Busy with Bags

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Posted on March 2, 2014

This afternoon I re-acquainted myself with my sewing machine. I have several projects that I want to get done but I decided to start with something manageable that I could finish in an afternoon.

First, I mended this reuseable silk bag which I was given about 10 years ago. It is used frequently and some of the stitching at the top of the side seams had come undone.

Next, I retrieved a piece of material I bought some years ago for the purpose of making another bag using this one as a pattern. Sometimes my grand plans turn out to be more complex than I imagine but it was not the case this time.

I successfully replicated the original, complete with side gussets and double stitched seams on the handles and bottom edge of the bag.

The best part about these bags is that they are lightweight and fold down to almost nothing. I was spurred into action as I wanted to have 2 lightweight bags to take when we travel overseas. They can be used for grocery shopping, carrying personal effects to a shared bathroom or keeping worn clothes separate from clean ones when packing. They can be easily washed and will dry in a matter of hours. The total weight of the 2 bags is 79g.

Finally, I made a lining for a hessian carry bag that I bought when we were in the USA in 2012. The bag originally had a plastic coating on the inside but it was starting to crack and deteriorate as you can see here.

I removed all of the plastic coating and then washed the bag as it was quite grubby from use every week. I measured the dimensions of the bag and then cut out and made a lining from some navy poly cotton fabric. It matches nicely with the print on the outside of the bag.

Here is the new lining assembled and pinned in place. Tonight I will sit and handstitch the lining to the top edge of the bag. I will add a photo of it when I am finished.

It has been a successful afternoon of some small sewing tasks. Do you make or repair items that you use? Do you use reuseable shopping bags?

Flown the Coop

Make & Mend – Cot Quilt

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Posted on November 12, 2013

As promised here is another of the things I have been working on.

On one of my many attempts to sort/tidy/declutter my sewing room I found some offcuts of material. It is calico with blue teddy bears. I also had some plain calico.

With no-one particular in mind I decided to make a quilt. I discovered that I could make enough blocks to make a cot quilt if I added some plain navy blocks.

The batting and backing were added and the quilting was a simple ‘stitch in the ditch’ where the blocks were joined.

Then it just sat waiting to be bound and finished. I finally got inspired and completed the quilt. Handsewing the binding took a little time but I set myself a goal to get it done and here is the finished product.

I am planning to send it to a friend whose patchwork group are busily making quilts for those who lost their homes in the recent NSW bushfires. I hope it will help a family in need.

I am very gradually decluttering my sewing room. It is a gradual process because I do not want to get rid of stuff but rather to use it up. I plan to make things from the fabric that I have and donate them through various avenues so that others can benefit.

Make & Mend – Picture Frame

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Posted on November 11, 2013

This week I want to share a few of the projects I have been working on recently.

First up is the picture frames. These are 2 large timber frames which belong to my mother. They have family photographs in them and usually stand on her sideboard. The problem is that the stand is actually very heavy cardboard. After several years of very wet and humid weather the cardboard has absorbed moisture and now has flexed and will not stand and support the frame.

I brought these home with the idea of repairing them and this is what I did.

I made a pattern from the stand on each frame and then marked it out on a sheet of plywood.

The pieces of plywood were cut using a jigsaw.

I then spread the glue (Aquadhere) over the plywood and placed it on the cardboard stand. I used several clamps to make sure firm contact was maintained between the surfaces. I left the clamps in place for 24 hours.

There are no photos of the clamps as my camera battery was flat.

Tonight I removed the clamps and the repair has been successful. Now I need to finish the other frame then return them to my mother.

Tune in again tomorrow for the next project.

Clean Clothes

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Posted on July 23, 2013

Housework is a never-ending circle. Whether you view it as a closed-loop system which supports and sustains your family or as a treadmill that you cannot escape is entirely up to you. I prefer the first view because it is positive and values homemaking as an important role.

I was interested to read recently that ‘doing the washing’ is not about tossing a heap of clothes into the washing machine, followed by the dryer or perhaps hanging them on the line. In this scenario the final step is then seen as throwing the heap of clean clothes on the nearest sofa or bed. This results in disorganisation and clutter while various members of the household grab whatever they need to wear.

