3 down, 17 to go

I used another pattern from Little Things to Sew to bump up my count in Lightning McStitch's Cover to Cover challenge

These are the messy kid bibs

Two messy kids bibs but only one with messy binding

I made the one with the giant pea on the front first.  Having learnt a new skill last week - the highly technical process of printing an image onto transfer paper and then ironing that image onto fabric - I wanted to do it again (and again, again and again.  Let's be honest, given half a chance I would probably put transfer paper images on everything I could find right now…. just like when we were kids, one of my brothers would write his full name anywhere he found a blank space.  Never mind if he didn't actually own the things he wrote on).

I spent hours searching the Internet for a suitable vegetable image and eventually found the pea on Clipart ETC.  I was also going to print out some lettering saying "eat your veges" but then realised there could be an awkward "You-say-tomato,-I-say-tomahto" moment i.e. veges or veggies?  Anyway, my husband called the whole thing off and I was left with just the pea

I used purchased bias binding and almost tossed - or composted - the bib before I had finished because I didn't like how the binding was sitting.  I persevered, figuring that someone might find the bib useful even it isn't perfect.

Of course, I had to have another go at this pattern and do a better job.   Today I made the second bib using some J Wecker-Frisch Patches & Rhymes fabric I had left over from a quilt I made for my friends' first child.  He is now eight!

This time, I didn't cut out the pocket and I made self-fabric binding.  I applied the binding differently to the instructions: sewing it first to the front, folding it to the back and then stitching it down.  I cheated a little by using fabric glue to stick the binding to the back.  I felt like a naughty contestant on Project Runway and kept hearing Michael Kors and Nina Garcia castigating me for using unconventional sewing techniques!

back of bib glued down before stitching 

I stitched-in-the-ditch on the front catching the binding on the back.

This worked a treat and I will do my binding this way next time.  It looks so neat and there are no wrinkles!

Despite the problems with the binding I really enjoyed making these bibs.  Half the fun was in applying the iron-on vinyl.   Who would have thought that something so simple could make me happy?  That and transfer paper could keep me amused for hours.  In fact, I almost started on the bento box carrier today because I had an idea for embellishing the lining that combined both of these… And then I thought I could make the most elaborate play town and puppet theatre…

So, I've ticked off my third pattern from the book.  I made the first bucket hats in 2012, and the back pack last year which means that at the rate I am going I reckon I could get this challenge sorted in another 17 years.  This turtle probably needs to go a bit faster if it wants to be in with half a chance.  However,  I could always do a Bradbury

It's not about the bike

I don't own a bike.  I don't really like bikes*.  I can't remember the last time I rode a bike… Even when I visit San Francisco I take a car over the Golden Gate Bridge rather than ride a bike.

I used to ride a bike - more than 20 years ago when I was at university - and I have vivid memories of head winds, torrential rain, water from the back tyre saturating my undies and making my backside look like I needed to wipe, and crazy Christchurch drivers trying to collect their 100 points for collecting a cyclist.  My purple-blue mountain bike (yes, even I have tried mountain biking!) sat in the garage collecting dust for about 10 years before I gave it to a friend for his teenage daughter.  When it was cleaned, the bike looked like new.  I'd rather be sewing or, let's be honest,  have a root canal than ride a bike.

However, most of my workmates ride bikes.  Some even do it for fun!?!

But just because I don't ride, doesn't mean that I don't enjoy watching a good bike race or reading about one.  I followed Lance Armstrong's achievements and read his fairytales books, watched his battle with Alberto Contador, saw Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome all win the Tour de France, and squealed with delight when Sarah Ulmer won gold for NZ in the individual pursuit at the Athens Olympics.  I snapped up a copy of The Flying Scotsman DVD and watched it while sewing.  And then I became obsessed with reading everything David Walsh had written about Armstrong and the Tour de France; Tyler Hamilton's confessions about doping, and David Millar's fall….

I wanted to try out the fabric transfer paper I have had sitting in my sewing room for a few years (Lesley Riley's Transfer Artist Paper).  I didn't know what to do with it until I saw the funky t-shirts Lightning McStitch made for Christmas.  I searched the internet for an appropriate picture for one of my mad biker/biking friends and found a vintage bike graphic at thegraphicsfairy.com.

