Sep

30

From Feedbag to Food bag

Filed Under Pattern Review, sewing | 12 Comments

Pattern Review

An entry for the PatternReview “Make a grocery bag” contest

These days, although I have amassed a few reusable grocery type bags, usually giveaways at various trade shows, I am generally the type of person who either
A. leaves them at home by the back door
or B. Can’t find them when I need them!

Given the spirit of this contest, it made sense to me that the materials for a reusable, green grocery bag be, well, re-used!
So I started the hunt around the house, yard and barn for possible materials. (Feeling very Project Runway in the “use car parts” or “grocery store trip” sense here!!)

It was while feeding our piglets that I hit on the EUREKA moment. The feed bags that their feed comes in is a kind of plasticized fabric. Our local bank also uses this “fabric” for their reusable totes.  And so does companies such as - Toyota as seen here.   (If anyone knows the right name please let me know)

We go through about 20 of these bags a week. We can’t send them back- biosecurity issues. Generally they go out with the garbage/bluebox So why not use them for a better good!!

The best thing about using this bag is that the structure was already there. The side seams were well defined and reinforced already on two edges.

The directions are very basic: I wanted about a 18 inch high bag. Allowing for turning over the top edge twice, and having a 5 inch wide bottom, I cut the bag down to 23 inches. I reinforced the side seams by stitching down the edges 1/4 inch in.

I sewed the bottom seam. Then, in order to make the square bottom, I folded out the side seams (it should form a point). I measured in 2.5 inches, and sewed straight across. It should look like a triangle.

 

 This is what it looks like looking down into it.


From there it was a simple matter of folding under the top edge twice and stitching. I used left over strips of the fabric to make simple handles and sewed them on.

From start to finish in less than 1/2 an hour. 

(There you go Kate- I resized the pics for you!)

Sep

16

Bridesmaids all in a row

Filed Under bridesmaid dress, sewing, wedding | 6 Comments

The darling daughters and I have been Facebooking photos and bridesmaid dress ideas galore.  With one in Calgary, one in Ottawa, one in Windsor and only 2 nearby, getting a cohesive concept is not a simple task.  I am not used to having some of them so far away.  Sure facebook and cell phones make the world a smaller place, but it is difficult to fit a dress, or even choose one when the darlings are not here.

We cope though. 

And I am definitely NOT complaining!

Do you know how well I can spread  out my sewing stuff  junk essentials, now that I have THREE empty bedrooms!!

Back to bridesmaid dresses.  To sum up my thoughts, Bride to Be Erica’s ideas, and the 4 sisters - AKA “the lovely bridesmaids” often not-on-topic ideas; this is the “Brief” (as they say on Project Runway Australia)

“Design and construct 4 bridesmaid dresses.  They must not LOOK like typical bridesmaid dresses and may all be different in design.  They must flatter each clients body type and her wishes.  They must look cohesive as a grouping and emulate but not imitate or overpower the wedding gown. The fabric to be used is either chiffon OR Silk Double Georgette , and may also include a dot-flocked netting.  The colour must be Eggplant.  (although depending on palette names, may also be grape, raisin, or prune, but colour must be  okayed by the bride)”

Here are what I am envisioning as the final Inspiration Pictures.  Well, except for the last one.  I am hoping that lovely bridesmaid #4 (daughter #5) will like the idea as she hasn’t seen this pic yet.  If you are not yet familiar with the lovely “Five Blondes“  check them out!
Today’s Postscript….

 So how does one get rid of spam comments?  I can handle a few - but 150 a DAY??!!

Yowza!

Sep

1

Bridesmaid dresses

Filed Under Uncategorized, children, fabric, sewing, wedding | 5 Comments

With TWO weddings coming up in the next year, I think I had better get my groove in the move gear! 
Erica is having her 4 sisters as bridesmaids- this mothers dream come true!  This makes for a great opportunity to get us all involved at the design level.  Erica has stipulated only colour and fabric.  They are - a beautiful Aubergine (I like that word better than eggplant!)  chiffon with a lighter mauve underlining,  and maybe - just maybe, some great netting that we found - aubergine with loonie sized black flocked polka dots.  If we don’t use it for the dress, it will be great for decorating.

Erica is letting each of the girls choose their own style.  Once we got past silly ideas such as this one….!!!!(it was just a joke -REALLY!!)…

we got down to business.  I am putting together a storyboard of dresses that they like, and pattern interpretations, and they are going to choose from them.  .  This one is my favourite right now. THE PURPLE ONE PEOPLE, THE PURPLE ONE- SHEESH! Unfortunately - okay maybe fortunately as I am still working on my figure drawing skills!!- you can’t see the interpretations that I am adding to the presentation. 

Perhaps I should get back to REAL work now!!

Jul

14

I’m here, I’m alive. I’m just so dang…

Filed Under sewing, summer, work | 5 Comments

busy and unmotivated. And sunburned. Between the work stuff and the work stuff, I have been putting in days that are way too long. A long, cool, wet spring has reeked havoc with crops, and a hailstorm added hours of crop inspections and damages.

In fact, this past Sunday was the first day of the summer that I got to relax. After we fed our animals at 5am of course. We enjoyed a day out on a friend’s boat and had our eyes’s opened as to what happens at a “once a summmer” boat gathering party. I was content to people watch, sip a Strongbow, and sunbathe. Of course I woke up this morning to the aftereffects of too much sun. Spare me the lecture, I got that from 5 sides today!

This weekend coming we get to clelebrate the 50th Wedding Anniversary of my parents. They looked so cute dating…

And gorgeous on their wedding day…


And today they are the nicest couple I know. They both still work too hard- I guess I come by that honestly!


We have a very exciting weekend planned. We have been scheming, planning and writing for months now. Everyone is involved- us 4 daughters, all the grandchildren, and relatives. We even have some secrets planned. But my lips are sealed. Nope, not saying a word. hey - my mother reads this blog. who am I to ruin a surprise or two.

But listen to this. This is the height of tackiness in my opinion. My parents are having an open house in the afternoon, then a sit down dinner in the evening for family and a few guests. One couple, who were invited to the open house , not the dinner, called my aunt to complain saying “if we aren’t invited to the dinner, we aren’t coming to the open house”!!!! Say WHAT??!! It gets better. My aunt called my mother to let her in on that little bit of pettiness, but my aunt was siding on the (so called) friends side. My poor mother did not sleep a wink that night and ended up calling that couple and inviting them thinking that she- my mom- did a bad thing by not inviting them.

I used a few choice swear words when I heard that. So did my angelic sister- she swore - I NEVER hear her swear. Plese people use some common sense and decency. If that couple wanted to come to the dinner, they could have called my parents - isn’t that what FRIENDS do?? and my sans-tact aunt needs a course in - well - tackfullness.

There, I said it. They read this blog once in a blue moon. I hope the moon is not blue this week!

And on the sewing front…

Yeah that. Not much happening.
The bathing suit is a wadder. a lesson learned. i am still working on the concept though.

The gorgeous silk skirt mysteriously lost one of the back pieces. i have looked everywhere! Luckily I have enough silk to cut out another back but I ask you - how does one loose a skirt piece???

Coming up…

A glance at said skirt and a discussion on the merits of moving my sewing room!

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