Moving again...

It seems like only last week I moved to Somerset... where it has actually been 2 years! I am moving again, and this time I have bought my own property, a three bedroom fixer-upper. So I will now be creating a new blog documenting my progress in turning a house into a home. So please check out my new blog... there will be some up-cycling, crafting and DIY.

A vintage skirt

On Friday I popped into town and went to a vintage shop. Whilst browsing, and I was only going to browse, I found some fabric (1.30mx1.35m for £6). Well, that was a bargain I couldn't refuse... so I brought it without having a project in mind. When I got home and saw just how much fabric I had, I decided to make a skirt. I got the basic pattern from Sew Serendipty book (which my lovely parents got me for my birthday) and then used my dress making knowledge to make it.

I lined the skirt, did french seams, hemmed it, made belt loops and put in a zip. Yes, I spent the whole of yesterday creating it (I finally finished it at 11pm), but for just over £9 I think it was worth it. I was actually impressed at how much I remembered from my dress making course, its like making a LEGO model, you have to follow it step by step but eventually you don't need the instructions anymore and it is just done by intuition.

Anyway, here it is...

 

Cxxx

2 years of blogging

I know I havn't been blogging much lately, which is really bad of me! I can't even use the excuse that I have been working hard because I am in the middle of an 8 week school holiday (lucky, lucky me!).

Recently one of my friends has had a baby and so I had the exciting task of creating a baby quilt for her. The best bit was choosing the fabric, how cute is baby fabric these days? I made a raggy quilt which I have never done, and actually didn't like the look of them. But, after making one I am in love with them and wish I had one!

Cxxx

Yet another Winnie the Pooh embroidery

 I know that I have made three already, but I love doing them. My next one shall be a big picture, so for now here is my latest. This is pretty much the story of my life, I am endlessly getting lost, but I just keep on driving anyway.

Cxxx

Barrington Court

Sadly half term is over, but here are two pictures which I took today which I am quite chuffed by. Today I went to Barrington Court (another national trust property) and spent the day taking photos, my aim is to take a better photo than my dad could ever take, but as he has been published in The Times for his photography I doubt this will ever happen...

Cxxx

After six weeks of dressmaking...

After a six week dressmaking course I have finished my dress. The day after the course I went to work in it and was really chuffed when staff and students told me how nice it was and asked me where I got it! The look on the kids faces when I told them I made it was priceless. Unlike most pieces of clothing I make, I think I will actually wear this on a regular basis. So here are the pictures of my new dress on my manikin, one by itself and one styled up.

Cxxx

Bring me... my glasses.

I need a new glasses case. I made one a few years ago and to be honest it is just a bit too girly for me now. So after watching my Morecambe and Wise boxset I drew inspiration from my comedy heroes (I would put my dad in the comedy hero bracket, but as he stole all his jokes from Morecambe and Wise I don't think I can!). So here is my glasses case:

1. First embroider your fabric with what you want. I wrote 'glasses' on one side and stitched Morecambe's glasses on the other side.
   
2. Now, cut the fabric into your required size, mine ended up being 5"x8". Cut out 2 pieces of inside fabric the same size in a similar colour and some wadding. 
   
3. Now it is time to start stitching. Piece the inner fabric and wadding together, right sides facing out and stitch four lines down them to keep the wadding in place. 
   
4. With right sides together of the inner fabric, line them up and stitch round three sides leaving one open so you can turn it out.Turn it out. 
   
5. Line up the outer fabric and with right sides together again, sew round the same three sides.
6. Cut away excess fabric (I lost about an inch) and carefully place the inner fabric inside the outer fabric so you have a rough glasses case.
   
   
7. Fold over the top of the outer fabric so you have a clean seam and hand stitch it to the inner fabrics. 
8. Finally add a popper (or your glasses will fall out)!

 

Cxxx