Used needles

I have been slack yet again, I have been doing things but it has been raining what seems like ages, so too cloudy to get any good pictures.

Thought I would just share this today.
It is a picture of a hypodermic needle, but what i wonder is if our sewing machine needles get wrecked just as quick?
I know myself, I next to never change them :(

Food for thought huh? ;)

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Foot for my sewing machine

The picture is just for the sake of having a pretty picture there.
I have been slack with the posting, I get in moods like "only post when you have something to post about", then others where I have tons of things to post about and try and post every day.

I thought I would just share a story that not even shopkeepers know best.
A couple of years ago I bought my sewing machine brand new, and not knowing a whole lot about sewing..(still learning), I went to a specialist sewing machine shop.
I told the lady what I wanted to do (free motion embroidery or thread painting, she called it), and she said you need a special foot, and sold me one for $45.. ouch!
Well, a couple of years later I get over my "what if I fail" and try it out. There were no instructions, so I had to fiddle to work out how to put it on, when I finally worked it out, it would make a huge big clunk when I lowered the needle.
I found that the wire bit coming out of the top was catching on the needle screw, but there was no other way that the foot would go on, I know this because I tried for a few hours.
In the end I called the lady at the shop, feeling stupid because this lady would know best right?
I had to bring the machine and the foot into the shop, turns out it was the wrong foot for the machine, she swapped it over for one that works, so all is well now.
However I am just re-telling the story because, even though you think the experienced old lady that runs and has run the sewing machine shop for years, knows all. They too are prone to mistakes, so don't take all for gospel, listen, but research on your own :)

Work Cristmas pressies done!

I totally was going to make some coffee cosies on the knitting machine, even did the punch card for it, but when you stretch them out (to slide over the cup) it doesn't look right.

So instead, hubbie said what about some sunglasses holders. And that's what I did!

I didn't line them as the material is fleece and soft on the inside and that way they are easier to fold up and put away when not in use.
Each has the persons initials on it for whom it is for. Though, I am a little annoyed that my wonderful sewing machine that could do all these wonderful things, can only do the one size when it comes to the alphabet in it.. GRRR..
Some of the initials are hard to read, but the small size does look classy in my opinion.

Anyway, show and tell!

 

I had to add my little helper at the end! His head is almost healed up now... a whole lot of work.. a whole lot...

For my little patient anyway... the cases only took about a day all up after I had planned what and how I was going to do :)

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Matching hand puppets for the "biggun's"

These are some little puppets, made with the same fabric as the big ones.
I decided to make smaller ones, so the big ones did not go to waste.I do not know of any adult that plays with hand puppets, but this way the child can role play with the adult, as they shouldn't be played with UN-supervised anyway :)

The Cow

The Kitty

You can find the link for the large one on a previous post, the mini one was from here:
                                                        ONE HOUR CRAFT 
They took me longer than " an hour", but I am still a newbie and I did sew all the fiddly bits by hand, but it would have been no longer than 2 hours from cutting to finish.
Easy tutorial also! :

Now the goofy pictures I put on my other blog:

Polyester Cotton - on my do not buy list or how do I stop fleece shedding everywhere?

Look at this floor!! Horrible isn't it?
This is NOT how my floor usually looks, this is the result of buying cheap $10 track pants.
I knew I shouldn't skimp out, but hey, they are only worn around the house and if they keep me warm does it matter how much they cost? OH hell yeah, apparently it does!
The top picture was just from taking one leg out of the pink pair I bought, and the bottom picture was just from shaking one leg of the black pair.
They both have been washed 3 times ( I gave them the benefit of the doubt and let them have a few washes), so they should NOT do this.
They are both different manufacturers, but they both have the same fabric, " Polyester cotton". They are both going to the charity shops.
The black pair are those cheap $10 ones they have in the big bins in the walkways in Big W and the Pink pair were purchased from a stall at a market.

