Just wanted to let you all know I have relocated, I now blog over at The Only Place.
I found myself feeling quite restricted with having a sewing only blog - especially because I have been so slack with the old stitching over summer. My new space incorporates everything that I am currently doing/seeing/wanting and it feels good to be blogging about all these things.
I have imported all my blog posts from here so its like I have just carried on but added other bits and bobs.
Have a look here
I hope you enjoy it!
Sunday 23 September 2012
Wednesday 5 September 2012
Sew Inspiring #11
Yesterday when I was flicking through my blog reader I came across this useful tip by Mollie at Wild Olive that I really wanted to share. I think I must have stared at my screen for a good while thinking 'WHY HAVENT I THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE?'
This week Mollie is experimenting with "tint" embroidery and her first post is on using crayons to fill in areas of the material with colour without using lots of stitches.
I bet you're thinking why haven't I thought of this before, right? Orrr is it just me that didn't think about this obvious method? hmm...
Head on over to Wild Olive to see how she does it and check back each day as she will be giving some more tips on different methods.
Such a good idea!
This week Mollie is experimenting with "tint" embroidery and her first post is on using crayons to fill in areas of the material with colour without using lots of stitches.
I bet you're thinking why haven't I thought of this before, right? Orrr is it just me that didn't think about this obvious method? hmm...
Head on over to Wild Olive to see how she does it and check back each day as she will be giving some more tips on different methods.
Such a good idea!
Saturday 1 September 2012
Back-stitch's back, alright!
Hello! I am back.
Summer is nearly over and Autumn is on the way, it is time to crack out the embroidery hoop once again.
I kicked the crafters block bum straight back where it came from and have been enjoying the summer with a mix of working and holidaying (spent caravanning in a very very wet and windy Cornwall).
It was nice to have a few weeks off from blogging and sewing, don't get me wrong I do love it but seen as though its all still pretty new to me I think I did too much too soon and got myself a little swamped with it all. Especially after reading so many amazing blogs, it all gets rather intimidating!
Funnily enough, when I was thinking about what I would say in this post, I came across this lovely post from Hank and Hunt. The ending is just what I needed to hear right now;
"Do whatever you do with all your heart. Do it as best as you can with what you can. Go gung ho and keep learning how to do it better. Once you do that, do it as often as you can. Be prolific. Do good work and do a lot of it. Do so much you get through your list of everything you could even think of to do, then do more. The more ideas you churn out, the more that pop into your mind. Keep going, pause if you have to, but get right back up there and go some more."
Anyway, less of me and back to the sewing. I have received two commissions for my bags (family members DO count!) One is to make 3 bags with 3 different designs to be given as Christmas presents to 3 completely different personalities *gulp*
The other is to make 2 bags to hold literacy and numeracy folders for a teachers assistant in an infant school (thanks ma!)
So, two completely different and fun projects to get me back into it.
Better get stitching.
Summer is nearly over and Autumn is on the way, it is time to crack out the embroidery hoop once again.
I kicked the crafters block bum straight back where it came from and have been enjoying the summer with a mix of working and holidaying (spent caravanning in a very very wet and windy Cornwall).
It was nice to have a few weeks off from blogging and sewing, don't get me wrong I do love it but seen as though its all still pretty new to me I think I did too much too soon and got myself a little swamped with it all. Especially after reading so many amazing blogs, it all gets rather intimidating!
Funnily enough, when I was thinking about what I would say in this post, I came across this lovely post from Hank and Hunt. The ending is just what I needed to hear right now;
"Do whatever you do with all your heart. Do it as best as you can with what you can. Go gung ho and keep learning how to do it better. Once you do that, do it as often as you can. Be prolific. Do good work and do a lot of it. Do so much you get through your list of everything you could even think of to do, then do more. The more ideas you churn out, the more that pop into your mind. Keep going, pause if you have to, but get right back up there and go some more."
