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Posted on July 6, 2014

Following on from my first attempt at patchwork, I decided to try my hand at some bunting. My thoughts on making this is exactly the same as patchwork – it should be about using up the scraps that you have – not buying a bundle of mix’n’match fabrics for a ‘perfect’ look.

Miss O and Izz are here tonight and they were keen to help. They both gave their opinions on the fabrics we chose to use and Miss O was able to turn the triangles after 2 sides had been stitched. I completed the turning with the aid of a knitting needle to fashion the point of the triangle. She also helped to arrange the sequence so that there was a good combination of patterns.

This is what we ended up with – a couple of metres of decorative bunting in a selection of pink tonings. There are large and small florals, checks, stripes and abstract prints. Some of the fabric is very lightweight and other is quite heavy. All of it has been salvaged from the offcuts of other projects – some new and some used.

It is a quick and fun project which uses a relatively small amount of fabric and produces an almost immediate result. A perfect school holiday activity if you have small helpers!

Shopping & Sewing

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Posted on June 22, 2014

Firstly, thanks for your kind comments on my ‘Hollywood’ outfit. I am really pleased with it and quite looking forward to the occasion. I am considering keeping the skirt as well as the top because I am thinking that there could possibly be other occasions for which it will be suitable. Also, I dislike being cold and it can be quite difficult to be warm and glamorous so this would definitely fit the bill. I could even add leggings under the skirt.

I am not keen on shopping but sometimes it has to be done, so yesterday we made a bit of a pilgrimage to a couple of the larger shopping centres which are about 30 minutes drive from where we live. I won’t bore you with all of the details but I did manage to buy this piece of fabric at Spotlight. I will make a camisole to go under the black top of my Hollywood outfit.

While I was at Spotlight I also bought a round plastic tablecloth. It was reduced in price and I had a discount voucher so ended up being priced at $5.70. It is to go on a plastic outdoor table that previously belonged to my mother. I wanted a permanent cover on the table so I decided to cut it a bit bigger than the table and attach elastic to the outer edge.

Here is the piece I cut off the cloth.
Coincidentally, there is a discount clothing store in the same complex as Spotlight and The Duke bought some new underwear and discarded several pairs that were looking the worse for wear. I salvaged the elastic and used that to attach to the plastic cloth.

Here is the finished article on the table – and no sign of the Bonds underwear elastic!

My First Attempt

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Posted on June 2, 2014

It is never too late to learn something new so today I have started some patchwork. I am hoping to make a quilt. It is not entirely true that I have never done patchwork before but it has been generally on a small scale and my own ‘design’.

Following some basic tips that I gleaned from Frugal Queen and this Youtube video, I set about making my first disappearing 9 patch square.

I did not buy any fabric because I believe that patchwork should be the ultimate in making do with what you have, not an excuse to rush out and buy all of the latest mix’n’match patchwork fabrics. I am using leftovers and offcuts from many of my own sewing projects as well as some that my mother gave me recently. Some of the pieces in the bundle are over 40 years old.

Here are some of the first squares I cut out. I was starting to arrange them for the block.

I chose to use mostly blue in my first project as that is the colour that I have most in the available fabric. It is also the colour of our bedroom so the quilt will look perfect on our bed if it reaches completion.

The first nine squares sewn together.

The disappearing 9 patch depends on then cutting the block into 4 squares, rearranging them and then sewing them together. This is the result.

So far today I have made 4 of these blocks and I am really happy with how they are turning out.

I think I am hooked but there are other things I need to do today as well. I will be back tomorrow with more adventures. In the meantime, let me know if you quilt or sew. Is it for fun or frugality?

Pretty Pillows

More Mending

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Posted on April 5, 2014

Mending is to sewing like using leftovers is to baking.

Most people can bake or create a meal by following a recipe but often you need to have a good understanding of the underlying principles of cooking and meal preparation to be able to creatively and effectively use leftovers or random ingredients. The same applies to sewing. It is one thing to follow the instructions on a pattern to make an item but sometimes you need to use your understanding of some of the methods to apply it to mending tasks.

Today I was confronted with a pair of The Duke’s business trousers that had worn through right on the crease of the hem. I do not know how this happened as the trousers are the correct length and do not drag on the ground. It is difficult to see but the area just to the right of my thumb is a split. It is more obvious in the following photograph.

I unpicked a section of the hem.

The damage is clearly evident. I trimmed the couple of loose threads. I placed a piece of iron-on interfacing over the split on the wrong side. I made sure that the two edges of the split were closely aligned and then ironed the interfacing to seal it. With the sewing machine set on a short zigzag stitch, I stitched over the split.

This is the wrong side after I had stitched it.

Then it was a simple matter of rehemming the section of the hem which had been unpicked. I have not posted the ‘after’ photo as the mend is virtually invisible.

Do you mend clothes? If you have any mending questions please ask and I will see if I can help.

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?

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.

Simply Sewing

6 Comments

Posted on September 22, 2013

One of my favourite activities is sewing. More specifically, sewing clothes. In years gone by I have made everything from business shirts to swimwear but in recent years I have not done as much as I used to.

I have never had a huge stash of fabric, although The Duke may think otherwise. Nevertheless, over the last couple of years I have been working on gradually whittling down what I do have. I decided that a cupboard of excess fabric is of no benefit to anyone so I should use it up to make things, whether they be for the family, to sell or simply to donate.

Sometimes it seems that as fast as I use up fabric I am given some more so I have set myself the challenge to use up everything I have. This weekend I made a pair of satin boxer shorts from some gifted material which I think I will give to my daughter. I will make a camisole from some white interlock fabric to make a set of summer pyjamas. Here are the shorts.

In the same bundle was some crinkle cotton fabric which was a fairly unappealing yellow check but I managed to brighten it up with the addition of some plain red for the contrasting pockets on this dress I made for Izz. It will be perfect for summer days at childcare.

I also started sewing a toddler dress which I will show you when it is finished. Then there was the mending/alteration pile. I hemmed 2 pairs of trousers for The Duke and have adjusted the hemline on a new skirt of mine. It is now pinned and ready to handstitch.

My goal is to do some sewing each day and gradually work through the ‘to do’ pile before starting on some new projects. I have 2 skirts which I am altering that are waiting as well as a cot quilt which needs the binding sewn on and some hand-quilting to be done. I have several pieces of gifted fabric which I contemplating what I will make. Not all of it is suitable for our family so I am busily planning what to sew that will be of use to someone.