[Liesl Gibson]

I’ve got a question (or two) for you all: When you’re not sewing apparel for yourself or your children, what else are you sewing? Do you make quilts? Handbags? Do you make any little, quick projects? Have you got any favorite things to make? And is there anything you really want to make but don’t know how or haven’t tried yet? Would love to hear your thoughts on all these questions if you don’t mind sharing…

[Rpankow]

Awsome question! I guess when I don’t make apparel for my daughter or other family members, I do like little quick projects like coin or makeup bags. I also end up making toys for my daughter or nieces. Currently I’m making most of the christmas presents. I’ve made a fort kit, art totes, stuffed lovies, baby & baby doll items, aprons, stick horses, travel pillows, fishing games, sock animals, etc. Me personally, I can’t sew quilts to save my soul! It seams that no matter how hard I try to make my cuts all straight, everything turns out crooked. Plus, it seem so monotonous to me, sewing line after line. Garments and such are more satisfying to me. I do envy those who can create such amazing quilts! I’m curious to see what all else you folks are creating out there!

Rebecca

[Mama_Knowles]

Not making clothes?!? Well with Christmas coming I am getting ready to make some stockings and doll clothes and a daiper bags complete with diapers and wipes and such. I think they will make great Christmas gifts. I am also going to make a couple of Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls and a horse doll too. But the thing I am most excited about is making pound puppies! (remember those from the late 80’s) My mom gave me a pattern that she used when I was little. I am just hoping that all the pattern pieces are still in there,lol.

Sharon

[icicle]

I’ll second (third?) dolls, doll clothes and toys. No proper quilts, but I have made home items like throws, bath mats, placemats, and napkins — though rarely in patchwork — and holiday stuff like gift bags and ornaments. Also, I sew practical kid things like lunch sacks and toy storage bags, aprons, crayon roll-ups, pop up tents and backpacks too. As for things I would like to make, a decent pair of structured slippers come to mind. Honestly though, if I’m not sewing clothes, I’m usually knitting, spinning, weaving or dyeing.

[beachmom]

The majority of my sewing is clothes but I have made stuff for the house (curtains, pillows, blankets, etc.). I’ve sewn a couple of purses. I really want to make slip covers for our couches. I’ve been talking about it for years but have been scared to purchase so much fabric at one time!:)

[Anonymous]

If I’m sewing and it’s not clothes, it’s usually something that we need/want around the house. Examples are curtains/blinds, storage pockets/bins, little tote bags for the kids, luggage tags, wall decor, gifts.. Oh, I made Clara a little guitar strap for her guitar one time. That was cute and very useful. I also like to make quilts, but really it’s been so long. I’ll probably be working on a new one very soon, though.

[rastis]

i guess i’m a one of those obsessive types… when i’m not sewing clothes (my children’s or my own) i’m working out ways to sew anything else my children or my house needs… if there’s a way i can try and sew something, i’ve probably had a go… that list includes quilts (love them!), cushion covers, anything patchwork, nappies (diapers), wipes, bibs, changemats, baby wraps, playmats, all ranges of bags, curtains, toys and games, costumes, household items (things for the kitchen-napkins, placemats etc), pouches for carrying things, and many more random things… gosh when i look around the house there are so many things i’ve made it’s kinda scary in some ways! i do love to try and make useful things- and it’s even better if they are pretty and useful at the same time!

and when i get sick of sewing i will alternate with knitting and crochet!

[Tamara]

When I’m not sewing clothing, I embroider or handsew. I’ve made one quilt and have two unfinished ones as examples of being out of my depth with the actual quilting side – one is to be heavily appliqued which is another thing I’m not terribly confident with. I’ve made a teddy bear,doll’s clothes, a few nursery items and bags. I’ve made Roman blinds which I thought looked terrific but really they were hideous. I’ve made cushions and table runners and a few other things for the house but a very few really. I’ve even made sewing machine covers and mats. I’ve dabbled with heirloom sewing and made christening gowns and flowergirl dresses wih smocking and embroidery all over the bodice and sleeves and in some cases the hem – lots of time and work but I loved every minute of it. I made school items such as pencil cases, chairbags, library bags and reading folders for my kids to have something identifiable at school – took the whole of last year’s summer break (six weeks). The next thing is really to make a music folder for piano lessons next year as both will be going (and we are giving up dance). I’ve made costumes that have been used not only by my kids but have been loaned out for class assembly items etc. I’m glad I don’t have to sew dance costumes this year as they were slightly painful last year and because the teacher doesn’t sew I had to work on an airy fairy description – consequently getting one of them wrong (oh well!)

