Sunday 8 April 2012

You can take the girl out of Yorkshire....







... but you can't take Yorskhire out of the girl! 


€35 for a Tailors' Ham?! You having a laugh?! Now, I love spending money on sewing, don't get me wrong, but what I can find hard to swallow is the amount of money that you can spend on the things that you are not actually going to wear. For instance, a cutting board over here is going to cost me €25 for an A2 sized one, I really had to look around and ended up finding my little beauty for €11. The thing with Ireland is that you have to pay such high postage on goods, usually coming from the UK and with a population of less that 4million people... some items can be a rip off. But I am learning to negotiate myself around and grab some bargains when I can!


So for my latest venture, I did my research, had my shopping list for my next project- The Sew Retro 'Bombshell Dress'. I have watched the first few lessons and quickly saw that a Tailors Ham was used a lot... must be needed.  I was also sure that the end of my ironing board would not suffice for this job (has done previously, I must admit).


The Bombshell Dress- this is the project that I want to take my time with, to learn and take it slow... I really want to feel like I have made a very good version of this dress when I undoubtedly show it off at every opportunity, and I mean EVERY opportunity. Sorry world. So I had to have a Tailors Ham, but I was not going to pay over the odds for anything, not when I could spend that money on a luscious 3 or 4 metres of fabric.


So I made one....


Diet Coke Can: fabric weight and fuel


I cut a pattern out of greaseproof paper, about A4 size and rounghly what I thought a Tailors' Ham should look like... a little bit eggy but more hammy.


Using two pieces of fabric for each side, for stability and integrity... I used my cutting mat and rotary cutter to cut the fabric.








1/4" zipper foot on... stitched around, leaving a 5cm gap. Flipped it rightside out. I then stuffed until my hearts content, I read somewhere that it needs to be full to the brim. So thats what I did, I stuffed the little bleeder until I thought I could stuff it no more... then I stuffed it more. It's really stiff and doesn't buckle when its pressed.




I then used catch-stitch to sew up the 5cm gap




Huzzah! Tailors' Ham done. Money spent... zilch! 


I used this tutorial from Burda to help me on my way




Bundana

X

16 comments:

  1. I have it on my to do list. When am feeling creative may tackle it lol.

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    1. It's a doddle and soooo handy, no creativity needed... Nice quick sewing fix!

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  2. I was going to purchase... now you've inspired me to look at making :) A nice way to use scraps too! Thanks!

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    1. For sure! I am sooo glad that I had kept all my little scraps too, like postage stamp size! It's so easy and handy! No problems :)

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  3. Hello Caffy!

    I have awarded you the Sunshine Award.

    Details on my blog: http://www.sewmelove.com/2012/04/my-sunshine-award.html

    I forgot to add a few blogs when I uploaded my post, and I've added 5 more fav blogs :)

    xo

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  4. Adorable! It looks like a pear to me :-)

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    1. It's a quorn tailors ham ;)

      Shame my muslin isn't as easy to whack together... grrr

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  5. This is SUCH a good idea - you've inspired me! x

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    1. Yay!!! It's great for busts.... I'll never not press using the end of my ironing board again! hahahaha

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  6. Brilliant idea! Shush I'd thought of this before buying one!

    P.s I've nominated you for an award too!! :)

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    1. Thanks Sarah! I am very chuffed :D

      It was a reaction to not spending money, lol! I am a tight git.... hahaha

      Thanks again mate :D

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  7. It's all about the handmade ham :) I've knocked up two so far. One for me and one for a friend. Plus just the best use of scrap fabric whoop!

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  8. Nice. Oz is the same wrt sewing supplies. So I just wishlist them and have friends and family get them for me XD Carl got me a humann sized (seriously I can lay down on it and not touch ground anywhere) self healing cutting for Christmas, all my French curves are from friends. Same with a sh*tload of designer fabric that costs doubloons here. I might just make a ham though, now that I'm making jackets and things.. It'll be a good way to get rid of scraps and if it gets lost during a move I won't be losing much..

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  9. *cutting mat. Wo too much coffee it's only 1:55 XD

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