Good Evening Mr Fox, and other Projects!

Well, this week has been a long week.  Having been lucky enough to have had a full two weeks off over Christmas and New Year, this first week back seemed reeeeeeeealy long, and the weekend was most welcome.

Whilst I am working on a Big Project (well, a big project for me, more about that later), I wanted a couple of quick and easy projects.  I always feel somewhat cheated if I do not complete a project over the weekend.  Top of my list were a scarf and a small wallet.  First, the scarf.  Prudent Baby had a lovely pattern and tutorial on her blog for a fox scarf, and so I made one!

How Cute is this?  The scarf is 60" from the tip of nose to the end of his tail (the width of the fabric that I used.  The top layer of fabric is some checked suiting from my Mum's collection.  There was a half yard, so not enough for a skirt, I suspect that this was some leftover fabric and that she had already made a skirt from it.  The white furry fabric is white furry fabric - it is really soft and fluffy - just like cuddly teddy bears!  I had some teddy bear eyes that look really cute, and that is about that.  It was a quick make, although the furry fabric reminded me why I don't like using fur.  My dining room looks like there has a been a snowstorm in there and I am now obsessed with getting the fluff out of the seams.  I am sure that some people may find this offensive, but I can assure that no animals were hurt in the making of this scarf.  I love it and will be wearing it to work in our sub zero temperatures.

Next up was a teeny tiny wallet.  Mr. SDSC believes that I have some kind of medical disorder due to all the wallets, box bags and pouches that I have made.  Meh! Anyway, I made a quick and easy wallet to hold my business cards for work.  (I can't for the life of me now find the pattern, but this is very similar).

The men in white coats are on their way . . . .

Finally, the Big Project. I'm the kind of seamstress that likes to knock out two or three pairs of work trousers over a weekend or a couple of cardigans.  I know that I can finish a bra in 2.5 hrs, a waistcoat in 3.5 hrs, a small pouch in 30 mins etc., etc.,  I'm not bragging, I just like repetition and timings.  And I like finished projects.  But lately, I have noticed that my wardrobe has been sadly lacking on one major area.  Casual clothes.  I have one tired pair of light brown cords that I wear at weekends (my jeans no longer fit size wise, and never really fitted properly anyway) and I need more.  So this weekend I jumped on the Ginger Jeans bandwagon.

I spent all day today working on these (excluding the time spent on the cute wallet above), and just have to sew on the back pockets, add the buttonhole, belt loops and hem them.  So, a big project as far as I am concerned.  Due to natural light during the winter, my window for photos is pretty limited, so I will have lots to share next weekend, along with some work trousers and two cardi's that I finished last weekend but don't have pics for.  So far, I am really pleased with the jeans, and with a few tweaks, I think that I will be making many more of these.

Do you time your projects?  Do you categorise projects?  Am I maybe just a little obsessive?!

More Unselfish Work - And a Sewing Course Coming Up!

It has been a while since I have made any clothes for myself, and I am a little sad about that. The reason that nothing has come out of my sewing room (clothing wise) is that I have lost weight recently (26 lbs and counting!) and although this is the ideal time to make some new (smaller) garments - I don't want to use my lovely, lovely fabrics for clothes that will only last a couple of months. I know that some of you go through your wardrobes with gusto each season, clearing out the old to make place for the new, but I tend to keep hold of clothes for a little longer.  So, no clothes sewing for now . . . . however, I am booked on a bra-making course on July 14th (here in Canada!!) and I can't wait!  I have booked a week long course - if I have to travel halfway across the country, I really need to spend a few days there!  I plan to travel a little whilst I am there - Niagara Falls is relatively close, and I understand that Burlington is worth a visit as well.  Oh, and then there is Lake Ontario, I think that I will be dipping my tootsies in the sea.  Has anyone taken a course like this?  Do you make your own bras?

Source

Sadly, if my bras could speak right now, I am sure that this is what they would be saying - but in a couple of weeks, I should have some much happier underwears!!

But here is what I have been making.  A few baby hats and wallets to raise money for charity.

Pretty cute hats - very quick and easy to make.

The fabric for the aboe wallet is from a designer called Laurel Burch - probably very well known amongst the quilters out there.  Her colour combinations are gorgeous.

And finally, the last two greyhound fabrics are from Spoonflower - they are not my designs, but you can buy other peoples designs,and this is what I made.  The fabric is pretty expensive, but I have been very pleased with the quality and service.  Definitely worth a look if you are after something specific - or want to have your own design printed up.

