sewing – Busy Cat Studio

Moving up

Published on October 2, 2018 by CathyLeave a comment

Having moved the work table upstairs, – did I mention I’d done that? – I’ve been playing with the sewing machine more. We live in a little 2 bedroom house. It has unfinished open attic space and a basement. I had set up in a large room size area of the basement with three bookcases in place, and brought in an old chest of drawers and dresser, all stuff that was here when we moved in. But, 1) I love light, 2) my granddaughter tired of playing there (I think she loves light now too) and 3) it has flooded twice. The flood problem seems to be addressed for now, but the second flood was due to record rains and it just doesn’t seem to ever dry out now. Anyway…. I can go on and on about the house, but let me finish that part by saying my daughter didn’t care if we have a dining room space and my granddaughter was about to be out of school for the summer. It was better to move up so I could keep track of her, continue my creative endeavors and enjoy light! I can easily hear the kids around the house and see her in the front yard. So I’ve been playing. Playing with fabric and zippers on hand.

I love a pouch I made some time back from a pattern called “The Easy Wonder Clip Bowl” (it can be purchased at Craftsy or Etsy). It is so handy because unlike most zipper pouches, it opens to a bowl shape making it easy access to whatever is inside. So, I got started and kept going. Some pouches, some little fabric bins.

Naturally, since the bowls are like little cocoons, my granddaughter wanted some for her tiny animal toys. And an extra one or two put her hair ponytailers in easy order and accessibility. Great little organization helpers. I made some of my fabric bins to fit in the 2 drawers of my work table, not too high, and they are great for the little sewing tools. I made mine out of fabric that I didn’t care for out of the house stash and for hers, I admit, we purchased a fat quarter pack from Walmart. I had zippers I’d bought in bulk some time back – usually when I say “some time back” it means when I had a bit of money and bought more crap than I needed. One long zipper makes 2 bowls, if you have the extra pull, and I did.

There’s not room for all our craft/fabric/sketch and paint supplies upstairs, but it’s working. It actually helps with my focus too, since I can only have so much out at a time! When winter comes, the sun seems to go into hiding around here, but it will still be brighter than the basement. And we will keep crafting and creating at the center of our home.

trading in my tote

Published on September 28, 2018 by CathyLeave a comment

I needed a new purse. Through the summer, I’ve carried a tote type bag that was given out as a gift from work. Little pocket on the outside, little zip pocket on the inside. It had plenty of room and a great tiny strap with a ring on it that I snapped my key on. Totally lacking class, but hey, it worked, sort of, have I mentioned I love pockets? It was becoming frayed and my winter stand by was showing similar wear. But unwilling to invest in a new one, I spent slightly less on hardware and stabilizer (with the usual more-than-you-need-for-one-project, so I can make more than one!!) and I got started. If you know my history with sewing, you can laugh now.

I followed great directions. Along the way, I knew I messed up, in a couple of ways. I thought I could work around it a bit, but it became clear there was no way the lining piece was going to fit in and create a nice purse. It got set aside, added to the unfinished projects I have set aside before – the lovely top that needs sleeves and snaps added, but ended up not fitting, odd darning of things that ought to just be replaced, Christmas decor, and on and on. I know better than to hang onto projects that I don’t care about enough to prioritize and finish, but hey, knowing they are there and what I have invested in some of them, halts my interest in buying more.

Back to the purse issue… I spent a lot of time on that lining. (The outside too, but I’ll get to that another time.) I put an open pocket in the lining that fits my phone beautifully with a pen slot and a larger space for whatever. Plus, I added two short straps holding rings to clip my key on, and a change bag or wallet or whatever I want to clip in there. The fabric was out of the house stash, so the investment was mainly in time and I liked what I had done. So I set out to make a cover for the lining, from the stash, of course.

The outside is an old drop cloth that ended up in an old stash of mine. The outer pocket matches the lining, which was from the house stash. The lining had the sturdy stabilizer in it so I didn’t do anything extra to this part.The handles are the same cloth and feel very sturdy.

It took a bit of playing but with the lining piece as a pattern, it wasn’t difficult. There seems to be good days when a project just clicks and then there are the days that I have learned to go do something else. And of course, I always have something else on my list.

I ended up with something my daughter says looks “very professional”. Not sure about that, but I am content to carry this bag knowing it goes with about anything I wear, holds what I want and looks definitely better than the old orange and beige tote.

