Portia Lawrie

DIY, how to, Ponderings, refashion, refashioning, Thrifting, Tutorials

Refashion: Jersey Maxi to Slouchy Tee (aka “embrace the unexpected”)

Every now and then, completely bodging something up can turn into a “happy accident”. Case in point; having refashioned this jersey maxi skirt into a slouchy top I had the cracking idea of dumping it into a stockpot of dye that I had sitting on the hob from another project. Then promptly left it, got distracted and forgot about it. I didn’t stir it or rotate it periodically and consequently the dye only took in certain areas, related it seems to how the fabric was crunched up as it sat in the dye. My initial response when I realised my cock up….was a few choice words. But as this effect gradually revealed itself while it dried, I went from cursing myself, to actually kinda liking this subtle, “accidental shibori” effect….

The refashion itself was simple enough. After removing the waistband and pressing everything flat, I removed a large portion of the length and cut out this trapezoid shape. Cut out a neckline, overlocked the shoulders and side seams (leaving a 7″ opening for armholes), then turned and stitched the neckline and sleeve hems….

I used the fabric that I had left to create a folded/double thickness band that was approx 5″ smaller than the hem of the tee(and about 3″ smaller than the circumference of my thighs), and gathered the tee to fit it, overlocking to join the two pieces…

So a really simple way to convert a skirt to a top, yes. But by far the overriding thing that makes me smile about this make, is the dye job that could’ve been. And how much less interesting it would’ve been compared to what I ended up with!  Have you ever had that happen? Have something go completely awry, and end up being happier with the outcome?

Sewing aside, it happens alot in my life.  Things rarely work out exactly as I’ve planned. But more often than not, it becomes apparent down the line that it was the best thing that could have happened anyway. If “X”  hadn’t have happened then I wouldn’t have met “Y”. That kinda thing, you know? That cliche of everything happens for a reason? Well I’m a firm believer in that, and lets face it, all cliches become so, because they have been proven have an element of truth, more often than not! It’s taught me to embrace the unexpected and just go with it. (after I’ve allowed myself a bit of ranting and thrashing of hands, ha ha!) Tangent over….sorry…drifted off there!

Aaaanyway, as a fun side note, someone pointed out to me on Instagram that you can see an image in the dye pattern of this tee. I hadn’t noticed until she pointed it out, but I totally can now!. Be interesting to see if any of you can see the same thing too, or indeed something completely different!

 

miscellaneous, Ponderings

Can’t have it all…

In my last post I alluded to some changes that were afoot. Well if you follow me on instagram you’ll understand why sewing (and this blog) has been completely on the back foot of late. Aside from going from stay at home Mum to working full time for the past year, on 25th August, a soggy bank holiday, we moved house. So every spare moment or day off in the run up to “the move” was spent decluttering, organising, packing and cleaning. Every spare moment or day off since has been spent unpacking, organising, planning, decorating and gardening. All against the backdrop of some health issues that meant my energy levels were at an all time low.

When I was younger I moved alot. My parents were in the RAF and in my teens and twenties I’d move from one short term rental to another without so much as a second thought. A house was just a place to lay my head, get changed and keep my stuff. Didn’t phase me at all. But for some reason this particular move sent me into a bit of a spin. Perhaps because I was already exhausted before we even started. Perhaps because the house we moved from had just got to a point where it worked and flowed perfectly for us. (At least before my OH’s teen moved in and space became an issue). Perhaps it’s because it’s the longest I’d lived anywhere and I’d subconsciously put down roots for the first time in life. Perhaps, and most likely, because it was the house where Elliott reached all of his major milestones. First words. First steps. First everything really. It was the house where we went from being in pretty dire straits to being fully back on our feet. I’d never really experienced being attached to a home before. And it didn’t really dawn on me until the night before moving day that that was what I was feeling. A wrenching feeling. A feeling of being dragged away from somewhere I didn’t want to leave to somewhere I didn’t want to go. (The move was a purely practical one and I bore no feeling of excitement about the property we were moving to. It’s bigger…that’s all).  So I spent the first few weeks here fluctuating between melancholy, irritability and feeling a bit out of control….

