Re-purposed container, now Wonderclip storage

Have you ever purchased a food item for the container it's in? Guilty as charged.  Or, maybe you've purchased a food item and not thought much of the container...until, I needed a container.  I purchased a container of steel cut oats; at the same time I needed a container to put my Wonderclips in.

The oats were coming to an end, mm, nice sturdy container...

But, I felt it needed more style.

Purchase some stick on fabric from Daiso, measure to size, stick on...

and there you go, a pretty container to put my Wonderclips in (thanks Red Tractor - great oats by the way):

Well, it's not technically sewing, but sewing related, as sewers we're always looking for something to store some sewing related item in!

Happy sewing everyone.

Sandra

PS I don't get paid anything for mentioning brands.  I just believe that owners of ideas, images, products should be acknowledged for the ideas, images and products they own.

Sandra Loves Sewing: Sewing mishaps and the AQC (Australian Quilt Conve...

Sandra Loves Sewing: Sewing mishaps and the AQC (Australian Quilt Conve...: I will start with my sewing mishap this week.  I wasn't going to blog about it at all.  I decided I would because not all sewing adven...

Sewing mishaps and the AQC (Australian Quilt Convention)

I will start with my sewing mishap this week.  I wasn't going to blog about it at all. 

I decided I would because not all sewing adventures can be a success.  We come up with a bright idea, and then, nah, didn't work out.

I wanted to try the Receipt Holder Tutorial by Lisa Amundson available for free on Craftsy
 So here it is:

What I think were my mistakes are:

• the interfacing I used was too thick for the job
• I didn't line up the flap closure evenly
• my top stitching is questionable

Maybe I should try making it again, don't know.  I have a policy of making something again when I've had problems with the design or sewing.  I think I'II have to follow my own advice.


Yearly the Australian Quilt Convention (AQC) hits Melbourne at the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings.

I ummed and ahhhed about going this year.  You know how it is, if I go, I'II buy more fabric and stuff I really don't need.  Even on the Saturday I still toyed with the idea.  In the end I decided I would go on the Sunday.

My main motivation behind finally deciding to go was that I wanted to visit the Sizzix stand run by Annie's Designs (www.anniesdesigns.com.au).  I'd exhausted the range held at Spotlight and I had questions that no Spotlight or Lincraft staff could answer (don't worry I'd tried, I'm over the blank looks and wrong information).

While searching online I was alerted to the fact that the Sizzix machine was the only one on the market that would accept dies from other machines.  However, I didn't want to try it, until I could confirm it.  Also, I really didn't know what my machine was capable of and the types of dies that would go through the machine. The only way I would be able to get this information was to talk to a Sizzix expert.  So off to the show I went.

The fabulous thing is, after talking to Annie's Designs, that my Fabi Sizzix machine can not only cut through eight layers of fabric, it can with some extras cut paper and balsa wood without blunting the blades!  I also discovered a wonderful wide range of dies that go through my machine.  Annie's Designs were so helpful, if you're in Australia and use Sizzix machines, get online and look at Annie's site.

That's what I've been up to (besides work), what have you been up to?

Sandra

Sandra Loves Sewing: Kwik Sew 2388 - Men's Pyjama pants

Sandra Loves Sewing: Kwik Sew 2388 - Men's Pyjama pants: My apologies, I found some spelling errors after I'd posted it, it was easier to delete it and then repost it.  I picked up this...

Kwik Sew 2388 - Men's Pyjama pants

My apologies, I found some spelling errors after I'd posted it, it was easier to delete it and then repost it.

 I picked up this $1 pattern from a thrift shop.  It's Kwik Sew 2388.  Although the pattern is cheap, sometimes you just don't know whether you are going to get an entire pattern; and if you do, what condition it will be in.

Men's pyjama patterns sometimes get hard to find, so I picked it up anyway, I figured, for $1, I really wouldn't be loosing much if it wasn't complete.

Well, it was complete, however, its previous owner had cut it up to make the boxer shorts.  So, I stuck it together, traced it off and was able to complete the pattern.

I have used other patterns for boxer shorts or short pyjamas, and in all honesty, I think I prefer this pattern.  It came together easily, I like the way the fly area comes together.

I also made the bright green piping at the bottom of the legs:

I also got to use the press stud (plastic) kit that I bought off EBay.  If you look closely, I have colour coordinated these with the monster colours:

It was interesting the way the pattern did the waistband tie (internally).  It has fabric ends (or ties) are attached to elastic, which I'd imagine would be good when you are sleeping as it would give some flexibility and you wouldn't feel strangled in bed as you move around.  Other patterns I have used ask for a fabric tie around the entire waist.

