Scavenger Hunt

Sunday 12 April 2015

Sewing

Hello folks.

This week has been lovely, the sun has shone, I've gardened a little, read a book in the sun a little and sewed a little.

I have spent long, long hours on Pinterest looking at bags and sewing projects I might be able to tackle.  I popped into Stroud and the local sewing shop, Sew and So to pick up some zips.  A zip is quite an undertaking for me, it's over 30 years since I put a zip in anything.

I started with a simple make up bag.  There are hundreds of tutorials on line, I used this one from Melly Sews principally.  
I popped in a label.  I really like the blue/beige combination.
 Top stitching, not too bad?
 You can see I had a fight with the zip end.  I'm not too happy with how that turned out...
 ..but in my defence this Cath Kidston one I was given as a present isn't that much better.
 Deciding I hadn't done too badly, did I try another just to hone my skills and new things I had learnt?  Not I did not.  I went straight for a credit card holder.   This time the pattern was from Craft Passion.
I read, and re-read the instructions.   There was a lot of shouting at my machine, "COME ON!" and one or two other things I won't repeat.  Two bits of fabric got binned and I started anew.  One zip was discarded and a longer one used. 
Basically both sides of the zip have the fabric sewn to it and then they are turned through to the right side.  Working on the wrong side and turning it through is sometimes too much for my brain.   Getting the zip around the corner smoothly was pesky, but after a lot of perseverance ~ it was a lot believe me ~ I had something passable.
I used the leftovers of the tea-towel fabric from my Tea-Towel Tote.  There is an internal divider giving three pockets, two for credit cards maybe and a bigger pocket in the middle for some coins.
The original zip I had was too short ~ well that and I sewed the ends to the fabric instead of turning them out of the way, so after I had clipped the corners and turned it through it just didn't work, hence the reason two fabric pieces got binned ~ I used a longer one and shortened it.  I'm a bit worried that this one will just fall apart with use, should I have encased the end and the new sewn stop ~ is that the right word? ~ in the fabric rather than having it on show?  I don't know, please tell me what I should have done. 
Anyhoo, on the whole I'm pleased.
I've learnt loads of things about zips, some I had forgotten and some new stuff.  Working in reverse is taxing for me but I'm hoping I'll get better.  I also worked out that it is easier to have a handy pot next to you for all the threads and bit of fabric instead of dropping them all on the floor to pick up later.
I'm actually quite enjoying this sewing malarkey, I might do more.

Well that's me for now, back to school tomorrow which will be hard after two weeks off!  

See you soon.................Clicky Needles.

4 comments:

  1. The first and last time I tried to sew in a zipper was about 44 years ago...ahem...so I am very impressed with your efforts....and that you enjoyed what you did :) Wishing you happy days back at work! xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Impressed with your work, and no chance I'm giving any kind of advice on zips! Mine turn out like yours but at least we are in good company with Cath. I always have to use a tute when I make a zippy purse as the whole which sides together never seems to stick in my head. I'm a very visual person but this just does not work for me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think you have done so well!! I would struggle with this, not being a sewer but really wanting to learn. Your bag and wallet look really great.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think you did a splendid job. I made five shirts from the exact same pattern and totally ruined two of them, how can that be?
    Hugs,
    Meredith

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for popping in to read my ramblings!
Please leave a comment ~ I do appreciate them.

Clicky Needles.