Category Archives: Scrap Sunday

Scrap Sunday: Keep your belongings with you

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Whilst I was rather quiet online I had still been busy making rather quick birthday gifts. So here is a series of small bags, two are made out of waterproof fabric, the one in the middle is made of various cottons. I guess the waterproof ones aren’t exactly scrap fabrics as I have still so much stored of those two that we can hardly call it scrap. The pure cotton one however is cut from rather small pieces of scrap as are all the pocket and lining pieces of the other two.

All have nice patterned cotton lining and two pockets, one with a elastic band on top for more security and one with a zip, big enough for a mobile phone. And obviously another fabric behind that zip 🙂 I might be unable to use the same fabric for all the lining.

So we have red hearts on white and white hearts on red….

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crazy butterflies (I love that one but think it would be too much as  a main fabric, so perfect as lining) and more subtle flowers …

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and my current favourite: orange with dandelion pattern and the crazy butterflies. IMG_3512I think the orange looks particularly great with the outer pink. I had ordered a remnant for a skirt for myself and well, once it arrived, I realised that it wouldn’t really be suitable for a grown up skirt. But it is perfect for linings.

For all three bags I ironed a fleece on the lining which gives it a really nice feel and interfacing on the outer fabric. (loosely following instructions from the Bag Bible) The first two ones turned out too stiff I think. Particularly the cotton one doesn’t actually look great. The natural creases (after turning it inside out) come out much more with that interfacing (which is meant to be medium weight).

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For the last one I have invested in some fancy Vilene interfacing and it is just so much nicer. I am not sure if it is because it is woven or because it is a better brand or because it is in fact lighter than the other one but the result is definitely much better.

For all three, I have used hook and loop fastening to close the main flap and I think it fits the purpose but I really need to work on my positioning as the last bag was actually not even closable 🙂

 

 

Scrap Sunday: A fierce pirate

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After yesterday’s epic post just a tiny Scrap Sunday, alright?

The other day my 3 year old son asked for a pirate costume. Both my daughter (5) and I ran off in excitement to get all the material. I made an eye patch out of dark blue fabric (I actually do not own black fabric! Did I even throw away the left overs from the witches cloak? I never throw away scraps!) whilst she made him a telescope, a pirate hat and a sword out of paper. During this whole process he sat on the table watching us and making a few impatient comments.

So actually he was sitting there like a little king whilst we were both really happy to fulfill his orders 🙂 When I finally realised that and commented on it, he just said, he can’t do it, he is too little. And my daughter said, she didn’t mind as she loved doing little jobs (Note: This does apparently not include tidying up).

Anyway, we had hardly finished, when he changed his mind and wanted to be a fireman. And then a fighter (which means knight). And then a doctor. At this point even the little helper got fed up with him 🙂

Back to the eye patch.I have used two layers of thick blue cotton, a piece of firm interfacing and a black elastic band. I ironed the interfacing to one of the fabric pieces, sew them right side to right side with the elastic band already in place, left a little gap to turn it inside out, closed the gap (when I finally got the position and the length of the elastic right) and top stitched along the edges.

I have learned the valuable lesson that even for the tiniest thing it is actually worth to invest a few minutes in doing some research. It took me three attempts until it finally fit him.

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In case you were planning to make one, I would like to point out that the bottom part goes deeper down than the upper one. Meaning that the elastic should not be fixed at the middle but in the top half.

And if you are a bit bored by this meagre post go back to the dress post and finish reading that one 🙂

 

 

Scrap Sunday – World Costume Day

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I know, I know, a little later than usual, but it is still Sunday.

It was World Books Day this week, so time to get dressed up as favourite book character. Which is quite clearly mistaken by some as favourite TV character. I saw a lot of Disney princesses and Superheros plus one Yoda.

But I was lucky.  I asked them: What’s your favourite book?

Child No 1: Room on the broom (We haven’t read it in ages but ok.  It is a good book, also costumewise)

Child No 2: Blue.

We did a couple of times: -No your favourite BOOK. -Blue. (or “green” as clearly mum did not seem to be satisfied by blue)

I explained: – Look, for example P wants to be the witch from Room on the broom….

– I want to be the dragon, I want to be the dragon.

Great. Matching outfits. In different schools though 🙂

Technically, the witch costume is not exactly a scrap project. I had to buy just about everything. Well, the yellow bow (hiding behind the hair) and the ginger plait are made of scrap wool (see, I am still knitting). And we had the hat since ages.

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Obviously I could have made a simple purple skirt but I wanted to use the opportunity to practice piping as I will need it for the final garment in my Fashion Course.

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The dragon however is entirely made of scrap.

IMG_3297I have used the left over from the carrot costume  and some other red and orange fabric scraps.

First of all I cut out some sets of red triangles plus some strong interfacing. I sewed them together and turned them inside out. I also made a stuffed grey horn similar to the one the dragon in the book has on his head.

For the main “body” I used a hood pattern and just elongated it at the back into a long tail. I pinned all the spikes and the horn on one side and stitched the two body parts together. I decided to line it with some dark red left over lining as it makes the whole costume just so much more sustainable.

IMG_3295As you can see, the horn does not quite stand up but the dragon was happy and so was I.

I did not want to make a full costume because… well it would have been far too much work really but also we needed something practical to be able to play in the nursery and its garden.

And in case if you were wondering why he carries a flag, obviously this is not a flag but a portable fire to breath out fire. Because this is what dragons do.

I am extremely pleased with the result of the whole costume making. The child inside misses the carnivals of my childhood I guess.

It has been very little work (apart from the skirt) with maximum outcome plus the children could help with some of  it. Obviously the skirt is too elaborate for a costume only but it was a good opportunity and I made it to be worn on many occasions.

 

 

Scrap Sunday: The left over crafts bag

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Just one thing before we talk about the latest bag – for all those who have sleepless nights because they are wondering about the progress of the knitting in this knitting blog: Don’t worry I am still knitting, really. I will soon show you something knitted. Promised.

But now back to bag: This one here is made of lots of scraps, I even had the zip at home, so no shopping of new shiny things had to be done.

I wanted to make a little crafts bag for a birthday girl who seems to be into making things (cutting and sticking things on other things).

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I took a rectangular scrap piece of the outer fabric and cut it in half and started all the other measurements from there. Stupidly I didn’t write anything down as it turned out to be a rather perfect size.

Anyway, to give it more volume, I just put two seams in an right angle across the side seams (about 4cm from bottom edge, next time I would do rather 3) and cut off the excess fabric.

IMG_3274Inside, I lined it and added a few simple slip pockets: one big enough to hold some coloured cards. On the other side, one rather deep one (did not quite work out as un planned) for the glue stick, one for some pencils and one for a pair of scissors. Which I did not provide as I am completely paranoid by Health and Safety rules here and I don’t actually know the little girl or her family very well at all. So who knows if they have rules about scissors.

And then I just added a few craft things like tiny sparkly flowers, feathers, … just things you can glue onto other things.

I am extremely pleased with the result, quick, very pretty, a good use for scrap fabrics, personal present, so a total success (did not yet ask the little girl if she agrees on that 🙂 )

I hope you are not yet getting bored by bag posts, we are not quite done yet. But at least the next one will be a bit different, at least in a different fabric 🙂