My way of processing this was to throw myself into physical activity. I have a mentality where, in times of emotional stress, I just stick my head down, stay busy and plough forward until I come out the other side. We always come out the other side eventually, and for me, the “waiting it out” phase goes alot quicker when I pack my days so much that I have less time to wallow or give in to negative feelings. It helps me feel like I’m grabbing those feelings by the horns and wrestling them. Controlling them rather than having them control me.  If this house wasn’t what I wanted, then I sure as hell am not going to stop until I make it loveable. So this is what the last couple of months has looked like on days off….

I’ve been a bit of a thing possessed. And while I have been physically exhausted for weeks, mentally I’m getting back to my usual upbeat, optimistic self. I detest being negative as it really isn’t my natural state.

Undoubtedly, a contributing factor to my low mood, has been the lack of time to fit it all in. Time to spend with Elliott without being cranky because I’m exhausted and then feeling  like crap because I snapped at him over something trivial, and then seeing the look of hurt on his face. Awful. Just awful.  I haven’t been able to indulge my creative passions as much as I did. Having space to sew is somewhat of a factor when you’re living amongst boxes without even a table. But the biggest factor is time. Time to fit it all in. Work. Conscious parenting. Relationships. Housework. Oh yeah, and at the end of that list…me time. Maybe it’s selfish, but I can’t indefinately sustain any of those other things unless I have time to do the things that bring me pleasure and feed my soul. I’ve tried, and I can’t. I literally cannot do all of those things. Hats off to those that can. But I can’t. I cannot do it all. There. I said it!


 Time has been a factor for the past year due to my job and more recently the move as well.  Trying to do it all isn’t working. It just isn’t. So recently J and I have been reviewing our work/life balance. J is struggling too. What was meant to be a part time position to supplement my full time wage and allow J to be available for childcare, has turned into a full time job for him too. He’s currently juggling business calls and paperwork with a 5 year old tugging at his shirt and wanting attention. So now we’re both working full time, financially better off,  but both trying to fit everything in on our days off (which are rarely together) and not really managing to stay on top of everything without being constantly on the verge of exhaustion. And my little Tornado? He’s confronted with two cranky parents who just need him to play on his own for a bit so they can sit at opposite ends of the sofa and not say anything!

It’s by no means a special situation. And it’s not a “poor us”. I know families across the country/world struggle with the same issues. I think for us, we have to make a change. We can’t have it all, and it’s a question of deciding what our priorities are. Financial comfort and a watered down family life OR less (but enough) money, and TIME. Time to shape and improve our quality of life. After all, that’s what money buys you. Time. It’s actually such a precious commodity. It’s finite, Once it’s used, it’s gone. You can’t buy it back further down the line. That particular moment, day, week…well it’s gone.
So I’ve decided I’m going to be more picky with how much of my time I “sell”. An opportunity arose in my job where cutting my hours back would solve their problem and mine. So I took it. And as of the end of this month I am officially part time and no longer working weekends.

More time for family at the weekends. And some time for me to make a return to some creativity and blogging 🙂 And I can’t wait! For the first time in months I’m feeling excited about the future again. I lost that for a while and it’s essential to me for my happiness. I guess my point is, life’s too short. If the status quo isn’t making you and yours happy, then it isn’t working and something has to give. Let your smile change the world, don’t let the world change your smile…

instagram, miscellaneous, Ponderings

Instagram Crush…

I’ve recently discovered a bit of a love affair with instagram. Why it’s taken me so long, I don’t know! But it kinda suits me. Every day there are the little things that I see that I think are cute, funny, interesting, joyous, or that sum up a moment, a day, a feeling….

and for me instagram is proving a perfect way to capture little snapshots of daily life that collectively form a photographic patchwork that I can look back on and go “oh yeah! that was cool/lovely/beautiful/funny! I remember that day :)”…

…anyway, I haven’t been able to post to this blog as much as I used to since I started full time gainful employment .That’s not to say there aren’t several posts in the works! Snapshots of them appear daily on my instagram account and will eventually appear on here once I get to writing them up…

But in the meantime, if you fancy stopping by and saying hi on instagram (missing you guys!) then you can find me here

miscellaneous, Ponderings, sketching

Are you your own worst critic?

