Tuesday 26 March 2013

Bunny Play Overall

I have typed all this out and uploaded the pics with lots of connection failure in-between and realised I have posted it as a 'post' and not on the project 52 page!  Doh. Was just so pleased with it I got carried away.  So the project 52 page will be missing week 12 as it is here- on the main page.  Without further ado, here's this week's make:

Wk 12- Bunny Play Overall
I saw this in Mollie Makes and thought it looked like a fun thing to make.  I have also been making children's aprons for this coming craft fair and thought it may be timely for Easter to make a bunny version of this but as an overall/ apron


So I picked out some thick fabric in a salmon pink and laid it out on the floor.  Using one of the girls pre-existing aprons, I drew abound the bottom and up to the arm holes to give me an idea of length and width etc.



I cut one template out and then drew around it to cut out the back section.  I then turned over all the edges with a 1cm seam allowance to neaten the edges.  1st lesson for improvement learned here: use pinking shears as inside still looked a little messy :s  (The Mollie makes dress was made of courderouy and fully lined so eradicates this issue but since I was only making an apron, I felt single lining was adequate).


I had some velour type material in white that I thought would be perfect for the bunny face.  Using the template now cut out, i used this as a guide for the size of the bunny's face and drew the design in pencil on the back.....


And then cut it out although I did add lumpy cheeks and hair as I was cutting to make it more bunny-ish.  It could have been a cat or mouse or anything at that point!



I laid it on top of the front piece and pinned it down to keep fixed in place while I sewed it down.


I used a zig zag stitch as the material had already begun to fray (I was wearing a black jumper and the fibres from the fabric had come loose so I looked like I had been hugging the real thing). Lesson number 2 for improvement, do not use this velour fabric!  It takes too long to secure, neaten and re-stitch.  I am going to try again with faux fur!

 I then made the elastic cased sides. I toyed with making adjustable straps too but felt that this way made it look more finished.  It may look like more of a bib on an older child, but the elastic allows for this whilst prevents the sides from flapping open.  Here they are before being attached (I think they look like shrimps!)


This is where the fun begins!  I cut out the shapes  for the facial details and played around with the size of the ear inners, nose size/ position etc.  Once happy, I sewed them down.


I used black ribbon for the eyes and whiskers.  Lesson number 3 for improvement- Do not use ribbon as it too, frays.  A lot!

I also added two cotton teeth under the straight edge after this pic was taken.  My finishing touch had to be the little faux fur tail on the back.  A little circle, zig zag stitched onto the back near the bottom.




I can't wait to get the girls to model some pics of this for me and then I can also make adjustments for length and width.  I think the future ones will be cotton aprons with just a few fur details like ears and tails (like the Mollie Makes version) but for my 1st template- I am chuffed with this!





Friday 22 March 2013

Recent creations

I realise my posts have been quite sporadic but I anticipate less distractions over the next few weeks as I have finished work and only have one fair left.  I must also concede that sheer gravity is slowing me down as I near the end of this very long pregnancy!  Although I haven't written as much as when I started, I have been busy crafting and will continue to update the project 52 page each week.  In case you have missed some of the last creations due to the grouped posts, here are a few images of the last 3/4 weeks challenges.
Latest Easter themed creation 
Flower girl dress for our friends wedding. 
Hen party goodies
 Crochet/ crewel bag.
You can see more pics of these on the project 52 page :D

Friday 15 March 2013

new project 52 posts

Apologies for the lateness in posting these but better late than never.  I am nearly finished on this week's makes and will take pics tomorrow.  I have a deadline of tomorrow to finish- which you will understand when I post but for now, here are the pics of the overdue projects from the last couple of weeks.  I am managing to do one new thing per week (at least) but am not very good at the documentation- namely writing up the posts on here :s Please bear with the pregnant lady a little longer!  For details of the pieces, click on the tab above, project 52 :D

Wk 7:

I ended up forgetting the example jar and made another on the day as posted earlier in the week but the possibilities are many and varied.

Wk 8:
:

I really love this one.  Folky, practical and unique (if i do say so myself!)

Monday 11 March 2013

Another thrifted bargain

Just a quick line to show you all my latest thrifty purchase.  Really don't need another blanket but I could not resist this for £4!  I tried it out on both sofa's but prefer it on the red but glad it can go on both when I am not using it; with temperatures of 0 degrees here today and a forecast of -8 later in the week, it may get more use than I had anticipated for March!  I will be posting on the project 52 page soon- I will have 3 weeks worth of crafty challenges to write about- sorry for the delays.


Saturday 9 March 2013

Hen crafts and laughs

I have discovered new levels of exhaustion! Perhaps it is the not giving myself enough time to recover after being ill, or the fact that I am 31 weeks pregnant, or that I (like other members of my family, according to my mum) suffer with a condition which makes us believe time is elastic believing foolishly, that i can fit everything in.  Perhaps it is a combination of all 3 but this has been a tiring couple of weeks.  2 craft fairs and a hen day in the last few weeks has left me more than a little whacked.  My crafting has been fairly constant but pictures are few!  Today was the said hen night and with young inexperienced bridesmaids in the hen organising department, I was asked to help out.  15 goody bags, 24 fairy cakes, egg mayo and some ham sandwiches, photo-booth props, table cloths, Mr & Mrs Game, 15 jars, washed, labels peeled and decorating bits gathered....all part of my helping out task.  We arrived and set up 4 tables with just a collection of some of my vintage tablecloths.

Then we set up a jar decorating table for tea lights to go inside.  The 'bits' included tissue paper, paper doilies, brown string and various coloured raffia chord/ ribbon, brown paper and sticky-tape.   I only have a picture of my creation but there were some beautiful ones made- all different shapes and sizes.  Mine was from a pesto jar so quite cute and small whereas the tall slim curry jars looked very effective (and there were a couple left over for me to play with this week, YAY).

The bride-to-be has very talented sisters, one of whom is a budding photographer   A pink backdrop was created using fabric and props were left strewn around a cornered off section.  They had a large empty photo-frame and the guests were left to dress up for pictures etc.  here's one of me taking Louise taking a picture.  Once her pics are ready, I will upload a few from the day.


I had also made fairy cakes for people to decorate themselves; providing some squirty icing in a can, a bowl of pink butter icing  and then options of silver balls, sugar crystals and sprinkles.  There are no photos of these as they were devoured upon completion!  I did, however take pictures of the cakes one of the guests made: WOW


They looked and tasted fabulous!  April also baked brownies and jam tarts despite being in work all week (including this morning) and having had baked copious amounts for International women's day yesterday and said she will be baking an additional 50+ biscuits tonight for the children in Sunday school to decorate for her church mothers tomorrow!

April also brought along lots of nail varnishes etc and gave most of the guests manicures.  We finished with games- tissue paper brides dresses, Mr and Mrs Quiz and there was a pass the bouquet game that we ran out of time for :(


I made 15 goody bags- one for each lady, to take their jars home in and included the answers to the Mr and Mrs Quiz.  They each were able to fill their bag with left over sweets and cakes.  Again, they were snatched up and I don't have pictures BUT I will recreate one for my craft project this week.  It certainly was a challenge but one I would do again in a heartbeat.  The bride-to-be is very special to me and I am pleased to have been able to my bit in creating a hen day preparing her for domesticity!

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Under the weather

I must admit that I never expected would go over a week without posting! Unfortunately I have had what feels like a cold followed immediately by a headcold so lots of sneezing, snuffles and cluster headaches. Nothing serious but enough to make me feel sorry for myself! I am posting from my phone which is slow going. I will try to post tomorrow with a proper update!