Fabric flowers

On Sunday I took a zoom class with Clare Mackaness from Beautiful Things. You can find her on youtube and Facebook or her website. I love how Clare makes everything achievable and fun. She teaches crafts, sewing and crochet to name a few things I’ve learned from her. Definitely recommend her if you are looking for something to learn online. 

The flower was made with circles of fabric, some machine sewing and some hand sewing. It could all be done by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine though. 

A button is used to finish it off and hot glue or fabric glue also comes into play. I yet again survived using my glue gun. Some days I just impress myself 😁 

I used a hair alligator clip to finish it off and for it to be able to wear it. In fact I put it in my hair and forgot it was there until I got ready for bed that night. 

A very fun class that leaves me ready to grab some of my scrap fabrics to make more. It’s and excellent project to use up scraps and odd pretty buttons we keep hold of. Great coordination items to go with home made items. Or even up cycling some well worn favourite clothes. 

After my last craft failure it was great to do something that worked well and came out well. Thanks Clare 

Fabric bookmark corners

Still using scraps and these took me down memory lane. My mum once showed me how to fold paper to make a corner bookmark. I really do not like books that have had their corners turned down or creased so bookmarks are needed. Saying that I use a variety of things for bookmarks. Usually the nearest flat thin object. Receipts, membership cards, paper money, coasters, pierces of yarn....... I’m sure you get the idea. So I used 3 4 inch squares to make some corner bookmarks from fabric. 

Square one was interfaced on one half by a half triangle shape and folded over and pressed into a triangle itself. This was placed on a corner of an interfaced square facing right side up and covered by a third square right side down. 

Sew all round leaving a turning gap, clip corners and turn through and press after poking corners out. Press again and top stitch close to edge closing the open edge 

So now I have 3 bookmarks for around the house. Pretty ones at that. 

 Tutorial came from Pinterest and on craftystaci.com. Got to admit I’m having a blast with quick and easy projects at the moment. Need to find more projects to keep me amused in my time I get to myself in the evenings. 


What do you do? Fold the corners or use a bookmark of some description? 

Peg teepee

I’ve not quilted in a while and I really didn’t need a new peg bag but when I saw someone else’s version. Of this I had to have one. It’s called a Quip by little patch pockets. I had just the bundle of fat quarters to use for it to. It can use squares, scraps or even just one fabric. 

I have to admit I really got confused at one stage and had to read the instructions 20 times as couldn’t figure out at which part to cut the fabric using the pattern/template. Anyone else do this? Read something wrong and then can’t read it correctly? Which was exactly what I did. Not the patterns fault it was mine! Got there in the end though. Took me a couple if evenings to make. Then, a 2 day gap. The last stage said to hand stitch the binding in place so I put it to one side as I hate hand sewing. 

Finally got around to the hand stitching and didn’t take me long at all in the end. I think it looks amazing. It’s not the sort of thing you make more than one of for yourself really which made it an expensive pattern for a one male use. However, now I’ve made one I know what to do and I might make a few more for friends etc and experiment with the look and quilting of it if I do. 

Bias binding and myself do not have a good history but this one distant fight me at all.  Maybe because I made it myself? Who knows. I’m counting if as a pleasant win and know I’ll be smiling every time I use this peg teepee as my daughter named it when I shared a photo when I started sewing this. 

Preparing for Advent and plans

Every year I do something a bit different for Advent.  I really begrudge buying an Advent calendar with diddy cheap nasty chocolate in and that is about all.  So we do things slightly different here.  We have a calendar that rarely contains chocolate, although I did add some this year, and focus more of things to do to enjoy the season in little ways while also helping getting ready for Christmas day.  This year I couldn't find something I needed that was vital so had to change my plans.  So boxes it is with chocolate coins and paper chains.

I filled each box with a coin and a paper chain with the days instructions written on, and another  paperchain so they can be put together and added on to the other days each day.

And all ready for the morning.

Then I have a personal challenge.  I have these 2 jelly rolls I picked up from Fabric Land a while ago.  I am going to use these to make a quilt top.  I figure I can use these to make up a quilt block each day.  After the Advent season I am aiming to put them together by the new year. Should be an interesting experience.

Here are the range of colours in these rolls.

