SEWING WITH LEATHER! From a pile of leftovers to a handbag.

Last summer while having my stall as usual at the Brunswick Festival in Hove, I was selling a Vintage dress to a lovely woman who just found the perfect one to match a piece of leather she just bought minutes ago…..

That was such an amazing quality of lambskin and I immediatly fell in love with the colour and the cute silver dots. I was lucky enough to be told that there were a pile of these left, for sale , just 2 stalls away from mine, at the stall of my lovely neighbour Jo. I bought all that was left, not knowing for sure what I was gonna do with these. Jo told me she silk printed them herself but couldn t find the time to use them.

I decided to give a go and try to make the perfect sized handbag, with a lot of zippered pockets and a removable padded pouch for my Ipad mini.

Getting a bit of inspiration and measurements from a friend' s bag I pulled out the rotative cutter and looked for the vintage zippers I had in my stash.

It was also the first time I used the very handy hand press machine, so much more efficient than the hammer method.

Making a bag needs a lot of thinking and for me it was a first to do such a sophisticated one, so I made a bit of mistakes, but the result is ok. And I ve got all the pockets and places to tidy my survival kit while travelling.

And, cherry on the cake, I ve got enough leather left to make one or 2 zipper pouch like the one I use for my drawing tools.

 

Next step might be to sew a black quilted lambskin handbag, Chanel style!…..

 

 

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From Tablecloth to 60′ s A-line dress

I ve been given 2 huge bin bags full of old tablecloth. I usually accept all kinds of vintage fabric, linen, curtains, etc…..as I know some of them can become very interesting to upcycle.

I ve made some of my favorite dresses from curtains.

I also decided I wanted to sew A-line dresses for my stall next summer at the Brunswick Festival in Hove. They are easy to do, suit and fit most of the people and are timeless.

I decided to give a go with these tablecloth, using an old ” pattern” I found 4 years ago in a tutorial from Elle magazine. It s a very simple pattern, 2 pieces of fabric, front darts at the bust and no closure. The pattern goes for facings around the neckline and armholes, but I decided to sew bias instead. I also rounded a bit the armholes.

In case you are interested to give it a go, here are the patterns, the measurments are in centimeters and DO NOT include the 1.5cm seam allowances.

For the first dress, I choose the fabric I liked less to check first if I liked this pattern.

I must admitt I m quite happy with the result and even made a coordinating Tote Bag for fun!

More A- line dresses to come soon!!!!

 

 

 

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A VERY PRACTICAL PURSE FOR MY EMBROIDERY WORKS

I needed a practical, light but efficient little bag to tidy, carry and protect my embroidery works while travelling.

I ve spent a lot of time browsing on internet desperatly to find the perfect one. Lots of them where pretty big with tonns of complicated subdivisions and required the use of a million notions to make. I really couldn t make up my mind, when suddenly I thought of one of my favorite zipper pouch: the one I made using the Craftsy tutorial. I already made a post about it:

https://vintagemadbymuriel.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/a-personnalized-zipper-pouch-video-tutorial-from-craftsy/

After all, it s a very solid, light but protective pouch and I already made more than 20 of them to give to friends or to keep. Of course for my 17cm embroidery hoop I needed more a square shape than a rectangle. I then simply changed the measurements of the 3 basic pieces of fabric and upgraded them to : 25 . 25 cm, 25 . 9 cm and 25 . 17 cm.

I had a very beautiful small piece of vintage fabric, I really loved it but didn t know what to sew out of it. It was too small for a bag, not appropriate for a headband and I wanted something that I would as well use a lot and keep for ever! And it was perfect for my embroidery travel bag! I also choose a nice vintage metal zipper.

 

How cool it is when the lining is almost as beautiful as the outside……

When I tidy my embroidery I just put the threads over the embroidery then fold the 4 sides of the fabric towards the right side of the embroidery and it s ready to go in my lovely zipper pouch!

I love it so much that I might make one for all the different sizes of embroidery hoop I possess!