At the moment I’m getting some simple Christmas projects together in the way of tree decorations for my daughter’s class to make as part of their Christmas program. This of course will involve handsewing. This is great fun seeing their faces light up when they have finished sewing and hearing little exclamations of “Sewing is so much fun!” come out of their mouths. It’s so nice to aquaint them with a skill that they’d otherwise not see or be shown by their own families – that makes it fun and worth the time spent with them. I especially adore the surprise of how capable they all are as first time sewists and how incredibly creative they are (especially the boys).

[meleliza]

I will sew the occasional small home dec or craft project, usually for the children. I just made one son a “special blanket” with simple appliqué and a tablecloth for my daughter’s birthday. Occasionally I’ll sew a little purse or tote. Sometimes things we use around the house like napkins and sometimes craft projects. But I really love the clothes best. I really enjoy cross stitch sometimes or embroidery.

[Nicole]

I get lumbered with some repairs jobs,patching tarps or making canvas seat covers for tractors,but I don’t enjoy it at all.

One year I had to make new meat bags so I used a lot of dodgy fabric. We had the ”purdiest” carcasses.

Sewing for my tribe definitely makes me the happiest.’

[daisygirl78]

Besides kids clothes, I definitely love to quilt! Up until now, I’ve always pieced the top by machine and done the quilting by hand. But I have a new machine now, and so I’d like to try machine quilting (one day graduating to free-motion quilting), if only to speed things up. Hand quilting is so enjoyable and relaxing for me, but I never seem to have time anymore!

I also crochet, am a new knitter, and have always dabbled in many other genres, including embroidery, cross stitch, and tatting. In terms of sewing, I have so many projects flying around in my head competing for attention, but I only occasionally seem to get to them. I have plans for pillows, curtains, more bathmats, table runners, tote bags, makeup bags… practical stuff that I can add my own touches to, I guess.

I have never seen (or even heard of) a “meat bag”, but I bet Nicole’s are indeed the “purdiest” 🙂

[Sewnsew]

In addition to sewing clothes for my dd and me, I love to make purses. It can be nice bags or even just tote bags. I have made a couple of quilts. Very basic ones. And I’ve sewed pillows for my livingroom and the kids. I absolutely love sewing and am always looking for ways to expand my sewing skills! Plus, I want to do more home dec. stuff.

[Violaisabelle]

Gift bags, tote bags and grocery bags. Where I live, plastic grocery bags have started to be banned in certain stores and that is growing throughout the province and across Canada, as well as the United States.

I started using cloth gift bags and grocery bags, over 21 years ago. We almost never purchase birthday,shower, wedding or any other type of ‘gift’ paper or bag. I like to make the bags. We have used the same gift bags in our family for birthdays for the past 21 years. If the gift is a shower gift, I often times use part of the gift as the wrapping such as wedding; tea towels, table clothes, napkins, etc. Baby gifts; cloth diapers, receiving blankets, special fabric if the mum likes to sew, etc. Bridal shower; tea towels, cloth shopping bags, table cloths, aprons, etc.

Liesl, I would love to see a pattern for a system like the Trolley-Dolly, which first debuted in the UK several years ago. Being able to make this up, using natural fabrics that we can access in North America, would be wonderful! http://www.trolleydollyus.com/styles.html I know in my area, this would really take off. I could think of several things to promote this type of pattern, but will leave that to your marketing team. 🙂

Here are a couple links from my flickr account on bags we have used over the years.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33022738@N08/6283150513/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33022738@N08/6283668074/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33022738@N08/6283150959/in/photostream

Having a system for the bags would be truly wonderful!

Carol

[Sarvi]

You know, originally I was going to say that I only sew clothes, but it occurs to me that I LOVED making the LTTS backpack. I think I would make more quilts, household items, etc. if they came in O+S versions with clean styling and great ‘sewing lessons’. It’s the lack of confidence, rather than lack of interest, that keeps me from making them.