Sssh! Be verrwee verrwee quiet, so you don't disturb the giraffes.... They're timid creatures who don't like to be photographed or even watched....
Who am I kidding.....looook it's me! And I have a new hairdo....and I do Wallace & Gromit impressions...."Cheeeese Gromit":
Have you seen all the fabulous animal print creations being showcased all month on Anne's Pretty Grievances blog for the Jungle January sew-along?
If not you really need to check them out. An incredible array of creatures and their creations! I'm going to be diving back through all the posts tomorrow because there are sewists who took part who I hadn't met before and definitely some new blogs I need to be following. What a fabulous way to expand my knowledge of the fun sewing community! THANK YOU FOR JUNGLE JANUARY ANNE!!
Anyway, this is my contribution:
It has pocketses :)
Never let it be said that I leave things till last minute! Or at least the last day of the month. Oh, ok then, go on, say it.
I got out of the habit of sewing something each week after finishing the Sew Weekly challenge at New Year, and then took a while getting back into it. I got distracted by decorating plans, watching Oscar nominated movies, a birthday which shall not be named and as per usual EastEnders.
Annoyingly, I'd already made something for the final weeks of the Sew Weekly challenges that would be perfect for Jungle January....in December.....my leopard print party dress. But that was indeed in December.
So I needed something new.
And as the only coat I possess is my Sherlock Inverness cape made last year for the Sew Weekly Literary challenge...I needed something a little less eccentric.....something that wouldn't make me stand out......something I could hide from the paparazzi in....
A giraffe hoodie with a cerise hood lining and cerise pockets and blinging gold zip obviously!
The Facts
Fabric: 2.25 yds giraffe velboa faux fur from Jo-Anns in New Year sale $17.96 (£11.33); the very last of my cerise satin from stash; cuffs and bottom edge ribbing from a knit dress from Goodwill charity shop $7.99 (£5.04).
Pattern: McCalls 6614 view C (fitted pullover with princess seams and hood) but made front piece wider at centre to accomodate splitting it for a zip. Also added horns....as you do.
Year: 2012.
Notions: 24" gold separating zip $4.99 (£3.15), 4 small black tassles from stash, thread.
Time to complete: 22 hours (with loads of procrastination in between).
First worn: 31st January 2013.
Wear again? Yes, yes, yes. Please don't get hot yet Phoenix....
Total Cost: $30.94 (£19.51) but it was worth it.
The pattern was a beauty to make....and would be ok for a beginner (although weirdly they don't state basics like sewing right sides together).....but I took the pullover semi-fitted version with princess seams (view C) and added 2" to the centre fold....then split it to include a zip and the appropriate seam allowances.
As you can see I also made giraffe 'horns', making 2 5"x2" tubes, turning top to the inside and sewing 2 small black tassles in the end. I then made 2 tiny slits in the main fabric of the hood, popped them through and before sewing the cerise lining to the hood, hand sewing the 'horn' to the wrong side of the hood.
By the way, as per usual I put up the progress shots above on Fanbloomingtastic's sister site: Absobloominglutely during the make and if you ever want to see what I'm making or what I'm up to sewing and non-sewing, that's the place to look. Though I do hope to be combining the two sites in some way later this year.
And that's it for this make I think, other than to leave you with me doing an impression of either a giraffe or a very oddly shaped teapot:
Oooh, ooh, ooh (Mr. Peevley), one more thing....I didn't mention that the reason I chose giraffe 'fur' for the hoodie, is that in my family we have a thing for giraffes....or garffs as Goth Child and Melchett used to call them. We've got quite a few cuddly ones. And ones with just 2 legs for some reason. Somewhere I have a photo of a tiny Goth Child, (Goth Toddler) who'd just fallen over after looking up and up and up and up and toppling over backwards to look at a giraffe at Twycross Zoo.....and they're always the animals we make a bee line, ok, a giraffe line, for in zoos.....so for the birthday that shall not be named I used my birthday money to sponsor a giraffe at Phoenix Zoo. A certificate is winging its way to me and I can't wait to go and say hello to my friend in the near future.
OK, that is all. Move along now.
(I wonder if I should dedicate myself to Scruffy Badger Time's Polka Dot Frock Fest.....)
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