Sewing Me, Sewing You, Aha!

Sewing Me, Sewing You, Aha!

A blog post title that references Alan Partridge and Abba; such fun!  Sadly, I don't have any new sewing projects to show you, mostly due to a sick child hampering my progress over the last few days.  Now my curly girly is back at school, I can catch up on chores and get on with some sewing.  Hurrah!

In my first blog post, I wrote about the sewing machine that I brought a couple of years ago, that I was too scared to take out of it's box and hid for a month.  My very first experience of sewing was attending a sewing workshop in London, run by The Make Lounge.  It was an evening workshop and I made a cute little tote bag, whilst drinking wine and overcame my nerves about using a sewing machine.  It seems silly now, but the first time I cut into the fabric and completed my first hesitant line of stitches, it was liberating. Oh, and the glass of wine helped!  I went back twice more to make an A-line skirt and a slouchy jersey top.  I wear both items regularly, but haven't made myself anything since.

Over the last couple of years I have dabbled with making things as gifts and bits for my daughter.  A couple of dresses, a play tent, a skirt, aprons, a Harry Potter Hogwarts cape and an invisibility cloak (yes really!) to name a few.  Oh, and bunting, of course.  My favourite thing and possible the most tricky was this adorable red riding hood cape from the Oliver and S book, Little Things to Sew.  Even though the cloak is a tad small now, my curly girly still loves it.  It's lined with this adorable little fox fabric.  I'll talk more about Oliver and S at a later date, as I  love their sewing projects for children.

For the last two years I have made my sisters four daughters their Christmas presents.  Pyjama bottoms, bags and pretty hot water bottle covers for the big girls and dresses and aprons for the little ones.  This has been VERY STRESSFUL as I always leave it way too late to start (two weeks before Christmas).  There is a lovely feel good factor about making something for someone else, even if the seams are slightly wonky.  This pirate skirt was for my little girls birthday party last year.  I used very cheap fabric with this twirly skirt pattern.  Nothing special, just a cheap and cheerful dress up outfit.  

But now the time has come to take my sewing more seriously and I pledge to:

• sew every week
• bust my stash!
• make my own clothing
• not to be sewing Christmas presents on Christmas Eve!

Now I have told you this, I can't take it back, can I?  For anyone worried that I have a drug habit, the 'stash' I refer to is the fabric that I have accumulated over the last two years.  Nearly all of the fabric was a bargain in one way or another, but I need to get on and use it.  Like the 4 meters of soft denim type fabric I found for £8 in a charity shop and is ideal for bags, skirts and dresses.  

Thanks for reading and I am off to find an invisible zip to put into the skirt I have been meaning to make for an age.

GAL x