ROARRRRRRRRRRRR...

Every once in a while it feels good to have fun with different fabrics.

So when I discovered faux fur, I just had to have a play and see what I could come up with...

...furry journal covers, no less!!!

A short-haired leopard print...

A chunky big cat cover...

And a chunky brown bear cover...

Oh I love what I do so much!!

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Sew Selena Aprons

I wanted to have an image for Sew Selena when I have a stall at a fair but wasn't quite sure where to start. 

Perhaps it didn't matter? 

But I *knew* it did to me.  I knew that it had to be something that summed up 'Sew Selena'.

So, who am I and what do I stand for anyway?

A stay at home mum who has embraced her creativity and loves to breathe new life into pre-loved fabric.  But how could I sum that up in something to wear?

Well, I started with a pre-loved vintage floral curtain and it built from there.

I added pre-loved lace from the bottom of a top (I have already used the oranges and lemons elsewhere - watch this space!)

Added rose polka dot detailing.

And added a large pocket divided into three so that it could be used as a money belt.  So much prettier!

Here is the apron and the look in action:

I'm happy!!

 

I also made one for my daughter to wear too:

 

 

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Red, white and blue, we love you

I enjoyed making the Hope chocolate lime oilcloth handbag so much that I thought I would make another one.

But I didn't want to make it exactly the same so I thought I would add a top zip.

After much fun and learning - out came the red, white and blue bag:

What do you think?

I thought the top zip made it look extra special.  You might recognise the fabric from my polka dot tea dress - well, you'd be right!  I never throw fabric away - you never quite know when even the smallest amount will come in handy!

And I love to know how each piece is connected to another - possibly around the other side of the world.

So why is it called the 'Red, white and blue' bag anyway?

That would be because I lined it with some fabric from a preloved dress:

I know there are no stars and stripes but it does remind me of my American friends.

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Polka dot tea-dress

I saw a fabulous tea-dress pattern in a magazine and wanted to give it a go. 

Then I spotted some polka dot fabric that I just knew would work well with it.  Blue has always been my favourite colour so that also helped.

So I made the dress.

I don't use patterns very often as they don't always tell me what I want to know.  I tend to sew the way that I cook - 'let's see what happens if I do this...' so to actually try to follow somebody else's instructions tend to be an interesting experience to say the least.

I also tend to use the 'visualise it first and then sew' method.  The more I sew, the more I know!

It formed the basis for my outfit for my first proper stall last night - more to come...

Giving oilcloth a new purpose!

So what do you do with a small piece of oilcloth which is just sitting in your pile waiting to be made into something?

Throw it away?

No chance!

'Make it into something else' must be my middle names!

So I decided to make it into a make-up bag - or toiletries bag - you choose!

I thought this was a sweet top to line it with.  I always love the combination of pink and green.

You can't beat oilcloth with roses on it!

And finally, the completed bag.  Result!

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The evolution of a backpack

I've taken up cycling - I love the feeling of freedom with the wind in my hair...

But I wanted to be able to wear a t-shirt and trackie bottoms and also carry my phone/keys/spanner/anything else I might need with me.  The little pocket that I added to my trackies wasn't up to the job.  So another solution was in order...

I spotted a redundant backpack in my wardrobe.  But it was a bit, um, plain. 

Ever conscious of safety (well, ok, sometimes!) I thought it might be a good idea to add some reflective material to the backpack so that at least I would be visible in the gloomy autumnal mornings.

Then I remembered that I had a school jacket of my daughter's that no longer fit - and that had little reflectors on it.  So I cut them off and added them to the backpack.

As it looked like a face, I scoured my oddments box and came across some of the wool that I had felted and cut that up to add to the picture a little.

Before I decided on the final placing for the felt I had a play to see what would look best.

Eyebrows and pupils?  It didn't feel quite right.

So how about a moustache and pupils?  It is Movember after all.

Nope.  That didn't feel quite right either.

So the moustache went and I moved the pupils.  It was starting to feel right.

Maybe catlike?

So I added whiskers...

But they were a bit on the long side so I gave them a trim.

At last - I was happy!

This is what it looked like after my first excursion through the muddy lanes.

But people could still see me!

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Salisbury bucket bag

I went to Salisbury recently to spend a weekend with very good friends.  While I was there I popped into one of their charity shops and had a good look around, only for my eye to be taken to a rather lovely brown skirt with vintage roses on it.

See what I mean?

So I brought it home and refashioned it into a bucket bag with the addition of rather a lot of polka dot - easy peasy lemon squeezy!

I do love polka dot.  Especially differently sized dots of the same colour.

The base was made out of more skirt.  I could have used polka dot but thought that using the skirt would keep it cleaner for longer - you can see my mum-side coming out, can't you?

I rather like the colour combination.

The interior sees an explosion of yet more polka dots - vintage rose this time.  I also added a 'skirt' pocket but could quite easily have used the sage green polka dot fabric instead.

 I think that's one of the things that I love about sewing so much - the combining colour combinations - there is no right and wrong, just opportunities for more fabric fun!

Poppies, poppies and more poppies

You may remember that I refashioned a ladies skirt into a child's swing top many moons ago.

Well, my daughter has now outgrown the sheer poppiness of the top.  So I have reclaimed it yet again!

It's got such a unique pattern that I had to use it for something delicious.

So I made a bucket bag from it!

And because I like to know where the pocket is in a bag, I added a poppy pocket too.

With a black and white polka dot lining!  Why be the same as everyone else!

The strap was interfaced to make it a little stronger and I've even figured out how to finish off the bias binding at the top without a flurry of 'oh my goodness, it's not working' LOL.

You see, I just love what I do. 

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