Zakka Style Sew Along week 21 - Picture Frame

Sorry ladies, it's more Zakkaing again today!  I know, change the record Wendy.  I will, soon!

This week's project was a picture frame by Ayumi of Pink Penguin.  The picture did look sweet in the book.  In reality?  Not so much.

The supplies listed called for chipboard.  Not having a dedicated woodwork room in my house, I went with thick cardboard instead.  There was very little machine sewing involved, I pieced two strips of scraps, then it was hand sewing as shown below.

That became this, below, sideways for some reason.

I didn't have any ric rac, so I used a lacy ribbon instead.  I wish I'd left it off.  It looks stupid and only accentuates the fact that the frame does not fit on the backboard.

See?  Doesn't that look crap?  I'm not sure how it happened.  Maybe my rubbish measuring skills but I'm not happy with it.

A bit of fabric stamping and a bit of button gluing later and I have a frame to put a picture of my beloved nephew in.  It was going to be a gift for his parents but I can't give them that, they'll assume Jacob made it himself!!

If you want to see a much better version of this frame, visit this week's host Anna at Noodlehead, and to see many much better versions, go and visit this week's link up.

If anybody wants me, I'll be in a corner sobbing as I attempt to make a clasp purse and failing miserably (failing miserably at the purse making, not the sobbing.  Sobbing I can do)...

Zakka Style Sew Along week 15 - Elephant bookmark

No, don't worry, you haven't entered a time warp, I was just late on this project!  This is for the Zakka Style Sew Along and although I'm a few weeks late, I've done it anyway!  If you fancy a trip back in time, the link up can be found here.

Not long after starting the sew along, I knew I wouldn't be completing all the projects.  Some didn't appeal, like the patchwork ribbon, others I had no use for - the water bottle holder, and some were just too much, like the quilt.  I missed the elephant bookmarks, but it was one I really wanted to do, so amid my Zakka sewing at the weekend, I decided to whip one of these bad boys up.

I liked the idea of a grey elephant with a dress, so I did a quick measurement and made a small piece of patchwork.  Then on to the ear.  I thought it might be easier to cut the seam allowance using the crocodile scissors (my mind's gone blank, can't for the life of me remember what normal people call them!), and it was.  But it was bloody hard to turn!

And then disaster struck.  See this little elephant here?

This is the back.  Oops.  Such a basic error, but one I make so often!

I was not going to let it beat me though and I cut out another.  I thought I might as well make 2 whilst I was at it.  The red fabric is from the Petit Ecole fat quarters that the lovely Nancy sent me, and the yellow is from a layer cake.  No idea which one.

Here they are waiting for me to give them the gift of sight and sound.

So, I've mentioned I want to improve my photos, so I took a photo of them on a book (Strange Telescopes by Daniel Kalder if anyone is interested!).  I then went into the editing software to play around with them but it mainly ignored me so I gave up.

I know, I am so impatient.  But the elephant isn't bad, is it?

This photo is to prove I really did start again and didn't just finish the one with the seamy backside!

Another Zakka Style SAL completed.  Much Zakkaing has been going on recently so I hope to enter the last few linkies.  Yes, last few, we're nearly done!

Zakka Style Sew Along week 20 - Pillow case

Yep, I know, loads of Zakkaing recently, but I'm on a roll!  Want to see this week's project?

You can see this week's post and linky here, and you can see this week's host here.  This week we made the pillow case with a pocket for a little teddy.  The project was quite ominous to start with.  Lots and lots of diamonds to cut out and sew together.  It took me ages to get the points in the same galaxy, never mind matching (which they don't).

An in-progress shot.  I think you can just make out the ripped out seam on the left.  Well, if I'm being honest, I'm pretty sure I ripped all the seams out at some point.

But finally it was done.  I made it in blues as it's for my nephew.  I couldn't resist adding a fussy cut bunny in there.  The patchwork pocket should sit this way up, but because of the bunny, and the fact it was square once trimmed, I rotated it.  I didn't use linen for the pillow case, I don't think it's very practical for a little boy, too creasy.  I just used white cotton.

I quite enjoyed the piping, but then I've never had a fear of piping.  Perhaps because I made a bag with piping before I knew there was anything to fear!  Can you see how the pillow case goes in where the binding is?  No idea what happened there.  I could not get the two seams (main part on the left, pocket part on the right) to meet, no matter what I did.  In the end I decided I just didn't care anymore!

