A couple of days ago I had this idea to make a birthday gift for a friend. I had a day and a half to get it done. If all else failed I would have to go out and buy something. Oh the pressure. I had the idea in the back of my mind for awhile ever since I saw Magdalena from Color Sepia make one out of her husbands wool trousers. She of course is much more talented in the seamstress department. You can see her post HERE
and the image below.
I, a mere novice...... was willing to give it a try. Armed with my trusty Bernina that was once my mothers I felt confident. Well as long as the needle didn't break and I had back up needles.
As I got searching for old but suitable pants to use I began to think this wasn't such a good idea. I found nothing I liked. Then suddenly I found a pair of of linen pants that I owned. There was no way I was ever going to wear them again. Unless I starved myself with only crackers and water til next Christmas! lol
Ok now after some help with the seam ripper I had gotten the two pieces put together. I decided to leave the lining thinking it would give it some body.
My mind also went back to my friend Franny from Fancy Fodder. Look at her post HERE. This is what she came up with when she couldn't bring herself to throw out a stash of fabric.
Don't you just love it???
My sewing result looks nothing like these wonderful creations but you never know where your inspirations will come from.
I soon realized the seam down the middle would have to be covered. I cut various different pieces of fabric to add like a patchwork. I must have spent hours trying to come up with the perfect combination. I started this whole thing on our bed. Isn't that the place everyone works on a sewing project???:))
I know!!!
I was going to show you the mess but it's just too scary! In the background you can sort of see Nigella. She behaved very well and I only had to move her once. She spent the day sitting on the couch on the other side of the room staring out the window.....or the curtain really. I don't know why but that bothered George that she wasn't enjoying a better view. ......but who really knows what our crazy cats are thinking??? maybe she was mad I wasn't making her something!!! hummmm???
I couple of hours later I realized that this was not coming out anything like the scarf I had invisioned.....maybe more like a shawl......but I didn't want a shawl and it was too small for that.
Now this is when I wished I had taken more pictures of the progression of this but I think I just wanted to get it done.
I decided I would make it a closet pocket thing. There has got to be a name for it but I still don't know what you call it. I guess an organizer would be a good name too.
I'll let you decide.
Wished now that I had made it with either all white and cream or all browns and dark tan fabric.
From the top they look much like overalls don't you think???
I purposely wanted the fabric to have some raw edges and fringed and to have nothing too straight. In the end I trimmed up most the fringe because it looked awful. If I had time I wanted to paint the hanger white and distress it but it matched the brown fabric so I left it.
I hand sewed a few do-dads.
Gluing would have been so much easier.
I wanted to use much more lace but it made it look too Victorian and I knew she wouldn't like that.
I spent more time decided what to use than the actual sewing time:))
Do you do the same on a project???
I wasn't sure if I liked it until I dressed it up with a few things I had laying around.
In the end I was happy with it. It could have been better but I had made it out of scraps,buttons, ribbons, lace and a lot of determination:))
and my own hands.
BTW I only broke one sewing machine needle:)) not bad.
Now I just had to wrap it up and present it to her!!!
Happy Birthday dear Friend.
