Category Archives: projects

I didn’t actually say “never”. Or did I?

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It’s the first of December, so time to open the first door of the advent calendar. My children got vouchers for Christmas jumpers, or rather Christmas shirts. Why vouchers only? Because the shirts do not fit into the bags!

I did not mean to make the jumpers myself, but when I discovered the lovely, or rather supercool, Weihnachtstiere by Tante Gisi at biostoffe.at I couldn’t resist.

It features two giant Christmas themed motives, just ideal for the fronts of two shirts. So, you will only need two more fabrics for backs and sleeves. Nothing more.

I know, the clever clogs amongst my readers will feel the urge to remind me of my last post and that I said I would never e v e r again buy fabrics with one big panel. Clearly, I did not really mean never. There is no need to be so pedantic! After all, English is not my first language and minor vocabulary slips can happen to all of us. And anyway, the use of hyperbole is a sign of the highest level of rhetorical style and finesse! If you don’t get that than it is clearly not the fault of the speaker but of the recipient!

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Now, obviously this would look much nicer when worn by three pretty and well-behaved children. But as two-thirds decided not to wear them today and one-third decided to spill blood over it (nothing major, nothing that would justify to ruin a new shirt pre pictures at least, don’t worry), unfortunately this is all we will ever get.

DSC_1205pattern: Paul by pattydoo, fabric: Weihnachtstiere, designed by Tante Gisi for Lillestoff and red Kuller by Stoffonkel

DSC_1206pattern: Paul by pattydoo, fabric: Weihnachtstiere, designed by Tante Gisi for Lillestoff and stripes

DSC_1207pattern: Paul by pattydoo, fabric: I give you my heart, petrol by Stoffonkel and some more stripes

 

 

Never e v e r again

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My daughter likes cats? Why? I do not know? She thinks they are cute. I don’t. I personally only know 2 cats. No 1 was the cat of a flatmate about 20 years ago. She peed in my bed. Twice. Because I had offended her by leaving her alone to attend a lecture at university.

No 2 does worse in our garden. Probably because we have offended her by not letting her in our flat. Let me just point out that I am not the owner of said cat. I just happen to live in the neighbourhood. Why am I telling you this? Oh, yes, we were talking about cats. So my daughter likes them and as the loving and caring mother I am about 50% of my time, I thought I could make a top for her out of Mademoiselle Chat by Lillestoff, designed by Tante Gisi. It is a rapport fabric, featuring a giant cat head rather than a small print pattern. Already it looked giant for my skinny girl so I was looking for pattern for an oversized shirt to make sure that the whole cat fits on her tiny chest. And I found a lovely layered top, Lotty by kibadoo (so lovely that I bought the grown up version, too).

What I did not realise until I opened the folded piece of fabric, there were actually two giant cat heads rather than just one for the front of the top and lots of background for back and sleeves as I had expected it. Now, this is no ones fault obviously, I am not experienced in these kind of fabrics and wasn’t even aware of the different options and that it would be worth to check. The main reason why I do not like these types of fabric is that you can not use them very economically. There are always giant pieces left that are hard to use up. And this has really been my main goal the last couple of weeks. To get more space in my stash cupboard. So, it was just reeeeally annoying, that the one time I was thinking I could use only one piece of fabric and actually use it up, I actually had to buy two more pieces, one for the top layer and one for the top peeking out. Which meant I ended up with three huge pieces of left overs.

Lots of moaning, I know. But if you are living in Vienna you are legally obliged to spend at least 80% of your time being grumpy.

However, without that silly fabric saving background story, I am really pleased with the result. I do love the top, even if there is a cat grinning at me whilst probably secretly planning where to leave her next surprises.

DSC_1044 (2)pattern: Lotty by kibadoo, fabric: Mademoiselle Chat, designed by Tante Gisi for Lillestoff, Rapunzelringel and blue jersey all by Lillestoff

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I am really pleased I have been forced to looking for a new pattern. I have always been a fan of layers but I am not particularly fan of tracing patterns in 50 different sizes.

As I said, I have already bought the grown-up version MaLotty as well and made a lovely top for myself:

stretchy top underneath….

DSC_1111pattern: MaLotty by kibadoo, fabric: Lillestoff, surprise paquet

… plus oversized top layer…

DSC_1122fabric: Botanical by Hamburger Liebe for Albstoffe

…equals…. cool look

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Obviously it looks much cooler when worn but that would mean changing the complete outfit and finding a competent photographer which seems far too much effort at the moment. So, I’ll  leave it to your imagination. Just let me tell you that I find it so cool that I have already cut out the next combination, I simply haven’t got the time to sew it as I want to finish my private charity project first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A fresh start

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As some of you might remember Atelier Oursonne has not just been the weird name of this blog but rather the weird name of the business I had founded years ago in London.

When we moved back to Austria, I closed it down officially and was not entirely sure if I should start again freshly in Vienna or not. So, whilst I was thinking about it, life took some unexpected turns and the question to business or not to business was suddenly less important and had slowly faded away.

But a couple of months ago, one of my former major clients of yoga bags contacted me with an order…… which caught me slightly unprepared. My first instinct was to just turn it down but then I thought that I might as well at least use up the material that I had still left in the various corners of the house. And what can I say, I relapsed –  making these few bags got me totally hooked again and I have officially registered a trade in Austria.

