RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
I have tons of sewing I want to do. But I keep failing to actually do any, as opposed to looking at patterns and fabric on social media when I already have plenty of both.
Crafty Thread - what are you working on at the moment?
- Thread starter radio_atomica
- Start date
I have passed that on to my daughter...who is keen on wax print dungarees too (and for grand-daughter). The cotton is a delight to cut and sew. For years, any sewing made use of the kitchen floor (my knees complained) but having a huge, more or less empty table, with a permanent ironing set up and a good light has made it much more enjoyable...and the speed, compared to knitting! I am even considering a quilting project.
Rebelda
Nearly as bad as Badgers
I was going to ask you about the pattern! Thank you, yes please
I'm east London rather than south but am not averse to a trip to Brixton, thanks for the tip! Xx
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
I will dig out the pattern tomorrow.I was going to ask you about the pattern! Thank you, yes please
I'm east London rather than south but am not averse to a trip to Brixton, thanks for the tip! Xx
Ridley Road market is worth a shot and there's a guy just inside the shopping centre (as you go in from the market), who sells really cheap stuff but it's not cotton.
Also Wentworth Street near Algate East.
(misses London
)This is the green fabric, it's quite loud....
Rebelda
Nearly as bad as Badgers
Oooh I love that!I will dig out the pattern tomorrow.
Ridley Road market is worth a shot and there's a guy just inside the shopping centre (as you go in from the market), who sells really cheap stuff but it's not cotton.
Also Wentworth Street near Algate East.
(misses London
This is the green fabric, it's quite loud....
View attachment 232077
And Aldgate is on my work patch
I keep meaning to pop in to the place on watney market but forgetting.
ginger_syn
Her Insanity laughs under pressure...👾
Not technically a craft thing,but I faked a bookcase with a cardboard box and some wallpaper.
This is the back
This is the back
Saul Goodman
It's all good, man
I got fed up holding my Kindle thing, so I decided to put the printer to work and make a stand for it.
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
When Greebo died, my dad asked if he could have her 1930s Singer manual machine, as my gran (mum's mum) had taught him to sew on one, and he prefers manuals to electrics. He's used it (Greebo had about 40 different feet for the machine) to make a sail for a neighbour's boat, to make himself a pair of gloves (he has fingers the length of bananas!
), to make curtains & tablecloths, & to repair clothes. My mum refused to learn to sew, or to use a machine, so I was happy to send Ann's Singer to a good home. 
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
When Greebo died, my dad asked if he could have her 1930s Singer manual machine, as my gran (mum's mum) had taught him to sew on one, and he prefers manuals to electrics. He's used it (Greebo had about 40 different feet for the machine) to make a sail for a neighbour's boat, to make himself a pair of gloves (he has fingers the length of bananas!
((((VP)))) Yes, its always good to send things on to good homes to people who will appreciate them. I still miss seeing Ann post here.
I hauled myself off the couch and went for a cold, wet and windy walk on the fen (skylarks and roe deer to be seen). Several bone-chilling hours later, just like that, I am back on the yarn. A totally seasonal hobby, I have a dreary number of unfinished jobs- such as several pairs of gloves
- the first vague hint of spring and knitting is forsaken,, absolutely unable to knit another stitch.
I had been planning to make a waistcoat for sweetheart but was dithering about fabric. Amazingly, I have just been given 3 pieces of gorgeous material, one of which is definitely destined to be used for the waistcoat. The first piece - a lovely Harris Tweed, is perfect (the photo is a rubbish representation of the colour which is ochre, with flashes of bright blue, red, green. I have about .8 of a metre (60ins wide) of each - any ideas what to do with these lovely pieces of cloth?
- the first vague hint of spring and knitting is forsaken,, absolutely unable to knit another stitch.
I had been planning to make a waistcoat for sweetheart but was dithering about fabric. Amazingly, I have just been given 3 pieces of gorgeous material, one of which is definitely destined to be used for the waistcoat. The first piece - a lovely Harris Tweed, is perfect (the photo is a rubbish representation of the colour which is ochre, with flashes of bright blue, red, green. I have about .8 of a metre (60ins wide) of each - any ideas what to do with these lovely pieces of cloth?
Attachments
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
Well, here's what happened to my grey wool. I have no idea why I made this, I really don't do twee normally, but I was looking for a bit of fiddly hand sewing to do in front of the telly.
O that is ridiculously adorable. (I knitted a rat, last year, so I am not immune to cute).
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
Looks like a demonic entity to me!
He's less scary when you meet him face to face....
Hmmm, I have also been looking at Luna Rabbit (on some craft site I sometimes visit). I think 3 of my girls would be quite keen. I love the outfit on yours and can see some opportunities for customising the get-up.He's less scary when you meet him face to face....
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
I’m making a baby!