Fabric was also an absolute bargain, flannelette, good quality, for $2.50 a meter.  Why, it was in the bargain bin (already reduced) and then was reduced again by 50%!  I like these type of bargains.  The best part of this was that I purchased the fabric one Sunday and it was cut and made by the following Sunday - it didn't even touch my every growing stash!

Happy sewing everyone, what have you been up to?

Sandra

Sandra Loves Sewing: Kwik Sew 2388 - Men's Pajama pants

Sandra Loves Sewing: Kwik Sew 2388 - Men's Pyjama pants: I picked up this $1 pattern from a thrift shop.  It's Kwik Sew 2388.  Although the pattern is cheap, sometimes you just don't kno...

Sandra Loves Sewing: So Sew Easy - The Perfect Baby Burp Cloth

Sandra Loves Sewing: So Sew Easy - The Perfect Baby Burp Cloth: I have a family member who has just had a baby, baby number 3 that is.  I am thinking of putting together a basket of things. I ca...

So Sew Easy - The Perfect Baby Burp Cloth

I have a family member who has just had a baby, baby number 3 that is.  I am thinking of putting together a basket of things.

I came across this pattern, the " So Sew Easy - The Perfect Baby Burp Cloth" on Craftsy. I thought it may be something different to give a well versed mum as she probably hasn't received any of these and is using a towel over her shoulder.

Is this pattern as easy as it makes out?  Yes.

From one fat quarter you can cut three baby burp cloths. Since towelling is hard to get, I purchased a hand towel to use as the towelling on the reverse of the burp cloths.  I was able to cut four burp cloths from each hand towel.  However, I did have to undo the sewing on the ends of the hand towel to then allow me to cut four of these out.

All eight burp bibs finished

towelling on reverse of burp cloth

I was only going to make four of these, but made eight instead, I figured one for each day of the week and an extra for good measure.

What sewing have you been up to?

Sandra Loves Sewing: UFO - 2

Sandra Loves Sewing: UFO - 2: I am after, and have been for a while, Michelin Man fabric. Does it exist? I have searched for a while (and I stand to be corrected, if...

UFO - 2

I am after, and have been for a while, Michelin Man fabric.

Does it exist? I have searched for a while (and I stand to be corrected, if I am wrong); however, I don't think it exists.

I wanted to make a queen sized quilt, at least that was my aim.  The closest I could get was a Michelin Man bandana.  I found two on ebay (I've been searching for quite some time). One blue, one black; and that's it.  I initially got excited because I thought that I could collect a few of these and make my quilt.

One bandana on it's own, does not make a quilt, not one that was envisaged in my head.

So in my organising and reorganising of my fabric stash we found each other again, and this time, instead of putting it away, I made it into a pillow case; some collectors have probably fallen over in horror; but things like this need to be used and not collect dust.

It's a part of my new mantra, why store it for someone else to enjoy when you pass on?

So here it is, a Michelin Man pillow case:

I hope it will be appreciated.

Happy sewing everyone.

Sandra

UFO - 1

Pocket section of Quillow

Since I've been on school holidays, this has been a good time to yet again tackle my my fabric stash.  Last break, I was was unhappy with the way I stacked my fabric in the wardrobes as the method of folding I used didn't allow me to store very much.

After some contemplation, I decided to use my quilting ruler to wrap fabric around to fold.  It worked, and as a result, after numerous hours, I was able to fit a lot more fabric in my wardrobe.  The job is not yet finished.  It's a process.  Decisions need to be made as to what stays and what goes.  One laundry basket full of fabric and wool has gone to the textiles teacher at work.  The next lot will go to a group teaching refugee women to sew.  (I haven't got to that yet).

I thought I didn't have many self covering buttons (not so); I thought I didn't have much elastic (not so).  Up side is, I won't have to buy any of these things for a very long time!

I have found some UFOs in the process.  A shirt (now gone); a jacket (that I didn't like the pattern when I first did it - gone).  I have a dress sitting on my machine, and if that isn't finished in the next two weeks - you guessed it, it will also go.

Almost finished quillow (with wonder clips holding binding)

However, I found a quillow that almost was finished. (A quilt with an attached pocket into which the whole blanket can be folded, thus making a pillow. - Wiktionary)  I started this some 15 years ago, I guess.  A friend and I used to get together to sew about once a month.  She gave me this fabric to make a quillow.  It just needed to have the quilting finished and the binding.  This was back in the days that I used to tie my quilts rather than baste them.  So, the underside may have moved slightly in the process, but all that needs to be done now is the hand stitching on the binding.

Happy sewing everyone.

Sandra