Make-up remover pads - tutorial

I'm trying my hardest to limit our household consumption and subsequent waste. 

It doesn't feel right to use cotton wool for anything else than using antiseptic. The rest can be done with washable cloth, for instance removing cosmetic products.

There are many tutorials out there, have a look around for the one that is clearest to you. I'll attempt to show the steps I followed and used up some leftover terry towel and funky cotton fabric.

Each pad has 2 faces: terry towel & nice patterned cotton

1. Tracing circles has never been easier than finding a jar lid and a pen!

Trace as many as you wish in terry towel and cotton. 7 would be a good start, one for each day.

2. Pin both sides together, wrong side against wrong side.

3. I used the overlock stitch on my sewing machine and it did wonders. If you have no such stitch, a wide and tight zigzag will be great too.
I've chosen against using the overlocker as managing corners has never been an easy job. These pads are a series of corners, not good for most overlockers.

4. Ta daaaam. Admire your amazing work and find a pretty box to keep them.

A glass jar with a gold lid, perfect!

Warmth and stripe - total awesomness

After having recently moved and unpacked most boxes, I'm realising I'm missing a few bits and bobs.

Impossible to find the leftover of pyjama elastic for instance. I'm pretty sure I had some left however I cannot face going through the whole pile of fabric to find out right now... Something tells me I should really tackle the fabric first. But since the hobby room is not set up yet, I'd have to pile it up again instead of neatly folding it.

Ok, ok, I should sort the fabric out first and part from the ones I will never touch. It is an emotional subject that I shall tackle in good time, not now (we're all master procrastinators, aren't we?).

Another thing I cannot find is my neck warmer! I used to wear it quite a lot cycling to work in winter as it was light enough to let me breathe and provided a layer against bitter winds. Where has it gone? I can picture were it was in my old place, but cannot figure out why it hasn't surfaced yet.

Whilst trying to herd my fabric into a balanced pile, I stumbled on some great stripy jersey I used some time ago in some feeble attempt at making the perfect pair of knickers.

I cut a big square of 50x50cm, and used the stretchy stitch with a jersey needle. Et voilà, a new stripy buff for next winter!

Update: The neck warmer has resurfaced! Hurray.

It that a blue cucumber in your shoes, or are you happy to see me? (Tutorial)

Have you ever had a pair of sport shoes you loved so much, but was also smelly?

Well, if you're a runner, climber, rower...it is likely you wear the same pair of shoes over and over again. Sure, you can chuck them in the washing machine, however it won't take long before they start smelling again. And their life span might be greatly shortened.

I'm a climber and my comfy(-er) pair of shoes have a very unique smell... It seems only to my standard though.
Yes, we had a sniff test with other climbers and I'm happy to say mine are at the bottom of the smelly ladder. Which to a climber only means one thing: I'm need to climb more!

I spotted a climber with bananas in his shoes. Honestly, bright yellow scented bananas.
What a brilliant idea! I immediately though about some particularly unsightly fabric I bought some time ago that I could use. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking that day.

The content of these shoes inserts is simple enough:

• Bicarb Soda
• Lavander
• Tea Tree oil

All ingredients are easy to find. Wilkinsons seems to be the cheapest for bicarb soda. Just buy this one and not the cooking one.

You'll also need about 50x50cm of fabric to make the shoe inserts and the tape to pair them together.
They're a bit like gloves, if they're not tied together, one could go walkie.

Tutorial

The shoe inserts are made of 6 panels of fabric stitched together. They're united by a length of tape to stay together. They can also be clipped on a carabiner and kept with the rest of your equipment.
 

1. Measure the shoe length and diameter at its widest. Take a bit out for each measurement and divide the diameter by 6.  Draw a diamond shape on a bit of paper: Trace a long horizontal line (length), at its middle trace a smaller perpendicular line (diameter / 6). Join the points and draw flat endings. Your pattern is done!

2. Cut 12 pieces of material following the template. 6 per shoe. I folded my material multiple times to cut 6 pieces at a time. Accuracy is not paramount with this pattern.
 

3. Using the wrong side of the fabric, pin all the sides together.

 

Many, many pins.

4. Stitch all the sides together (6 pieces by 6 pieces).

5. Stitch close one end of the tube and turn inside out.

6. Cut a strip of fabric (4cm x 25 cm), fold the side length-way, then fold again in two. Iron flat, then stitch length-way.

7. Take a scrap of fabric (6cm x 6cm), soak it in Tea Tree oil and cut it in tiny bits

8. In a pot, mix together 200g of bicarb soda, 100g of lavender flowers, and the bits of soaked fabric.

 

9. Take a funnel and pour the mix until you fill 3/4 of the shoe.
 

10.  Insert the end of the tape, stitch the shoe insert closed.

 

 

 

 

Your first shoe insert is ready. Repeat the steps to make the second one.

If you have some mix left-over, you can use it up in scented bags.

Now it is your turn, let me know what oblong shapes and colours you come up with!

It's all puff - Chalk Bag with borrowed tutorial link

My giant friend has started to come more regularly at the climbing wall wit me. It is very motivating to have a climbing buddy, it becomes a bit of a climb and natter session with the added competitive streak.

The less positive side is that buddy might not be properly kitted off. You don't need much for climbing boulders indoor, just comfortable clothing, climbing shoes and maybe a chalk bag. Well my buddy has barefoot shoes and keep using my chalk bag.
I usually share, but the timing is not working well (we cannot climb at the same time and both use the bag) and as most beginners do, he uses chalk like there is no tomorrow. Chalk dries your hand, it doesn't make you stick to holds, honest. No need to chalk yourself up to your elbows. Just sayin...