I searched the Internet for a way to fix this and couldn't find any, most were just about fixing piling.. nothing to do with this,so How do I stop them shedding everywhere?... I can't! And no-one else on the Internet seems to know either, so unless I can think of something else... OH wait.. maybe hand puppets? I mean the fabric is still new, only been washed 3 times and tried on (not worn because of the mess it leaves around my house).. herrrm
Anyway, lesson learnt! No more Polyester Cotton for me! :)

Tip for making button holes line up correctly and new pretty blog found

This tip was part of a post from Nefertari Creations .
Quote:

What I did was to chalk up the button hole on one side. Layed the front sides together and hit it with my hand over and tadaaa I have the exact same mark on the other side! There, I fixed the buttons with tape and sewed  

I am posting the quote here for my reference and I thought it was such a neat and logical thing to do.. just love it!

Her blog is only new, but the things she had made already are fantastic! It's worth the look... so far it's all sewing related for those interested in only certain types of blogs :)

Please go take a look and leave some encouragement, this lady is talented! :)

Microscopic fibre

This link is to a post in Portuguese, however if you look at the title of each section it's not hard to determine what it is.. Vegitata? he he

I find this really interesting and want to check it out further, hence posting it here for future reference, and for anyone that likes to know "how, what, where and when".. lol Hey isn't being "here" what it's all about, learning? :)

As usual, just click on the picture to be taken to the blog :)

PS: this is Nylon, neat huh? And now knowing what it looks like you have an idea of what project it would be good for :)

       

Moo's and meow's heard all round

"Meow and Moo to you! I see you!"

"Meow and a Moo, please move that stick because I have to poo!"

"Moo and Meow, we are friends even though you're a cow"

LOL I guess I am not the best at the whole rhyme thing, but I tried! 

As you can probably see, I am trying to get rid of all the half done things I have laying around. That way I can "hopefully" focus more, only having the one thing going.

I cut these out ageeees ago, in fact I think it was last year for the same boys birthday, and have only gotten around to stitching them up for his birthday THIS year.

I found and used this pattern  "Puppet Pub". 

The patterns are so so cute, but I don't know what I did wrong printing it out as they turned out huge; Too big for my hand, let alone a 3 year olds.

Also, the pattern (if I read it right), says for your hand to go in the front... I am old fashioned or something, because it just doesn't feel right.

I love the patterns, and am very grateful for them being available and the hard work that was put into them. I can't see myself making more in the future, but I am not throwing away the pattern either.

Next time I will definitely print it out smaller some how and also have the hand going in the backside rather than the front.

Just as a little smile, or "out take". This is my little man-kitty trying to run off with the cows tail, can you see how the whole puppet is distorted, he really tried to grab and run with it, while I was taking the pictures for here.

Last night while I was sewing, I had the pieces behind me waiting, my little man-kitty often just sits with me while I do things for company, cheeky little man though, found the end tail piece, grabbed it and ran off through the house with it in his mouth!.... I did catch up with him and retrieved it, but it was so cute and naughty. I am sure that little kitties are made from big bundles of love.  :)

Ladies things...

Just a quick post as I haven't posted for a little while. What can I say? My hubby is on holidays and I really enjoy just being close to him, that means less doing other things... lol yes even housework.. and you should see my house! argh! hehe

I have read a whole lot, on a few blogs about how much better the cloth pads are for ladies. I am not grossed out by blood etc, so I didn't think I would have an issue with using them.
I also read how they were so much better for you, that your period was better in so many ways.. you know just lots and lots of good things about using them, let alone the being better for the earth thing which is always a seller!

I have been meaning to make some and try for ages, and bookmarked plenty of sites, but the best one, (it looked to me in theory) was this one:

Cloth Circle Pad

After getting out the material etc, I decided that I would just make one and try it first. 

Well I made one, but haven't tried it, just can't bring myself to yet.

You see... it's not the blood etc that grosses me out, it's just that I love fabric etc so much that it seems wrong haha

Anyway, also it seems bulky, I am just not sure.. but it is made.. OOH and I rushed ahead without reading the instructions first.. I had to SEW on the line, NOT cut it, so it is way much smaller than it should be. LOL Always read the instructions first hehe

OK pictures:

The STILL UN-used sanitary pad

And just because he is so gorgeous; My handsome kitty boy "helping" momma take pictures

And a little bit more "helping". Everything is so much more fun with beautiful kitties around :)

The search for a kitty bed my cats will use...still nothing

Just a quick video and some pictures. These are from the other week and I have not tried since. They used neither. Oh wait, they do use the quilted one, but only to lay on top of in their sunny spot, they won't go inside.

