Pin Cushion Swap update.

How amazing Rachel and I are featured on the Molly Makes blog today. http://molliemakes.themakingspot.com/blog/join-a-pin-cushion-swap .

Just to let you know we will hopefully having at least 5 give aways between now and June 23rd, as well as tutorials and other updates.

If you haven't yet sign up, it's so much fun. x x x

Pin Cushion Swap, come and join us!

Now everyone that is a sewer, dressmaker or crafter will be interested in this! 

Do you continually lose pins? Well what you will be needing is a new pin cushion, you know you can never have too many!

Today is a very exciting day, myself and Rachel from http://houseofpinheiro.blogspot.co.uk/ will be jointly hosting a pincushion or needle case swap.

Here is a lovely picture that you may add to your own blog if you wish.

 

here is a code for you 

<a href="http://charlottesewfarsewgood.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j407/HouseOFpinheiro/Public/Untitled1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Now lets me tell you a few more details about this swap, tempting you to join if I can.

1.   Anyone can join this swap, it’s open for internationally.You don’t have to have a blog to join.

2.   Please send your name address and email address to me at houseofpinheiro(at)hotmail(dot)com  or to Charlotte at charlottepowellbrooks (at) gmail(dot)com by May 21^st 2012.

 It would be nice if you could add a little introduction to yourself, including your blog name if you have one, so your swap buddy can drawn inspiration from.

3.   You will then receive the details of your swap buddy by May 26^th. If not, let us know.

4.   You are free to make pin cushions or needle cases or any variation that keep your pins and needles tidy. Want to make it a little kit. Feel free to spoil your swap buddy.

5.   The only 'MUST' rule is that you need make the item(s) yourself and use fabrics and notion from your stash (Lets de-stash your fabric scrap boxes, girls.)

You are free to buy felt or emery sand as those materials help keep your pins and needles sharp.

6.   Please have your pin cushion finished and posted to your swap buddy by June 5^th. 

We have great plans to help your ‘stash burst’ projects until the big reveal review on June 23^rd.

Sounds fun hey?

Even better, Rachel and I will have lots of other related pin cushion and needle case goings on until the  June 23^rd. So you can see there is plenty of time to join in, we will have tutorials, give aways lots of give aways, and related blogs to keep you inspired and sewing on through out the month.

It will be so much fun if you can join us, and if you would like to send a guest post or tutorial to either of us relating to the swap we would love to hear from you.

I'm so very very excited.

Pyjama Party!!

Seeing as the weather is wet and gloomy I think I'll stay in my pyjamas all day! Thanks to Karen who has created the most exciting vibe for a  sew along, means we all should be in our pyjamas today, and what's better is that they are all shiny new, hand made lovelies!!!

 Karen talked many of use through how to make pyjamas and now they should all be on show so go and see Karen's beautiful set then surf the blog http://didyoumakethat.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/pyjama-party-goes-live/
My own pyjamas are a from two different patterns. The top I have actually already made four other versions for the OWOP project so no. five was easy! And like the pattern said so where the bottoms, although if you had a wider bottom I don't think you would have that much space!

When they where finished I felt so pleased, I really took my time and made nice seams and ect ect and the end result is something I love, far to often I have to learn to love what I make. So so excited we had a really fun photo shoot!

     Everyone seemed to get very excited about my new pj's. The fabric is a light weight cotton, which had a previous life of a duvet cover. I really like the way it had a more intense pattern at the bottom of the legs.

And this is the book I'm reading, it's wonderful! I recommend it. I am also on Good reads should any of you want to join me and become friends http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8180872-charlotte  I always have a few reference books on the go too, this is the latest.

So thanks to Karen I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and have a pair of pyjamas which as long been on my to do list! I'm so impressed that I'm thinking of starting to make a few more pairs up as presents. Will also be showing this off with Justine at http://www.sewcountrychick.com/2012/04/sew-7-tell-saturday-april-28-2012.html

Taffy Blouse

Continuing with the Colette sew along, it's been a while for me. I enjoyed the Meringue skirt, Pastille dress disaster, and only got as far as cutting out the pattern for the Truffle dress. I think we can say I'm not totally dedicated to this sew along, although yes lesson are being learn t. So for the Taffy blouse.

