Picnic Blanket Workshop
I haven’t sewn a lot this year so far. Fortunately, I had a free sewing workshop booked locally to give me a nudge to sew again, plus use up some scraps.
Sew a Wheat Warmer
I had some lovely leftover fleece from making one of my niece’s a leopard print cape last Christmas, so I decided to use it to make some lavender wheat warmers for myself and others.
I find wheat warmers are really useful when you feel a bit sore or stiff and I had been using a very old shop bought one for years to manage my chronic health symptoms before getting round to making this one.
Once you have made it, all you need to do is pop it in the microwave for up to 120 seconds if less than 800 Watt, or up to 100 seconds if your microwave is 800-1000 Watt. It can help to put a small mug filled with water in the microwave at the same time to provide a bit of moisture (just in the microwave with it, not poured over it!)
Sew your own dishcloths
Recently, my mum got into making her own dishcloths to be a bit more sustainable. Also, they’re great for using up scraps of fabric you have left from other projects!
This dishcloth is simple to make. It uses a bit of hessian (burlap) for one side for when you need a more abrasive side which won’t damage any non-stick surfaces. The softer side is simply cotton, and can be made from any of your favourite remnants.
To make them as sustainable as possible, you need to use 100% natural fibre fabrics and thread. This will ensure that the dishcloth can biodegrade. Here, I have used cotton fabric as I have loads of remnants of this, but another natural fibre such as linen would work just as well.
If you’d like to make a few dishcloths, either for yourself or to gift to others, I’d recommend making a cardboard template to make it easier to cut out a batch.
DIY Laundry Mesh Bags
Here is a simple way to make your own laundry bags/pouches. They are useful for providing a bit of extra protection for items in the washing machine.
Personalised cushion with a zip
Here is the first cushion I have made with a zip! Usually I use the overlapped back design when I make a cushion, but when a lack of fabric prompted a different approach, the zipped method was the solution.
#the100dayproject – #100daysofstashbusting
The hundred day project begins on Tuesday 3 April!
My chosen project is to spend 100 days stashbusting.
New Etsy Store Data! First impressions…
Recently, Etsy revamped their stats for sellers, and I thought I would write a short bit about this.
Picture framing course
Recently I attended a day workshop on how to build your own frames. It’s not something that is necessarily feasible for me at the moment, but it’s definitely something I would like to try in the future.
Christmas makes 2016
Just a quick post to reflect on some of the makes I have made this year for Christmas! There are a few which have been good or challenging which I wanted to share.
The upcycled t shirt cushions
My dad suggested that his old Hard Rock cafe tshirts should be transformed into cushions about two years ago but I wasn’t convinced and didn’t do it until this month. They have come out much better than I expected! I was worried that they were too faded, but I simply cut out the designs and appliqued them onto calico and created envelope cushions!
The 1940s tapestry bag and purse
This is another gift which had been on my mind for years but I had never got round to creating. However, I finally created it this year, even having time to create the matching purse (from Making Vintage Bags).
Hare bag
I wasn’t intending on making a hare bag this year, but when I clapped eyes on the fabric, I had to make something with it for one of Phill’s relatives who loves hares. I followed a free pattern online but I was a bit disappointed with the depth of the bag, which I would have preferred to have been a bit deeper, but I added a magnetic clasp to it to make it more like a shoulder bag. I did find a preferred tote bag pattern but I don’t have a photo of it yet so will write about it another time.
Oscar glasses case
This personalised glasses case was fun to make as well to add to my grandad’s collection of Schnauzer based gifts over the years.
Baby Showers Mobile
My biggest challenge was making this mobile for my niece! I gave my sister the choice of patterns for a baby mobile, and halfway through making this mobile I felt a bit of regret at doing that! However, it was a great challenge and pushed me much further than the other choices (and it looks much more impressive too)! I adapted the pattern from Chloe Owens (All Sewn Up) to what I had available, using Christmas tree decorations for the raindrops instead of jewellery chain. Glittery sequins were attached to the butterflies, which make light bounce off it.
I could not follow the pattern precisely as I could not get a needle through the fabric flowers when assembling as the fabric glue made it too hard. Instead, the embroidery floss was attached securely either side of the flowers.
I greatly underestimated the many stages to this mobile! I would recommend starting far in advance to ensure you make this in time to avoid the last minute stresses of making gifts! Fortunately, my mum helped ensure the clouds were sewn securely and to help with the final construction stage.
