For the love of
Alexander Henry for one. This is the bag my friend wanted for her mum. My lovely husband scoured Purl for this fabric after spying a fat quarter in a bowl. I think he loved it more than me. Then my friend said that her mum liked “all reds. And if you have anything with butterflies that would be brilliant.”
Bombs went off in my head.
But lookit. Sooo pretty. And she is such a good friend I could never have pretended I didn’t have anything remotely red with butterflies on it. Could I?
No.
Mind you, if her mum doesn’t like it I’ll set bombs off in her head, and see how she likes it.
(But all is not lost...)
I have mostly done cleaning today, with marigolds, and shuffling about the house feeling snotty and a bit sorry for myself. A friend phoned around teatime and pointed out that it was almost Christmas and that therefore I should be lying about consuming quantities of chocolate.
So I tried it, and to be honest, I just feel a little bit sick. Could it be that chocolate doesn’t sure everything?!
Is that Simon and Garfunkel I hear?
There she is – finished! I meant to post pictures yesterday but everything went a bit ARGH so I didn’t. In fact, things are still a bit ARGH, because I’m spending all my time making things for other people’s present giving activities and doing nothing towards my own present giving activities.
So if you know me – I’m sorry but you just weren’t good enough this year so you’re not getting anything.
That’ll show ‘em.
I like this basket a lot. It’s got all the recent improvements, such as the button on the tab, which is now curved, and the clippy line inside. I love improving things by making them over again. I did the same with the linen bag you may remember, and one of the ones i made this week turned out just so:
The changes were quite basic – I made it fatter, just by adding an inch to the linen, but it means it’s much easier to actually get inside the thing, which I do think is key in a bag. It also carries A4, which to me is a big thing. Is that important to anyone except me? It takes a nice fat magazine anyway, and some days we’re all glad of that. I’ve also added a magnetic snap because I hate a bag that gapes.
It should still carry three bottles of wine as easily as my first one did though, so no need to improve on that (unless it can now fit four…)
A note on the title: Simon and Garfunkel is my sewing music. Actually strictly speaking it starts with Sean Paul, (which i have a feeling I shouldn’t like, but I do, because a part of me wants to feel at home in a jamaican dance hall) then there are a couple of Shakira songs, but then it’s into a long stretch of S&G. I sing the whole time and know it’s time for a break when I get to Sly and the Family Stone. My neighbours must hate me.)
I’m attempting to leave the house and do some Christmas today so wish me luck – it’s freezing out there!
Sudden attack of craftiness at Midnight
It’s a strange thing being ill, because you can’t imagine being any other way while it’s actually happening. I’m really pathetic when I’m ill too, like I might die any minute*, and therefore people should bring me things, indefinable but nice things.
*So far this hasn’t happened.
I’ve been taking the Victorian sounding ‘rest cure’, which basically involves sleeping all day (which I can do because I don’t have any children, and am therefore legally obliged to make the most of it while I still can). But suddenly, at about eleven last night, I felt full of energy, something I’d completely forgotten I’d ever had. It felt fantastic – so fantastic that I thought I’d make something, so I made up this little pouch, with some scraps of fabric in what Isaac calls ‘an eye-burning combination’. What does he know? He lives in corduroy. Not that there’s anything wrong with corduroy, but it’s not a fabric known for its experimental colourways.
I had planned to make myself all sort of nice things this week because we are going on a plane on Saturday for the first time in two years (pesky masters degree) and I am deeply thrilled. New York! Shopping! Eating! Needless to say I didn’t make very much this week, but this does solve one thing I’ve been cross about for years. Why do iPod cases never have room for your earphones? They’re the thing that get tangled up in the bottom of my bag. But no more! They have a house! And if I ever find the slipcase for my iPod that will fit easily inside as well.
