New Sewing Class Venue

Starting on Tuesday 13th September, I will be moving my sewing classes to Penistone.

I have secured a beautiful bright room with plenty of plug sockets and work space in St John's Community Centre, Church Street in Penistone.  It is the IT room, if you go in the entrance on the left (with the large ramp), go into the main hall and take the first door on the left, numbered room 1.  At the same time Slimming World will be running, so the caretakers will have put some screens up to separate the two classes.  There is ample car parking, I have secured a boiler for us and I will bring tea and coffee.  

Hope you can come, all abilities are welcome and is a great place to be with like minded people.

Time on my hands

I am definitely someone who can't sit still.  Friday was my washing day this week, and I always go into my work room on these days.  But I hadn't got anything ready to make.  So, time to look through my scraps.  I found the left overs of my Yorkshire Sayings material.

First of all I made a cushion for hubby.

A couple of weeks ago I bought Simplicity Pattern 1153, and made view A, a tote bag.  I do like this and I will be using it to take my lunch to work.

In a couple of hours I made two things from scraps and it all cost me nothing.

Emerald Green Dress

The Emerald Green "Silk" I bought in India has been made up into a beautiful dress.

The pattern I used was New Look K6723, the material I bought in India and from Minerva Crafts I bought the lining, zip, buckle and thread making a total cost of about £45.00.

The fabric proved tricky to work with and it was fraying as I breathed.  So I actually made it up in 5 days, not giving it time to fray.  Sewing was mainly done on working days and sitting down for a couple of hours a day. Not easy when you work 12 hour shifts.  In total (including making a toile) it took me 8 hours to make.  so how they do it on Great British Sewing Bee in 6 hours I don't know!

My one regret with it, is that I bought some black interlining, but didn't use it.  The skirt is too light and I need to look at the waist again.  I am thinking of taking it in at the waist and putting some petersham in there to give the waist some substance.

I wore it last Wednesday at one of my sewing classes and it was very comfy and I shall definitely be wearing it again.

Now to make my 50's petticoat.

Cowl Neck Dress

This dress I eventually made from the book, "Sew Many Dresses sew little time" by Tanya Whelan.

This is not a very flattering photograph of me in the dress.

I really enjoyed the process of drafting the pattern and the fit is lovely.  As the material has got some lycra in it, it is really comfortable.

The material is Blue Parasol from Stitch Fabrics and I bought 3m at a cost of £30.00.

A truly unique dress, so pleased!

Paying for my time

I sew and I love to sew.  If I see something I like and want and I can make it, I will.  

My sewing started when I was very young (3 or 4 years old), my mum and grandma sewed and therefore so did I.  At first it was just things or clothes for dolly, but I soon started making clothes for me.  My mum made my clothes and I sort of rebelled, because I wanted to wear more "modern" clothes and something different to my sister.

It was the early 1970's and clothes were expensive - everything was expensive.  I remember my mum crying because she had bought 5lb of potatoes and inside her bag (you went to the greengrocers with your string bag) was a large pebble.  She had just bought a very expensive pebble and to top it all we wouldn't have enough potatoes for the week.  Anyway - we could only dream of buying clothes off the peg and apart from C&A, Woolworths and BHS, there wasn't much choice.  Grandma was great, she made all our best clothes and even bought us clothes from Marks and Spencers.  She worked at S R Gents, who made clothes for Marks and Spencers, so had contacts.

In my teens I started making clothes for me, one off items.  There were plenty of fabric shops and lots to choose from.  I saved my pocket money and bought wisely.  It never occurred to me to make clothes for other people.  

But over the past thirty years or so I have been asked to make clothes for people and I have always refused.  Or I have been honest and told them how much it would cost.  Many brides-to-be ask me to make their bridesmaid dresses.  I'm sure they think I am cheap and are very surprised when my quote is far more than their off the peg wedding dress.  

One of the biggest costs is my labour, but material can only be bought in small quantities and therefore don't have the bulk price that the manufacturers can buy at.  My labour charge is £15 an hour and add to that the cost of consumables and electricity etc.  I am just too expensive.

In my last post I showed you one of the aprons I made

I posted the picture on Facebook as it was of interest to my friends.  Not all my makes go on Facebook because I like my friends to guess what I have made.

Well a neighbour say the apron and wanted one for her Dad.  She asked me if I would make one and said there was no rush as she didn't need it until August.  I never really answered her at the time, I never do, just changed the subject.  The material is from The Little Button Co and they also sell the aprons.  I know I have made one, but it was for my own use and a "gift" for my mum.  I say "gift" because she paid me for the material.  The material for one apron costs £18.  They sell their aprons for £18.  I know my neighbour would buy one off me for £25, as I guess she thinks she is doing me a favour.  But I should confess and say that I would be in breach of copyright and get her to buy one from The Little Button Co. 

My husband appreciates what I make and loves the quirky things I make him and as for my mum, how many aprons would pay for all the times she has wiped my bum, nose or blooded knee?

This weeks makes

This week I have managed to finish four items.

From the material I bought in India I have finished one of the dresses and a scarf.  Just as the weather is turning warm and the hope of summer is in the air.

Before cutting out the pattern pieces I didn't check the width of the sleeves.  They are too narrow for me to get my arms in and the shoulders end up just above my elbows.  I haven't got fat arms, but it was a pattern I hadn't tried before.  How many times do I tell my students to measure twice?  So I will be taking the sleeves out and having a sleeveless dress.  I don't have any spare material to make anymore sleeves.  I love how the material has been printed giving a beautiful border around the bottom.

If you are wondering what Neve is up to at the moment and how big she is, you can just see one of her paws in the above picture.  But here she is in full.  

The window behind her is my sewing room, and on sunny days she loves to lie on the table and watch me through the window.  I have even had the window open a couple of times and she puts her head through and falls asleep.  

I hemmed the scarf material, not much of a boast, but here it is.

This week some material I ordered came.  From The Little Button Co, it is upholstery weight cotton covered in Yorkshire sayings.  Check them out, they have some lovely gifts and fabric for sale.  This photograph was taken after I had washed it at 60 degs and it had no colour runs and was easy to iron.

So far I have made two aprons, but I only managed to take a photograph of one because my mum took hers before I could photograph it.

From the left over material I hope to make a couple of flat caps, one for me and hubby and a cushion cover.

What to give my Mum for her birthday

Here's the dilemma:

For her birthday I normally either make my mum something or I give her a present of something she can make.  But this year, whilst on holiday, I bought her a jacket she liked.

I have seen people making appliqué cards and wondered how hard it could be.  So I had a go and here it is - 

For my first attempt, I don't think this is bad.  The writing I think could be better, but that comes with practise.

I know she will like it.  What Mum doesn't like anything her children make?