05 Sep
craft, diy, fabric, sewing

Sewing Weekender Swap Haul

The week I heard my scholarship to China had fallen through because not enough people had applied, was the week the Foldlines Sewing Weekender was announced. The stars aligned. I bought my tickets at once and so did a lot of other people. That day was impulse buy day for many UK sewers! There was such a demand and the event was such a success that I have a feeling more will definitely be taking place. Which is brilliant because I know many more people wanted to come.

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There have been blog posts from Lucy from Sew Essential,  Rach (Rach Against the Machine), Crafty Clyde, Charlotte (English Girl at Home), Ginger Thread Girl, Fehr Trade, The Fabric Wangler and What Corrine Did…I think that’s every blog post..

..and if you still want more Gabby did an amazing vlog  capturing some of the atmosphere. We were 50 woman, who love sewing….and were crazily excited about being with so many other people who loved sewing. Imagine a sewing comic con. We were all very passionate about our hobby!!!!

If you notice there’s not a single moment where I’m captured sat down sewing. I’m eating, hanging out at the fabric/pattern swapping area and chatting. That is a realistic portrait of how I spent the weekend.

Photographic evidence.

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I imagine lots of people can relate when I say, I knew zero people who sewed when I started sewing. Meet ups are the stuff of my dreams and how I met lots, if not all, of my sewing friends. I mingled and talked and relished in the fact that everyone was so open, friendly and willing to talk sewing.

Now, I’m gonna get down to it and tell you about my finds from the swap. Nothing amplifies the phrase to me ‘one mans rubbish is another mans treasure’ quite like a good old sewing meet up swap!

Here are the larger pieces of fabric I got, there seems to be a theme going on. For some reason that day blue was speaking to me! and vintage flower prints. No idea what I will do with this lot but I do love looking at it.

 

Now for the smaller pieces. Again, another theme going on here! These pieces are quite tiny but because of that I have less choices and more on an idea of what I’ll make with each bit. The first fabric I’m gonna try and make a pair, of very tiny, shorts. The middle one is maybe enough for a scarf and the last piece, which is jersey, I can get a small top out of.

 

I tried to be as restrained as possible with the patterns, when I first started sewing patterns/Burda magazines were my biggest impulse buy and I am very aware that I have more patterns than I will ever need…but oh the possibilities…

These two vintages pieces caught my eye. They are so pretty and I can imagine swishing around in the left one and as for the one on the right, I can never say no to a 60’s pattern in my size. The sixties are my favourite decade.

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Ever since Rosabella mentioned the Overture Set on one her vlog I knew I needed this pattern. I was gonna buy the magazine, which it came with, but luckily someone brought it to the swap. I love it, oversized clothes are my preferred silhouette and I’m looking through the stash so I can get this made as soon as possible! The other pattern looks like a nice staple dress…yeah, not as enthused about that one but it’s got potential.

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These two last patterns are part of a project I have mulling around in my brain. I want to find my perfect shirtdress. Making wardrobe staples is my next big challenge, now my sewing is beyond a hope-this-works-out level, and I really want to find what makes me feel confident and comfortable and I think shirt dresses are the way to go.

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I wish I could thank everyone personally for their donations! I am really grateful to get such lovely stuff as I’m trying, and sometimes failing, at buying as little fabric as possible this year.

If anyone is going to Sew Brum I’ll see you there..maybe…more than a hundred people are coming, so if you spot me say hi!  🙂

Meg xx

 

14 Aug
craft, diy, fabric, sewing, Uncategorized

Vlogging Solo, August Plans

If you’re like me, in the past few months you’ve been discovered and started binge watching sewing vloggers on youtube… for me, like blogging I’ve been watching, crushing and enjoying vlogs so much, I thought…let me give this a try.

If you’re thinking of starting a vlog, go for it! You don’t need a new camera or to invest loads of money on equipment. You just need to be comfortable talking to yourself out load :p

I literally made my video with a iphone propped up with some books and a random box. I edited it on a apple computer with imovie, again my computer is 5 years old and is on it’s last legs…apple products lifespan is not 20 years stong!!

I love blogging and think blogs will never die but videos are such a great medium and another way to connect with other sewing enthusiasts. I hope you watch and enjoy 🙂

Meg

24 Mar
fabric

Liebster Award and Fabric Sample Sales

The lovely Madame Tifaine nominated me for the Liebster Award. Thank you so much here’s my random three facts.

  1. I’m currently learning Mandarin and have applied for a scholarship to spend 4 weeks studying in China this summer. Wish me luck!!
  2. I’ve been wanting to start a Etsy business for ages. Here’s a hint of the stuff I have.
  3. I’m making Sloe gin this year. I’m ridiculously excited and plan to save a small bottle and let it age to be drunk when I have my 10th wedding anniversary.

I want to tag Sophie Bach she is such a sewing inspiration.