I came across this unfinished sketch last night while rummaging through a box looking for something else completely…and it made me think….

When I drew this over a year ago (I haven’t drawn anything since), I wasn’t particularly happy with it. Whilst I was drawing it I was so intensely focussed on it that all I could see were the parts that were unfinished or not quite there yet. Looking at it now, I take a different view. Dare I say it, I think it’s just lovely as it is.

I have a tendency to over analyse, over criticise everything I do. Work, home, hobbies, parenting, everything. While all those around me are telling me, “that’s amazing” I am telling myself  “that’s not good enough”. I instinctively dismiss compliments from loved ones as ” just being kind” or coming from a place of bias. I’m harsher on myself than I would EVER be on anyone else. For the longest time, I felt this was an admirable trait. Always pushing myself to do better. But there’s a negative side to that too. If you can never allow yourself to be happy with what you’ve achieved, then when will you ever feel that sense of fulfilment and achievement that is surely the end goal of any pursuit?

I’m not saying I’ve found the answer, and I don’t think the answer is to stop pushing myself to do better. But maybe I….maybe you too…maybe we need to give ourselves a break now and then. Just allow ourselves to believe what others our telling us. That actually, what we do, whether that be sewing, sketching, work, parenting…whatever…is actually pretty ok. And we are allowed to feel a bit proud of what we do now and then…?

DIY, monthly round up, Ponderings, The Little Tornado

May & June Round Up…& a bit of a life update…

At the beginning of May I started a monthly round up of my makes for the previous month. The idea being to  keep a track of my productivity that month. It’s so easy to lose track of what you have achieved. The plan was (and still is) to do one of these posts at the end of every month. However May and June proved to be a hectic couple of months; and this is the first chance I’ve had to take a look back. I made less than I thought I would; 8 in total over 8 weeks.  Although for 3 or 4 of those weeks I couldn’t sew a thing; but there’s a few reasons for that!

1,   2,   3,  4,  5,  6,  7.

May of course was the month of Me Made May which as predicted, prompted me to sew up a few more items to keep my challenge going. It was also the month I was prepping for The Refashioners 2013. June of course saw the series launched (a very exciting and resounding success!). Of course the first 2 weeks of June meant this blog was fully occupied showcasing all of those wonderful guest posts.

Family: I’d planned to use those 2 weeks to make, make and make. However life has away of throwing you curve balls. This one was a pretty major one. I’ve inherited a teenager! J’s 14 year old has moved in with us at very short notice. So we are now a family of 4! Which meant that May/June was spent remodelling our bungalow to create a 3rd bedroom, and redecorating all 3 bedrooms as a result plus sorting out a school, uniform, GP, dentist etc. So my making time went out of the window; and I’m slowly adapting to the sudden role of “step mum” to a teenage boy. At least I get some insight into this mysterious breed before Elliott hits that stage! Talking of which, Elliott finished pre-school last week (with a fantastic final assessment may I add. Proud mummy!) and starts at the local primary school in September. I actually got pretty choked up. That’s the thing with children. You’re excited and proud at every milestone they reach successfully; but also sad at leaving your little boy behind every time he takes another step forward. Sigh….

Television: Aside from that, I had a last minute day of filming in Bristol. Yes, the TV thing is still rolling on. Cripes it’s a long process! RiDICulously slow! Essentially, a final “yay” or “nay” from the network is imminent. (This week or next). I still don’t know which way it’s going to go. Either way though, it seems like there maybe “other” opportunities that this (and another) production company want to explore with me. It’s one of those things that I suspect will be bubbling away in the background for ages; and then will all of a sudden gather momentum and then be full on if and when something gets commisssioned.

