Animals!

I haven't had a very good sewing week this week, mostly because I got stalled with the shorts for want of a 4 inch zipper. I picked up three at the sewing shop so that should see me through to some temperature appropriate trousers.

I also tried to make a shirt toile out of a fabric that just refused. It's a really shifty, draping black pinstripe that I chose because I didn't mind losing it, but it's just not right for any kind of shirt, even a trial one. I could see it as a circle skirt, though. I'm going to order some cheap white cotton for toiling.

In non-sewing news, I helped bring home a lost dog! He was following a teenage girl by the canal and she asked if he was mine, and I ended up walking him round on the end of a shoelace till I found a couple who knew where he came from. His name turned out to be Toby. :-D I just wish I'd thought to get a picture.

That meeting inspired me to do a bit of pet related sewing. My two rats have been living with my mother and their sisters since I got them. Back then I lived at home, but I'm finally close to ready for them. I just need to bring home some supplies this weekend. They're going to be accompanied by one of the others as well because they're used to living with half a dozen other girls and we don't want them to get lonely.

 I made them a tube to climb through and sleep in! It's made of some rough synthetic stuff that was probably meant to work like wool and some black faux fur offcuts that I've had for ages. I sewed the two fabrics together in a square and turned them inside out, then hand stitched two edges together and sewed on the little chains to attach it to the cage bars. That keeps it in place but, more importantly, it also keeps the ends open so it's easier for them to get in.

On an unrelated note, this really makes me want to do something wearable with fur and chains.