Lavender bags

It is far too long since I last blogged. The reasons are too many to list but I'm back. I am aiming to run a stall at a craft fair after the summer and am trying to build up some stock. The lovely Jane at handmadejane has given me many tips. This is how I made some lovely lavender bags.

1. I chose some pretty fabric. Actually this was a bundle of 3 tea towels I bought in a supermarket sale because I liked the floral design. The set of 3 cost £1. I kept them in my stash.

   2. I used my rotary cutter and cut out as many 16 x 11cm rectangles as I could get out of my fabric. The measurements can be anything you like of course.

     3. I made a little bag by stitching around 3 sides of the rectangles, using a narrow seam and leaving a gap along one of the short edges. This is for the lavender filling.

     4. Oops - in my haste I did not stitch right sides together .. Doh!! Out came the stitch ripper.

    

      5. Once the 2 pieces are sewn ( right sides ) together clip the corners.

        

       6. Turn right side out and press.

     

            7. Now for the fun part - fill with lavender.

       

      8. Stitch up the gap. I inserted a label into this seam so that the bag can be hung up if required.

       A bundle of these little beauties look very attractive.

    

  I made lots of these as a start on my stock for the stall but then I gave them all away!! So it's back to the sewing machine.

A relaxing project

 At last a much delayed post on my (very) slow growing blog. I spend many happy hours reading other sewists' / knitters'/ crocheters' blogs and end up neglecting my own!

Anyway - my current relaxing project - good for when I am watching TV - is this shawlette -Vintage Freemont. It is a joy to knit and I purchased the yarn at the Olympia Knitting and Stitching show. Unfortunately I did not buy enough so had to search online and was lucky to find a supplier. So I will be able to complete the job. 

I apologise for the not so good photo but will post again the completed item.

It's growing - slowly :)

And this it what it should look like. Beautiful! Has anyone done any similar knitting or crochet projects? I would love to hear about them.

What am I?

Hello fellow sewists! I have been neglecting my blog lately :(  however I have some plans afoot for some hand sewing posts - not one of my favourite aspects of sewing but one that I am tentatively trying out. In the meantime - does anyone know what this is??

PS has anyone been watching the Great British Sewing Bee? I'm hooked and loving every minute!

At Home Sew Along Skirt

Step 1. I have decided to make the Great British Sewing Bee pencil skirt for the sew along. It is featured in the March issue of Sew magazine. I downloaded the pattern - 12 pages - and pieced it together on my dining table.

Step 2. I have to choose some fabric from my stash.

Skirt sew along cont.

Step 3. I have chosen the fabric - a medium / heavy weight embossed navy blue. It looks a bit lighter in the photo. 

I even made a muslin from an old sheet.

        Step 4. Six darts to sew.

         

Then I had the urge to line the skirt and found some bright red lining fabric in my stash.

I interlocked / surged the raw edges.

Step 5. Lining made and I attached it to the waist edge before attaching the waistband. I did not use interfacing on the waistband as this fabric is quite heavyweight.

I couldn't be bothered to change the thread on the machine to red so I did a decorative hem stitch to the lining.

Step 6. I stitched the hem, added my label et voilà! The finished article.

A saucy glimpse of scarlet ;)

Zip and finishing touches

1. Now to insert the invisible zipper. First I like to press the zipper teeth flat as this makes it easier to stitch nice and snugly next to the teeth. I also overlocked the raw edges of the skirt before placing the zip with the coils along the seam line. Then I stitched one side of the zip going slowly to avoid puckering ( normally I am a bit of a speed merchant on the machine!) Once that side was done I did the other side, remembering to keep the zip face down and to work on the right side of my fabric. I then stitched the rest of the seam from the hem up and overlapped where the zip stitching ended. A final press and voilà. There are much better instructions than mine for inserting an invisible zipper - I like Sew Serendity's at blogspot - really clear instructions and photographs.

2. Next step is the lining. I attached this to the waist edge, so no need for any waistband or facings.

The final dilemma - to add a decorative trim or not? I am addicted to trims but am reliably informed that less is more. Mmmm? 

3. The finished article - as you can see I succumbed and added a hemline trim.

Grey skirt in construction.

I found it necessary to stay stitch the waist edge as this lovely soft fabric is slightly stretchy and I don't want puckers. It has 2 darts back and front. The best way to get a neat finish to darts is to end the stitching at the point end and go a few stitches beyond, do not reverse stitch but pull the stitches through to same side and tie off. Then press, press and more press.