A few month ago, I stumbled upon chalk bag patterns. This was the perfect opportunity to try that pattern!!!
Now I hear you, one doesn't just stumble on chalk bag patterns. I might have happen to do a more aimed Google search...

This is the Handy Hippy site and this is their tutorial.

It is a great little project. Not only you get to use fabric and your sewing machine, but tools too! My Leatherman multi-tool has been very handy for this project.

For this project I used 3 different types of fabric:

- Fleece for the inside

- Thick printed cotton for the outside

- Stretchy polyester for the chalk cover and the two belt loops.

I also used some cord to close the inner pocket. A little bit of thick round elastic to attach the toothbrush (To clean holds. No, you don't brush your teeth whilst bouldering).

The tutorial talks about using cable tie to rigidify the opening of the bag. Before reading properly the tutorial, I thought about using net curtain flexy wire. I tried both, the next curtain wire wins hands off. And it means I could use my Leatherman to cut it to size as an added bonus.
I used Elephant tape to close the loop.

Instead of using a grommet (mine were too small), I made opening in the side seams and reinforced the opening by triple-stitching above and below the opening.

When attaching the chalk cover to the inner fleecy bag, I couldn't understand the tutorial. So I freestyled. I fitted the chalk cover (wrong side) around the fleecy bag (right side out), and slid it down by 4cm (1.5"), stitched them together.
Then I turned over the chalk cover to its right side and stitched 1 cm above the previous row. I created a little tunnel.
I then opened one of the seam in between the two rows of stitches on the outer side of the fleecy bag. This is the opening I used to thread the cord in.
Once that was done I then threaded in the cord into a similar opening at a similar height I did on the outer bag.

The belt loops are made with the same fabric than the chalk cover. I cut an 18cm strip in 4cm wide, fold it like bias. Then folded it in two and titch it closed. I stitched it again on the other opposite side to ensure they wouldn't loose their shape and too restore some symmetry.

The belt loops and toothbrush holders were positioned and stitched onto the outer pocket prior finishing the bag. It means I didn't have to fight with them to keep them in place whilst doing a good job at closing the bag. I triple-stitched them in.

It is all black and clean. Give it a climbing session and it will be powdery-white.

Instead of using nylon to close the bag, I use the chalk cover instead, folded it onto the opening and set the overlap at 2cm. I pinned it then stitched it closed.

To complete the bag. I'll need a chalk ball and a belt for the bag to be carried whilst climbing. Hopefully, I'll find it all tonight in Go Outdoors, to be ready for Friday's climbing session.

British summer means keeping warm (Tutorial)

For any of your reading this post that doesn't live in the UK, you might be enjoying a warm day and might need to keep away from the midday heat and might even have trouble sleeping because it is just too hot.

Well, the reality in the UK is vastly different, especially this year. And we're counting the good sunny days since the start of Spring on two hands. Pah!

With this in mind and to remedy a pesky draft cooling my feet whilst I blog, I thought about doing a draft excluder. The idea was attacking the ever growing fabric stash  (I swear fabric does multiply during full moon) and reuse fabric in and out. I could have done a sausage dog or even a diplodocus...I stuck to reusing what I had.

I used some upholstery fabric, obviously stripy. Did I mention I like stripes?

To stuff it, I used remnant of fabric I accumulated along the years into an empty 5kg rice bag. It meant I had to thieve through the bag and found larger bits that could be salvaged for new projects. The hefty result is also a potential anti-burglar weapon should I ever need one. 

How to make your own (simple) draft excluder):

1. Measure the length required. In my case it was the length of the balcony door
2. Measure the circumference of a glass, add 3cm. This is the width of your excluder
3. Draw two circle for using the same glass and a pen, directly on the fabric, cut the fabric. Those are the end of the excluder
4. Now you know the length and width of your excluder, cut the main body.
5. Stitch the length of the body inside out
6. Stitch one end inside out
7. Stitch 3/4 of the second end
8. Turnover to the right side of the fabric
9. Stuff with all the bits of fabric you're reasonabily never going to do anything with. Be strong and ruthless!
10. Close up with small stitches
11. Et voilà!

You might prefer stuffing it with actual stuffing. You might have a collection of old pillows that could do. Long live toasty feet.

Wooly ball pattern (Tutorial)

I started to knit about 6 months ago. I thought I would behave and follow patterns for a while. Oops I did it again...

The ball is made up of 12 knitted triangles, knitted two by two. I also used leftover fabric to fill the ball. I used scraps of wool. 

The pattern is übber simple:

1. Cast on 10 stiches
2. **Stitch 10
3. Cast off 2, stitch 6, cast off 2
4. Stitch 6
5. Cast off 2, stitch 3, cast off 2
6. Stitch 3
7. Cast off 2, stitch 1
8. Stitch 2
9. Cast off 2 and finish off the last stitch**
10. Pick up 10 stitches from the bottom of the triangle and repeat steps ** to **.

10. Pick up 10 stitches at the bottom of the triangle

Once the two triangles are done, repeat 10 times. 

Once all the pannels are ready, stitch them together with a wool needle. I used a crochet to hide the ends on the inside of the ball.

Before closing off the ball, stuff it.

Pannel stitch on

 To start with I made this ball for the cat. He agreed to pose for the picture but refuses to play or even look at it. He goes crazy for paper balls, I have a eco-friendly cat!

Uninterested mamal