And as I finish up for the night I realise there is one spare chocolate coin left over.  I think I will have this with my coffee in the morning.  Being paid in chocolate is never a bad thing,

Take care

Jules xx

hilarious hindrance

Yesterday I decided to try and cut out the fabric to a skirt I want to make.  These innocent looking kittens are only innocent because they are worn out by helping me.  Can you hear the sarcasm in the words I just typed. After about an hour of doing something that should of taken me 15 minutes tops I finally got there and this pair were worn out from the fun.

See the cat tunnel toy that is on my fabric that I was trying to lay out flat? It wasn't anywhere near a few seconds before this photo. Soon as I started a cat tunnel complete with cat rolled over to say hello.

Now this is a big problem I have, The kittens are obsessed with pins!  They will pull them out of pin cushions, patterns or fabric, and merrily run off to play with them.  Being as dangerous for them as us and small children I literally have to keep all pins and needles under  strict lock and key. So I spent most my times saying things like "off" "leave my pins alone" and "come back here with that"  Then not to mention they are fascinated with the actually fabric being cut and will often jump in middle of it all to try and help/bat at the scissors as I cut with them.  My productive time may of increased by my production rate has severely plummeted thanks to these beauties.  Good job we love them.

Looks as if she is about to pounce on something doesn't she?

Hopefully today I might actually get to sew this skirt.  Depends if anyone is going to help me actually sew too.Time will tell.

Take care

Jules x 

crayon rolls for Christmas eek!

It's a day past Bonfire night her in the UK, we still had fireworks erupting everywhere this evening outside.  But today I decided to start on Christmas sewing OOOOoooo! These are not for anyone who will read the blog so I am not to worried about putting them up.  I need to do a few more of these.  They are crayon rolls.  Just need some crayons to put in them now.

Here they are rolled up and showing the button and elastic closure

Maybe hard to see the slots but here is the inside, minus crayons but ready to go.

And a view of the end. I saw these all over pinterest a while back and scribbled some sizes down on a piece of paper and made one for my granddaughter.  I think it's here on the blog somewhere.  But I found the paper the other day and remembered I offered to make 3 for someone to give to someone else for Christmas. So I am making progress in being organised and not waiting until the very last moment possible.  New idea for me

And just to show you the crayon slots are there and work here is an action shot. Ta dah!! 

Very simple makes and the past week have all been simple little things.  Just what I have needed to fall in love with sewing again.  I hadn't fallen out of love with sewing, but I think I had forgotten that it doesn't all have to be items of clothes and big projects.  Now I am raring to go and get to the sewing machine and see what creations I can come up with this month.  I even am planning on making my own Christmas cards this year. 

For now take care

Jules x 

Large tote bag tutorial by Sewspire

On my trip around youtube last week I saw a lovely tutorial for a large project tote bag.  On the Sewspire channel I thought at the time oo I have the perfect fabric to make one of these with the most adorable accent fabric.  Then I decided to take beds apart and start rearranging bedrooms and moving craft tools and fabrics around.  In short I put a lot of stuff where it wasn't available and made a mess.  OK No worries I then realised I had what I call my deck chair fabric that I bought from IKEA earlier in the year. So colourful and cheerful I thought.  

Andrea over on sewspire on YouTube is on a mission to teach 10,000 people how to sew I think the number was.  Yes I know i 'can' sew but strangely I still don't always know some of the basics and some of the little touches or standard ways of doing things are not how I would do them.  Andrea has a knack of making things very clear and seem very easy to achieve.  

This project bag didn't take me long.  I didn't think about doing step by step photos sorry I just wanted to get the tote bag sewn so I had a summer holiday bright beach themed deck chair tote bag. 

The above photo has the accent stripe down one side.  It is sewn on so over time the edges will fray and give it an extra design element.

To take these photos I had to stuff the bag with a large cushion as I had no one else to help me model it.

The fully lined tote features a different set of coloured stripes 

Not a fantastic photo below of my box corners, but I think these are the most even effective box corners I have ever sewn.

And then I started more hand sewing.  I won't tell you what this stag head is for but it is not for Christmas even if it could well be used for Christmas.  I am not to impressed about how uneven my blanket stitches are looking but I am getting there slowly and almost finished sewing the stag head down.  I might even get to start on the actual project tomorrow. 

Happy start to November I think, hope it is all good with you and you are recovering from Halloween fun.

