Renee from Me Made Makes! I'll be in touch shortly to get your postal address for this lovely pencil skirt pattern.
Thanks for everyone for participating in the Giveaway! Better luck next time :)
Monday, 23 February 2015
And the winner is...
Renee from Me Made Makes! I'll be in touch shortly to get your postal address for this lovely pencil skirt pattern.
Thanks for everyone for participating in the Giveaway! Better luck next time :)
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Do you sew seasonally?
Hello friends, Happy Chinese New Year! I hope the year of the goat will bring you all great energy, perfect health, and wonderful sewing mojo!
Here's something you may or may not know already. In China, the lunar new year is called "Spring Festival", which celebrates the end of winter and the start of spring. This makes a lot of sense as the lunar calendar was and may still be relied on by the farming communities, so a new year to them would begin when spring arrives.
So if we were to have faith in my ancestors, spring is just round the corner. What better time to talk about seasonal sewing than the beginning of the four seasons?
Allow me start off the discussion. I, for one, really am affected by the seasons when it comes to my sewing habits.
I enjoy making spring/summer clothing, but I find it harder to actually make them then - the weather is great (or better, at least), and days are longer, so more time is spent outdoors hiking/picnicking/shopping/having fun or renovating the house! I almost feel guilty sewing when the sun is shining outside...
When autumn approaches, I suddenly feel the pressure to squeeze in the "last summer dress for the year". Because of this, despite my long-held desire to make myself a cool mac for spring and autumn, I have managed to let springs and autumns pass me by as I was busy making warm weather clothing.
Then winter arrives, I suddenly find myself with a lot more time to sew. Normally I engage in some "off-season sewing", making items for the next spring, but I am proud to say that I actually managed a couple pieces of cold weather garments this winter - a wool coat and a plaid skirt! The result has been so rewarding, as I was able to wear them straight away!
After all this blurb, I suppose what I'm really trying to say is that 1) my sewing habits are somewhat sporadic throughout the year -- but generally with level of sewing activities and temperature outside enjoying a negative correlation (sorry for the geeky moment); and 2) having engaged mostly in "off-season sewing", I am planning on making more of an effort to sew "in-season".
How about you? Do you sew seasonally?
Here's something you may or may not know already. In China, the lunar new year is called "Spring Festival", which celebrates the end of winter and the start of spring. This makes a lot of sense as the lunar calendar was and may still be relied on by the farming communities, so a new year to them would begin when spring arrives.
So if we were to have faith in my ancestors, spring is just round the corner. What better time to talk about seasonal sewing than the beginning of the four seasons?
Allow me start off the discussion. I, for one, really am affected by the seasons when it comes to my sewing habits.
I enjoy making spring/summer clothing, but I find it harder to actually make them then - the weather is great (or better, at least), and days are longer, so more time is spent outdoors hiking/picnicking/shopping/having fun or renovating the house! I almost feel guilty sewing when the sun is shining outside...
When autumn approaches, I suddenly feel the pressure to squeeze in the "last summer dress for the year". Because of this, despite my long-held desire to make myself a cool mac for spring and autumn, I have managed to let springs and autumns pass me by as I was busy making warm weather clothing.
Then winter arrives, I suddenly find myself with a lot more time to sew. Normally I engage in some "off-season sewing", making items for the next spring, but I am proud to say that I actually managed a couple pieces of cold weather garments this winter - a wool coat and a plaid skirt! The result has been so rewarding, as I was able to wear them straight away!
After all this blurb, I suppose what I'm really trying to say is that 1) my sewing habits are somewhat sporadic throughout the year -- but generally with level of sewing activities and temperature outside enjoying a negative correlation (sorry for the geeky moment); and 2) having engaged mostly in "off-season sewing", I am planning on making more of an effort to sew "in-season".
How about you? Do you sew seasonally?
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
Lottie blouse pattern download still available... Be quick!
Hello my friends! I hope you are having a great week so far.
Just a very quick note from me today - I tried the link again and it appears that the Lottie blouse is still available for free download, despite the original deadline of last Thursday! Do hurry up and get your copy!
Just to clarify - I am not on commission :) I just want to flag it now as I don't know how long it's going to last. I love a good freebie!
Having taken a good look at the pattern and instructions, and having heard from a few of you last week, I have decided that I will run a sew-along, mainly as I think some of the "adventurous beginners" may not find the instructions so straightforward. I figured that I'm going to make (at least) one anyway, so may as well share the progress with you all :D
That's it from me for now - but watch this space ;)
Just a very quick note from me today - I tried the link again and it appears that the Lottie blouse is still available for free download, despite the original deadline of last Thursday! Do hurry up and get your copy!
