This month's project: Beach Hut Door Stop

Happy Midummer Everyone!

If the sun isn't shining where you are then this month's craft might be just the antidote. I have been a lover of coastal themed crafts and decor for a while now and my beach themed Pinterest board is growing steadily with lots of ideas on how to use all those lovely beach finds.

Beach Hut Door Stop

I came across a great competition from Hilarys Blinds that inspired my to get that sewing machine out that has been sitting idle for too long. And boy I'm so glad I did! I am feeling very proud of myself in getting this project finished in two days. Now, for a procrastinator such as myself that is one hell of an accomplishment (she says giving herself a pat on the back). Hilarys Blinds sent me a metre of a gorgeous cream and raspberry fabric called Hatti Raspberry (how could I not choose this as both my Gran and my daughter have that lovely name) to do something magical with. The stripes reminded me of vintage beach style but rather than choosing a simple beach tote bag to make I opted for a beach hut shaped door stop.

I started by drawing out the front elevation on the back of some cereal boxes (that I keep for such crafty occasions). I used this as a starting point and with a ruler measured out the side wall, roof and base. I wanted a contrasting fabric as the roof and door etc and thought that denim would add a nice touch. Again, I had a stash of ripped jeans that I kept for such an occasion. Once I had cut all the individual pieces out I then went about designing the door and decorations. I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter as a template for the door decoration and also cut out some triangular pieces of denim for the bunting. Having only used bondaweb once before I gingerly ironed them on etc and they worked a treat! Back to the sewing machine and I zigzagged round the bunting and door as tidily as I could. Well as tidily as any sewing novice can!

Then the fun really began. I laid out the pieces in a cross shape and started joining them all together, allowing 0.5cm seem allowance. (Tip: Whatever your seam allowance add this again to the top of the side walls. I did not take this into account and had to adjust the angle of the roof to accommodate. See picture below.) Once I sewed the 4 walls together I added the base and then the 2 roof parts. I then attached the bottom of the 3 remaining walls to the base working my way round. Then finally I sewed the apex of the hut to the roof parts.

Template Plan

When I got to the roof I used part of a waistband form the jeans I cut up earlier as the handle. But this proved quite hardwork as it would not go through the sewing machine and I even bent a needle whilst hand-sewing it together! I then turned it all inside out through the conveniently left hole and started to stuff the beach hut with old t-shirts etc that my husband had recently cleared out (Thank you!). Amazingly 2 carrier bags of fabric went into this beach hut - I wanted it quite tightly packed so that it kept its shape. I suppose you could use sand or packing beads but I'm all for recycling and the t-shirts did just the job. When I was happy with the shape I then closed up the gap with a ladder stitch and it was ready to go!

So, all I have to do now is keep my fingers crossed as the prize money would, my husband just pointed out, enable me to buy my very own beach hut style craft room for the back garden where hopefully my sewing machine would get to see the light of day a bit more. Still got some fabric left so maybe some matching book ends?

xxx