16 April 2013

Out and About...

My friends! I hope you're having a good week. The last couple of weeks for me have been a bit of a whirlwind, my head is spinning, but it's all very exciting. I've reduced the days I work at my day job in order to free up a bit of time to take up more sewing-related opportunities. I've worked so hard on this blog for the last three years, all in my spare time (read: no social life), so it's wonderful to be able to take up some of these new opportunities to collaborate with others and share the sewing bug in different ways. Some day soon I'm going to take a day off (phew!), but until then let me share a few dates coming up that may be of interest to some of you...


Thursday 25th April 2013 - Learn to Sew: Tilly's Bow Belt
I'll be teaching a beginners' evening class at The Village Haberdashery (West Hampstead, London). This class will introduce novice stitchers - or those who need a refresher - to the basics of sewing, from threading the machine to stitching curves and corners. After getting to grips with the sewing machine, we will make a gorgeous 1950s inspired bow belt for you to take home. I'm so excited to teach this class!


Saturday 27th April 2013 - Guthrie & Ghani grand opening
Lauren is opening a fabric shop in Birmingham! She has worked so hard for nearly a year now renovating the premises, and I have no doubt it will be beautiful. I'm so proud of her! I'll be there from about 11am to early afternoon to help her out on the first day, cutting fabric, serving customers or whatever she needs. Yes, I'm going to play shops. No, I haven't grown up yet. Come along!


Sat 25th to Sun 26th May 2013 - Make a Mathilde Blouse
If you've sewn a few things before but are scared of sewing the Mathilde Blouse on your own, or if you just fancy having a giggle sewing with other enthusiasts, come and spend a weekend at Ray Stitch (Islington, London). I'll guide you through each step in the construction of this button-back blouse, including creating beautiful tucks or gathers, setting in puffed sleeves, and finishing it all off with elegant French seams. And we'll eat some cake.


Saturday 1st June 2013 - Make Your Own Pattern & Skirt
Learn to make a gorgeous gathered button-down skirt with practical pockets – aka the Picnic Blanket Skirt! Also at Ray Stitch, the class starts as a very gentle introduction to pattern making, guiding you through drafting a simple pattern to your own measurements. Then we’ll sew the skirt, learning techniques, tips and tricks along the way, including gathering, constructing a waistband, stitching pockets, forming buttonholes and finishing it all off neatly. This is a great class if you are comfortable using a sewing machine and looking for a nice Summer project. (I'm also looking forward to teaching this class in April too, but it's sold out!)


Saturday 15th June 2013 - Beginners' Dressmaking: Miette Wrap Skirt
I'll be back at Lauren's shop teaching my Miette sewing pattern. This is the perfect class if you know how to use a sewing machine and are looking for an easy project, even your first. Miette is a gently flared wraparound skirt that ties at the front in a delightful bow, with optional large patch pockets. We’ll cover the basics of using a sewing pattern and constructing a garment, from making a waistband to finishing seams and hemming.

That's all for now - phew!