Anyway, less of me and back to the sewing. I have received two commissions for my bags (family members DO count!) One is to make 3 bags with 3 different designs to be given as Christmas presents to 3 completely different personalities *gulp*
The other is to make 2 bags to hold literacy and numeracy folders for a teachers assistant in an infant school (thanks ma!)
So, two completely different and fun projects to get me back into it.
Better get stitching.
Thursday 2 August 2012
All sewn up
The Olympics are still going strong and it appears that I have developed a crafters block. I seem to be quite content with watching ALL the sport all day everyday and yep, that includes canoeing and skeet shooting...umm? So im just going to ride out this crafters block and hope that it comes back please come back probably when I no longer care how well we did in the water polo...
On another note my lovely friend sent me a belated birthday present, such a lovely surprise!
On another note my lovely friend sent me a belated birthday present, such a lovely surprise!
Friday 27 July 2012
On your marks...get set...sew!
I have been a little internet absent the past few weeks, sometimes life stuff just happens and it all needs dealing with. Things kept popping up one after the other, lots of family visiting, interviews, relentless leaky roof, being screwed over by Comet…you know, the usual. BUT, it is nearly August, the weather has been much better this week and a huge sporting event is starting in my City today, so feeling much better about life in general. Although I think getting to work is going to be a bitch on Monday.
I have also seriously neglected my sewing the past few weeks and last night I thought enough is enough, I need to get back on track. For some motivation I looked at my previously made bags and had one of those 'these aren't good enough' moments and wondered what the hell I was doing. I'm hoping when I start sewing again it will all go back to normal…right?? Oh god.
To mark the Olympics starting today, oh you didn't know? look at these tea towels! They are a collaboration between Custhom and Anthropologie, I can't decide which one I like best, possibly the yellow diving one but then I'm a sucker for that lovely mustard shade.
I have also seriously neglected my sewing the past few weeks and last night I thought enough is enough, I need to get back on track. For some motivation I looked at my previously made bags and had one of those 'these aren't good enough' moments and wondered what the hell I was doing. I'm hoping when I start sewing again it will all go back to normal…right?? Oh god.
To mark the Olympics starting today, oh you didn't know? look at these tea towels! They are a collaboration between Custhom and Anthropologie, I can't decide which one I like best, possibly the yellow diving one but then I'm a sucker for that lovely mustard shade.
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Hot hot hot air balloon
Way back at the beginning of June, when the weather was half way to resembling summer (I promise, when the rain sorts itself out and goes away and then the sun makes an appearance, I will stop with all this weather talk) I made a hot air balloon bag which I wasn't overly keen on. I mean, it was ok, just didn't have that pizzazz (?) that I was hoping for. I don't really know what pizzazz is, but the bag certainly didn't have it.
So I went away and came up with a new design, just like that. Cause when you don't like something, just make it better. So here it is, a vintage style hot air balloon.
Isn't she pretty?
I used two different colours, yes TWO. It was a tough decision to add in another colour but I think it makes the ropes stand alone instead of moulding into the balloon.
I also ventured away from the trusty split stitch and included stem stitch for the ropes, they look like actual ropes, amazing!
I hope you like it, this week I'm hoping to try it out in a different colour.
This has pizzazz.
So I went away and came up with a new design, just like that. Cause when you don't like something, just make it better. So here it is, a vintage style hot air balloon.
Isn't she pretty?
I also ventured away from the trusty split stitch and included stem stitch for the ropes, they look like actual ropes, amazing!
I hope you like it, this week I'm hoping to try it out in a different colour.
This has pizzazz.
Sunday 8 July 2012
Sew Inspiring #10
I have spent a large amount of my (working)
week lusting over clothes that I wish I owned because the beautiful models make
me believe I will look exactly like them in the picture. I will, right? Right??
I was impressed to see how many embroidered
items there are in the high street shops, obviously they won't be hand
embroidered- well I would hope they aren't employing someone to hand embroider
hundreds of thousands of flowers onto dresses at a cost of about £28....but you
never know nowadays.
I have
included a round up of all my favourite bits I have come across, with click
through links so then we can all look like those pretty pretty models!
