Jewellery Holder Tutorial

I have been looking for a jewellery frame holder for a while, to hang my necklaces from, to stop them tangling up.  I found an example of one that was ok from Cox & Cox for £35.  I didn't really want to spend that on something that I wasn't that keen on aesthetically!

So an idea of how I could make one started to come together in my mind.  Yesterday I was out and about and saw a cheap corkboard, and I was off!

Supplies:

60cm x 40cm Corkboard £4.99 from Burts Homestores,

Staple Gun £4.99 from Robert Dyas

Hooks £3.00 from Robert Dyas

Wadding from stash

Fabric from stash

Cut the wadding a few inches larger on each side of the notice board and firmly staple in place.Pull tight, try not to stretch.

Then attach the fabric (get the right way up) and staple into place firmly all the way around.  Again pull tight, don't over stretch.  If I was doing it again I'd tuck the edges under before stapling.

 

Close up of staples - see how many I put in.

Front view

Hooks put in (they just screwed in)

Necklaces attached, tangle free, looking alluring!.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial.  It was really quick to make, under an hour.  I am very happy with how it has turned out.  Please let me know if you do one too.

2012 Thank You Totes

I have been making these totes as thank you presents for three years now for my children's class teachers.  This year I went with the following measurements:

Front:

 w: 49cm x h:22cm for the top rectangle.

w: cm x h: 30cm for the two outer bottom rectangles

w:13cm x h: 30cm for the bottom middle rectangle

Back was w:49cm x h:52cm

1.5cm seams throughout 

You can see the front on the picture below:

  I also made some inside pockets.  One was a flat one and the other was a stand out one, I used directions from Lisa Lam's "Bag Making Bible" book.  They were all fully lined.

I went with three colour ways (the teacher's favourite colours) and my children embroidered the hearts.

  

I hope you like them as much as the teacher's did.  I think these make a great present, and tend to be much appreciated by the receiver.

Beignet ..a long journey!

Many many years ago (three in fact), I bought my first ever Colette Patterns skirt pattern, the Beignet.  I had my new machine, it allegedly did buttonholes like a dream (best not to look too closely at them!), I bought my fabric and I was all set to make this snazzy little number!

The pattern, itself, is a dream to make.  It has brilliantly written instructions, which are very easy to follow.  Sarai has set a very high standard for other independent pattern makers (and the big companies too).

Of course, my sewing standards are not quite as high as they were needed, and somehow, my hemming was atrocious, with a wonky bottom.  So I unpicked it all and put it away!  For THREE years!!!  Oh dear, was it really that long?

Well I have decided in this financially tight time, to get out all my WIP/ UFO and to complete them.  So the Beignet is finally finished.  It is a red linen skirt, for the spring/ summer.  It is fully lined, so it's quite warm,  I will definitely wear it, and I am pleased with it overall!

I also have a few patterns and fabric brought for some projects that I have not made yet.  I will probably try and do those too!

UPDATE:  Sew Magazine are offering the Taffy Blouse from the Colette Patterns Handbook as a free download to print and make