Roses are Red.......

For a couple of weeks now, in our 'exclusive boutique', there had been a black silky skirt with large red roses on it.  It was (fortunately) a size too small (cough, cough) and really not my 'thing' at all - although those who know me would say that black and red are definitely my thing!!!

Anyhoo, I kept looking at this skirt - mainly 'cos it's colouring made you look, i.e. you couldn't really miss it - and the cogs started going around in my head about what I might be able to upcycle it into.... So last week, before we went in, I made the decision that if it was still there, I would buy it.  I was fed up of seeing it on the racking!

So having had to endure the sarcastic wit of the the guy in the shop - he takes the mickey out of me every week!! - I made my way to the back of the shop and yep, there it was, still there.  I removed the item from the racking, double checked that there were no pulls or tears in it and 'bagged' it.

Enduring more sarcastic comments from the guy somewhere along the lines of "had I made sure it was my size.....?   did I want a hat and bag to go with the outfit.....?  it would look lovely with the pink feather boa he had in the back of the shop......" etc., etc., after giving him my £1, I made my escape and brought the skirt home.  I washed it then when it was dry hung it up in my sewing room (ex office), and again pondered on what I could upcycle the skirt as.

Over the week I measured the panels - 3 in all - and realised that I could make a vest top as long as I didn't mind two side seams (as per normal) but an added one up the back - not too bad but the pattern was very strong and I really didn't think I could carry off the finished article especially given that it was a very, very bold pattern and that ladies of a (cough, cough) soon to be certain age shouldn't wear sleeveless tops.

Therefore it should come as no surprise but I made a shopping bag out of it and the left overs will made one of the soft toy patterns I have just bought as well as possibly making it into the currently being worked on 'hexi-quilt'.

• Note.   Yes, I know I said I wouldn't be doing another one this side of hell freezing over following the dramas with the denim one, but I should be safe here - I am hand sewing for goodness sake!). This new quilt is currently being hand-sewn as the nights are drawing in and I can make the hexies watching the TV.  I will obviously post later about this particular project when I have sufficient done.

I have made quite a range of shopping and tote bags so the making up of one now comes quite easily. I had to play around with the back side of the bag as the front skirt panel wasn't quite big enough to make the two panels I needed.  I pieced the back panel and also the handles but, if I do say so myself, the handles have worked out pretty well..... not so sure about the matching up of the pattern on the back panel but I knew this was going to be a pain in the ***e.  The finished result is great and I am pleased with it.

Just to be different, I have made a cover for the bag, you know like the one you get on an umbrella?  I know I shall probably lose it and so I am now going to try to see if I can somehow attach the cover to the bag.  Maybe make a pocket that you can fold your bag into......... I know I have a Kagool somewhere that you can do that with............ just got to think on where it is......

Here is the finished result..... a bit in your face isn't it?  Yes, but no one else will have one like it and I definitely won't lose it.

See you soon...  :0)

Dino (part 2)

Well I rejigged the pattern I had made and made the neck a little more vertical.  I searched my stash(es) of material to see if I had any blue material - not something I was aware of as most of my material is old curtaining, pieces of end of roll, bits picked up at rando and blue isn't a colour I go for.

Anyhoo, I happened upon a piece of cotton that I found in a basket of off-cuts which had white spots on and it coincidentally was the right size for the pattern - yeah I know right?  Everything happens for a reason.

I didn't think that the cotton would be strong enough to be man-handled as I thought the toy would be so I continued on and managed to find a piece of lining cotton.  Pieces of felt were also brought out and compared until I had the right colour - red - for the scales, feet pads and eyes.  All done, I set about cutting and sewing.

I doubled up on each of the body pieces - two spotted front and back, two lining pieces to match - I wanted to be doubly sure that he was strong enough to put up a fight with a 7 year old.  As you can see I corrected the shape of the neck to make him stand taller rather than look as if he was eating off the floor, then it struck me, I could have used my giraffe pattern! DOH!! Anyhoo it was too late by then and I was pleased with my solo effort so no harm done.

The felt was a real pain to sew with!  I hadn't used it before and the fibres kept getting caught in my needle.  Fortunately, as I was using Lucy (my hand-crank), I was able to stop and start lots of times to clear the clog but eventually (and with a few more coppers in my swear box), the toy was done.

When I stuffed him I tried to make sure that it was done evenly and tight in the neck again to help make it stand up.

To be a little different, I trawled the t'interweb and was able to find a small teddy growler.  This is a small cylinder which, when tipped to one side, growls.  I remember a lady made me a large teddy bear with one of these inside when I was little and I loved it.  I thought the little lad would and also it would be 'different'.  It came a couple of days later and I was able to put it into the tummy before I finished the stitching.  

I love my Dino!  The finish is clean, the stuffing was smooth and the material suited the project.  The only think I wasn't happy with was the growler.  It worked intermittently and it was a little on the quiet side - not that I wanted to frighten the little guy, but I wanted more of a roar than a meow. 

Anyhoo, I loved it and apparently when the little lad received it, he never let it out of his sight all day!! I would call that a result.

See you soon  :0)