Make your own knickers girls!!!

You know when you are doing a bit of arty farty research and you get sidetracked?........well I be jiggered that very thing happened to me this week!
There I was looking at seascapes and before I knew it I was wickedly diverted by an unknown energy to a brilliant article written for women during the war.
Now I am all for upcycling and I hate waste so I thought I just better give it a quick scan! Some sensible ideas....cut down trousers for shorts, rehash your bed sheets etc but imagine my horror when I discovered that the government of the day was telling women to up cycle their sheets, pillow cases and shirts to make ............knickers for herself! And that ladies is exactly what I thought of that idea!!!!!!!!!

Knowing that you probably aren't going to make your own knickers here are couple of ideas for you;
* appliqué over a stain to hide it
* if you have gone off a dress you bought and wore to death cut it just above the waist, turn the waist and stick a zip in for a new skirt
* Old silky or satin shirts make fab bag linings!!!!!!!

NO SEWING PROJECT OF THE WEEK - fab seasonal bunting.

I've come up with another "no sew amazing" project this week. We are so close to Christmas now that you don't have time to get the old sewing machine out and follow intricate patterns!

What you need
* selection of seasonal fabric scraps
* couple of metres of contrasting ribbon about half an inch wide
* wooden pegs
* decorative scissors

What do I need to do?
* cut yourself a template of a pennant shape with a 10cm base and 12cm in height. If you plan carefully you should be able to utilise your fabric really well
Now peg your pennants onto the ribbon. Space evenly and hang up your seasonal bunting!!!!!! Gather around it withe family and sing "we wish you a merry Christmas"!!!!!!!!

NB if you can't resist some sewing on this project the sky is your limit!
Add embellishments to your pennant such as glittery bugle beads or buttons,
or add lace or ribbon stripes........

Please send me your photos of your finished project. I am starting a rogues gallery so along with your picture send a few details about yourself too!

Until next week keep sewing and have an amazing week
Xxxxx Janie xxxxxx

Oo mrs I've been playing with stockings!

Who wouldn't enjoy playing with stockings at the weekend ( or any weekday!)?

Ok before you envy me out there I guess I should clarify!

I have been making a garland of Christmas stockings! I am living in hope of course that Santa will pop down my chimney and fill them!

They haven't taken too long to put together. If you are watching your fave telly programmes this week you could make them for your own mantelpiece after a couple of episodes!

I sewed them all by hand using blanket stitch but if u don't sew I guess you could use fabric glue but of course you won't get that hand crafted finish.

I've got some yummy claret polka dot ribbon and old fashioned dolly pegs to finish the garland off.

Now all I've got to do is be patient - I know its too early to hang it up! Whilst I'm waiting I reckon I should get my wish list to the North Pole a bit quick!!!

......dear Santa
I've been a good girl. Can you send robbie savage to my girllllllllllllfriend Debs........,.

Xxxcccc

Thrifty Christmas Spesh!!!!!

They say every cloud has a silver lining and I think that this Christmas despite the recession we can manage to give some amazing gifts to our loved ones.If nothing else this recession has seen a wonderful re-emergence of the "make do and mend" culture that our parents and grandparents would have had no choice but to embrace.

I have just been through my immense fabric stash and gathered enough pieces of scraps to make a santa's stocking garland to dress the mantle piece and the quilt I am making for my mama is coming on great guns. It's so nice not to dash to the shops in all the crowds to buy mass produced pressies people may not be that keen on!

We all have a talent. We might be brilliant bakers, sexy sewers, nutty knitters, the list goes on!!!!!!! have a think over a glass of holy water about all the gifts you could hand craft this year.

I know some peeps want to make gorj gifts but don't know where to start. I might have the answer! I have been looking for no sew projects that would make great gifts. This week I have found "NO SEW FLEECE SCARVES". I've got a really good feeling that these will get a lot of use during the winter!

This project is sew easy it doesn't even need a photo!

You will need:

10 " (25cms) x 60" (150cms) of fleece fabric (not fun fur!)
A pair of good sharp fabric scissors
A cup of hot chocolate spiced with a liquer if you want!!!(Baileys goes well with hot chocolate so I have heard!)

Instructions:

At each end of the length (ie your shortest sides) cut into the fabric to create a fringe. I would suggest about 10 cms in and 2 cms apart. Do both ends and VOILA one Christmas gift ready!If you want to, have a practice on a piece of scrap fabric or calico so you cans ee what spacings you want.

If you are feeling scissor happy how about creating a 5cm fringe alongside the widest sides for a difference! You could even knot random ones to make it fab and funky!

Wrap in tissue paper and you have a fab looking gift that will be loved because you made it.

If you are making lots of these it might be worth getting some little fabric labels printed - you know "hand crafted by Deborah x" (unless of course your name is Shirley then for gawds sake don't get "deborah printed on it!)

I would love to see your finished creations soplease do email me with your photos and they will be publishe din the Ruby Summer sew Amazing blog.

Have a brilliant week and stay safe my sew amazing friends xxxxxxxxx