Bunny needs a new body!!

  I knew the moment was coming and had been dreading its arrival - my daughters beloved Mrs Bunny has been much loved (and washed) and despite many many mending's was now more hole than bunny - Bunny needed a new body and I was the only person who could fix her........

  As soon as we realized all those years ago that Mrs Bunny was my daughters favorite toy we set about finding more of them - exactly the same make and design so that when the day came she would be easily replaceable - however none of the other 'Auntie Bunny's' or 'Sister Bunny's' had 'the right ears'. So I summoned up all my courage and surgical skills, removed her head, arms, legs, stuffing, rattle, and beanbag........

(for the record she really has been washed many times but still had that grubby brownness that favorite toys seem to develop!).

  My daughter had chosen an old t-shirt of hers that she thought would make a suitable replacement body. I carefully cut around each fragile body piece to make the new pieces and set about hand stitching her head/and limbs back onto the new body pieces, I had to attach the bottom beanbag to the base piece, re stuff her (with frequent test hugs from my daughter to find the correct stuffing level), replace her rattle and then sew her up - this all sounds much easier than it was - this is probably one of the more trickier things I have sewn!

  The look on my daughters face as I gave the newly mended bunny back was totally priceless and was worth the work it took 1 million times over! I'm not sure that my handiwork will last another 8.5 years but will do for now!

  Have you ever had to mend any much loved toys - was it successful?

       Thanks for stopping by!

                 Su xx

Christmas gift - pop-over poncho

I was delighted when a few months ago my mum asked if I could make her a poncho/cape for Christmas!

  I found this lovely Italian wool from Ditto Fabrics and as I had already made the pop over poncho I knew it would be a good pattern to use again.

I think my mum looks great in it!

  I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas!

       Thanks for stopping by

             Su xx

A Christmas Coco and the pitfalls of internet shopping.

 I had such plans for all of the things I would make this Christmas but I ended up being super busy at work and wearing myself out! I had planned to make my daughter a Christmas outfit but it just wasn't to be.

  In Girl Charlee's recent sale I had bought a couple of meters of ponte to make another Coco. I have bought from Girl Charlee before and always been very happy with my purchases. I usually stick to cotton Jersey and after receiving this I realized why - it is horrible, shiny, non natural stuff and I nearly threw it in the bin!

  I finished making my Christmas gifts yesterday and still had a little energy for something nice and simple so thought I would make a Christmas coco - I am really pleased with my pattern matching even if the material is horrid!! Hopefully I will survive one day wearing it - I always feel Christmas calls for something nice and loose so that there is room for some Christmas pudding.......

  Have you been caught out by internet purchases before? Did you make a Christmas dress/outfit too?

Well I hope everyone is ready for tomorrow wherever or however you are spending the holidays I hope you have fun!

  Wishing all of my readers a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2016!

Su xx

Somewhere over the rainbow..........Or 'A colorful winter Brumby'

I had been wanting to make a Brumby skirt for sometime - those pockets! Who wouldn't want to make it!! There are several length options and you can make it with or without pockets.

I use a gorgeous fabric from Ditto I can't see it on their online store, but perhaps they will get it back in again soon.  I have gained a lot of weight recently and had to make the largest size - I was surprised that the sizing didn't go any larger. I added an inch to the length so that I could wear it without tights/leggings in the spring. Half way through making it I panicked as I never wear anything tight around the waist due to my current size, I needn't have worried as it can be worn high waisted I think it just about looks OK. I was also worried about wearing a tighter top with it so made a plain black plantain but it actually looked better with the tighter top. 

Mid construction I was congratulating my self with a) how quickly it was coming together and b) what a good job I was doing - I went to sew the two front sections together and realized I had constructed two left sides!!!! After a few choice words and a cup of tea I set about unpicking one side, this has stretched the fabric a little and I now have one pocket that is a little smaller than the other but as they are so huge it doesn't really affect the skirt - phew!!

I bought this beautiful sparkly gold zip at the Sewbee's Brighton meet up and used it for my first ever exposed zipper - not a perfect execution but it will do! - As I was sewing it in place I thought it was like the gold at the end of the rainbow!

I think I should have used a stiffer interfacing or another stiffer fabric for the inside of the waistband as it get's a bit wrinkly.

In the end I wore it with ankle boots and a cardi for a Family Hanukkah party and felt very comfortable wearing it and not at all self conscious. 

