New Pipe Dream Patterns sewing project: My Sew Called Sweater

It’s April and with having a week off, I’d quite like to spend this time getting back into my sewing groove! I had started some children’s sewing projects last year (see here, here and here) after the sewing and crafting plenty for our 2015 wedding (you can see the full details of my projects here). Afterwards I believe I burned myself out and with my excitement to try to sew all sorts of things babies and expecting parents would need last year.

One of the first things that piqued my interest in sewing again was when I discovered Pipe Dream Patterns, a fledgling indie pattern company working towards creating comfortable wardrobe staples with fun style lines to help you explore your own creativity with colours and textiles.

DIY tutorial: children’s Christmas faux fur blanket

Making stuff for the little ones has been a lot of fun and I can’t wait to hear what my friends with children think of what I’ve made their wee ones! A project that I really enjoyed was making children’s faux fur blankets because 1) it’s important during these cooler days and nights and children catching a cold is definitely not something you want to happen, and 2) it’s so easy to make. If you’re still thinking of last minute Christmas gifts, this will be a perfect, easy and quick project to whip up in a jiffy!

Baby sewing tutorial: hooded towel and wash cloth set

I’ve been working laboriously last week while I was on leave from work to try and catch up with baby sewing projects. I’ve managed to get all the pieces cut out and I’m looking to get baby blankets sewn during the week. I’ll hopefully have a quick tutorial on making blankets (for babies and adults!) up on my blog soon for you!

For now, as you’ll probably have realised from my last few posts (here and here), I’ve got a few friends who are mothers to wee humans or are expecting. I collated a series of tutorials for easy sewing projects for babies here which I’m working through, and one project that I figured I’d get done is a hooded towel.

Makers and Friends workshop: saying it in wire

I’ve been told a lot by friends and family how impressed they are that I make my own garments (see here) or made my own jewellery (here). I’ve mentioned to various interested individuals that it’s a skill that’s easily picked up once you know the basics, but I still get quite a few disbelieving looks. Luckily, I was recently contacted by Makers & Friends about attending a wire workshop that shows you just how simple some jewellery and craft projects can be.

My first baby sewing tutorial: So Sew Easy burp cloths

After a lot of deliberating about fabric choices for several baby sewing projects (see the ones I’ve thinking about here), I finally got started on the burp cloth project.

Using So Sew Easy’s perfect burp cloth pattern (download here) I’ve finally made a set for one friend who’s expecting. I’ve still to make another set for a friend who gave birth to her baby boy a couple months ago though!

Updates on my cut out back dress: how to machine sew a buttonhole

I bought a vintage pattern for making a cut out back dress a while ago but I never had the chance to really use it. I hadn’t found the right fabric for the dress I had in mind (see my previous post with inspirations here).

When I did finally find fabric that I really liked, I didn’t hesitate to buy it online. The only issue was it was in quite see through printed chiffon fabric. With the cut out back dress, I would definitely need a lining, but I would also need to work out the logistics on how to hide the sewing on the seams.

An unexpected surprise: sewing ideas for the wee ones

If you haven’t already guessed from the subject above, I’m excited about a new baby! I’m sorry to disappoint, but it’s not me that’s expecting. I’m not sure if we’re really at the stage where we want to start expanding our family just yet, but a friend had mentioned she and her husband are expecting and I couldn’t be happier for them! Of course, when I mentioned it to the OH, he suggested that I could sew for the new baby and for the baby boy of friends of ours who was born earlier in the year.

DIY phone case tutorial: customising your phone, your way!

I’ve been using an official BlackBerry nappa leather sleeve for my new Priv (my own review of the phone here) since I started using it, but there’s something about putting my own touch to my phone cases that I like. When new BlackBerry devices come out, it seems it takes much longer for cases to be designed compared to, say, Samsung Galaxy phones and iPhones. I previously customised a case for my Z10 with a Hello Kitty Batman vinyl sticker (see it here) so I decided to do the same with my Priv.

Appreciating The Silversmith’s Art: Made in Britain Today

The art of silversmithing has never been truly appreciated by the general public. Unless you go behind the scenes and understand the process designers and silversmiths go through to create their unique pieces of art in their own studios, most look at a precious metal piece of art or jewellery and frown upon the price tag. Having attended silver jewellery making classes, I can understand how much time and effort goes into hammering, sawing, filing, etching, or any other silversmithing method, a wire or sheet to get to the end result. The Silversmith’s Art: Made in Britain Today exhibition does exactly that: give the general public an insight into The Goldsmiths’ Company’s collection of commissioned items over the last 15 years.

DIY tutorial: the pleated tea party dress

A while back, I had the idea to sew a pleated dress. I felt that the grey tartan fabric was slightly too formal (more work or business appropriate) and I needed a dress to wear for a friend’s wedding over the weekend. I had bought other fabric on Etsy and decided to start using the Chinese blossom watercolour print cotton I bought especially for this dress.