Accordion Book

The front

First couple of pages.

Lots of tag pockets on these two pages.

More pockets to add tags into.

This is the back.

The back sides of the pages

Just one pocket on this one so it didn't get too bulky.

I watched a series of 4 youtube videos by Tracie Fox and was inspired to make an accordion book.

'Sewing Bee' Course

Week 1 - Getting to know the sewing machine (Bernina 1008)

 Week 2 - Seams and zips

Week 3 - Creating the pattern on dot and cross print sewing paper with a 1cm seam allowance. Cut it out, found some fabric in the store cupboard for a trial run.

On my week off I went fabric hunting and came back with this washed linen in chartreuse.

Week 4 - Cutting out and sewing.  I weighted them down and chalked around the pattern.

Cut them out with sharp fabric scissors.

Hannah (the tutor) inserted box pleats to the front of both pieces of fabric.

Then pin from the top to the crutch and sew this part only (not the leg) and the same on the other two pieces of fabric (this will make the back of the trousers).

Lay the back piece on the table with the front piece on top of it. Pin from the top down, the outsides of each leg.

Next pin the insides of the legs starting from the crotch and working down.

Next I took the waistband, sewed the ends together, folded it in half width wise and then pressed it.  Check to make sure it fits inside the trouser top, mine didn't and I had to add some more on to it.

Week 5 - Pin the waistband into the trousers with the open edge to the top and sewed nearly all the way around. Put the elastic in, anchored it on one seam and sewed it down, then sewed the other end down and finally the rest of the waistband once the elastic was in situ.  Pinned the bottoms to fit my leg length, cut the extra fabric off, did a 2cm turn up and sewed them.  And there we have it, a finished garment. Sewing Bee, eat your heart out - lol.

Week 6 - working on the actual fabric (yikes!!!!)

Did these different to the first pair as the first pair I didn't use the overlocker.

They are fab little machines, but a bugger to thread up.  They smarten up any ragged edges.

Did exactly the same with the other leg and then joined them up at the crutch.

And the last thing to do for this week was to pin the pleats in and iron them.

Week 7 - Waistband is on and over-locked. However, when I went to try them on to sort the leg length out it was evidence that they were miles too big.  So, rather than rush them as there as only 10 minutes left of the course, I said I'd sort them when I return in September as Hannah said we could do something with the leg seams to take them in.

Up-cycled Angels

 

Apart from the head, these are totally up-cycled.  Piece of wood from the old gate, tubes from catering rolls of tinfoil, used tin foil, old wire coat hanger for the wings, old dishcloth, old t-shirt and scarf.

Covered the body with off cuts of an old t-shirt and painted the wings, all in bronze powertex.

Next I draped off cut of fabrics, lace and old scarves over each of the figures just to see how they would lay.

I then covered all the pieces in powertex and arranged them on the figures.

Coloured with silver and blue pigments.

And the back.

And on this one I just used the silver.

And again from the back.  

I just need to get a couple of pieces of slate now to mount them on.

#rusteffects #powertex #upcyclingchallenge

Day 30 - TagFest - Last day of the Challenge

Some double, some single, embossed backgrounds, paper dolls and butterfly wings.

Set of double tags using T!m's paper dolls as the main focus.

Oriental tag using a slide mount.

Created using decorated till rolls.

Vintage tag set with cut outs and doilies.

More tags using up the till rolls. Most pieces are collaged onto the tags.

Today is the last day of the 30 day tag challenge. 

Day 28 - Steampunk Tag

Another steampunk tag using all sorts of different techniques.

Day 28 of the #fabtag30day challenge.

Boho & Indian inspired fabrics

Lovely goodies from https://www.lovemeblue.co.uk/

Wet Felting Incorporating Other Materials

So moving on from my sample piece, I decided to go for it. This time I did things slightly differently, hopefully learning from the first piece. I laid out the materials as above. I just kept going until I was happy with how it looked as I wasn't actually aiming to make anything from the finished piece.

This is what I ended up with once I I'd finished felting and shrinking it. I was much happier with what happened this time, however, it's not dry yet!

This is the piece of silk fabric that all puckered up with a piece of the silk throw underneath.

This is another piece of farbic, not sure what it is, some sort of polyester or viscose, but it puckered up nicely too.

And this is the piece of cotton fabric, again love how it's puckered and grabbed the other fibres.

This is the silk throwster waste.

This is the silk spectrum, it reminds me of slub, but thicker.

This is the silk throwster dyed waste.

I also used some dyed silk tops and some angelina fibres.

All the above photos were taken whilst it was still wet.

This is how it looks now it's fully dried and I'm really pleased with it.

This is a close up of the cotton scrim, love how it's all puckered up.

This is a close up of the silk, again it puckered up really nicely and has left a fabulous texture.

This is the piece of viscose/polyester and it's puckered up lovely too.

The green, blue and patch of purple is the silk throwster waste.

This has the silk spectrum clump middle left, the darker patch, and it's quite soft considering what it starts off as.

The purple area is silk tops and there is also some angelina fibre in there too.

I not only love the end product, but really enjoyed the process.