On the move, and some small makes

Well hello there! There hasn't been a whole lot of sewing activity going on here recently as there's been a whole lot of moving going on. For some reason neither of us thought about hiring a removal company and decided it'd be fine to do the move in my wee Nissan Micra. I don't know what we were thinking as it took us 10 loads - isn't it incredible how much stuff you have when you start packing?! We're finally getting everything unpacked now, getting pictures up on the wall, and really settling in. I love our new home, it's bigger than our last flat ad we now have a garden as well - so exciting!!

I've been enjoying getting to know our new neighbourhood and am still trying to walk to work as much as I can.  It's a longer walk than it was from Camden, 45 minutes rather than 15, so quite often I only walk in then get the bus home. As you can see below though there's lots of nice sights on the walk!

All this moving, unpacking and settling in has meant that sewing plans have been on the backburner a bit. So one night, when I felt like being a bit creative, I decided to make myself some earrings. I used Sown Brooklyn's spirale de cuir tutorial for the two cone shaped pairs, one peach and one in red & white patterned leather.  The mint pair were made using this tutorial for Freshly Given.  Apologies for the poor colour representation but I've just taken the photos now and it's after 11pm so the light isn't very good! I really like them all and they look better on than they do here. However husband's comment when I showed him the turquoise pair was 'they look a bit home-made' hmmn, well maybe they do as I did have to make the jump rings myself as well and didn't do a very good job of them. But you know what? I don't care, I like them!

A one-night project

Due to the tiny size of our flat it can often be difficult for me to get the sewing machine out as it takes over the living space and can be quite distracting if my husband is trying to work.  So on Wednesday night, feeling too restless to just vegetate in front of the TV, I decided to do a wee bit of jewellery making.

At the age of 15 I decided that jewellery making was what I wanted to do so I left school and went to college (or maybe I decided I was desperate to leave school and found a jewellery course as a suitable alternative!). Either way I've always enjoyed making my own jewellery but haven't done any in ages. This DIY Anthropologie inspired flag bunting necklace by Mrs Priss was a perfect project to start back with.  It didn't require the sewing machine and I made it in one night!

The colours I chose out of all the leather scraps I've got.

I've got this bundle of leather scraps that I inherited from my mum and have never done anything with them.  I imagine she got them in the mid-late 70s when she was making lots of beautiful patchwork leather bags (I'll photograph some of these another day and put them up).  I've got a plan for a camera bag in the piece of lovely red and white cross-hatch design but that would have required the sewing machine.  All this necklace required was jewellery pliers, leather, a needle to make holes with, scissors, jump rings, gold chain and a necklace fastening.  I bought the jump rings, chain and fastening in packs in John Lewis so I have plenty to make some more necklaces now - yay!

You can see the result above.  I decided to leave the ribbon off it - I couldn't get it to sit right and now I've made it I think I prefer it without.  Some of the pieces of leather were thinner than others and you can see them curling a bit in the photo.  On getting home from work tonight I've added medium interfacing to the back of them with fabric glue and it looks much sturdier now (see below). I'm so happy with it and I know I'll get lots of wear out it. Thank you Mrs Priss!

Brooch making workshop

I'm quite excited as I've just booked on my first craft workshop in London - yay!  I've signed up for an evening of fabric brooch making with Fabric Nation at the We Make Summer Boutique in Hampstead.  I've got a lovely fabric brooch that I got as a Christmas present from a friend, it looks very similar to the ones shown below. It'll be fun to know how to make them!

This is my first foray into jewellery making in some time, since a 'bead bender' with two of my best pals in Glasgow.  That was a super fun day that started off as a jewellery making class at The Bead Company in Partick, followed by lunch at The Shandon Belles and then many pints of Guinness at the Doublet.  This one in London is on a Tuesday night so hopefully not quite so raucous, plus I don't know anyone so I'd be a bit worried if I did end up in an old man's pub drinking Guinness on my own.

The blurb about the workshop is included below in case it is of interest to anyone else.  Maybe see you there!

5 July Fabric brooch making

We Make Summer Boutique, Oak Studios, 8 Perrins Court, London NW3 1QS

Delve into Fabric Nation’s stash of vintage, upcycled and contemporary fabrics to make several pretty styles of flower, all deceptively simple to sew. Use them to brighten clothes or bags, wear as a hair clip or brooch, or make them as gifts for lucky friends. Pair up flowery, polkadot or striped prints, 50s barkcloth and US quilting cottons with vintage buttons, trims and felts to create unique and colourful designs. These flower brooches and hair clips are deceptively simple to make, perfect for the beginner, and offer more experienced participants a chance to explore different techniques and work with a range of different materials.

Gillian will provide step-by-step tuition in different brooch making techniques and one-to-one help for those with little sewing experience. All materials are provided, including home baked cakes. To book a place and for more details visit the We Make Summer Boutique