Finished. loaded and ready to go

See the rings?

I am using a small change/card pouch on the second ring that keeps that stuff handy and safer, especially since the purse does not zip close and it is relatively shallow. I’ve learned from this one though, as I do from most of my projects. I want my next purse to be a bit deeper. I carry a bullet journal with me and it does have room for that but I’m wondering if I want to put a divider in the next bag to keep it in a place and other stuff away. There is just enough room for it to slide around and down so I’m moving it out of the way whenever I’m reaching for the kid wipes or other stuff. I wonder if I used some light interfacing it would have slid better – the stabilizer seems to have a tooth and the texture of the outer material sticks so it looks like a wrinkle in the picture. All in all, I am happy to be carrying it. And with jeans as the basis for my daily outfit, this works well.

A Blessing and a Challenge

Published on September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 by CathyLeave a comment

When we moved to Michigan, we heard from other student sources, about a house that was coming available. The Landlord said he wasn’t sure he could have it ready by the time we needed it, but, basically, he would do his best. I’m not sure how ready it was, but the price was good and we were worn out, so we took it, and all the stuff that had been left in it.

The house had been pilfered many times. Evidence of back door break in and windows cracked from trying to open them, many with broken locks. One of the neighbors caught people a couple of times and we know much of the “good” stuff was taken due to them asking if I had found this decoration or that thing. Many homes in the Detroit area, and particularly in Pontiac, have been walked away from, as the financial collapse settled in. But in this case, a woman in her 60’s owned the home and her daughter lived with her. The daughter died of an overdose in the spring and by Thanksgiving, the mother did too. The landlord did not share that before we moved in, which in many states is illegal and another indication of the character of our landlord.

For a crafter, it was a bit of a treasure trove, although having to go through stuff eventually got to me. I kept going, setting up a little work area. I sorted through decades of magazines (some back to 1981) instead of tossing them. I think it was two months before I realized there was another storage room under the stairs! Basically, I found it after the basement flooded, which the landlord tried to blame us for, when it was pipes that had not been tended to in the almost two years the house had been vacant.

For me, some of the best treasures were bolts of fabric, four quilt tops, one already basted in a sandwich, and the abundance of scraps, 3 charm packs, you get the idea. There is a large PVC pipe quilting frame, for hand quilting. A very large stash of cross stitch supplies, that I still haven’t sorted through due to lack of interest, and skeins of yarn. It’s been interesting. I made a personal commitment to use up what I can before we leave so that I am not hauling a craft store with me, again. And when I see a beautiful yarn at the store, I remember the stash at home.

Then the second flood came when we got record rains. I think it washed in every ant from the entire yard and maybe more. The neighbors told me it should not have happened because of the deep French drains that were placed along with the sump pump. But the sump pump was persnickety. It only worked when the landlord kicked it just right, and not at all when my daughter or I did. The landlord replaced it. But the basement has not been the same to me. It has not seemed to fully dry out. Last summer, when we moved in, I used a fan down there. This year, when we run the air conditioner, it gets too cold for comfort. Don’t know how that fits with the other issues we’ve had but it’s true. I’ve covered every vent I can find down there, but the ducts themselves keep VERY cool. I must be missing something. Maybe it’s colder this year because it doesn’t seem to dry out.

So, I moved my very large work table to the dining room and have taken over the space for sewing, and maybe some painting, definitely some lettering. For now, it is sewing. While still in the basement, I made Indigo a dress from material (yards and yards) I’d purchased before we moved here. She loved it a and it became the dress for the last two special events of kindergarten. I crocheted a special cowl that covers her shoulders for her fancier event. I also tried to make a summer purse from a Craftsy class. I know where I messed up and will eventually fix it. The good part is, it was made from fabric already here, I only purchased hardware and stabilizer. Early summer was when I made a couple of large stuffed dinosaurs for her – she’s not into dolls, but she dresses up those dinos.

And that brings me to the current blessing. I love quilts. But I don’t buy them. I have two my Grandmother made long ago. I have another that is whole cloth quilted (not pieced) that I bought when I worked at Dillard’s for a short time. I prefer not to use my grandmother’s, although I do from time to time and my granddaughter has taken over the store bought one. So we are off on a new journey.