I had to include this top otherwise it would have been cute summer dress overload.
Mmmmm dreamy!
Thursday 5 July 2012
Sew organised
So far, this week hasn't been the best. I mentioned briefly in my last post about a leaky roof, well since then we've had ALL the rain coming through our ceiling which doesn't seem to want to let up, at all. Mix that with family visiting this weekend means one very stressed out and pissed off lady (not about my family visiting, those guys are ok!)
On a brighter note, I have bought an embroidery thread organiser, yes you heard right. Its taken me a few days to get it sorted but now its ready to be used it looks too pretty to…I guess I will just have to keep on top of replacing the thread…orr I could buy another…? One to use and one to sit and stare at. What? You don't sit and stare at your thread? Ok…me neither...
Before I bought this I kept all my thread in a tin, all colours just mixed in together without a care in the world. So when I was looking for a specific colour, I had to tip them all out and hunt through, a few threads were starting to knot together and was beginning to look like a big dready mess.
This super cool box (don't let anyone tell you other wise) gets rid of this problem and makes looking for a colour so much easier and dread free. Im all about making things easier however the rain clearly likes to make things harder *sigh*
Anyway, if you want one of these I bought mine off Amazon but it might be nice to try your local sewing shop first.
On a brighter note, I have bought an embroidery thread organiser, yes you heard right. Its taken me a few days to get it sorted but now its ready to be used it looks too pretty to…I guess I will just have to keep on top of replacing the thread…orr I could buy another…? One to use and one to sit and stare at. What? You don't sit and stare at your thread? Ok…me neither...
This super cool box (don't let anyone tell you other wise) gets rid of this problem and makes looking for a colour so much easier and dread free. Im all about making things easier however the rain clearly likes to make things harder *sigh*
Anyway, if you want one of these I bought mine off Amazon but it might be nice to try your local sewing shop first.
Sunday 1 July 2012
Two scoops
Remember when I made an ice cream bag? London was sunny and I was feeling the summer mood, excited for the lovely weather that was ahead, planning long walks and weekends in the sun...well...it didn't last long.
Since those two lovely lovely days we have had torrential rain (which has brought a leaky roof), hurricane style winds possible exaggeration and constant cloud cover.
BUT, trying to stay positive, I am holding out for a good July and August so I stitched up another ice cream bag to get me back in the summer spirit.
This time I only stitched 3 ice creams on and I think it looks pretty cool. Now we just need the weather to go with it, hurry up sun!
Since those two lovely lovely days we have had torrential rain (which has brought a leaky roof), hurricane style winds possible exaggeration and constant cloud cover.
This time I only stitched 3 ice creams on and I think it looks pretty cool. Now we just need the weather to go with it, hurry up sun!
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Sew Inspiring #9
Time seems to be running away from me recently, I feel like no sooner I get home from work and start sewing its time to go to bed! Im thinking I may have to start sewing in my sleep to get everything done...
The other day I came across this project called 365 Lucky Days the idea is
'One hand embroidered art work will be created with love each and everyday for one year'
I enjoyed looking back through her Flickr set of all the pieces she has created so far. I love the use of vintage fabrics and the scenes she creates, really inspiring!
I also have to mention this post that appeared in my reader from Too Crewel guest blogging at Wild Olive.
Liesi whipped up this little bag so she can embroider on the go without losing all her thread and pins, what a lovely idea!
I think I will have to make myself one of these now I have a new found love for public embroidering!
Saturday 23 June 2012
Pretty in pink knots
Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking of new ideas for my Etsy shop (that WILL be opening in the not toooo distant future, honest!) as I want a variety of items to sell, so far I have a few bag designs (which I love!) and not much else so I decided to try out a pattern on a cushion.
For my first cushion I gave the french knot design which I first tried out here a go. Doing this pattern on a bigger scale was quite difficult as I would sometimes get carried away and do too many close together and have to unpick a few. If you have never tried the french knot I would recommend giving it a go, its quite therapeutic when you get into it!
