Tag: sewing

The culprit and the cause

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft
Photo description: Izzy the calico on a Barcalounger chair back she has claimed as her own complete with claw marks

Izzy the cat was quite miffed when I got a new chair and got rid of the hollow she has been carefully cultivating for years. She started the process over with the new chair and decided to add in claw sharpening, much to my dismay. To hide the damage I made a chair back cover with materials from around the house. It worked OK, but kept sliding, so I bought some nice heavy custom-print fabric from Spoonflower to make a new cover.

Photo description: old free chair back cover, with the new fabric across the seat

The first decision I had to make was how to construct the back cover. I decided to do a long strip up the sides and top, and a panel for the front and back. I tore the fabric to get straight lines (yes, light denim will tear like cotton plain weave, just make sure to tear at least an inch away from the seam line because the threads distort at the tear.) I then used the treadle sewing machine to sew up a new cover. I did a fit once the side seams were done, adjusted the length, then sewed a hem.

Photo description: Singer model 66 red-eye treadle machine used to sew the chair back cover
Photo description: newly installed custom chair back cover on a Barcalounger swivel chair

I do like the Art Nouveau look with squirrels on the fabric. Izzy has already started to reclaim the new cover. It’s a good thing I like cats more than furniture.

Throwback Thursday: egg aprons

On By CarynIn chickens, Craft

In February of 2017 I did an egg apron experiment for a friend with chickens. I made three kinds of egg apron from simple white cotton fabric that I had in my stash.

Photo description: white egg apron with woven rope tie and two rows of pleated pockets
Photo description: round bottom apron with braided rope tie, large pocket with two hand access ports and division seams along the bottom edge to keep eggs from knocking together
Photo description: harvest style white apron with buttoned up large “pockets” to hold eggs or produce
Photo description: same harvest style white apron unbuttoned

The experiment was interesting. The round bottom apron was hard to get the eggs out, the pleated pockets were nice, but if you leaned over too fast the eggs rolled out, and the harvest apron didn’t keep the eggs separated.

Now, with three of my own chickens and one or two eggs, I just use my pants pockets. Even when we had more chickens the aprons were more of a pain than helpful. Egg baskets are a more practical solution.

Poncho fix

On By CarynIn Craft

To make the poncho that I made from a free blanket wearable, I used inexpensive acrylic yarn to do a blanket stitch around the neckline, then crocheted into the blanket stitch.

Photo description: single crochet into a blanket stitch, video here

I then alternated rows of shell stitches, 3 on the first row, two on the second, and decreased at the V on each side.

Photo description: crochet added to the neckline of a 2 rectangle poncho

I don’t know why one side has more stitches than the other, but I didn’t count, so that is probably the cause of the error. The crochet did help keep the poncho on, but I still hate wearing it. I even tried wearing it sideways with a “V” on each shoulder. That was better, but the corners on my hands were annoying.

Photo description: same poncho, but turned 90 degrees with the V neck on the shoulders

I’m very glad I did this trial with inexpensive materials, and did not put in hours knitting something that I would hate wearing.

Poncho trials

On By CarynIn Craft

The idea of making a poncho with two rectangles intrigues me. I like the pictures I’ve been seeing on online searches and I wanted to give it a go without a big investment of time, so I cut up a free plush blanket.

Photo description: plush blanket on the floor folded in half lengthwise, then the corners folded in to assess appropriate length

I cut the freebie blanket in half lengthwise. After consulting several measurements in different instructions, which say to take the length from shoulder to wrist and add the neck length for the long edge of the rectangle, I cut the blanket and sewed one short edge to the other long edge.

Photo description: sewing plush material with a model 66 Singer sewing machine

The internet lies. Not that this is a surprise, and after as many times as I’ve seen the same wording repeated across multiple sites you would think I’d be prepared for “tutorials” that are parroted from other “tutorials” and never actually tested, but it still made me mad. I have at least learned to be cautious. Rather than sewing the final seam, I pinned it and tried it on. Massive fail. The neck hole was big enough to completely step through. I looked closer at the pictures I was seeing and noticed that the ponchos on the models were pulled up in the front to give the illusion that the neck-hole wasn’t a gaping chasm. Humph. I cut some of the length off my rectangles until I had a two to one ratio: the long side was twice as long as the short side. The neck hole still seemed big, but I decided to sew. I finished the second seam, and hemmed all the raw edges and wore it around the house. I hate it. The opening for my head is still way too big and it is awkward to wear. What is going on?

I decided to go smaller and make some paper models.

Photo description: paper models of two rectangle ponchos showing a 3:1 ratio (top), 2:1 ratio (middle), and a 1.5:1 ratio (bottom)

After doing the paper models, I believe a rectangle that is 1.5 times longer than it is wide will give a head opening that is more reasonable, especially with stretchy fabric, like a knit. The next step is to test this to scale. Stay tuned!

Throwback Thursday: arm bag

On By CarynIn Craft

In July 2016 I made my first arm bag using my favorite fabric.

Photo description: vines and floral fabric bag with very wide “handle” that fits over the forearm and can hold a small skein of yarn

I have made many of these bags, and I love them. It is a way to keep my yarn close and still allow me to move around. I first needed it following kids around the house and playground, later I found it worked well for walks, and travel, and waiting rooms. I make mine reversible, and have added small pockets in later versions.