poorly. Perfect for aching limbs or upset tummies.
I'll be taking a blog break for a few weeks - time to concentrate on my little family for a while. Happy summer holidays all!
Not really refashioning per se, but made from some of the fabric I bought for the big red and white quilt which barely got used.
And guess what? It fits!! Yay!
I am still ever-so-nervous about sewing clothes and I figured this top was so simple that I couldn't possibly screw it up ( I did end up sewing the first sleeve the wrong way around and unpicking it - but every good project needs some seam ripping right?!). I would definitely make this again, the elastic neckline helped me avoid the gaping-at-the-bust, snug-on-the-hips look which I too often achieve with clothes sewing (I'm a classic pear shape). I might even be so adventurous as to add some darts on the next version
A good solid confidence boosting start I'd say.
I'm thinking of a Barcelona skirt next and I would be ever so grateful for any other simple pattern suggestions that you might have.
When I'm thrifting for fabric, every once in a while I catch a glance of something that makes me giddy with excitement. Last week it was this pillowcase that made me gasp. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea... but to me it shouted "summer top"! I used this excellent (and easy)tutorial from Betz White to turn into a totally wearable item. I even wore it this weekend to a bbq and my son's soccer match without worrying that someone would recognize it as their old bed linen or a piece of dodgy homemade clothing.
It's usually these kinds of thoughts and self consciousness which make me shy away from making clothes for myself, it's just a confidence thing...but I really want to keep going. So I just happened upon Nikki's wardrobe refashion blog recently and have now taken the pledge to refashion, renovate and recycle preloved items for myself for the next 6 months.
Wish me luck...I'll be drowning in the deep end!
Thank you for your healthy snack ideas...seems that frozen grapes and smoothies are universal favourites!
So here's Tommy's quilt so far. Not perfectly pieced but I'm sure he won't object. I don't have a never ending fabric stash, but I do reuse everything I can and that's why the only new fabric for this quilt will be the backing (and even then it will likely be a thrifted sheet if I can get my hands on something suitable). One of the reasons it's been hard to piece is the mix of different weights, from denim to flimsy gingham and left over curtain fabric to old pillowcases, but I'm happy with the overall effect.
I love how reusing fabric breathes life into a new project. For the record this quilt is made from:
Not quite heirloom quality, but lots of love and good memories are going into this quilt and that's what will make it special.
My girlhood memories of summers in the seventies often feature homemade clothing. My mum was a good sewist who made my sister and I dresses, partly out of economic necessity but also because of the enjoyment and satisfaction gleaned from making something for a loved one from scratch. Perhaps this is why I have felt compelled to make a simple summer dress or skirt of some description every year for Ruby. (Tommy however is sadly neglected in the made by mama department for which I have yet to make amends).
As each summer passes I am acutely aware that this may be the last year she accepts my offerings, before casting them aside with embarrassment. I remember when I made my mum knit a sweater for me aged 13 and snubbing the final result, it must have broken her heart. But I accept that making our own choices about clothing is an inevitable part of growing up.
I'm usually ruthless when it comes to decluttering but I will treasure these little outfits, despite their amateur construction (several of them have required more than one mending session!). This year's effort is a shirred sundress made using Erin’s tutorial. From a thrifted pillowcase (I think this kind of goes without saying) which could be best described as "Pacman meets apple circa 1982" I'm thinking.
Finally finished object that is.
I'm not sure what happened here - Typepad ate half my post - see original post below!
I started making this as a Christmas gift for Ruby’s kindergarten teacher, and here it is completed all most six months later, in time for the end of the school year in just a few weeks. Back to my old favourite red and linen combination. I’m suddenly uncertain about whether to give it to her or not (not because I don’t like it, I’d happily keep it) but am thinking that maybe Ruby should have made her something instead of me.
I’m sure most teachers simply appreciate being appreciated. If I were a teacher, I think a simple note of thanks from a student or parent would mean more than anything, so I wonder do they really like receiving more “stuff” to clutter up their lives?
Oh well, I guess it would always make a nice classroom decoration!
