Weekend Wares

Ahhh finally a weekend came around where I had no plans and nothing to do but play around with my sewing machine... and play around I did.

First off I started on the challenge my mum had set for us both last week. We both had to make a Lucy Goosey, follow the disapproving looks from the OH!

So off I went and printed out the template and picked my fabric. The instructions called for tough strong fabric on the main body so I picked the artist canvas I have been using to make numerous drawstring bags for all of my camping equipment (the inner tent has a bag, so does the EHU, the bedding, the porch, the doormats, the cup holders?!?! I may have got a little carried away.)

Anyway, I used this canvas and a contrasting green dotty one for all the components.

After about ten minutes I realised the canvas was most definitely the wrong fabric to choose. It frayed like buggery and poor Lucy Goosey got smaller and smaller as I worked through the steps :-(

They say your work should look as neat and tidy on the back as it does on the front, well whoever said it obviously hadn't attempted a Goosey with canvas. You can see the mess I made of trying to stich the nose on here.

After using about half a reel of thread (the stupid sewing machine kept jamming the cotton), I was ready to sew around the edges leaving a gap between the legs to turn it the right side out.

Well I can tell you Lucy Goosey's gap is too small!! This took forever, trying to ram the feet, wings, nose and everything else out through that small gap was like sewing torture. But finally I got there, stuffed it and closed the hole. Didn't turn out too bad in the end, maybe a little rough around the edges.

Here she is guarding a very important wedding invitation :-)

Now after the chaos of making her I wanted nothing to do with this pattern or any other tutorial for a while so I went freestyle.

I raided the OH's wardrobe for old shirts (well at least I think they were old) and picked out three to be used to make a stationary organiser thingyamjiggy.

I wanted a folder design with pockets on the left and and envelope pocket on the right so I started by cutting up the shirts (no going back now). I cut out a front and a back cover and strips for the pockets. I measured the pockets against the things I wanted to put inside and then measure the front and back so it would hold the pockets, maybe backwards logic!

The front cover.

The inside, with the envelope pocket on the right.

Next came folding the edges of each individual pocket under twice and and stitching.

Then I tacked them to the inner cover and stitched into place.

And did the same with the outer.

Then I attached a button on the inside envelope for decoration and another to hide a press stud that closed the whole folder.

After stitching the whole thing together wrong sides facing on three sides I turned it the right side out, added some card and batting to strengthen it and closed the one remaining side.

Here it is all finished.

I also made a matching pencil case (as the pens kept falling out) using this tutorial (I was back using tutorials - yay!)

I also made a few more drawstring bags, must have had withdrawal symptoms as I hadn't made one in at least three days. I made one for my sister, who I call bear, so she can put her underwear in it when going on holiday and one for me to use for laundry when I'm away.

I also played around trying to make a lunch bag, again with the dreaded canvas. A friend is going to give me some fabric to make one for her and I was experimenting, not sure if I'll use this design though. 

Finally after making all of this I decided it was time to have another go at Lucy Goosey, this time with some nice soft cotton...and it worked, much much better :-)

It was far easier this time and so I ended my weekend sewing adventures here. I do want to make another goosey but havent got the right colour fabric yet but I will post a picture when it's done. 

Now I am definitely off to grump as not only do I have work tomorrow but I'm going on a diet! waaaaaaahhhhhhh.