Wednesday 25 September 2013

Sewing Social

Hello lovely people who read my blog (if that is in fact anyone because I do assume I am talking to thin air) 


It has been a while since we last spoke, mainly because my blog hasn't found it's feet yet. I never really know what to blog about and what anyone would want to read. Anyway I'm gonna keep trying and moving forward... 



I recently took part in #sewingsocial on Twitter and LOVED IT basically its a twitter conversation where you chat about the subject of choice and answer questions whilst engaging with other like minded by people using the hastag. This was hosted by Tilly from The great sewing bee and It was brilliant. This was the first one of these I had done and it was so much fun that the hour flew by. I asked the crowd if anyone had any sewing blogs to send me their links and OMG did I get some fab blogs. I think I must have been sent about 12 blogs and I made sure to favourite each one so I could go back and read them all later, which I did. It was so nice to see lovely little blogs where people were just showing you things they had made and that they were proud of doing so. With a throw away culture nowadays its sad to see the obsession with "hauls" on YT and blogs all the time because everyone wants new things. Why not upcycle and recycle something you already have!! Or swap barter and hunt in charity shops for something you can make your own. So stemming from this I am now obsessed with Sewing/upcycle/craft blogs! And I think this may have a big impact on where my blog goes from now on.



So following of from that sewing social I discovered HUNDREDS of free patterns and tutorials online for sewing things. I decided to start simple and try making some bits and bobs. This was also fuelled by the fact we got a new sewing machine Bernina 1008 and boy is she a beauty!! So let me show you what little things I have created this month!  



So the first thing I made on Bernie (most original name for a Bernina ever!!) was this make up bag for a friends birthday present. It is made in a Macaroon 100% cotton fabric which was £4.95/mtr from Fabric Land. Its a very lovely fabric I love the pattern and I am obsessed with thicker cotton fabrics which this is. 




 
I hope you like the "view" from my window luckily mother is very green fingered so we have a gorgeous little garden! 
Oh and she loved the bag just in case you wondered :)

The second bag I just made for the sake of it. Not a clue what to do with it yet or whom to give it to but hey it was fun. It is the same method as the first bag you just don't pinch in the corners to make it boxy. Very simple indeed and there are loads of tutorials on how to make these style bags. 
This fabric was from C&H Fabrics and was £9.99/mtr and once again is a 100% heavier cotton. They also do this in a cream version which I spotted today, so I am holding off until their 25% off sales they do a few times a year. 
I also lined both of the bags with Calico which is in a cream colour and has light grey flecks in it. This is a very study fabric and means that you can use light weigh cottons for the outer fabric and bulk them out with this as a lining. I personally love it. You could use an oilcoth fabric on the inside to ensure the bag is protected from spills and mishaps but I haven't picked any up yet. 
The most time consuming part of making these two lovely bags was hand sewing in the lining. I chose a ladder stitch to do this and it makes the hand sewing undetectable by eye which I love. I personally prefer to hand sew the lining in as it means you can position it perfectly and it really finishes off the piece. There are tutorials how to sew the lining in by machine but I find the seams get rather bulky! But this is personal choice really and depends if you've got the time to sit there and stitch away by hand.

What do you think of my sewing efforts so far?! and what have you been making??
xoxo

1 comments:

Arlene said...

Hey Chic U go Girl! Really good read and ur makeup bags r great! Keep on Blogging!!! :+)x

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