Now, to the serious business of fabric. Sample sales are amazing. If you do live in London or near enough to travel down easily I would google fabric sample sales monthly because you might catch brilliant offers. Even if you don’t live close I recommend coming down for a sample sale, the prices are incomparable, especially for the quality. I’m kicking myself for missing 3 good fabric sample sales last year because I wasn’t searching for them. The next fabric sample sale I know of is on the 26th March. At Fashion Capital, you can see some of the fabric they offer at the sale here or buy it online if you can’t make it down. They do a monthly fabric sample sale, so if you can’t make it down to this weekend don’t worry.

I’m baffled about what to tweet about usually but I will post information of sample sales on my twitter. I’ll probably post on my instagram too.

I’m officially drowning in fabric. For the first time I’m scared of how much fabric I have. It’s 100% down to a sample sale I visited last week. I got around 40 metres for less then £50.

 

Not even all of it is pictured! So many plans! Thank you to everybody who has been wishing me well. 4 more weeks until I can sew again! The stash needs to start reducing I’ve run out of space for it all. My stash is now spread across three rooms, yikes!

 

Have a brilliant Easter xx

10 Dec
craft, diy, fashion, sewing

Simple Sew, Sophia Top

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Meow pussycats! I’m hoping this top and the little animation below will give me honorary cat lady status!

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I needed a big cup of tea after this project. I turned what should have been an easy top into a two week (on and off) task! but I have to say this was one of my most enjoyable, completely inappropriate, fun makes I’ve done.

The Fabric:

Both of these fabrics were complete impulse purchases. I think that’s no surprise! Cat fabric isn’t usually on the list but if in the shop has it in stock, how could you not buy it!! The fabric with all the cats on it was from a Sew Over It fabric sale and the leopard print was bought at Anna Ka Bazaar. I had an ‘OMG I’m turning into my mother moment’ when buying the leopard print fabric because for YEARS I’ve been laughing at her for wearing the it (it is her favourite print of all time and if there’s something leopard print in the shop, she’s buying it!)…..but now I completely understand the leopard print calling. Both fabrics are cotton, so they were lovely to sew with 🙂

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The Changes:

This pattern came from Love Sewing magazine. It came as an outfit with a crop top and a high waisted skirt. It is lovely and very elegant looking, Gabby does a brilliant complete version here. I kept the top pretty much the same except I added 2 inches to the length of the top. I really should have added a bit more because if I put my arms up, my top goes right up with it!

For the appliquéd meow I tested out some fonts on word and guesstimated the size I wanted, it only took two print outs to get it right. The word placement wasn’t done very precise either! I just put them on the top and what looked right, I pinned down, then sewed.

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The Fit:

I did this project to learn and try out doing appliqué…AND making the ultimate cat top :p Knowing this was going to be a house top, I didn’t bother with doing anything to the improve/change the fit. I think it fits nicely on my shoulders and around my chest.

If I do make this top again I will try to decrease the size of the armholes. You can see my bra and a bit too much of my armpits in this top.

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The Size:

I sewed up a UK size 10, no adjustments.

This project leaves me longing for my more adventurous days, where I would wear a top like this to wear outside the house! I have been so inspired by the chic and minimal look, which is a style I have been trying to emulate but somehow… I think have a few more adventurous days left in me 🙂

I want to say a big thank you to my husband for making the animation for me. I’m not the easiest director to work with!! ;P

 

 

 

05 Dec
craft, diy, sewing

Jersey Dreams, Overlocker Nightmares

I managed to get myself a good priced secondhand overlocker (thank you gumtree!!) and sewing knit/jersey NEEDS to become part of my sewing plans. I dress mainly for comfort and wear knit fabric a lot, so if I want to wear me-made daily I need get going on my overlocker.

I have patterns lined up with enough fabric to start some projects but I’m terrified of getting started. I’m making myself think sewing is an extreme sport haha. Sooo I’m publicly announcing my plans to encourage me to actually get started!!!

I want to start off with a free pattern, Kommatia Patterns Batwing Tee which will hopefully give me a bit of confidence.

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I went on a bit of a Kommatia roll and bought two more of her jersey sewing patterns. I love this one in particular and I can see myself getting a lot go wear out of it.

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Since sewing with knits is supposed to be quite fast, if I can, I also want to squeeze out this Great British Sewing Bee drapey knit dress which I think will be perfect for a christmas day comfortable/almost pyjamas dress. You can get for free here if anyones interested.

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I hope these free patterns are new to some people and make you happy 🙂

Overlockers have quite an intimidating reputation and my first time testing it out I managed to break the needle! I had to rethread it, which isn’t so bad with tweezers and now I’m stuck at the most problematic part, getting the tension right! Thanks to a lot of Instagram advice it’s almost right!

This will be my first christmas making my christmas day outfit and at first I was going to sew something elaborate and fancy but who am I kidding! I’m going to send the day watching tv and eating haha I hope to live through some of you other sewers and can’t wait see what christmas/new year outfits you make, are you making something? If so what is it??

Speak to you soon xxx

 

 

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