Sewer's supplies #2

Nr 2, you might think, when was nr. 1? Well, back in April 2011. This was meant to be a series of posts. And that is also how long I've been wanting to make a ham and sausage. And so I finally did, because they are perfect for using scraps. I had to select on weight of fabric so they're not exceptionally pretty.

I used the tutorial Tilly just posted. I don't know if they have the right size, I don't have a printer so I transferred measurements from my iPad to paper. The sausage seems about right, the ham is on the small side. I'm not sure the pattern is right, even if you made it bigger it wouldn't be as rectangular as pictured in the tutorial. I stuffed them with the synthetic contents of a pillow. So, not much else to say about these, let's get back to work! 2 days, 2 projects...

(15:60 #13)

Good loot

Excusez-moi for my lack of posting last week! Thoughout the week work and our garden took up most of my time, while our weekends were filled with family visits. I got some great produce out of it all though: the zucchini's are growing like crazy, and our family provided me with lots of sewing supplies.
First, I got this sewing box from my mom. She used it for her sewing stuff, but she doesn't sew anymore. I remember always being fascinated by the way it opens. How cool is this? All my sewing stuff fits in there, and it's so much better organized.



I also got some great leather scraps from Stef's grandmother. She's the one who made my leather bag, and she had some wonderful pieces left. I especially like the blue-greyish ones, and the soft purple ones. These will make for some pretty bracelets! Maybe even combined with the crocheted thingies (no idea what they're called). It would be a shame not to show this meticulous handwork somewhere it can be seen, right? And what about those amazing wooden bag handles? They were hand painted by Stef's aunt, and they will definitely be used for my next big purse. The wool is alpaca, brought from South America by Stef's sister, destined to be a warm bonnet. One could not hope for a nicer family in law!

Funny how those leather pieces are shaped like hides. As if they really came from tiny animals. I picked up the blue fabric at the market, for - again - just € 1,-! There was nothing wrong with it, apart from some bird dropping which the washing machine took care of. It's a 2x3 metre piece, it seems to be a linen blend of some sort. It's supposed to be a curtain, it has a weighted hem. But think it's excellent material for a pretty sundress, don't you think?

Sewer's Supplies #1

Since I've been reading blogs about sewing, I've learned not only about techniques, but also about all those things that make the sewing process easier. The sew-and-blog community shares not only it's latest creations but also favourite supplies, notions, brands and other sewing aides. Yes, pincushions are worth blogging about! So let me tell you about mine. Until recently I had only one pincushion (one! how shabby!), but I never saw the need for more. We have very limited space anyway, so I have to keep my sewing stuff at a minimum. Let me introduce to you my first and favourite pincushion!

Isn't it cute? Wait till you hear the story behind it: my ex boyfriend sewed this for me, with help from his mother. How sweet is that? We were together only for a short time but we're still friends, so I don't mind being reminded of him by this cushion. I've had it for six years now, and it has always been sufficient. But apparently, if I may believe my fellow bloggers, one can never have too many pincushions.

Especially when they're pretty to look at. You'll see what I mean at The Sew Weekly's 30 Day Pincushion Giveaway. What I did need was a small pincushion that I could keep close by when sewing. The less movements you need to make when trying to sew a straight line, the more accurate you can be.

So when I found out about wrist pincushions, I had to have one! All you need is some fabric scraps, elastic band and fluff. Now I can keep my fabric straight with my left hand while taking out pins with my right, all in one smooth move!