Tools: my tailor's ham

Being a fabricholic I am also a bit of a gadget-junky. I admire and covet nearly every tool in a sewing shop, especially the tailor's hams with their colorful tartan sides. Still, in all the years, I never bought one, because they seemed too expensive for what they were: an overstuffed pillow! Well, not quite, but that was my reasoning and it allowed me to save my pennies for more fabric instead!

Now that my sewing room is becoming more organized I am beginning to itch for more new gadgets. Enter the tailor's ham. I followed the great instructions at My Measuring Tape except that I didn't have hamster bedding or any other suitable wooden filler. Instead, I used a whole bunch of fabric remnants that I had. I gave my ham a cotton and a wool side (also remnants) and an interlining of a very plush jersey inside, to act as padding and to smooth out the bumpiness of the filling of fabric-bits. The surface is still a bit bumpy so I may yet have to run to the pet store... but I'll try it out a couple of times first to see how it performs.

My self-made tailor's ham

UPDATE: yup. I didn't like the bumpiness too much, so I bought some rabbit bedding and presto. My tailor's ham is so firm and a pleasure to use.