End of Term

It is almost the end of term.

I for one cannot wait for the summer holidays to be here!

My children are all tired - especially the biggest girl, who seems to use up all her loveliness at school. I'm looking forward to six weeks where our time is our own and we can just be together.

I'm crossing my fingers and toes, at the same time as doing a sun dance, and hoping that the shifting jet stream the whole country seems a bit obsessed with will deliver the goods and bring a bit of sunshine, so we can have a few picnics and paddle our toes at the seaside without fearing they will drop off from the cold.

Twisted rosettes

I made these bags using Noodle-head's tutorial - as little thank you presents for the teachers at school. Who, I'd like to say, I think are blooming brilliant. They have been a dream team throughout the year, totally living up to the huge act of trust taken every time you hand your child over to them, greeting us each morning with big welcoming smiles, and ploughing tons of effort into making school an interesting and fun place to be.

(To the extent that the eldest girl has been just a bit tearful and grumpy of late when the subject of the end of term comes up - which either means she is sad about leaving behind her beloved class teacher and her teaching assistant, or, worse still, that she is not looking forward to the summer holidays as much as I am.)

Mmm... buttons. (And one even has a sparkly bit in the middle.)

Gathered petal big button flower

More buttons

More twisted rosettes (made The Lazy Way)

Fabrics used were from the Trade Winds collection by Lily Ashbury - available at Fabric Rehab

You would be right in suspecting from my gushy outpourings here that there will probably be a few tears shed tomorrow as school draws to a close.

So in true school assembly style, a big three cheers for the teachers. Wishing you a great summer.

Cheeky Sewing

Remember I mentioned three bags I was attempting to make for three friends with birthdays around the same time as mine? Two out of three are now completed!

Last Thursday, knowing I'd be seeing my friends for a special get together that evening, to wish a fond farewell to one of them who is about to move back to France, I was was feeling particularly keen to get the bags finished. Nothing like a deadline and all that, and I am definitely someone who gets spurred on by one.

With a completed bag at home, waiting the final finishing touch of a (yes you guessed it) hand sewn flower brooch, I thought I'd do a cheeky bit of multitasking and take it with me to do whilst I was watching the end of term ballet lesson performances.

Mrs Dickson reminds me of Mavis, who used to play piano in the ballet lessons I went to as a little girl. It's only now, as I rush to get my girls to their lessons, and sit through the performances, that I realise quite how patient my own mum was in allowing me carry on with ballet for an entire decade.
Our little dining room became a costume factory for a month or so each year, as mum sewed for lots of the different classes, as that was how she managed to pay for the lessons!

Mrs Hayward, handing out the bills for next term!

Amy Butler's In Town Bag Pattern

Gorgeous big vintage button

London themed pockets, for my lovely French friend (can't have her forgetting England!)

All in all, a not too shabby first couple of attempts at the pattern. As with everything, I think these bags will improve the more I do them. Still, I'm pretty pleased with how these ones look - and, more importantly, my friends I gave them to liked them.

Guest of honour - Carole!

And some more pictures of her farewell party - complete with ric rac bunting (made by some of the other running turned sewing girls) in the background! 

Here's to friendship - and my first ever proper French pen friend. We'll all miss you, Carole! XXXXX

Drunken Sewing

My Saturday night included the following things (in this order): rare steak and broccoli with plenty of black pepper, a dollop of butter and a smear of mustard on the side; half a bottle of red wine; and the first bit of a trashy novel (not Fifty Shades of Grey, in case you were wondering) whilst polishing off the remains of my birthday chocolates.

And then, at way past ten, I decided it would be a good idea to start making these brooches.

Not sure what possessed me, but I am quite pleased with the results of my somewhat tipsy hand sewing efforts!

The lemon cupcakes are the eldest girl's request for early birthday cakes to take into school to share with her class mates before term ends. She has even chosen those sugar lemon halves to put on top of them. Quite happy to indulge her in that modest request, as it'll be a nice trip down memory lane to my own childhood cake decorating times with my mum.

Talking of cupcakes, I'm going to keep a tally of how many of the things I make this week. Have already made a double batch of chocolate ones (school fair and some for general consumption at home). I love a bit of baking - but thinking through the week, this one could put me off them for a bit. We'll see.

