Today is Sunday, the day of rest depending on your religious affiliation.
I have sat and pondered today - solved the issues of the world- not - but like to think so.
I have sewn myself a bit of frippery - something for me - something I can keep with me all the time.
I just love this felt- olive lime colour, with blue and turquoise embroidered wool felt flower. The embroidery is in gold, fuschia and emerald. I will use for my sunglasses. I purchased the purse frame from Stephs on Friday. Didn't realise until i got home that I can add a little chain to the handle so will pop back for one of those next week.
Technically this was not an existant UFO but the flower and left over felt is so I am claiming this one as well. So:
100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 = 74 with 93 days to go.
I took a new photo of the felt pin cushion I put on the blog a few days. Looks much better in natural light.
Enjoy the rest of your day. Enjoy sunshine, space and frippery and let it be known that the day is your own.
It is the wee small hours but feel I can go to bed now knowing I have achieved something today. Managed to get seven hoots stuffed. I have to admit that I am feeling a little 'stuffed' myself. Hope you enjoy the newbies.
Today's finished UFOs
Think this could be my favourite so far. Vintage wins make it all happen.
The whole hatchery
So, another seven UFOs complete:
100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0--7 = 75 with 94 days left.
Here it is, Saturday evening, 7pm. I am going to have to accept that getting through all the tasks I wanted to is just impossible - where does the time go?
I have managed a little sewing today, sewed together twelve of the hooties I had cut out; very cute but now need stuffing. Might get to some of those tonight.... might....
What I did get done was one cushion- I love it! Hopefully will be a wonderful nursery addition.
The cushion is a wonderful warm orange. The hoot is flannel with a flannel paisley applique. The detail is in lime green. I have embroidered 'hoot hoot' on the cushion.
Today I bought myself some pinking sheers- how cool! Haven't had any in years. I often wonder what has happened to all those things I had and lost and have no idea where they went - I moved away and never went back for some; gave away others and well.... just don't know what happened to life really.
I did do some 'shopping' today - I bought myself a slow cooker( had one of those in Once Upon a Time Land too!) and actually went food shopping. Noeleen, you have much to answer for... your yummy dinner reminded me that I do like food other than chocolate and ice cream ( but not suggesting I should give the latter up).
So, maybe in my revised weekend list I might stuff a few more owls and perhaps applique a tee or two.
Hope you are loving your weekend.
And an update,
100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-1 = 81 items to go and just 94 days to go..... looking good but then again, might not be able to get much done in the next week with school stuff. Keep me on track!
Well good day to you all committed followers of the blog - all two of you!
As you will have noticed, or perhaps not, I did not post last night- nor did I finish any items last night - I am most disappointed with myself- had all good intentions.
I did, however, have a lime and soda with a mate after work and dinner with another which, for those of you who know how much I hate cooking and how much I rely on chocolate as my only food source, was yum. Spaghetti bolognese never tasted so good.
My staple diet for the last week has been chocolate cake and ice cream so a lovely change - not that I am complaining about the chocolate cake and ice cream, in fact, mourning that there is not much left and I will have to restock.
So today I must get back into my UFO projects. The day is somewhat hampered by the fact that the house I am renting is up for sale and I have to put everything away for Open House this afternoon. :-(
Not only will I have to spend ages finding all the bits in the unpacking process ( I have had to pack up machine, fabric, threads, everything), I cannot spend any time sewing until the open house is over to ensure I make no more mess.
I do have to admit that seeing the house sparkling clean ( well perhaps not sparkling but definitely an improvement on dust bunnies and thread scraps and felt droppings of an hour or two ago) is rather nice.
So, school work may be the option for the morning and then a trip to school this afternoon to get the next week ready and running. Then home to begin again pulling out my bits and bobs.
The weekend plan is to:
Bind a huge Kaffe Fassat inspired crazy patch, machine embroidered quilt that has been sitting waiting since April.
Sew some vintage doily wings on and finish six owls - might even get started finishing the big hoot cushions I have had cut out for a while from gorgeous flannels.
