Replace and Reuse

Just a couple of quick bits of sewing to report for this month. First up is a replacement iPad case for my godson who left his case (along with the iPad) on a train. This was a very quick make as I had only a couple of hours to make it while he was home from University. I adapted the pattern that is available in my tutorials so that the zipped pocket was quicker and used the first non-girly fabric that came to hand.

The other piece of sewing was to find a way of reusing a skirt of mine that somehow has “shrunk” while it has been hanging in the wardrobe. The length was never quite right on me and seeing as the waist was no longer right now too, there was nothing to lose. I chopped off the skirt just below the zip and made a casing for elastic using a length of Liberty lawn. (The skirt is needlecord which would have been too bulky to fold for a casing.)

Seeing as I never wear tops tucked into skirts, this was a quick fix and resulted in a skirt that is very wearable, but very difficult to photograph.



I might use this method again should any more skirts shrink in the wardrobe 😉.

i-Padded: an updated tutorial for a mini iPad case.

Hello if you've found me via the Sewing Directory. Have a look around and I hope to see you again :-)

A few months ago, Fiona from the Sewing Directory sent me a few FQs of Art Gallery fabrics and asked me to write a tutorial for a case for a mini iPad. I paired the FQs with some fabrics from my stash and revised last year’s iPad case project into a fully illustrated, step by step tutorial with a full size pdf pattern.

The new and improved tutorial is now on the Sewing Directory so why not head over and take a look (and check out all the other information that is on this fantastic resource). The updated pattern and instructions can also be found in my projects/tutorials section of this blog.

Upcycling a rugby shirt

The past few weeks have been quiet sewing-wise partly due to an injured shoulder/arm that made it painful for me to do most things, but I’m happy to report that I seem to be on the mend and was able to do a bit of sewing at the weekend.

  

I needed to make an iPad case for a friend’s birthday and as he is big rugby fan I decided to make it from one of his son’s outgrown rugby shirts. The jersey fabric was stretched from being worn and so it was a bit tricky to get the stripes straight, but I got there in the end. I was pleased to find customised ribbon on the inside of the collar which I was able to unpick and add to the tab holder. The club’s crest was in the wrong position for me to use it in situ, so I used it to add an extra pocket on the back of the cover.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take any photos before I wrapped the present and had to grab a couple of grainy ones with my phone.

If you're tempted to try a bit of upcycling, my instructions for making this case are available here.

Apples and Sprouts - instructions to make a mini iPad case

This tutorial has been updated - please use the iPadded tutorial in the Projects/Tutorials section.

When I made my iPad mini case, I didn't think on to take lots of photos which would have made it easier to write a tutorial. However, I've put together a basic set of instructions for making this project.

The instructions and patterns are available as pdf files and have been designed to print on A4 paper. Please check that the pattern file prints to the correct size, especially if using a different paper size.

Click here for the instructions
Click here for the pattern
Click here for instructions to make a zipped pocket (from U-Handbag)

I've also created a new "Project" section on the blog where you will find this project, and hopefully a few others in the months to come.

Easter sewing (part 1) - apples and sprouts!

During the Easter holiday I was able to catch up on a couple of sewing projects. The main project was finishing off pattern testing a carpet bag (more about that to come in another post), but a quick project I needed to do was to make a case for my iPad mini.