Saturday, May 3, 2008

Read the Instructions


It's been a busy weekend so far, and tomorrow we're off to Clunes to check out Booktown.
I'm hoping to find some interesting vintage books.....
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In other news, I've started making another Mirabel Softie. I've never been able to sew stretch fabrics and I have always tried to avoid buying them thinking that I was doomed if I ever tried! But ages ago, for some unknown reason, I actually found some really weird silver stretchy material in one of the remnant bins at Spotlight and bought it!
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I found it yesterday afternoon and had a brainwave about making a spacey / astronautey softie. So I did a quick sketch, made a paper pattern (if you can call it that) and cut it out of the stretchy silver stuff. Then I remembered that while I was perusing the instruction manual of my sewing machine earlier in the week (while swearing and making buttonholes), there was a section on sewing stretch fabric. So for the second time in 3 years, I read a page from the instruction manual.....it's quite amazing what you can learn from an instruction manual.....for all of these years I had no idea what the S.S. setting on my machine was for. Now I know it means STRETCH STITCH! And guess what? I sewed the 2 pieces of stretchy silver fabric together with no problems! I am still in shock.....
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Anyway, I decided to give my spacey / astronautey softie some ears because he was looking a little bland, and he ended up looking like a rabbit. Mr CurlyPops thinks he looks like a rabbit at a rave party.
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I haven't quite finished yet.....Now that he looks like a rabbit, I thought I would make it look like he was actually supposed to be a rabbit all along. I was making him a pom pom tail but I had a disaster and the pom pom fell apart so I came up with a different solution. I'm just waiting for the glue to dry and then I can stuff him full of polyfill, stitch up the side, and send him off merrily on his way to Mikes!
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Oh, and I almost forgot, the moral of the story is READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!

4 comments:

Jacinta said...

Congratulations on your latest sewing endeavors. Yes, it's amazing what you can learn if only you remember to read the instructions.
Booktown looks great - wish I could do a trip there too, but I already have plans. Have fun!

Melanie Gray Augustin said...

Can't wait to see him! Have a great time in Clunes, I think that's where my cousins and uncle have moved to... If I'm right, my cousins are now running the pub there...

Jodie said...

Your softie , previous post looks great. I avoid stretchy fabrics too but they are great for softies. Must add mirabel softie to my list...er lists.

Danielle said...

As a newbie to the sewing game, stretch fabrics are way too advanced for me. Well done for mastering it. Looking forward to seeing your Rabbit Space-Guy.