Fabricating, really. As a prop for my year 11 exam piece next Friday, and future plays thereafter.
I’ve been thinking for years that with a toddler’s sleep suit or similar you could section it off at the joints and fill each section like a beanbag.
Lovely onenameshelley supplied some clothes but I realised I didn’t know what to fill it with that would be cheap, heavy and mouseproof, plus require zero effort to acquire, so I had a rethink.
So I’m working with a simple armature of 2mm wire, and in the place of the long leg bones I’ve used the outer tube of biros (I don’t want the legs to bend anywhere inappropriate). Then I built it up with layers of carrier bags, tightly wound for minimal rustle factor. Securing these with washi tape - finally an actual use for this very pretty but almost entirely useless tape, that I seem to have somehow accumulated many rolls of! I added a number of pennies to weight the legs and feet (the feet are prosecco corks, shaped with carrier bag padding. Then I covered the lot with cohesive bandage (like crepe bandage but thinner and self-clinging. Popular with vets.)
First attempt was too skinny - the bandages compress everything a lot, so in the last picture I have added more padding and another layer of bandages.
Will update as I go. It has a bum now but I didn’t take a pic so I’ll explain that process tomorrow.
Fabricating, really. As a prop for my year 11 exam piece next Friday, and future plays thereafter.
I’ve been thinking for years that with a toddler’s sleep suit or similar you could section it off at the joints and fill each section like a beanbag.
Lovely onenameshelley supplied some clothes but I realised I didn’t know what to fill it with that would be cheap, heavy and mouseproof, plus require zero effort to acquire, so I had a rethink.
So I’m working with a simple armature of 2mm wire, and in the place of the long leg bones I’ve used the outer tube of biros (I don’t want the legs to bend anywhere inappropriate). Then I built it up with layers of carrier bags, tightly wound for minimal rustle factor. Securing these with washi tape - finally an actual use for this very pretty but almost entirely useless tape, that I seem to have somehow accumulated many rolls of! I added a number of pennies to weight the legs and feet (the feet are prosecco corks, shaped with carrier bag padding. Then I covered the lot with cohesive bandage (like crepe bandage but thinner and self-clinging. Popular with vets.)
First attempt was too skinny - the bandages compress everything a lot, so in the last picture I have added more padding and another layer of bandages.
Will update as I go. It has a bum now but I didn’t take a pic so I’ll explain that process tomorrow.
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
Loving the effort going into this spanglechick! What are you going to do for the face?
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
The rabbit is quite easy to make as long as you like handstitching - most of the seams are overstitching. The waistcoat was the fiddliest thing to make.
As I said, not really my thing at all, but it's fun to create something out of stuff I already have.
I could photocopy some of the book for you, but the Luna's friends book is only a fiver on Amazon at the moment and it does include the original rabbit pattern.
I've bought the Jan Horrox Cloth Dolls book but I think the intricacy of it might be beyond me. Also I'm supposed to buy a load of expensive pens to draw the faces and I am trying really hard not to buy any new craft things.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Not sure. Was planning to shape and stuff a canvas tote, but I have loads of core wood from needle felting, so I may felt the head and hands.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
Miss-Shelf
I'll meet you further on up the road
I used to go to that fabric place in Watney market when I worked round there. The people learned Sylheti so they could speak with their clienteleOooh I love that!
And Aldgate is on my work patch
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
You mean October, don't you?
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
My grandmother did this. I have dabbled since, but it is really time consuming and I don't like the finished effect very much. When I had the sewing school, a 'textile artist' came in to run a hand patchwork workshop. She charged quite a lot, but she included a talk/conversation about the history of patchwork and the participants said they had a lovely restful day.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
Yes! Yes I do.You mean October, don't you?
moose
like some cat from Japan
I fancy it because I can do it by hand (or least the piecing), and I've seen a woman's work on Instagram that has seduced me with the choice of fabrics, I guess.
Looby
Well-Known Member
I haven’t yet but weirdly I was sorting the spare room yesterday so I have a clear sewing space again and was watching Mr Looby struggle with the heavy old machine.
I‘ll resume looking again soon, Mr Looby could contribute for Christmas maybe.
I did this as a girl. Loathed it. My mum was a fantastic sewist (despite having only one arm) and did a heap of quilting, embroidery, crewelwork and so on...but bafflingly (because I am a colour fiend) I have resisted all this intricate fiddly stuff. I have concluded I am basically a utilitarian at heart who sees no value in wall hangings, embroideries, samplers and even quilting unless it results in an actual usable quilt (and not the dreary PE kit bag I made with a bazillion hexagons which I promptly left on a bus). I also do not do well with repetition. A single granny square blanket was abandoned after 94 squares, never to be attempted again.
You do need good eyes for hand stitching. My mum used to measure my stitches - we were expected to do around 16 per inch.
