keelysews... sometimes

My DSis recently gave me a large desk which had been left behind in the house they bought. I love the size - perfect for studying with everything spread out and, if I cleared it off, a good size and height for pattern tracing and cutting. However, the height was uncomfortable when studying, even with my office chair as high as it could go and my feet dangling in the air. After ending up with sore shoulders after just one evening something had to be done. The desk was flipped over and I realised that at some point somebody had added extra to the base. They'd attached it well too with what seemed the longest screws ever invented which had of course, rusted and stuck themselves in there forever. Annoyingly, my drill couldn't reach because the screws had been sunk so far into the wood. What to do? Fetch the hammer and saw of course. :) I cut my way down to those accursed screws, disposed of the wood and got those screws out. Well apart from the one that refused to budge which I, ah...

With all the kerfuffle of getting DS off on his holiday cricket trip sorted, I was going to tackle another UFO, specifically red Ottobre jeans for DD2. So I made 2 tote bags naturally. :) I figured that, for once, I should be nice to DH and clean up after one project before starting another. This meant packing away the half-dozen boxes I'd pulled out in the hunt for white fabric and thus freeing up some space in the rumpus room. As I relocated items, I came across a piece of denim. I don't know why, but this denim just screamed to be a tote bag. A really impractical tote bag, considering the denim is very, very pale, but hey, it's been there so long I can't remember when and why I bought it, or how much it cost. I'm sure in stash rules that makes it free fabric, right? Lo and behold, there was enough to make 2 bags. No official pattern used - I just used the measurements from an old and decrepit tote bag that has seen many better days. DD's red jeans-to-be are ...

Well, my holidays are over and I don't seem to have got any of the sewing done that I'd planned. It seems my mojo packed and went on holiday too. So, in an effort to kickstart a sewing spree, I started to tackle my DD2's woeful lack of clothing. First up was to use a piece of Mickey Mouse themed sweatshirting I had acquired from my mother. This was apparently purchased in the mid to late 80s, so it was certainly time it was sewn into something useful. Everytime I looked at this fabric all that came to mind was those really baggy 80s jackets. I started with hoodie pattern #36 from Ottobre 04/2007, added extra length to the body and sleeves and used the ungathered pockets, sleeves and hood from #34. I made a size 146 so there is plenty of growing room. Next up was the 'Emo' sweatshirt as it has been titled in our house. I had a small remnant which was not big enough to allow the hoodie DD2 wanted. A bit of digging in the stash and we came up with some white sweatshirt...

I don't know how many readers will be familiar with Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby but you may see the resemblance...... right down to the wrinkles on the sleeve/arm, lol. Those who are familiar with the show may understand why I'm saying "Blobby, blobby, blobby" in a funny voice lately. :) If you're not familiar with it, you'd just assume I was mad, lol. I came across this knit fabric in my stash and seeing as it's a soft snuggly knit and it had been a cold week, I combined it with Simplicity 4327 to make a tent nightshirt . I had 6m, bought at $2m in a Spotlight clearance. I'm not sure what I was thinking of when I bought that much of a bright pink spotted knit. I chose a size by my full-b ust measurement and it ended up a bit big. Sherril has commented that it's not too bad apart from the sleeve length. And big does = comfy, but I'm feeling very much like I could be this guy - After I'd made my sleepwear, I decided to spread the pink around...

Phew! I finally finished the mattress covers for my brother's caravan! I have of course procrastinated over these. First I had to get the more urgent projects out of the way and lets face it, when it comes to a 'have-to-do' project, anything is more urgent, lol. Then I had to wait for the continuous length zipper to arrive at Spotlight. ( and wait....and wait....). Then, when DB rang to ask if they'd be ready for the weekend, I had to play imaginatively with the zippers that were in store, eventually coming up with an arrangement butting 2 zippers end to end (pullers in the middle) to get the length. Finally, after facing the fact that I needed to get these finished at some point, I readied myself to tackle them. In reality these were just very large box cushion covers. They shouldn't have been difficult. However, DB and DSisIL had chosen the fabric from hell. Seriously. I mean, this fabric has knocked satin from the top of my 'hate-to-sew-with' list. It ev...

Oops, how on earth did I miss my first blogiversary? Ah well, maybe I'll do better on my 100th post - coming in another 9 posts! Guess I'll have to keep on sewing. Today's sewing was bought to you by the letter 'C' and the letter 'M'. 'C' is for cookie cushion.... Just to maintain DD's giddy euphoria from her curtains, I also made her a cushion. It's pink with horses. Do you see a theme in her room? :) I made a buttoned envelope-style cushion cover. Everything came from stash, including the buttons. That's another 0.5m for the Stash Contest. :) ..... and 'M' is for mitts. Oven Mitts to be precise . The old ones were just shudderingly grungy, despite soakings in Napisan, so I felt no guilt in helping the tear get bigger so I could see what was inside. }:-) It turned out to be towelling. I started out by creating a pattern from the old, grungy mitts. NB: The measurements do not include seam allowance. I added a 1 cm seam allowance ...

For about 2 1/2 years my DD has been waiting for these to get made. The Stash Contest over at Patternreview gave me the impetus to finally get around to it. That, and the thought that it may not be too long before an 8yo grows out of pink and horses (although the horse-mad 12yo has offered to have them despite the pinkness, so who can tell?) Because these are entered in the contest I've posted a review with some meagre details. I was adding the patterned fabric over partially made thermaldrapes, although it could have been easier to start from scratch, lol. Honestly, I just winged it - after all, they really are just big 'squares'. Despite that, for some reason I managed to keep the elastoplast manufacturers in business as I discovered the point of what felt like every, single pin. Of course, new curtains meant rearranging the bedroom. I managed to spend 5 hours in DDs room helping her rearrange, sort and declutter. Phew!

There's an alarming trend in my stash stats. After that dent from clearing all the baby fabrics to Judy they were quite pleasingly in the negative for the year. Well, we all know how it goes - when you clear a gap, it just begs to be filled again. My downfall this time was a closing down sale for a local knitwear and clothing company. I have had some beautiful quality fabric from them in the past, so of course I had to check it out (although, showing some restraint I waited a week before I went). Imagine my pleasure when I walked in to see large boxes of knits to sort through and all fabric priced at $15 kg. Yep, by weight. These knits are all excellent quality too. Sigh, heaven is digging through boxes of fabric. So my stash stats took a major dent. Here's the haul: The colours are off a bit. From left to right, Top row - There are two different pinks at the top, each one big enough to make my youngest DD a cardy. Middle row - a soft navy lighter knit (this has merino in I th...

I'm still here, just been snowed under with 'stuff'. On a good note, at long last the stash stats are going in the right direction! :) and I am finally in the negatives for the year. Friday, I took the day off to get a bit of sewing done. I had planned to make myself another top, or two. Unfortunately 'mommy guilt' kicked in and the sight of my youngest in trousers that were threatening to become capris was enough to change the focus. All up, I made 3 pairs of trousers and 2 long-sleeved tees. Trousers #1 - Burda 9867 , sized up to a size 8, in purple polycotton sweatshirt fleece. Top #1 - Kwik Sew 2893 , size M (7-8), view A. This is the last of the knit that I used to line the hood of DD's jacket in January. I lettuce edged the cuffs, hems and neck binding with hot pink. Top #2 - also Kwik Sew 2893. This time view B. I shortened the short sleeves and made a false long sleeve to attach underneath. Trousers #2 - Burda 9867, green velour with 'mock coverstit...