08.07.11
Since the last post I have completed the sewing of the
selvedge bear (except for the dreaded foot pads which I'll leave for
tomorrow!) and have started stuffing the head and the paws in the arm
pieces. Will need to find my cotter pins tomorrow as I can't go any
further without putting the joints in the limbs.
The layered fabric has made many trips through the
washing machine and has been spun repeatedly so it's looking a lot more
hairy now! I'll decide what size bear to make and start cutting out
pieces over the weekend.
13.07.11
Well it's been a few days and progress has been slow! I
blame most of it on the fact I was celebrating OH's birthday over the
weekend and lots of other things that weren't as exciting!
Anyway the bear is almost complete - I have the dreaded
foot pads to do then I can turn, stuff and attach the legs. Oh, and the
ears need to be sewn on. I am a little unhappy with the head for this
bear as without the fur it's completely the wrong shape! Oh well,
that'll teach me to make a scrap fabric prototype before using the good
fabric - sigh. I'll complete it and post the pictures but will have to
adjust the pattern until I'm happy with it before I make another
selvedge bear. The selvedge effect is good and I'd like to try again
when I've collected a few more!
06.07.11
Busy day yesterday - just didn't get a chance to upload progress.
Have finished the cutting of the layered fabric
(wahoo!), so it has been photographed and is currently taking it's third
trip through the washing machine.
I also cut out the pieces for a bear from the selvedge
fabric. I had to sew around each piece after marking out and before
cutting so that the layers stayed intact. It will make a bear that's
about 7in tall - a bit small to show off the fabric fully but the piece
of fabric wasn't enough for a larger bear. The pieces are pinned, ready
to sew, and I have chosen paw pad material to match the darker selvedge
colours. Oh well, time to get back to the sewing!
04.07.11
Urgh! The cutting is taking a very, VERY long time! I'm
just over half way across the fabric and getting a teeny bit fed-up!
But the colours are pretty and I hope the finished fabric will be nice -
that's what I'm telling myself anyway! So I will persevere and get it
done soon...
Anyway - here's a photo of the 5 fabrics I chose to use
- colours are not very clear (looked at cameras today...) but there's a
mint green cotton with black motifs; a lilac patterned silk; a
turquoise printed silk; a cream herring-bone effect cotton; and a lilac
herring-bone effect cotton. I have used the cream as the backing fabric
and then layered the lilac silk, the green cotton, the turquoise silk
and then the lilac cotton as the top layer.
03.07.11 Part 2..
Second piece of fabric started...
I have layered five pieces of scrap fabric, pinning
them together carefully before sewing across them repeatedly at 1/4inch
intervals. This took FOREVER as I should really have anticipated and I
am now part way through the next step.
I am now cutting through the top four layers of fabric,
half way between each pair of stitched rows. This process is going to
take longer than the sewing! Hopefully the effect will be worth it!
03.07.11
Hmmm very difficult to photograph! Must get a better camera...
The original is more cream and less orange than the
photo implies but the effect is the same - stripes of complementary
fabrics. Each pair of selvedges is sewn together along the cut edge
(right sides together) before being pressed flat. Then the pairs are
pinned onto a backing fabric (in this case a plain white cotton) and
sewn down with a zig-zag stitch. The selvedges won't fray so this stitch
is just to keep it still.
03.07.11
Hmmm very difficult to photograph! Must get a better camera...
The original is more cream and less orange than the
photo implies but the effect is the same - stripes of complementary
fabrics. Each pair of selvedges is sewn together along the cut edge
(right sides together) before being pressed flat. Then the pairs are
pinned onto a backing fabric (in this case a plain white cotton) and
sewn down with a zig-zag stitch. The selvedges won't fray so this stitch
is just to keep it still.