Buttonhole the appliques and finish eight hoot baby tee shirts - all the rest of the 000s and the 00s.
Make a spring flower birdy cushion similar to the black one on the blog using up some of the overflowing scrap bag
Embroider more felt flowers, make a brooch cushion and maybe make some hair ties and finish a bag of scarves I have had for a while - bought the elastics, scarves and threads ages and ages ago, topped up on felt flowers from Stephs yesterday - by the way, very proud of myself, only spent - well that is all I should confess - I spent - but anyway, have a broader range of flower colours to finish off my scarves - six of them which need three flowers at least so embroider 18 or so flowers..
Mmmmmmmm Well there are plenty of other things I should do but that might be it for this weekend as there is so much school stuff to do as well.
My picture for today is one of the quilt on my bed. Making the bed looks so nice- should do it more than the once a week when I change the sheets, looks so nice but then again, my excuse is that it is upstairs and I don't even go past the door so never see it any other time than when I get out or get in - ahhhhh - I really should be a better person.
Made this quilt over sixteen years ago. The bindings are till only tacked on which is a deplorable state of affairs but I just love it on my bed. Made out of scraps, about 150 different fabrics. Love it. Something else I plan to finish as part of this project.
Here's to you having a great Saturday full of love, life, laughter and sewing.
So I did stitch a little more. I embroidered two more tee shirts - one for a boy and one for a girl. 000 size. Sold one of these today. They are very sweet.
I also tried to use up some of the scraps from previous projects. The flowers are pure wool felt I have embroidered and beaded. I have stitched them to ovals that were leftover from cutting out the handles for the felt bag two days ago. I think it would be useful as a pin cushion bu even prettier used as a brooch cushion.
These little flowers are from Steph's at Moruya. Love Love Love them!
I have enough ovals left to make a few more. The good thing is that it will use up scraps and be a home for the pretty flowers. Not sure if the flash pays tribute to how pretty the colours are but what is is.
The night is over for me so another three items finished.
100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 = 83 with 96 days to go......................
Well I think I have not only done myself proud- but have loved putting this little cushion together.
Wool felt black bird with patchwork trim. Vintage lace doily flower. Appliqued onto linen cushion.
Inspired! I am thrilled to see this come to life. I started it weeks ago, paper cut outs of birdies and then drafting sizes before getting to the stitching phase. I just realised, if I sell this little beauty it would be
Bye Bye Blackbird!
Think that as I have achieved this little baby today I might enjoy a rest tonight. No marking, no stitching, maybe enjoy some lounging on the lounge and talk to my bestie.
So to keep count -
100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 = 86 with 96 days to go......................
They laughed at me when I started but I have stuck to this for four days now. Just home and ready to being. had the chocolate rush and can get on with a stitch or two.
So what should it be tonight?
I stopped in at the thrift shop on the way home and bought them out of vintage doilies- I did say I would confess about purchases - sort of think these are justified as they are recycling and will be an aid to finishing off some more flying hoots.
Stitching those would be fun but would not be a finish as I have no more stuffing - forgot to buy some - oops, more purchasing - this is going to be an expensive 100 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Might get the blackbird cushion done though. Applique and stitch and embroider perhaps. And I think I should set myself the task of buttonholing another tee shirt for the tweeny tiny twinnies collection.
So I have stuffed three hoots for today's offering.
Lovve the black and white spot. She has a vintage lace lower feather bed. The other two owls are mauve vintage cotton with little bird trims. The orange, red and gold stripe is a charmer. Very cuddly.
Sew/So I managed three things off the list. Maybe I should have posted the list of UFOs first.... never mind. I shall just keep trogging through.
Where were we?
In my last blog I was down to 90 things to go in 97 days! Sounds exhausting.
What a long day. Just home after a 13 hour day at school. I am about to have a cuppa and some cake and then try to get at least one UFO completed. Had such big dreams last night but I am beat - still - the show must go on.
I am thinking I will do well to get one owl stuffed and sewn.
