It's a Creative World

CUSHY JUMPER

Hello from Eleanor up in the Highlands, where cotton jumpers are just NOT the thing, one of the reasons being this (and this was just 5 days ago):

Years ago I had a bit of a thing about jumpers from Jumper - the cotton cabled ones.

I wore them a lot. With a crisp white shirt underneath, a soft polo shirt, a skinnyrib poloneck sweater, or a silky scarf peeping out from the neck - I loved them.

But this little pile of sweaters have finally had their day, moving over for fleece, microfibre and more fleece (and maybe, just maybe, if I'm very lucky, some cashmere yarn to knit a soft cardigan), and so, what to do with them?

Well, I fancied a cabled cushion or two, having lost all our loose cushions to mildew (long story, damp storage whilst in housing transition).

So, I took the scissors and sewing machine to my jumpers and this is the result:

This sage green one is filled for now with a fleece blankie, just to show it off.

These below await their filling when I've been shopping for inners:

It was fun choosing buttons.

Have you got a jumper which could be a cushion?

Bye for now.

Edited to add - some of you are asking about the technique to prevent unravelling.

I turned the jumper inside out, laid it flat, pinned a length of cotton tape (but any strip of cotton fabric will do, just over an inch wide) from armhole to armhole and stitched along the tape and jumper together, using a long (4mm) straight stitch. Fold down the tape, and trim the jumper 1/4 inch from the stitching, but don't trim the tape, leave the approximately half inch free. Then, with the top part of the jumper gone, fold over the tape to enclose the raw edge, and stitch again.

I'll try to find another jumper to alter, and take photos next time!

xx

 

 

 

Flower bookmarks

We all love reading in our house and often use scraps of paper as a bookmark. Looking at my huge stash of flowers and buttons I decided to make some pretty bookmarks.

I cut some ribbon into approx 12" lengths, and sewed a hem on each end.

I put flowers together in colour combinations before I started sewing them on the ribbon.

I sewed buttons on the end of each bookmark.

I've used up some of my stash, and have some pretty and useful gifts for Christmas.

Debbie x

 

Washday Blues (or pinks, browns and yellow in this case)

Happy Thursday! Today I am here with something of a departure for me. Sewing. Not on paper. Nope. This time I've actually used fabric! 

For a long while (all year) I have needed a new peg bag. I've been using an empty biscuit tin which, frankly, wasn't really upto the job I was asking it to do. I had also, for a long while, had a set of three pretty cotton tea towels I bought from Home Bargains (something like £3 for three) with the express intention of creating something with them. So today was the day to gather myself together and get the thing made.

I'm not much good at sewing, following patterns and the like, so a foolproof design and instructions were a must. I did a bit of Googling and decided upon the instructions at this website for a really easy to make peg bag. 

And, just for the fun of it (and so you can see that I really am not good at sewing and not just saying that) here are the photos that show the simple steps involved.

Lay tea towel face up and turn over the top about 4" (or whatever depth required to accommodate your hanger).  The only wooden hangers I had were those with the trouser hanger bit on them, so I delved into one of the kid's wardrobes and found a plastic one with a narrower design. I also did without tailor's chalk (used a laundry pen) or the tape measure (I'm more of an 'ish' girl when it comes to measurements).

Mark the shape of the hanger for your sewing line.

 

Sew each edge of the folded section upto to the middle, leaving 1/4 inch gap unsewn at the middle for the hanger to be poked through later. (Remember, if you use your sewing machine a lot for sewing on paper, like I do, change to a new needle before starting.)

Fold up the bottom section of the tea towel so it overlaps the top section by about 1/2 inch. Sew up both edges just beyond the point where the top section is sewn on either side.

 

Cut away the excess fabric and create a notch for the hanger to go through (I used pinking shears as these help prevent fraying.

 

Turn inside out, add your hanger and fill with pegs. And hope for some more good drying days! Mine is here pictured with the other two tea towels that came in the set. Aren't they so pretty? I've have a bit of a trawl back through the posts here at It's a Creative World and bookmarked a couple of projects I may attempt next.

If you use a plainer fabric, you could always pretty it up by adding flowers, ribbons and buttons, but I thought this fabric was gorgeous enough without anything else added to it. They would also make really great gifts (especially for anyone setting up home) and craft fair items too.

xxx's

Suzanne

 

Remember this...

 
Hiya Claire here with a project I started ages ago.

