Aprons making ...

Well I just want to share one of my silly passions with you all, it a bit old fashioned but it comes all the way down from my Grandmother days. She wore an apron just about everyday of her life. One of the first thing she'd put on in the morning, then do her work for the day. A clean apron everyday so she must have had quite a few of them.




Lately I been thinking I might want to make a few and stop getting my cloths all mucked up with a oil stain here and there. sometimes not even grabbing a hand full of flour soaks it up and then you left with a stain, not a nice look! I bought and sewed up these two pannels years go and have them hanging as part of the decor depending what season it is. But it's this one I finished off last night, that I really wanted to share with you. It still needs some embellishment to the bottom, just going to sit and look at it for a while first, it will come to me. Any ideas would be very welcome. Where is that going to go ... well the outdoor kitchen when ever that gets built, that's where all the old wares are going to be displayed on shelves oneday.




Drop me a line if you'd like the pattern ...
It's raining cats and dogs in Sydney today expecting more rain this week too, nice weather for sewing. Have a great week everyone.
well thats it for today
Rina

Ticking My Favorite Material ...

One of my favorite materials is ticking, tough as old boots, but still easy to sew. I love it so much that I have made cushion covers from it for the comfy cane lounge chairs for the pouch The local upholster will be making the fitted bottom cushions, a little bit tricky to get them sitting tight. I tried before and mucked it up good, now it's just easier getting someone else to do them.

The top covers was easy, just had to unpick the old ones, pin and cut to size, make ties, placing them in the right spots, zip around on the sewing machine leaving space for the zip, pin and sew zipper in turn inside out. What I have done is make another inner cushion with the stuffing in it and sewed it closed. Placing it inside the ticking cover. With a uphostery needle sew buttons on spacing them to look pretty and stop the cushion from "exploding". Using string you could also thread it through and tie knots. For washing purposes it is heaps easier having the cover removable and just reknotting or buttoning it again.

Another quick machine quilt project in red ticking, to fit in a side table/serving trolley without wheels, George made it for me, a special request kind of thing you know. It's great for displaying stuff.

You can buy ticking in a few different colours, I like the green striped one the best. Used with a matching bais binding to finish the sewing project off. A real classic look still use in decorating. This material reminds me of my boarding school days our mattresses had ticking covers, even then I loved them, stacked on steel framed beds waiting for you to put your own bedding on. A reminder of happy boarding school days.

Making a dent in the UFO's ...

Who loves doing sewing repairs, much easier to start a new project, but when you do someone's washing and the tote bag falls apart and all you can savage is the lining. And here I am thinking yes I could just go buy a new bag to replace that one. No maybe I just sew one up, sure going to last longer than the bought one. So I unpicked the lining and cut the pattern from that, it's was a real nice bag too.

I am already thinking I make one for myself from that pattern too. Out comes the offcut of a black curtain with thermal white rubbery stuff. (still got enough material to cut another bag)sewed the lining back up, sewed the outside up too, placed the lining inside the bag, pinned them together and zig zaged the two together.Found matching material and cut a narrow strip long enough to wrap around the top,pinned the strip and bag rightside together, fold the strip back on it self about 3cms, pin all the way around, overlapping the last bit. Stitch down the strip.
Fold the strip over the top and pin it & sew.

Cut 2 x 12 cm wide x 50cm long strips, fold rightsides together and sew one end and along the pinned side. Turn it inside out, tuck the other side in and sew closed. Position handles to suit and sew them on. I crochet a flower and sewed a large safety pin to the back of the flower, it matches the lining.

Anyone needing the pattern just drop me a line with you addy to rinaspostbox@live.com.au and it's in the post for you asap
Well I am please with it and sure hope the daughter inlaw will be too.

see ya
Rina