Tag: <span>Pixie Coat</span>

I have been on a roll this week as I finished two WiPs!! (Only about another 7 to go 🙂 ) Firstly I just had to show off my finished Pixie Coat. My friend was delighted with it and asked me to upload it to facebook so if you want to see all the pics pop over to my page, The Patchwork Fairy. But here are some anyway!

Kate posing in her coat!

Then we have me showing how it fans out from the back!

me showing the twirl factor !

I put some felt applique flowers on the back which I sewed over free form embroidery style. On the front I needle felted a penguin as Kate loves penguins and collects penguiny things!

Needle Felted Penguin

The children at the nursery where Kate works are going to get quite a surprise when she walks in tomorrow!

I am very pleased with the coat, it was the third one I have made. Not all of the jumpers felted properly but as they were my friend’s late Aunty’s jumpers which I specifically wanted to use for her I went ahead and it’s worked out ok I think! Whilst I would answer any questions about making the coats I am not going to write a tutorial as it wouldn’t be fair to Katwise who is the originator of the coats. So, if anyone fancies making a coat from upcycled jumpers I would recommend buying the Katwise tutorial – it’s a very entertaining read as well as informative!

My other finish this week was a picnic blanket and matching bag. The stash I recently inherited contained a fabric sample book like you see in a curtain shop. It was full of rectangles of what looks like 1960s/70s fabric – it has the information sheet intact with a house all done out in the fabric! It’s not what wanted for my house but it is great for outside so I carefully pulled all the samples out of the book, washed and ironed them all and then sewed them into a patchwork mat. There was one large piece which was at the front of the book which has made a great bag for carrying it in.

: picnic mat

waterproof backing on mat

: matching bag with matching lining

folded picnic mat showing waterproof backing

I can’t take credit for the waterproof backing idea as it’s a shower curtain and I read about this idea on Vicky Myers’ blog! It’s a very quick and easy way to damp-proof your mat! I even lined the bag with the curtain too so when the mat goes back in dirty I can wipe the bag clean easily!

That’s all for this week! As usual I am off to Handmade Monday! See you there? x

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 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.

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!)

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/