I am going to try with some proper foam, (when I can get some) to hold it open a little better and see if that helps.

This is the multi-purpose, quilted kitty blanket "before", ------ as a blanket

As a tunnel or roll....

As a sleeping bag.

This is the video I did before adding some extra width on the quilted multi purpose one I made.


 Just to prove that it wasn't a total failure, my gorgeous little Master kitty went inside, only long enough for a picture and he hasn't been since. It was if to just say "thank you momma for trying" hehe

If you decide to try my multi-purpose kitty quilt, I would love to see your creations and know whether your kitties liked them :)

Lazy Days(y), mending and finishing

This is why I don't get all the ideas in my head done! Rainy, cold days of which you are still so tired from hubby working night shifts... anyone else out there stay awake all night when hubby works of a night? I mean that wouldn't be so bad, other than your always too bloody tired to make useful of the time when you are awake so you sit at the TV all zombiefied.. eating :(

Anyway.. I haven't started anything new, just fixed some thing in my mending pile ( I really need some more at home trakky pants), and finished off all the loose bits in the Horde scarf.
Ok enough talking.. pictures!

This is one of my favourite, everyday type skirts, but became unwearable when I was cleaning with it on one day and spilt bleach on it. I just removed the layer the spill was on. The skirt is now shorter, just means I will have to make sure I have proper shaved legs when I want to wear it :P

Oooo, also I am such the slacker... the skirt is  layered and an A shape, which means that the next tier is always longer (because it is supposed to be gathered), I cheated (as I always do) and just folded little bits of fabric as I guided it through the serger. The crafty spirits must have been helping me because it worked out at exactly the right length!! What a fluke! hehe

I haven't tried ironing it yet, but look at the bloody curl, I think I might have crochet around the edge or something, we will see. I hemmed it to see if it would stop curling... FAIL

The backside of my intarsia. I know all seasoned knitters out there are going to cringe, but I don't have the patience for weaving, I knotted. Do you remember how many little tails there were? well it took me all of about maybe a hour or less for the whole thing. I will do a post sometime in the future about "my way" of finishing it off.

Is it really that much different knotting to weaving? Does this look extra messy compared to what I "should have" done? :)

Ok that's just a little update, as I like to try and post a little more regular like (HAH!).

A whole day just GONE!

I have just wasted a whole day trying to figure out how to get my images (patterns) to size correctly, so they print correctly from PDF format.
Hopefully next time it won't be such a hassle as I just found out that you can actually save your PDF  file straight from PSP. I mean that would have saved me the majority of the day stuffing around with it... blah!

Anyway not finished yet, but it was/is going to be a little treat for my husbie, who likes to play World of Warcraft, it's not his whole world or anything like I have seen some people, but because he has everything else he needs, I thought I would try and make a little treat from something he enjoys.

Here is just a sneak peak of what I have been working on yesterday and today:

Yes, that is a kitty leg and tail in the background and no, I am not a sewer, seamstress etc.. just a goofy gal with too many ideas, but not knowing how to initiate them. :)
If this works I will post the pattern PDF etc on my (about empty) patterns website. Organisation and all hehe

This is going to be scheduled for tomorrow as I can't post everyday! Let alone twice in one day!! and I should be making choc chip cookies for our naughty day, but I think they can wait for tomorrow morning! :)

  

Quick Video of My Bernina 334DS sewing

Just a quickie. I know sometimes when I am looking for things I like to see them in action, and I have seen people searching for this old but awesome machine.
Haha and yes that sign on the machine is for me, So so many times I go to use it but forget to pull up the extension thingy for the thread and it gets all tangled and I end up having to re-thread it hehe
What can I say... new and dumb hehe





     

My sewing space utilising a Horne sewing cabinet

I have seen so many on all the blogs I visit every morning and just love them... you know.. peoples sewing areas or what is more commonly known as their creative space.
I can't call that mine as I only sew there, my creative space is usually lying in bed awake because I can't stop thinking of an idea I just had haha

Anyway less words more pictures, even a video at the end, but it's pretty much what the pictures show you.

