Whilst browsing By Hand’s website I found a tool they have which does all the calculations for 1/4, 1/2 and full circle skirts!! Amazing!!! Thank you so much! After making one for my niece I found the calculations scary as I didn’t want to make a mistake with the lovely fabric I bought. Here’s one I made earlier…. And I blogged about it here….. I can’t wait to make another (for myself!) now I’ve found this App. Thanks again By Hand!
I’ve just been to my SECOND Christmas party! This was a fancy dress party – 80s theme! Time to get sewing!! For my ‘outfit’ (I’m on the right) SKIRT I had an old skirt with a broken zip. I read on ForeverFierce how to bleach denim and thought I’d try and revamp this sad skirt that I’d never wear again….. I laid it out in the bath and squirted neat bleach on it, and left it about 20 minutes. It turned a mucky yellow colour……. Then I washed it on a quick 40 degree wash. I chopped the peplum off the bottom and using my ruffling foot made a ra-ra inspired trim which I stitched behind the lower edge. For the white cropped top, dare I say it, think I should whisper, I used my Sobertto pattern, without the pleat at the centre front. For the blue top I used McCalls 6648 which I’ve previously used to made 2 dresse and a grey top. It’s a really versatile pattern and easily adapted. Previously blogged about here. …
I’ve been thinking long and hard about what to make for my works Christmas do, and also something for The Monthly Stitch Challenge – “Party!!”. I didn’t want to buy a pattern or any material as my stash should be is vast enough to find something. Eventually I decided on Newlook 6648 which is a top that I previously made as a frock: here’s where I blogged about it. The pattern calls for jersey fabric, but I wanted to make it in a shiny polyester so decided to cut it on the bias so it would have some stretch widthways. Easier said than done!! It took me ages to fold the material eventually I went with the pattern and kept everything crossed. It was really easier, and the bias gave enough ease to get it over my head. When I’d sewn up the side seams it was way to big, hung like a sack with no shape. I took the seams in about an inch from just above the waist all the way down …
Time was running out for me in The Monthly Stitch’s Challenge – ‘something from a book”. As I only own 1 sewing book I wasn’t exactly spoilt for choice. This month has been really busy. I’ve made a big start on making my Christmas gifts, and also I’ve had 3 birthdays and an anniversary which I’ve made pressies for too. Before I knew it, there were only 2 days left in November for me to make something for the Monthly Stitch, so it had to be something simple. I chose the cook’s apron as it would be a nice pressie to go with the peg bag I’ve already made for my Auntie Kath. Here it is: When I made the apron I didn’t have any graph paper, so armed with a pencil, French curve and tape measure I marked out the outline directly onto the back of the fabric. I worked out the measurements and wrote them into the book. I decided to make 1 or 2 changes to the pattern: I …
Whilst trawling the internet looking for inspiration I came across grannymaudsgirl who has made the cutest peg bags ever. I didn’t follow her tutorial as I wanted to make one with a flap rather than a circle, and I also wanted to try out my ruffling foot but mines pretty average so I’m going with hers next time. Here’s how I made mine: I drew a pattern based on the only small coat hanger I could find (I need a trip to ikea) then used this as a template to make the 2 front pieces. I used some curtaining fabric that I found in the loft. There’s 16m of it on roll, and I don’t remember buying it!! It’s been in the loft since we moved here almost 11 years ago. After rummaging in my stash I found some bias binding and ribbon which would come in useful and also ruffled some strips of fabric. I LOVE my ruffling foot!!!! It’s amazing and so easy to use. I played around with different ways of arranging the trims …
I usually roll my PDF patterns up into a tube after using them but today I had a brain wave of a better way to store them. Strengthen one corner with lots of cellotape then make a hole with a hole puncher. Do this for each pattern piece. I then cut the straight end of a plastic ‘D’ ring and slipped each pattern piece onto it. I then put the ring onto a coat hanger. Now all I need to do is find somewhere to hang them up!
It’s 4:55 here in the uk, on my first night shift (I’m a paramedic if you don’t know) and I’ve just delivers a baby! It’s a boy!! Think it’s number 21 for me, I’ve lost count! Totally unrelated to sewing, but I had to tell someone!
Hi fellow fabric horders collectors! I decided to sort out my little stash today and was shocked to discover all this…….(it’s a good job my hubby’s at work!) Is it normal to accumulate so much fabric?! I’ve organised it into piles – plain jersey, patterned jersey, cotton, leather, wool blends, Lycra,slinky poly, stretch cotton….I could go on… but I won’t. Here’s a few close ups, including one with Rory the cat trying to camouflage himself! I really need some reassurance that this is quite normal and I don’t have a problem!! Also, any suggestions on stash busting would be greatly appreciated. I’m intending to make quite a few totes etc for Christmas Pressies, but most of my fabric is for dressmaking not bags. I may have to go shopping!! Edited with BlogPad Pro
Such a busy week! Lots of unselfish sewing and an impromptu trip to Haroggate (pronounced ‘Harrow-gate’ if you’re posh!). And a big ball of fluff!! My Auntie Kath, who taught me to knit, iron and bake when I was young lives in Harrogate. She had her birthday last week, 70 something I think (her age has always been something of an enigma!) and I forgot to post her card. This was a blessing in disguise as I’d not visited her for ages and I could also call into a couple of fabric shops that I’d found on the internet – Fine Fabrics of Harrogate and The Remenant House. FINE FABRICS OF HARROGATE – this little shop certainly lives up to it’s name! Not a very big shop, but bright and airy and the fabric is well organised and is a pleasure to browse. I was almost tempted to buy a couple of metres of 3 or 4 different fabrics that caught my eye, but as I intended to just go for ‘a look’ I would just be …
Today’s my niece’s 16th birthday. She asked me to make her a tartan skater skirt. After lots of googling we went shopping to Fabworks in Dewsbury on a fabric hunt. As soon as she saw this fabric it was love at first sight. It was also the most expensive one we saw at £10/metre. It was a wool mix, but was machine washable. My sister would hate me if I made something that was dry clean only. Originally I intended to make her a 3/4 circle skirt but I wasn’t sure how the seam would match up to I chickened out and made a 1/2 circle. I had a trial run in my size as I’d never made one before. I made mine in a thick silver fabric which ended up being a nightmare to work with, it just curled up at every stage. After pressing the living daylight out of it it eventually behaved, but alas, I have produced another UFO. I’ve not idea when I’ll ever where it so can’t bring myself justify the …
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