Oooh, who's that in the pocket?

It's the world's strangest looking teddy bear!  Yes, I did intend him to have strange square ears.  And yes, I did intend his face to be wonky.  The uneven filling?  Totally on purpose.  The book said to use wool felt, I used the sleeve from an old sweatshirt, this is the lining as I liked its softness.

Time for bed Mr. Bear.  Must come up with a better name for him.  Jonathon maybe.  Or Desmond.  I'll give it some serious thought (the scary thing is that I probably will spend more time thinking up a name for him than anything else this week).  The name thing runs in the family, my mum names things and my brother names all of Jacob's toys, if I don't get there first.  He has a large giraffe called Big Leonard. 

This is what happened when I got fed up with the seams not matching.  But it's the back!  Who looks at the back of someone's pillow??  And I'm using pillow in the British sense of the word, this is to put a pillow in for Jacob to put his head on in bed. 

I had problems with the opening end of the case.  The book was a bit vague.  It said to fold over a 1/4 inch hem, then to fold the hem in half and stitch it near the piping.  Folding the hem in half left me a long way from the piping, following the whole flap type thing in half also left me a good half width away... in the end I tucked it all in and stitched it to the back of the piping. 

Whilst I was at it, I thought you might like to see where I work.  Not at my day job of course, I mean sewing work.  Which isn't work, it's fun.

What a mess.  You can just make out the pincushion sent to me in the Travelling Stash by Gill.

See my OCD?  I just can't help it.  It's because it's patchwork.  I tell myself I'm being stupid and to just stick the pins anywhere.  Then I get anxious and have to stop sewing to sort it out.

Katherine set off my OCD too. 
Want to see what else I'm working on?

Yes, that's right.  So now you know.

Zakka Style Sew Along week 19 - Cookie Mix

Afternoon ladies, and what a lovely afternoon it is!  Hot and sunny... though I am inside!  We had a great family day out with friends and family yesterday.  We went to Sherwood forest and picnicked by the Major Oak before heading to the craft centre.  Only one artisan was at work unfortunately, a silversmith, but she's agreed to give me and Mr CA silversmithing lessons, we'll be doing it in October, how exciting!

Having lived abroad twice, travelled extensively and living in a country which attracts immigrants, I've met a lot of foreigners over the years.  They always ask where I'm from and I say "Nottingham".  I get blank looks.  There are then two things I can say and they'll know exactly where I'm from - Nottingham Forest, or, more often Robin Hood.  It's nice to come from somewhere with such a world-wide recognised legend (and I mean Mr. Hood, not the footie team!).

Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent, back to the craft.  Oh, another tangent coming up - whilst talking to the silversmith, we got into a discussion about the word craft.  I said it used to be a sign of real talent and a mastery of a skill, as in craftsmen and craftswomen.  These days it makes most people think of little old ladies knitting or kids cutting and sticking (wrongly I might point out!).  Mr CA said that people who used to spin, weave, knit etc at home were called crofters and the skilled professionals were craftspeople.  Anyone know if this is true?  Or do you completely disagree with my opinion of the word "crafts" these days?

So, I'm right up against the wire again with this week's Zakka Style Sew Along, it won't be so for the next two weeks, next week's is done and the week after's is drying in the kitchen as we speak...  If you want to take a peak, you can find the linky here.  And this week's host is over here.

This week's challenge started with a little embroidery.  I changed the pattern slightly from "Sugar Cookie Mix" to "Rebecca's Cookie Mix" as this is for my goddaughter, and I have no idea what a sugar cookie is!  Surely all cookies have sugar in them?

I also modified the bag.  In the book it was an unlined bag, filled with fibrefil and closed with ribbon.  In my experience, parents of young kids live with little bits of games and toys all over the house, I think it's a lot better for the parents if such games/toys are provided with their own storage so I made the bag lined with a drawstring closure.  I didn't fill it with fibrefil, I've left it empty so the biscuits can be kept inside.

Here's a close up of the embroidery.  Still not very clear despite me putting some of the things I've learnt about photography into practice.  This was lit from the front and the back and on a white sheet.  Hmmm, more reading required!

Here's a close up of the lining - it's the same material as the embroidered patch.  I used blue cord in the drawstring to match the embroidery.

