Making this 'n that.

Fancy doing a spot of sewing this week?
Nothing too complicated.
A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Got a pair of jeans that don't fit anymore?
Or a pair that is a bit worn out or daggy?
Look no further! This is what you can do with them -

jeans bag from craftsy

There are many on-line tutorials about making jeans bags - or you can probably hoe to work it out yourself.
There's one is here on craftbits. That one actually glues the bottom shut! But I'd prefer to stitch it closed and some use ribbon or even a tie for handles - I like that you use another part of the jeans for a strap.

How about making your own pj pants or sleep pants?

from living well spending less blog

Pjs don't have to be perfectly constructed, they just need to be comfortable.
I like that these have got a contrast trim at the bottom.

I love lot of little storage bags, but zips and other closures can be fiddly.
This great little tute shows you how to make bags that snap shut.
Shhh, there's a secret to doing that....

snappy bags from the crafting chicks

check it out!

I love this idea!

by leafy treetop spot

Little doo-dads to keep your charger cords under control!
How neat is that?


Do you think legwarmers will ever come back into fashion?

If you do then you can find out how to make them here at i heart naptime.
Pretty cute, eh?

A glutton for punishment - my creative space

A while ago I finished making this beaded pendant - way back in November last year, do you remember? It was here.
Well this week I finally made it into a necklace - yay!

And because I am mad, I started making another one!

I have also been sewing

Here are the first three bow ties, finished!

What have you been up to?
If you would like to take a peep at other creative spaces or join in pop on over to My Creative Space at Village Voices on Kidspot.

My creative space - sewing and more sewing

Nothing much to see here folks!

Just sewing and more sewing, trying to finish up with the tshirts over at Boos Tees as I mentioned back in December.

I'll be touting my wares on Sunday at the lovely little Coledale Market just near Wollongong, south of Sydney.
If you are in the area pop in and have a look, there's lots of great handmade stuff and yummy food.

I'm joining in with My Creative Space on Village Voices at Kidspot. If you'd like to see what's happening in other creative spaces or to join in pop on over here and have a look.

I'm a bowerbird!

I found some blue things!
I love blue and I'm so happy that blue is in fashion again.
It has been impossible to buy blue clothes the last few years - believe me!

But yesterday I scored at the op shop -

It's a little big but because of the style I don't think it matters.
It will be nice and cool and go with some of my patterned Lynne Lade pants.

Then it was off to Spotties for a spot of fabric shopping - I have the urge to make something for myself. *gasp*.

I'd had a bit of a rummage in my old sewing drawers and found some patterns - some very old patterns! 

But undetered I was on the search for blue!
And look what I found -
Blue twill for some pants to go with the hydrangea print I bought last year (with all good intentions!)

I'm also a bit enamoured with orange at the mo.
Yep, I'm a tie-dyed girl!
But it will go with some other Lynne Lade pants (the most comfy pants in the world)
and maybe not too shabby with the blue either?

Oh, of course while a spotlight you have to check out the other bargains and I scored this very-useful-looking beading thingy!

What a great gadget!

 Plus at the op shop I found this useful-but-boring butter-coloured linen shirt

If you are wondering about the bowerbird reference - the Satin Bowerbird collects blue things to embellish the entrance to his bower to attract the ladies.
This is the one in our back yard.

Amazing, huh?

A bit of this 'n that - my creative space

Creating this week has been mainly filling orders from last week's market.

I sold a necklace that I have had for a while. It was an unusual one for me at the moment, as it had a larger silver-set labrodite pendant and moonstone and labrodite drops on a silver chain.
I only put it out on my stall as I had run out of my bright, bold ones.
Anyway the woman who it was meant for came along - and it was love at first sight!

And she wanted earrings to match.
So this is what I came up with -

These 2 cuties are another order for a lady who was (wo)manning the SES stand.

All my coral and howlite necklaces sold, in fact there were 2 ladies almost fighting over 2 of them!
I promised to make a longer version on one for the losing customer and had to order some more beads for it.
I love my bead supplier, they always ship overnight, and always include smarties! How thoughtful!

While I was rummaging in my fabric stash I came across this cutie that I've had for a while and decided today was the day to do something with it.

fabric by auntie cookie

Here is all finished on a light summery singlet.
I think it's cute and wonder why I didn't do it before!

All the other creative spaces are over here - go and have a look!

Making coin purses - some free tutorials

I love these sweet little coin purses.

They are great for using up small pieces of fabric, and make great stocking stuffers, or as a package for a small gift eg a pair of earrings ; )

There are some fab free tutorials around on how to make them. People are amazingly generous sharing their know-how aren't they?

 

Here is a free tutorial from Cut Out + Keep that is really simple - it uses just 2 pieces of fabric so that the inside and outside are the same.

If you would like to move on from this one or it is too simple, then you might be inspired by Jennifer Jangles gorgeous purses. They are a little bigger than a coin purse but you could cut them down a bit.
Jennifer uses such vibrant fabrics and makes her purses really special.

