Tuesday 26th April 2011.

Good day to you all. As promised here is a photo of my new top in action.
I took my mum to Jam Jar Beads to show her the wonder of all the beads and treated myself to another lucky cat. I have fashioned the two cats into earrings with a length of aqua blue waxed cotton. Pretty darn simple, just took a couple of knots and I'm done.
If I ever get bored of the earrings I can easily cut the thread and recycle the pieces into something new.

I've recently discovered Thread Banger on Youtube. Its a channel for DIY fashion etc and its got some nice ideas. I'm really keen to try making my own body double for future dress making adventures. Just need to find a willing volunteer to cover me in parcel tape/duct tape/plaster. I've wondered about saving up for a tailor's dummy but they're so dang expensive. So in the meantime, maybe this DIY version is the best idea.

My First Ever Piece of Clothing (From Scratch)

It has been done. I have finally made myself a piece of clothing completely from scratch.
Behold my new summer top!
I'm really happy that I've managed to make something original off of my own design. I created a pattern out of my own measurements and greaseproof paper. I've stashed the pattern so I can use it again. I'm going to wear it when I see Mum tomorrow. Hopefully I can get a photo of me wearing it to show how it looks on.

Yay.

Birthday Presents (Part Deux)

Presents have officially been made. One of my friends has received her gift so I can now post on it. I made Cat a bracelet using gorgeous porcelain and glass beads from Jam Jar Beads. I always walk past this little shop in Sheffield and never go in. But on Friday I made it happen and was very pleasantly surprised. I treated myself to a tiny Japanese lucky cat bead - how cute!

I threaded the beads onto suede cord in a dusky pink colour, tying each bead into place. Cat was quite pleased with her birthday present and put it on immediately. I have finished the present for the second friend and I am rather pleased with the result. I hope I can meet up with her soon and give her the present so I can show photos of it.

Me and Cat dropped by a craft fair on our trip round town and I treated myself to some more cuteness - this time owl buttons.

I seem to be becoming obsessed with owls by default. They're simply everywhere so they are growing on me. I bought a selection of sizes from Blossom Buttons' stall and will stash them for something in the future. I buy loads of stuff in the hope I will use it later. Maybe a little foolish, but then I'll be inspired and have a treasure chest of cuteness to delve into. Just like finding the fabric for my sewing machine cover.


My next post should be something quite exciting, I'm currently working on it this evening, and hopefully it shall be finished and blogged in the next 24 hours. Watch this space.

Birthday Presents

I have got a day off from working at In The Night Garden Live so I'm working on birthday presents. I have two good friends turning 22 in April so I need to step up the gift-age. I'm currently working on a project for friend number 1, a fellow sewing fanatic, so I can break out the machine and make something unique. Friend number 2 is less craft-minded, but I'm hoping to make something for her in addition to her present, as I like the personal touch to handmade gifts. I prefer to spend time rather than money - this sounds so cheap but the effort involved shows a lot more thought in my opinion. I'm not cheap, honest.


I bought a book on dressmaking in Bradford last week (in the picture). Its full of technical instructions for dress making and advice on clothes for body shape etc. I thought it would be a sound investment as a go-to reference. I'm hoping to make a summery top after I've finished presents and will be consulting the book lots.


Now I must wander into town to shop. I'm going to take some sewing and relax in a coffee shop for a mid-shopping break. I won't post any photos of the finished presents until they've been given (in case the surprise is ruined) but I shall pop some photos up afterwards.

To tide you over, here are the shorts from the previous blog:

Sunshine!

The weather was so beautiful yesterday that I decided to relax my total leg ban and wore shorts for the first time in a long time. In honour of this special occasion I took a pair of scissors to an old pair of khaki combat trousers. They had begun to rip along the bottom and were looking less than their best. To add a feminine touch to the new shorts I added a floral piece of fabric as a belt, tying the ends into a bow at one side. Very nice for a picnic in the sunshine with my boyfriend.




We were going to have a barbeque for dinner but we couldn't find any disposable ones in Morrisons (although we did spot a suspiciously large empty space next to the barbeque coals - maybe other people had the same idea) so we just cooked the food under the grill in the kitchen. We had lamb kebabs with rosemary and chilli and sausages. Delicious, less smoke and no fear of food poisoning :)



I also made some great biscuits for pudding. All it took was 175g (6oz) of flour, the same of butter and 5tbsp of sugar. I added vanilla for some extra flavour and they were great. Just cook for roughly 30mins and done. They went pretty quickly though, so I'll have to make some more very soon!



Photos of shorts to follow soon.

A long overdue update.

A lot has been going on in the past few weeks, which has taken me away from the magenta machine, and the blog – but all for good reasons. So now that I have a spare minute, allow me to update.

I’ve gotten a new job as an ASM (assistant stage manager) at a play in Bradford. Its called The Mill: City of Dreams and we’ve been experiencing some very nice reviews. The hours are epic (hence the no blog situation) and the place is freezing, but all the people are lovely and friendly and its a welcome change from epic sandwiches.

After I finish this current job in Bradford, I’ll be doing a front of house job at Meadowhall for the In The Night Garden tour. I’m really pleased because this means I have paid theatre work until May!So things have picked up dramatically work-wise, which brings me endless joy.

Working in Bradford is lots of fun. The show I’m working on is in Drummond’s Mill. It’s an abandoned cloth mill which drew workers from around the world, hoping for better things for them and their families. The play explores their dreams and the reality of working in the mill. Its really moving stuff – and its sold out! But the best thing about the play, hands down, is the fact that there are bobbins everywhere:

My cousin’s dog is called Bobbin and everywhere I look I am reminded of her. In town there are endless haberdashery stalls and markets

too. There’s so much adorable fabric that I am definitely going to stock up on my days off. Here are the patterns I’ve already bought:

Upon returning to Sheffield for my weekend off, I passed the time by performing in a play I wrote myself. With a pen. Its all about the cup of tea, and its magical properties for making bad situations better. We met up at 12noon on Sunday and rehearsed and made tea bag flyers to hand out before performing at 4:45pm on the same day. And we pulled it off! It was well received and I’m really proud of my achievement, and the two other actors who joined me in this breakneck speed rehearsal period!

Our poster and our flyer (which IS a tea bag)

And now I have updated, its back t'mill wi' thee!