Little Baby Clothes

Squee! Little baby things! 

Size 3 months, as per pattern

Size 3 months, but legs extended to 9 month length

The contrast hem at the bottom has added a bit of length. Otherwise as per pattern.

What I learnt from my first cosplay

In no particular order:

• It would have been faster and easier if I'd had my sewing machine. 
• Amazon and ebay really are suprisingly cheap.
• Toy plastic guns that don't look like alien guns are quite hard to find.
• Staples are not your friend (not even to cheat and attach belt buckles).
• Temporary spray glue (post-it note glue!) is your friend (to fix things in place while you sew instead of using pins; to stop things falling down on the day).
• Colombia doesn't have enough types of glue (or perhaps I was just looking in the wrong shops?)

• Foam craft sheets are brilliant.
• Stencils should be stuck down (preferably using the post-it note glue) to whatever they are supposed to be covering, otherwise just trace it and use a sharpie (yes, I found out the hard way). 

• Graffiti must be much harder than it looks - just spray painting a couple of knife handles and bullets was hard enough!

• Spray paint comes off plastic bullets quite easily :(
• Always have a plan B, C, and D for the construction process/materials, and for what to do if things fall off when you're in costume. 
• People will pay you to have their photo taken with you! (Or would have if I'd asked... next time!)
• A large number of people will want their photo taken with you even though they have no idea who you're supposed to be dressed up as:

Spot the Black Widow...

• People who do recognise your character, and are dressed up as a "teammate" will produce the most awesome photos:

• People who are dressed up as something completely irrelevant will produce the funniest photos:

• Curly hair really suits me. 
• Fake eyelashes are brilliant.
• It will take longer than you plan, but not as long as you fear.
• You will end up with both surplus, and not enough, materials for various parts of your costume. 
• Wigs are fine, but real hair gets more attention.
• Getting into character really pays off (modelling job offers!).
• If you're dressed as a character who can fight, everyone will want to "fight" with you in the photos:

• Being famous for five minutes is hilarious (I've been "recognised" twice by people in the street).
• Having guns in thigh holsters is frighteningly comfortable and easy to get used to (brilliant place to rest your hands).
• Children are awed by people in costumes (OK, I already knew that, but I hadn't experienced it from this side of the relationship!)
• It's a great way to make friends who are into the same silly stuff as you.
• It's a lot of work, but it's definitely worth it!

Exitoooo!

Modern Hexagon Cushion

Well, I'm still alive, and suffering occasional bouts of sewing machine withdrawal. Especially when looking at jersey tops and thinking "I could make that in half an hour for a quarter of the price!"

Hand sewing is helping to ease the cravings (as is being really busy on other things) and this is my first completely hand sewed project! Ok, the hems on the back are the original sheet hems, but the pretty parts are all mine ;)

A paper pieced cushion made of oversized hexagons. The fabric is from one of the charm packs I brought with me from London. I think I still have enough for the quilt that I'd originally intended this fabric for! The white fabric is a cotton sheet I bought on sale. I think next time I'll go for a (still 100% cotton but) lesser quality sheet, as this fine one was, well, a little too fine compared to the quilting cotton. It is soft though :)

I feel like a rockstar for completing this :D And more so as I finished it a couple of weeks ago and it still hasn't fallen apart yet!

In with the old, Out with the new

In times of change and upheaval, it's only natural to cling onto some remnant of the past, something to ground you, remind you of simpler times and make you remember that it will all work out in the end. Usually this is something from the changee's own lifetime, however. So why have I just decided to make an entire quilt by hand? Perhaps I am overreacting a little. Hay que ver...

Grandpa

It can be difficult sewing for guys, especially things that aren't clothes. Hopefully this is practical enough, and geometric enough, that it will go down well :)

NouNou

Beautiful fabric, quilted by outlining the pattern. Very satisfying to do, especially as I'd been wanting to try this for a long time! And because my first attempts at free motion anything were... less than brilliant.... (break your foot!)

Sencillo

 Trying to use up stash to give me an excuse to buy new fabric - no pattern, just a rotary cutter, some of my favourite b/w patterns, and the last scraps of a black sheet.

Coasting Along

A belated birthday present for my uncle. He now lives in a gorgeous (and/but?) extremely masculine 'bachelor pad.' Everything was wood, steel and black leather last time I visited. I hope these will provide a bit of comfort without being girly...

Each was made using just black and blue log cabins, then quilted in a spiral following the lines. I love that such variety is possible with such a simple construction.

I really wish I could remember why the bottom left coaster looks different. I know I was experimenting with different binding methods, but which one did I use on the more successful five?

Coasting along

Made with leftover scraps from a couple of Moda projects.

I feel 6 again

 

Made following this excellent tutorial. Having cut out the main piece of the skirt the waist opening appeared to stretch to ridiculous proportions - if you're making this skirt yourself don't panic. Just pin and stretch the waistband to fit, and everything will be ok. Having said that - cutting out the bottom hem before cutting out the waist opening would have made it easier to get a circular, rather than oval, skirt (although it was nothing a rotary cutter couldn't fix). Now, off to twirl... ;)

Shkirt

Inspired by this shirt-to-skirt refashion and the clothes in this movie, I finally got around to improving my £4 Primark men's shirt.

British Summer

Believe it or not, this was my attempt at choosing summery colours... However, as it's been raining and cloudy so much this summer it turned out more appropriate for Halloween :D

John Lewis is getting better at stocking 'fashionable' designers, and I'm very happy to finally have some Joel Dewberry after drooling over other bloggers' photos for so long. Now I just need a central London shop to start selling all the Moda fabric, then I'll have a real problem.

I first saw this bag here, and downloaded the pattern here. As I didn't want such a large bag I took a few inches off the length, and due to my love of pockets decided not to make it reversible by cutting the lining down instead of ruffling it to fit, so as to make it easier to sew the pockets in. I also added a magnetic popper and, once again, was too enthusiastic to read the instructions in the pattern, so ended up with very wide handles. They are comfy though, so I shall count it as a design feature, not an error ;)

Patchwork Pillow

Mother's Day

Decorated Moleskine notebooks and matching jar of home-made hand cream.

Lunch Date

A thank you gift for a dear, although disobedient, student.
Made with space for biscuits, although I suspect it will be used for cocktails. Espero q disfrutes la misa en chino!

Pillow Flight

Done following the tutorial here, with the pattern from here. And by "following,", I mean "skimming then getting overconfident and mis-remembering." Still, the only effect was to have my geese flying widdershins. And the male resident is happy to have something which isn't pink and flowery - the matching quilt is up next...!

Fathers' Day

The Bachelorette Pad

Now all that's missing is a cocktail bar...