Today I'm having a very slow #mecfs day and doing #sewing in tiny bursts. It took at least 3 trips to the sewing table to get my square for a cushion cover cut out. But next time I'll be able to sit down (I can't cut while sitting) and do all the sewing, and then it will be done.
Then I'll put the walking foot back on the machine. It can't handle the zipper foot so I removed it just for this project. Usually it's easier (for both quilting and sewing with stretchy fabrics) just to leave it on.
Today I pinned a layer of the hassock for quilting later but I didn't sew anything. I'm still too tired.
Here are two photos of the quilted pads I've already made, originally posted to Twitter ages ago.
Today I pinned two more pads to quilt for the hassock. These are mostly stuffed with scraps of old socks, after the ankle parts are cut off -- one of the children uses them as wrist cuffs, after the feet get holey enough for the socks to go in the scrap bag.
I also found the nice cotton batting which I'm going to use for the outermost layer of padding, under the final cushion cover. But then I had a huge #mecfs crash so I'm not doing any more #sewing today.
I machine-quilted one of my pinned squares, didn't break a needle in spite of my best efforts, and then pinned part of a half-comforter. It was huge so I cut it in two through the long side and am having two single-sized ones instead.
During this I watched/listened to some YouTube videos by Adelaide Beeman-White, who does mainly late Victorian clothing.
I'm all out of socks and underwear to layer for padding so I'm making little bags and stuffing them with offcuts instead. Very very flat cushions.
The stack of squares is FINALLY high enough uncompressed. I just need to make it high enough after compression.
What if I take apart the tensioning assembly and clean it and reassemble it
Will it ever work again
Today I'm altering some pyjamas I made in probably late 2020 -- I took a pattern from my then favourite pyjamas, made some in dark blue brushed cotton flannel, liked it, and made these in really warm brushed cotton in a blue-and-white pattern that makes me think of Asiatic Pheasant type transferware crockery.
The heavier fabric had less stretch/give and they were a tiny bit too tight. This was fine until I got tired of it.
In Spring 2022 when the weather got warmernI took the waistband off and then did nothing until now when it's cold again.
So today I put the waistband over the widest part of my hips and pinned extra fabric in place to fill the gap. Then I added similarly sized triangles to the sides from hip to knee.
I'm back at the hassock today. I used bits of a ragged bedsheet to make an interior cushion casing for the stack of quilted pads. The red velvet exterior will be slightly more complicated I think.
Previous hassock mention: https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/109361133167159580
Attached: 2 images I need to dismantle my sewing machine to clean fluff out of the tensioning spring I think. But I got a second flat cushion sewn up today and now finally the stack is 15cm high uncompressed and 13cm compressed, which is the required height and so now I can make the exterior of the hassock, which is in theory the easy part. #sewing #recycling
I've pinned the first bits to the zipper. I always think I'm going to sew these on the wrong sides. I'll find out when I'm well enough to sit at the machine I guess.
I can tell there's going to be ironing though. Ironing. Again.
Recycled and washable.
The external velvet, the outermost padding, the thread, and the binding on the internal seams are the only non-recycled parts. The binding is a polycotton because I had some from a remnants bag, but the rest of the new materials are plastic-free. Because it's stuffed with a stack of quilted pads, it can be laundered and line-dried if pets happen to it. I'm tired but pleased. #sewing #recycling
I later sewed a bit of a wall covering -- there's a patch of our front wall that's definitely losing heat to the outside and I want to give it a quilted jacket. Mockup One is in situ but I was too wrecked by the time it was finished to take a photo or anything.
I think I'm going to make a rectangle with a hole in it for the guitar hanger, maybe a mylar backing, and attach it to the very top of the wall using cable clips like for the phone wires. #mecfs #warmth #sewing
The finished leggings, with a button to show which way round they go, and the waistband edges stitched down inside so they don't tickle -- this is a major reason I use a twin needle, I do all my underpants this way too -- all ready to inflict on a child who didn't even ask and may hate them.
I enjoyed #sewing them ANYWAY though and I'm sure someone will want them.
Ailbhe
Cat Ashton Ryan