The Hundred Day Project: Days 1-20

This year I decided that I would take part in The Hundred Day Project and embark on a project which has been on my mind for a while... The theme of my hundred day project is 100 days of free machine embroidered animals - or the hashtag #100daysofFMEanimals To record the project, I thought I would post a blog update every 20 days.  Here are the first 20 animals of the project: Day 1 - Parrot Day 2 - Emu Day 3 - Flamingo Day 4 - Starfish Day 5 - Stingray Day 6 - Newt Day 7 - Bear…

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Pattern Review: Bertha Cardigan

Recently, I received the latest Tilly and the Buttons book - Make it Simple - as a gift.  here is my first make from it! Details Pattern Details: Name: Bertha Variation: Original without additions/hacks Pattern House: Tilly and the Buttons Size I made: 4 Fabric This red drapey single knit fabric is from my stash and was meant for my nan's Kinder cardigna, but I cut into the wrong fabric for that.  It has a clear right and wrong side.  It was tricky to cut out as it was hard to lay out on the table to cut.  I had…

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Pattern Review: Butterick 5189 Dressing Gown

Recently I made another of my planned makes for #2020make nine - the dressing gown - as a gift. Details Pattern Name: 6232Variation/style: Dressing GownDesign House: ButterickSize I made: L Fabric The main fabric is a polyester brocade and the lining is a red terry cloth.  The brocade is woven and the terry cloth is knit fabric.  Both are from Fabricland.Using a knit and woven was quite challenging as they act very differently to one another, and I would recommend to avoid using them together in a project like this if possible.  The terry cloth was happy to stretch away…

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My 2020 plans

Here are my plans going into 2020... 2020 Make Nine Here are my make nine plans: Freya Sweater by Tilly and the Buttons Toucan t-shirt Shawl Mila Dungarees by Tilly and the Buttons Dressing Gown using Butterick 5189 A men's shirt (not decided on pattern yet) Slipper Boots (free pattern by Tilly and the Buttons) Trousers Art of Knitting throw Other plans Learn to draft a trouser block (going to a locally held class) Mend textile items at home which need fixing Successfully make any items for special birthdays coming up this year Keeping track of my progress and achievements I decided that…

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Review of the year: 2019

With the year drawing to a close, I thought I would reflect on my makes during 2019. Most challenging make - the black copley cardigan I've chosen the black copley cardigan as it is the make that took me the longest.  I have made this pattern before but in a yellow colour, which was a lot easier on the eye!  I can get quite impatient so the fact I persevered and finished it within a year is quite an achievement. I haven't worn it much yet - I think I have just got a bit exhausted from it.  I'm sure…

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5 Ideas for quick sewing gifts (all free patterns/tutorials)

I love to make a gift for my nearest and dearest, and while I start with huge ambitious plans, I'm normally grappling with time.  Here are a few ideas if you find yourself wanting to make gifts but needing some faster options. 1. Eye Mask (Tilly and the Buttons) A classic quick and fun make is the eye mask.  A great gift for frequent travelers or someone who likes to wear one in general!  This tutorial is a lovely simple yet effective gift which you could complement with some lavender spray for their pillow or include in a travel pack set. 2.…

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