Unsurprisingly, the above view emanated from a discussion about how clutter and disorganisation go hand-in-hand. It is easy to imagine that over time the pile of clean clothes becomes dusty and soiled and then need rewashing. Perhaps items cannot be located which results in buying more clothes. Items which need mending are left and forgotten. Then there is a downward spiral, the pile becomes a permanent fixture, the bed is no longer able to be used for its original purpose and so on. This is an extreme picture but one that it is best to avoid.

Confession time: I resorted to this practice last week and here is some of the evidence.

It took me 5 minutes yesterday to set things to right which made me wonder why I hadn’t done it sooner.

The discussion went on to say that you should not regard the washing as ‘done’ until the clothes are dry, sorted, folded and put away as well as any ironing any items which require it.

I generally manage to do all of this in one go except the ironing. Ironing is always done at least once a week. This is one of the benefits of having a streamlined wardrobe. The selection of clothes are limited and I am being perfectly honest when I say that I have to do the ironing otherwise we would have nothing to wear to work next week.

By considering tasks within the home to be a closed-loop it is easier to gain satisfaction from the work you do. It is not simply a chore of folding clothes but rather can be seen in the following way. A hamper full of soiled clothes is washed, dried in the fresh air and sunshine (hopefully), sorted, folded and drawers and wardrobes replenished with clean clothes for the next week. It is also an opportune time to review the state of clothes and do any repairs as required. You can rejuvenate items before they become beyond repair.

How to you deal with washing, folding and ironing? Do you fold clothes as they are taken off the line?

Craft Challenge

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Posted on June 11, 2013

It is Tuesday morning here and we have had a long weekend. My mother came to visit and I have been spending time doing things other than blogging. On Saturday we visited 6 open gardens as part of the local Garden Club’s weekend titled, “Gardening on the Edge” which is a specific reference to the escarpment location where we live. These were large, mostly ornamental gardens with stunning displays of camellias which are in full flower at the moment. One garden had a large, productive vegetable patch so that was of particular interest to me.

We arrived home at about 3pm just as it began to drizzle with rain. We have had consistent rain since then with it barely stopping, day or night for 64 hours. The rain is not heavy – just gentle, soaking rain which is predicted to continue for another 3 days. I hope my new vegetable seedlings don’t get waterlogged.

A 3 day weekend meant that I achieved most of the essential housework so I had time for some other activities. Since it was raining I turned to my sewing room. As always, there are some projects underway and many others planned and waiting to start, so my goal this week is to make some real progress and I will share it with you here.

This is a pair of pyjamas I have made for Izz. I had finished the bottoms except for the waist casing and elastic so that was the first thing on my list. This fabric was given to me and I had already made pyjama bottoms for myself and another pair for Izz. This pair used the very last of the fabric and necessitated having an extra join in the back but it is not visible due to the casing. I then found the tshirt fabric in my stash to make the top. I was left over from when I was making school polo shirts for Belle (over 20 years ago).

The next project was another top made from scraps. It can be a pyjama top or would be equally suitably to wear to daycare with her jeans. The white ribbing for the neckband and cuffs is cut out and ready to sew.

This is some material that I cut out and prepared to make a sundress. It will fit a little girl from about 12 – 18 months. The style means that it is very flexible and can usually be worn for at least 2 years. I am not making it for anyone in particular but may sell it or give as a gift.

Here is a piece of plain calico and a smaller piece with teddy bears. I plan to make a patchwork cot quilt – once again, not for anyone special.

You may wonder at me making random items for which I have no specific purpose. Although I do not have a room full of fabric stashed to the ceiling, I do have a reasonable quantity of good quality fabric and smaller offcuts. I love designing and creating garments and useful things that use what I already have so my goal is to gradually work through the pile.

This week I hope to complete several projects and I will share more photos as the week goes on.

Please let me know what you are doing in the craft room, too.

Slow Living – February

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Posted on March 3, 2013

This is my second month of joining in the monthly round-up at Slow Living Essentials and already I seem to be struggling with what to write. A couple of things seems to have conspired against me – it is a short month – is it really the end of the month already? and the weather! Since the dry spell broke on the Australia Day weekend (26th January) it has rained almost constantly which limits our activities somewhat

Here are the Slow Living categories:

{Nourish} With the onset of some cooler weather with the rain it was an ideal time to pull out the slow cooker.

