Sewing on Sundays

Betsy and I have decided that the best way for us to get going with our dream is to just start.  We have vowed to sew every Sunday from 2 - 5 PM.  We have classes all planned out but if no one signs up we still sew.  No one signed up for today.  Betsy came to my house (classes are at her house) and she helped me organize and clean the loft.  She is the best at organizing and is a bit of a Drill Sergeant. I needed the help.  We re-arranged some machines and I moved the ironing board and some how that created a whole lot more room.  The sloped walls further limit the amount of useable space.  Just imagine if those walls actually rose from the floor at a 90 degree angle all the way.  I could have SHELVES.

Boy, looking at the photo, it looks messy.  You should have seen it before. It was chaos.

We worked on a self binding receiving blanket.  There is a You tube video of this project
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwdNqMZ8Ro

It took us a bit longer than she claimed it would.  Mitering the corners is easy but you have to be precise  and follow her directions carefully.  It was a fun little project.  I would do it again. 

I used my Singer 201-2 for this project.  I had tension problems.  Finally I loosened the bobbin tension and changed to good thread.  That helped.  I wonder if the check spring needs adjustment.  Something isn't quite right.  Well, good thing I have a Repair Shop right next door.

Sewing Class

Betsy and I got up early, headed to Oneonta and taught four wonderful women how to construct fabric baskets.  I love seeing other sewers fabric choices and combinations.  We had fun, class went well and now there are four more fabric baskets on the planet.

Melany, the store owner, was off on a run this morning so I opened up to get ready for class.  I pretended the shop was mine for about fifteen minutes.  What a dream, to be surrounded by all that fabric !  Just my imagination, running away with me.

It is a great space, full of light and color.  She has an online store, too.   Check it out. 

http://www.projectanthologies.com/

RE-PURPOSING

Somewhere in my internet ramblings I saw a post about how to make a purse from kids jeans.  I decided that I wanted to try that.

I found a darling little jeans skirt at the thrift store locally for a buck.  Turns out, it was a skort.  Inside were some cotton shorts.  I thought some of tearing them out, but didn't.  Instead I cut out the crotch and steam a seamed that fabric to the denim.  I lined the bag with some scrap fabric and used a belt for the strap.

I don't know what it is about me and men's undergarments..  The fabric I used for the lining is adorable as a fabric basket

 

But looks like boxer shorts on the inside of this bag

The fabric was from a scrap I got from Melany at Project Anthologies http://www.projectanthologies.com/   I was practicing for the fabric basket class.  The little jeans skirt was from our local thrift store as was the belt.  The snaps were from a stash.  The bag cost 2 bucks in materials and a whole lot of fun to make.  I have two other pair of little kids jeans shorts.  I can't wai to see what evolves from them!

Fabric Baskets

Betsy and I are teaching another sewing class at Project Anthologies in Oneonta this fall.  Fabric Basket.  Melany, the store owner, thought this would be a good project.  So we are on for September 22.  It is a fun little project, really.  I found the pattern on line. https://sew4home.com/projects/storage-solutions/you-asked-4-it-structured-fabric-baskets  I made some modifications and eliminated the handles for this basket.

She makes a hem on the top of both the lining and the basket and then stitches it together with the wrong sides together.  I put the lining inside the basket right sides facing, stitched along the top and left a gap and then insided it out.  Its bulky  with the interfacing, but I think it is less work.

This one has handles.  I used sew-in interfacing vs fusible.  I like it better.  It is also heavier and gives the basket more heft.  BUT it is not so forgiving with the inside out method. I think that I will try the hem method next.  I will also make straps that are not so thick.  Still, I think it is adorable and a fun little quick project.