Scarf → Kaftan

I had a very nice white cotton scarf with gold tassels in my altering pile...it was there because it was a summer scarf, but it seemed way too wide and so was a bit hot to wear when it was warm. But I hadn't got around to making it narrower. And with a sunny holiday looming, I needed a kaftan for lobbing over my swimsuit and so I made a different plan...

  

First I folded the scarf in half. To make side seams, I sewed two lines about 20cm in from each outside edge. I left a space of about 30cm at the top to put my arms through.

Then I measured across the top fold to find the middle. I slowly and carefully trimmed a hole to put my head through. Just a slight curve for the back neckline and a not-too-deep V at the front.

 

Then I stitched some gold bias binding on to the wrong side of the neck opening, stitching in the fold as I opened it out. Purchased bias binding makes the process very quick and easy. Before getting back to the start, I stitched the two pieces of bias binding right sides together, so that when I turned it to the front, there would be a neat seam. 

                           So I folded the bias binding over to the front and top-stitched it in place.   

 

And that was it: ready now for some beach weather and holiday fun!

  

                                

                                       From this...

...to this!

  

   

Hearts for Valentines

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I've worn hearts every day this week!
Last night I thought I'd valentine up a little cardy I'd snapped up at an Op Shop with a little needle felting.

  

Needle felting involves using a special needle that has no eye, and tiny little barbs on the pointy end to punch through the layers of fibres and matt them together.

Cutwork bookmarks...

..using free-motion stitching!

These cutwork bookmarks use free motion stitching and three layers of fabric.

Woollen blankets revived

In furnishing this time.

I needed to get my dining chairs recovered. They'd come from the farm and you could tell...

Ladybird pin

Scarf - felted, woollen and upcyled!

I love old jumpers: real jumpers made with real wool and perfect for recycling!  I've found that they can take a bit of hunting for, but with a number piling up, I started on my scarf project...

 

Fabric storage basket using recycled denim

A quick and interesting way to use an old pair of jeans - and a cheap source of fabric.

Photo by Sarah Ryan

Start with an old pair of jeans and cut off a portion off the bottom.

Little crochet storage basket

I haven't crocheted anything, ever, other than crocheting a chain when I was a kid. But I was tempted to have a go at this simple looking little basket...good for storing bits in the bathroom, or sitting room, or full of felt pebbles like mine here!

Photo by Sarah Ryan

A workshop was advertised at "Gather Handmade", a giftshop in Liverpool St, so I went along to have my first real go at crocheting.

Appliqué scarf

Appliqué:  [Pronunciation: ap-li-kay]   (n.) ornamentation, as a cutout design, that is sewn on to or otherwise applied to a piece of material (Source: OED online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 17 April 2015)

Now I am a bit of a scarf fan...so making another scarf was inevitable really...

 

 Photo by Sarah Ryan

So....I just happened to buy 50cm of cheesecloth, and 20cm of a white lace fabric.