Tag: stash busting

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Cabramatta with the Sydney Spoolettes

cabramatta

Last Sunday was yet another wonderful day out at a Sydney Spoolettes! This time we decided to pop out to Cabramatta for some fabric shopping and food and I have to say, the food, fabric and company were all fabulous.

Once again I was somewhat under the weather having managed to get a virus onto of what I’ve already got. So I’m using that as to an excuse as to why I forgot to take more photos. I had my camera with me but just forgot to actually use it much.

Cabramatta can sometimes be mysterious when it comes to fabrics. I’ve been out before and not found a thing to buy or I go and find I really want to buy everything. Despite being on a self imposed stash bust I managed to buy yet more fabric yesterday.

I had made a list of things that were wanted or needed that I didn’t have in the stash earlier in the week so I would be more focused. Pretty much everything I got was on that list. I snuck in one extra piece that wasn’t on the list but seeing how 2 pieces are destined to make things for The Englishman I figured one extra for me would be ok?

The Sydney Spoolettes now have a facebook group, so if you are interested in coming to the next meet up you can find the details there.

 

 

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Sewing Adventures – Pleated skirt

This is not from the stash of fabrics but the stash of unfinished objects of the sewing kind.

pink pleated skirt

I’ve previously made this fabric up into a dress. When I was cutting out the dress I also cut out a skirt. At the time I didn’t have enough fabric for a waistband out of the same fabric and had planned a contrast waistband. Anyway life happened and the skirt never got made. The dress however got worn a lot and faded really really quickly and was soon quite a lot paler.

When I found the cut out skirt I almost didn’t make it up, as I didn’t want the whole faded thing to be an issue. But it’s hot and I’m stashbusting so I thought a quick no nonsense style skirt might be handy in the summer? And if it only lasts the summer due to poor quality fabric then that’s ok too. I also wanted to try out the skirt portion of this Simplicity pattern as I really like it as a dress. You can see on the hem where I have allowed for the fading by using a paler pink thread. This way the fading won’t be so obvious this time round.

So after a quick sew I used a wide elastic for the waistband (hello 80’s style) and it was done. It’s good for kicking about and I may perhaps make this style of skirt again if I find appropriate fabric in the stash.

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Sewing Adventures – Whale Softies

Stash busting once again.

whale softies

I keep all of my fabrics in large plastic tubs. Some are neatly organised and some are filled with who knows what? An amalgamation of fabrics that maybe don’t suit, odd shaped pieces, scraps, leftovers etc. A fortnight ago I opened up a tub and started cutting. I had a stack of patterns and I was determined to get that tub empty.

These whale softie pattern is from Craftiness is not Optional and consists of 2 panels and one line of stitching. So crazy simple. A few fabrics were cut out using the pattern and then sewn up later in the week. Including hand sewing each one may have taken 15 minutes?

They were so easy and such a great useful stash buster I am sure they will not be the last softies appearing as part of the great stash busting efforts of 2014. You may recognise the floral as appearing in yesterdays pleated playsuit. I swear this is the fabric that never stops. I’ve made a tonne of stuff out of it and yet still miles left. Expect to see more of it to come.

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Sewing Adventures – Pleated Playsuit

I’m all about the stash busting at the moment and have so many projects finished up. Rather than one huge post I’m breaking them up or you would be here for days reading just one post.

pleated playsuit

So I want my stash busting efforts to not only reduce what I have but to result in things that are useful, needed or wanted. This one in addition to being wanted is just plain cute!

One of my nieces seems to have inherited the fashion gene and loves a good outfit. Previously I’ve made her this but when I saw the pleated playsuit pattern over on Petticoats and Peplums I thought it would be just the thing for my niece’s next outfit.

The pattern is free from Elegance and Elephants and it’s really cute. Slightly frustrating in that you have to print, tape and then trace which is time consuming but I also had a few issues with the pattern. Nothing major just little things like the lengthen here line is not in the same place on the front and back pant patterns. Thankfully I figured that out before I cut my fabric or I’d end up with legs different lengths. Like any pattern just be sure to check it before you start cutting your fabric.

Despite these few setbacks it went together very quickly (helps when you have the Olympics to watch while sewing). The fabric is a printed quilting cotton from the stash. This seems to be the never ending fabric. I’ve made at least 2 dresses, a top and numerous small projects and I still have miles of it!

I didn’t make facings but just cut the front and back bodice panels in a lining fabric of a lightweight printed cotton from the stash and fully lined the bodice. Much easier and less fussy than making facings. I also didn’t make my own shoulder ties but used some velvet ribbon from the stash.

So a very cute outfit made entirely from the stash! Slowly but surely am going to make a difference.

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Sewing Adventures

Sometimes you just need a dress, not a fancy dress or even a complicated dress. More of a “it’s been hot and I need something to throw on” type of dress.

black floral dress

On Saturday I went to take a look at the Follow Store closing down sale (so sad Sydney is losing yet another independent retail store). They had suitcases filled with vintage remnants they were letting go at bargain prices. So naturally I picked some up, which is totally a violation of the no adding to the stash rule of 2014. Despite this, I was determined that it should not remain in the stash long.

So on Sunday I cut out Simplicity 1873 which I have made a few times before. It’s simple but looks good and I make it faster by not doing any facings or linings but instead using bias binding to finish the neck and armholes.

By late afternoon I was done and had a new dress to wear. It’s nothing fancy, just simple and practical and the fabric is pretty. In the spirit of using up things from the stash I put an exposed chunky zip at the centre back and used what bias I had for the neck and armholes.

Overall I am pretty happy with the make and look forward to having a comfortable dress dress to pop on when I am at home.

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something shocking

For some time now I’ve been doing something shocking! I’ve not been buying any fabric.

Shocking isn’t it?the stash

January 1st 2012 I set myself the challenge of reducing my stash. Our apartment is tiny (think how small you think it is and then at least halve it). And the stash was taking over.

So for the past almost 2 years I have been shopping the stash. I have made pyjamas for myself and friends, dresses for work, dresses for weekends, tops to wear dressed up, tops to wear when lounging round the house, clothes for the Englishman, gifts for family and friends, dresses for nieces and costumes. I even got a little bit brutal and gave some pieces away that I knew I would never use. In just over 2 years I have added less than 5 pieces to the stash and all but one of them has already been sewn up.

Now I would like to report that all that hard work has resulted in a lovely clean fantastically organised sewing area.

It hasn’t made one single solitary minuscule amount of difference! We are still overflowing with fabric and sometimes it seems to be a never ending pit.

Added bonus is that is I’m saving a great deal of money while shopping the stash and am finding some gorgeous pieces that I had tucked away for “something special”.

So when’s the next stash busting sew along? because count me in!

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Mini obsession – necklaces

As part of my determination to bust my enormous stash of fabrics down to a mere molehill instead of a mountain. It sometimes means I am making up garments in less than flattering colours and patterns.

Some of the colour risks have paid off, some of them need a bit of a pick me up.

Then I discovered the power of a good necklace.

The transformation is sometimes amazing and sometimes it’s just enough to take an ok garment up to acceptable.

Here are some of my favourites

necklaces

1 – Fable and Lore 2 – Homako 3 – I made this one! 4 – Memi the Rainbow