Tiger shirt

Here we go! Just needs buttons. The kiddo likes snap buttons, I need to buy some more from spotlight, and maybe even see if I can get them at a better price. 

The big metal snaps don't always hammer in well, can dent, and can be tricky for little fingers.

Does it look like pyjamas because it's a light colour?

Hmm.

The next outfit will be this yellow cat suit. I've decided to make it as his special performance outfit for his first drums concert.

Yes, I bought it on sale, I have 2 metres of Tula Pink cat fabric from the Curiouser range. Just love it!

I'm going to make a kids shirt wardrobe!

 

The story of how I started sewing a lot

I love to sew. There was a time I didn't have many clothes, but Mum had fabric in her cupboard and a sewing machine, so I sewed my own.

Of course Mum used to make our clothes when we were very little. Back in those days it was much cheaper to do that. And I guess over time she collected large "remnants", end of bolts and such and popped them into the cupboard.

The elderly lady next door also sewed. She made everything. She was always making aprons. She made her own undies. Even bras I think.

I remember the power of creating my own clothes I loved in 1988 (year 9), and I was hooked. It started with pleated shorts, made from black and white stripe fabric, that fastened on the side with a hook and loop type closure.

After that I made myself another two pairs of shorts, from scraps in the cupboard, and in 1989 (year 10) my Christmas and birthday gift from Mum was a sewing course in knitwear. Maybe you heard of it? KnitWit. I absolutely loved it. At age 15 I was the youngest in the class. I made my own collection of clothes as we progressed through the 8 weeks of the course. Mostly in navy, white and a touch of red. And I made a cropped swing jacket in mustard yellow. Oops. (I now know to use earrings and hair accessories in those funky fashion colours, and make my jackets classic navy).

So that was when my sewing journey really started... but also kind of ended... at the end of year 10, Mum said it's time to get serious now and which maths and science was I going to do. Sigh.

I bought half a metre of this tiger fabric from Fabric by Missy Rose. It's a beautiful quality cotton fabric for clothing that holds its colour, doesn't pill, feels soft, 

There wasn't quite enough fabric to make the shirt, so I used a bit of leftover cotton doona cover from the bushfire charity quilts of 2020, and cut as pocket and collars. 

I've also appliqued a tiger onto the pocket to give some congruency.

My old Dad used to call his shirt pocket his front office. And now my son, who never got to meet my dad, loves a front office too.

 

 

Pumpin' the pumpkin runner

Hello! *waves like crazy*

I'm putting these little squares together. Chain pieced in my favourite way, just like with my Itty Bitty pieces.

What else can I make using these precious scraps from The Raven quilt? This needs some thought.

 

Another Itty Bitty

The first Tilda mini is complete and mailing out to its new owner. I love the tassels for dimension, especially when I think it's going to be a wallhanging. It kind of says, "this isn't big enough for a table centre, so please hang it on the wall".

"

I've made a sleeve at the back, but maybe little tabs at the front would be better? I'm undecided. Maybe it depends on the person.

This one is at my place, enjoying a turn on the walls.

I still have fabric for two more of these, but of course with the fabric cuts, and the arrangement, each one is different.

 

Pumpkin table runner

Ooh, this is a very pleasant part of the journey where I get to lay out the squares and play with arrangements. It comes so easily to me after creating so many quilts over so many years.

The browns don't look too brown.

I wonder if I need to cut more orange.

Yes, let's fit this in as well.

Bit more rearranging...

I can't wait to get this onto my table next to the big pumpkin quilt. What a statement!

I love home decorating.

Give me a few days to finish this.

 

Velvet Pumpkins

Uh-oh. Here comes the start of something.

I went into the TK Maxx store. The new one. There are now two in town, and the other one is inconvenient location.

So I came across these fabric pumpkins. 

Made from all kinds of material. Some look like they're made from old knitted jumpers, others from felt.

See the pumpkin strand above? It would cost more for the trim than it would to buy these already made.

Lots of fabriac styles, some with fabric stems, others with plastic or metal stalks.

I especially like the blue velvet one.

I'm torn. I'd like to buy one, but I also know that I make these kind of things. I also know that I couldn't buy the velvet, stuffing, weights and wool felt for this price. $15!

I will drool and pat it for a while, and keep an eye on what comes in.

TK Maxx is kind of a clearance warehouse with lovely homewares, gifts and clothes.

I just love pumpkins! Wouldn't this be beautiful with my pumpkin quilt?

 

My preferred needle turn technique

All these pumpkins have me going... my beautiful quilt hanging on the wall, pumpkins on the table... and I am inspired to make a table runner with the quilt scraps. 

I have tried many many methods of needleturn applique, but the FASTEST and the way that's programmed into my memory so much, just because I've done it so many times....

is the method using freezer paper.

The freezer paper pieces are removed through the remaining opening, as we go.

And then the last piece. 

I use YLI silk thread. 

It creates stitches that are barely noticeable.  I listened to others talk about using aurifil thread, but I didn't like it for applique in this way. The weight was so different. I really tried to persevere, but, I like what I like.

Alright! onto the next part of the table runner!