Work: Before we had Elliott and J was floored by arthritis and successive surgeries; J and I were self employed. We bought and sold vintage clothing when Ebay was at it’s peak for such things. 2009 was a year when all that came crashing down. It was the year we had Elliott, lost our business, lost my Dad to cancer, couldn’t afford to keep our home, and J was bedridden for 6 months. It was the best year of my life in one way (because of Elliott); and worst year of my life in most others. We’ve kind of been licking our self employment wounds ever since then. Hesitant to get stung in that way again. BUT, we’re getting back in the game 🙂 We’ve decided the time is right to have another stab at it. J has been made redundant twice in the past 12 months and “regular” jobs are scant. The TV work has re-awakened my/our love of hunting out treasures to buy and sell and reminded me that actually, I do have an instinct for these things. So we’re relaunching our business. Not on a grand scale (yet 😉 but hopefully enough to support us all! The emphasis for me will always be vintage treasures. So look out for a relaunch of my Etsy shop in the not too distant future 🙂

Blog:  This blog is becoming a bigger and bigger priority for me. Which I never envisioned when I opened a Blogger account in 2009. I didn’t even know what I was going to write when I signed up! Just felt like something I might enjoy. Fast forward to 2013 and this blog is really growing! So exciting! I am super proud to announce my first official sponsor in Victory Patterns. (See giant ad in sidebar!). Kristiann is soooo lovely and between us we have some fun sponsor posts planned over the next few weeks. In addition to that, I have some exciting collaborations in the works with some indie makers and bloggers and can’t wait to share them with you in the coming months!

So that’s where I’m at really. A little spontaneous “mid year” potted update!
How’s the first half of your year gone? Can you believe we’re halfway through another year already??!

Ponderings, Sewing

Are Television executives missing a trick?

If Maslow is to be believed, (and all conventional wisdom suggests that he is), then three of our most basic human needs are to feed, house and clothe ourselves. No-one could argue that British TV has it pretty much covered when it comes to food and property. Anyone you stop on the street would have no problem reeling off a list of TV chefs; Nigella, Jamie, Gordon, Marco Pierre, Delia, Ainsley, et al are just the tip of a very large iceberg (notable is the fact that no surnames are even necessary to know exactly who I am referring to!) The inevitable surge of cookery books on the shelves of WH Smith in time for Christmas is further evidence of this. Much the same can be said of property and DIY related programming. The public are on first name terms with Phil and Kirstie. They are awed by Sarah Beany’s ability to simultaneously renovate a dilapidated mansion AND rescue hapless homeowners from property disaster, ALL whilst apparently being permanently pregnant. Such is the eternal popularity of  DIY and home makeover shows, that they have made household names not just of the presenters, but even the minor players and sidekicks have become celebrities in their own right. (Charlie Dimmock and Handy Andy anyone?). Crikey, DIY SOS even has us covertly sobbing into our sofa cushions in case anyone should catch us crying at an interior design programme! (That’s not just me is it?)

Surely at the heart of the eternal popularity of such shows is their universal appeal. They tap into two of our most basic needs. Everybody needs to eat, right? Everybody needs a place to lay their head at night, right? Over the years British TV has catered admirably for our needs in these two areas. TV programmes have taught us how to cook everything from a basic omelette to catering for a 5 course gourmet dinner party. TV has shown us that food can be sexy (Nigella?), cool (Jamie?), traditional (Delia?) and has inspired us to go back to basics and encouraged us to grow our own (River Cottage anyone?).
We’ve learnt from TV, how we can turn a semi in Birmingham into boutique hotel with just a few sheets of MDF, some paint and a staple gun. Programmes like Grand Designs have inspired us even further, not just to Do It Yourself but to Build it Yourself too. Over the years TV has showed us that   “doing it” ourselves, is not rocket science. All it takes is a little know how and the will to try. It’s inspired us to have a go. Helped us rediscover skills that, a generation ago, were commonplace. But in a culture of fast fix consumerism, had been in danger of being lost altogether. As a nation we are slowly rediscovering the satisfaction we can get from saying “I made that” as opposed to the emotionally bereft alternative of “I bought that”. We are re-engaging with our ability to meet our own needs, rather than paying someone to meet them for us.