For the cushion I used the full 6 strands of the floss compared to just 4 last time - I honestly have to say they do look more defined using 6 and seem to cover a slightly larger area -which is much better for bigger pieces!
I used 4 different colours in total; a dark magenta in the middle, a slightly lighter pink for the main bulk of the knots followed by a pastel pink and then finally a slightly tinted pink colour.
I really do love this cushion, I think it will be great for adding a bit of colour to someones room - like you can see on our very blue and white bed above!
I'd love to hear what you all think about it...
Monday 18 June 2012
Public stitcher number 1
This weekend we took the train to the beautiful city of York to see two of our friends tie the knot. We had a lovely time catching up with old pals, we ate good food and danced the night away.
I wanted to show you these lovely framed cross stitch lyrics that were dotted around the room. The songs were played later on in the evening, what a nice idea!
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I also wanted to mention that for the train journey I took some sewing that needed doing. This was the first time I had ever stitched in public so was feeling a bit nervous about it. I was hoping we would get our own little two seater area so I could sit next to the window and hide from peeping eyes but we ended up with a table reservation for the whole carriage to see!
Rightly so I had nothing to worry about, I stitched away quite happily for most of the journey and only once did anyone say something… One of the lovely old dears sat opposite me asked me what I was sewing and that she thinks its wonderful that someone of my age is doing embroidery. I asked if she stitched any more but she said not, although she used to and she misses it- Im really hoping she will pick up a needle and thread this week! So my first time public stitching was a very nice one indeed!
Do you regularly sew in public? I'd be interested to know if you have had any good/bad comments?
If you're interested in what I was sewing, it was one of the sea-scape bags I talked about here, having a stocked Etsy shop is getting closer…!
I wanted to show you these lovely framed cross stitch lyrics that were dotted around the room. The songs were played later on in the evening, what a nice idea!
.JPG)
I also wanted to mention that for the train journey I took some sewing that needed doing. This was the first time I had ever stitched in public so was feeling a bit nervous about it. I was hoping we would get our own little two seater area so I could sit next to the window and hide from peeping eyes but we ended up with a table reservation for the whole carriage to see!
Rightly so I had nothing to worry about, I stitched away quite happily for most of the journey and only once did anyone say something… One of the lovely old dears sat opposite me asked me what I was sewing and that she thinks its wonderful that someone of my age is doing embroidery. I asked if she stitched any more but she said not, although she used to and she misses it- Im really hoping she will pick up a needle and thread this week! So my first time public stitching was a very nice one indeed!
Do you regularly sew in public? I'd be interested to know if you have had any good/bad comments?
If you're interested in what I was sewing, it was one of the sea-scape bags I talked about here, having a stocked Etsy shop is getting closer…!
Wednesday 13 June 2012
Sew Inspiring #8
This week I have been catching up on some on going sewing projects that I have been neglecting but they are STILL not finished so I wanted to share some peoples work that have caught my eye whilst I should be working...
Sally Nencini is one seriously talented lady. She creates bespoke upholstery and knits which are all beautiful! I have included a few items that have caught my eye from her website but I recommend you head on over to her Etsy site and snap something up. The toys are so cute and the cushions are perfect, I wish I could get one of everything.
Best get back to catching up with my stitching!
Sally Nencini is one seriously talented lady. She creates bespoke upholstery and knits which are all beautiful! I have included a few items that have caught my eye from her website but I recommend you head on over to her Etsy site and snap something up. The toys are so cute and the cushions are perfect, I wish I could get one of everything.
I found Erin Dollar's work on Etsy and after looking through her blog found these lovely abstract embroidery landscapes. I really love the simple clean colours on the materials she uses, such a lovely idea!
Best get back to catching up with my stitching!
Sunday 10 June 2012
Stitchetables
This past week has been filled with lots of fun, as well as the celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee it was my boyfriends 30th birthday. We took the week off work and went to visit family and friends and had an amazing time! These 3 pictures perfectly sum up our week...
Because of all the excessive cake eating I haven't got round to doing much sewing this week but I did manage to finish this vegetable bag which is a gift for a family members birthday.
