How To : Recycled Denim Coil Basket

I am slowly making my way back to crafting and posting...lately I have been mostly crafting and I am ok with that. Must be the weather?  Well, this little number was inspired by two completely separate projects. The first being the coiled basket I made from torn vintage sheets and a pair of jeans I refashioned.  I thought enough ahead to take process photos, so I have a tutorial for you today! I haven't had one since before Christmas, wow some holiday eh?

Behold the scrap denim drawer. A collection of remnants from past projects and full pieces I have yet to utilize including two pairs of untouched jeans, a jacket and a mini skirt. I took out a bag of inseams and cuffs I had separated and began the project. Within just a couple of hours I had this basket, which has a seven inch diameter at the base and a twelve inch diameter at the top. The basket is nine inches high.

To make your own you will need:
Inseams and hems from several pairs of jeans
Waistband from one pair of jeans for handles (optional)
Back pocket from one pair of jeans (also optional)
Hot glue gun and a couple sticks of glue
Sewing machine
Denim needles (or size 14) more than two and denim has a tendency to warp needles.
One large spool of thread + two or three matching wound bobbins

Begin at the beginning...

Begin by taking a bottom hem piece and coiling it around itself. Adding hot glue along the seam as you roll. Don'y mind if the glue seeps out a bit as the arrows are showing it is hardly noticeable.

Continue adding pieces to your coil until it is a size you like (or you run out of hem pieces like I did.) As you can see I chose to keep the lumpier pieces where the hem and the seams met. You can leave them out for a smoother coil but I found by staggering them around the circle it all evened out in the end.

When you have finished coiling your base, add a piece of denim that is taller than the coils. Here I used a hem from a pair of men's shorts I had. But you can use a piece of denim cut to size. It is just to give your basket wall coils something to attach to.

Tip up your base so that the taller piece you added to the outside meets up with inseam piece under your presser foot exactly in the middle. Close up pictured below.

See how the base is under the presser foot as well as the first inseam piece? You need them to meet in the middle because you are going to use your widest zig zag stitch to join them together. Back stitch a couple stitches and big stitching.

When you have sewn your first coil around the base you will need to CONTINUOUSLY stitch up to the second row. Simply move your coil so that it crosses the bottom and begins a second row on its own.

When it is time to add another piece of inseam you just slide it under your foot and continue stitching. You might have to fiddle with it a little bit. And sometimes it might not line up perfectly, but for me it added to the charm. YOu might just need to go slower than I did. (I got more and more excited the closer I got to the end of the project.)

See? Holes. But I was okay with them. What I wasn't okay with was big holes between coil rows. So when I was done the basket I went back and sewed up any places that my zig zag stitched missed. (Glue would also work as there was one row that broke two needles on me before I just accepted it and moved on.)

For the handles I just snipped a couple pieces from a waistband and straight stitched them on. (The machine did not enjoy trying to zig zag stitch throw two+ layers of denim)

Because I wasn't going to sew this pocket on, I wanted to give it some stitch detail first. I like the royal blue stitching against the bright black denim.

Choose a side for your pocket (I chose the one that had one too many iffy spots) and affix with hot glue.

You are done. Now fill it with stuff and enjoy!

If you have questions please feel free to leave it in the comment section an I will answer it ASAP.
Thanks for stooping by!

Sew What! Holidays Challenge Three Reveal!

This is going to be super fast! I am in the middle of moving and due to being sick last week I didn't get any scheduled posts done up. But I did get my stocking done and photographed weeks ago, thank goodness! Wanna see it? Here we go!

The challenge was a stocking and a toy if you had the time. Well, I ran out of time for the toy but I finished the stocking!I made it from recycled denim! The white jeans I turned into a skirt for  week one challenge plus some black denim from a pair of jeans I was given for the fabric. I could not be happier! Seriously, with every stage I was more and more impressed with how it all came together.