Do you remember back in January I showed you this photo....

 

I said I was going to knit a big snuggly blanket, well, 9 months down the line....

here it is...

 

(thanks to Mum for use of her washing line)

I crocheted the edge of the blanket to finish it off (actually, I learned to crochet just to do that edge).

I now spend most nights snuggled up on the sofa under my blanket, knitting for a few hours then reading a book before I go to bed. I'm so glad I got it finished now the nights are getting a bit colder, but not so cold that its OK to put the heating on.

Thanks for stopping by & hope to see you again soon

Claireliz

xx

Sew a basket lining.

Hi from Caz!

Today i'm sharing my experiences with sewing linings for my baskets. I love baskets and I love to use them, but if using them for knitting or crochet the little sticky outy bits can cause havoc!

I was really lucky with this little basket as it already had a plastic lining which I cut out and used it as a template to cut my fabric.

 

I wanted a double sided side so the pattern was inside and seen through the basket on the outside too. Once I had cut, pinned and sewn the sides to the top bottom, I hand stitched the underside bottom on. It was easier to hand stitch this bit as the fabric by the stage was quite layered thick and as i'm not a very good seamstress it was easier!

 

 

On this basket I chose not to have a frill, so I sewed the lining around the top to the basket using fishing line.

 

A ribbon threaded through the wicker finishes this basket off nicely.

 

I have made a lining with a frill, and found it quite a challenge! I'm sure it's not really, but I overthink these things and complicate matter some what!

 

For the basket above, I used newspaper to make a pattern. I placed the basket on the newspaper and drew around the base (sticking quite close because the inside of the basket base is much smaller than the outside). For the sides I wrapped the newspaper around the basket and cut out the size I wanted.

I bought a cute basket a few weeks back in Sainsburys and i'm waiting for pay day to go buy some Cath Kidston fabric to make the lining :) LOVE those apples!!

Thanks for visiting and haPPy wEEkend :)
Caz
xx

Love those 'meeces' to pieces

Hi all, Michelle here with a little sewing project. I love to play with my pretty paper, inks and glue but every now and then I get the urge to do some sewing! This happened the other day and while I was trying to think of a little project to tackle my memory flipped back to these little felt mice that I used to love making as a kid.

 

They are so simple, quick and easy to make and each one will always be unique.

 

The starting point is 2 slightly elongated half circles for the body sides and a tear drop shape for the base. My mice are about 2’’ long to give you a guide to size.

 

The three pieces are simply sewn together with a blanket stitch. I like to use a contrasting colour and I like the shabby look of the big thick stitching but you can of course do it in a colour that matches and make smaller stitches for a neater finish. Leave a gap along one side of the base to add the stuffing which is just some ordinary cotton wool and when you stitch up the body catch a length of felt in the back for the tail.

 

Cut two small circles of felt with a little ‘nick’ taken out of them for the ears, stitch the nick up to create shape to the ear and sew onto the body.

 

Add a French knot for the nose and two smaller ones for the eyes and some whiskers made from the embroidery thread complete your mouse … shimples!

 

For a real shabby chic look I cut a mouse body from some calico and doodled some flowers on the pieces with my pro markers. This mouses features were added with beads and then …

 

 … I couldn’t resist blinging up one of my meeces with some sparkly embellishments and sequins.

You could really come up with some weird and wonderful critters and I think these are great, fun, easy and quick makes if you’re holding a craft stall at a summer fete and they are simple enough for the kids to make .. maybe as a little gift for teacher at the end of term! It's also a thrifty way to use up all those scraps we keep! I hope you have fun creating some little meeces of your own and I’ll see you soon … tomorrow in fact with the rest of the creative girls and the simple things project!

Thanks for stopping by, until soon happy crafting

Love

M x

its my bag, baby!

Hiya Claireliz here with a project that I am so pleased with that I bounced like Tigger when I had finished it.

It started with a plain canvas bag I was given as a freebie from my local craft shop, I had wanted to alter it for quite some time but had never found the right material... until I nipped into the local fabric & haberdashery shop in my lunch break the other day, then it all fell in to place...

a bit of material, some lace, a bit of metal chain & a crochet doily that has been sat in my hallway, unused, since we moved in here 6 years ago.  I cut two squares of gingham & two strips of the spotty one & ironed some Vilene onto the back of each piece to strengthen it a bit....