Well it has taken some time, interspersed with strawberries and cheesecake, phone calls from my youngest daughter sharing her Sociology essay and drinking Chai tea.
I finished a tee shirt, an order from Carol. Little owls on a tee shirt for a friend's newborn. I have stitched around the seam lines to keep to her brief of making it 'boyish'. One of the fifteen I ironed appliques onto on the weekend so constitutes as a finish.
Buttonholed owls. Quite cute I think. 93 minus 1 = 92 things to go in 99 days!
I stuffed an owl!
Here is the little owl from last night. I just love the doily wings. This owl will be hard to give away.
SEWLED THIS LITTLE GUY TODAY !
I finished the bag! Love it!
Just love a touch of vintage and retro. Olive/Lime pure wool felt trimmed with grey felt. Lining is opposite colourway. The doily is another op shop find, beautiful lavender and lemon pansies embroidered onto cream linen with fine crocheted edge. The deep purple wool felt flower is embroidered and features vintage button trim The bag is hand stitched and embroidered. Lining is machine stitched. I really enjoyed making this bag. Cutting full circles of felt and then cutting the handles out. The original idea was to leave raw edges but I ended up folding in, next one will be a square one piece, still have so much felt to use up.
So that is my night. I feel like I have had a sewsessful evening and have so enjoyed seeing the finished products.
100 - 7 - 1 - 2 = 90 items to go and have 98 days from tomorrow. Just as well I am ahead as the quilt plans for the weekend might take me a day or week or so to get finished off.
Time to end the day. Half an hour of sitting back and thinking about tomorrow night's projects. Stuff at least one more owl of course- so many to get done - and think I will get the little blackbird appliqued onto a cushion front. Have a good day tomorrow.
Sew....yes it is another pun......... I am home at last. 40 odd creative responses marked and ready to hand back.
Now for my evening - Eliot may have suggested Prufrock's evenings were spread out like a patient etherised upon a table but mine seem to be joining the desperation of Marvell's To His Coy Mistress!
Sew to food and sustenance and then finishing off at least one item before falling in to bed. What should it be?
An owl- stuffed?
Finish the felt bag I stitched together last night- lovely olive/lime wool felt from Steph's with grey lining?
Buttonhole the applique on a tee shirt or two?
Embroider some felt flowers?
What I got done today so far - between talking and singing with my 21 month old granddaugher on MSN!
I finished this tote today. I have had the fabric, a wonderful retro curtain, for about twenty years. Bought some beautiful mustard colour wool felt to make the handle. The handle is all hand stitched with detail in red and grey. The flower is wool felt and hand embroidered.
This is the reverse side of the tote - can be used both ways. This fabric was a purchase from Hancocks Paducah last year. It has been sitting waiting to be made into something beautiful. The inside of the handle is made from a very nice acrylic worsted grey felt from Addicted to Fabric in Canberra. I was a regular customer once I found the store while living at Canberra Hospital for four weeks with my daughter and granddaughter when her twin boys were born.
Here is the first of the tops I appliqued for Rory today. her mumma loves loves loves Babushka anything. I purchased this babushka in a set of pre-cut and pre-fused pack from Applique Heaven on etsy.
Pretty mint green. Should go well with Rory's red hair. Love this babushka. Also from Applique heaven.
Twinny skivvies for twinny tweeny grandsons. Little hoots are the theme of their world.
This outfit is gorgeous. Little tiny babushkas. One placed on the hemline of the tights and three slightly larger ones on a pretty pink tee. Rory will love this - her mumma more.
I finally finished stitching around this birdie today. He is black and white felt with patchwork fabric applique on his wing and tail. I purchased some beautiful new fabric ( see below) from Steph's Patchwork in Moruya which inspired me to draft up the design for the bird. I may or may not applique the bird to black felt or may choose a patchwork fabric such as black and white spots etc. So this one is an ongoing UFO. I want to make into a cushion and make a few more with embroidered bird cages to echo the fabric.
