Linaloo

Conversative or Radical?

 
I'm not talking about the elections in the UK he he! It's this summer's beach/pool bag.  As much as I love the gorgeous colours in the pillowcase fabric, I wanted it to be a bit more sedate so I used it for the lining paired with denim. Now it's done, I think it's a bit too middle-of-road conservative and I almost prefer the reversible version.

The bag is adapted from this pattern.  I made it a touch bigger this time (it's mahoosive) so I could cram even more towels, swimsuits, snacks, books and other paraphernalia in there.  I also added stiff interfacing which was a mistake with the denim, it was iron on stuff which I don't normally use but I'm a lazy sewist and will not be unpicking it - perhaps a quick wash will soften it. Any thoughts?

Always a lesson to be learned every time. 

Not mellow yellow

Quite the opposite in fact.  I'd say it's more like "so screamingly bright you couldn't possibly miss this" yellow.  It's our new picnic blanket, or sunshine quilt as I am optimistically calling it, made from thrifted pillowcases for the top, a thrifted fleece blanket for the batting and a thrifted sheet for the back.  
 
That's right, thrifted, thrifted, thrifted and very loud.  
The pillowcases have been purchased over the last year ever since I finished up my baby zig zag quilt. I'm not sure if I'm just drawn to their sunny cheer, but there always seems to be an abundance of vintage yellow sheets and pillowcases to be found, more than any other colour.  Not that I'm complaining of course. 
For the first time ever, I sewed the binding by machine because I was just too plain lazy to do it by hand and you know what?  It looks absolutely fine. I'm so rebellious, I may never go back to hand sewing binding again.

The weather has been spectacular this weekend, so it had its first grass testing and I'm hoping the craziness of the patterns will cover up all manner of spillages and stains. 

Let the picnicing begin!

Sewing with paper

A little preview for you of my tutorial posted by the folks at Sew Mama Sew today.  Go check it out and have a wonderful weekend!

  
 

Patchwork Star

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!

Koumpounophobics look away now

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?

Hers 'n' hers

 

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.

Burnt

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!

Tommy's quilt

(Click on the image to see the notes on the origins of each fabric on my flickr account if you're interested).

 

Another quilt, finished today.  My third this year.  My fifth ever. And of course each one I make is my favourite.  Tommy seems as happy as any almost five year old boy is about a blanket and has requested a pillowcase to go with it.  I'm tempted to do a union jack...

 

In other news, our summer weather has been very iffy, but we're working our way steadily through our list.

Built by nervous

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.

Giddy

 

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!