Sew Grateful: Sewing Project

As I hinted at yesterday, my latest sewing projects have been some Deer and Doe plantain tops.

I desperately needed a plain navy and plain black top so, with the left over fabric from my leggings, I set to work!

This is a great, simple pattern and each top took less than an hour to make, a nice quick fix! I made the black slightly longer than the navy which was lucky because I didn't prewash the fabric and they shrunk, lengthways, after the first wash. Oops. Luckily they are still wearable.

Lesson learnt about prewashing now though :)

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Sew Grateful: Resources

Today's Sew Grateful topic is sharing resources / tutorials.


I have a few tutorials on the blog, one day I will sort them so there are links on the Tutorials Page, but my two most popular are:

Snow White Dress, and,

 and recycling a tie.


As for my favourite free pattern on the Internet, that has to be the Deer and Doe Plantain. More on that tomorrow!!

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Sew Grateful: Reflections

Debi's instructions for today's post are:

 "Reflections Day. This is the day to reflect on the role sewing has played in our lives, reflecting on those who have been supportive in our journey and reflecting on what the online community means to us!  What are you sew grateful for?"

Ok, here goes... 

My Mum and Grandma, Christmas 2006

I am sew grateful for my amazing family. I have been very lucky to have grown up surrounded by sewers and knitters. My late Grandma was a brilliant, very talented, seamstress. She loved sewing but unfortunately in her later years couldn't sew because of severe arthritis in her hands. 

My Mum also sews (I doubt she could have lived with my Grandma and not picked up a wee bit of the sewing bug) and is always there to answer silly questions or cast an (sometimes rather harsh) eye over my creations. She is not a sewing addict, yet, but I think once she retires things might change...

I didn't properly start sewing until I had little e 5.5 years ago, a year after my Grandma died. I know she would have been delighted that I took up the family hobby! I used my Grandma's machine at first then my Mum bought me a new one 3 years ago for my 30th birthday.

I am also sew grateful for all the very talented bloggers out there who are an inspiration. I have learnt a lot from the online sewing community and it has definitely broadened my sewing horizons. It is nice to know I am not alone in this hobby, especially when my real life friends are not at all crafty! Special thanks to Helen and Vanessa who always have nice words to say and supportive comments to make, and all the other Scottish Blogger Meet-Up ladies who are as nice in real life as they are on their blogs :)

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Sew Grateful Giveaway Day!

It's giveaway day!

 Up for grabs is a wooden bobbin necklace, threaded with whatever colour thread you want, on a Sterling Silver chain.

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere, just leave a comment and you will be entered. If you would like to follow me that would be fab!

Giveaway closes on Sunday the 2nd March at 8pm UK time.

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8/52

Big E: making 2 lego movie minifigs kiss of course! (amidst total and utter chaos)

little e: In her favourite place, producing another masterpiece! Also utter chaos!

Try as I might, no photos from this weekend were mess free, I didn't think having no utility room at the moment would have such disastrous consequences on the rest of the house...

Joining in with Jodi again for the 52 project.

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A Crafty Room Clear Out!

My wee room in the house is affectionately known as the crafty room and is often (always) in a terrible mess! Often you can't actually see  much carpet and things are moved from desk to desk depending on what I am doing!

It has been tidy in the past but unfortunately I can't throw things out and keep accumulating stuff... It needed dealt with or I would have been one step from applying to one of those hoarders TV programmes!

I could only face taking one before photo - the chaotic book case. Imagine the rest of the room in chaos with stuff on every surface..

It took about 8 hours but I got there. I started with the bookcase...

then on to the scrap and small fabric stash

The keep piles

The Recycle pile...!!

 

Now all my scraps and small bits to keep fit in one drawer and the main cupboard is kind of sorted - still far too full though...

I then dug out my desks and sorted everything else.

Every drawer, basket and tub has been emptied and sorted. I couldn't believe how much card and paper stuff I had been hoarding, I got rid of a full large Ikea bag of card and paper to recycle!

