Scrap Sunday: Of parents and children

Posted on 18/11/2018 by atelieroursonne

I guess most of you will know that moment when children proudly present their “artwork” to their desperate parents. Who will kindly accept the offer praising the quality of the “artwork” whilst secretly already hatching an evil plan of how to accidentally lose the thing. After the necessary time to be buried in oblivion obviously.

I don’t know about you but this happens to me all the time. Like yesterday for example.

My dad was supposed to just pass to drop something off and pick something else up, so I decided very last-minute to make him a hat. And one for my mum as otherwise it would be really unfair, wouldn’t it. Quickly, I got to work, I only had half an hour. Oh they would be so thrilled! I only just managed to finish them. Almost. Actually they aren’t completed yet, but my dad did not even have the 5 min so I could close the 2cm openings after turning them inside out. So my mum will have to do that. Which I find very exciting. Could be a new concept for my etsy shop, coming to think of it. Half finished bags so people can get their hands on, too. It is all about DIY these days, very trendy (or whatever the trendy word for trendy is these days).

Anyway, here are the hats:

pattern: Minutenmuetze by klimperklein, fabric: Monster by lillestoff, stripes from stash

My dad is in his early 80s by the way.

As the hats are reversible, the other side might be slightly more wearable but you never know. Reversible clothing is all about being ready for any situation after all.

patterned fabric: Botanical Herbs by Hamburger Liebe

Oh, and these two hats are not the only ones I am currently making. I am doing a real autumn-cleaning in my stash cupboard. Which means that I am making lots of presents for family, friends and friendly neighbours while gently pressuring them into donating something to a charity of my choice. At the same time I am also making random things for the Christmas market of said charity so I have spent yesterday evening with cutting out about 20 reversible hats.

Disappointingly, that looks actually much less than it felt sewing them together. I meant to get them done today but somehow my children insisted in getting food at lunchtime so there are a few left for tomorrow. Or the day after. It is getting quite boring and I am much more looking forward to the cute little baby stuff for my cute baby neighbours. Ok, you got me there, the whole mission is actually only an excuse to sew for them.

A fresh start

Posted on 14/10/2018 by atelieroursonne

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.

And the winner is…

Posted on 10/10/2018 by atelieroursonne

Here it is. Finally. The one and only. Real and official come back post after months of absence. What could be worth it? Let me tell you, it is not a big thing. It is tiny. Well I guess, being big or small actually depends… But anyway, it is a classic left over project. And remember? Actually, one of the most important aims of this blog used to be sharing ideas for left over fabric and yarn. But I am afraid, this can’t wait until next Sunday. It is too amazing.

If you are following other sewing blogs or forums, then you might be well aware of the trend to sew knickers. Or underwear in general. I always found that a bit silly. Don’t get me wrong, I totally love colourful and fun underwear. I just think that underwear needs to be washed at 60 degree and the precious material I am normally using is not made for such high temperatures. At least not according to the manufacturers. And anyway, I always thought self made underwear would be one step too far. Until the day, when I was looking for my next sewing project and couldn’t be bothered to make the 500st T-Shirt for my children….. However, I was very bothered by the amount of smallish pieces of left over fabric and so I decided to give handmade knickers a chance and what can I say! I got totally hooked. I have not taken any pictures of the very first ones and getting them out of my wardrobe and photograph them now, really seems to be a step too far. So let’s just enjoy the few that I have made since.

pattern: Frau Marla by Fritzi und Schnittreif, fabric: various

After a first attempt where I followed the pattern correctly, I decided to lower the waist by just leaving out the added waistband. I quite like this panty style, plus if you want to show off beautiful material, you need some space anyway.

Note: These are all in grown up sizes, not children. Because I will certainly not make knickers or underpants for my children. Just imagine! Bad enough if your mum buys your underwear but if she was sewing it for you!!! I would have to start saving up for that very much needed therapy immediately. Just imagine the embarrasment for them wearing mum-made underpants! They already find it sufficiently embarrassing to see their mum jumping around the house in blue pony knickers.

I am also not making any for my husband by the way. Not only because he wouldn’t be wearing them anyway but as I would never buy his underwear I feel that it is just appropriate to also not make any.

It was a really amazing journey. The first time doing it, it just feels wrong, my husband looked at me and simply asked: “Seriously?”

But then, you put it on and it feels so soft and it is such a beautiful fabric, maybe one that you rather shouldn’t be wearing as a top or dress…. and you just want to try it again. Maybe this time with pink unicorns or little monsters….

And let me tell you, once you open that door and go through it there is no turning back and you get torn into it deeper and deeper. Whilst i still believe in the very strict rule of not making any for my children, I have since made some for my sister (who has already asked for more) and some friends.

fabric: Lillestoff

Remember, when I had made some cute outfits for the babies of two of my friends with laboratory connections? I have realised that the babies have probably already outgrown their outfits and I should have made something for the friends themselves anyway. Sure, beanies would have been an option. But not really – compared to that:

fabric: Experimente by Lillestoff, design Susalabim

And remember, when my son admired my leggings made from this particular fabric and asked me why I had explosions at my bottom? Well, I still quite like that idea…

Remember, I was speaking of two friends. One is actually a male friend….

pattern: John by pattydoo, fabric: Experimente by susalabim, Lillestoff.

I would like to point out that I did ask my husband’s and my friend’s wife’s opinion on this one as I really wasn’t sure if I had already left the path of appropriateness or not …

… bottom explosion here as well.

Since those boxers I have actually lost all the boundaries, I have since made some for random people in my life…

(There are a few more unicorns on the horizon)

Remember, we are still talking about grown up sizes here.

Let me tell you, I really do believe now, strongly, that handmade knickers / underpants are the perfect and personalised gift and I fear, I am only one step from making some for the lovely elderly neighbours and my children’s teachers.

Ok, and with these certainly sensational news about my sewing adventure I would like to officially say: Welcome back to my blog. I promise to post more regularly. At least every now and then.

I’ve finally got it

Posted on 30/09/2018 by atelieroursonne

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.

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.

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

Name and number on the back:

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.

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.

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.

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:

pattern: Max by pattydoo, fabric: Lillestoff

DSC_0719 (2)

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!

Atelier Oursonne

handmade for you

Category Archives: sewing

Scrap Sunday: Of parents and children

A fresh start

And the winner is…

I’ve finally got it