Like that one please

When a schoolfriend of M saw this bag in school, she asked me to make one for her. It turned out to be a cosy sewing afternoon. First we met in the shop, where she chose the leather fabric pieces. Then our sewing date was there. She wanted me to sew, but after a little while she took the lead and did all the rest by herself.

Happy to make you happy, Diever!

For a lointering teen

This summer M got 15! My boyfriend and I decided that a little couch on her bedroom would be fun for a teen like her. The couch measures 150 x 70 cm.

In the office I'm working with a (for me) new software program and the drawing of this couch is a very first result. The couch is simply made of birch plywood panels, that are joining in miter angles.

The wooden base was made by my boyfriend, who screwed the panels in advance. These screws we later removed and replaced by massive wooden rods.

The cushions are custom made, but the covers are made by me. The making appeared more difficult than I had in mind. I used Kvadrat samples for the sides, the rest is made of a warm grey wool fabric with a felted look. Some samples appeared too thick for the corners, but because of timepressure I couldn't change the composition anymore. Better corners are something to improve next time.
The covers have long zippers, so they can be cleaned once in a while. Tip is to make two zippers in line, in order to get the zipper ends in the middle of the cushion and invisible from the sides.

We didn't make it to finish the couch in time. Last week I finally had time to lacquer it with a super mat paint called Skylt. The result is that you can't believe it's painted. It has a very natural look, that M very much preferred.
On the first picture you see the couch installed in her room, where she is able to use a soft pillow in the corner. Welcome to the teen lointerer!

For Klaar

Birthday twin girl next door invited L for her slumber party. As her room was just renovated, she asked for a little pillow to decorate. L picked fabrics from my stock and I sewed. Not to forget some butterflies. Note that this pillow is only 30 x 40 cm.






Klaar could use it right away in the night. And I was happy to learn from such a tiny project: did you mention that there are no visible seams at the side ;)?

Covering

Sometimes it can take up to one year to post a post. These covers, made of Petit Pan oilcloth, I made for M's schoolbooks and like new they will be used next year again, as well as the years after.
This simple tutorial is handy to use. I give you some extra tips:

• add some scotch tape at the bottom of your sewer foot when you work with oilcloth
• you will use tape instead of pins, but remove the tape just before sewing
• add 4 cm for top and bottom instead of 2,5 cm.

Hope to inspire you in this covering time of the year!

Daughter's turn

Last May holiday, my eldest daughter M and I spent some quality time together when the two of us had the house for ourselves. M was very, no extremely determined to make a bag. Just a second schoolbag, not at all necessary, but really necessary to be made right away. It became a cosy three-days mother-daughter project, with the daughter in the lead and mom just following.
The blue denim was found in mom's fabric stock, as well as a sturdy mustard yellow denim-like fabric for the lining. She knew exactly which kind and which color leather to chose. The horse girl had a saddle in mind.

The lining and the waterproof extra layer that she wanted to be added were easily made, but the leather details were not. What a joy to have a motivated co-worker along. Motivation does it all! Whenever things had to be done over and over again, no problem for her! She did it with patience, till the late night hours. For me it was one of the hardest projects ever, but it was great to do it together! And with together I mean, that I did the roadmapping and the leather cutting, and M did the rest.

By now I can tell you that she is using this bag every day. Schoolmates couldn't believe that it was self-made. M prepared an answer to this: by topstitching her name on the shoulder strap she convinces all disbelievers.
Besides, which girl has a whole bunch of braided wristbands made of exactly the same leather as her bag?

Bd girl in a bd dress

Let's continue with the birthday posts of our youngest. As always I wanted to make her a dress. Searching at the local fabric store, the www and even at our local museum with a temporary fashion exhibition and great fabric sale. With no result. So in the end my very own fabric stock was newly explored - what an idea ;) - and with success! These two grey and green all time beauties of Nani Iro I found, but were sadly both to small... So I decided to combine them.


Easier said than done, I took me a lifetime puzzling. But again: with success! Happy to have that upper little bird on the right place on her breast.
Nearly no fabric was left. As a gift, this dress forced me to teach myself how to join patterned fabric.

The pattern 'Sweet' of Remi&Cosette for teens was used, without collar and with added elastic waistband.

Sweet memories

Long time ago I made these series of photo books for M. Now L, who got 10, was really longing for a book with her pictures as well. So this was one of her birthday gifts. Such a joy to make! And in no time this time. I'm becoming an expert ;).
Because the book is about her being a baby, I thought a little rose for the inside of the cover would suit.

Being a mill

Remember this post about my eldest being the Erasmus bridge? Look at my youngest daughter now, being a mill during carnival at school and the way back home by metro! One of the themes was Holland. She wanted to be this herself and she worked so hard to finish the mill in time. Lucky with a father like F, who made the vanes being able to turn around. Using a bicycle hub. Made it all together a great week!
(Btw, funny that I suddenly discovered this behind the stage. Apparently still laying around in the school's attic.)

Let's drink together

Last week I invited my colleagues in the local bar to have a drink on my goodbye. Not a voluntary goodbye, so cutting my visiting cards into drink vouchers was sort of therapeutically.
It was a great being together.

Walking in the clouds

My daughter L knows what she wants. Always. The best part of her self-confidence is that, after giving a present where she's longing for, we are sure that she will enjoy it a lot.
This winter she is begging for - as we call them - highwalkers. Officially they are called peg stilts. We did some research where to get these, like here and at the local circusschool. But way too expensive, we thought. So my boyfriend F decided to make the stilts himself, with a little help of this. Lucky L that he wanted her to try them on to make them perfect. Imagine that the shoes that she is wearing are fixed to the steps. And good to know is that it just took her some minutes to walk away.
Already days before her birthday she is walking around with her present. And she loves it! In the house with all our stairs she is going up and down and is discovering new things in the upper parts of our cabinets. And dust ;). And in the street suddenly she can look over fences and inspects the roofs of electricity houses and so on. These days she is wearing the stilts all day long, even during watching TV. Real fun!
Orders to my boyfriend can be made in the comments ;).