Restoring a desk chair

My project this week has been to restore an old desk chair.  I picked up this chair for a song, and it was in pretty good nick. 

I have given the timber a light sand and wax with a product called Howard Feed n Wax , and I have sanded and oiled the metal - but I was keen to retain the old aqua paint that was there, so I tried hard not to sand the painted areas too much.

I am very happy with the outcome. 

Unfortunately I don't really have a location in my house for the chair, but I have put it in my bedroom for the time being.  It will be good for collecting clothes!

Home spun wool

A couple of months ago I picked up a second hand spinning wheel.  In the process of repairing it I discovered a great wool shop called Wondoflex.  I was partiuclarly inspired by the beautiful patterns for fun babies cardigans and jumpers that they offered (they had lots of them knitted up so you could see how gorgeous the final product would be).

I also discovered the intriguing Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria that was worth a visit just to meet ladies who had spent a lifetime immersed in these beautiful crafts and were so willing to share their knowledge.

As we had a spinning wheel when I was younger, I got back into the swing of spinning pretty quickly, and whilst full of admiration for the fine work at the Guild, I was more inspired by my purchases last Christmas from 'Angie's Seaside Spinning and Millinery' down on the Great Ocean Road, which involved chunky spinning mixing raw wool with store bought yarn. 

As  my younger sister lives on a sheep farm, luckily I had ready access to some wool. 

Now summer is upon us I have temporarily lost my enthusiasm for spinning, but in the throes of the new project I produced a number of items including hats, scarves and a cardigan for my nephew.

My recovered (re-covered) ottoman

I recently picked up an ottoman that someone had thrown out.  It was really quite old, the timber underneath was good quality, the ticking was the original stuff (and it was comfy) and when I pulled the fabric apart to copy the pattern I realised it had been completely hand sewn.  The fabric was lovely (I have saved some from the sides to make into something else one day) but the top was completely threadbare. 

I have utilised my growing collection of Australian themed tablecloths and teatowels to recover the ottoman, and I am quite proud of my efforts.

I have since had my mum and sister out scouring the op shops for more Australiana goods to make some matching cushions for my lounge room ... one day ...

Girls wrap-around skirt pattern

I am always on the look out for old sheets that could be used to create something lovely.  Last summer I made simple gathered skirts for my girls and their friends from some of the old sheets I had found.  I was pleased to then discover the free lazy days skirt pattern by  oliver and s which was so similar to the pattern I made up.  This year I have been looking for a new skirt pattern, but haven't had much luck.  So last week I made up my own pattern again.  This new skirt is a wrap around skirt, with a full cross-over panel at the front.  It has a tie at the top, which is threaded through a button hole.  The skirt is super easy to make.

How to make the skirt 

• Cut out 3 matching panels based on the pattern in the photo.
• Sew panel 1 to panel 2 and then panel 2 to panel 3.  DO NOT sew panel 3 to panel 1!. Hem the skirt along the bottom and then on each of the two raw sides (but not the top). 
• Cut out a tie for the top of the skirt.  It should be 12cm wide and at least 1.5 metres long.
• Iron the band in half along its 1.5m length so that it is 6cm wide, then open it up and fold it again along each long side so that the raw edges touch the newly made iron line down the centre.  Iron along these lines (again it will be 6cm wide). 
• Fold the tie back along the centre iron line, and you will have a 3cm wide band that is 1.5m long and with all the messy bits hidden inside.
• Tuck in the ends of the tie and pin.
• Starting in the centre of the skirt and the centre of the tie, pin the top of the skirt 1cm inside the 3cm band so that the raw edge is hidden.
• Leave an even length of tie at each end. 
• Start at one end of the tie and sew it together 0.5cm from the edge, sewing the skirt to the tie at the same time.
• Make a button hole in the skirt tie - line the button hole up with one of the side seams of the skirt.
• Cut the button hole.
• Your skirt is done!

The pattern I have given fits my four year old (size 4).  I have made it for my 6 year old by adding 1cm each side and 2cm at the bottom.  Happy sewing!