I personally have had a love hate journey with this.
 1st I love it, probably the best pattern in the book, I love the fact that there are only three parts to the pattern to cut out.
 2nd, I hate it, the whole process is to learn about flimsy fabrics, and yes I struggled.
 3rd I love it, what a wonderful pattern, in theory so easy to put together.
 4th, I hate it, or my sewing machine does. The weave on my fabric is very loose and my sewing machine just wants to eat it. I know the top will only last the summer as it will surely fall apart by the autumn.
 5th I love it, a quick try on before the binding goes on show what a wonderful cut a summery feeling this top is.
 6th, I hate it, when the binding is on it actually has more weight than the fabric and the sleeves just look funny.
 7th, I love it, I iron and put it on with some half decent clothes and suddenly YES it's a winning top.

 

I would also like show off my wonderful shoes, I love wedges! These where a total find at the boot fair, 50p, that's less than a dollar for you American folk!

I couldn't resist this though, Arthur thought he would like to join in with the photo shoot,what a star!

This is such a lovely blouse, I think it will be the summer top of the year for all the sewers all over the world! I also hope to show this off with Justine this week. http://www.sewcountrychick.com/2012/04/sew-7-tell-saturday-april-28-2012.html

Cross stitch anyone?

I do like to try all sorts of crafts, idle hands and all that! So lucky me at the craft and stitch show I was able to snap up three copies of the latest Cross stitch magazine. So firstly I have done a little cross stitch before, a very long time ago though we are talking decades her, but this is what I managed :

The pictures area bit rubbish as they are in frames, but they are quilt samples. So being excited by this sort of new craft no better way to start than with a freebee gift.

I'm pleased with the outcome. Doing this was was harder than I remember, I hated the counting, so cheated and drew the picture and filled in the gaps, it was then that I started to relax and enjoy. It has shown me how time consuming the larger samplers would be, but nice to curl up on the sofa with a little something to do.

So the Cross stitch magazine, what did I think? Well it's great, so many styles and funky little projects. It was bright, happy, cross stitch for all levels.

So here are a few of my favorites from the latest copy. The top two are large patterns, but there are also smaller projects too.

Yes an inspiring magazine, although I think three copies will be enough for me as I will have so many patterns from them and I just don't get the chance to do it enough. But I did have fun and would like to work on a larger project through the winter.

Does any one else do cross stitch? have any patterns, books, magazines, or websites to recommend?

Darling Mummy..........

So this is a blog about, yes my Mum! No sad tales either she's alive and well and still the inspiration of nearly everything I do. My Mum was used to make all her own clothing, then all of mine when I was young, even down to my school uniform. When I started to dress make it was my poor mother who got countless phone calls on " Help, how do you do that?" or "What does that mean?". We even got out all her old patterns including the dress pattern she wore on her first date at the village disco with my Dad.

At Christmas she bought me the Colette book and thought it so lovely she ended up with her own copy. Since then I'm pleased to say that I have been the inspiration to my Mum to restart sewing. We have had lots of fun pouring over patterns and fabrics, discussing finer points, even a good and honest measuring of each other!

When my Mum last came to visit me she bought along her first efforts in many years. Here she is :

                Isn't the dress great!  The neckline is so flattering, it's a great fit and a wonderful style on her. .                                          Look at the fabric close up, my Mum is so cool.

I'm so pleased my Mum has taken up sewing again. Although it has highlighted similarities and differences between us. She is a perfectionist who will go over and over the same point making it all right. Personally I'm a bit more slap dash and prone to impulses, maybe we could share our personalities out and both be perfect !!

Journal of a novice cyclist

So my journal continues, somewhat slowly! What happened to my plans of cycling every week getting fitter slimmer, saving the planet from my car fumes?????

So first things first, every cyclist should stylish is my motto, and yes wearing self stitched goodies. I'm wear a handmade top, and trousers from a clothes swap. I must admit this isn't the most stylish as the weather was a bit grim.

So our ride this time takes us to North Devon to the Tarka Trail, a walking and cycling route that cover 30 miles ish, and is of course famous for the Tarka the otter tales and and Solomon the Salmon of which started there stories in Torrington which is along this trail.

Our destination was this wonderful stopping place called Orchard Yarde. They have made a rustic coffee shop, they also have the most wonderful camping area of three yurts and a camping barn. If you stay you usually get dinner by the fireside and often local musicians stop by for impromptu sessions.

I find this a wonderful place and have longed to stay over night, I'm planning a full cycle ride and stop over when the weather improves, so for today we had great coffee and hand made cakes in the homely but rustic shed.

                                                            Then the 8 mile cycle home.

I can not tell you how much I love this place, I'm sure I will bore the pants off you with more tales from Orchard Yarde.