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Mending is the new new.... again

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Wow, I haven't been on here in a scarily long time, have I? It was the blogging part that got squeezed out of my life though, not the sewing - thankfully.  Sewing is a great hobby: a solitary one mostly, but sometimes gregarious, with friends and the amazing online sewing/making community. A nourishing mixture of thrift, expense, creativity and time-wasting. And it's because of thrift and community that I'm writing this today.  Last Autumn, I hosted a fabulous evening of mending with the help of the great folk at The Library of Things . I'd read about similar events in the UK and the US, often held in cafes or bars, where people brought things to mend or learned how to mend them.  These events were hosted by local community groups and mostly fixed household goods and electronics, but sometimes clothing too.  The events spoke to a need to relearn and share old skills, as well as a desire to connect with others and a reaction against rapid consumerism - and I wanted t
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Pinterest Project 2: reversible bag

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My other half watched me making this bag and said, "But you have a bag already. What's this one for?".  Apparently this kind of statement only works for bags and shoes and absolutely never applies to records, books or beer.
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oh no, Pinterest, what have you done to me?!

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I joined Pinterest recently and it has already been responsible for a HUGE amount of skiving.  I apparently need to know, urgently, despite the late hour, how to roll plastic bags so they dispense one by one from a wipes container .  I also need to know, immediately, despite being at work,  a million ways to customise t shirts... Amazing and yet I am now in danger of either being fired or falling asleep in my dinner. Having said that, it's also been the source of a quick and very satisfying project recently, as a gift for one good friend, using some fab Osbourne & Little fabric given to me a million years ago by another good friend AND being the first time that I have set a zip that I am 100% happy with. The inspiration came, via Pinterest, from the stylish 'Say Yes to Hoboken' blog and was for a Mini Boxy Make-Up Bag . Here's their version in lovely stripes with a contrast zip:   On my version, I tinkered with the size, making it much larg
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How-Tuesday 18: how to get some sleep

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not my journal - wish it was! Hi loves Sorry for the lateness of this post.  Been another busy weekend and no time to pre-write this one.  So here I am with only 30 mins of Tuesday left to go, typing like one of those infinite monkeys on one of their infinite number of typewriters...  Might be Shakespeare, might be sh*te, that's the joy of blog! But, I'm not going to whinge about my busy life again.  Blah blah, we're all busy, darling! Instead, what is causing me to lie awake at night recently is ideas for designs.  Now this hasn't happened for YEARS - not since I was learning how to work silver and design jewellery over a decade ago.  Back then, I had a notebook by the bed to get these things down so I could get to sleep.  And the notebook (well, A notebook) has just reappeared and is being filled up slowly with scribbled drawings and text. These ideas are all around reverse applique designs to embellish existing garments, and mainly around the neck
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How-Tuesday 17: skirtylicious, or how to overcome your fear...

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Wotcha! This week I finished an item of clothing for myself!  It's a simple but lovely Amy Butler pattern called Barcelona, which has two a-line skirt options plus something called an 'apron overlay' (which is a bit silly IMHO).  I bought mine from Backstitch but I understand that other online retailers are available...
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How-Tuesday 16: how to make your mark

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I succumbed last week.  Not only to the evil lurgy, which is even now still with me a bit, hanging about like a bad fridge smell.  But also to the purchase on Amazon of two books which have been in my basket for weeks and weeks.  And weeks. The first is Veggiestan by Sally Butcher, a wonderful cook book which I know will get used over and over. The second is Print Workshop by Christine Schmidt, strapline 'hand-printing techniques + truly outstanding projects'.  It does what it says on the tin! Want to know how to make a repeating graphic pattern using only a string-wrapped block and some fabric paint?  How to cut and wield potato stamps so that the resulting patterns look more Lucienne Day and less 'let loose in a day nursery'? How to make your own silk-screen press from household/high street objects?  How to use ink-jet transfer paper to make quirky and funny cushions? That's a quadruple yes from me! For someone who enjoys fabric and letterpress as much
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How-Tuesday 15: how to take care of yourself

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Hi folks I'm poorly, bleurgh.  I've been bed-bound and browsing for crafty items to nurture me.  If you need some taking care of, you may enjoy: a hot water bottle cover from a felted charity shop sweater over at Rachael Rabbit  or at Made of Cloth a lovely rice or buckwheat heat pillow with essential oils, that can be frozen or microwaved for therapeutic use, over at Sew Mama Sew a cozy for my cuppa, at Hazelnut Girl Sorry for brevity today, am coughing so hard that the laptop keeps slipping... More soon. S x
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