Sew Hip Issue 14One thing I wanted to blog about is my experiences in completing projects from craft magazines. I have a bit of a magazine habit - I subscribe to several titles plus buy others on spec as I see them. By way of a bit of discipline and trying to get value out of all this inspiration, I always try to make at least one thing from each issue before the next one is published. This leads to feverishly searching each mag for something I am actually capable of doing.
This brings us neatly to Sew Hip Issue 14. There is much to like about Sew Hip. There are projects for all ability levels, decent, illustrated instructions and the pull out full size pattern, so no fiddling around with a photocopier.
Having hastily passed over the "make your own wedding dress" pattern, which I took to be for advanced users, I easily settled on the Owl Doorstop. I love all things owl and it looked easy. Yay and yay!
The pattern wasn't too specific about fabrics (again, something I like about Sew Hip), but it looked felty so I ordered some off-white wool felt from The Altered Element. For the feathers, wings and beak, I used some lovely wool felt I had in stash from Blooming Felt. For the weighting, the pattern suggested rice or sand. I prefer to use plastic pellets (in case it gets wet!). These can be hard to get in the UK - I got my last lot from Panduro Hobby.
What I liked best about the pattern is that the designer, Sarah Brangwyn, got you to add the face and feathers before you sewed it together rather than after. Almost all patterns try to make you do it the other way round, which is soooo hard.
I was really pleased with the result. By my standards, it's a fairly faithful rendition of what I saw in the mag and was both pleasing and straightforward to make. I actually decided it was a bit too nice (and light-coloured) to keep on the floor, so it's currently residing on the fireplace.
Melx
Yep - WAY too nice to put on the floor!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoo, Whoo did such a great job on this doorstop? Gee, Mel I'll be back often to see what other neat things you are making.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute doorstop! I'm with Brioni, it would be covered with dog hair sitting on my floor (well, and anywhere in the house, ahem). Brioni said to pop over and say "hi." Hi! I usually try to do what she says. ;-b
ReplyDeleteToo cute for a doorstop! My girls would have that little owl snaffled and tucked into a shoebox before you could say doorstop! Love the blog, keep going, the first few posts are v nerve wracking aren't they?!
ReplyDeleteReally pleased you enjoyed the project. When I was getting it ready for the magazine I had great fun creating a few of my own. Please you did too.. xx
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