Tuesday 10 June 2014

Itchy itchy, stitchy stitchy

Blogging is a funny thing, isn't it? I love the freedom of just blogging whatever I feel like, whenever I feel like. I didn't feel much like blogging last week. I just wanted to 'do', and 'think'. It was a long week; my husband works long hours and often goes to events and things after work so last week I found myself alone rather a lot. I mean alone with two children under the age of five. Which is tough. 

I didn't win the Deramores blog awards this time, but I am so pleased that the worthy winner was the lovely Betsy Makes. It was definitely my favourite of the other contestants, with such lovely pictures- a constant source of new inspiration!

I put my hook down this last week, opting instead to dust off Betsy the Sewing Machine and do some sewing! For someone who has been pretty scared of a sewing machine for a looooong time this is quite the news! A bit of luck finally came my way recently. I am the type of person that enters all the lovely competitions, and NEVER wins. My mother in law wins all sorts. She is the raffle winner extraordinaire. However, I tried my luck on a competition on the fabulous sewing blog Thread Carefully to win a copy of Tilly and the Buttons' fabulous new book, Love at First Stitch. And I won! Hurrah! 

It inspired me SO much. It's just the perfect book for a total novice like me. So I decided to give a few things a spin...and finished off another Colette Sorbetto top...





I decided to finish the binding by hand, as my top stitching was all over the place! It looked horrendous. Overall, I'm thrilled with fabric I chose (from Elizabeth Olwen's Grey Abbey collection) and the beautiful lacy bias binding from The Homemakery. The fit is a bit 'off', however. Maybe I cut it wrong? I think I may need to unpick the side seams and take it in a bit, having worn it once. It doesn't seem to be as nice a fit as my first one. Anyway, you live and learn. And on the whole it's a lovely lovely top which i MADE. Which is a massive buzz- I wonder does this ever get old? I doubt it! What an enormous thrill to make one's own clothes!

I really enjoyed hand-stitching the binding. I am happy with my hand sewing in general, I learnt a lot of hand sewing skills at a curtain-making workshop I did about three years ago. For my friend's birthday I decided to try an embroidery project I saw in Mollie Makes, a couple of issues ago. I put a Buffy marathon on Netflix and got my stitch on. This is the result...

My friend Portia LOVES neon pink and turquoise, so I used neon fabric paint and yarn to create the big colour pop for the piece (frame tutorial from The Homemakery blog, hoop from the Homemakery). Portia was absolutely thrilled with it, and I kinda love it, too. I think I need a mustard one for my imaginary craft room. 

Once I had tackled those projects, I decided to take the plunge with Love at First Stitch! So I finally dug out my tiny stash of Liberty off-cuts to make the Brigitte headscarf. What an ideal first project! I wear headscarves almost every day, and also made the decision to start at the beginning of the book and tackle each project one-by-one. I have also purchased Tilly's Miette skirt pattern, which will be started as soon as pay day comes around and I can afford the fabric! Here are my Brigitte scarves...

Liberty tana lawn is the dream fabric, really. Just gorgeous, I'm really thrilled with these. There is a Brigitte tutorial over here on Tilly's blog. Already I feel more confident with my machine, and think this book is just going to be the key my future wardrobe! I want to make ALL the garments, which is a massive bonus. There are five full-size pattern templates too, so I just need to get the fabric and a few haberdashery tools and I'm good to go. 

I LOVED sitting with Betsy on sunday evening. The children were in bed and husband had earned himself a lovely day out with the chaps at Field Day festival in London. It was our second wedding anniversary yesterday- it's traditional to give cotton. So I raided my rather paltry fabric stash and dug out another old issue of Mollie Makes to make Allison Sadler's fabulous fabric bow tie...
He really loved it! And didn't notice I made it, despite the label I sewed into the back...so I guess my sewing is getting neater! Hurrah! It was really easy and fun to make, a great projects for DIY weddings I expect. handmade bow-ties for your ushers and best men? Yup. I wish could sew two years ago!

Now I must get back to my hook and stop browsing fabric websites.

Happy making everyone!
xxx

7 comments:

  1. Like I said on IG...."you seamstress you" and whoop whoop...so pleased you have the sewing bug!!
    bestest daisy j xxx

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  2. Now you need to the pjs - if I can, you can! X

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  3. Hazaah for the labels, makes a col finishing touch! You made it! x

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  4. Yay! I'm a stitcher! I'm defo going to make the PJs- I need some nice cool cotton PJ bottoms anyway. Ideal! x

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  5. Thanks for one's marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed
    reading it, you are a great author.I will make sure to
    bookmark your blog and will come back later in life.
    I want to encourage that you continue your great work,
    have a nice evening!

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  6. Love the fabric and trim for your Sorbetto... so summery! Look forward to seeing your next makes from Tilly's book - your headscarves are so pretty. And oh the bow tie! We don't have the need for smartness very often, and when we have til now a knitted tie has won but the next occasion may be a bow tie

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  7. Wow, these projects turned out beautiful! I'm terrified of the sewing machine, so I'm always very impressed by people who have overcome that fear. :) Your beautiful top looks like something I could find at Anthropologie (I don't know if they have any in the UK, but if you haven't heard of it, it's a beautiful and pricey store in the US)! Also really digging the hot pink of the hoop against the blue background. So cool!

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