Posts Tagged "sewing"

Tutorial Tuesday — Hodgepodge

Posted by Michelle on Jan 6, 2009 in Tutorial Tuesdays | 0 comments

Here’s a hodgepodge of links for my first Tutorial Tuesday, mostly sewing with a random fondant recipe for decorating cupcakes and the like with

• How to Make Marshmallow Fondant [via CakeJournal]
• Japanese Knot Bag [via Show Your Workings]
• How to Make a Pouch Sling [via Sling Your Baby]
• GiGi the Giraffe [via BurdaStyle]

Enjoy!

WIP – Lilac interlock pouch (practice)

Posted by Michelle on Nov 26, 2008 in Crafting | 2 comments

I scored some fabric off of Freecycle shortly after getting my sewing machine. Since I’m not too sure exactly what all the fabric is made of, I can’t exactly use them for carriers since I’m not sure if they’re safe. But I’ve found that the fabric makes for great practice!

I found some stretchy, interlock fabric that I decided to turn into a prototype pouch, not so much for use but to at least figure out how to make one. I used Jan from Sleeping Baby Productions has a great page on DIY baby carriers so I used her pouch instructions. I had to read it several times over but I think I got it. See?

Of course, I’ve never worn a pouch before so I wasn’t quite sure how to wear it. This was just the test fitting to see whether or not I’d measured correctly. The pouch was a bit tight when worn correctly so I’ll probably remeasure and try again. Luckily, this particular fabric was very wide so I’ll have more than enough to try again. And again. And again.

Sewing bug

Posted by Michelle on Nov 21, 2008 in To Be Sorted | 1 comment

After nearly a week of not getting to play with my sewing machine, The Little Empress very graciously allowed me a few moments to sit down to “practice” a few things… namely sewing in a straight line. Which I did. GO ME!

Aside from the couple pairs of baby leg warmers I’ve made, I have also managed to make a few… things… out of a remnant piece of fabric I picked up at Joann’s when I bought the machine. I had picked up the fabric and some organic bamboo batting (yikes, expensive)  to make into sucking pads for either our Pikkolo or TLE’s high chair. Seeing as I forgot to attach a means to fasten them to either the carrier or the chair, the would-be sucking pads are now mostly useless pieces of sewn fabric with batting between them. I say mostly useless because I’ve discovered that TLE has decided that they make fabulous toys to play with so maybe they’re not a complete loss.

Part of the reason that my would-be sucking pads turned out so clumsily was because I was largely cutting them freeform without a real idea or pattern to follow. Talk about wasting fabric. Aside from the printed ruler on my self healing cutting mat, I really didn’t have any other means of measuring or marking my fabric or cutting a straight line. With that in mind, I trekked over to the nearest Joann’s store to get a few supplies.

One of the things I’ve always disliked about beginning a new hobby is the initial money you inevitably have to spend in order to build up your tools and supplies. This is part of the reason that I’ve never gotten into scrapbooking though I could spend hours at craft stores just drooling at the supplies. Since I’ve taken up sewing to make (so I say) items that will have an immediate use, I’m able to justify the expenditure better, telling myself that what I invest in tools now will more than pay for itself in the money I’d save by making my own item.

With that in mind, I bought myself a fabric marker and a quilters ruler which is a little bit shorter than I was initially hoping for but will work for my use.

I also bought these two fabrics:

I am especially proud of the floral pink camo fabric — it’s such the perfect print for The Little Empress! Her Daddy totally approves. Even better, it came from the Red Tag area so it was only $4/yard. Sadly, I only got 2 yards. In hindsight, I should have gotten more so I could make more things from it. I could have (finally) done all of The Little Empress’ (never used) nursery in floral pink camo! Floral pink camo bedding, curtains and lampshades. How awesome would that be?

For my next project, I’m planning on making a nursing cover from the blue floral fabric. After looking at several different patterns online, I’ve decided to use  these instructions over at Breastfeeding 1-2-3. (Definitely worth checking out for nursing moms — also has instructions for DIY nursing necklaces. If I wasn’t so broke from investing in the sewing machine and other tools, I’d make myself some necklaces too!) Really, the concept is so simple (rectangle with a two straps, 2 D rings and boning) that I’m sure more experienced seamstresses would wonder why anyone would bother hunting down instructions. But I am a n00b so therefore, I will (try) to follow instructions. And because I made those, uh, fabric whatsits that have no purpose whatsoever when left to my own devices

To be honest, I’m not sure how much I’ll actually use the nursing cover. While I wouldn’t call myself a lactivist, I do tend to nurse in public a LOT without any real care to who could be watching. If The Little Empress wants to eat, I see to it that she does, regardless of where we are. (I think at this point, the entire Delta region has probably seen at least one of my breasts but hey….) While nursing in public rarely gets me much attention (and when it does, it is usually positive) I would like to be prepared for if anyone raises a fuss.

