Halloween

Crochet on the umbrella his finished, pinned onto the frame and will be sewn on and a thin thread of glue will be run on the seams.
All the plastic has been cut off.
The skirt has the pleated bottom added. Just needs to be hemmed on the bottom.

Halloween

Crochet in progress.
Bustier in progress. It needs adjusting before I bone and line it. Upholstery swatch from Savers.
These beautiful books are from my sister in England. I am beside myself, All the lovely knitted goodness, Where to start first? Her husband is here for a quick visit to his Auntie who has just had her 99th Birthday.

Halloween

This is the skirt so far. I need to add the pleated hem.
The pleats in construction. I have made a cardboard template for the pleats. This makes life much easier.
Cardboard pleats continued.
The hat is construction. The hat brim has been traced around and right sides together, sewn along the outer rim. The centre has been cut out and then turned right sides out. This will be clipped and glued to the inside of the main hat. The top circle of the hat has been drawn out and clipped ready to glue over the circle.
Everything has been glued into place and the hat is ready for decoration.

Halloween

In a couple of weeks time i am going to a fancy dress Halloween Party. This is what i will be making. I will steampunk the outfit.

All the fabrics have been sourced from Savers, The skirt and jacket are going to be made out of this lovely curtain fabric, It is bronze/brown with a shot of green through it when the light is on it. The Jacket will be the self coloured striping and the bodice will be the multicoloured fabric. The brown leather jacket will be the hat, the leather on show will be the inside of it a lovely rich brown and will make accessories to match.
I will be making a top hat to go with it. This is stiff white cardboard.
How to make it. First measure your head with a strip of card, take it together to form a circle.
trace the circle onto card and cut out. This will be the top of the hat. Next with the same strip to make the shape for the head part it needs to be an oval but still have the same dimensions so place something inside the circle to change it's shape and trace around that. Do not cut it out yet, To need to add another oval inside that to cut notches for the tabs that will be inside the hat cylinder. Find the centre of this shape and you need to now add the widest circle for the brim. Cut out the inner oval and clip all the tabs and bend them up. Cut out the outer circle for the rim.
This is a cheap umbrella, I will be altering this too. The handle will be covered in leather and i will be crocheting a cover for it.
This book I also bought from Savers and i will be using it as my inspiration for the umbrella cover. I am really excited about this project, It has been a long time since i made something for myself.

Charity Makes for 2011

This week i have been busy starting my charity stuff this week, These delightful dolls are from http://byhookbyhand.blogspot.com/2010/04/prairie-flowers-original-cloth-doll.html a free pattern that is utterly delightful. I have been given this lovely pink linen and I think it will be perfect for this. 14 dolls getting sewn and cut out ready to stuff. My plan is to have them in zip lock bags with 2 outfits each.
This is the knitting and crochet so far this week, All in 4 ply from the wool I was given last week. 2 blankets done, 2 sets of hats and booties and 1 jacket so far. Each bag will contain a baby set and a toy in each pack. It is good to get back into the groove.

ACDA Cloth Doll Club

 Today we had our monthly meeting of our cloth doll club today. People are so generous this is what i have received today for my charity works. 2 kilos of stuffing, fiberfill. I have not asked for it, but i am very grateful, it could not have come to me at a better time, I have literally run out using the stuff for the school.

 All of this wonderful 4 ply baby yarn. I am grateful beyond words. This will keep me busy for months and months. All the lovely baby goods and toys that i can make.

What i have sewn since the School play is 20 Trauma dolls. I took them into club for stuffing and i only took 4 home to do. Great stuff. Thank you ladies for all of your help.

School Play Props and Things

Yesterday they had at the school a Cast and Crew party. It was just wonderful, All the kids were brilliant and they presented me with this lovely lot of gifts. A simply stunning glass and mirrored large candle holder and vanilla scented candle in a lovely hat box and a laminated certificate and some hand made cards. Overwhelming!
This very large poster double sided done by 1/2 K
I have it hanging on my Family Room wall and i simply love it. As soon as i can i will get it laminated. Thanks Kids! I Love it.
The candle lit. Simply Stunning!

Play Performance.

The picture does not do the flowers any justice, But the play was WONDERFUL! so worth the effort of all concerned. They presented me with these flowers on stage at the end, Simply wonderful, Thank you all, I know you are reading my blog! The kids were outstanding, the music, the dancing, the lines, Just Brilliant. Well Done Everyone.

Mini Purse

This afternoon I was thinking about Christmas. I wanted to make little gifts for the ladies at our Cloth Doll Club, ACDA. Change purses, For Christmas they are going to be made of Christmas colours but for this mini tutorial I just used what I had on hand. This technique can be used for whatever sized container you wish. Choose your container you are going to measure with. Add seam allowances. Make 2 circles out of cardboard for the base, make 2 circles out of fabric larger than the base size.
Cover the two circles with the fabric by running a gathering thread around each one. One will be on the outside of the bag and one on the inside.The fabric for the main purse pattern is both the outside and the lining. so you need it height size doubled. add a seam allowance, Sew up the seam allowance. This makes a tube.Turn the tube raw edges are meeting each other fabric wrong sides together this will be the bottom of the little bag.
Run a gathering thread through the raw edges and place one of the circles raw edges facing the raw edges of the gathered tube and lightly sew the two pieces together just to hold.
Turn it right sides through and it will look like this. Pin and sew the tube to the circle by hand using tiny stitches. Take out the pins and turn the bag the other way and add the second circle and pin just like this and sew all around again. This leaves your bag with no raw edges.
Add the casing which is 2 rows of stitches all around the tube near the top wide enough to add your chosen cord. On the outside fabric only, opposite sides to each other, snip a small slit between the casing stitches add your cord. You will need 2 lengths. Place one cord on a safety pin and run it right around. Tie it in a knot. Do the same thing on the other slit. You can now open and close the bag easily. Add little hard boiled lollies or other trinkets of your choice.

School Play.

Yesterday was the final rehearsal and finishing touch ups on costume and props. I was there back stage and could hear what was happening on stage and the kids were fantastic! They had the first performance last night, i hope it went well, I will be there tonight to watch it finally, all the weeks of preparation have been worth it. I hope i will be able to blog some pictures from the play.

Costuming.

I have finished all the projects for the play and now i have new projects. My son's girlfriend is going to a costume party next weekend. My son has his outfit, he is going as Captain Jack Sparrow. His partner is going to go as Super Ted. She will have 2 tops.
Second top.
Fur hood with ears and mittens. I need to line the hood. and finish the cape.

School Play Props and Things

I am playing with ideas at the moment. I need to tie in the human side with the rock side. This is a dark brown belt.

The same belt deconstructed.

School Play Props and Things

Finishing touches are being done this afternoon. Adding some textures such as tufts of grass, and adding colour in the way of lizards on the lower edges of the skirt. Adding more of the felt rock shaped around the rest of the waist too.