Before

After (notice how I put the cabinet next to a buffet and right near a window, it is on purpose rather than in the spare bedroom where the knitting machine is because of the big long buffet I can use as extra space) :)

And for the video if you simply must hear me say UHM like 50 million times! hehe

Things to do with ribbing from the knitting machine...

or... I couldn't think of a catchy title because it's too bloody cold! hehe

ok, as you know from my previous posts I have just gotten a knitting machine and am so excited about it. Not only did it come with all the extras like the books, attachments and wool, but also little bits of half knitted things.
I did frog ( I hope that is the right word) a few, but kept this little band of ribbing and also half a knitted lacy top (which will be for another post when I figure out what to do with it).

It's a cotton and such a lady like colour, which I thought would go nice with my hair colour, so I made it into a little headband. Because it's ribbing it is stretchy, so no need for any elastic at all! :)

The lonely unused band of ribbing (haha look at the time on the bottom! )

After serging/overlocking the edge and sewing together ( I know I used black cotton, but I have black hair and I just couldn't be bothered to change the cotton in the serger for one little thing ) haha it makes it easier to see what I did anyway huh? hehe

No Laughing! me wearing the headband :)

Another side shot. It's so hard to take pictures of things you are wearing! :)

Ok I'm off to make my cup of tea, watch Martha ( I don't know why I do, it only makes me hungry), and do some of my tapestry.. I will finish one day... :)

Proven that originality is subjective - think first before accusing

I know I talk about all of my ideas all the time and not having the time or motivation to get them going other,than to write them in my "idea" book.
You see also around the blogs alot , how people are saying that the idea was theirs etc...
Well to tie these two things in together...
Reading my Google reader this morning, one of my favourite blogs, Disney posted  a flower bouquet top.
I was like, "woah" that is so pretty and so what I had imagined. See, one of the many many idea in my book was  floral bouquet clothing, yet in same colours. Exactly like what Disney had done (and so beautifully).

I even had inspirational pictures:
And the other one is in a magazine, but it is called trapitio embroidery or something, anyway working all same colour but different textures.
I guess long story short, is that sometimes we see things that others have done and think "they copied me", however, as Disney's beautiful top proves, that is not always the case. There is no way she could have been inside my head.
I am so glad that I made this discovery now also, as when and "if" I finally get my butt into making some of the things out of my "idea" book, I won't be so quick to jump on people for "copying" me. Even though out of all the ideas I have had this is the first I have seen done :)

So you can bathe in the beauty of this shirt also:

RUFFLES AND STUFF 

And bookmark or subscribe to her page. She makes some beautiful things! There have been a lot of guess posts lately, and personally I would prefer to see only Disney's work, even if that meant only 1 post a week. I am not a big fan to guest posts, but that's me. I don't mind being shown to a great blog, but when I subscribe to a blog I subscribe to a person, not others.. either way she is sweet, makes beautiful things and is just always such a pleasure to be able to read  :)

Saving my worn trackies!

I don't have before pictures and I am sure people have other ways of doing this, if they do it at all, but this is what I did.

I cut off the ankle band thingys. This is actually a picture of them "after", luckily I have a serger so I didn't need to neaten, just put together and serged them together, let the serger take care of the cutting off of the messy bits.

I then turned the pants inside out and serged all along the inside seam behind all the worn spots. If I did not have a serger I would have to cut it off first then do a zigag or overlock stitch from my sewing machine.

Now, because there was a whole lot of material cut off, I had to add some more, otherwise they would not fit.
I decided to add this fabric to the outer leg and cut up some fabric from an old sheet, which I doubled up (folded over) , to make a thicker fabric.

I then cut down the outside leg seam and serged each side (rights sides together). You will now have 2 seams rather than just one like before. If you do not have a serger, you will just have to cut neatly the old seam out and zigzag or your sewing machines over lock stitch to join both sides.

Don't forget to include pockets if there is any! And sew back on your little ankle thingies. Always right side together. You could even leave them like yoga pants, just hem the bottom... I thought about this, but as these are just around the house pants, I figured I would prolly end up rolling them up if they were like that.

Finished pants.