And then I made a t-shirt for one of his kids

size 6-12 months 

Obviously I added the caption.  It is the title of Lance Armstrong's first book.  Ironic really given the circumstances of the last year….Yep, Lance, it wasn't (about) the bike after all….

The pattern is the Oliver + S field trip raglan t-shirt (again).  The fabric is an organic cotton remnant I found at Tessuti fabrics in Melbourne.  It is horribly off grain and a nightmare to work with.  No wonder it was on sale!  I added ribbing to the neckline because the self-fabric binding I made looked amateurish in this fabric.  The ribbing is from the Ottobre etsy store.

The transfer looks great and there is no shiny film left on the fabric.  I'll be interested to see how it washes up.  I think the t-shirt looks quite professional, even if it is a little conceited to say so.  I'm afraid that I might become a transfer junkie….

However, I managed to suppress my preoccupation with fabric transfers for a short period and whipped up a couple more field trip t-shirts over the weekend for another little boy:

size 18-24 months 

And a hopscotch t-shirt for his older sister

 size 4 years

*I suspect a couple of my blog readers will considerate this a blasphemous statement

a bit late…

Ok, so everyone posted their recap of 2013 at the beginning of the month and, no doubt, are now into the thick of sewing and crafting for 2014.  But not me.  I have been on holiday.  I sought out fabric and craft stores in New York, California, Munich and Barcelona and packed my suitcases with goodies to use at some stage….  although it appears that I am afflicted with SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy) so perhaps these overseas purchases won't get used by me after all.

At any rate, I tried to make a teeny, tiny dent into my various stashes in 2013.  I used a lot of Oliver + S patterns - including a number I hadn't sewn before:

Family reunion dress; hopscotch top; hopscotch dress; badminton skort x2; puppet show tunic; field trip raglan t-shirt; school photo dress; music box jumper

book report dress; roller skate tunic; hopscotch top; ice-cream dress; Sunday brunch a-line skirt; class picnic shorts; playdate dress; seashore sundress; Little Things to Sew backpack 

tea party sundress; croquet dress; music box jumper; art museum trousers; after school pants; music box jumper; birthday party dress; library dress; secret agent trench coat

field trip raglan t-shirt; 2+2 blouse; hopscotch skirt; field trip raglan t-shirt; sailboat top x2; family reunion tunic; firefly jacket; sailboat top

And, although there may have been a bit of Oliver & S favouritism going on, I sewed patterns from other companies too:

Ottobre creative workshop 301 Best T-shirts x 5; Pink t-shirt has sleeves from No 21 4/ 2006; Heidi & Finn ruffle bolero;  Ottobre pants No 22 4/2006; Ottobre pants No 3 1/2010; Ottobre leggings  No 23 4/2009

Swing coat from Japanese pattern book; Ottobre hoodie 16 4/2007; Ottobre Paris jacket No 30 6/2007; Ottobre No 19 3/2011; Jalie 3133; Ottobre No 6 3/2011; Spacefem Onsies from Spoonflower x 3; bastardised No 29 3/2009

I did a little quilting:

Christmas stocking Vogue 7375;Stargazey Slender Starz quilt; unfinished flower quilt (my design)

And some knitting:

big sweater little pockets; Tama x 2; explorer vest; autumn leaves

I knitted another owl jersey in July while I was at a conference but I haven't managed to sew on the last 8 buttons.  Must do that.

So a relatively productive year for me despite work commitments, conferences and holidays away from the craft barn.  No favourite but I'm nearly always pleased with the item I just finished… until I start something else.  Hopefully the majority of these items have been used - or even loved (is that too much to ask?!?) - by the people they have gone to.

And now, on with the 2014 show!

My Spoonflower obsession continues

I bought some Spoonflower fat quarters to make a few t-shirts for Rosa. What I didn't count on was  that Rosa has grown since I first started sewing for her and a fat quarter is barely enough to make anything that will fit her now.  But I managed to get two t-shirts sewn.