Have you ever had your fabric design printed up?  And what about weight loss/gain - how does that affect your sewing?

Decidedly Unselfish - For a Change!

Other than a few pairs of socks and a couple of dresses, I really am a selfish creator.  I've spoken about this before, but I really struggle when making clothes for others.  What if they don't like it?  Want it bigger/smaller etc., etc., so instead, I remain selfish.  Well, mostly.  You see, for the last year or so I have been supporting a couple of galgo rescue groups in Spain, (Galgos del Sol and Baas Galgo)

For those who have never heard of these charities, or in fact, the galgos themselves, this is what GDS have to say on the home page of their website:

We rescue and rehabilitate abandoned and injured galgos for placement in forever homes in the UK, Europe, and US. Bred solely for hunting, thousands of galgos are abandoned or killed annually at the end of each short season. 

Galgos are not typically considered as pet worthy in Spain and their lives end in less than humane ways either in perreras (kill stations) or abandoned to a life of persecution on the streets. 

To cut a long story short, I have made a few bits and pieces that will be sold/auctioned off for these two wonderful charities.  Wanna see what I have made??

This hood, modelled by my greyhound Rocky, was a quick and fun knit.  Not fun for Rocky though, he really did not want to model for me at all . . . . sorry old boy x

I put a few dinosaur spikes/plates down the back (think stegosaurus), but even that did not bring him and comfort!

And I use some lovely fabric from Spoonflower to make this wallet:

I've not used Spoonflower before - it took about 3 weeks from ordering to delivery here in Canada, but I would certainly buy from them again.

I bought four fat quarters - all greyhound prints - in their Kona Cotton.  It is expensive, but was just exactly what I wanted.

Finally,  I made a pair of socks for my brother.  These are known amongst knitters as 'monstersocks' as they are made up from leftover yarns from other sock projects.  Over to you Paul!

So there we have it.  A few more projects that have recently been completed.  I have not completed any dressmaking recently - not sure why, but I have just not had the urge.  I have, however, enjoyed all these other projects, so having got these out of my system, maybe some clothes are next on the radar.

How about you - do you move around from one craft to another, or are you more monogamous?

Catching Up Pt 3 - Wallets

And then I came across a pattern for wallets.  And that was that.  I made one or two or a whole lot more!!

I loved making these, the inside, binding and closure tab took just one fat quarter, and then the front portion was cut out of a second fat quarter (a quarter yard of quilting fabric, usually 18" x 22") .

Inside there is space for six credit cards and then the two deeper pockets can hold something larger - perhaps receipts, health cards etc.

Now I made these primarily for myself - not that I need so many wallets, but I like to keep my cards all together so there are no zippers or coin pockets.

And I get really excited about some of these fabric matches - the colours are just such fun!

I called this wallet (above) the 'Cool Cats in London' (what-do-you-mean . . . . your wallets don't have names??)

I bought a panel for the wallet above - it is what I would call 'Primitive Americana' and there are different scenes on it so I could make a number of wallets and although you could tell that they belonged together - they would all be different.  A bit like a clothing collection really.  I got a bit carried away with the labels though, and this one ended up with two!

To finish off I made a sweet little coin purse. This was a new pattern and I'm not too happy about how it ended up (my issues, not the pattens) so I guess in quilting terms it could be known as a 'useable muslin'!!

All in all it has been a fun diversion. I know that I am nearing the end of this sojourn, because when I went to look in my local fabric shop, the quilting fabric was not calling my name! I did have some fun with precision sewing - those 1/4" take a bit of getting used to, but a 1/4" foot helps immeasurably. I also got to play with interfacing weights (some of the wallets are pretty rigid whilst others have some bendability).

And the fabrics - I really love the colours and patterns that you get with quilting cottons. I love that these projects are quick and easy (and don't take a large table to cut out on!) and I suspect that I will continue to make little bits and bobs during the week and dress-make at the weekends. I have also toyed with making up some wallets and purses, and maybe some mug rug patterns, to sell on Ebay. Isn't it great that we live in a time when we can realise these kinds of dreams?

I have a busy weekend this weekend - my father really loves Charley Pride, so I am taking him to see Charley in concert this weekend.  Although it is not my kind of music - I remember growing up listening to it, and he has a fabulous voice and great stage presence. So, not much sewing this weekend, but I am now ready to start planning what to make next.  It looks like Winter has finally turned its back on Alberta - we have had temperatures in the 20's (centigrade) all week, so it is probably time to chop up the linen!  How is your Spring/Summer sewing coming along?