...then I tacked some Broderie Anglaise edging to the spotty strips... 

...so it looked like this...

...then I used the sewing machine to attach the frilly,spotty strip to the gingham square...

...then I cut a pocket from an old pair of jeans & stitched some lace to the top, then attached the pocket & the doily to the gingham square...

Then I stitched the square to the front of the bag, I used the sewing machine to stitch the top & sides but had to handsew the bottom of the square....

Then I added some buttons, some pearls & a little heart that came as packaging from a craft shop....

I made the flower by handstitching down one side of a strip of lace then ruffling it & stitching it together, this was then sandwiched between a huge red wooden button & a little red one...

Finally I stamped a birdcage onto two pieces of cotton, stitched it a bit , added some wadding then finished stitching together & added a chain to make a birdcage charm...

And here is my finished bag (photographed on my washing line lol) so this is the front ....

and this is the back....

  
 
 well thats all for me for now but I will ba back later in the month with Simple Things & a post towards the end of the month, I hope you enjoyed seeing this project as much as I enjoyed creating it.

See you soon

Claireliz

xx

A little Fabric Notebook

Hiya Claire here with a really easy fabric notebook... I made this for a friend at work as the little character on the front reminded me of her.

I've been using my Stampotique stamps again, I stamped the image onto some calico & put her to one side whilst the ink dried

I used 5inx3in index cards for the pages & punched 2 holes in one side of them, then I measued the fabric for the cover by laying the index cards in the middle of the fabric...

and wrapping it around them so it overlapped & left enough to sew the seams...

I then ironed some Wondaweb to the back of each piece of fabric... including the stamped image, to make it a bit more sturdy, them trimmed the edges so they were nice & neat....

Next I set up the sewing machine & attached the stamped image ...

Then I stitched the front & back covers with right side together (remember to leave an opening at the bottom ofthe cover to turn the right way out again) I also attached a cord to tie the book closed with...

 
 The cord should look like this when stitched...

Then turn the right way out, press with an iron and tuck the open bit at the bottom under & iron it you can then sew this together, I used blue material on top & white underneath, so when sewing I changed the top thread to blue but kept white on the spool underneath so the stitching doesn't show...

then using the index cards as a guide, I punched holes in the cover & used eyelets to stop the fabric fraying, the index cards are held in the cover with book rings...

& thats it, a really cute touchy feely notebook made in about 40 minutes...

I hope you like this & will see you again soon, thanks for stopping by

Claire

xx
 
  
 
 

Lunch Time

Hello Joy here.

I have dusted down my sewing machine today and believe me, with a house in disruption with building work, it it needed a lot of dusting.

Months ago I bought some lovely oilcloth from the Cath Kidston outlet shop.  I bought it to make new lunchbags for my girls, who have long outgrown the character lunchbags which are generally available, and they wanted something more chic.

I have finally got busy and made the first one.  Grace will test drive it tomorrow!

They are surprisingly easy to make!

1. cut out a piece of oil cloth 17"  X 14" . I used pinking shears to give a neater edge.                            
2. With the right sides together stitch down the 14" edge.                                               
3. Mark the bottom centre and match with back seam.  Stitch seam.             
4. Shape the corners by pressing out a square shape in the bottom of the bag, as shown below.
5. Mark 1 1/2" in from corner and sew across. I went over the stitching twice to make it more secure. 
6. Cut off corner and repeat steps 5 & 6 on other corner.       
7. Turn the lunchbag the right way out.  You may need to get your fingers right into the corners to make sure they are neat.  Fill with lunch, roll up and add a clip (mine is from a set from Staples) Get ready for the admiring remarks.    

I have a feeling I will have to make a few of these.  I have certainly got lots more fabric.  I will bring you more ideas for oilcloth soon.

I hope you are having some sunshine and can get out and about with your lunchbags.

Baggy pants?

Hello, Eleanor here, with a solution to those droopy trousers.

Now I know it's not a problem many of us will be having right now, with all the delicious food that's been consumed lately, but I'm thinking of bargains in the sales, or new school trousers if your children are growing like Topsy, or if, like me, you find the waistband of your jeans gapes at the back when you bend forward (I've always been a funny shape!).

My children are very slim, and so I have always had to alter their trousers and jeans so that they fit around the waist, and still do, even now they are teens and twenties.

This is how I do it.

 

No more droopy drawers.

Bye for now.