I used the design from the second bag I made but altered it slightly. One side has summer vegetables (rhubarb, corn on the cob, asparagus etc) and the other side has winter veg (carrots, squash and leek etc) which means it can be used all year round.
I hope they like it!
Monday 4 June 2012
Sew Inspiring #7
Its not often that something catches my eye enough to make me completely stop what I am doing and give 100% of my attention to. But when I came across miss lila mae's work, I let out a little gasp and put the TV on mute so I could sit and stare without being interrupted.
Her freeform embroidery is so beautiful I am finding it difficult to put into words.
I love the colours she uses, they work so well together and really compliment each other, I feel myself getting so drawn in.
Just look at those beautiful detailed flowers!
When I find someone producing work like this, it makes me want to be better and learn more - this is why I love embroidery so much, it has many talented people producing work this amazing.
Friday 1 June 2012
A load of hot air
Sometimes, things don't work out the way you imagined them to. This week I have been working on a new design, which when I imagined it in my head, looked like the best design EVER.
I was on the train home last week and I saw a girl wearing a lovely scarf with tiny hot air balloons on it, so I go home and start sketching hot air balloons to fit on a bag. The drawing looks pretty good so I transfer it to a bag and start stitching - first I use a range of different colours which I quickly decide I am crazy for and unpick everything and choose a singular red/pink colour.
After I finished I didn't get that feeling I usually get when I have just finished stitching something. I normally feel excited and like I could take over the world one stitch at a time but this made me feel…flat.
I didn't particularly like it nor dislike it. To be honest, I think it is just quite a dull drawing and needs a lot of improving.
So back to the drawing board I go. You win some, you lose some.
Don't you love the size of this bag though? I think my seascape design would look perfect on this!
I was on the train home last week and I saw a girl wearing a lovely scarf with tiny hot air balloons on it, so I go home and start sketching hot air balloons to fit on a bag. The drawing looks pretty good so I transfer it to a bag and start stitching - first I use a range of different colours which I quickly decide I am crazy for and unpick everything and choose a singular red/pink colour.
After I finished I didn't get that feeling I usually get when I have just finished stitching something. I normally feel excited and like I could take over the world one stitch at a time but this made me feel…flat.
I didn't particularly like it nor dislike it. To be honest, I think it is just quite a dull drawing and needs a lot of improving.
So back to the drawing board I go. You win some, you lose some.
Don't you love the size of this bag though? I think my seascape design would look perfect on this!
Tuesday 29 May 2012
A right royal stitch up
This weekend coming, the Queen and the rest of the country will be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee - not that you needed reminding!
Here in London there is bunting everywhere and I am excited to take a walk down The Mall one night this week to see the final preparations taking place. I thought I would share with you the Jubilee inspired stitchings that have caught my eye...
Lovely cross stitch crown by Delilah from What Delilah Did, you should also check out her other designs, they are really cute!
And finally, Riverdrift House have created this eye catching Diamond Jubilee Sample Cross Stich kit. This pattern certainly makes me want to give cross stitching a go!
Here in London there is bunting everywhere and I am excited to take a walk down The Mall one night this week to see the final preparations taking place. I thought I would share with you the Jubilee inspired stitchings that have caught my eye...
Lovely cross stitch crown by Delilah from What Delilah Did, you should also check out her other designs, they are really cute!
Picture from What Delilah Did
This adorable spring bird by Catherine from Bumpkin bears & friends
Picture from Bumpkin bears & friends
Beautiful cross stitch cushion by the very talented Emma Bridgewater - I often find myself swooning over her creations
Picture from The Making Spot
If you fancy making something yourself, book a class at Sew Over It where they will teach you how to embroidery this memorable tea towel
Picture from Sew Over It
And finally, Riverdrift House have created this eye catching Diamond Jubilee Sample Cross Stich kit. This pattern certainly makes me want to give cross stitching a go!
Picture from Riverdrift House
I hope you have lots of celebrations planned for the extra extra long weekend!
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