I made a batch of pumpkin soup and and beef casserole.

{Prepare} We had an excellent crop of figs.

As well as eating lots of them fresh from the tree, I was able to dry some. This was very successful so I am hoping to have enough to do again next year.

{Reduce} This is always a hard one as we do this each and every day. I turned a singlet of mine that was too short into one for Miss O.

{Green} The weather has brought out the mould but I am keeping things clean and smelling fresh with the use of clove oil. You can read a previous post here.

{Grow} The warm, dry beginning to the summer meant that we had about 8 mangoes on our small tree. We planted it about 4 years ago and this is the first time it has fruited. I suspect that it is generally too cool for them here but this year’s crop has made it worthwhile. They are some of the best mangoes I have tasted and the flesh is as smooth as anything with no sign of stringiness.

Last weekend we had a rare fine day so we bought and planted some vegetable seedlings. They have more than doubled in size in a week.

{Create} Since my sewing machine has returned from being serviced I have got quite a bit of sewing done. I am working through my stash of fabric as well as some pieces I have been given. Here are some of the results.

Winter and summer pyjama bottoms.

A new lining in my skirt.

{Discover} I don’t think I have read anything this month but in a different vein I did discover some fabric to be used when I was sorting out my stash.

{Enhance} We gave away the used fencing wire via Freecycle. I also shared some of the many self-sown cucumber seedlings with neighbours, work colleagues, blogging friends and also on Freecycle.

It is a shame that I did not take some photos of them. Not so much for the seedlings but the innovative packaging. I used some excess egg cartons that I had been given and each seedling and its soil was packed in a space in the carton.

An internet friend sent me some fabric and I used some of it to make a dress suitable for an 18 month old. I will send it to her for her granddaughter who was born last week.

{Enjoy} We travelled to Melbourne and spent a weekend with our daughter who moved there recently. We saw her new home, sampled food at some local establishments and shopped.

I bought this dress to wear to a wedding in a few weeks. I just need to finalise accessories.

The slow living this month has been heavily weighted towards sewing and I guess that is not entirely unexpected with being stuck indoors due to the weather.

Now I am off to check out some of the slow living blogs.

Til next month………..

Weekend Work

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Posted on February 24, 2013

We have had a busy and productive weekend but it was not without some recreation as well.

Yesterday was the one bright spot, according to the weather forecast, in an otherwise wet couple of weeks. We set off early and headed to the markets at Yandina, which is about 40 minutes north of us. Our main goal was to buy some seedlings for our vegie garden. There is a great stall there and this was our first stop. We bought cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, beetroot, bok choy and lettuce seedlings.

The main focus of this particular market seems to be plants and The Duke always checks out the fruit trees and yesterday we bought another mandarin tree. I cannot remember the variety but it was not one had heard of, although the stallholder said she finds it is one of the sweetest varieties. We are happy to give it a try.

Once we were back home our next project was to hang the gates to complete the new fencing. I also did 2 loads of washing. After lunch the Duke mowed the lawn. I was very thankful that the weather stayed fine and windy so the washing was all dry and I got the ironing up to date.

It was easy to stay focused on what I needed to achieve as we had decided to go to the movies last night to see Quartet. It was the first screening by the Maleny Film Society back in the revamped Community Centre. We also had dinner there before the movie and had a fun night out. The meals are catered by Pomodoras on Obi, a local restaurant and function venue which also has on-site accommodation.

Today the weather has not been quite as pleasant, and we had some rain this morning, but it has not deteriorated as predicted yet. I have made some progress with several sewing projects. Three pairs of trousers for The Duke have been shortened as well as a new skirt I bought in Melbourne.

I have put a new lining in a skirt and am working on the waistband.

Here is the lining attached to the skirt.

And the right side with the waistband partly attached.

The reason I relined this skirt is because the original lining was straight and very narrow and I had split the side seam on it. I find this disappointing and annoying when I pay for a good skirt and find that they have skimped by making a lining that does not match the shape of the skirt. I am confident that my alterations will work well and I am looking forward to getting plenty of use out of the skirt. I also did some sorting of my fabric and have some ideas for several pieces so there is plenty to keep me going for a while.

Finally, this afternoon we topped up the soil in the raised garden bed and planted the seedlings. There are no photos as it was getting late and the light was not good. I hope to post some later in the week. It is now raining lightly so the seedlings will be enjoying that.