Take care 

Jules 

Back in the swing of things

Hello October, the cooler evenings have reminded me of something I always go through at this time of the year.  Difficulties in finding a nice coat that is within my price range, is smart enough to wear anywhere but doesn't make me feel overdressed, as I am a very casually dressed person usually, and a coat that is not to long or to short nor one I will overheat in.  Don't really have much luck in finding a coat to fit these criteria strangely!  Then inspiration suddenly struck! I could make one! I found this simplicity 1067 pattern and went from there.  Easy-to-sew apparently.  We shall see!

I have decided on the one the model is wearing view A with a shawl collar and patch pockets and a simple fasting.  I did consider a tie belt, but it just then looked like a dressing gown to me in the illustrations.  Strange mind I have right?

I went for a wool blend fabric, it's a little darker than it is showing here. It's not to heavy.  Also this is an unlined garment so decided on a blend so it wouldn't feel itchy next to the skin

Fastenings wise, a lot of umming and ahhhing went on.  I am still not 100% sure on this hook and eye decorative fastening. I may decide to go with a big decorative button yet. Will try this one first after the coat is made up and see how I like it. We shall see.  Hopefully can get this made up and any adjustments done in time for need a coat season.





Had to pop out today to get interfacing.  Was mildly amused when shop assistant said it seemed hard making a coat. Seemed to me a great way of putting people off sewing not encouraging them. She then asked was it hard? Pointed out I had no idea as I had never made any coats before. I would go back and let her know. Had taken along an off cut of coat fabric and the pattern envelope, which is why it looks a bit crumpled. Wasn't until I had gotten home I realised I had made the jacket of doom, so as long as it isn't as eventful as the JOD it should be easy.  Will find out on Thursday when I get on with it all.  So far all is cut out, pieces that need interfacing are interfaced. Sewing machine has had a clean. All I have left to do is wind a few bobbins and get out the serger. Can't wait to start.

Take care
Jules xx

tents and a skirt for a sewalong

Whoo, it's been busy and hot lately.  This summer holidays with the kids has certainly kept me busy and amused.  Which unfortunately means away from here and most of my social media to. On the plus side it's all been good fun up until I got a summer cold/cough yesterday. I will live though don't worry.

We have been very lucky having the granddaughters over a few times a week while my daughter works, not quite sure who is having more fun us or them? On Monday I decided a wigwam type tent was needed for them to play in.  So, off I went to the corner of the garden to retrieve some bamboo sticks that had been hidden in a tangle of honeysuckle.  Bit of string to tie them together in a square triangle, and a duvet cover and pegs and the girls were very impressed with their little hideaway. 

We have also been out to find 'magic' sticks and so far we have been decorating them with small gold and silver stickers.  Next week I think we are going to cut out some felt stars and maybe make them padded and add to the end with some ribbons. What little princess doesn't need a magic wand?

Just right for eating lunch in and finishing off a tube type yogurt out of the sun.

Katie at Inside number 23 both on YouTube and ravelry. Is hosting a sewalong using the Hollyburn skirt by sewaholic. Looks pretty simple and a lovely skirt so I thought I would give it a whirl.  Took me until tonight to cut out my fabric.  A light weight black, floral denim with sparkles? I am hoping you can see them in this photo?

Ruler for reference there for size idea

And this pocket is just genius, first of all I thought there was a pocket piece missing, but no, this piece folds in half to form the complete pocket.  Which means it's less complicated than the last few pockets I have attempted

1 am is just the right time to blog, enough quiet to concentrate and it's slightly cooler in the house.  Not much though.  I have to say I am not complaining about the weather at all.  It's lovely to have such nice weather for so long.  Saying that I a now looking at patterns to make a winter coat.  I figure if I start thinking about it now and start organising things I might actually end up with a new coat by the time the cold weather starts up again.  Just one problem is all I have, what colour to make a coat in?

Saturday oh wait it's Friday

I keep thinking it's Saturday but nope, it is still only Friday. Probably because normal weekend things happened today instead of a Saturday or Sunday.  We visited Costco, and Luke went out with some of his Grandparents and 3 of his cousins. So my mind doesn't know what day is what. After Costco we found ourselves home alone minus children or anything to do.  So it must of been sewing time right? Opportunity seemed to good to pass it by.  Especially after spying these pictures in a magazine yesterday.

 It basically is a sleeveless draped/cowl neck top and it shows you how to draft your own pattern with your measurements. 

