Catching Up Part 3. AKA I love Charity Shops

It feels like another life now when I was working in the media in London. I spent years working in Soho with daily easy access to some of arguably the best retail outlets the world can offer. Now the only local shops in the village I work in seem to be the Post Office (always handy), a cake shop, a chemist, a newsagent and about five charity shops.

The charity shops are amazing. The other week I found a huge collection of sewing notions including lots of zips, brand new thread and some things dating back to the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s when things were pre decimalisation and post decimalisation but when the half p still existed. I bought the lot for about £2. I do wonder about who it all belonged to. What she bought the various bits for. What she made. What the shops were like where she bought the things. I’m sure though ultimately anyone owning sewing things doesn’t generally like to see things wasted so would prefer her old notions get used in some project of mine rather than going in to landfill

V pleased to find boilproof knicker elastic in my charity shop notions haul. I almost never want to use it as the packaging is so lovely

Charity shop sewing notions haul

Amazing cotton shirt from charity shop

The Jermyn Street cotton shirt I debated over getting for a few days. It was so beautifully tailored and, given I was planning on cutting it up plus my dressmaking skills are very much at a beginner level, it seemed wrong to buy it if someone else may wear it as it was but it seems it was destined for my dressmaking shears. It was sewn with French seams throughout and the cotton is so soft and drapes so beautifully, it’s a total bargain at a couple of pounds for a metre plus of fabric. And in order to make something worthy of the fabric and original tailoring, I guess it’s time I tackled a French seam. I did say I’d get onto talking about them eventually although next up is to share my attempts at patchwork curtains…

Catching Up Part 2.

Now this is the part where I just upload whatever photos I have of some past makes to vaguely catch up to the present where I start to get all excited about French seams. I know… I can barely wait for that bit myself but first the photos…

Beads everywhere making charm bracelets with the girls

Smallest daughter’s bracelet

Eldest daughter’s bracelet where she learnt wire wrapping

There was some sewing too of various items including cushions, appliquéing owls onto towels (as you do), more drawstring bags and I thought I’d brave an attempt at some patchwork to try to bust my fabric stash.

Swimming bags for the girls for school. I got a bit carried away and made matching smaller bags for their goggles/swim hats.

I love making book covers especially with strong graphic bold prints

Who can resist the cuteness of cat beads?

A couple of the items resulting from my weakness at resisting purchasing the cat beads…

This necklace was inspired by a ceramic creature necklace in a shop which was about £20. Being the collector/hoarder that I am, I unearthed a squirrel from my childhood squirrel collection and glued him to a jump ring via a red ric rac necklace. Ta Da! Cute necklace win

Catching Up Part 1

Aaaaagh! I have massively neglected my poor old blog. There I was starting with all good intentions and then life ran away with me. I won’t be boring with too many details but in short there was a year with a minimum of 25 hours a week commuting and a slight change of career from print design to digital design which involved a pretty steep learning curve plus the usual hectic mum stuff.

I’ve now settled into my new job which is local (no more heinous commute) with a great team and have been devouring sewing blogs sort of like man vs food but more woman vs sewing blogs and it’s made me miss my blog. Also I really don’t want to annoy my non crafty friends on Facebook by bombarding their news feeds with my sewing shenanigans.

So to catch up… I’ve sewed a bit, taught myself to crochet and am starting to learn how to sew clothes. The crochet learning came from getting a free gift on Mollie Makes Magazine. Can I just pause there a minute to say… OMG – can you believe how many cool crafty mags have launched in the last couple of years??? Mollie Makes was one of the first but has blown open a whole new market for modern craft magazines. I still get excited when each new issue plops through my letterbox.

Thankyou YouTube for being there for the crochet learning. Also the book “Stitch ‘n Bitch Crochet. The Happy Hooker” by Debbie Stoller was amazing and full of clear diagrams and all the instructions I could ever need plus more on top in extra helpings.

My first ever granny square

So with a granny square or two under my belt of course I had to make a cute creature.