Gone To Earth

A little reading inspiration..

I love my craft books but magazines too can be a good source of inspiration.  They can spark all kinds of ideas.

 
 Inside this months Sewing World there are projects, lots of stuff to make, techniques to get to grips with, style updates.

 Flowery felt bag a project by Betty Barnden (Sewing World - September)

Amongst the articles on sewing Techniques, there are instructions for turning a pair of high waist trousers into hipsters and if you're not inspired by that, then why not have a go at designing your own jacket with the help of their Design series.

Each month Sewing World include a full size dress pattern and this month it is for a maxi-dress, just right for late summer parties.  There are patterns for dungarees for prem-babies and for the felt bag shown above.  So, lots of things to make.

There is a focus on the work of Emma Boyne a textile artist who uses vintage textiles and antique wooden print blocks to create some very stylish textile cushion and bag designs.

 

There is also a very interesting article on what to charge for clothes alterations.   

 

If you're more into patchwork, 'British Patchwork and Quilting' is probably already a familiar magazine to you.  This month it celebrates it's 200th issue.

 

There a lots of projects inside for you to get to grips with .  There is this foundation pieced rose cushion cover.

 

'Red, red Rose' A foundation pieced cushion cover'

There are instructions for making 'Sara's Bag'.

 

Nice shape

There are quilts to make and reviews of various exhibitions around the country.

There's also a sweet little activity book designed for children which is a double sided folding quilt to help you tell the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears... (part two of the project comes in next months' magazine.)

The three bears Activity book ... 

I love the Autumn Star project .... organza....embroidery... plus a soldering iron equals the most beautiful star shaped table mat.

 I think this fused applique probably has a lot more uses than just as a table mat... it's gorgeous.

Speak soon!

Sometimes all it takes....

Sometimes creating something pretty requires some gorgeous fabric.... and the simplest of designs. 

  

A simple envelope back cushion cover made from Amy Butler's Love Paradise Garden in Midnight.

And the back with a little binding (Sunspots) which picks up the turquoise dots....

... in the Paradise Garden fabric and emphasises the fact that the fabric pattern isn't meant to match precisely.  

Simple, bright, gorgeous and took less than an hour to make. 

Happy Sewing!

The year is turning...

Does that sounds a little pessimistic... I suppose it does.  But when you look around the berries are ripening, the harvest is nearly in, the birds are beginning to gather on the wires and the mornings have that still, quietness that signals that summer is passing into Autumn.

Another sign of the cooler days to come is that brushed cotton or flannel, if you prefer has begun to arrive in the shop.

 

Squares in Blossom  and Stones in Ocean
 

Just two so far but more will arrive soon.  These are both from Valori Wells Della Flannel Range.  Lively colours aren't they?   Want something comforting and cosy to curl up with on cool autumn evenings?  (!!) Then they'd make a lovely soft, snuggly backings for a quilt or a throw.   And how about a soft cuddly toy? 

If you're wondering about sewing for cooler days and evenings then this is a recent addition to the shop from Indygo Junction, The London Jacket.

or a waistcoat for a light extra layer...

I love the buttons on that design.

There is also the Simple Sleeved Shawl which can be made out of knitted fabric or wool if you prefer.

 

Then because at some point it will probably rain (Cheerful aren't I ? ), there is the Amy Butlers 'rainy days hooded raincoat and runabout jacket'

 

....and for children the  'Little Splashes hooded raincoat and runabout jacket' patterns.

 
Make them out of Laminated fabric for a waterproof outer layer or a use home decor weight fabric if you prefer for warmth and style.

Perfect to see you through the Autumn in style.

Go take a look...

Katy over at Imagingermonkey has been writing a series of posts about fabric shops... and today it's my turn.

I won't confuse you with pictures of pretty fabrics but you may find something over there that may help with your 'summer sewing' budget and it doesn't expire until the end of August. 

Thank you Katy.

The winner of the Small Stash Sewing

This is the 'Small Stash Sewing Book' written by Melissa Averinos.

 Thank you everyone for taking part in this giveaway and for popping in to say hello. 