The first one is her Little Red Riding Hood t-shirt and apparently it is a hit at home.  The pattern is from Ottobre 3/2011 (number 19)

those hundred & thousand covered sweets look yummy!

The fabrics are both by bora and are the little red riding hood in autumn forest print - used for the front and back - and little red fox for the sleeves and neck binding.

The fox material is, well, foxy and I may have to order some more especially as fox prints are 'in' this year.

Unfortunately the photos of the t-shirt don't really show the colours very well. 

neck binding attached with coverstitch binder

This t-shirt was clearly a winner but I struggled with what to do with the other fabric because I didn't have quite enough fabric to make even a t-shirt.  

ice, ice baby by bubble dog

So I took a look in my wardrobe and discovered that a number of my own t-shirts had woven fabric elements (e.g. neck binding, sleeves etc).  So I borrowed that idea and this is what I came up with

back view

I found a georgette scrap in a box in the garage.  I think I made a top for my sister from this fabric about 1996 and obviously kept the remnant for an occasion such as this.  Luckily, there was just enough for what I wanted and it was the perfect colour.  I used the georgette to make the sleeves and made a rolled hem  and stitched shirring elastic about 1cm above the hem 

I also used a raw-edge strip of georgette for the neck edge.  What you can't see very clearly is that I made a little facing and sandwiched the georgette strip between it and the front fabric (probably seen best above although it is a bit rough)

This raw-edge neck binding is more obvious below

I used another Ottobre pattern for this t-shirt (number 29 in 3/2009).

I don't know whether this t-shirt is a flop or not but it has taught me several useful lessons:

1. a fat quarter is rarely enough fabric to complete an item of clothing except for babies
2. if I buy more fabric than I think I need, the remnant may come in handy even years later!
3. sometimes (surprisingly) inspiration can be found in my own wardrobe 
4. my hoarding is not so bad and should even be encouraged….. 

Of course I did manage to sneak a few more yards of fabric in with the parcel that these pieces arrived in but I haven't decided what to make with them yet.  Nevertheless, I believe that a girl (i.e. me) can never have too much Spoonflower fabric or diamonds

  

gemstones by hannafate

Mooove over penguin backpack

I have owned Little Things to Sew by Liesl Gibson for at least a year but the only pattern I had used until the weekend was the bucket hat pattern.

This was the first hat

I made two more

 boy's hat

 girl's hat

And then I got distracted by other things to sew….

When Lightning McStitch threw out the challenge to sew all of the patterns in the book I decided it was something I should join in on

The penguin backpack was a pattern I definitely wanted to tackle early on in the challenge.  I wasn't sure about making a penguin and I noticed that many people had used the basic pattern and modified it.  I was undecided about what to do - although I knew I wanted to make something other than just a simple backpack - and then on Friday at Spotlight I found some brown and white drill fabric.  There, in the shop, I had a eureka moment: I would make a cow backpack!

The grass was the perfect setting for a cow backpack

I search google for some cow images, found this fantastic painting and used it to guide my pattern drafting.  I wanted the nose to be a separate pocket and sewed that first.

 I used a soft fusible vilene to add some body to both the pocket and the main part of the backpack

and I lined the pocket with a New Zealand-themed fabric

I  added some 30mm craft eyes to the bag,

made some shorter, padded and interfaced straps, and used purchased strap fasteners and 32mm polyester strapping as finishing touches.  I looked at some of the backpacks I had at home to figure out how to attach the strapping  to the backpack

I lined the body of the bag in the same New Zealand material and made a single, larger pocket that was the same width as the back panel and used fold-over elastic along its top edge

I used some Steam-A-Seam2 to stick the zipper panels on (although I also hand-stitched the lining in place just to be sure).  I was thankful for my collection of sewing gadgets because my mini iron was the perfect size for ironing the Steam-A-Seam in place without melting the zipper!

This is a great pattern and the possibilities are endless.   I enjoyed the challenge of making something different and translating my vision into this finished item.   I'm not ashamed to say that I love my cow backpack but I have no idea what to do with it now that it is finished…. but  I guess it won't be mooving on just yet….