Next up were the cookies themselves.  All handsewn from a mixture of acrylic and wool felt.  I mixed up my two supplies of felt accidentally and I do find it difficult to tell the difference... I don't think I'll bother spending the extra cash on wool felt in the future!

This was a nice little project, albeit mainly hand sewing.  I found no errors or difficulties in the patterns, though any of you who follow the Flickr group for the SAL may have seen the recent posts by Rashida Coleman-Hale herself?  She responded to our errata thread and explained that these things are out of her hands and she's very in favour of having pattern testers after having read our comments.  She came across as very down to earth and as caring what we all though.  I suppose I think of craft authors as not being real people, she's definitely made me see that is not true and I'm going to be more sympathetic in future to craft writers.  The final decision on what's included and the style of the writing is with the publishers, as is the decision not to include step by step pictures or diagrams or to have the patterns tested.  So, my focus has moved - come on publishers, get with the programme, we're your target market so it'll pay to listen to us!
 

Zakka Style Sew Along week 18 - Bread basket

For once, I'm not late with my Zakka Style Sew Along project!  I made it right after I finished the linen pouch.  I wasn't sure I was going to make this bread basket as I have no use for a basket for baguettes, but I did think it was cute and I have managed to find another use for it.  Nope, not to hold yarn as you'd guess from the photos, it holds all my spools of thread that don't fit on my thread racks.

I used my favourite grey linen with some FQs of Le Petit Ecole, gifted to me by the incredibly generous Nancy. 

I wasn't sure at all how this was going to come together, but the construction was actually pretty clever and very easy.

For once, there were no errors in the book!  Or if there were, I didn't notice them.  The picture below shows the back and the closure loop.  I didn't have any twine to hand, and as my basket isn't particularly rustic, I didn't think it would go anyway.  Instead I used 3 strands of black elastic plaited.

I was supposed to top stitch around the top of the basket, but my machine had a hissy fit and refused to do it... that machine is so damn temperamental! 

It looks a bit like the top is bound, but it isn't.  That's the lining.  I'm not sure what happened but my lining turned out bigger than the shell, I like it though, so I ironed it in place. 

Next week's challenge is the sugar cookies play biscuits.  I think I might make them for a certain little lady in my life. 

Zakka Style Sew Along week 13 - Patchwork Potholders

I know, I know, I'm late.  I did manage to upload the picture of my finished potholders to Flickr to enter the giveaway, I just didn't have time to blog.  I didn't win the giveaway, but my potholder was featured!  Go and have a look!

The link up post is here, it's too late to link up, but you can see the other entries.  I don't think I'm going to join in with week 14 - the bottle holder, but if you want to, the link up is here, and this week's host is here.

So, back to my patchwork potholder.  I'd been reading that some people were finding the binding tricky, so I was a little worried.  I armed myself with the tutorial downloaded from Retro Mama's blog.  She's an amazing pattern designer, the cute little bunnies and elephant I made were from her patterns.

Oh, I'm getting distracted again, where were we?  Oh yes, potholder!  I decided to make a rainbow.  7 strips were required so that fit perfectly, I left off the linen strip.  I cut the pieces from the leftovers from the Robert Kaufman jelly roll I bought ages ago (I used it to make these wedding placemats).

Then I jabbed it with pins and began quilting.  I think I read somewhere that you should always quilt in the same direction.  So I did.

Hmm.  Maybe I'd read that you should quilt in different directions each time...  Anyone?

I quilted lines randomly spaced.  I'm not over the moon with it.  My quilting is rubbish, I can't sew in a straight line and my sewing machine was being an arse.  I'm not sure you can see from these pictures but the stitches are not neat.

I matched the thread for each section to the fabric.  Want to see the back?

What a mess!  The binding, on the other hand, was simple!  I didn't struggle with it at all.  Now, I'm not saying it's perfect, or even that it looks good, but it's on there!

The instructions told us to bind the back of the pockets with the linen too, but I went for one of the colour strips.

I'm not overly happy with this project and I don't think I'd make it again, mainly because it seems a bit useless.  I don't think potholders are particularly British.  We tend to use oven gloves, either double or single mitts.  I've never even seen a potholder in real life, let alone used one and I'm not sure how to use it!


Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition.  The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!

Zakka Style Week 9 - Messenger bag

Good afternoon!  It's Sunday, I've just had a lovely roast dinner and I don't have to go to work tomorrow, bonus!  On the flip side, it rained all day so my poor bunnies haven't had a run in the garden, let's hope it brightens up a bit tomorrow.