Amongst the chaos I found a few treasures I had forgotten about

A box of very old lace and trims. This came from my Great Aunts house and I think it was originally from my Great Granny. I have no idea what I will do with them or if it is even possible to get them white again but they are now safely wrapped in paper waiting for a use.

I also found my little chaffinch in her nest

I made this years ago and it hung in the dining room of the old house. One day she will be promoted from the crafty room but for now she is keeping me company.

Now, if only the rest of the house looked like this but as the Utility room and downstairs loo have been demolished so we can start renovating that is unlikely for a while anyway.

Linking to some of these fab linky parties.

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The Worst Jeans Pattern Ever!

 
This pattern and some lovely heavy weight navy cord had been lingering in my stash for about 3 years waiting for me to shrink. Well, my showers are obviously not hot enough because minimal shrinkage has happened so I bit the bullet and just made them.

They should have been easy. The instructions were fairly clear and they looked pretty simple...

Famous last words. Luckily I made a muslin first because, after cutting out (in a size Large which my measurements were closest to) and sewing the leg seams, I realised that they were enormous. I decided to cut them the size smaller.

The medium waist was a good fit but the rest was awful.

Here is a run down of what was wrong:

 - The legs were massive, I took an additional half inch off the hips and about 2 inches from each leg, in fact I ended up drawing round my favourite jeans and just sewing that leg shape.

- The zip specified was about an inch shorter than the fly... If I had actually sewn a bigger zip though it would have been far too long!

- The rise at the front is really high and I am high waisted so I dread to think how high it would be on a normal shaped person.

Somewhere in the many sewing and trimming episodes I twisted the left leg. I unpicked it again but could not get it to be straight. It is not too noticeable and the thought of unpicking the bleeping legs again might actually break me!
 

Grumpy face is covering my grumpy face, such a bad mood this morning!

Unfortunately the fabric attracts fluff like crazy - this is what they looked like after a days wear...!

Can anyone recommend a good (non skinny) jeans pattern? This one has gone straight into the recycling!

Linking to some of these linky parties!

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7/52

Changeable is an accurate word for the weather here at the moment...!

Joining in with Jodi again for the 52 project.

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Wedding Invitations

I delivered these special invitations to my friend today, how appropriate that she gets her wedding invitations on Valentine's Day, totally not planned!

I am so glad to have finished them, I hate having deadlines hanging over me!

The next invitation order I have is for my best friend from school who is getting married in September (and I am a bridesmaid!) This time the invites are her wedding pressie and are a lot simpler than these ones, phew!

Back soon to show you my new cords, made from possibly the worst jeans pattern ever....

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6/52

Big E: Helping with the Demolition of the downstairs toilet!

little e: Doing Grandma's hair!!

 Joining in with Jodi again for the 52 project.

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A Super Saturday!

Last Saturday I went to my first ever Blogger's meet up. We met in a very rainy Glasgow and went to Mandors (where we were served by Hazel) then on to The Butterfly and Pig for lunch (which was lovely, especially the cake!)

There were 10 of us there:
Debi of My Happy Sewing Place
Elaine of What Diana Did Next
 Elise of Foof & Faff
 Franca of Oranges & Apples
 Helen of Grosgrain Green
 Katy of I, of the needle
Katy of The Littlest Thistle
Kerry of Kestrel Makes
Vanessa of Nessa's Place.

It was great to spend a day but I managed to not take one photo...oops. Vanessa , Kerry,  Elaine and Franca have all written posts with actual photos of the day though!


Special thanks to Kerry to arranged it all, I look forward to the next one with hopefully less rain :)

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Homemade Granola

yummy with plain yogurt

I have been meaning to make this granola recipe for ages.

 I finally got round to it last week, it made about half a large freezer bag and my only issue with it is that it is very cinnamony (I may have misread the recipe though...), I will have to try and remember to add less the next time!

Now to try and wean the kids off processed cereals and convert them to this, wish me luck :)

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5/52

little e: At Ballet Parents Day

Big E: It's all about the Lego

Joining in with Jodi again for the 52 project.

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