Sew Crazy!

Could someone out there please order some more hours for the day? Whenever I ask, all I get is... "Computer says No" ...

I've been catching up with some reading, and trying to figure out how to make patterns for dressmaking. I've ordered some books from the library that are typically used by fashion students (did you know that dressmaking is not in the curriculum for fashion design courses?!). Luckily, last Xmas, Mr Marmalade bought me a subscription to the magazine "Sewing World" which this year has included a fantastic series entitled "Creating Fashion" by Betty Foster. Month by month lessons have covered everything you need to know in order to make your own fashion patterns, from design, to draft, to creation! I'm revising with relish. I have a curious compulsion to make a wedding dress! I don't know what's wrong with me. Perhaps they are in my blood having worked on so many -from the catering side of things - in my life. Ofcourse it would have to be a dress with a corset - that's the point.

I also received my first copy of "Sew Hip" today, a new magazine which I first saw reported on Primrose Corner. It's a bit like a blog in a mag .. by bloggers for bloggers ... And I don't know about you, but sometimes I like to sit down and read a bit of print ... it's not the same a screen that's for sure. Different to Sewing World, Sew Hip includes lots of inspirational ideas and product reviews..


along with projects and stories ..


and interviews with famous crafters and designers...

In the spirit of all this enlightement, I thought i'd show you some of my latest toys and tricks....

This is my newest gadget. It's a button covering contraption. I'd seen them on American craft supply websites, but never here in the UK. However, my favourite sewing/craft shop recently came up trumps as usual! Hurrah! I've tried it out .. It's definitely easier than covering a button without. I like to use every scrap of fabric that I possibly can, so this is useful!

I still find it easier to sew a gathering stitch around the circle of material used to cover the button and gather it in before finishing, rather than use those silly spikey bits around the inside of the button as pictured on the instructions.

This here is a mascara brush. If anyone is having a Body Shop party or a Virgin Vie party - or any other type of cosmetic party, then grab one of these!! They are sterile brushes supplied to party plan ladies for make-up demonstrations - therefore they are clean (not encrusted with dried up old impossible to get rid of black mascara) ... What have they got to do with sewing? WELL ... when you unpick a seam, you brush each separated side with one of these, and it gets all those irritating little bits of cotton out of the fabric completely effortlessly and quickly, giving you a good as new surface to re-sew in a fraction of the time! Who'd have thought it?

Last time I visited my favourite fabric store, at the same time as finding the button covering contraption, I picked up a packet of pop studs for £3.75. The owner of the shop who served me said "these work out at 40p each, and i sell these (indicating huge jar of the same) for 10p a set". And guess what .. they have fancy tops too - unlike the ones in the expensive packet. I think they will be useful for purses and pouches amongst other things. All you need to fix them - as demonstrated by said nice man - is a hammer and an old cotton reel which you place over the pop stud before hammering it in. Amazing! I bought 10 sets for £1.00. That's what I call service!!

My Moo stickers arrived yesterday and I am extremely pleased with them.

But did you know that you can get free business cards from VistaPrint. There are 42 designs to choose from, and most surprisingly a few of them are very acceptable for freebies - just be careful of the "added extras"! Which one will you choose???