Project Thursday

Procrastinating Much about posting today? You bet I am! This has been a dodgy crafting week to say the least. I have had one out of three projects turn out they way they were supposed to - so I will share a pic of that one with you all!

Yes - it is another bag! But not for me this time. This is a little goody bag for the H boy as a present from the baby. It is made using a pair of cargo pants using this pattern and instructions from Noodlehead.

It worked remarkably well - and given that the pants were a pair of maternity pants that were quite possibly the most uncomfortable maternity pants in the history of time - this was a much better use for them.

The contents of the bag include:

- a 'Baby' complete with wrap and nappies
- some colouring in pencils and a drawing book in a pencilcase
- a "zhu zhu" pet (funny mechanical toy hamster thing)
- a "Big Brother" T-Shirt
- some stickers


While I did find the cutting out of the fabric a little hard going - it was a very easy pattern to follow and sewed up easier than both of the bags I have made in the previous two weeks.

I also made another onesie and pants outfit for the baby this week but couldn't manage to cut the diamond pattern I wanted for the onesie applique well enough for my liking so I put it aside until I could be bothered to try again.

And I had an attempt at making an art folder (for the above-mentioned colouring in pencils and drawing book) using a pattern based on the Thank-You notebook cover from the Anna Maria Horner Book - Handmade Beginnings. Well lets just say that sometimes interfacing instructions don't translate all that well into Australian products and the end result - while neat - was flimsy and just didn't work.

I promise next week there will be no bags - I'm over making bags!

Project Thursday - Sew Liberated Dapper Day Bag

Thursday has come around again very quickly it seems!

This week I made something that has been on the to make list for a long time - the Dapper Day Bag pattern from the Sew Liberated Book by Meg McElwee

After my bag making attempt from last week I was surprised that I was making another bag - but this one had no interfacing in the pattern so I figured it couldn't be that bad.

I have had the fabric picked out and put aside for this one for a while - a gray wool blend of some description for the outer shell and a pretty quilting cotton for the lining.

 

The pattern came together easily enough, I didn't make my own piping like it says in the instructions as that seemed to just add a layer of complexity that I didn't need right now, so I just bought some piping. I have never sewn anything with piping before and I was surprised at how easy it was - and it does create a lovely look on the finished product. The instructions for sewing the piping in were excellent.

In hindsight and via my fabric choices, this bag would have been better off with at least a light interfacing for the shell It is just that little bit too unstructured without it.

I also feel like the shoulder strap is a little bit too short and the width too wide for my shoulder as it doesn't sit comfortably on my shoulder. I would like to be able to sling the bag across my body messenger style but the strap is too short for that.

It is a good size day bag though!

I also made this:

A little set for bubs. I bought a few packets of plain onesies a while back and I have been slowly adding things to jazz them up. I decided to make a pair of soft jersey pants and a little hat to go with this one - babies always look nice in matching sets! I'm a bit addicted though now and I went out and bought some more jersey yesterday to make a couple more sets!

Unfortunately it will be starting to get cold here (the 'rules' in Canberra say you aren't allowed to break out a jacket or the heating before Anzac Day) right around when bubs is due - and I don't really have any jackets for him. I am waiting to see what size he is before I rush out to get some though as you just never can tell!

I think I'll just be applying the layering aspect of fashion to this little one - as we already have quite a large amount of boys size 000 clothing!

Project Thursday - Amy Butler Birdie Sling

Some people who have known me for a while might know that I dabble in a little bit of sewing here and there. I usually have a project of some description on the go but my motivation for crafting ebbs and flows depending on how I have feeling.

Lately however I have been now really feeling like sewing all that much. Sewing requires attention and I have been feeling just too tired to concentrate. Plus my sewing machine set up is a little cramped and as I have gotten bigger, the space just seems to get more and more cramped.

It's a little disappointing because I have heaps of projects that I want to get finished before the little one comes along - but I just don't feel like sewing.

I have, however, wanted to make a Amy Butler "Birdie Sling" for sometime now and I decided on Monday to get on with it.

 

So I got on with cutting it out (with 'help' from little hands) on Tuesday and spent yesterday fighting with my iron and fusible interfacing and pleats. I'm not sure if it is just my iron but the fusible interfacing just didn't want to fuse and the resulting wrinkles were driving me and my pregnant back crazy.

At about 10pm last night I left it to finish today. 

 

No fancy fabric - just something I had in the stash from Spotlight. I had it pinned for a different bag but given that particular bag has more interfacing than this one - I don't think I"ll bother.

This bag is nice and roomy - plenty of room for all of the baby kit! 

I'm not sure I'd recommend it for an absolute beginning sewer - but definitely a challenging project for an advanced beginner!

I used a medium weight fusible interfacing which I think the handle and yoke parts of the bag needs, however the main part of the bag could be done with lightweight fusible for a softer feel.

I'd better go pack it because this is destined to be the bag that Hubby is instructed to grab when I go into Labour!

I am hoping to make Project Thursday a regular blog post, even though this is primarily a health and fitness blog I do like to share other parts of my life - and sewing is my sanity saver (although when I do projects like this I do wonder about that!). 

How about you - What project have you been working on this week? I'd love to hear about it (It doesn't have to be sewing/craft related).