I had a few little fabric left and will make an other zipper pouch, smaller and adding a little dyed linen to complete it as it s not enough for a whole pouch. Pictures coming soon!

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A personnalized zipper pouch, video tutorial from Craftsy

I really love zipper pouches, they are very practicle to use and you never have too much, but they also are very nice handmade gifts for friends.

I wanted to make something special for someone very special: the son of a friend of mine.

That boy, Tristan, (aka Mini Nick!) is a talented artist, doing painting, drawings, music, videos and even writing beautiful texts.

I then decided to simply use the title of his last miscellany and to embroider it on the front of the pouch.

I just wrote a few words inside to make it even more personnal.

The fabric I used outside is a vintage linen sheet that I dyed.

I really love how this turns out as the colour is not perfect but it s a living colour.

Having already dyed a lot of vintage sheets , I know it will even evolved and change with the time and sun exposure.

I used this very good video tutorial from Craftsy, it s one of their free mini classes and like all their classes , it is clear and very well done.

http://www.craftsy.com/class/bag-making-basics-reversible-tote-and-zipper-pouch/148?_ct=sbqii-sqjuweho-qbb&_ctp=148,5

It is also a very good start on how to put a zipper for someone who never did it before……

I met Tristan and his lovely parents in Lyon last summer at an amazing gig of Nick Cave and really hope to share more moments like this one with them in the future…….

 

 

 

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Cute, Quick & Easy Bunting TUTO. Comment faire vite et facilement une mignonne bannière.

I wanted to make a quick , cute and easy bunting for a little girl s birthday.

I also wanted to use some scrap fabric I had and went for the most girly colours ever: Pink & Gold!

The result is pretty and I hope Lina will like it.

Ce soir , je voulais faire rapidement une mignonne banière pour l anniversaire d une petite fille. J ai regardé dans mon stock de chutes de tissus et y ai trouvé les couleurs les plus girly qui soient: Rose & Or!

Le resultat est joli et j espere, plaira à Lina.

A very little material is required for this bunting:

– scrap fabric ( I chose to use 2 different fabrics )

– 3m bias

– recycled cardboard ( catfood boxes work very well!) to make a template

– pinking shears

Il faut très peu de matériel:

– des chutes de tissu ( j ai pris 2 sortes de tissus differents)

– 3 m de biais de la couleur de votre choix

– un morceau de carton de récup ( boite de céréales, ….) pour faire un gabarit

– des ciseaux cranteurs

First, cut the template.

I decided to make really small triangles and made an isosceles triangle with a 5 cm base and 6 cm height.

Draw the triangle on cardboard and cut it with paper scisors.

I found out, making numerous buntings, that having a height 1 cm bigger than the base gives nice balanced triangles.

You can for sure make other buntings with a most average size ( around 10-15 cm).

D abord, couper le gabarit en carton.

Pour cette banière, j ai décidé de faire de très petits triangles isocèles de 5 cm de base et 6 cm de hauteur.

Dessiner le triangle sur le carton et découper le.

Vous pouvez bien sûr, par la suite faire toutes sortes de banières de differentes tailles. Je trouve que les triangles isocèles qui ont une hauteur 1 cm plus grande que la base, ont une forme bien équilibrée.

Use the template to trace around 50triangles in the fabric and cut them. For each flag of the bunting we will use 2 triangles.

You can use as many different sorts of fabric as you like.

Tracer environ 50 triangles sur le tissu à l aide du gabarit, et couper les. Pour chaque drapeau de la banière, vous utiliserez 2 triangles.

Vous pouvez utiliser autant de sortes différentes de tissu que vous le souhaitez.

To make a QUICK bunting I decided to sew the flags by putting 2 triangles wrong sides together, sewing them together with a 0.5 cm SA ( seam allowance) and recutting the edges with the pinking shears for a fun look.

