Tag Archives: sewing

Notes From the Sewing Room

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I finished the piece of patchwork I was working on and that is now with a lady who will quilt it using a longarm machine.

I then turned my attention to a bit more tidying up in the sewing room which seems to be a continual work in progress. I noticed a couple of pieces of Christmas fabric along with some fabrics which had a definite Christmas feel to them.

So, I made these two tote bags.

I am not sure where they will end up but I think they are rather gorgeous.

My storage space is definitely not well-organised but I keep living in hope. These cube shelves were repurposed from their original location in our walk-in wardrobe and a lot of fabric was simply unpacked from boxes and shoved in to spaces wherever it would fit. I know I can do better and I am working towards that goal.

The previous owners also left two unused glass shelves for these cubes and I added them which makes the size of the cubes more functional for small baskets and other items.

Here is a close-up of one of the glass shelves.

I have decided to get get 4 more of these from IKEA next time we are in Melbourne so watch this space for future improvements.

Meanwhile, I continue to work on various sewing projects with the goal of using up some of my stash.

These pieces will become a couple more tote bags for our local Community Pantry.

Feeling Accomplished

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Today I have completed 2 sewing tasks that I have been working on recently.

The first is a shirt for my daughter using a pattern and fabric which she provided. The linen fabric was a delight to work with as was the pattern which came together beautifully. I am really pleased with the result.

The other was a skirt which I spotted at the op shop a few days ago. The colours caught my eye initially and although it was supposedly my size the waistband was much too small. For $3.50 it was definitely worth buying and refashioning. I removed the side zip and recreated the waistband with it flat at the front and elasticated at the back. I am looking forward to wearing this as the weather warms up.

Finding Fabric

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Yesterday we went to Castlemaine which is a larger town about 15 minutes drive from home. GMan needed to buy more bread flour and pick up a reserved book from the library. We also visited the hardware and landscaping supplier to check out our requirements for upcoming projects but more on those another time.

As we had plenty of time and no deadlines to meet we also wandered through 4 different op shops. Some yielded nothing but I had a couple of wins.

Two different pieces of fabric.

This one is earmarked to make a polo shirt for GMan. I used to make them all the time but haven’t done so for a number of years. He really likes the colour and it is a nice weight fabric.

Another piece for my red and black patchwork project. It is probably more than I will need so will be good for making bags.

I could not pass up a blue and white summer top.

The whole lot set me back $7 and it is always fun to poke around and check out what is available.

In other news, the work on the pantry is progressing and the replacement of the front fence will be starting tomorrow too. There will be updates and photos later in the week.

Life With a List

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Most of my posts seem to be fairly light on writing and tend to favour the accompanying photos. You know the saying, ‘A picture paints a thousand words………….’.

However, today is going to be somewhat the reverse of the normal pattern.

I want to share my thoughts about lists. Lists are part of who I am and I thrive on them. Shopping lists, to-do lists, packing lists, list of contents. The types of lists are almost endless. The ‘Notes’ function on my phone is my best friend. I have lists of groceries to buy, books to read, movies to watch, places to visit. Sadly, the topic does not really lend itself to lots of photos.

One of my most enduring lists is the sometimes maligned to-do list. I recently read that creating a to-do list puts you under unnecessary stress and/or sets you up for failure. This could be the case but I consider it simply as an ongoing reminder. In fact, it actually lightens my mental load since once a task is added to the list, I can easily remove it from my mind and the constant nagging feeling of remembering that I have to do something. Instead, I can simply refer to the list.

My daily ‘to-do’ list is more of a memory prompt of things that I need or want to achieve the next day. I generally write/update it before I go to bed and I can then sleep with a clear head and safe in the knowledge that I have recorded my plans (very loose) for tomorrow.

As an example, these were some of the items on my list for today.

Tidy up more emails
Send email to ………….
Book restaurant
Sweep hallway
Finish making bags
Deliver pamphlets
Walk dog
Clean shower
Quote for screens/security door

GMan did the hallway before I got to it. I have finished 3 of the bags and have 4 more to sew the straps on. I am making them for the local Community Pantry for people to use (and reuse) if they do not have a bag with them. I bought the material for $5 from the Bendigo Share and Repair Shed a few weeks ago. I do like creating bags using a variety of offcuts but a large piece of fabric certainly makes it easy to create a number of bags fairly quickly.

