handmadewithlove Archives - Clobber Creations

Pyjama bottoms!

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:October 28, 2016
Post category:Craft Skills Dressmaking Sewing
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I don’t make a lot clothes-wise for my boyfriend… the thought of making a shirt is quite daunting (he has a lot too). The only item I have made in ten years is a onesie funnily enough, which I made the day before Christmas Eve manically on my mum’s sewing machine. It is the biggest gift I’ve made him, and it would be more impressive garment I’ve made… if I hadn’t cut half the pieces the wrong way round on the fleece!

Making pyjamas for him has been on my list for a while. However, I found this lovely bear print woven fabric at the stitching, sewing and hobbycrafts show last month which I knew he would like, so I decided that it was time to get this gift idea off the list.

The main issue with making clothes for someone else even – even when you are making something quite simple like elasticated pj bottoms – is making sure they fit right. Fortunately I knew the inner leg measurement from trouser shopping in the past, but it was tricky to gauge the waist measurement beyond requesting a tactical hug! Even with the leg length, I ended up making them a little longer out of fear that if they were too short, I couldn’t remedy that scenario as easily as if they ended up too long.

I cut the fabric one afternoon and began stitching the first couple of stages, but had to shut myself away to finish them off the next day. It was good to have a short time frame to be able to make them as it meant I spent less time worrying and more time making. I found and bought a suitable top to match on this occasion.

They were well received and I enjoyed making him something practical. next time, I think I will try out a summer set (at least leg length isn’t required for shorts which eliminates one issue) and perhaps by then I will be confident enough with knits to make the top too!

#miymarch16

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:May 26, 2016
Post category:Craft Skills
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#miymarch16 may have been a couple of months ago, but here are the resulting images I posted from it below.

Make it Yourself March is an Instagram event. It involves posting an image based on the daily photo prompt – a list can be found on Wendy Ward’s blog from this year.

New to Instagram, I found this event coincided beautifully with a couple of my goals – to become more familiar with using social media and to push myself to create more. It was a great way to be inspired by fellow dressmakers.

Instagram is an easy form of social media if you have a smart phone and I’ve carried on using it since.

During March, I made 4 dressmaking items, completed upcycling projects, planned future projects, made gifts and machine embroidered.

Bee Themed!

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:May 21, 2016
Post category:Crochet Stash Busting
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One of the best parts about handmade is that you can make whatever it is you’re making personal!

This is how my bee themed gift and card came about when a couple my partner’s friends with had a baby recently. As the father currently does work relating to bees, the gift became centered around this!

The crocheted bee mobile was a lot of fun to make. I used clear nylon string to attach them to an embroidery hoop for the top of the mobile. Acrylic yarn was used so it should be hard-wearing.

I love the little sting detail too! They were made on the round which meant no seams to sew up!

I’ve been learning how to free machine embroider this year so I used this technique to create a simple card. I’ll be adding an improved version of this card to my etsy shop in the next week.

Crafting with Family – March

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:May 19, 2016
Post category:Craft Skills Stash Busting
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It’s been a while since I have posted and my post is all about a craft meet up two months ago!

Mum’s house is quite a good meeting point for her, my sister and I to meet up. We managed to meet up in March and here’s what we got on with:

Having purchased a lovely new Singer sewing machine recently, my sister put it to the test by having her first attempt at appliqué! Not one to be daunted by a challenge, she decided to appliqué a friend’s name. A very impressive feat, going around all sorts of twists and curves when you’re still adjusting to a new technique and how your new machine works!

The great part about this bright and colourful cushion is that it’s all made from remnants. The main cushion is made from an ex-display curtain from a department store, with the money going to charity. The letters were cut from a swatch book, which had been picked up the same way from the same store.

I didn’t embark on a sewing project this time, but I did finish the second sleeve to a short sleeved cardigan I began two years ago! It’s now at the sew up stage before the neck band and button band are tackled…

There’s the progress of my mum’s doll, which she began in our February meet up. It’s coming together now it has a head! She wasn’t able to progress with it that weekend, but she did hem up someone’s new net curtains by hand!

Mother’s Day gift making – bath hats and bags

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:March 23, 2016
Post category:Craft Skills Free Machine Embroidery
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in progress — Taking over the lounge- there is a cutting mat underneath the template – honest!

It didn’t take long to come up with this year’s mother’s day gift – mainly because I knew she wanted a new bath hat!

I made her one years ago from the Cath Kidston “Sew!” book. Unfortunately, the waterproof fabric I chose for inside the hat was quite thick and stiff. Also, we have big heads so I think the pattern was designed for a smaller circumference head!

I’d made my nan this green bath hat above using material I got online which I think is used for making tents. It was much more versatile than the thick waterproof plastic for bath hat #1 anyway! I made a much larger template for this hat and added a brim and bow!

finished result — Bath Hat and Toiletry set complete

As hat #2 was a much better fit, I went along with this design for mum’s. However, I tried a new lining. The fabric I used was a white showerproof material from Fabricland in Bristol. I was apprehensive about using this, as I wasn’t sure how robust it was for using for practical and wearable items. However, it seems to have turned out to be the cheapest and most shower hat like option of the three tried and tested!

Still chirpy from making a toiletry bag for my dad’s birthday, I felt that the hat required a matching toiletry bag. As I wanted the bag and hat to match, I added a strip of the duck material to the top and appliquéd a duck on it too. I couldn’t resist having another go at writing with the sewing machine, so I wrote “like a duck to water” on it.

I really enjoyed this gift set make. It’s something I am considering to sell on my Etsy store in time for people preparing for their holidays!

snoopy wearing completed hat — Snoopy modelling the bath hat for demonstration purposes

Making Individual Gifts – for Dad

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:March 9, 2016
Post category:Craft Skills Free Machine Embroidery
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For my dad’s birthday this year, I decided to use my new skills to make some different gifts to normal.

Cufflinks

Here is a photo of him wearing the cufflinks I made in glass. I had no idea you could make cufflinks from fused glass (or didn’t think of it until it was pointed out to me)!

I’m quite limited in my glass fusing skills at the moment, particularly in cutting, so I used inclusions for the decoration (note: inclusions are when you include certain metals between the two layers of glass so that they become sealed into the piece). The inclusions are feet. I chose feet as he enjoys running, so it fits in with one of his hobbies.

The class pieces were fixed onto the cufflink backs with an amazing adhesive called Hang-your-glass, which creates a strong finished piece.

Toiletry Bag

Here is a photo of the toiletry bag I made. I used free machine embroidery to decorate this item. I made up the design from a family saying – “A bath is worth two hours’ sleep” which I believe he relies on to keep up with his busy schedule!

I really enjoyed making the personalised design on this bag. The bath tub was appliquéd on with an old curtain swatch remnant. I particularly enjoy writing with the machine, which is great because I no longer gaze longingly at impressive but expensive embroidery machines with preset lettering options. Sure, a machine program for lettering is faster and accurate, but free machine embroidery comes out differently every time.