Pour aller vite j ai décidé d assembler chaque petit drapeau en cousant 2 triangles ensembles , envers contre envers; à 0,5cm du bord. Puis de recouper les bords aux ciseaux cranteurs.

 

The next step is to sew the flags to the bias tape.

Begin in the middle of the bias, unfold the bias and sew the flags one by one, leaving a 2 cm or so space between each flag. You can eyeball it of measure it if you prefer. Put the flags so they would be in between of the 2 layers of the folded bias and sew 5 mm from the edge of the bias. Sew half of the flags in one direction, and the other one in the other direction from the middle. This should leave you with 2 tails of bias at each end to hang the bunting.

La prochaine étape consiste à coudre les drapeaux au biais. Pour cela, ouvrez le biais et en commençant au milieu des 3 m, cousez les drapeaux, un à un en laissant un espace de 2 cm entre chaque drapeau. Vous pouvez mesurer ou pas, si vous y arrivez comme ça. Positionner les drapeaux de telle sorte qu ils se retrouvent par la suite entre les 2 epaisseurs du biais plié et coudre à environ 5 mm du bord. Il faudra coudre la moitié des drapeaux dans une direction et l autre moitié dans la direction opposée, en partant du centre. A la fin vous devriez avoir un morceau de biais sans rien , de chaque côté, pour accrocher la banière.

Then you can fold the bias to catch each flag nicely between the 2 layers of the bias, and sew it in place all long.

Il ne vous restera plus qu à replier le biais pour bien emprisonner chaque drapeau entre les 2 épaisseurs du biais, et à coudre tout le long.

 

ET VOILA!

 

 

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Upcycling Extreme! Recyclage extreme!

As I told you before, I really like to recycle- upcycle things as often as possible.

Sometimes it s simply materials I ve already got in my stash, but I also love to go to charity shops or flea markets to buy 2 nd hand.

One of the best found I made these last years was an amazing vintage curtain with one of the most lovely print I ve seen. The colours, the contrast between the flowers, i just loved everything in it.

Comme je vous l ai déjà dit précédemment, j aime beaucoup recycler dès que possible.

Parfois il s agit de fournitures que je possède et trainent dans mon atelier, mais j aime aussi flaner dans les magasins d entraide ou les marchés aux puces.

Une des plus belles trouvailles que j y ai faites ces dernières années était un magnifique rideau vintage avec un imprimé incroyable. Tout y est superbe: les couleurs, les contrastes dans les motifs, tout!

This huge amount of fabric has been used in its entirety and allowed me to make first a stunning evening dress.

I designed the pattern of the dress myself being inspired by the wonderful shop in Brighton : Get Cutie.

Cet énorme morceau de tissu a été utilisé dans son intégralité, et m a permis de faire dans un premier temps une incroyable robe de soirée.

J ai créé le patron moi- même en m inspirant des robes d une boutique de Brighton que j aime beaucoup: Get Cutie.

https://www.getcutie.co.uk/home/index.html

Then I still had enough fabric to sew a portrait blouse using the Portrait Blouse pattern in Gertie s essential sewing book: New Book for Better Sewing.

Puis il me restait encore assez de tissu pour faire un top avec le patron de la Portrait Blouse de Gertie pris dans son indispensable livre: New Book for Better Sewing.

http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/

 

As I really loved that fabric I wanted a week end bag with it and used this very nice tutorial from Guthrie Ghani.

http://www.guthrie-ghani.co.uk/blog/big-weekend-bag-tutorial-melody-miller-ruby-star-shining-fabric

I am thinking about making a sew along with you to make this bag when my page will have more followers…..

Comme j aimais vraiment beaucoup ce tissu j ai voulu également avoir un sac 48 heures et ai utilisé ce chouette tutoriel de Guthrie Ghani.

http://www.guthrie-ghani.co.uk/blog/big-weekend-bag-tutorial-melody-miller-ruby-star-shining-fabric

Je pense faire un tutoriel pas à pas avec ce sac, sur plusieurs semaines, quand ma page aura plus de followers…..