And finally, here is my little cat Charlie, doing one of her odder things this morning. Whenever I file my nails she comes running, leaps onto my lap and pulls the emery board into her mouth. Then she runs off with it and bats it around the floor. I have no idea why, unless it sounds like nails down a blackboard to her, and if she kills it the pain will stop. Unfortunately for her I think it’s hilarious so have a huge stack of emery boards, just waiting to go…
Loving Linen
Here is the little beauty I finished for the weekend. Sturdy enough to carry home three bottles of merlot! Apparently merlot is only now starting to recover from the dip in sales caused by Sideways, which must be a strange weight to bear for the writer. (I won’t spoil it: if you haven’t seen the film you must – it’s very funny indeed, and the merlot line is terrific. Unless you’re a wine maker obviously.)
The three bottles (actually they were four) were for a dinner party I had last night. I made Nigella’s Tunisian Friday night feast for 8 (from Feast
Hoping you’ve all had delightful weekends!
I want to be a cowgirl
This was the fruit of my labour yesterday. Although it wasn’t just yesterday: there were several days of thinking and planning and cutting and humming and harring. My brief was: pink, horses, ballerinas. I love it that children are so uncomplicated. They know exactly what they like and aren’t afraid to say, because they aren’t yet bothered about fitting in with everyone else.
The fabric was from Moda, and the more I looked at it the more I loved it. The cowgirl looks so happy on her horse. At some point I decided that the best thing to do would be piping across the top to give it structure. Had I ever done piping before? No – but you know what? It was actually easy as pie, and now I want to pipe everything. (Thanks to Lisa for the tutorial and Florence for reassuring me that it would be easy.)
The other new thing I used was double sided fusible fleece – yes, I want to fleece everything now too. I used it for the lining, with the same plain pink cotton on both sides, which really helped disguise the thickness of the piping at the seams, and gave it a pleasing puffy feel. I also used it in the handles, which gives them more structure than plain interfacing.
Inside is a slip pocket, made from cowgirl fabric, and a clippy line, so that I could attach a little coin purse. I love making coin purses because they’re so useful, so fast to put together, and sooo cute.
It’s the little girl’s birthday tomorrow, so I hope she enjoys it.
Gifts and more Soup
This is a little doorstop I finally made for the door to Isaac’s office. I don’t know if you can call it an office when there’s no organisation anywhere, but that’s what we call it. Our house is full of firedoors on swing shut hinges. Unfortunately our house is also full of uneven floors that move, so keeping them open with door wedges is impractical – they move all the time and doors fall shut. It’s also slightly more practical for the cat to run into, when she hurtles down the hall.
The request was just for corduroy, which is his favourite fabric, and something plain, so that’s what he got. I filled this one with black eye beans, which I like better than rice, even if I got into a slightly strange conversation at the checkout at Sainsburys. Next time, when she asks if I’m making soup, I should just say yes and have done with it…
I’ve been a bit off colour the last couple of days, so apologies for not posting yesterday. I even succumbed to a nap this afternoon, not that I minded. The only thing that will do is soup: this evening it’s the butternut squash and sweet potato one from Nigella Express. It’s barely a recipe at all, since it involves cooking up a packet of pre-prepared vegetables in some stock with a couple of spices, but for fast comfort food it’s delightful.
How Not To Make A Birthday Bag
My mum always called me ‘last minute Larry’. I’ve spent my whole life trying to prove her wrong, but you know how it is with mothers – they never are.
The bag was troublesome. For a start it was from a real pattern, a Butterick. You know how it is with commercial bag patterns – always too many bits to cut out. I spent about an hour searching through the four pieces of tissue for the right pieces for the right bag. It was obviously too much to ask that with four bags in the envelope and four pieces of pattern tissue that there could be one bag per sheet…
Cutting out wasn’t straightforward either: the main piece of fabric was chosen by my friend from my stash and it’s upholstery fabric that I used to cover a chair. After I’d cut out the main panels there wasn’t anywhere quite tall enough for the side panels. I think it was about here that I started to utter the sewing prayer, which isn’t so much a prayer as a lot of swear words said sotto voce.
