My reason for not sewing or blogging...

Hi all,

I've not been sewing much (apart from some repair jobs for people) or blogging, simply because I've started training for the London Marathon next April. Training four nights a week and then having a shower, then dinner, doesn't leave me much time to myself!

I'm not yet at the stage where I'll run in daylight, so even the weekend sessions are at night!

I'm slowly starting to get used to it, which will mean more me time, although I've also just started to make a latch-hook rug for my niece for Christmas.

Nykie xox

PS If anybody would like to sponsor me, I'm running for Breakthrough Breast Cancer (having just been given the all-clear after numerous related operations in 2006, I thought it was appropriate), my sponsorship site is www.virginmoneygiving.com/nykieruns

An update - at last!

Okay, okay, I'm super sorry. I've obviously neglected my blog in favour of actually sewing and for that, I apologise... But I'm going to be updating this blog with things I have made, so don't worry, you haven't missed out, 'all' my loyal followers ;o)

The first item I'm going to share with you is a bag I made. It's an unusual bag, but it was made to go with a fancy dress pirate outfit on a recent hen weekend in Newcastle.

I adapted a pattern for a stuffed soft toy, put a lining in, a zipper and put some straps on it. It's a parrot, despite the massive nose! Apparently, doubling the pattern size doesn't work for all the pieces...

I realise that someone looking at the picture might think, 'Whoa, Nykie has really manly hands!' but I can assure you, I was the one holding the camera!

I enjoyed making it and I got so many great comments when I was out - I was amazed at the response I got - it made me really proud :o)

I'm going to put it on ebay and see if I get the same response...

A hat for my beautiful niece!

Last weekend, my parents were coming to see me, along with my sister and her daughter. I'd decided to make my niece, Evie, a fleecy hat from this tutorial by Rae so I bought some lovely fleece the weekend before and decided to start making the hat.

Making the hat was my first mistake. My second mistake was the fleece that I'd bought. I bought ordinary pink fleece for the inside (the hat's reversible) and a beautiful patterned fleece for the outside. Only it wasn't fleece. It was a shedding, fraying fabric that calls itself 'patterned fleece'.

So, after three attempts I gave up and made the hat out of some red and yellow fleece that I'd got from a charity shop (in the shape of a bed cover). It turned out okay but I'd much rather have had the lovely patterned fleece.

The moral of the story? Check that fleece really is fleece before you start chopping it up!

PS Any ideas of what I can make from some patterned fleece, where I can oversew the seams so it doesn't fray?? ;o)

My very first bag!

I made a bag this weekend - my very first one. Want to see it?

I'll post a better picture of it, as this one was taken with just artificial light and so it's not the best. I used batting instead of fusible fleece (the shop I got the fabric from doesn't sell it) and I thought I'd need quite thick fabric for the outside, but having sewn it, next time I'd use a normal thickness of fabric and find somewhere that sells fusible fleece.

It was fairly easy to do, and this great tutorial explained everything step by step.

My family was over today and they were all suitably impressed, so that's a win in my book!

Last night I cut out all the pieces to make a bag. Big mistake, as now I'm sat at work on a Friday afternoon absolutely dying to get home and get started!

And here it is! I used a Moda Jelly Roll (It's A Hoot) and followed this tutorial. It was easier than I thought and the tute made it seem so easy.

One thing I would say is that, if you're making the case for a new Kindle (I got mine for Christmas 2010 - thanks Sis!), then only use 8 strips rather than 9 and in step 8, I'd sew the line 5.5 inches up rather than 6, as the tutorial is for the old Kindle, which is bigger than the new one.

Another view of my Kindle Keeper:

New to blogging and new to sewing - where do I start???

Having been given a sewing machine for Christmas (thanks Ma and Pa!), I finally conquered my fear of it and used it for the first time last weekend.

Which is good, as between Christmas and last weekend, all I'd done was forage for fabric and the spare room was starting to look like a fabric store!

As soon as I figure out how to put pictures up, I'll put a picture on of my first make - a Kindle Keeper. I'm so proud...