And also a nice Tote Bag with a Union Jack in leopard print…….

Et aussi un petit cabas avec le drapeau Anglais et du tissu léopard…….

At the end I could also make a purse which I am using as an embroidery travel case and a zipper pouch ( this one is gonna be one of the next tutorials).

A la fin j ai aussi pu faire une pochette que j utilise en voyage pour y ranger mon matériel de broderie, et une trousse zippée ( qui sera l objet d un de mes tutoriels futurs).

 

ET VOILA, how to get a full set of clothes and accessories with a beautiful patterned curtains!

Et voilà, comment avoir une belle collection de vêtements et accessoires à partir d un rideau avec un bel imprimé!

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Tout premier Tutoriel: le It accessoire de la couturièrista……My very first Tutorial: the “it” accessory of the seamstressista!

Pour le premier tutoriel, je vous propose de réaliser un range – aiguilles, qui vous sera bien utile par la suite….Il vous permettra d' organiser vos aiguilles et de les protéger.

For this first tutorial, we will make a needle-case which will be an helpful object in your seamstress' future! It will help keeping your needles tidy and sharp!

Il s' agit d' un petit atelier de 30 minutes environ qui nécessite peu de matériel, il vous permet même d' utiliser de petites chutes de tissus. Vous pouvez également ajouter de jolies étiquettes pour personnaliser cet objet.

MATERIEL:

– un morceau de tissu ( de préférence du coton) de 20 cm sur 7,5 cm.

– un morceau de feutrine de 20 cm sur 7,5 cm.

– un ruban de 37 cm.

– du fil assorti à votre tissu.

L' utilisation d' une machine à coudre est conseillée, même si la couture à la main reste possible ici. Il vous faudra également des ciseaux cranteurs et des épingles.

Vous pouvez trouver des kits complets dans ma boutique sur Alittlemercerie:

http://www.alittlemercerie.com/kits-tutoriels-couture/fr_kit_complet_pour_range_aiguille_en_tissu_et_feutrine_-2992749.html

 

This 30 minutes workshop requires very little materials and will even allow you to recycle small fabric coupons. You can also add Vintage details like ribbon and clothing labels to give a beautiful touch.

SUPPLY:

– a 20cm on 7.5cm piece of fabric ( cotton recommanded)

– a 20 cm on 7.5 cm piece of felt

– 37cm of ribbon

– thread assorted to your fabric.

Being able to use a sewing machine will make things easier but it still is possible to sew it by hand. You ll also need pinking shears and pins.

Ready to use kits are available to buy in my shop on Alittlemercerie:

http://www.alittlemercerie.com/kits-tutoriels-couture/fr_kit_complet_pour_range_aiguille_en_tissu_et_feutrine_-2992749.html

EXPLICATIONS-TUTORIAL:

1-couper tissu, feutrine et ruban aux dimensions désirées

1-cut fabric, felt and ribbon

2- épingler la feutrine sur l' envers du tissu

2- pin the felt to the wrong side of fabric

 

3-coudre tout autour à 1 cm du bord

3- sew all around, 1 cm from the edge

4-couper les bords aux ciseaux cranteurs

4- cut around with the pinking shears

 

 

5- mettre en place et épingler le ruban au milieu. Faire une boucle en rentrant l' extrémité du ruban de chaque coté

5- place the ribbon on the middle and pin. Tuck under the beginning and the end of ribbon, making a loop on one side.

 

6- coudre le ruban le long des 4 cotés en restant très proche du bord du ruban.

6- sew the ribbon along the 4 edges as close to the edges of the ribbon as you can.

 

7- A ce stade vous pouvez ajouter une étiquette pour décorer…….

7- Now it ' s time to customize with a label……..

 

ET VOILA!

 

 

J' espère que vous avez apprécié ce turoriel très simple et je tâcherai d' en poster un nouveau prochainement……

I hope you liked this tutorial, I ll do my very best to post more soon……

 

Muriel.

 

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