The contrast band was attached without too much fuss aside from not looking quite long enough on one side. If I thought it wouldn’t matter I was wrong. The sides were sewn together to make a tube and the bottom had to be sewn on in one piece. The big bunches of fabric at the seams darn near killed me, my machine and every needle I had. So, sighing heavily when it was done, I turned it inside out and found the contrast band on one side flapping, unattached to the bottom of the bag. Unpick, restitch, break another needle.
Better than that – break for tea. I came back upstairs to find this:
It’s a good job my friend loves cats.
I decided that the only way I’d get it finished would be to sew to Jane Austen. I often do this when I’m sewing, as long as it’s a dvd I know well. I’ll often stop to look at a favourite scene, and always tune in for the weeping at the end. This time I chose Persuasion , which is fantastic, and so much better than the recent ITV version, with Anne running about Bath at the end, which she just bloody well wouldn’t be. Also I fancy Ciaran Hinds a lot. Is it wrong? Who knows. Where was I?
Stitching the lining! Simple. Easy. Right up until you notice you’ve attached one of the panels backwards. I swear I was doing more sewing with my seam ripper. Deterred, but not to be beaten I carried on, attaching the lining finally, and then turning everything right way out to do the top stitching. Except the material was so thick at the seams it just didn’t fit under the presser foot so there are gaps.
All in all this was one of the most frustrating projects I’ve ever done. If she doesn’t carry all of her things in it for the rest of her life ... Mind you, I do rather like it now that it’s done.
New supplies and a new top
I finally left the house the other day and got as far as John Lewis. And oh heaven they have a food hall in the basement. I therefore see no other reason to shop elsewhere, even though I didn’t have time to go and look at it. I was in a rush to meet a friend but I had to get supplies!
The fabrics are all earmarked for things, things I can’t talk about just yet, in case a certain someone is reading, but I will post finished photos when I can. Nice to have an autumnal palette in my bag though: earthy greens and rich purples.
The other bits and bobs are just the kind of thing I love shopping for: fabric markers, piping, thread, blades for rotary cutting, needles…little things. It’s as much fun as shopping for stationery. And I know we all love stationery too.
Anyway…
Ta da! I did get some sewing in on Sunday and made the top. It was quite fast to make despite the lack of dressmaking skills on my part.
What I like:
- the drooping neckline (see below)
- it fits!
- and I made it
What I don’t like:
- the armholes are enormous and I feel exposed. They’re so large my bra is on show. I don’t care for that look. Partly why this photo is on a hanger and not on me.
- it has no sleeves (I know this one was obvious on the pattern envelope :)
It is comfortable to wear about the house, even if it’s not the sort of thing I’d choose to wear out.
But it is a little bit like this t-shirt, a favourite of mine that I picked up in a Jigsaw sale (‘scuse the crinkles – it’s wash-day). The droop is bigger, because there’s an extra fold of material at the neckline. It also has small cap-sleeves. The next project I’ve picked out for me is another t-shirt, with cap-sleeves. Can you see where I’m going? Yes – pattern combining! Making a new pattern that is more than the sum of its parts. In theory. All things are so much different in practice.
I have a good afternoon for sewing today so I’m going to load up on tea and whack the stereo on. (Current song: ‘Bootylicious’ by Destiny’s Child. I have no shame.)
Cute Bibs
So here’s what I’ve been working on this week – cute bibs! My friend (and her mum) loved the one I made for her son and encouraged me to make some more. I drew a different shaped pattern that I like much more and set to with some of the fabric from my stash.
Since I have no little ones of my own, I’ve decided to have a go at an etsy shop. It will have other things in it as well as bibs, because I’ve got bag ideas floating around in my head that have been there a while. It’s exciting but a bit scary: will people other than my friends will like what I make? But I suppose my friends wouldn’t be encouraging me to do it if they honestly thought my work was terrible.
I’ll stop worrying about that now. The sun is out, and it’s hot for an October afternoon. Charlie has fashioned herself a sunshade from some tissue paper lying on the floor. I’m lying lazily on the bed, enjoying the sounds of the street drifting in through the open window.
Life is good.