Being they suggest using journey I remembered this stretch t shirt type fabric I have had for a while and wasn't sure what to do with it.  Well tell a lie it's had about 10 different ideas thought about it but have never got around to it before today.

I drafted the pattern on the wrong side of the fabric with an air erasable pen and cut it out and followed up sewing instructions Tried it on my dressmakers dummy and decided the neck was way to wide so adjusted with pins before finishing it off.

Excuse the skirt, it actually is a shirred sundress I have on the dummy,  I cannot make up my mind on the length so it is staying there until inspiration strikes.

Anyhow I finished it up and it is a fairly quick project.  It's OK I like it, but I will be redrafting and making a few alterations.  It needs to be a lot longer and more of a drape in the front I think

I need to adjust the facings as well they are not quite laying as flat as they could be in areas and are almost sticking out the arm holes.  Will have a play tomorrow and will see were I get. Meanwhile this is wearable and would look good with a simple black skirt or jeans I think. 

I am about to curl up with a book Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Seen the film a few times and even have the DVD but have never read the book before now. Found it in a charity shop yesterday so thought it was worth reading at long last.  Been listening to many audiobooks lately as I sew, or read on my kindle, so it's been a fair while since I read a story from a real book. Never thought I would be saying that given the avid bookworm I have always been. 

For now take care and stay crafty

Jules x  

Quick project

A while ago my Granddaughters Ever and Ruby were over just after I had taken delivery of these fabrics.  I was telling Ever I was planning on making shorts, skirts and an top out of both fabrics for them.  I got informed I was allowed to make hers in yellow and Rubys could be blue! There is a young lady who knows what she wants and how to get it. I madly cut out 8 pairs of shorts from this fabric and a couple of others I had in my stash,  a top each and a skirt each. Then I serged and mostly put all the shorts together until the elastic bit.  I read on the pattern 1/4 inch elastic was needed.  Well to be fair it is but only for the tops.  After buying 10 metres of 1/4 inch elastic I then discovered I had a grand total of 7 inches of the 1/2 inch elastic I actually needed for the shorts and skirts.  Problem solved a while ago on a shopping trip.  Decided today I had better get back to these clothes for the girls.

Today was the skirts.  They are pretty basic rectangles.  Each descending layer twice as long as the one before.  Gathered up and then sewn to the layer above.  I had fun using my nifty sergers gathering foot for this. And while not perfect I am gaining confidence and experience. I just need to do a final press and I can call them done

Thursday I will hand these over and see how well they fit the girls. Best to see how these fit before doing the elastic on 4 pairs of shorts for each girl.

A relatively easy and fast project today.  Some days I need something to engage my mind but today I wanted to do calm and easy sewing while I listened to an audiobook. 

That kept me amused in the rainy weather we have here today. What have you been up to? Getting a bit lonely here talking to myself, why not put a comment below about your day?

Take care and stay crafty

Jules x 

Bias cut top

A few weeks ago the Great British Sewing Bee started again on Monday evenings, So I needed the book to accompany the series of course.  I have had a look through the book and need to make lots from it.  

I decided on the Bias cut top from episode one. It's also the first pattern in the book.

So first thing first we had to go fabric shopping.  Chose a black and white stripe, simple or so we thought until we pulled it off the shelf. Then noticed the stripes changed in size,  No problem I thought. Got home and I thought I was going to go blind laying it out on the floor to cut. 

The cutting took some time to be matching up the stripes, using more care and precision that I ever have before but I got there.  I was pinning and flipping to make sure of my placing before cutting

Then finally I got to sewing. Had to stay stitch the neck edges to help prevent them misshaping.  I pinned on all the black stripes and took a deep breath and sewed, 

Then pressed my seam and opened up tadah! matching chevrons  woohooo!!! 

This has been the most precise I think I have ever been in sewing.  Learnt a lot by sewing this top.  Being an easy going Sunday I had stayed in pyjamas up until this point but decided to get dressed for some photos in this top 

looking good huh?

I didn't even bother with trying to match the sides so was very pleased they came out like this :o)

And a back view for you. 

While out in the garden I noticed one of my roses has it's first bloom  I got this rose last year or year before.  It's name is Paul's scarlet. My eldest sons name is Paul so had to have this rose bush. looking forward to more blooms over the coming summer months.