Category Archives: overlocking

Pixie Coat

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So was I productive in May?  Well I was in my head 🙂  I have far more ideas buzzing round than actual projects being completed!

I mainly worked on my latest pixie coat this month.  It’s the third one I have made and the first in a year as my overlocker has only just come back from being fixed.

This is the last stages of the coat – just the front ties to sew onto the body now and then add some embellishments!

pixie-coat from recycled wool sweaters

pixie coat almost finished!

It’s not easy to find pure wool sweaters for these coats which will felt up properly. Many wool sweaters are treated to stop them shrinking and felting – great for normal wash days but not for recyclers!!  The sweaters for this coat came mainly from my BFF who’s aunty had died.  She passed on the sweaters for me for my stash as she knows I recycle them but I decided to make a special coat for her which will be a lovely keepsake (I hope!).   She has admired my other pixie coats and so I really hope she likes her present.

pixie coat from recycled wool sweaters

hood on pixie coat

I made my Pixie coats from the Katwise tutorial – she is the inspiration for these coats.  I think it’s much cheaper to get sweaters in US dollar stores than in our UK charity shops though unfortunately for me!

The other main thing I have completed this month is my entry for the ‘Make it your own’ clutch bag competition.  Here is my 70s inspired bag.  (This was the last decade when I could actually have a bag that small and went on nights out!)

brown and range clutch bag

bag with my seventies beads!

The competition was run by Deby  at Sew So Easy and you can read my post about making the bag here.  Please think about popping over to her blog and adding a vote for me using the link below!

http://so-sew-easy.com/make-contest-time-vote-blogger/

 

 

inside of clutch bag orange floral lining
handy pocket for essentials!

 Linking up with Handmade Monday and Fresh Sewing Day and Small Blog Meet at Lily’s Quilts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Threads and Spools and Happy Overlocking!

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Almost a year ago I bought an Overlocker after trying one out at a friend’s house.   Since then I have been collecting jumpers from charity shops, friends and relatives which I can cut up and upcycle into something new.

Arm wearers from upcycled jumper cuffs!

Arm wearers from upcycled jumper cuffs!

It’s great fun using an overlocker as:

1 it sews extremely fast (scary at first)

2 it neatly finishes the seam on ordinary garments whilst sewing the seam

3 the seams can be sewn so that they show on the right side of a woolly garment as a style feature.

These arm warmers were one of my first makes overlocking.

I have had great fun cutting up and creating new items from my jumper stash and so I was heartbroken when my lovely machine stopped working.  However, to cut a long story short, it turned out to be the old cheapo threads I had used when the original cones ran out.   I was advised that Coats Moon thread is one of the best for overlockers (and great for standard sewing machines) and so I was delighted to find a  whole range of them at Calico Laine in Neston!  They sell the small ones for 99p – £1.30 or the same colours on a cone for £3.49.  If you can’t get to the shop you can order by from the website http://www.calicolaine.co.uk

Moon Thread with matching spools

Moon Thread with matching spools

These threads are lovely and do work well in both my machines. A good tip I have found is, as soon as I open  new coloured threads I make  bobbin spools one too, and store them together in little plastic boxes. This ensures that if I want to use any threads on my ordinary Janome sewing machine  I alway have matching needle and spool threads ready to go.  Little things like this make me happy!    So get a bargain box of 20 spools for £4.99 and you’re all set up!