I plan to make another one in a grey cord - when I have time.........

Thanks for stopping by!

         Su xx

Lotta's Everyday Style.....

Yet again inspired by A closet full of posies I bought Lotta Jansdotter 'Everyday Style'. I love all things Scandinavian so thought this book might be just my kind of thing! It aims to create a wardrobe for every season from five basic sewing patterns. I knew nothing about Lotta prior to getting the book and oddly was a little disappointed when I read that she was a fabric designer (albeit an amazing one!)and not a sewist - Alexia Abegg from Green Bee patterns had designed the patterns. Any disappointment soon disappeared - the book is beautiful and I really enjoyed the journey that it takes you on through the seasons.  I especially loved that Lotta uses real people in her life of all ages and sizes to model the garments. Although there are only five basic patterns there are several adaptions per pattern creating seemingly endless possibilities! As well as the garments there are also patterns for several bags and tutorials for accessories.

I'm afraid that my photo's of the book did not turn out so well - but you get the idea!

  The patterns are simple with only minimal shaping (if any at all) so if you are looking for something with complex flounces and ruffles this is not the book for you!

  You have to tract off the pattern you want from the pattern sheets included with the book but they are set out well so it's really not too difficult

  I made the Esme tunic - I really like the shape - fitted at the chest and loose over the tummy/hips. I added 2" to the length, but otherwise made the pattern as it is in the book.

 A pom pom trim scarf!

  And another Esme tunic! This one is so versatile and has been in almost constant rotation since I made it.

  I will certainly be making other items from the book (I already have some purple denim for yet another Esme!!).

  Thanks for stopping by!

         Su xx

   

Saying goodbye to furry friends and how sewing calms a troubled mind....

  I had planned to write today's post on Lotta Jansdotter's new book 'Everyday style' now that I have finally got round to getting some photos. However we had a sad week, I had to say goodbye to my elderly cat on Wednesday. I know this is supposed to be a sewing blog but for some reason I felt like I wanted to write about it a little. Mr Henry (named after an 80's kids cartoon character called 'Henry's cat') was a constant companion for many years through the good times and the bad. It is often said that you don't realize how much you miss something until it is not there - my heart sinks a little every time I go into our bedroom (his most favorite place to sleep was at the bottom of the bed where my feet would be) and realize that his furry little body is not there and I am not going to get greeted by a sleepy 'meiow'. I'm sure this feeling will continue for sometime yet but I know that in time it will lessen.

  I find that when I sew I more or less push other thoughts out of my mind and I find this very therapeutic. So in need of therapy this weekend I decided to give the Brumby skirt pattern a go (those pockets!!).

 I bought the pattern in Megan Nielsen's black Friday sale and the rainbow boucle fabric from Ditto fabrics. I inserted my first exposed zipper - by no means perfect but as a first attempt I was happy!

  Now I just need to get some photos of the finished skirt...........

    Thanks for stopping by!

            Su xx

  

Sewbee's

Oh my goodness! Was September really my last blog post! It has been a crazy couple of months and I haven't even been able to read the blogs I follow let alone write my own or do much sewing. Hopefully things will be calmer over the next few weeks and I will at least have some me-mades to show you!

  On Saturday I met up with some fellow sewist's/bloggers in Brighton. We are all members of an instagram group named the Sewbee's. It was so great to meet up with and chat to fellow sewing enthusiasts! We met at Ditto Fabrics where Gill talked us through some of the different fabrics and how to distinguish their quality. It really is a fabric treasure trove - I really struggled to cut down my fabric choice to an amount I could afford!!

Fabrickated, Seamsoddlouise, Janemakes, Clarindakaleidoscope, Springystitches, and Daisycreatesinsussex.

I must thank Clarindakaleidoscope for the photos as mine were not good at all!

  We all have different tastes of patterns and fabrics but that didn't seem to matter as we admired each other's potential purchases and chatted about general sewing stuff!

 I had made a list of the fabric's I needed and managed (just) to stick to it!)

  After shopping we had lunch at a nearby Cafe and chatted (some more!) then took a walk to the Eternal maker where I added two glittery exposed zippers to my purchases!! After this we were all exhausted so made our ways back home. It was great fun and we hope to arrange another meeting in the spring. 

  I have started a group called South coast sewists on The foldline Just really to try to keep in touch with fellow sewists in my area and hopefully attend more meet ups!!