ABOUT ME

I am Angela and I love to sew. I started sewing as a child and by the time I was a teenager I was wearing the very latest fashions to go out in. All me-made. I am passionate about reducing the amount of textiles sent to landfill, and encourage you to repurpose fabrics and clothes I started this blog in order to have a way in which to pass on my gained knowledge, and my professional knowledge to you, Sewing is empowering, you can save money by making items, make money by selling then, You can pass your knowledge on to others. What is there not to love? Interestingly I am a direct descendant of the Flemish weavers who came over to England in the 1300's. I find that fascinating especially as most of my family from as far back as I can trace are somehow involved in the manufacturing of fabric . . I have a degree in tailoring with a special interest in WW2 fashion.
Showing posts with label Gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gifts. Show all posts

Sunday 11 September 2022

Re-use, recycle. Will you take the challenge?

 Re-use, recycle.  Make Do and mend. What is this all about?  Why should it affect me?


I am alarmed after doing some research  just how much clothing, some of it unworn, goes to landfill. We purchase a lot of cheaper clothes which soon lose their appeal and out they go. Our wardrobes are crammed with things we hardly ever. Or never wear.

Not just clothes, I have been rescuing furniture too







Did you know that Dunelm take back textiles? I shall be doing this 

The website is Dunelm Take Back Scheme

Friday 2 September 2022

An easy way to learn how to sew - and save money

If you are anxious about learning to sew then have you thought of starting off with making dolls clothes? It's how I first learned to sew.



When I was very young I learned to sew by making dolls clothes. I feel that if you have little girls in your family you could also save a fortune as dolls clothes are very expensive Dolls clothes  are easy to make but will demonstrate perfectly how you would make an adult garment   as you use the same processes. Making dolls clothes is a great way to learn to sew for any age as the garments are small enough to be completed in one go.






Sunday 21 November 2021

Lovely Warm gifts for you to sew.

 Handwarmer,  body warmer and a relaxing eyemask for you to sew. Plus a very easy neck scarf. Perfect for giving. 

A lot of us suffer in the  cold with aches and pains sometimes from arthritis. These simple garments are designed to help keep you snug and warm. Even if you don't , these delightful pieces make perfect thoughtful gifts



The pattern is Kwik Sew 4318.

If you are unable to purchase the pattern then it is easy enough to draft your own, see my post Handwarmers and scarves

It is so very easy to do as long as you remember to make your pattern big enough to accommodate multiple layers 
. Let me know if you have a problem 
I have used pure 100% cotton from my stash.

But you can purchase  it here Cotton fabric


I made the Bias Binding myself which is incredibly easy to do. I made a video to show you how to make it. Please don't buy it ready made, your own is far superior



Monday 23 November 2020

Handmade Totes, Bags, laundry bucket and much more. Perfecf for giving or keeping


My Handmade Gifts 


I like to give handmade gifts and I have some to share with you.


This is a set of gifts for a friend. Some of which can be found on my previous blog post -  just click on this link  Lovely Warm Christmas Gifts 

My Bathroom 

I have been decorating my bathroom and want to share the decor ideas and also show you how to sew a laundry bucket. The laundry tub pattern is from this book, you can purchase it from Amazon by clicking this link. There are lots of fabulous things to make in this book and I recommend it either for yourself or as a gift  

That Handmade Touch


There are such a lot of makes in this book , it is one I use a lot and in fact two of the items, my laundry bucket and a pouch to hold make up,  sewing supplies etc is shown below 



The instructions are clear and simple to follow with templates where needed.

I used some furnishing fabric in a nautical design and lined it with calico. I used a stiff interfacing for the base, removing the seam allowance before ironing it in place


Click to read more

Saturday 22 October 2016

How to make bags, totes and wallets Perfect for gifts!

I love making bags, there is something satisfying about using up remnants of fabric to make something practical (and free) Whenever I make a coat or jacket I always make some sort of bag to use when wearing it, especially now that we need to take a larger bag shopping with us. It is an opportunity to be a bit creative too and use trimmings that would otherwise me overwhelming on a garment.




These are two toiletry bags which I made out of leftover fabric. Have you seen how expensive they are to buy in the shops! A length of bag interfacing will make you lots of bags, then you just need a fastener.  I will talk about magnetic snaps and zips in each section.


All of my bag making supplies are from Jaycotts.co.uk,  take a look at the link  HERE  They sell handles, snaps, interfacings and everything else you will need including patterns and some fabulous templates so you can design your own.


The pattern I am using is this one and in this post I am making a bag and two envalope wallets using an interfacing called   DECOVIL which is a firm but flexible stabiliser for bags, and also some FUSIBLE VOLUME FLEECE which is easier to use