I lined it with black felt and added a vintage brooch I bought at a yardsale for a dollar. Pretty yes?

I'm sorry if the pictures are not awesome, I just didn't have time tweak the levels in Photoshop.

I hope you love it though. And if you want to make your own, stick around, sometime this week I will have the tutorial posted!

If you would like to see what Cynthia created click the button!


Okay, thanks for your patience guys! I'll be back as soon as I have internet access, or access to the internet! ♥

How To : Denim Tool Roll

As promised, the denim tool roll tutorial! Sorry for taking so long but I swear I have not stopped for the last two weeks! Now, I know there are a lot of crayon roll type tutorials out there, but I didn't use one for this. And really this is probably more simple than a crayon roll because there is not interfacing or seam binding!



Materials
1 pair of jeans (Or just the bottom 21" of two legs)
1 piece of fabric 15x20" (This is the canvas I used)
1 yard ribbon/twill tape

Modus Operandi



Cut down the inside seam of two legs cut to twenty one inches.


Square your leg pieces to the inside seam.


Join pieces. But do this so one small piece meets one big piece. I tried to make it clear with the photo.


Join pieces with a 3/8" seam.


Press seams flat.


Sew down seams.


Fold and press bottom about a half inch.


Pin canvas piece to top. This should be approx 15x20".


Sew canvas around sides and top. The bottom needn't be sewn to the denim but feel free to give the canvas a quick hem before pinning. (I cut my piece from the bottom of the curtain to this step was done for me.


Turn out. Now press the denim sides in to line up with the turned canvas.


Fold up the denim and add your tie strap. I used cotton twill tape. You can pin at this stage but it is a lot of fabric and I find if you go slow, denim doesn't need to be pinned.


Sew around the entire perimetre. Don't forget to back stitch a few stitches where the denim meets the canvas.


Once you have sewn the perimetre you can either mark with disappearing marker the lines you want to sew along to create the pockets or you can use a quilting guide set to the desired pocket width. I used a marker and marked out two 2.25" pockets on the ends and six 1.75" pockets in the middle. It made it super easy to sew super quick. You can do this in one continuous line starting at the bottom of one end and ending at the top of the other end. Don't forget to back stitch where the denim meets the canvas.


Ta-daaa! Your finished your manly toll roll!


If you use denim coloured thread in your bobbin, your quilting is barely discernible!


Now go put your brushes or knitting needles or scissors in it before you change your mind and give it to a deserving man in your life!
I hope you enjoyed this how to! I hope you make your own! I hope you show me yours! I hope you come back for more great projects! Cheers!

Sew What! Holidays Challenge One Reveal!

Challenge One : Gift For Him
So, true to form I made this one right before all my time was up. Cynthia emailed me asking what time I was going to make this post and I hadn't even made the project yet! But, I got down to business and thanks to both nap time and Daddy distractions I got it done!

It started off as an idea for the spring when I was doing my Denim-Stravaganza. But because The Mister kept forgetting ot bring me home the wrenches for proper measurement it never did get made. Well, when Cynthia suggested a "gift for him" as the first idea I thought she was a genius. But I also thought that now was the time to make the tool roll. Again I waited and waited for the wrenches. Finally two days before the reveal I just went ahead and made it. I even took process photos for a tutorial this Tuesday.


I made the roll from two legs of jeans and a chunk of upcycled canvas. (I bought it at a charity shop and I am pretty sure it was a curtain panel in it's former life.) With no real plan except the basic dimensions (Which I gleaned from a tool catalogue.) I made this in about two hours. I love it. I will be making more. Just think of all the paint brushes, art pencils, knitting needles and crochet hooks that need storing! Also, scissors I have a nice scissor collection and I think this is a great way to both store them and have (all of) them ready when I need them.