I spent most of yesterday replying to the 500 emails I had an catching up with my blog reading, then I went upstairs and finished my entry for the Zakka Style Sew Along week 9, just in the nick of time!  Before I show and tell though, go on over and enter this giveaway at Crafty Ady's, she's giving away one of her beautiful hand made journals, well worth it.  I'd much rather you didn't as I want to win, but I promised Ady I'd tell you about it...


So, on with the bag making.  Once again I'm joining in with the Zakka Style Sew Along, you can find the link up here and this week's host, Sara at Sew Sweetness here.  You have to see her bag, it's gorgeous.

And here is mine.  I've seen that some people changed the applique to the front, but I kept it as in the book as I liked it.  I chose pairs of fabrics, one solid, one patterned for each leaf.  I had a bit of a mishap at this stage.  I'd used Heat and Bond on the back of the leaves, I bought it as the shop didn't have any Bondaweb... big mistake.  When sewing round the leaves, I noticed that the machine kept skipping stitches.  After 2 leaves, I finally realised why.  There was a lump of glue on the needle.  I unpicked the leaves, peeled off the glue and started again.  I had to stop about every 10 stitches to clean the needle.  Appliqueing the leaves took FOREVER!

One of the first instructions was to sew the pocket piece for the front and back.  Not wanting to use my fade-away pen as I knew I'd want to iron the piece, I used washi tape.  It works quite well!

I'm not entirely sure what happened, but the material kind of gathered as I sewed.  This little baby ended up on the front.  See the tucks?  I had to fix it. Unfortunately I didn't really notice until I'd sewn the bag shell up, but I decided I couldn't live with it and so I unpicked the sides half way down, unpicked the rows of stitching you see, and bound the top with the lining fabric.  I just wish I'd done it before I sewed the sides of the bag up!

I didn't have a piece of linen long enough for the strap, so I added a piece of patchwork to the middle of a couple of strips of linen.  I didn't think it through properly and you only see one of columns of patchwork at a time!

I hate the method in the book for making a strap, folding the sides in, then folding it in half, it looks so messy as you can see in the photo below.  This was the little strap that attaches the D ring to the bag (and which, looking at the photo below the one below, I see I made the wrong size, oops!) and I tried the book method.  Hate it.  I also made two for some reason.  I could have sworn it said to in the book, but probably not.

Instead, I did the right sides together, stitch, turn method for my strap, much better.  I then sewed it to the bag, sewed the lining and shell togther, turned it out...  spot the mistake?  Yep, it's upside down!

Much unpicking later (and a lot of unpicking happened during the making of this bag... this is the state of not only the linen, but also the Amy Butler fabric I used for the lining.

But, I persevered and finished.  Yep, the flap is bigger than the actual bag.  Nope, no idea how that happened.

I didn't help myself much with this either.  I'd sewn both lining and shell up (but not together) when I decided I liked this bag and was going to keep it, not gift it as I'd originally thought.  However, it didn't suit my needs.  So I added a zip pocket to the back, just below the open pocket.

Lined with one of the leaf fabrics.

Here's the binding on the front outer pocket, and the small mobile pocket I added too.  If I'm using this bag in summer, I might not be wearing my coat (though I might well be in this country) and so need a pocket for my phone.

I also added zip pockets to the lining, both sides and the key holder you see there.  Where?

There!

Both inside pockets are different sizes depending on the size of zip I had available.  They're lined with the leaf fabrics again.

This one is lined with the lining fabric.  I used Lisa Lam's pocket technique for all three pockets, you can find the technique in The Book Making Bible, which is a must if you like making bags.

Strap sewn on correctly... I like the flash of colour on the strap, I just wish I'd done smaller squares!

So, I started the bag last Sunday, did a bit on Monday night, a bit more on Friday night and finished it yesterday.  I really do wish I'd planned ahead!




I was planning on linking this up to the Purse Palooza, but it says the bag has to be made after the 4th June, I thought it was just in June.  Ah well.  Go and join in if you're making any bags, there's great prizes.


Also, don't forget about my competition, it also has prizes!  I've had 2 entries already, the links to the entries can be found in the comments on the Competition page, you can find out more here.

Have a lovely bank holiday weekend fellow Brits, and Sandra, make sure you rest up this 4-day weekend, you've got a hectic 3-day weekend ahead...