Monday, December 21, 2009

Gift Guide Goodness... Again!

Etsy really seems to like our Pixelated Patchwork Cushions - this time they've featured our Skull Cushion in the Tech Lovers Holiday Gift Guide. This is same Gift Guide that our Gingham Invaded Cushion was featured in at the beginning of the month.



There are some fantastic items in this Guide and it is a privilege to be included (again).

Monday, December 7, 2009

Gingham Invaded & The Tech Lover's Gift Guide on Etsy

Last Friday we were lucky enough to have our Gingham Invaded Space Invader Cushion Covers included in Etsy's Tech Lover's Holiday Gift Guide!




The spot was short lived (less than 24 hours) because we had somebody buy all three of the listed cushions in one transaction. We relisted, I tweeted the listing and then Etsy tweeted a link to our relisted cushions!

To top it off... Etsy then put them up on their Facebook Fan Page!



We've had over 1,000 views and 21 hearts on the relisting since Etsy tweeted and put it Facebook.

All I can say (other than "Thanks, Etsy!") is WOW!

Don't forget that you can win one of our Black & White Space Invader Cushion Covers over at the Little Waltz blog - entries close 14th December!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Sleeveless Shirt with Side Lacings

I have finally managed to find time to sew something new for myself. I've actually had this shirt cut out for a month or more and thought it was time to get around to sewing it.


Red Striped Shirt - Front

I got the idea for lacing up the sides of the shirt from a book I was flicking through at a book shop, I can't for the life of me remember the name of the book. It was something along the lines of anticraft or alternative sewing and is showed how to alter an op-shop shirt to have lace up sides. I decided I would make the shirt since I can never find anything that I am specifically looking for in op-shops.

The main fabric is a poly/cotton blend in a very nice red that is really difficult to photograph, it always looks really washed out. It also has a fine black pinstripe running through it. Ever since I first saw this fabric I wanted to make a shirt out of it. The binding and collar are all out of a fabric that I found in my stash that was of a similar weight and feel to the red fabric, I have no idea what it is nor where I got it from.

I used New look pattern 6704 view D (without the pockets) as the basis for the shirt.


I made a size 10 but since finishing the shirt and wearing it for a day I think it is a little too big around the top and perhaps an inch or two too long, I really should have done a quick tissue fit first.

Red Striped Shirt - Side Detail 02 Red Striped Shirt - Side
There are 44 eyelets in total, each one was set using a hammer, it took two hours. Very tedious. I think that I really should buy a better eyelet setting tool. I currently use a hemline one but it is made of plastic and when you are doing such a large quantity of eyelets the tool gets destroyed pretty quickly and you end up with wonky eyelets.

I couldn't find any ribbon in my sewing box and I didn't want to go out and buy something so I decided to make the lacing from 12mm poly cotton bias tape that I folded in half and sewed together. I think it worked quite well. The buttons were originally intended for my jacket but since I changed the buttons for the jacket I have quite a few of these buttons available.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Our first giveaway!


The lovely Celeste at Little Waltz has featured Ky & I as part of her "Waltzing through with Talent" series. To celebrate, we've offered up one of our Pixelated Patchwork Cushion Covers for a giveaway!




To read the interview and to enter the competition, click here.