Patchwork Ball No 2

Another Patchwork Ball, this time for the cousin of the first ball I made. Confused, I am, it's my cousins daughter so does that make her my second cousin? And the first was given to my other cousins son. Anyway, I fussy cut the fabric again from a very cute fabric I found at a local material shop, Darn Cheap Fabrics. It didn't come together quite as nicely this time, I think it stretched a bit when sewing together, it was also very hot the day I decided to put it together. So there you go, another one done. I highly recommend this pattern for a relatively quick to make and useful gift for a 1 year old.
TTFN

Anna Maria Horner's For Kicks Patchwork Ball from Seams to Me. Handmade by MandyMade

Spoiler Alert!!

Patchwork Ball
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Spoiler alert!! If you're my cousin (or in law) and have a son that has a birthday soon you may not want to read on!!

I have been wanting to make this patchwork ball from Anna Maria Horner's book Seams to Me for a while, and I finally had the opportunity. It's been sooooo hot here in melbourne so I haven't been doing much sewing and this project was perfect to keep the sewing itch at bay. It came together very quickly. The time consuming part was fussy cutting the fabric (from lincraft). I hope to make more of these.

With Christmas not too far away, I don't even want to think about how soon now, I'm busy thinking of and making gifts. Hopefully this weekend will be a bit cooler to work on them. I may or may not write about them, don't want to have to put out too many spoiler alerts!! My aim this year is for part of everyones gifts to be handmade (even if its not from me) I may have needed to start a few months ago. With fire season in full swing, work is really busy so I will need the de-stress somehow.

TTFN

100th Post

Mum's Birthday Bag
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Wow, i have reached my 100th post, how exciting, who would have thought :-) I have seen lots of other blogs give stuff away when they reach their centenaries, but I have been racking my brain as to what I could do. So I think I may leave it up to the few readers that I have, after all this kinda thing is about the reader!! So if you have seen something in the past that I have made, my coffee cuffs for example, and you would like me to make something for you, please leave a comment, I'll either choose randomly or the best idea!! It all depends on the response :-). I'm sorry but I will only be able to accept Australian residents only unless you have a way for me to get a package to you os. I will give you until the end of September to comment. How exciting ;-)

Now to Mum's bag. I made another of Anna Maria Horner's Taxi Tote's for my mum for her birthday. She chose the fabric ages ago and was just sitting there waiting to be made. I used pre-made bias tape this time, saved me heaps of time and fabric, still need to work on the joins though. I put some magnetic snaps in this time so the bag will close on the outer edges. I found with the one I made myself that it gaped too much and I was worried about hands that could get in there!! I added a base to the bag again, following Nicole Mallalieu's tutorial.

Well there you go, 100 posts. Thank you to the people that read my blog, I know that posts can be few and far between but I like to spend more time behind the sewing machine than the computer!! I do that enough in the day job. I'm going to do a re-haul on the site soon, needs a spring clean and a fresh look so stay tuned....

TTFN

Mandy

Anna Maria Horner's Taxi Tote from Seams to Me. Handmade by MandyMade
Bag base variation, I added a base to this bag using Nicole Mallalieu's tutorial found here

Pressy for Mother In Law

Pressy for Mother In Law
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made this apron for my mother in law for her birthday. This picture doesn't show the straps as I sewed them on after giving it to her. So imagine the strap to be around the neck with 2.5 cm bottons convered with the orange fabric.

There were some new techniques in this pattern that I haven't use before. I have never sewn binding around a single piece of fabric. I had to unpick my first attempt as I didn't catch the material properly underneath. When sewing the apron base to the middle strap the notches didn't line up so I've had to fudge it a bit, this may have been an error on my part not the pattern but I couldn't get the pattern pieces to match up either.

I had a go at my mum's new sewing machine and thought I'd never go back to mine. It was so smooth, had things in funny places but i could get used to that!! Save up the pocket money!!

I loved the pattern on the fabric, I may just have to make something else from the left overs!!!

Full Contact Cooking Apron from Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner, Handmade by MandyMade, fabrics from Spotlight. Strap still to be sewn after fitting. Completed July 18 2009.