This project has kept me company through six months of displacement and moving around and now that we have finally moved into our forever home by the sea, it is a testament to those days, when so much uncertainty and decision making caused lots of ups and downs. It will be perfect for chilly autumn days by the sea and winter walks when the wind blows and the frosts sparkle.
Read MoreWe were in the middle of moving, well…paused in the middle of moving and I saw the knitting pattern for this shawl on instagram. I knew it was just the perfect gift for a dear friend who was about to celebrate her 60th birthday. For some nuts reason, I figured it would be a quick project that I would easily complete in time for the party. It was not, but that is entirely my fault and as usual, my over reaching ambition to challenge myself.
Read MoreWhen one of your children gets married, it is an emotional milestone in your life and this is a way to link the generations in a tangible way. It is just a simple gift, a way to preserve the past and carry it forward to the future. It is a family thing, a very personal gift and what’s more….she loved it…..
Read More……When our son got posted to Houston with his work, I couldn’t believe it and so the last few weeks I have been able to spend some days with my old friend and explore her sewing room. It is always so wonderful when you are reunited after a few years with an old friend and it feels like you just instantly pick up where you left off. We decided to make a project and as quilted jackets are currently on trend, we ordered the Tamarack Jacket pattern and set to work.
Read MoreAs we are currently nomads, in between houses and taking some time out from almost everything, this is just a quickie. After all that packing and initial displacement, life has been more relaxing in our temporary accommodation. However, my fingers have started to twitch a little and as I was starting to miss my needle, I reached for my box of threads and decided on a whim, to fill the pocket of my summer jacket with embroidered wildflowers.
Read MoreThis blog has been a great energiser for me over the years and I enjoy to write about my sewing adventures, but I hardly ever veer off into personal stuff, so do please excuse this one. Our kids are grown, our house is sold and the freedom we have in our hands is a little overwhelming. It is an adventure and we’ve always been good at adventures…
Read MoreLiving in West Yorkshire, the landscape is peppered with old mill buildings that tell the story of our industrial past. Some of these mills are vast affairs and reflect the huge scale of the cloth industry in this region. Sadly it is all long gone and while many of the old mills have been restored and repurposed, many also stand deserted and decaying. Not long after we came to this area, I came across these old mill bobbins and I loved how tactile they are, steeped in the history of wool production and heralding a day when we produced high quality cloth here in the north.
Read MoreHi there, it’s been a while since I last posted but it is not because I haven’t been busy - in fact I have quite a few projects on the go, and it has taken a while to get one of them finished. However, finished it is, and I am just delighted with this piece of seasonal stitching.
Read MoreHello and I am so excited for this post I don’t know if my fingers can type quickly enough to calm my enthusiasm. I am rather a hesitant dressmaker and often things don’t work out, but this one… oh me oh my, it’s a triumph and I am so proud of it.
Read MoreHello and welcome to a rather unexpected post. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the book, maybe it’s an inspiring instagram post or maybe it is just a warning - that this project can become addictive! Whatever, a woolly scarf in July?
Read MoreRecently I was lucky enough to spend a wonderful afternoon at the Tate Britain’s current exhibition ‘Sargent & Fashion’. It is on until the 7th of July so there is still time to catch it if you can. Aside from being a feast for the eyes with a collection of wonderful late victorian and edwardian costumed portraits, there are also some of the textiles that inspired the paintings with a smattering of original costumes and period pieces to highlight the fashions of the time.
Read MoreSo…having established that this was the year of the skirt revival, the flash of Liberty fabric swishing around the National Portrait Gallery was more than enough to send me up rushing Regent St. in search of the floral heaven that is always ‘that store.’ I have known Liberty’s all my life, or so it seems ….
Read MoreMaking Embroidery Modern
