Hillary's Blinds Country Crafts Competition

Free fabric!

Did I read that right?

Oh my... fabric... for free... how could any fabric addict pass up such an opportunity?

There must be a catch?

Oh look darn there is a catch, I have to make something with it, such a shame because you know I don't like being creative at all *sigh* :D

Yeah right I think Mr Mouse would be seriously worried if I not only passed up an opportunity for free fabric but then couldn't work out something to make with it.

The free fabric came courtesy of Hillary's Blinds as part of their Country Crafts Competion. I had a choice between four different designs in their new Country Retreat range and they are simply stunning but for me the Bird Paradise in Teal really stands out as a winner so this is what I picked.

I might have actually squeaked with delight when the fabric came as it is really gorgeous, I don't think pictures will ever do it justice.

But then the dilemma what to make.

I though about using it as panels in a skirt, but I didn't have any similar weight fabric in my stash, then I decided on a bag and I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to take the mini bunny eared tote I designed and made last year and scale it up to a full sized tote.

The original mini bunny eared tote

So what was my inspiration for this tote?

Well I do love my bunnies.

But also have you ever been carrying a tote and wishing that it had different handles?

Well I have and its just annoying when you want to hoist that bag up on your shoulders but the handles are just far too short, or you want to carry your bag in your hand and the handles are so long that you end up wrapping them around your hand, which is a pain in itself. Even worse when the handle are just too short and long all at the same time.

So I came up with bunny ears for handles.

Ta-Dah

Simply tie for desired length, simples.

So here we have it a full sized bunny eared tote in the most gorgeous fabric ever:

Being a large tote I did add a little pocket on the inside:

actually its a little double pocket 

But in future I will also add an internal security zipped pocket and a magnetic closure to the main bag.

But.....

Well.........

I still had some fabric left.......

So.......

Mini bunny eared tote

Another small version. This one I used a heavy weight interfacing on so it retains a rigid shape and would be perfect for an Easter egg hunt.

How cute are those ears?

P.S
How I would love a few metres of this fabric to play with.

P.P.S
I am still thinking a skirt with peak-a-boo peacock panels would be awesome.

Further Adventures in Sewing - Purse

I wanted to have a go at making a purse using a purse frame.

I picked a sew in frame found a pattern and hey presto -

I shall be making more :)

Adventures in Dressmaking - Skirts

I have been wanting to expand my sewing skills into clothes making for a while.
I can read a pattern but for some reason the idea of making clothes seemed very scary. Cushions, bags and toys are my comfort zone.

I am from a family of sewers and I grew up watching my Mum make clothes so some stuff must have sunk in. I decided it was time to give it a go.

I picked an easy pattern pack for my first project:

I did have to google how to do the zip as the pattern instructions were not very clear. But here is my first ever skirt made from scratch.

Look at the big bunny, not my big tummy

I love this fabric 

I was really pleased with it and I am proud to wear it, but I am not totally happy with the zip (but hey first garment zip) and I found googling instructions not really that great. What I really wanted was a book with clear step by step photos and instructions and I happened to find one in Home Sense while browsing last year its Dressmaking, The complete step-by-step guide by Alison Smith (you can buy it from Amazon). Its really good and covers the basics including how to measure yourself, understanding patterns and even how to alter patterns for a better fit. It does also include 12 basic garment patterns and also has a section on mending and repairs and customising.

Almost complete

So with the aid of this book I set about making the second skirt from the pattern pack and again I am really pleased with the result and I love my fabric choice.

Sorry about the really rubbish photo

P.S both fabric are from Ikea. The top skirt the fabric was discontinued last year and the bottom skirt is this.

Changes

You night have noticed that I haven't been here for a year. Last year was very hard for me and culminated with me losing my job at the beginning of this year. I wont go into all the details but I have historically written about my struggles with my desk job and chronic illness. But I will say it was a toxic situation that was making more poorly. 

So what now?

I am job hunting and times are a little uncertain (food to buy, mortgage to pay etc)

But I am also using the time productively. As my health is improving I am doing more to get fit and doing all I can to keep moving and better manage my complex range of health issues. I am also teaching myself how to make clothes and getting a better focus on my business and will be launching new things this year. I am trying to spend time each week de-cluttering and sorting through things. 

Moving forwards...

I am going to blog my journey and the life stuff is going to be a bit more of the focus.

Lifestyle, being a spoonie (living with chronic illness) and there maybe a review or two along the way - things I've tried, products I use, I have also become a Bzz Agent so there may also be the occasional Bzz. 

But most importantly it will all be my own views, my own struggles and (hopefully) triumphs.