Scraps, scraps ... and less scraps

When, a long time ago, I kept my sewing purely to dress making, I could easily get rid of small scraps of fabric.  That was such a long time ago.

Then, later, I also took up patchwork.  Now I can't get rid of the smallest of fabric - because it could be used in a quilt in some form of the other.

Lately, I've been cutting up those bits of fabric and cutting them up into 2", 3 1/2" and 5" squares and putting them aside to use in quilts.  I pinched this idea from the magazine "Quilt Your Stash" (great magazine).  This stash of bits and pieces was building up.  One of the things I'd like to work on in 2015 is reducing my fabric stash.  Making this ironing board cover  was an endeavour to work towards the reduction of fabric.

In my last post I had made a simple ironing board cover for my mini ironing board.  However, my regular sized ironing board was in need of some renovation.

Ah, my regular sized ironing board - my mother's from the 1950's, solid steel - hernia worthy.  I always made fun of this with mum, it's very heavy.  However, I long ago realised that when making evening dresses, that modern ironing boards did not meet the grade and tended to topple over with the weight.

When my wonderfully stylish mum (to the very end) passed away- here's a picture of mum in her hey day, I made the decision to hang onto the ironing board:

Ah, when I need to get it out I remember why I probably shouldn't have hung onto it.  We live in an apartment, so I have to continuously take it out and put it away; it's just one of those things that need to remain out all the time. Otherwise it's back breaking work.  So useful though for dressmaking, especially bulky items. So, it's here to stay.

I could have made my ironing board cover in an instant with one piece of fabric. No, I decided I would make it from my 3 1/2" scrap squares. Good thought when I began; "why did I do this?" thought whilst making it; "Great idea" I thought when I finished.  I'II never make one like this again. However, I feel it was worth doing for myself to have a cover with a difference.  I think us sewers are probably good at giving away our work, and sometimes not so good making household things for ourselves.

As I said the cover was made from 100% cotton scraps, so here it is:

The underside is an Ikea fabric, left over from curtains in one of our bedrooms:

All done now, am very happy with it.

Until next week, where I'II show you how one pattern can look so different with two different adjustments from my favourite magazine "Ottobre".  I didn't realise until I looked through my stash how much green fabric I've actually purchased - and it's not even my favourite colour!

I digress, I'II save this for next week.

Happy sewing everyone.

Sandra

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

I finished off 2014 making notebook covers as Christmas presents, here ar some others that were done:

For today, I needed to do some practical sewing.  You know, the everyday  stuff you put off, but, need to do.

So, I decided that my ironing board covers need replacing.  I thought I would start with my small ironing board first.  I just wanted this to be simple, but yet using a fabric that depicted one of the things I really loved.

I began by tracing the outline of the ironing board onto the wrong side of the fabric, then, added a 2.5cm (1") allowance around it and cut along this line:

Then I basted this on with a basting spray onto a batting and a backing fabric:

I decided that I would just quilt straight lines on this:

Cut around the edge (the top that is in the shape of the ironing board).

I then cut a 8 cm (3") wide strip the diameter of the ironing board cover.  Fold in half, press, and use the over locker to attach this to the top.  I then threaded elastic through the casing, tied it together. Placed it on the ironing board. 

There you are, my new ironing board cover...

Now to tackle the larger ironing board cover, decision, do I patchwork it or not?  Depends, do I spend my time doing this or sew a dress?

Onto my next task.  Have a great day everyone, I'm hiding from the heat today under the air conditioner.

Sandra

Sandra Loves Sewing: Retirement quilt

Sandra Loves Sewing: Retirement quilt: No, not my retirement, quite a way off that! My friend Ronda and myself decided that we would make a retirement quilt for our colleague, I...

Retirement quilt

No, not my retirement, quite a way off that!

My friend Ronda and myself decided that we would make a retirement quilt for our colleague, Ian. Men's quilts can be difficult as you are limited to the style and colours.  I think we were quite successful with our efforts:

Using tartans and golfing themed fabric the quilt turned out quite well. After all it did get a paw of approval:

Merry Christmas everyone, may you have a wonderful time with family and friends.

Sandra

Sandra Loves Sewing: Elves handy work....

Sandra Loves Sewing: Elves handy work....: Pesky Elves are now whipped into line, well almost. First Christmas present finished and will be given to the special person tomorrow. T...

Elves handy work....

Pesky Elves are now whipped into line, well almost.

First Christmas present finished and will be given to the special person tomorrow.

Taken from:  Quilting Arts - Create Handmade Gifts for All - Candy Glendening. I decided that  I would make for a few people the 'Journal and Sketchbook Cover'.  Here's the first one off the rank:

I found a lot of preparation goes into making these, but, once prepared, are very quick to put together. I guess, preparing eight of them would take a bit of time.  I am happy with the outcome, someone asked me whether people still used notebooks, I still do.  I actually use a mixture of electronic and a notebook or diary.  I think most of us teachers do, perhaps more for To Do lists.

I decided that I think my recipients would still like them. So I went ahead.  Inside the front cover is a business card holder and on the back cover is an area for other notes.

Spiral bound notebooks are from Daiso.

I have more to show you, however, I will share next week. Have a good week everyone.

Sandra

Those pesky elves...

Those pesky elves were quiet for a while.  Seems they haven't been focused on the purpose to their being...to start making those Christmas gifts.

So, last weekend I found where they were hiding, seems they had started early with their post Christmas celebrations without completing all their Christmas tasks! Santra was not happy.

They've been hard at work this week trying to find a balance between work duties and Christmas duties.  They've finished some of their Christmas duties tonight. They are working on a project of Notebook covers. Everything is in stages. Hopefully we will have finished projects by the weekend and photos to show you......Santra (alias Sandra D)