Little Toot Tee

OK, so what do we do with a T Shirt from Big W for $8.94?
It's sad and boring ...

here is another sad T Shirt ....
Well, you can iron on a T Shirt Transfer - I've had a hankering for this little bit of nostalgia from my childhood ....

I love Little Toot - to be honest can't remember the plot - I just love that cheeky face ... and he had a very important job to .... This Tee is for my Sweet Pea ....

Did you have the books and little 45 rpm record combo as a child? Another favourite of mine is "The Seven Little Postmen" - they had a job to do - AND THEY DID IT!

Here is the iron on stuff ....... I used an ElnaPress - the instructions for the normal iron were very complicated - and you can't do it on an ironing board ...


Only problem is ..... I positioned it too high!!! DOH! It looks like my T Shirt shrank in the wash!!

Little Toot wouldn't have been so hasty!

Dora the Fedora

May I introduce to you .... Miss Dora the stylish Fedora ....

Hat Block only used for photographic purposes ..... (cleverly) not required for construction ...

I tested this pattern for Nikki.

I'm sure it won't be called Dora - but the name has stuck for me.

This is a challenging project - especially in denim....

But, as usual, Nikki's instructions are meticulous .... and I am still in awe at the intricacies in her pattern making because there are so many subtle design considerations ... she's certainly one clever patootie!

Creative Holiday Happenings

There has been plenty of activity at Handmade Sewing Studio these holidays. Here are some of the student's completed items ......

A cool swing bag with some great text printed fabric simply appliqued on the outer flap. This pattern is one that one of my school colleagues designed for our Year 8 students. At school, we tie dye the lining fabric.

This next bag is a bit of a sampler of techniques .... when you don't know how to embellish why not try everything? There is some quilting, some Angelina Fibres, some Chenilling, some gridded patchwork, hand embroidery ......

It's a festival of colour and techniques .... a great achievement for a beginner sewist! The bag design is the same as this one ...


We've also been printing and dyeing and making bags ...

Screen printing is great fun - a bit of messing around - but the results and process is great fun!

It really makes you appreciate how professional fabric designers and printers can do it all so neatly with the correct "repeats" and everything ... but hey! I also enjoy the uniqueness of the HANDMADE look!

After the printing, some of the designs were carefully cut out and appliqued onto a dyed piece for a bag panel ...
The young lady that did this one, then meticulously machine stitched around this rather detailed shape - she did a great job! She used an applique foot and a tiny stitch length - didn't need to drop the feed dogs - due to the brilliance of my Bernina machines (!) - can't help myself!!!

This next cushion features an image printed onto fabric via an inkjet printer ... she then appliqued the design onto some dyed backing fabric.

This is the back of the cushion in the process of attaching some self covered buttons . I think it is very satisfying to not only make an item, but to have coloured the fabric and make design decisions all along the way - you couldn't be more unique and individual - unless of course you actually made the fabric as well - but I can't see 13 year olds enduring that task!

And finally, here is bag made by one of my INTERNATIONAL students .... Anissa is from Belgium and she recently started lessons as a beginner .... she made this bag as a first project from bits and pieces of fabric from the studio ..... same as the previous design ....

The plaited straps are a real feature of this bag! Great work Anissa!

Large Tote and Satchel Bag

One of my absolute beginner sewing students, Nicole, has completed her very first bag project.....
She chose one of Nicole M's bag patterns ......
the Large Tote and Stachel .....
Trimmed with a lovely deep olive green piping and some covered buttons, it came up a treat ....

Congratulations Nicole!
This is a great bag design and great value because the range of variations is extensive.
I think she HAS the sewing bug!!!!