Super Quick Sewing project...

Last Sunday morning I was laying in bed (I could tell it was a weekend - it was light!) and looking across the room to where I had some fabric stacked. I was thinking that it was a shame to have to cut into some of my favourites to make something small.

I was still pondering this when I started thinking about freshening up downstairs as the season begins to change. Then the two thoughts collided and I decided to use some pretty fabric in such a simple way that I would hardly lose any of it, and I would get to see it more often...

I took the one piece of this I had, bought as a remnant at a craft show last year...

cut the same size piece (50cm x width of fabric) of this...

sewed them right sides together, leaving a gap for turning...

turned it right side out, pressed and top stitched 1cm from the edges all around...

and made a simple, reversable table runner for the dining area.

 

It took lass than an hour from inception to completion, and gives two looks for the price of one.  My kind of project!

P.S. “He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality, and will never, therefore, make any progress.” Anwar Sadat

Just in case...

Recently I got a new mobile phone but as per usual with consumer electronics, it didn't come with a case for protection.

Most of the time this isn't an issue, as many of my handbags have a phone pocket to prevent it getting scratched or knocked. But I found that often when I am just dropping kids to school or doing a quick errand, I don't take a handbag. Also, the bag we take to the pool or the beach doesn't have a phone pocket.

A case was needed. So rather than go out and give yet more money to an overseas company, off to the fabric stash I went...

I have some of this lovely Michael Miller print (Gothic Flower, if you're interested) and thought it would be a good choice, as the back of the phone has a lime green print.

 I also had some wadding left over from another project so I decided to make a padded pouch with a soft lining for the best protection - not only against scratching, but also against dropping. (Not that I would do that. Not again anyway.)

I measured my phone and added 3cm to both sides and one end, to allow for seams and padding, then made a paper pattern. (The phone is 6cm x 11cm, so I made the paper 12cm x 14cm.) Once I had that drawn, I added the same size rectangle again to one end, so that I could cut one long peice that would fold to be the case. I also made a smaller rectangle (8 x 12) pattern for a flap.

I used the pattern pieces to cut the flap, the outer fabric, the wadding and some fleecy knit fabric (for the lining), and then layered the outer fabric on the wadding. (Because of the bold pattern in the fabric, I placed the pattern piece carefully to make sure the print would be symmmetrical on the finished case.) I used the straight lines of the pattern to lightly quilt the outer fabric to the wadding.

 With right sides together, I folded the long rectangle in the middle (becoming the seamless bottom of the case) and sewed the side seams, clipping the corners, on both the quilted outer fabric and the lining.

(For this item, I treated the fleecy side of the knit fabric as the right side - so the fluffy stuff would be against the phone.)

For the closure, I sewed the flap piece in half , moved the seam to the centre and then pressed the seam open.

Then I stitched across one end, clipped the corners, turned it right side out and pressed again. (The open end will be inside the seams of the case once it's put together.)

 Time to assemble. 

I left the lining wrong side out, but turned the outer right side out. (Use closed scissors, a knitting needle or a pen to press out the corners.) I put the outer section inside the lining.

Once the tops were matched up, I slipped the closure flap down in between the lining and the outer, in the centre of the back of the case. (I made sure the centre seam of the flap was towards the lining.)

I pinned all arount the top of the case so it wouldn't slip while I was sewing. Sewing the case together was the hardest part. (If you've ever made dolls clothes, you'll understand - narrow openings do not fit onto the arm of an average machine.) I sewed aroung the top of the case, stitching the outer, lining and flap together.

I left an opening at the front for turning.

Then I turned the whole thing in the right way through the opening at the top. I used closed scissors to push the corners out again.

Then I pushed the lining down inside the case outer and topstitched around the opening of the case, tucking the edges under where the hole had been left for turning.

I finished it off by adding some velcro dots to keep the flap closed (but not too firmly - I still need to be able to answer the phone quickly)...

and a matching vintage button to finish it off and use as a pull for the closure. Ta Da! A cosy case for my new phone.

This pattern would also work for an MP3 player or a slim digital camera.

 P.S. “Necessity does everything well.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy happy joy joy...

Do you think Master 9 was looking forward to his very first school camp this morning?

 

You betcha!

Another milestone for our family, and a few days as a family of 'four'.

P.S. “For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

A New Phase...

Well, we have survived our first week back at school - with a few differences. I am now not only the Mum of a high-schooler, but also a teenager.

I can't believe that the little one who only had two teeth on his first birthday...

turned 13 last Friday...

 

 started Year 8 last Monday...

 (His youngest brother refused to submit to such hideous torture as 'back to school' photos.)

and now stands taller than me! Where did that time go!?My body looks and feels like I've lived it, but my brain is having trouble with the concept.

Hope all those back at school this week are recovering well!

P.S. "Mother Nature is providential.  She gives us twelve years to develop a love for our children before turning them into teenagers."  ~ William Galvin

Happy Australia Day!

Hope a day off in the middle of the week has given everyone a chance to reflect on their life in our lucky country. 

We spent the morning at the Aussie Day party at the local pool, complete with reptile display (the kids got to pat a crocodile!), jumping castle and flag cupcakes, had a BBQ lunch, went out for icecream and kicked back at home listening to Triple J's hottest 100 countdown.

Bliss! Days like this remind us that we are so fortunate to live where and how we do.

It was great to see that even those communities most affected by the recent flood events have even been helped to celebrate our national day, getting a repreive from their grief and loss for a few hours. Keep those donations rolling in folks -
http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

P.S. “There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control.”   Leo F. Buscaglia

What a cool idea...

Some people just blow my mind. 

High school history teacher Amy Burvall and her partner decided to set some coursework to music to help their students remember the basics of various periods, figures and events in history. 

The result is a fab collection of pop song parodies on YouTube - check them out!

My favourite has to be "I'm a Knight" to the tune of Lily Allen's "Friday Night". Have a look if history is your thing too...

Some of the songs are just sooo clever. How about "Iceman" to the tune of the Beatles "Taxman" and "Macadonia" to the tune of "My Sharona".  Ba ha ha! Excellent.

While doing a bit of research I found out that,  just to make the whole venture a little more amazing,  Amy made alot of these videos while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. (*sharp intake of breath*) She is thankfully now in remission. (*breathe out*)

See what I mean about blowing my mind. Some days I feel so lame!

P.S.  "I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework."  ~Lily Tomlin

A Christmas-y upcycle...

I realise it's a bit late...or is it a bit early for next year? Something for the file anyway...

While I was packing away my tree and decorations for another season (*sniff*) I remembered that I was going to post a little tip I employed last year and scaled up this year.

Do you have a bunch of plain, cheap Christmas baubles like I do? How about some stick-on bling left over from papercrafts?

Well, if you have these things, you can do this...

                                                                  Mmmmmm. Pretty. Shiny.

Just use the line made by the join in the bauble to space the jewels evenly. If you are a bit more uptight precise,  you might like to use a tape measure. I just did it by eye, placing a jewel on one side, and then in the same spot on the other side and working my way around.

Add as many or as few jewels as you like. They give your tree a bit of character, and can help to tie a colour scheme together.

This year I got a bit more adventurous and came up with this one...

 

 which I love!  

If I didn't already have the jewels, ball and ribbon scraps, it probably would have cost about $5 in all. Still cheap for a really pretty and individual decoration (a good gift idea for those people who have everything!) and a great way to upcycle some oldies.

P.S. 'One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.' Anon