Itty bits to pin cushins

Whilst working on my shorts and thinking I had nothing to sew from the few scrap fabric pieces I have, I realized there is something I really need - pincushions!   I have for years been putting my pins back in their original pack, but as well as being inefficient the pins are now tending to come loose and fall back out.

I picked two patterns to try - a triangle and a square.   I was pleased with both, but the square is perhaps a little big.   The triangle was definitely easiest to sew, the square did provide some challenges to make sure the seams were even and the corners straight.

For stuffing I used some raw wool scraps that are too short to spin well (I think this counts as Stashbusting too, just from a different stash!) and just combed them lightly.   This worked very well, providing a firmer stuffing than synthetic fill while still being soft.

Close-up of my hand-stitched seam

The part I am happiest with is the seams where they are sewn closed - I have finally mastered the art of sewing closed invisibly, after years of having messy, obvious hand stitching.

January : Shorts

Basic Knit Shorts

This is a project I started on a while ago, and the extreme hot weather we are having gave me extra motivation to get it done.

I drafted the pattern for these shorts from some pajama shorts I have that I really liked the fit and cut of.   I had a few difficulties getting the pattern pieces right, as the knit fabric kept stretching and distorting the shape, but I it worked a lot better when I worked out that the important thing was to keep the bottom and side straight and work out from there.  I made them a bit longer than the originals, as the originals are fine for bed but not something I would wear outside the house.

I am not sure what the fabric is - it is a light knit with a crepe like finish, which drapes really well.

After sewing them up, I found that while the extra length was fine, the legs were a bit too full.  I re-sewed the side seams to make them narrower, and was happy with the width, but where I re-sewed I stretched the seams a bit and made it sit a little funny.

I was not completely happy with the folded over waistband - it works ok (and will be worn with a top over it anyway) but I think I would prefer to have a sewn on band.  It would also make the finishing with the double needle easier, as there is a seam line to sew along to make sure you are in the right spot.

Overall I am happy with the pattern, and should be able to make future items with a lot less problems.  I was less happy with the photography - I took lots of close ups of details, but none of them worked well enough to use!

If anyone has any tips to help me to get a better result next time, I would love to have them.

Introduction

Welcome to my blog for the 2014 Stashbusting Sewalong.

I, Leonie Dukes, commit to sewing at least 2 items a month from stash fabric in 2014. I also commit to not buying any new fabric/patterns/ notions except for those absolutely required to complete a project made from stash items, until there is space in my sewing cupboard to put new items.

I have spent far too much time collecting fabric etc. and far too little actually using any.  This year I am going to reverse the trend, and put the focus of my sewing back where it should be: actually making things.

My focus will be on developing my sewing skills and developing a set of patterns to make basic clothing items for my wardrobe.   I expect lots of things I make to not be quite right, but all of it will help me learn.

Join my on my journey to decrease my stash whilst increasing my knowledge.