(And let’s be honest, there are some sleezy folks out there that sexualize breastfeeding. I haven’t run into them myself but I really wouldn’t want to. And for the record, dude, that’s just gross. The only person that should be sexualizing my breasts right now is my husband and that’s just because the poor man hasn’t gotten any in ages. TMI? Whups. Sorry. )

I can already tell that trips to Joann’s will be bad for my wallet. *sob* But luckily,  I won Cousin L’s giveaway and have scored a $10 gift certificate to Joann’s. YAY!! That’ll help me get more goodies

I’ve totally got sewing on the brain now. I was dreaming about things to make last night and today while in the car (The Hubster ™ was driving), I sketched out an organizer to sew for the back seat. A utilitarian craft — this is so awesome! While at Barnes & Noble today, I saw this cute book called Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household which I’ll probably pick up from Amazon later this month. Japanese, cute, useful and sewing? Right up my alley right now!

Woohoo!

Posted by Michelle on Nov 7, 2008 in Crafting | 0 comments

I finally got a sewing machine of my own! I originally borrowed one from a friend but decided to purchase my own. It is a Singer Inspiration 4205 — a basic model with 5 stitches and a 4 step buttonhole. Not fancy but it has a straight stitch and a zigzag stich which is all I need for now. Plus the place where I got it from has a “trade up” policy; if I decide in the next calendar year that I need something more robust, I can put the purchase price of this towards a new machine. Pretty cool.

Sadly, I haven’t gotten farther than practicing a few stitches on a spare piece of cloth I had laying around. On the plus side, I did manage to make quite a few good practice stitches; all that sewing I did back when I was a kid is coming back to me. Huzzah.

The Little Empress was NOT HAPPY when Mommy was trying to figure out her new machine and she threw a fit. Sewing Lesson #1 — NEVER try to sew before The Little Empress has had her nap.

My first project will probably be making sucking pads for TLE’s high chair. She looooves to suck on her high chair straps which is gross and nasty so I got a remnant of flannel, bamboo batting and velcro to make into a removable, washable sucking pad.

Sewing Maddness

Posted by Michelle on Oct 17, 2008 in Crafting | 0 comments

For the past month or so, I’ve been vacillating on whether or not to get a sewing machine. I used to sew and crochet way long ago, when I was a teenager and stopped doing it because it wasn’t the “cool” thing to do. Curse adolescence and the stupid need to fit in. Of course now knitting, sewing and all those other crafty things have experienced a resurgence in popularity and I’m a late adopter. Oh well, it doesn’t matter when you get into it, so long as you enjoy it.

After thinking about it and nearly buying a sewing machine several times over, I asked around to see if anyone had a sewing machine that I can borrow. I got several offers from friends who have sewing machines who either hadn’t used them in awhile or at all. This weekend, I’ll be picking up a newer machine from my friend Gypsy who used her machine once and never again as well as an older machine (possibly a Singer Featherweight!) from my friend Kyburg who sent it all the way up from SoCal with a mutual friend of ours. Whups. Be careful what you wish for — you may just get it!

I’m pretty excited about getting a sewing machine. In the struggle to be frugal in tight times, I’m resolving not to buy anything I can make myself for cheaper. This has come in handy for most food since I can cook and bake just about anything I want but less so when it comes to everything else. With a sewing machine, I can make more of my simpler baby and cloth diapering accessories.

My project list so far looks like this:

• Devil-Neko costume for The Little Empress
  Slipcover for baby carrier, black/red neko-mimi headband, black/red neko paws, black/red Baby Legs
  Still need to find a black or red onesie
• Wetbag
• Changing pad
• BabyLegs-knock offs

Other than the Devil-Neko costume, I’m not in a hurry on anything. Leave it to me to create a project list when I don’t even have my machine or materials yet! The good thing is, since I know what I want to make, I’ve already got lists of what I need.  I figure if I can delude myself into believing that I am organized, I’m halfway there! I’ve found some online purveyors of the PUL (polyurethane laminate) fabric that I need for the wetbags. I even found Hello Kitty PUL fabric which is, sadly, out of stock