This gorgeous little owl has been sitting in an unfinished state for two weeks. He is made from a lovely mauve retro fabric from somewhere- have had the material for a fair while. I cut him, along with twenty other owls out a few weeks ago. I finally embroidered the eyes and sewed on the beak yesterday and then went to the Op Shop to find some old doilies for his wings. I haven't made any previous owls with wings - see my What a Hoot facebook page for the hoots I have been making up until now . This owl is extra cute. wonder when I will get around to stuffing him - I hate the stuffing part!
Likewise I sewed this cute little black and white owl together today. he has been cut out for a while. He also has a vintage doily for trim. Stuff stuff stuff to do!
And finally... three little hooters, girly hoots. These all need stuffing as well. Maybe we can visit them again next weekend when they are all stuffed and trimmed and can join the family already sitting on the armchair.
The family awaiting homes.
So what is next.
Well... apart from the stuffing to be done I have ironed on appliques of little hoots to 15 tee shirts ranging from 000 to 0. These will add to my What a Hoot range to sell at the markets or for my daughter to sell/give to her friends. I also have the bird to finish and some ric rac needs to be sewn as trim on the floor quilt for my new grand baby due in November to my son and his wife. I also should get working on the quilt I have been making for my youngest daughter now at uni. The one I made for her when she first went does not match the decor of her new apartment so sew sew sew... mummy will make a new one.
Welcome to the day that is, the day that starts it all, the day when I think I might be a better person; the day when I begin the finishing off of one hundred things in one hundred days.
I love to sew, to embroider, to pick and nick and tuck and rip.
Mostly I love sewing for my grandchildren - six of them under six and one on the way - designer outfits, appliqué play clothes, dolls and toys.
I love to sew for my daughters and my son- quilts mostly.
I love to sew things to give away - for my friends - bags, scarves, brooches, quilts.
Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, which is the fun of creation.
I want to start a new project ....yes I know, the title of the blog is Finish 100 items in 100 days.
I will try to complete at least one item each day. I will photograph the items and put them online to share.
I have a full time job - English teacher - so life is already pretty busy but I sew each night if I can for down time.
I recently started making little owls for my newborn twin grandsons - now I have a lounge chair full to meet orders and requests from my daughter's friends. I also made a babushka doll last week for my grand daughter and a range of scrapbooking and art collages for her bedroom.
I made a big owl floor quilt for the baby on the way - most items were out of my stash and used up some of my existing materials and pre begun projects. The scrap booking and collage were new- not sure if that is my cup of tea- all those air bubbles.....
So, where do I begin.....
This weekend I went out and purchased tee shirts and tops (I know, new things and new projects but now they need to be finished) for one of my granddaughters - her mumma loves babushka so they are a feature of the appliqué I am hand-stitching on. Sew - pardon the pun - I have begin my 100 finished things in 100 days with two tee shirts, a long sleeve top and a pair of leggings, all with babushka appliqués - which by the way I purchased on etsy - already fused on to paper and cut out - saves so much time and don't have to buy huge pieces of fabric and put up with the endless leftovers- which I already have cupboards full of.
So, my rules:
I have to complete at least one item each day. Can be appliqué, embroidery, quilting, toy making collage etc.
I have to use up fabrics from my stash as far as possible - and have to confess to purchasing new - perhaps the confession will slow my spending?
I have to finish as many existing UFOs as possible - and there are many of them- quilt tops, owls that need to be stuffed and embroidered, flowers to embroider and put on to hair bands and elastics; half completed bags, embroideries and cross stitches without purchasing new bits - but can have a splurge or fill in if a matching thread is required.
Can I do it - yes I can - at least that is the intention.
Join with me on my journey. Share your UFO tales and tell me what you think of my bits and pieces. Any advice welcome.
Go and visit my facebook page What a Hoot to see the owls I have made so far.
I shall begin with pics of the items I have finished or worked on today.
I will update the blog each night when I finish each item - or at least show the progress if I don't get it all done.
I can begin today with seven items - a good head start for those days when I have to mark essays and may not get much stitching done.
