My new sewing machine!

As many of you know I have been waiting for a long time to replace my old sewing machine.  It has served me well having been bought as a present when I was 15 for me by my parents.  It has sewn my my wedding dress, prom dress, some bridesmaids dresses, a quilt for my nephew, a dress for my sisters 21st birthday and so many other things.  But it was reaching a point of no return when the enjoyable part of sewing was taken away because I had to fix the machine every ten minutes.

So ... finally after much debate I bought a new one!  I have to confess to finding it quite a stressful purchase - I am amazed at the amount of choices there are.

This is what I chose

Deckchair Sunshine

After a glorious day of sunshine on Friday it seems that winter has returned with grey skies and lots of rain!  When will summer arrive?  Admittedly I am being slightly unrealistic expecting it to show up in February but one can hope!

To beat my winter blues I pulled out this fabric that I have had for months and months and not been too sure how to use it.  I love the stripe but haven't felt quite confident that I can turn it into something that I would wear.

SO instead I chose to turn it into something my house could wear - or my sofa to be specific!

Kimono Top

I am continuing to love the crochet but this weekend had a bit of free time and was given some patterns.  I had a good look through and saw a kimono style top.

I have always stuck to quite plain tops leaning towards brighter patterns in skirts.  Recently though I am travelling around mainly via scooter so find myself in jeans.  This has left me feeling a bit dull in the clothes that I wear.  Jeans and plain-ish tops are the style for me at the minute so a cute kimono top might just brighten things up a little bit.

I had some bright peachy-orange fabric that was the under side from a reclaimed duvet cover I was gifted.  The top side was used to make this funky dress.
Now the underside is being used to make a jacket.  It actually excites me when I find a way to use up some fabric that otherwise might have gone to waste.  Plus when I make something out of the fabric I already own without buying anything I get an extra buzz!

Getting my crochet on!

So I kinda fell into this one - hanging out at the sewing cafe I try to get to when I can a friend of mine re-taught me to crochet.  My Mum and You-Tube have taught me on a few occasions however I never seemed to quite get going.
 I think this time round the cold weather and desire for a calm and peaceful pastime spurred me on.  I set off and practiced a few stitches eventually resulting in me simply stitching round and round in circles.

This didn't exactly turn into anything but it got me going and got me used to how I manage the tension - little fingers are key for this one for me!


Then I found this super simple tutorial on you-tube.  Simple and slow really is exactly what was required for me at this stage I'm afraid. If you fancy a go this is the link I used Crochet Blanket

Stitching challenge

So I am shamelessly on the scrounge for inspiration!
I fancy sewing something new and different, maybe that involves learning some new techniques and skills.  It could be for me or to give away.  It could be useful or just for fun.

What have you wanted to try but never found the time or not quite sure how? Send them through to me on the comments or via facebook and I'll take a look.

If you send me something I'll blog my way through making it - my failures and successes.  Hopefully in the end it will be something filled with fabulousness!
So what do you reckon? Let me know your thoughts and hopefully I'll be busy stitching soon!
Don't forget if it involves upcycling I'm likely to be up for it!
Thanks everyone - can't wait to see the challenges you send me! :-)

A bit of an update of my recent projects!

As Christmas approaches suddenly blogging from my end becomes very quiet! Everything I was making is a secret and ready to be packaged off and sent away to friends and family. So I thought I would do a little summary of the things I made in the run up to 2015.

I was asked to make some bunting for an advent calendar.  It was a really fun project - and quite simple once I got going.  The triangles were just made from 2 squares of fabric sewn together and then turned inside out before being folded into the bunting flags.

Upcycled Hen!

Hen Parties are known for their shiny fabrics and garish accessories all bought for a bargain price at the local fancy dress shop and quickly disposed of throughout the course of the evening/weekend.
I was asked to do something a little different and make some bits and pieces for a hen party that wasn't quite so plastic.
We had a little chat about what she wanted and I set about stitching.  It was really fun to make something different to the things I usually make with a personal touch that made it unique.  It set me thinking about how very commercialized hen parties and weddings can become (and so very expensive!) and yet some upcycled fabric and a bit of time can create something truly unique and special!

So here is what I made . . .

Some cute little hand warmers for all of the hens.

These are really simple to make and don't take long at all so if you think you fancy having a go pop across to this post on how to get started!

 Then I got started on the sash for the bride to be.
Using a simple cream fabric I cut out the fabric for the sash before cutting out the letters in a fun autumnal fabric.
Then it is the slow task (but oh so satisfying) of applique.  This does take a little while but it looks so much better than simply sticking fabric on and removes the risk of all that fraying!
Here is a little bit more on applique!
Then I just neatly sewed the sash together and pressed it out to give a neat line on each side.
I used a safety pin with a rag effect to secure the sash and there you have it - upcycled and made with love!

What do you think?  Upcycled hen parties are the way forwards?!? I certainly think so!  Environmental impact is minimum, there is less tack around and it is filled with fun preparation sewing!  What could go wrong!