To see what Cynthia The Sewing Dork made for a man in her life click on the button below!">If you are playing along, all you need to do to submit your creations is one of the following:

1. Upload a picture to your flickr account and add it to The Sewing Dork Showcase
2. Leave a link in a comment on this blog or at The Sewing Dork's
3. Email (I have a button on my sidebar) us with the photos or a link to the photos or blog post.

We will be doing reader submission posts through the next month and a half. And please Do Not Fret if you can't make a deadline, we are happy to share your work whenever you finish it. I think I showed a readers work a full month after the last edition.

Okay, now to reveal this week's challenge! A Holiday Outfit!

This outfit can be for anyone! You, your little one or your mister, it is up to you to whom you dedicate your time to.
Also, as a reader asked me earlier, it can also be for Halloween. We are not rule crazy here. If making a costume fits better into your schedule than something sparkly for Christmas or New Years by all means have at 'er!
I do believe that is all she wrote folks! So tune in on Tuesday to find out how to make the Denim Tool Roll pictured above, and come back on Thursday for the first Reader Submission Showcase! And, if you don;t have one, would like one, and feel like sporting one on your blog here is a button just for those purposes! (Well that and they are just fun to make!)


<center><a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/Sew%20What%20Holiday"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5012749178_d42442af5a_o.jpg"></a></center>

Sew What! (Long Overdue) Reader Showcase!

What is this? A sew what button? Is it starting again? Not today, maybe soon, maybe a holiday edition? This is in fact, some long overdue reader submissions. The first is from Steph of Mon Petite Poppet who chose to use recycled denim like I did.

For challenge number two (Bag with words) Steph made a crochet clutch for a friend, love it. The pop of red is great! For challenge number three (Filled form with reverse applique) Step created this gorgeous cat stuffy with complimentary colour coasters for her little Bijou.
And lastly, for challenge number four (Carry it!) She made a library bag for her little one again. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love that mushroom! Maybe next time we have a sew along she will sew something for herself? ;)

♥♥
The next collage is not from the Sew Along per se, but a reader named Debra sent me these before and after pictures of her camper that she re-did using a lot of recycled denim. I love it and meant to showcase it back during my Denim-Stravaganza!



Didn't she do just a fabulous job? I love the colours, red white and denim blue. I used to have a couch upholstered in denim and I didn't really like it. But I think a different styled couch re-upholstered in recycled denim would better appeal to me. I cannot really explain why, it is what it is. And this re-do is wonderful. Thanks Debra for submitting it!

Thank you everyone who participated, thank you everyone who encouraged us along! I loved it. Next time I won't try to do two monthly features at once though. But, it occurred to me as I typed it above, maybe a holiday edition, using completely upcycled materials. I like it. I think I'll do some brainstorming this weekend and see what I come up with. Anyone who would like to join me in said sew along please feel free to comment or email me with your interest. ♥

Dollies VS Babies

Holy moly! I cannot believe how long it has taken me to post my answer to the fourth and final challenge in the Sew What Sew Along! Between technical difficulties (See memory card replacement) to busy family events (see the baking of 30 mini cheesecakes for our one and only niece's grade eight graduation party) to more technical difficulties (see special camera battery dieing at the eleventh hour) and me going to bed with Wednesday last night, you would never know that I finished this early on in the week last week!

Lovely little over-complicated number don't you think?

The story behind this one? Wednesday loves her little dolls. It started with some sticking stuffers at Christmas and has grown ridiculously out of control with little dolls being given from just about every family member. Actually, you know that is not true, I think it started with the little figures from In The Night Garden and other cartoon shows aquired from Christmases past and a yard sale or two. But, she has since moved on to the dolls. She loves these dolls. LOVES them. They go everywhere with her. Well, these four go everywhere, the bath, the car, bed time etc. The other twenty little and bigger dolls take turns being her second favourite.