Everything else has been done with the exception of the shower which will go on tomorrow’s list. Of course, I did numerous other things besides what was on the list and this is usually the case most days.

I do not feel any pressure from creating a list and this method works well for me. Do lists work for you?

A Successful Search

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I think I have managed to collect enough suitable fabric for my next patchwork project.

This was a fitted bassinet sheet that I spotted in the op shop yesterday.

I unpicked it and salvaged the elastic.

My basket of new and used elastic of various types and lengths. It is surprising how often it yields just what I need.

Some of the squares have been cut up and added the collection and I will do the rest tomorrow.

The newest pieces are in the bottom right-hand corner. I am looking forward to making a start on the sewing before too long.

Share and Repair

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Yesterday I made a new discovery – the Bendigo Share and Repair Shed. I stumbled across this gem from a Facebook post advertising a destash sale of art and craft materials. When I arrived at the address I discovered that it was so much more than just a one-off event.

After perusing the various offerings I came home with a selection of goodies – most with a specific purpose in mind.

Two pieces of fabric which will yield a total of about 35 squares for the ‘pink’ quilt that I am preparing to make.

Another piece of fabric suitable for patchwork but no particular project in mind.

A large piece of curtain fabric which will make some great tote bags. I am planning to make some more to donate to the Community Pantry for people to use (and reuse) when collecting groceries.

The final piece of fabric is this fine cotton fabric which is blue with a tiny white spot. I am thinking of making a summer dress for myself. I think this is probably quite old as it is less than 90cm (36 inch) wide. I will have enough as there is more than 2 metres of fabric.

This close-up gives a better indication of the print.

The premise of the Share and Repair Shed is to make a donation/offer and I was happy to pick up all of these pieces for $9 as I will be able to give them new life in various projects.

I also had a quick look at other non-craft items that were available and I was quite excited to pick up these 3 jars to add to my collection for when I am making jams, pickles etc. There are always plenty of jars around but I like to limit my collection to a couple of different styles. These have a wide mouth and are easy to fill.

All in all it was an enlightening and fruitful visit and I am sure I will be back again before too long.

Patchwork Prep

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Now that the last quilt has been completed and is with its new owner, it is time to show you my future patchwork plans.

I have been cutting out blocks ready for a quilt that is predominantly pink. It will be an 18th birthday gift for our elder granddaughter at the end of next year so I have plenty of time. I have about two-thirds of the total number of squares required. These all came from various pieces that were in my stash. Now that I have sorted out exactly what I have I know what I am looking for as I peruse fabrics and garments in the op shops. I am looking forward to getting started on sewing some of the blocks. However, unlike previous patchwork projects, I have decided that I am not going to actually start sewing until I have cut out all of the blocks I need.

Meanwhile, I have begun assembling some fabrics for another possible project. This is not much more than a vague idea at the moment but I am thinking of red, black and white.

Of course, my sewing is not limited to the patchwork. I am generally tackling several sewing projects concurrently. I also have socks to mend, a pair of denim shorts to modify slightly and several linen tops/dresses which I plan to refashion for summer. My other goal is to make some fabric tote bags to donate to our local community pantry for people to use when collecting groceries.

A Spot of Sewing

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Food preparation and cooking has been my main focus for the past few days as we prepare to host a birthday lunch for GMan on Sunday. There will be more details about what is on the menu in a future post.

Today I managed to do a bit of sewing in between the cooking. I had noticed that the covers on a couple of the spare pillows were looking a bit stained and generally less than ideal. So, I decided that it could not be too difficult to replace them.

The first step was to carefully slit the end of the cover and remove it. The inside of the pillow is simply no more than a compressed bundle of microfibre filling in the appropriate shape.

I used the old cover to cut a new piece of fabric from some offcuts of sheeting in my stash and stitched 3 sides before carefully replacing the pillow inside.

The end was then pinned.

Finally, I stitched and finished the seam with bias binding.

The 2 revamped pillows in their pillowcases and back on the bed.

Finished and Delivered

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I have been working furiously over the past couple of days to finish handsewing the binding on the quilt. I had set myself a deadline as we were going to visit our daughter today. It is no mean feat to hand sew tiny stitches around 8 metres of binding but it is now all done and the quilt is firmly ensconced with its new owner.

Here is the final result.

Apparently, someone else thinks it is pretty good too.

Now that I have completed that job I can turn my attention to a few other jobs around the house that need doing.