I am still waiting to hear from SarahN to claim the giveaway. Once I send it I will share what it was with you all.

Sew Quick and Easy

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Posted on February 17, 2013

Yesterday I finally picked up my sewing machine from having it serviced, so today I decided to spend some time sewing. Some of it has been quite challenging, a pleated skirt which is now too big for me. I have completely disassembled it and am in the process of re-making the skirt but in the meantime it was good to start and finish a couple of simple projects.

First was a pair of boxer shorts for summer pyjamas for me. These were from some material kindly given to me by a friend.

I teamed them with an existing tank top to make this set.

She also gave me a piece of flannelette with a cute teddy bear pattern that was just begging to become winter pyjama bottoms.

I did some mending, too. This pair of shorts is about 12 years old and I wear them when painting or gardening. The fabric is in good condition but the elastic had given way so I unpicked the waist and old elastic, replacing it with 2 rows of new 6mm elastic.

The shirt which was waiting to have the buttonholes done is also finished.

I will keep you updated on the progress of the skirt.

In the meantime, don’t forget to comment on this post and follow my blog for a chance to go in the draw for the mystery giveaway.

Slow Living – January

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Posted on February 1, 2013

Today I have decided to dip my toe in and join the monthly diary started by Christine over at Slow Living Essentials. The idea is to post a round up of the slow living activities for the month based on nine categories. I have watched with interest and think that this idea will link in nicely with many of my own ideals and goals. Although Christine lives in Victoria, Australia I actually discovered her blog through Heidi’s slow living posts over at Lightly Crunchy. Heidi is in Ontario, Canada – what a small world our online community is!

Here are the Slow Living categories:

{Nourish} We eat largely unprocessed foods. I eat a gluten and grain-free diet for my health. I have been doing this for 6 months and am reaping the benefits. Here is my ‘cereal’ recipe.

{Prepare} A bumper tomato crop from several varieties gave me ample opportunity to save for later.

I made tomato sauce and tomato paste.

In the dying days of the month, I decided that I couldn’t bear to lose the 4kg of tomatoes that had been frozen and were rapidly thawing due to loss of power for 2 days. Using the gas cooktop, I boiled them up and reduced the liquid then bottled and preserved them using a hot water bath.

I needed to be a little inventive as I normally sterilise my bottling jars and lids in the oven at 140C. This time I boiled the jars and utensils. Finally, I used the same water for the hot water bath. Remember, I had to haul the water in a bucket from the tank at the back of our block.

We also prepared for, and survived, the wild weather from ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald (hurricane).

{Reduce} We repainted the old star pickets to re-use in the fencing project. You can’t see them here – the timber corner and bracing posts are new.

{Green} The timber chairs and table are sparkling after being polished. I use some vegetable oil with a little lemon essential oil on a soft rag to dust and polish all of the timber furniture.

{Grow} The tomatoes grew in abundance as did cucumbers. Due to a warm, dry summer (until the last week) we managed to successfully grow cantaloupe and capsicums (red peppers). The next month will be clearing and resting the beds ready for sowing again in March, weather permitting.

{Create} My sewing machine has been out of action (and, boy have I missed it)! I have been doing some hand sewing – mending a couple of items for Missy.

{Discover} I have indulged in some fiction this month. I bought the entire ‘Anne of Green Gables’ series for my Kindle. It was only a couple of dollars and will provide hours of reading. I did not read the books when I was young, although I did watch the videos when my daughters had them.

{Enhance} We swapped a cantaloupe for 2 small pumpkins with a neighbour. Also, checked to see how neighbours were going during the storms and flooding.

I also gave away 75 novels on Freecycle. The recipient was a co-ordinator for the Lifeline Bookfest so that is where they will be going. I feel like that is giving several times over. 🙂 They were ones that we now also have on our Kindles. We are enjoying the space, too.

{Enjoy} I introduced my granddaughters to live theatre.

Miss O and I went to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Sydney and I took Izz to see Hairy McLary, based on the books by Lynley Dodd.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my first month of slow living as much as I have writing it. Looking back back over a whole month and what you have done is really worthwhile. I plan to continue this segment for the entire year. There are lots more blogs participating so it would be great if you check them out as well.