Month: March 2007

bags, sewing

Japanese bag

I finally finished a bag from the Japanese pattern book I posted about earlier.  Once again, I’m fairly happy with my efforts.

I fused wadding to the entire exterior fabric, which gives it a nice soft squishy look, but also made a few sections difficult to sew.  I’ll try it again in another fabric with lighter interfacing and see what sort of effect I get with that.

One of the great things about making bags is that they really don’t take a great deal of construction time – this one took about two hours to sew together, including all details and pressing (I’ve discovered the importance of getting the iron set up and pressing as I go).  I’ve got another hobo style pattern I want to try next.

by thornberry
bags, fabric stash, sewing

Good things come . . .

to those who wait!  It’s taken me longer than expected, but I’ve finally made one bag from my Ikea stash!

This one is for Mum – she chose the fabric and the shape.  I’m fairly pleased with how it’s worked out.  I put a magnetic snap closure in it – the first time I’ve done one, and am very pleased with the results.  Thanks Nikki for the excellent instructions!

by thornberry
sewing

Rhea’s quilt

No bags constructed yet, but I have finished Rhea’s quilt (my dear friend Sue’s baby, born just over a week ago)!  I hope that they like it!

It’s only little, cot size really, or a good size to put bub on the floor with.  The chenille squares come from Jodie, as per usual!  The fabric square are left-overs from various clothing projects.  I’m pretty pleased with the overall result – especially since I’m not actually a quilter or patchworker.

by thornberry
bags, planned projects, sewing

Bag lady

It’s time to start on those bags!  I have fabric, I have patterns, I have craft books, I have bag-making supplies – so now I need to DO something instead of thinking about it!  I thought that these might be a good start:

both of which are from the Japanese bag book I posted about earlier.

I also received this book, also in Japanese:

As well as some fantastic mother/daughter clothes (maybe not to be worn at the same time in the same fabric though . . . ) it has yet more bag and accessory patterns. 

So hopefully by the end of the weekend I’ll be able to post pictures of the completed creations, rather than my vague ideas!

by thornberry
fabric stash, sewing, sewing room

Fabric sorted

Well, I didn’t get around to drafting any bags last night, but I have almost unpacked all of my fabric/sewing boxes that have been languishing in the garage or under the house for many months and years, and organised them in the wonderful cupboards in my new sewing room!

I have filled three drawers with patterns (they do date back to when I started sewing for myself in the eighties – many of the drop-waisted dress patterns are going to the op shop), another drawer with yarn, and still need to organise all my sewing notions, trims, buttons, elastic etc into some of the other drawers. 

I’ve sorted it according to potential use – clothing, bags, linings, miscellaneous, etc, while also trying to keep fabric type into account.  I can’t get over how great it is to have where I can actually see it – I am sure that I will become inspired to try a few new crafting challenges in addition to clothes sewing.

The view out the window was also quite inspiring this morning:

Eventually there were about eight balloons up over the city.  I love Melbourne in Autumn!

by thornberry
fabric stash, planned projects

Ikea stash

Oh my goodness, I went to Ikea!  And instead of buying household items that I didn’t go there intending to buy (have you ever noticed that at Ikea, like at Bunnings, you go to buy one thing and leave with ten?) I got some fantastic fabrics to make some bags. 

All terrific furnishing weight co-ordinating cottons that were way cheaper than most other fabrics I have seen lately.  So, any suggestions as to the best shape of bag for these?

Mum, I know that you are reading my blog – which do you fancy for a Mother’s Day bag?  Or will I delve into the rest of the stash and find something unexpected?

There are actually a few websites devoted to creative ways of using Ikea products.  Lots of the craft and fabrics ideas are terrific!

This evening’s task – to draft out some bag patterns (never mind the ironing, unpacking the dishwasher, and other such domestic duties).  Could be another late night!

by thornberry
bags, children's clothing, fabric stash, sewing

Fluffy mail etc

When I was making (and buying)  fitted cloth nappies for Clare, the nappy nerd chatrooms used to talk about getting “fluffy mail”.  Now I no longer make nappies (although I think I may be about to do that again soon) but whenever fabric parcels arrive it really does remind me of fluffy mail!  Especially this gorgeous chenille from the ever-helpful Jodie at Polka-Dot-Chenille:

What should I make from it?

Here is the other apron I made for Clare (if only she would model it for me):

and I thought that for good measure I’d show you a bag I crocheted a little while ago – no pattern for the bag (it’s just a rectangle folded in half), and I can’t remember what I used for the flower – I found it somewhere on the internet!

I made these headbands for Clare a little while ago from Heather’s pattern  – but they’re very hard to photograph!

by thornberry
children's clothing, sewing

Pyjamas

I cut these out over two years ago, and they have been waiting ever since for construction.  So of course they no longer fit Miss Clare, but we are lucky to have many young girls scattered throughout our family and friends who I can give them to!

They’re in lovely cottons – I particularly like the second pair which are a very light voile. 

Hopefully there will be more projects completed over the next couple of days – I’m about to have a child and husband free day tomorrow!

by thornberry
fabric stash, planned projects, sewing room

Stash building

Had I mentioned that I’ll be going on maternity leave soon – in actuality, leave without pay – meaning that I will have no income to purchase those essentials of sewing like fabric.  So I’ve been doing some stash building and now have more fabric than I could ever sew while on leave.  Yesterday’s purchases were these fabrics:

many of which will become bags and accessories, but some of which will become clothes for me – particularly the bottom two cotton voiles.  The bright purple butterfly cord is for Clare – still to decide if it will be pants and jacket or a dress.  I’ll get her to choose – since then she is more likely to wear it (had “discussions” this morning about her refusal to try on clothes I’d made for her, out of fabric she’d chosen in the designs she liked – how can she be so definite about it at only four?) and I won’t be subjected to hours of sewing without the reward of seeing her in what Mummy made.

I also managed to start tidying and organising some of my trims:

I still have quite a few bits of Liberty bias binding bought in a scrap bag years ago to sort through as well.

I made the following doll’s clothes under strict direction from Clare – she chose the fabrics, did the cutting out, arranged how she wanted things to go, then I did the machine sewing.

She’s quite pleased with them – a skirt and top for her “baby”.  I wonder at what age she can learn to use the machine?

by thornberry
bags, children's clothing, planned projects, sewing

New nightie

I finally had a window of opportunity to get a little sewing done yesterday.  I managed to squeeze in a  tiny bit of op-shopping first, and found some fabric:

A pillowcase, a very cute retro bunny rug (will I use it for baby bump due in May or make something from it?) and a tablecloth which, although a little damaged, has lovely texture and will hopefully make some great Japanese inspired bags. 

Here is the pillowcase – now a new nightie for Clare!  Pretty good for 50 cents, I think.  The lace around the bottom came from a remnant bag which I bought very cheaply ages ago.  The instructions came from here and were very easy to follow. 

And I made Clare’s new apron!  I don’t really think that this one is terribly practical, but it is certainly very cute. 

I still have a lot to learn about photographing my creations (other than my gorgeous daughter – I photograph her all the time!) but will get there with practice!

Speaking of Japanese inspired bags, I recently got this book –

which has many gorgeous bags (with Japanese instructions but good diagrams) so I have a bevy from which to choose.  Spotlight is having 20% off everything tomorrow, so I think that some stash-building is in order for some supplies that will assist my bag-making!  This book is available here but I think that there are a number of suppliers.  I’m waiting on another Japanese book with mother-daughter clothes – it should be fun too!

Now, what will I sew today?

by thornberry
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