I thought I would create a doll carrier that could cary many a doll and their accessories hence the elastic bits and four pockets (two inside and two outside). BUT! I wanted something that could also be a doll sling for that day when Wednesday is finally feeling that materna instinct kick in. I am not sure when that will be seeing how the closest to playing mommy-baby is pushing the baby in the stroller for about two minutes. BUT! Just in case she changes her mind, the carrier converts to a baby doll carrier. 

I know the hanger pieces are not very maternal looking but, we work with what we have here.

On how it is convertable:

1. Inside becomes a changing pad. (Pocket is a double pocket that can accommodate a dolly cloth nappy.)
2. Elastic closure stretches to accommodate folding top. (See below.)
3. Top folds down inside to make room for dolly head.
4. Fabric connecting front and back in small enough to fit between dolly legs.

Two action shots and a shot of safety goggle cuteness.

The gorgeous pink fabric was purchased at my local sewing shop a few weeks ago with plans to make this top by the Sewing Dork. I am still going to make that top but the shades of pink looked so good with the denim I couldn't resist. Speaking of the Sewing Dork, she made the most beautifully simple answer to this challenge. I am envious of her thought process sometimes (and skills). But in a good way. Click on the button below to be taken to see her masterpiece. 

Thank you so much for sewing along with us! It has been wonderful to see what everyone creates. We know that people get busy, and technical difficulties arise so I am going to wait the week to see if any more reader submissions come in and then I'll do a post showing them off. I believe Cynthia is planning on a flickr favourite editions as well which I may have to copy depending on how our favourites differ (if at all!)

Go Rockin' Robin 'Cause You're Really Gonna Rock Tonight!

Here is my answer to the stuffed form + reverse applique challenge. I would like to go on record to say this was not my initial idea. I even got as far as sewing and turning my original idea but when it came time to stuff it, it wasn't working for me. I'll fix it up and turn it into a door stop (it was initially supposed to be one of two bookends!) not so much a craft fail, but not a craft A+ by any means.



So, after I was mid week on this challenge and scrapping my initial attempt I was almost panicking. I thought no biggie I can create one of the gorgeous pillows I posted about recently. Alas, not one of those beautiful cushions had a reverse applique detail. Well crap. What now? And while I was in the elevator, bringing up my laundry it hit me! A pin cushion. With a bird silhouette! And I set to work finding just the right silhouette. Then I found the perfect fabric to back it! (That yellow vintage bed sheet shows up at the most opportune times!) I will admit, I did have trouble with the yellow sides. I am going to have to look up some tutorials on box cushions. Mine is good, but it could be better you know? But, that is it and I really like it.

Coasters? Crap. That was my idea too wasn't it? But, I had been bit by the bird silhouette bug and these came together in about an hour. I know that because I was literally sewing the last stitches on the last coaster when Wednesday woke from her nap.



I found the three birdie images @ The Paper Seed through a Google search for bird silhouette clip art. But needing a fourth image I searched for like, another twenty minutes for just the right one finally settling on the kiwi bird! I love it, I think it is a most whimsical addition to the group.

I had a time trying to figure out what I wanted to back them with being blue denim it was tricky finding some super fab contrasting fabric. But, lo and behold I found a couple fat quarters at the bottom of my stash that I had nearly forgotten about! Remember the bean bags I made last summer? Funnily enough they were also a reverse applique project (My first ever!)and I used three out of the four fat quarters I bought. Turned out wonderfully though. I did not create a case for them because well, cases are tedious and if I have one hand on a drink, than I haven't two for coaster removal now do I?

So there you have it. Week three done. Are you having as much fun as I am? Seriously, this is awesome. Do you have proof of your fun? Ready to submit your filled form/coaster challenge? You can do so three ways. You can email them to myself or The Sewing Dork thorough our blogs (I have a button in my sidebar.)-or- you can leave a comment with a link to your blog post about it -or- you can upload your photos to the Sewing Dork Flickr Pool. Just an FYI, this seems to be the favourite way to share submissions, since everyone (readers and participants) can browse through your projects.