Grey Tote Bag

I decided I would make a few more bags today to list on my store and on Folksy.  I looked on Folksy and renewed a couple of bags that had expired but to be honest it felt like a bit of a waste of time/money as they are hardly getting any views on there and on checking the forum lots of people are complaining about the same thing. Something has changed some internetty-complicated-thingy that is affecting everyone's views so that is a bit rubbish.  I  have sold on there before, only 11 and stretched over a couple of years so nothing wild! Better than nothing though. So I decided I would just list this new bag on my weebly website.Fab Bags

Fab Bags

I have a bag this size that I always use for swimming I can fit my towel, suit, and all my shower stuff in there no problem.  I have only put it on for £10 so no real profit to be made on this one really as the cottons were new, lining recycled and ribbon trim also re-used.  I just want to get some interest going for now, I would also like to do more clothing for sale but this is tricky to sell online with sizing etc. I suppose I need to be more of  a risk taker rather than just making the odd thing and thinking oh that hasn't sold I won't do any more as they are just taking up cupboard space.  If anyone has any ideas for things they would like to see made that they are having trouble getting hold of let me know. I can run a few items up and see if they get any interest, I think people are perhaps short on funds at the moment so handmade originals are not top of peoples list of priorities.

Bargain Garden Arbour

We have been wanting a garden seat to go in place of the children's trampoline and had thought about making one, I posted an idea from another blog where someone had used three dining chairs.  Well we had been looking and found that the price of decent second hand chairs was quite steep considering we would be taking bits of them apart, we also didn't see any suitable.  We may have been impatient but my husband had been looking on eBay and saw a nice bench and arbour that some one had started to paint and then got fed up with.  He bought it for £80, the guy even delivered it for us as they lived just in the next town.

  My husband spent the best part of the day painting it yesterday and we decided to leave off the back panel as we like the way you can see the bushes through the back. Here it is finished...

The total cost was £95 if you factor in the paint, I think it looks great and he has done a lovely job.  The people who were selling it were moving house and had decided it was one job too many to finish it up.  That was good news for us though as these are quite expensive when they are new.

This one here from Wickes that comes pre painted is £300 so I think that is a good saving.

Cotton Blouse - mark darts as you fit

I have had this piece of fabric since last year, I really likes the design but I only bought  half of a meter. (these cotton prints are so expensive) So I was thinking what can I make?

I decided to just get on with it and make a blouse, hopefully with sleeves if there is enough.  I cut around a button up blouse I have leaving quite a large seam allowance to allow for mistakes. Then it looked like enough left for sleeves and bit of facing for neck so I cut these out as well.

I then sew the shoulder and side seams and try it on, it is usually a bit big when I do this but it doesn't matter I pin where the darts will go, in this case I did some across the top of the bust as well as down the front as it was bulging a bit there. I also noticed it was stuck out a bit on the shoulder blades so I put some horizontal ones there as well.  I straighten them all up and make sure they are evenly spaced when I lay it down flat.

Back

Front

I tried it with the sleeves sewn in and decided to shorten them a little, I did a pleat at the shoulder and also at the bottom of the sleeve then added a button. 

My overlocker has been broken for a while so the inside seams are zig zig stitched, I faced the neck line then hand stitched it invisibly on the inside, the sleeves and hem are machine stitched. (looking at my picture I need to iron the sleeve and dart seems a bit more)

I had hardly any fabric bits left so I really did just have enough for this top, I didn't do a side zip or vent but you could do this to make getting it on easier. I just pull it over my head and it is fine, no room for weight gain though.

I had these buttons in my sewing box, I'm getting through my stuff that I have collected over the years I will have to start replenishing them soon.  I always pick the buttons off things that are no longer any use, I also save all the spares you get with things.

Unfortunately the horses heads and bodies get a bit disfigured during the fitting!

So that is another item finished and no need of any patterns, it really annoys me what they charge for patterns and that people buy them as they think it is the easiest.  It is better to take something apart and look at it and have a go. You can buy  more fabric with the £7 or £8 pound you will save.