So what then of the overlooked middle child? Our ability to clothe ourselves? Whilst we can all name TV chefs and property types in abundance; can you name me one TV stitcher? One person who has taught and inspired us that when it comes to clothing ourselves, we CAN do it ourselves? In TV’s crusade to inspire, inform and equip us with the skills we need to do it ourselves, sewing is screamingly conspicuous in it’s virtual absence from our programming schedules. Whilst a huge, dynamic and vibrant online sewing community has emerged in the past few years, TV chiefs seem to remain blissfully unaware of it’s existence. So the question is, are they missing a trick by failing to cater for such a diverse and growing market?

In the real world of course, it’s numbers that matter; and central to any programming decision must be viewing figures. So what kind of appetite is there for sewing related programming in the UK today? This is a difficult one to answer since to date, TV has not produced a sewing related show to illustrate through hard figures, what we in the online sewing community already know. That sewing is indeed, more popular and thriving than it has been for generations.

Let’s talk numbers…

So what proof is there that the UK has a sewing revival on it’s hands and is it just a flash in the pan? Back in 2009 when the recession had hit, talk was widespread that this would create a resurgence in the “make do and mend” mentality. This article from the Mail Online sums up nicely what was happening back in 2009. To quote:

“Sewing machines make a comeback as sales soar 500%”


“If more proof were needed that we are living in a brave new world since the recession, consider the success of the humble sewing machine. For years, sales to grandmothers and home economics teachers were steady, but unspectacular. Cue the credit crunch and the sewing machine has become a must-have accessory.
Tesco reported a 198% increase in sales since this time last year – selling two every minute. Sales of Argos’ cheapest model, at £69.99, have risen by 500%, while Singer and Brother models are up by 50%.”

So what happened? Were they right?  Has the UK experienced a sewing and handmade revival in the past few years or are all those newly purchased sewing machines gathering dust in a cupboard?? Fast forward to the beginning of last year and it seems sales in sewing machines show no sign of abating. Market analyst GIA Inc, released the results of a comprehensive study into the global sewing machine market with some headline worthy results. To quote:

“Global Sewing Machines Market to Reach 25.8 Million Units by 2015”

What’s interesting about these results is that what  growth there is in this market is driven, not by industry, but by us. You and I. The humble home sewer. It seems that whilst the recession has bitten textile and garment production hard on their mass producing butts, it has had the opposite effect on the sale of home sewing machines. According to the study, a decline in sales and the mounting financial burdens on textiles manufacturers has resulted in major cutbacks across the industry. This in turn has “pushed sales of industrial sewing machines into the red”

However, it seems the reverse is true of home sewing machines:

“consumer behavioral patterns such as, rise in self-mending of clothes, and do-it-yourself craft work, have helped counterbalance partially the lull in the business environment. Hypothetically, tight budgetary conditions and a call for careful purchase decisions,  ironically presents a favorable scenario for increased adoption of home sewing machines, as people vigorously adopt a Sew-it-Yourself (SIY) approach, opting to prepare, repair or customize their own clothes in an effort to save money.”

So is this set to last? Well this particular report seems to think it will; and I for one can’t disagree with what they have to say here:

“A recessionary backlash is additionally expected with consumers who have switched to value shopping, due to the current economic situation, most likely to persist with the newly acquired frugality for a long time into the foreseeable future. Reduced acceptance of throwaway convenience, and fast fashion will continue to characterize the consumer even into the post recession marking the emergence of the most important change in retail spending. Changing perceptions of luxury, waning popularity of high-street fashion and a new found fondness for hand-made clothes augur well for the home sewing machines market.”