And finally... look what we (or should I say the youngest) spotted at the school fair. Needless to say the girl is very happy indeed with her 50p dressing up shoes. Not that the dressing up message has been heard by her. She immediately put them on and wore them for the remainder of the day, and very reluctantly took them off at bedtime - only to be found fast asleep with them on later in the evening when I popped my head round her bedroom door to give her a final admiring glance before heading to bed myself (I am sure mums and dads the world over do that).

School fair treasure

Do you ever pick a silly time to start sewing?

Saying it with flowers

Silk flower brooch

I love flowers. I love giving them and I love getting them. (Hint, hint!)

And, it turns out, I love making them too. Out of fabric, that is. (We've already talked about my lack of green fingers.)

And I will let you into a little secret. I am planning a flower making evening workshop this summer, at my favourite local cake shop in Bedford.

So, to get everyone in the mood - and to get me making enough samples to have ready to share with people, I am going to be popping up plenty of flower themed posts here this week.

First up is an elegant silk number.

Actually, this particular brooch was made with a friend of mine in mind. She's an opera singer (I know!) and is about to go off and perform in the Marriage of Figaro this summer. One of the really cool things about being a mum is that you get to meet some really interesting people. Your `colleagues' are no longer restricted to other people in the same profession as you, but rather anyone who you happen to bump into and strike up a conversation with whilst your offspring are playing at the swings.

Do you like my suit, by the way? I got it at the swishing night a few weeks ago. Only thing wrong with it is that it needs a couple of buttons sewing on. I think I can just about manage that! Although, I am already lazily thinking it doesn't really need three buttons down the front...

I might adjust the sleeves a bit. We'll see. But otherwise a not too shabby outfit for £5.

And as for the brooch, I overcame my selfish instinct to keep it once it was finished, and gave it away. But I must confess, that due to liking the way it looks with my new old suit, I have already made a second one for me to keep. I'll just have to make sure I don't ever wear it when I see my friend, or else we'll be daft brooch twins.

Never Forgotten

Chocoholic Cake

My friend Caroline used to make nice bags. Each one stylish and unique - some for friends, and some to sell on her monthly stall at the local handmade market.


I have just been given the honour of inheriting her sewing stash. This included some fabrics, wonderful vintage buttons and trims she had collected, along with her precious design folder. What a privilege, huh?


Having these things has been a lovely thing - and I spent an emotional afternoon going through them all. I came across some little bundles of fabrics and trims, with tiny sketches pinned to them, detailing her plans for specific bags she was going to make. On her making desk was an evening bag. A beauty of a bag - stiff structure with crisp angles, a shiny clasp and and lush velvety fabric, and waiting to be finished. For me, this was another horribly sad reminder that she is gone.


Caroline had built up quite a collection - and I am not sure what I will do with it all yet. And there is no rush, either.


In amongst the stash was a fat quarter of purple dupion silk. I have no idea what Caroline had planned for this piece of beautiful fabric, but I loved it instantly. And I decided I would make myself something with it. 


Earlier this week, I had an evening all to myself. Being limited by the size of the piece of silk, I went to my firm familiar favourite of a gathered clutch. But I decided that this one was going to be one that I would really take my time over and lavish with some hand stitched attention to detail.

I have a tendency to try and be speedy in my sewing, challenging myself to see how far I can get in an evening. Silly, I know (not least when this ends in unpicking woes or shoddy looking work). It was really nice to do the opposite of this. To make something just to enjoy making something - not paying attention to time or getting to the finish before bedtime. Sewing this little bag slowly was really  satisfying - and a nice way to spend the evening thinking about the person it will always remind me of.

Gathered Clutch made using this tutorial

Tonight, we are having a celebration of her life. Caroline was a fun loving, vibrant person, who somehow managed to stay positive throughout her battle with cancer. It was her wish that her friends all got together to honour her life with a party. So we are going to have a big party, with some of the things she would have loved.

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

I go through phases with my sewing - the spring time seemed to be largely a phase of delightfully selfish clothes sewing. I am really enjoying wearing the results - even if handmade clothes do seem to require on average more ironing attention than my usual diet of t shirts and jeans. 