If you are getting started on making yours then get in touch and we can share tips!  I'm certainly hoping I get asked to make some more of these!

x

Funky dress - upcycled of course

It has become a bit of a habit around birthdays for me to have a chat with my sister to consider what I want/need and eventually revert back to fabric.  She is a star and pops along to local charity shops and hunts till she finds me some fabulous fabric that I can upcycle for myself.  Yay - permission to indulge absoloutely granted.
This year was no different so I was presented with this fantastic polka dot fabric!  I love it!

I wasn't too sure what to make but then decided to go for a completely random approach and chuck it onto the mannequin and just see where I ended up (as demonstrated below - clearly very technical!)

I don't really do well with patterns - possibly because I don't really do that well with being told what to do - and tend to go off pattern all the time anyway!  So I just went with what felt right.  I decided the larger dots at the bottom decreasing as it went up worker well and with the amount of fabric it had to be a dress.  Once I started adding shape by pinning in some darts I had begun to get an idea of how the dress would look.

I would absolutely recommend having a go at something like this!  First of all it gives you absolute freedom to do whatever you want, second you don't have to buy a pattern and if you use upcycled fabric it is likely to be cheap and cheerful and if you end up with a disaster then you haven't lost too much!
 This dress started off as a duvet cover and with some snipping, pinning and tweaking turned into a dress that I will absolutely be wearing!  What do you think?

A bit of a dark picture there but an idea of the shape of the dress. I'm really happy with the way the sleeves worked so well even on a mannequin - I have to admit to being a bit afraid of sleeves so going off pattern was a bit nervy but they seem to have worked well!












It is so comfy and I love the neutral colours that can be dressed up with a fun, bright necklace or bracelet.

  

What a great birthday gift!  The fun of opening it to find gorgeous fabric, the dreaming up of a project perfect for the fabric, the sewing and now the wearing!  Talk about the gift that just keeps on giving!

Have you made any clothes by using a mannequin?  Do send them over so I can share them too!

x

Bloggers block!

Do you ever have moments where you seem to loose a little bit of your creativity for a while?  I'm certainly there right now!

 I am a little bit un-imaginative right now when I sit down to sew - opting instead to fix up a few ripped seams and things instead of creating new things.  That means that when I sit down to blog I'm not too sure what to share with you all!

 All of this lack of creative flow has got me thinking how I find my inspiration and how do I get it back when it is gone?

  I realized that although the internet is awash with ideas from pinterest to blogs to simply good old google that doesn't really create inspiration.  Sitting down to make something because you have seen a picture of it doesn't always mean you are truly inspired.  It doesn't mean you are feeling it and it certainly doesn't mean you are enjoying the process.  My go to when I feel a bit flat in front of the sewing machine is usually a good old trawl of pinterest but it doesn't always help me feel that inspired!

  I have realized that I am most inspired when I am spending time with people - chatting and dreaming with someone else about life, craft, ideas, sadness, thoughts, hopes and dreams (anything really) inspires me more than anything else!  I love people - I love people watching - I love talking to people - I love sewing with people and for people - I am a people person.  I love to talk and I love to listen!
  My other top inspiration source is being in nature - wandering by the waters edge on a sunny day,  pressing on through fields in the wind and exploring glorious scenery in the snow.  What better inspiration could you possibly find than nature itself!

So I plan to find ways to sew with people more often - to sit and stitch and chat - one on one or in a group I don't mind really but I definitely want to move from sewing just being a time out and to a more social activity.  Plus I reckon I may even try to plan  some nature out-doorsy type sewing activity/event!  So if you live nearby and fancy getting in on something like this why not give me a shout!

Here is a quick photo of the heart the amazing Red Arrows crafted in the sky during the D-DAY events last week! Moments like these are filled with inspiration don't you think?

Also do share your inspiration seeking plans!  What do you do???

Upcycling my things!

This week I look around at my sewing room and realized that although I think I am pretty good at taking old things and making them new I am not always good at taking my old things and making them new.  I have so much fabric that is cut too small to turn into a bag or purse.  I have scraps or fabric with tears or stains literally everywhere.  They are beautiful pieces of fabric but need to find a way to be used.
 Following on from my patchwork bag which I continue to be in love with I have been feeling the patchwork vibe! I spent a lovely afternoon after work last week chatting to a friend and cutting up fabric scraps into more usable scraps.
 I have now set about attaching them altogether to create a patchwork something!  Given how many scraps I need to work through I think it will probably result in being a quilt but currently I am keeping an open mind.
 So far my patchwork has been using new fabrics - patches that have been bought for me by friends.  But patchwork was originally about making do and mending!  Taking the odds and ends of old clothes, old bedding, leftover fabrics - anything really - and turning them into something useful and hopefully beautiful too!
 I intend to get going on that style of sewing for a while - so this is going to be my first piece of patchwork that truly uses odds and ends of fabric.  I'm pretty excited to see how it turns out!  It will definitely be something I pick up and put down so don't expect a finished product any time soon!
 As much as I love the other patchwork I have done that followed a pattern and theme I am starting to love the absolute randomness of it.  It feels somehow more authentic!  We will see how it looks on a bigger scale!