Just to clarify - I am not on commission :) I just want to flag it now as I don't know how long it's going to last. I love a good freebie!
Having taken a good look at the pattern and instructions, and having heard from a few of you last week, I have decided that I will run a sew-along, mainly as I think some of the "adventurous beginners" may not find the instructions so straightforward. I figured that I'm going to make (at least) one anyway, so may as well share the progress with you all :D
That's it from me for now - but watch this space ;)
Sunday, 8 February 2015
Free PDF Lottie Pattern before 12 Feb! Anyone interested in a sew-along?
I know I have only just clicked "publish" to my Giveaway post, but I have come across this wonderful freebie that I absolutely had to share with you!
You may have seen lots of beautiful versions of the Lottie Blouse already (my favourites are here, here and here), which was originally given as a free pattern in Issue 2 of the Love Sewing magazine. I was just about to back order a copy online, when I came across the limited time FREE DOWNLOAD on the Love Sewing website!! All they ask is your email address, so they can send you newsletters and offers. You should be able to unsubscribe at any time.
You may have seen lots of beautiful versions of the Lottie Blouse already (my favourites are here, here and here), which was originally given as a free pattern in Issue 2 of the Love Sewing magazine. I was just about to back order a copy online, when I came across the limited time FREE DOWNLOAD on the Love Sewing website!! All they ask is your email address, so they can send you newsletters and offers. You should be able to unsubscribe at any time.
Picture from Love Sewing website
This is especially a great opportunity if you are based outside the UK and have been drooling over all the wonderful Lottie blouses all over the web, but are feeling left out. Now you can get your own pdf copy :) Just make sure you download it by Thursday.
As this pattern is all free, and is no doubt a lovely pattern, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a Lottie Sew-along, or a "Sew-together" (terminology borrowed from Sonja!), if I were to host one? Just leave a comment below if you would be interested!
Finally, I may as well add that if you are in the UK, there are currently half price offers on McCalls and New Look patterns, too. They run until 28th Feb and 4th March respectively. Fill your boots :)
Back from holiday giveaway!
Hello my dear readers, I am back from my holiday, and I have a quick giveaway for you to cheer us all up!
I bought issue 10 of Love Sewing magazine when I came back to sooth my post-holiday blues. The holiday blues were pretty bad this time, I must admit, as I came back from the beautiful and sunny Grenada and SVG, and as soon as view of the UK emerged from the clouds, we were greeted by snow :(
This seems a long time ago now... (It was Sandy Island, where we spent a day and overnight enjoying the beach and wonderful snorkelling).
Anyway, within the magazine pack there is a pattern from Simply Sews -- it is a pencil skirt pattern, in UK size 8-16. I really like the look of it, but as the odds of me actually making it is pretty slim (I have enough skirts, plus the pattern will need grading down in size), I thought maybe one of my lovely readers might treasure and make use of it more :)
Here it is:
All you need to do if you would like to take this pattern off my hands is to leave a comment to this post. Entries will close on Sunday 22nd Feb (midnight GMT) and the winner will be selected at random. I'm happy to post this worldwide.
Good luck!
Let me leave you with a few more holiday snaps. Good times!
The water really is this colour. We stayed for 2 days and 2 nights in Tobago Cays! Possibly the most special place we've ever been to on earth.
Have a good week everyone! And good luck with the giveway :D
I bought issue 10 of Love Sewing magazine when I came back to sooth my post-holiday blues. The holiday blues were pretty bad this time, I must admit, as I came back from the beautiful and sunny Grenada and SVG, and as soon as view of the UK emerged from the clouds, we were greeted by snow :(
This seems a long time ago now... (It was Sandy Island, where we spent a day and overnight enjoying the beach and wonderful snorkelling).
Anyway, within the magazine pack there is a pattern from Simply Sews -- it is a pencil skirt pattern, in UK size 8-16. I really like the look of it, but as the odds of me actually making it is pretty slim (I have enough skirts, plus the pattern will need grading down in size), I thought maybe one of my lovely readers might treasure and make use of it more :)
Here it is:
All you need to do if you would like to take this pattern off my hands is to leave a comment to this post. Entries will close on Sunday 22nd Feb (midnight GMT) and the winner will be selected at random. I'm happy to post this worldwide.
Good luck!
Let me leave you with a few more holiday snaps. Good times!
My snorkelling and swimming skills benefited so much from this trip - it helps when there are colourful fishes, huge turtles and interesting corals to look at.
An iguana chilling in the tree of an inhabited island.
And some hard-core hiking, too! We actually walked past a few abandoned flipflops along the way...!
Have a good week everyone! And good luck with the giveway :D
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