It never seems very exciting using the Random Generator but as least it's fair.  This is what it came out with.

 Number 7, and the seventh comment was made by Ali of Craft Matters.

Congratulations, Ali.  Seven must be your lucky number.  If you'd like to e-mail me your address, I'll send this lovely book off to you and then wait and see what you make with it...

Undies...

Has it ever crossed your mind to make your own undies...  

Undies is probably a too ordinary word for these. These are 'Madeleine mini Bloomers'  a free pattern and instructions download from Colette. Cute and flirtatious aren't they?

Colette have other 'Dainties' patterns.... all very pretty

The Nutmeg sewing Pattern consists of a bralette with ribbon straps, it ties at the back again with ribbon and includes French knickers and/or optional tap pants... (what are tap pants?). The description says they have "a pointed yoke are longer and sit at the natural waist." Both designs are cut on the bias to maximise drape and flatter feminine curves.

The Cinnamon is a bias cut slip dress the pattern also includes instruction to make a camisole to compliment the Nutmeg undies set.

 

The Cinnamon - Flattering bias cut dress or

 

  A camisole shown here with the Nutmeg bralette and Knickers set.

I don't think there's much to say about these gorgeous patterns, they say it all for themselves.  So next time you're fancying something different to make or the high street just isn't supplying what you want... remember these. Feminine, gorgeous, flirtatious, retro, cute and maybe a little dangerous ( :) ) you couldn't really imagine wearing anything else under those gorgeous Colette dress designs, could you?

I wonder what Colette are suggesting by naming the patterns after spices?  I'm saying nothing!

Small stash Sewing.... a giveaway

I cut a great many fat quarters in the course of a week, but what exactly can you do with a fat quarter apart from admire it.

Well, I've found a book.... 'Small Stash Sewing 24 Projects using Designer Fat Quarters' written by Melissa Averinos with a Foreword written by Amy Butler.

It's all about using fabric... fat quarters... smaller pieces.... tiny pieces, your favourite pieces and incorporating them into sewing projects that you'll live with for a while.

Melissa is a fabric designer, she has a blog YummyGoods where you'll find links to all kinds of things especially her animated unicorn stories. (psst! They work well with the cushions.)

This book represents the way she loves to sew and her 'new' belief that maybe fabric is made to be used and not just to hoard.... this book is to get you over that paralysis that comes from gazing at beautiful fabric and not being able to decide what to do with it apart from drag it out of the cupboard to look at and hold. Beginning to recognise the symptoms of a little fabric obsession?

This is a light-hearted book, a can-do kind of book with instructions for creating belts, for modifying t-shirts, for adding fabric to trousers legs to either lengthen them or just to stylise. There are patterns for bags,

Lovely curved shape...

Cute unicorn and moon cushions ...

the perfect cushions to have adventures with..

sachets and braided fabric necklaces and even suggestions for prettifying a wicker basket with a 'Fancy Fabric Liner'.

I like the scalloped edges..

There are lots of ideas for using fabric to brighten up your home, your life and your loved ones.

So, to celebrate my blog moving home I thought I'd have a giveaway of this book. To join in all, you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Friday 30th July. I'll use the 'random number generator' to select a number and the lucky person that made the comment that corresponds with the number will be the winner. (Does that make sense?) I don't mind where in the world you come from so long as the struggling postie can get there :)

Hello and Welcome....

 

Modern Meadow designed by Joel Dewberry.

This is where I have moved my blog.  It wasn't an easy decision to take but as I/we couldn't discover how to put all the issues right on my old blog, this seemed to be the only way forward.

It's taken a lot of editing and a lot of wondering whether it's the right thing to do but in the end I need a blog I can rely on to work and hopefully this one will be all healthy and happy.

I'll feel happier about posting now, although I've still a lot to do to this blog.... tidying around the edges... but I do have all those useful articles over here to help.

So, I'll be back to normal posting now and I hope you'll join me.

Amy Butler patterns and fabrics

Amy Butler now as quite a catalogue of beautiful sewing patterns suited to different levels of sewing skills. There are sewing patterns for bags, appropriate for all different needs. There are all kinds of gorgeous, versatile and extremely stylish sewing patterns for skirts, tunics, halter tops and sun tops and now she's added patterns for jackets/coats.