So, sewing machines continue to sell like hotcakes. Did I mention the thriving market in secondhand sewing machines? In the past 30 days alone, over 1400 secondhand sewing machines have been sold in the UK on Ebay auction listings. Yep, I counted ’em! (1416 at the time of writing, to be precise).A bit of  simplistic extrapolation and that equates to almost 17,000 people buying secondhand sewing machines over a 12 month period JUST on Ebay. (BTW, that doesn’t include machines sold on a “Buy it Now” format. I was SOOOO not counting all those up as well!)

Considering a good sewing machine can last a lifetime, would it then be fair to assume that all those of us who were sewing already were not the ones buying these machines? Would it be fair to assume then, that a significant proportion of this surge in sewing machine sales, can be attributed to people who didn’t already own one? Dare I say it…..newbies to the sewing world? Sounds suspiciously like a sewing revival to me!

Another sign of the growing interest in sewing, is the constant flow of new sewing titles springing up all over the place. Not all are “available in your local newsagents” and anyone not acquainted with the online sewing community may never even get to know of the existence of some titles….but the sheer fact that publishers have seen fit to increase their output of sewing related titles so dramatically over the past few years (the number of available titles has doubled in the past 5 years alone) is recognition of the public appetite for sewing related publications….








Perhaps the reason this resurgence in sewing/handmade (and I mean proper sewing/handmade. Not Kirstie, bless her socks, cross stitching an initial on a handkerchief) is going largely unnoticed by TV execs, is that until TV gets involved and engages with what’s already going on online, this “movement” is largely an underground one. The thing about the internet is, it’s great for finding what you’re looking for; but unless you’re actually looking for it, you’re unlikely to find it. Whereas TV sticks it to you, right under your nose, while you’re supping your cocoa.
Right now it feels as though we are this huge underground community, that can’t quite believe that mainstream media hasn’t yet tripped right over us. We’re like a huge mound underneath a rug; and instead of lifting the rug and finding out what’s under there, TV execs just keep stepping around us on their way out the door to a meeting about another cooking or DIY offering.

The fact is, millions of people either already sew, want to learn how to sew, or could be inspired to sew given the right kind of inspiration.

Sewing is almost entirely unexplored when it comes to TV programmimg. It’s brand new territory that handled well, will make for brand new and original programming that will inspire, inform, and equip a whole new generation of sewers. As well as catering for thousands upon thousands of those of us who already sew; and are just waiting for some programming that reflects our interests.  In an increasingly competitive market, with budgets squeezed, and any number of production companies fighting for a finite number of prime time slots, surely it’s going to take something a little different to turn the heads of programme commissioners. Something that’s never been done before. Surely, a brand new, but ready made market, is a TV execs dream?

What say you? Would you like to see sewing better represented in TV programming schedules here in the UK? (Is it better represented elsewhere in the world? I’d love to know!) If so, what would you like to see a show format include?
I’d really love to know your thoughts on this, and indeed get as much feedback as possible! I may have the opportunity soon to put this argument and your thoughts to people that could actually make this happen. So re-blog- facebook and tweet this post. Do whatever you think will spread the word, and let’s find out what this sewing community of ours thinks! It can’t just be me that thinks this is a no brainer, surely?!

book review, Crafting, Giveaways, goldhawk road, Inspiration, joanna gosling, miscellaneous, organising, Ponderings

That chance encounter I was telling you about…

Regular readers of this blog might be aware of my recent frustrations in terms of finding the time to “fit it all in”. Changes in Elliott’s routine have kind of thrown me into a bit of a wheelspin. Whereas 6 months ago you would have found me more or less successfully juggling all of the various elements of my life, the latter 6 months have seen me frantically treading water while I try and re-order and streamline my routine in order to adapt and get some momentum going again. Which brings me to the serendipitous meeting I referred to in a previous post. Sometimes life just puts you in the right place, at the right time, and gives you exactly what you need at that precise moment. Which was just what happened when I was waiting to purchase my 2 metres of cotton seersucker in a shop in London’s Goldhawk Road last Wednesday….

