Tailors Ham and sausage - make your own

Hello again my lovelies, ooops looks like I've gone over a week without popping by to write a post. This time I can actually say its because I have been so busy enjoying myself that I just didn't realise that its Friday already!! But I did promise myself that I would write more about where my new adventures were taking me so here I am with 'what I did next' :D

So with all this garment making I fully intend to carry out, I have been looking for sewing gadgets/tools that I would need (well not need but want of course) to complete my projects. The first thing on my list was a Tailors Ham and Sausage (tee hee! that still makes me laugh every time I say it, it just sounds so ridiculous but so fitting). After doing the usual and Googling them, I found two types. The first, totally practical, would do the job no doubt....but they were boring black and red tartan (not my thing) round about £6-9. The second, right up my street made out of funky fabrics, bright colourful, interesting, fun....problem - most sets were about £50+!!! 

Really!!!!! Now I know better than most that you should never undermine someones work...EVER....and I know what blood, sweat and floods of tears can go into a handmade item, I've been there and bare the scars. However.......now dont judge me on this! Please....

I just could not justify (not only that I do not have £50+ to be spending on them for starters) paying this amount for something that looked relatively simple. I am in no way putting anyone's craftman/womanship down, I couldn't sell a bloody complex, detailed handbag for that so I know that pain very well! 

My mind was made up, I decided I was going to make my own

So I found a free pattern on Craftsy, downloaded it, had it printed out and I was on my way. I chose this gorgeous sheep patterned fabric that I have had lying around in my stash for ages. It wasn't quite big enough for most projects but I couldn't bare to part with it. I'm glad I didn't now as it was a perfect size for this pattern. I also found this co-ordinating polka dot fabric too, there wasn't quite enough for the back of the sausage but I added a 1cm seam allowance and used two pieces.

Luckily at Christmas my Dad brought me two ginormous bags of sawdust, we were originally going to use it for kindling for the fire but we just haven't gotten round to pressing some blocks yet.

I just have to add that my Dad is so talented and can pretty much make anything with his hands (must be where I get it from). He has made his own kitchen units and doors from scratch and even his bedroom furniture and a tv cabinet, oh yeah and he can also carve rocking horses too!!!! So this is how I came about the sawdust.

So after patiently stuffing both the ham and sausage this was the finished result!! I'm so pleased with them. You do have to pack them really tight with the sawdust but when you've finished you realise why, They need to be sturdy/solid enough like an ironing board if they were saggy then you would get creases in your garments that you dont want.

I love the fact they are very practical but so much fun at the same time....and of course they co-ordinate with the colour scheme of my sewing room, naturally :D

So if you fancy having a go at these yourself this is the link to the pattern:

Craftsy pattern link

And this is the link to Elewa's instructions on how to make them:

Elewa's instructions

I hope you enjoy making and using them :D

Have a great Fri-yay!

.....Emma xxx