Handbags (Two)

I found a gorgeous leather briefcase/satchel thing in my trusty RSPCA charity shop for the bargain price of £2.50, but it didn't have a strap. So a trip to John Lewis and 40cm of contrasting green fabric was definitely called for. I folded up the material up to make it sturdier and then sewed it up. I attached the strap to the metal rings (still attached to the bag) with some hand stitching and it was done. Flicking through my housemate's latest ASOS magazine and seeing the abundance of satchels made me rather pleased. And there was enough spare material to make a matching wrist cuff too.

My Week Off (Sunday)

My week off is coming to an end (so sad) but I'm ending on a high, relaxing at home working on some felt ducks. I brought a bunch of felt and thread home in a recently cobbled together sewing bag. The idea of pins and needles roaming free in my handbag (which they have been recently) was not desirable so I've made a simple floral drawstring bag with yellow lining, which I can shove in my handbag and take with me wherever I roam.

I'm also working on my tea play. I've been accepted to do a performance at the student drama festival Platform (1st-3rd April). I am excited and very nervous! I'm hoping to finish the first draft of the script today and find some willing volunteers to join in.

Next week is my brother's 18th birthday party, so the hope is to finish the orange skirt to wear for the occasion. I've been given a random 7am-10am 3hour shift on Thursday, so if I can't get any extra shifts I'll be sewing like a mad thing.






My duck project. Please note that the owl is now a voodoo owl (pincushion)

My Week Off (Wednesday)

I have begun my skirt project today! The pieces are all cut out and pinned together. All I need now is to stitch stitch stitch (and buy exciting buttons and bright zippers, to stitch some more).
Here are the exciting fabrics, the floral is the main body and I'm using the orange for a contrasting belt.

Will keep you posted

My Week Off (Monday)

I have taken a week off evil work to have a breather and relax. So today I wandered into Crookes to look at all the lovely charity shops. I didn't buy any clothing but I found Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6 boxset on VHS for a collective price of 60p. So I'm very happy about that. After shopping I sat in a coffee shop sketching some new ideas and planning a little felt owl as seen on Bugs and Fishes. I made my owl during the first two episodes of season 6 and now enjoying an afternoon on the sofa blogging.
Here he is!

Sewing Machine Cover

Following the recent installment of the machine onto my desk, I decided it was high time to make a cover for it. I'm also fundamentally lazy and can't be bothered to put the machine back in its box every time. So this simple cover will protect it from dust and other nasties in my room.

I measured the top and four sides, made a mock up in greaseproof paper and cut the pieces out. Before pinning it all together I hemmed the bottom edges. Then sewed it all together. It was a nice way to unwind after work.

Now my pride and joy has a nice cover.

Shh, she's sleeping

Felt

After spending Christmas with my boyfriend's family my hypothetical sister in law set me onto her sister's blog, Bugs and Fishes, which is a triumph in all things felt. I'd never given felt much thought, dismissing it as a child's material, but it comes in fab colours, sews easily and doesn't fray. What's not to love? So I rummaged in my old childhood supplies and came out with felt-a-plenty, plus some old dusters from Wilkinson's that my mum and my aunt and I had used to made Easter themed bags a million years ago (I never throw anything out). I began with my go-to favourite, sushi. And made a couple of little appliques, which are currently waiting for a destination. Delicious.

(From top left clockwise, salmon nigiri, maki sushi (I think) tamago (sweet egg omlette) nigiri and tobiko (fish roe) gunkan)

So with Valentine's day around the corner, I began another felt badge on a heart theme, but not quite a traditional heart. I found a simplified anatomical heart drawing on the internet and set about fashioning a felt equivalent. I made a white felt base, cut out the pieces of a heart in red and blue as appropriate and pinned them on. A little superglue held the job lot together while I stitched detail in white around the edges. I then stuck the full thing to a piece of card and backed it with more white felt. This final piece of white felt had a badge pin sewn onto it first. To make three layers look neater, and it stop the whole thing coming apart when the superglue fails, I stitched the edge together following a tutorial.



Et voila, one anatomical heart badge:

Individual, cheap, bold.

Shopping

Morning, I'm on my break between evil 7am sandwich prep shift and 11am shift in the salad bar. I am currently hooked up to a hazelnut cappucino and toasted bagel to get me through. To kill an hour I thought I would share on recent shopping adventures.

Last week me and mum went to Mansfield for some much needed retail therapy (wherein I always buy too much and mum encourages it). First stop was Sally Twinkle, an Aladdin's cave of fabric and sequins. The shop's been going for donkey's years and both my mum and aunt used to frequent the place. I bought some hair slides (for my arsenal of bows), some initial patches (like the college jackets that are roaring back into fashion, must do something about that) and some delicious liquorice allsorts fabric.

Yesterday I also went to Castle Market in Sheffield. I swung by Grace's fabrics and bought a pretty orange and blue print cotton and a complimentary orange cotton to go with it. I chatted to Grace of Grace's Fabrics (not just a marketing gimmic) about jobs and she gave me words of encouragement to go with my purchases - nice lady. I'm hoping to make a skirt with the orange fabric, its my first attempt at a piece of clothing from scratch so I'm excited/nervous. I shall keep you updated.

When shopping on the high street I also keep an eye out for patterns and styles I like. Current funds (and perpetually wearing my work uniform) mean I have little reason to buy loads of stuff, but I do take photos of the things I like to keep the idea. I recently spotted a white vest with leather cut out detail in Primark which I liked. I didn't buy it because a) its Primark and I only buy really basic stuff and b) I could buy a Primark basic vest for cheaper and try out the idea for myself. With this in mind I also bought a scrap of faux leather from the lovely Grace.

Hopefully I shall be able to show you the fruits of my leather labour very soon.