Ahead of me in the queue was a lady who looked familiar. I couldn’t quite place her. In any case, we got chatting about how brilliant Goldhawk Road was and how awful it was that the council were even considering demolishing the place. I can’t quite remember how, but we got onto the subject of her writing a book, and my writing a blog. I gave her my details, we went our seperate ways. Joanna emailed me that evening, she liked my blog, she sent me her book, I LOVED her book. SERIOUSLY people, was someone up there listening to me or what?? Check this out…

The lady in question, as I twigged a few days later, was none other than BBC News presenter Joanna Gosling. Yep that’s why she looked familiar! Months of early mornings and late nights with a newborn baby, with BBC News 24 on in the wee small hours, had clearly lodged Joanna’s face somewhere in the deep dark recesses of my mind!
Joanna is a working mother of 3 with a successful career in news broadcasting and now her first book under her belt, with another under way. So as much as any of us, she completely understands the drive to be all things to all people, all at once, and the pressure we can put on ourselves to meet such unrealistic (and usually self imposed!) expectations of perfection. All too often, it’s the “me time” that is sacrificed in the pursuit of these goals. The little indulgences. “Treats” that we can only allow ourselves to enjoy guilt free once the house looks “perfect” and all the chores are done. But since “a woman’s work is never done” those little indulgences and bits of “me time” seem desperately few and far between at times. Joanna’s book, entitled Simply Wonderwoman seeks, and in my opinion succeeds, to help redress that balance. To free up time for “me time”. It’s subtitle encompasses the spirit of the book in a nutshell. “A survival guide for women with too much to do”. Yep, that’d be me then!

The book is divided into two distinct sections. The first, a treasury of tips and tricks gleaned from friends, family members, her own experience, (oh and the occasional rock star), is aimed at saving time, money and effort. Amen to that! Every aspect of day to day life is covered from planning your day, polishing off the household chores in super quick time, to organising childcare. The brilliance of these tips and tricks is in their simplicity. There are some old favourites in there, but let me tell you peops, there are some real lightning bolt moments in the pages of this book. Ideas that made me slap my hand on my forehead and emmit a Homer Simpson’esque DOH!! Why had that never occured to me before!

There are some great ideas for budget and eco friendly household cleaning products. Tips for cleaning shortcuts that will see you banishing petty annoyances like oven cleaning and smeared mirrors for good (and no, not vinegar and newspaper. Something much much better!). Laundry, cooking and party planning are just some of the areas to receive the Gosling treatment. DIY is given the once over too. My personal favourite is decanting leftover paint into glass bottles. (hmmmm, I recognise those passata bottles methinks!) No more battling with the lid on the paint tin that doesn’t seem to want to go back on. (you know the scene. You tap it down on one side and it pops open on the other! Grrr!) Plus you can see at a glance what colours you have left, how much, AND it just looks so much nicer. See what I mean? Simple genius at it’s best.

Chore after chore is streamlined and pared down, with the sole aim of making more time for the “stuff that makes your heart sing” as Joanna puts it. Giving you the time and head space to escape to that creative place in each us.  Which is what the second section of the book is devoted to. Crammed into this section are loads of simple to do, satisfying creative “fixes”. Nothing in this section requires any prior experience, knowledge or particular skill level. They’re aimed solely at satisfying that urge to create in the form of manageable “bite size” projects that can be achieved in an hour or two.  All of which makes this a perfect “coffee table” book to dip into again and again…

My first reaction when Joanna offered to send me a copy of her book was an instant “yes please!”. Immediately I suggested reviewing her book here on my blog and organising a giveaway too (yep, that’s in the bag so stay tuned for that 😉 Then it occurred to me. Eeep! What if I hated the book? Could I write a lukewarm review or worse, be really enthusiastic about something I didn’t like? Ha! I needn’t have worried. From the stylish cover, great photography and easy format, to the “eureka” moments and cute crafts…there was nothing not to like. Reading this book is, in places, like having a girly friend sat chatting with you over a coffee exclaiming “you sooooo have to try this tip I picked up, it’s a-ma-zing!” There’s not a hint of that “look at me and how brilliant I am at doing everything” approach that can come across in other books/programmes of this ilk. Just a real understanding of how things can get on top of you and a genuine desire to share the things that work and help to make everyday life more manageable.

