Friday 27 July 2012

On your marks...get set...sew!

I have been a little internet absent the past few weeks, sometimes life stuff just happens and it all needs dealing with. Things kept popping up one after the other, lots of family visiting, interviews, relentless leaky roof, being screwed over by Comet…you know, the usual. BUT, it is nearly August, the weather has been much better this week and a huge sporting event is starting in my City today, so feeling much better about life in general. Although I think getting to work is going to be a bitch on Monday.
I have also seriously neglected my sewing the past few weeks and last night I thought enough is enough, I need to get back on track. For some motivation I looked at my previously made bags and had one of those 'these aren't good enough' moments and wondered what the hell I was doing. I'm hoping when I start sewing again it will all go back to normal…right?? Oh god.

To mark the Olympics starting today, oh you didn't know? look at these tea towels! They are a collaboration between Custhom and Anthropologie, I can't decide which one I like best, possibly the yellow diving one but then I'm a sucker for that lovely mustard shade.

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Hot hot hot air balloon

Way back at the beginning of June, when the weather was half way to resembling summer (I promise, when the rain sorts itself out and goes away and then the sun makes an appearance, I will stop with all this weather talk) I made a hot air balloon bag which I wasn't overly keen on. I mean, it was ok, just didn't have that pizzazz (?) that I was hoping for. I don't really know what pizzazz is, but the bag certainly didn't have it. 
So I went away and came up with a new design, just like that. Cause when you don't like something, just make it better. So here it is, a vintage style hot air balloon. 




Isn't she pretty? 



I used two different colours, yes TWO. It was a tough decision to add in another colour but I think it makes the ropes stand alone instead of moulding into the balloon. 



I also ventured away from the trusty split stitch and included stem stitch for the ropes, they look like actual ropes, amazing!


I hope you like it, this week I'm hoping to try it out in a different colour.



This has pizzazz.

Sunday 8 July 2012

Sew Inspiring #10


I have spent a large amount of my (working) week lusting over clothes that I wish I owned because the beautiful models make me believe I will look exactly like them in the picture. I will, right? Right??
I was impressed to see how many embroidered items there are in the high street shops, obviously they won't be hand embroidered- well I would hope they aren't employing someone to hand embroider hundreds of thousands of flowers onto dresses at a cost of about £28....but you never know nowadays. 
I have included a round up of all my favourite bits I have come across, with click through links so then we can all look like those pretty pretty models! 

   





I had to include this top otherwise it would have been cute summer dress overload.


Mmmmm dreamy! 

Thursday 5 July 2012

Sew organised

So far, this week hasn't been the best. I mentioned briefly in my last post about a leaky roof, well since then we've had ALL the rain coming through our ceiling which doesn't seem to want to let up, at all. Mix that with family visiting this weekend means one very stressed out and pissed off lady (not about my family visiting, those guys are ok!)


On a brighter note, I have bought an embroidery thread organiser, yes you heard right. Its taken me a few days to get it sorted but now its ready to be used it looks too pretty to…I guess I will just have to keep on top of replacing the thread…orr I could buy another…? One to use and one to sit and stare at. What? You don't sit and stare at your thread? Ok…me neither...


Before I bought this I kept all my thread in a tin, all colours just mixed in together without a care in the world. So when I was looking for a specific colour, I had to tip them all out and hunt through, a few threads were starting to knot together and was beginning to look like a big dready mess.

This super cool box (don't let anyone tell you other wise) gets rid of this problem and makes looking for a colour so much easier and dread free. Im all about making things easier however the rain clearly likes to make things harder *sigh*


Anyway, if you want one of these I bought mine off Amazon but it might be nice to try your local sewing shop first.

Sunday 1 July 2012

Two scoops

Remember when I made an ice cream bag? London was sunny and I was feeling the summer mood, excited for the lovely weather that was ahead, planning long walks and weekends in the sun...well...it didn't last long.
Since those two lovely lovely days we have had torrential rain (which has brought a leaky roof), hurricane style winds possible exaggeration and constant cloud cover.


BUT, trying to stay positive, I am holding out for a good July and August so I stitched up another ice cream bag to get me back in the summer spirit.


This time I only stitched 3 ice creams on and I think it looks pretty cool. Now we just need the weather to go with it, hurry up sun!