A little cover for my Parasol...

I made a parasol cover as I am taking it with me to Bali and as it is made of paper I thought it needed a bit of protection – plus while I am out and about it will be a place to store and carry it when it is not needed.













I used a canvas bag that you get from every clothing store nowdays, cut the sides to open it up and cut the straps off (to be used for the shoulder strap).

Work out how wide it needs to be by inserting the parasol and pinning the sides – you can cut it as a cone shape or leave as a rectangle, I had it as a rectangle.

Next sew the straps on by sewing one at either end of the cover, right side of the fabric (making allowances for side seems, bottom gathers and top fold over) – to make it strong I sewed using a triple stitch so the strap is extra tough.

 

Next put you fabric inside out and create the gather at the bottom by sewing a long stitch then pulling the bobbin thread to gather then sewing a triple stitch along the bottom to set the gather. Also overlock or zipzag the side and sew a seam.

Create the drawstring at the top by folding over the top and sewing the bottom edge – I also folded the openings back so that no zigzag edges were showing. The cord I used was already ‘closed’ so I inserted it in the fold before I sewed the edge.

Gong Hei Fat Choi!

Happy Chinese New Year everyone. When to the Husband's grandparents house yesterday for lunch and offerings and again this morning for a vegetarian breakfast. The photos are of the offerings and the breakfast. We also give out red packets containing money to unmarried people (miss out there!) and gifts of oranges and lollies.

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Boxes, boxes everywhere...

I am a huge fan of Zip Lock bags - everything I get a hold of ends up in one! So as I was rearranging my daughters room for the hundredth time (small room - lots of stuff) I was annoyed by all the puzzle boxes that were stacked up on top of each other. Considering how little space the puzzle pieces actually take up in the box I knew a Zip Lock bag makeover was in order.

To help identify the actually puzzle in the bag I cut out the picture from the box and put it in the bag. The boxes I had where small enough to have most of the picture cut out but if your box pictures are large you could probably scan and shrink the picture down or print it off the same size onto paper and fold it up. I plan on putting them all in a shoe box or similar to be known as the "Puzzle Box".

1920's Quick Costume

This Saturday is a 1920's themed club party which I thought would cool to go to - as I have 5 days to get something together this costume will be one of my quick costumes that only requires things from the wardrobe or one item of sewing to create the look. As it is a 20's Pimps and Hoe's theme I want to go as a an ironic 'pure' hoe dressed in light pastel colours of pinks and whites with the signature vampy Betty Boop style dark red 'Clara Bow' lips, doe eyes and dark nails.

One idea would be for a hanky hem style skirt (not exactly that style in the 20's but it has a similar look and is much easier to achieve - see diagram using two square fabrics layered in the same style as a circle skirt (the hole is cut out and elastic threaded around the outside)) with a long hem singlet/tank so it creates the illusion of a drop waist dress. You could also sew a sequin band around the bottom of the singlet/tank as the 'belt' and use it also to create a matching headband with a feather.

I also love the white fox fur wrap/shawl she has around her neck so I thought about getting a strip of white faux fur and white fabric to line the bottom so it doesn't itch and is cooler for dancing and to also create a head and ears by cutting a pattern and stuffing it. to make it fun I will need some eyes so I'm sure they will have them at Spotlight. Now I don't think I can get my hands on one of those hats I think the head band with the feather at the front (a bit different then the usual large feather at the back) would work well.



Ring in the new year!

Nothing like a get together with friends to ring in the new year!

This may have been the first year that we have had a house party as we normally venture out into 'town' to get elbowed in the face and punched in the mouth (yes that has happened - but for me only realised a few days later while putting on makeup...) - anyway this year we would stay away from the drunken hooligans and have a sophisticated evening...it starts that way until the alcohol starts a flowing, but then again your with friend so all you do is rat on each other and tell them to shut up. 

I did the classical Silver and Black theme since I started preparing the decoration a few days before the party. I didn't want them to cost a lot, so I printed the 'Happy New Year' on paper at work (as you can see I don't do a lot here at work :p) getting the black pattern of the Internet and threading it together with black ribbon. For the hanging decorations I brought white dollies (would have got silver if I could find any) had the sequin fabric left over from a Red Sonia costume I made and had stars and cups under the sequin fabric left over from my 26th Birthday - I just threaded the fishing/craft nylon string through the fabric (cut in squares) and attached it to the cup then sticky taped the stars and dollies to the thread. I also made black felt moustaches attached to skewer sticks for photos but we never took any cause we were too busy holding them to our faces :D