I’ve already implemented some of the ideas, and I concur, they absolutely do save time and effort. Yay! (Oh, and meaningful sewing has occurred for the first time in weeks 😉 I plan on picking one idea I love each day and implementing it. I’ll be back to sewing up a storm and “fitting it all in” in no time 🙂

Stay tuned for an interview with the lady herself, and the chance to bag a copy of the book for yourself 😉

Ponderings, Sewing, Sewing Basics

The Seven Deadly Sins of Sewing……

When pondering recently, just what I have learnt since I began my sewing adventures a couple of years ago, it occurred to me that there are certain things that I do now, that I was clueless of at the start,  but have now become my sewing fundamentals.  They are the steps that I wouldn’t dream of skipping or the situations that I will avoid like the plague. Because I know in all certainty, that if I do (or if I don’t), I have sounded the death knell on my project’s success. As I become aware of the little details that combine to make a professionally finished garment, these are my unwritten (until now!) rules, that I would be committing sewing sacrilage if I failed to adhere to. These are my Seven Deadly Sins of Sewing…

Skimping on the Pressing – I hadn’t a clue as a beginner that my iron would be just as important as my sewing machine.

Skipping the Toile – In my eagerness to sew a finished garment, in the past I have dived straight in and cut straight from my fashion fabric and regretted it every single time. It’s good to have a practice run when you’re using a pattern for the first time

Rushing – This is a big one for me! I can be an impatient sort. I’ve taught myself to enjoy the process of making a garment as much as the finished article, and take time over the little details, done well,  that I know will make me smile each time I look at them

Neglecting needles – Using a new needle each time I start a new project has become a bit of a ritual for me. And using the right needle for the type of fabric was a lesson learnt the hard way too!

Sewing on Empty – Sewing when I’m tired is also a big no no for me.  My  patience is low, I get easily frustrated  and I make stupid mistakes. (Hence the lack of sewing on this blog of late!) Some things are best left for another day when you’re in the right frame of mind

Fabric Faux Pas’ – If something is worth my time sewing, then it’s worth sewing with a decent quality fabric and decent quality notions. I’ve learnt to be patient in sourcing my fabrics because I can’t afford to buy metres and metres of fabric from High Street retailers. My stash is comprised almost entirely of thrifted supplies and I’ve had some great scores from Freecycle and fabric swaps too.

Thinking you can’t – This one, out of all of them has held me back the most in the past. Here’s what I’ve learnt – Don’t be afraid to tackle a project because you think it’s beyond you. Ok you may have to tackle it bit by bit. Break it down into smaller parts, surf the net for tutorials. read blogs. Practice on a scrap of fabric. But you’ll get there, and you’ll learn so much on the way

This list is by no means set in stone and there are many other things that I could add. I’m sure as I continue my sewing adventures I’ll find still more. But because of my heavily illiterated title, I’ve limited myself to just 7 for the purposes of this post! I’m interested though….what are your big no no’s when it comes to sewing? What are the massive faux pas’that you would simply never commit?
Px

Ponderings, Sewing

Ode to a Seam Ripper

Oh seam ripper, Oh seam ripper
How wonderful thou art
To rescue me so deftly
From another dodgy dart
Oh seam ripper, oh seam ripper
When I sucumb to messy stitching
You sort out all my cock ups
Without laughing,without bitching
Oh seam ripper, oh seam ripper
You remain suprisingly chipper
When faced with yet another
Of my dodgy, bodged up zippers
Oh seam ripper, oh seam ripper
As I make do and mend
What would I do without you
My trusty, pointy friend?!

(Anyone would think I had loads of time on my hands huh?! I am just LOVING my seam ripper, that’s all….Px)