As things are a bit more complicated over here, it is currently officially only for “making bags from unusual and recycled material” – whatever that means.

I will also be allowed to make hats, either knitted or sewn and baby accessories such as scarfs, playmats, changing mats or whatever comes to your mind and I am really planning on adding a few exciting products to my business.

I have already bought the most beautiful fabrics and I am ready to go now that the time consuming toddler is supposed to be in nursery.

Since these yoga bags are meant to be for grown ups, I have also added personalised drawstring bags to my range and as you can imagine, playing with cute fabrics and childish motives is just right up my street.

Some fabrics don’t need anything else….

 

 

 

Others are a bit more boring and need some extra help…

and of course the whole point in a personalised bag is having the name on it…

As you can see, it is all about mix and match, colours and patterns but believe it or not, I can also do subtle and harmonious if asked politely….

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So, if you feel the need of having a drawstring bag with your name on it, check out my rekindled etsy shop or contact me directly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve finally got it

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Hurray, I’ve finally got it. The perfect project for my blogging come back.

Do you remember, when I promised you a post about the perfect gift? Back in December (in my personal time scale, not the one that most people use)?

As the post worth being the perfect come back post relates to the perfect gift post we will quickly have to pretend that I have already blogged about it months ago. So, remember when I told you that Mr No Thank You happens to have a dad? Lets call him Mr Big No Thank You? So, in 2017 (a while ago), I had to make the perfect birthday present for my husband as he turned 30 (I think I have mentioned that he is the same age as me?). I thought long and hard about it and settled on a football outfit as he is actually volunteering as a football trainer in the local school. Successfully, I would like to point out. In the sense that they haven’t immediately replaced him. Not in the sense of a winning team. It is not about winning, it is about taking part. But back to me and my project. Do you know that feeling when you thought you had the perfect idea and it looked amazing in your head and then, while you are making it, you are not entirely sure anymore? And it looks actually completely ridiculous. Well, I had this feeling when I was making the shorts.

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pattern: PAtom by ki-ba-doo, fabrics: footballer by Hamburger Liebe, black and white not sure

I have to admit, these shorts would look amazing on a 5 year old but remember, it was meant for a grown up.

I was much happier with the T-shirt that looks like a proper football shirt with club logo, name and number.

The logo is the shape of three totally random children walking together. Which I found a wonderful symbol for something like a team or lets say a family.

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pattern: Tom by pattydoo. Fabric: Footballers by Hamburger Liebe, rest unsure.

Name and number on the back:

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So, whilst I was very pleased with the fun side of the ensemble, I felt that, considering that the 30th birthday is a round one, I should take it more seriously and actually made a – as I would say – very wearable hoody in subtle colours and contrasting piping in the seams.

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pattern: Jordan by pattydoo, fabric: soft sweat, bought at Lieblingsstuecke

The whole thing is actually slightly darker than on the picture, a proper dark teal, really nice.

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Some of you might now wonder why I am not showing you all those beautiful clothes worn by their proud owner as this would look much better. Well, because Mr. Big No Thank you kindly thanked me before very carefully putting them away, somewhere deep down in his wardrobe. In his defense, it was in june and it was a hot summer so I do understand that he didn’t fancy to even try that hoody to see if it fits. And I should have known better anyway. After all, he is only ever wearing black jumpers. I stupidly thought out of laziness but anyway. And I know, the one T-Shirt I had made for him years ago, had not fit him very well and he did not like the material, too thick apparently (others would call it beautifully soft organic cotton but anyway). And I do know that he never ever asked for anything made by me. So I am not at all bitter. Not at all.

Ok, those of you who are still following might now wonder why on earth I would choose such a story as big come back. After all, it wasn’t exactly a success, was it.

But remember, this was just the back story to introduce the character of dear Mr Big No Thank You who has never ever shown any interest in getting something sewn by his lovely wife.

But then, something happened. Something sensational happened:

One sunny morning mid june 2018, the little one was wearing his pyjama made out of a stripy jersey out of a surprise packet and looking really cute.

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pattern: Babyanzug, Babyleicht by Pauline Dohmen. fabric: Lillestoff Glueckspaket.

Mr Big No Thank You looks at it, feels the material and says: Nice, can you make me a T-Shirt out of this?

I almost fell off the chair when I heard that. Then I ran to my computer trying to get more of that fabric. I couldn’t find it anywhere as apparently it had only been in the Glueckspakete. So, I had to find it privately through a facebook group where we change unwanted surprise fabrics. And luckily I got it, about three days before his birthday. And tada:

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pattern: Max by pattydoo, fabric: Lillestoff

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And guess what: He is wearing it sensationally often.

Now, if that story is not worth to be the top story, I don’t know what would be….

but of course this blog is supposed to be about sewing projects, exciting patterns and stuff. Not about silly fussy men who are hard to please. And the T-Shirt as such is nice but not sensational.

Sigh. So once again, this is still not the first post to revitalise this blog.

But you know what? I actually know exactly what will be the perfect project to show you. I knew it all along. But I am not telling you. Not yet!