New dates

The new workshop programme is online: in addition to the popular shopping bag class I now also offer a workshop for this adorable reversible tote bag with a soft tie fastening which is easy to make and therefor suitable for those with only little sewing experience.
For more information please check out the link.

New dress

When this stunning Hilco jersey arrived a few weeks ago I knew straight away what to do with it. It is againg the Ottobre twist knot pattern but this time as a dress (you might remember I made it one few months ago in tunic length). Not that I wear dresses very often but it can't harm to have one ready when needed, can it?

Meet Mr Smith

I like to show my readers what students do in my workshops or 1-2-1 lessons so I thought it was time you met Mr Smith. Just over a year ago I received a phone call from a gentleman and was asked if I could show him how to hem trousers. He had bought himself a sewing machine as he was fed up with taking his trousers to the alterations shop everytime he had a pair that needed shortened.
Little did I know that he would become my most regular student! Since then he has made himself a pair of trousers, cushions, a long sleeved shirt and various other things and the photo shows you his latest and biggest project so far, a jacket. He has put a lot of his own ideas into it and I must say I'm very impressed and a little proud of what he has achieved!

The winners

We have six lucky winners of our OTTOBRE design sewing magazine giveaway:

Susan Allen
Verena Wilcock
Jennifer Galloway
Kathleen Paterson
Claire Bennett
Catherine Moores

Congratulations to you all and thanks to everyone for taking part!

Sewing magazine giveaway

OTTOBRE design has kindly given us the opportunity to promote two of their popular sewing magazines and we would like to do that in form of a giveaway.

All you need to do is send us an email with your choice of magazine and you will be entered into the prize draw.

We are giving away a total of three women's autumn/winter 2014 issues and three kid's autumn 2014 issues and the winners will be announced on Sunday, 28th September!

Ottobre design kid's issue 4/2014

Ottobre design women's issue 5/2014

It's all MINE

I have various bags that I use for demonstration purposes for my sewing workshops, but I didn't have one that I actually called "my own" - until today. It is a HUGE shopping bag made from lime green fake leather, lined with wipeable nylon and the base is lined with decovil for more stability.
Guess what I will be taking to Tesco next time? 

New family member

This is Toffee, a 3 year old Abyssinian guinea pig, absolutely adorable. We picked her up from the cavy rescue today and she and Florence had a first encounter - without any rumblestrutting or fighting. They seem to get on fine, but before they're going in a cage together, we let them have a sniff at each other every night now for the next few days just to be sure they are ok together.