This is 'little splashes hooded raincoat & runabout jacket' sewing pattern

and this is the 'rainy Days hooded raincoat & runabout jacket' sewing pattern.

The jackets together....

If you want these jackets to be waterproof then you will need to make them from a laminate fabric. What do you do, however if you really love the jacket but aren't so confident about working with laminates? Amy suggests making them from the heavier home dec fabrics for an extremely stylish extra layer to wear on cooler days.

Whilst we're on the subject of home decor fabrics I've just added these to the shop. They're all 100% cotton on a 54/55 inch bolt as opposed to the more usual 44/45 inch wide bolt and are perfect for bag making, making curtains, upholstery, cushions and of course Amy's new coat designs.

I love the deep gorgeous blue colours in these fabrics. The colour of the Sun spots is almost electric.

Sun spots in Midnight and Paradise Garden in Midnight

The pretty Asian inspired Sandlewood in Ivory fabric with it's soft, feminine colours and up-beat contemporary design.

Looks good combined with Tumble Roses.....

I thought it might be helpful to see the size of the Sun spots home dec fabric next to the Sun spots quilt weight fabric because the home decor fabrics spots are larger.

.... just in case it's critical in your sewing project....

Something gentle....

I acquired this book a few weeks ago. It crept into my Amazon basket I'm not entirely sure how. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ) The Gentle Art of Quilt-Making 15 Projects inspired by Everyday Beauty by Jane Brocket.

I really connect with this book. There is an uncomplicated, calmness about her approach to patchwork and quilting which is really filling a need for me just now.

I love her description of how for years she just admired quilts feeling that it was far too complicated, much too difficult, a craft with too many rules for her to even begin. She shared these feelings with a friend who more or less told her to 'get on with it.! So, she did. She faced her fear of getting it wrong and went for what was possible.

I like that. Sometimes when you want to learn something new, acquire a new skill, I think you do have to be brave enough to get stuck in. There's a danger of you can denying yourself a lot of simple pleasure by being uncomfortable about getting it wrong, afraid of needing to ask for help just in case we seem foolish.

One fantastic thing about craft blogs is that they always provide somewhere to find answers and often someone you can talk to when you're stuck.

Jane talks about how she learned to enjoy the process of piecing and quilting. How she became able to focus on her fabric and colour choices once she freed up her mind by sewing 'simple, timeless and often childlike quilt patterns' , playing with simple designs and learning to fill them with colour and pattern. Rather than getting hung up on the precise 'jigsaw' type construction of some block designs, which had prevented her from ever getting started in the first place.

There's no surprise therefore that the quilts in this wonderful book are are based on strips, squares, squares set on point and triangles (in probably the most complicated quilt called the Amaryills.) The beauty in her designs are achieved by the fabrics she uses to create large, bold sweeps of pattern and colour.

She is inspired by the fabrics of Kaffe Fassett and has a similar kind of colour wash approach to her designs that you can see in his work. Kaffe's aren't the only fabrics she uses though, you can can spot fabrics from Heather Bailey and Amy Butler and fabrics from many other designers which she names just in case you wish to try and reproduce her quilts precisely.

At the beginning of reach quilt recipe she explains her choices; the colours, the fabric patterns...

...what it was which inspired her to create it in the first place...

...and how she went about constructing it.

This 'narrative' or quilt story is important to her. Jane likes that connection that the craft gives to all those quilt making women of the past. That's another part of the attraction for her. Quilt making has a very 'social' history, women often came together in groups to sew and to talk, thus memories, hopes and wishes have always been sewn into quilts. Jane makes it all seem so possible and I think that is really liberating. The whole tone of the book is 'you can do this ...' and as a result I've even started to quilt by hand. Not a death defying 'craft' leap I know but I've always believed it to be too slow, too difficult. Well, it isn't! It's wonderful! I like the texture, I like the sitting and doing, I like the way it stills the mind and soothes it after long days. If you get a chance to look at this book for yourself you won't regret it.