This last week or so, the sewing time I've had has been spent making Gathered Clutches. 

This current phase has been prompted by several things. Quite a few friends have got birthdays coming up soon. And, there are a couple of raffles I have been asked to provide donations for, too. And finally, Saffron at Fancy had been suggesting I put something into the gift cabinet she has in her cake shop, just to see what happens. 

All in all, it seemed like enough reason for me to make some clutches again. Although from time to time, I run a handbags course that these are included on, it has been a while since I have made a few myself.

Funnily enough, it was about this time last year that I made a big batch. Probably for the same friends. In fact, yes, most certainly for the same friends. Let's hope they don't mind getting another one, eh?

One reason I like making these little clutches so much is that you can finish one in an evening - so an instantly gratifying project. But, more than that, in sewing terms, they are a way of combining some of my favourite things.

Starting with fabrics.

Oh, the fun I had choosing fabrics ready for my little clutch making spree! A child in a sweetie shop, and all that.

As they don't use lots of fabric, these clutches are a great excuse for buying up several of the gorgeously dreamy prints you have been coveting from a distance - like the Joel Dewberry Aviary one used here for this trio.

Combining this with some of my other favourite things, such as, covered buttons, twisted rosettes and big floppy fabric flowers, and you can guarantee I will be singing my heart out a la Julie Andrews before too long.

And, girls (you know who you are), just in case you were wondering, no. These ones are not the ones you are getting for your birthdays. Those will be kept as a surprise. And, I am going to say it here, as I have a better chance of coming good on it then - I have just been given a new book on making handbags. Once I have finished my current phase of gathered clutches, I am going to challenge myself to make something completely different in time for next year's birthdays. There.

These ones are now in their new home at Fancy. I've often said to people the reason I don't make things to sell is two fold - time and, also, the fact I get a bigger sense of satisfaction out of teaching people to make things for themselves, rather than me making things for strangers. But, I've just found a third reason - I was surprisingly reluctant to leave my little creations in the gift cabinet! Bit daft, really.

I'll be popping in to check up on them soon...

Flower bag to match a new dress

Samples of the flower embellishments we'll be making during
tonight's session of the handbag and purse course

In the last week my sewing attention has turned to making myself a dress. I bought the materials for it well before Christmas, after spotting the main fabric in my local Singer shop at a bargain price of £7.50 a metre. It doesn't seem to photograph well, but is a nice chocolatey brown pin stripe wool mix.   

Change out of £30.
And so far it looks like I will get a dress, a skirt, and three bags for my money.

Whilst making clothes for myself is probably right up there for me as my favourite type of sewing, it is also the kind I struggle most to get started on. Probably because I know it takes a bit more effort and precision, and, unlike the quick gratification of bags that can be finished in an evening or two, clothes take a good few nights to make. 

That said, I'd encourage anyone to try it sometime. Especially if, like me, you're a bit on the short side and don't always easily find things that fit nicely. With a few basic sewing skills under your belt, and a decent pattern at your side, you'd be surprised what you can achieve. There is no big secret to sewing - it's just about having a go, practising, and not worrying too much about the odd mishap along the way.

Anyhow, with a family wedding coming up, I now have a deadline to be motivated by. 

I'd say I'm about half way there. It is a fully lined, panelled dress. I've made it once before and loved the results. Although, I have boldly assumed my shape has not changed since I made a spring version last year, and not remeasured myself. Let's hope I'm right. Otherwise, there'll be a few extra runs and a bit less cake happening in the next fortnight...

Noodle-head's Gathered Clutch is the perfect project for scraps

Having got a dress, and a bonus skirt cut out of my two metres of fabric (it was 150 cm wide, to be fair), I took the remains with me to a sewing night a friend was hosting last week. Having left the house in a bit of a rush, I forgot to take some fusible fleece for the lining, so left the evening with some half finished bags. I had a lovely evening though - and managed to munch through a decent amount of Rocky Road (thanks, Imogen).

Here they are now - with some flowers I added on to them at the weekend.

I'm thinking of keeping the one with the three roses on it, as I might embellish the dress in the same way.