Sew Grateful 6th - 12th Feb

Debi from fashion from the past has started a lovely idea of using fabrics, patterns, notions that may have been given to us, or using tutorials from other blogs to make an new something. I think this such a lovely idea to have a little showcase as as athankyou for the little something you may have received. Have a look at Debi's blog http://fashionsfromthepast.blogspot.com/2012/01/sew-grateful-week-rescheduled-for.html

                         I now have my thinking cap on and have a little time to get working!

Come on and sew along.

Just my kind of sewing fun! The lovely Sarah and Erin have been conspiring for all of us to have the best time ever this year, yes the first sew along marathon!http://rhinestonesandtelephones.blogspot.com/2012/01/introducing-sew-colette.html   The plan is to use that book, yes the one that everyone has got, did I mention I got it for Christmas ( only 100 times!) Colette handbook.

I love the idea too, start at the beginning and work our way through it. If you have the book you have probably have been intending to do this anyway, but now we can do it together!

There will a flickr group to! So what you waiting for?

PS. I have written a guest post on Rachel's blog today, if you want to have a little look ? http://houseofpinheiro.blogspot.com/2012/01/guest-blogger-charlotte-from-sew-far.html

Thankyou Kat, presents from New Zeland.

My lovely postman dropped off a lovely gift today, all the way from New Zeland! I follow Kat's blog Modern Vintage Cupcakes http://macskakat.wordpress.com/ and was lucky enough to win a giveaway. Just look what I won :

Such great gifts, I'm planning to make a hairband and will use the spotty belt buckle. I love the patterns, although I may wait until the weather warms up to use them. The fabric envelope is made by Kat herself, I think my dairy will fit into it.

Have a look at Kat's blog it's really interesting, she has the most wonderful dresses,. inspired by vintage. I always love here photos, New Zeland just looks like the most amazing place to be.

Thank you Kat. x x x

To do lists for 2012.

Well Happy New Year to you all. I have been pondering on this post or rather my intentions for 2012 since, well it seems along time!!

There are lots of I will promise to do this and I will be the perfect seamstress is I master that, to be honest my ideas are to random and I want it all, so I'm not planning to hold myself back this year. I thought of 2011 as a rebirth to my creativity and my first year in dressmaking, so 2012, I want more.

I would like myself to be just creative in everything I do :

• dressmaking, lots for me, a shirt for MrPB and maybe something for the toddler.
• around the home, new curtains, place mats, quilts to be finished
• I would like to try scrapbooking, inspired by this months Molly Makes
• Work in groups/ communities/ charities
• make more accessories, I got the chic on a shoe string for xmas and it's very inspiring
• join in sew along's and such likes, I find them immensely fun
• knit one garment using a pattern
• refall in love with my garden
• do more yoga

I am attempting two big projects in Jan.

1.  The Sew Active project, I plan to do more yoga but more importantly to my wardrobe I am tackling a very big issue in my life. I am planning to cut back my working hours which will in turn enable me to cycle more, and use the car less! This is a very big mission as I live in Devon and there are hills everywhere and I'm not that fit yet. I also want to look good doing it and stick to the self stitched year.
2. I am also starting to put together a quilt. This quilt was started to get my village together, everyone got a square and could decorate it there own way, only now I have to make it up!!

So alot to do already with a for ever growing list as I am just so excited about getting the opportunity to do so many things!!

So whats your first for the year?

My First Year Dressmaking.

I have for many years been a sewing crafter, presents, toys, useful things for the house, curtains ect, so I know I have a creative side but I think it had a rather long holiday. I must have needed a new challenge, in steps dressmaking! I bought myself a few patterns as a Christmas present for myself last year and my first item for a New Years party.

I still love and wear this loads! I was elated to have finished something that I really could wear, I have never been known for following instructions well or even completing things I start! So one challenge I am still able to say I have conquered.

With the dressmaking bug in full flow I knew from day one that I wanted a wardrobe made of self stitch stuff. I think I have done well with 20 items of clothing just for myself! Every new items was a challenge I truly learnt something new. I feel that my main concerns for dressmaking is making too much, once I have had a beginning of season flurry of activity I don't really need to do to much more, my aim is not to have bursting at the seems wardrobe, so I will be working harder at this next year.So here are a few of this years makes :

I have found the on line community invaluable, I started off with Sew Weekly challenges of which I think I have joined in about a dozen or so. I have loved the sew along and challenges that brings a lovely crowd together I have been involved in :

I also created my own little button and flickr group as a show case for everyone that made or refashioned their own clothes. I was really pleased with the response and felt inspired to do more in the future.

So what have I learnt? how do I feel about 2011, well, I know that being apart of a community or group really inspires me. I also feel that my ethos of having practical clothing or my own style is something I still am having to work on, including the quantity.I feel that this has been a missing link in my life and why did it take me so long to find!! I feel that my creativity has been reborn and this is just the beginning, so 2012 here we come!!

Last Offerings

I have finished my last Christmas present, which means I have been a true follower of the Crafty Christmas blog, which makes me smile :-)

Last offering is a bamboo handle bag, made for my Mum to put her crochet bits and bobs into!

A quick summary : thrifted vintage fabric in and out, design from a Molly Makes Magazine, although my bag seems a little longer so you can fit more in I suppose.

Merry Christmas everyone, hope you all get your crafty offerings done in time, only one more sleep you know!! x x x

The Joy of Sewing.

What ever I make, when ever I make it I really feel like I'm learning something. So today's lesson in the joy of sewing comes when you choose a pattern and fabric that you truly love it all seems to fall into place. I adore this pattern and have been waiting to make it up and having the nicest fabric, a little extra sewing was in store (even though the Christmas to do list is growing)!

When I was making this up I noticed that without a under lying agenda of time or occasion I was able to take my time and really enjoy what I was doing. Maybe all the little things just fell into place like having the right colour cotton, my making time wasn't just an allocated hour, with all this I relaxed and worked steadily.

So the photos are a bit rubbish and I'm standing in a weird way BUT, it's all about the dress, and I really like it, and of course being red it has a Christmas feel to it.

This will be the last dressmaking effort of 2011 and I'm pleased to be going out on a positive note rather than the past struggling efforts. Is anyone else still working on a Christmas or new years party number or are you feet up and enjoying a glass of mulled wine and mince pies? Either way, Happy Christmas to you all, and I'm really looking forward to the New Year. x x x