Facing nemesis, origami and glue guns

If there’s a hard way to do something it’s me that takes that way. For years my awkward hands have made things hard to coordinate some fiddly things and origami never quite works in my favour.

However, in my Pinterest feed and YouTube suggestions I kept seeing these pretty origami flowers. If you search for origami flowers these will pop up in the first few suggestions. The ones I liked were made of old book pages and I have this idea for a string of lights with the flowers being lit up from the centres.

Things got interesting as glue guns and I are not on good talking terms. The one I had leaked, didn’t behave and given a cord I can tangle myself and anything else up in it. Solution was to find a cordless one that doesn’t leak. Won’t stop me gluing my fingers or nails but it’s a start right?

Glue gun and little fabric clips to the ready, I chose this lovely sparkling purple thin card. It’s a little to heavy and sturdy for this but I’m not cutting up old books until I’ve seen I can do this or wasting other ‘good paper’ until I tried this out first. Thought just came to mind old magazine pages might be good with the glossy coloured pages maybe. Will have a think.

Anyways, the flower is a little off but that’s down to thickness and the card being to stiff to manipulate the way I needed it to sticking it together. But the glue gun was so easy to work with and I haven’t glued any part of myself today. It maybe a one off but I finally feel I am battling and winning with these two things now. For years I wanted to do origami and have finally made something that doesn’t look like it got chewed up.

So that’s my crafty moment for today. It didn’t take to long. I used a rotary cutter with an old blade in to cut the 4 inch squares which made it more accurate and fast.

Now where did I leave that string of white LED lights?

Blogtober, blues, and bags

We had such a wonderful weekend that I was left feeling a little lost and blue when kiddo went off to school this morning. Being a sore throat and ear ache had started last night it was hard to feel full of joy and happiness at this fine Autumn day. The remedy to this was to do something that makes me happy.

Attempting to sew, things niggled at me so I then ended up doing a bit of a clear up and clear out in my craft area before I even sat down to sew.  Wasn’t too sure what I wanted to sew or do so I was stalling a bit I think. In the end, I grabbed my iPad and looked down my watch later playlist on YouTube.  On Friday while we were in Worthing I picked up a meter of this cute and cheerful fabric with sewing machines on it. It made me think it would make a lovely little fabric bag for shopping and this is what I used it for. Better pics will hopefully be taken when I get someone else to hold it and actually put things in the bag to show off its features.

The tutorial came from a channel called Crafty Patti It came up on suggestions last week so I bookmarked it for a later date. Such an easy to follow tutorial and it taught me flat felled seams which are usually used in making jeans. It is the reason I have been putting off making my denim jacket as I have never sewn flat felled seams before.  After making this bag and following Patti’s instructions I found them easy and am now no longer daunted in starting that Jacket soon. All the seams ended up enclosed and no serging or zig zag stitches were needed.  The tutorial also shows you how to make and add a pouch for the bag to fold into but I didn’t bother this time round.  And the sides and handles leave the sides with pleats for shaping and easy folding up too. It took me around 90 minutes all in all I think. That was following along and drafting a pattern too.  Next one I make I already have the pattern ready for and know what I am doing so don’t think it would take me to long to make.

My brussels sprouts fabric maybe calling for bags to do my Christmas shopping with or for use as gift bags for Christmas even? After all, with a friend I know that sews I used fabric to wrap her last gift with so wouldn’t giving a gift in a lovely bag like this that could be reused many times make more sense?

My blues did start to lift after time spent crafting but the real boost was seeing my daughter and granddaughters this evening. Cuddles, chatter, and giggles always a good mood booster for me.

It’s been a long day and I am getting ready to watch the new The Walking Dead tonight. Last night was the new Doctor Who series that started so I really am being spoilt with new programs to watch.  While I am waiting I am going to prep a few bits I need for tomorrows sewing adventures.