I also found a tute for this cute little pouch.
It is designed for ear buds - but would work as a coin purse too - or an earrings purse or.....

Thanks to Dog Under My Desk for this one.

And I think I've just discovered a new favourite blogs : )

Unleashing the beast! - my creative space

 It's been a while....and so I'd forgotten how difficult it could be.
It has deceptively clean simple lines.
It comes in it's own zip-up bag.
But underneath that calm exterior lies a beast with a mind of its own!
....yes, it's the OVERLOCKER!
I wanted take in the side seams of some dresses - in particular the dress that I got for $3 from Vinnies which I'm going to wear to a 50's party on Saturday.
Which meant that I had to unleash the beast!

One hour later - I needed a rest, a cup of tea, calming down....
Then I even went to the lengths of going out to the shops....
I didn't want to admit defeat....but I cold just use a zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine....couldn't I?

NO!

Then, for no apparent reason, I had the 4 threads arranged in just the right configuration - and BINGO!

 I had side seams sewn.

Then it was just a snip to run up the side seams of the other 2 dresses.

By now I was in full-blown mending mode.
So I stitched some of Mr planet's trousers that had come adrift and sailed gaily on to adapting son's tshirts.
Master planet does'nt like tightness around his neck (and I swear I never tried to strangle him when he was a terrible-two-year-old!).
I don't know if this will work, but I cut of the neck ribbing and sewed a hem with a sort of zig-zag stitch.

I'm really missing not playing with my beads this week, but life has been much too busy.....maybe next week - until then....

I'm joining in with my creative space on Village Voices - pop on over and see what's going on over there.

My creative space

 There's nothing like an impending craft market to bring on a flurry of activity in the house of planet!

So I have been tracing -

selecting fabrics - 

 - sewing

 - creating tshirts

to take with me to the lovely little Millthorpe Market in the central west of New South Wales on Sunday.

What have you been up to?

If you would like to check out some more creative spaces or join in pop on over to Our Creative Spaces

More make your own fabric bunting

Here are some more ideas if you'd like to make your own bunting but don't have a stash of fabrics to use, and you don't want to go out and buy a load of fabrics specially.

A kit is a great way to go providing you with everything you need.

This one comes ready cut out using vintage fabrics.

from The Haby Goddess

If you dont mind using a pair of scissors you might like this printed kit - 

by Yardage Design from Earth Girl

 Or this one from Kristen Doran using her own handprinted fabric -

by Kristen Doran

How easy is that? All you have to do is sew!

A gift and something to do

 I am ashamed to say that I have been meaning to write this post for ages, because, you see someone gave me something and asked me to make some things...but so far I've only made one little thing!

Anyway I will tell you about the one thing and maybe that will inspire me to make more things!

The lovely Narelle, the creative force behind rubyvictoria and printmaker extraordinaire sent me some of her newly printed calico fabric.

 

I just love them! Dont you?

I was in the midst of sewing for a promotion waaaaay in the future, in October, for my craft co-operative The Nook. I was making little pouches (see here) and so I sewed a little business card pouch with ruby victoria's fabric -

and this is the inside -

This one is not to give way!
This one is for me!

Maybe I'll post a tutorial about how to make them - they are very easy!

My creative space

More sewing this week.
More of the batik fabric squares from my friend H.
This time I have made them into little fold-over clutch purses.

They are kind of small, but kinda cute.
What would you use these little sweeties for?
They measure 12.5cm across and 8cm from top to bottom when folded.

I might even post how I made them as a tute - what do you think?

If you would like to see what everybody else has in their cretive spaces or would like to join in - pop on over here!

My creative space

Something a bit different and a bit of a story.  

 

I am a member of a craft co-operative that is in Leura, NSW. It is called The Nook.
We are a shop that is open every day except Christmas day, and it is a great venue to sell handmade goodies.
Every October the village of Leura has a gardens festival and a 2 day festival market right in the main street of Leura. Most of the shops in the street use the occassion to publicise their business, but The Nook, being upstairs on the first floor and not having a shop frontage always was disadvanteged. Sure we had  little stall outside your front door, but how to get people up there.
So a couple of years ago we came up with the idea to give our customers a goody bag, with things handmade by our members, when they spent $20 in the shop.
It worked a treat and our sales for the weekend rocketed.
So the other day a few of us got together and had a working bee to make some goobybagness!
My friend H has more fabric than I have beads I think!
These are some squares she cut out once for cushions that never really sold, so here we are making them into coasters - to give away in October.

Nothing like being organised in advance!

If you would like to join in with Our creative spaces or just take a peek at what others have been up to, pop over here.

My creative space

I've been sewing -


and sewing -


and sewing -


and then sewing some more -


for BoosTees tshirts.

What have you been doing?

If you would like to look at other creative spaces pop along to Kootoyoo's blog