tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65959424619665551922024-03-13T19:31:27.328+00:00The Novice StitcherNykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-72670982182810330622014-05-08T12:50:00.000+01:002014-05-08T12:50:19.041+01:00So, Me Made May. My first me-made wear was yesterday, when I wore my spotty Moss Mini (a shameless copy of <a href="http://grainlinestudio.com/2013/01/07/polka-dot-moss-skirt/">Jen's</a> and <a href="http://www.cutcutsew.com/whats-new-copycat-polka-dot-moss-skirt/">Kelly's</a> ). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-urFhWbQro3w/U2tuTAkSYvI/AAAAAAAAAGY/HeoIbHDweBQ/s1600/IMG_1541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-urFhWbQro3w/U2tuTAkSYvI/AAAAAAAAAGY/HeoIbHDweBQ/s1600/IMG_1541.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I made this last year and I've worn it lots of times. It's long enough that it's suitable for work and wearing it to exhibitions gets lots of nice comments. The fit isn't quite right and the hem is starting to fray. I tried to use a ribbon for the hem but didn't quite understand how to do it and I've since had to rip the ribbon off. Which obviously is why it's now fraying...<br />
<br />
I have three Moss skirts and I'm currently in the process of making another out of pale pink skinny corduroy. Obsessed much? <br />
Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-64250213753520608012014-05-02T16:17:00.000+01:002014-05-02T16:17:07.244+01:00A bit late in the day, I know, but here goes:<br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">'I, Nykie of 'The Novice Stitcher' blog, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I
endeavour to wear as many me-made clothes as I can
for the duration of May 2014'</span></em></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em></strong><br />
I'm aware that this is very vague, but in my defence, it's my first time doing MMM and I only have three Moss Minis to my me-made wardrobe. I'm hoping that this is what I need to push me to make things from the patterns that I have (Victoria blazer, Sorbetto, Thurlow trousers, Renfrew, Polly top etc). Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-87322480851923222642014-05-01T17:37:00.001+01:002014-05-01T17:37:53.555+01:00<a href="<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/8281025/?claim=cdbwyuf3kp5">Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/8281025/?claim=cdbwyuf3kp5">Follow</a> my blog with Bloglovin</a>Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-232107448460192862012-10-27T22:06:00.001+01:002012-10-27T22:06:14.978+01:00Hello, Wizard Dog!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gosh, I've forgotten how to do a post! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was the Halloween fancy dress at my local parkrun this morning. As my friend's dog Joe always gets in on the fancy dress act, I made him a wizard's cloak. Made it from my own design, just using fleece and a few buttons.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-msXqi5b6s-k/UIxMGEKe3rI/AAAAAAAAAD8/Wa26WpPe0dY/s1600/Joe's+cloak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-msXqi5b6s-k/UIxMGEKe3rI/AAAAAAAAAD8/Wa26WpPe0dY/s320/Joe's+cloak.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He loved it, especially as it was a freezing cold morning!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBltNuXPy54/UIxMUWr2-zI/AAAAAAAAAEE/p5Qhrzlwv2c/s1600/Joe+in+cloak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBltNuXPy54/UIxMUWr2-zI/AAAAAAAAAEE/p5Qhrzlwv2c/s320/Joe+in+cloak.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-47325996465051517922012-02-28T13:48:00.000+00:002012-02-28T13:48:08.631+00:00Would anybody like the chance to sponsor me?Hi all,<br />
<br />
I'm busily training for the London Marathon still - only 7 weeks to go now! I'm running for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and if anybody would like to sponsor me, the site is <a href="http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/nykieruns">www.virginmoneygiving.com/nykieruns</a> <br />
<br />
If I raise over £300, I'm running it dressed as Lara Croft - easier to spot me on the TV to point and laugh!Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-23414501146785574452012-02-08T13:47:00.000+00:002012-02-08T13:47:46.011+00:00A duvet for a doll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9TfxAWS4QNQ/TzJ7yOUNRCI/AAAAAAAAAC8/z9hD3WFBNmU/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9TfxAWS4QNQ/TzJ7yOUNRCI/AAAAAAAAAC8/z9hD3WFBNmU/s320/IMG_0181.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made this before Christmas for my niece (my niece and fleece seem to feature heavily on this blog!). I bought the doll cot from a carboot for the princely sum of £1 and my OH sanded it down and painted it (man stuff) whilst I made the Peppa Pig duvet and pillow (woman stuff). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was made entirely from scratch and I'm really pleased with it, although it could do with being a bit bigger, to keep Dolly warm in this cold weather ;o) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-70827986290739208712011-11-15T13:08:00.001+00:002011-11-15T13:46:13.531+00:00My reason for not sewing or blogging...<span style="color: #a64d79;">Hi all,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">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!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">I'm not yet at the stage where I'll run in daylight, so even the weekend sessions are at night! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">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.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">Nykie xox</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">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 </span><a href="http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/nykieruns"><span style="color: #a64d79;">www.virginmoneygiving.com/nykieruns</span></a>Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-47362695423946028262011-06-28T13:40:00.000+01:002011-06-28T13:40:40.751+01:00An update - at last!<span style="color: #a64d79;">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)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">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.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qANw1VLxTW0/TgnKZ4P3nuI/AAAAAAAAABo/vDYPjYI_ix4/s1600/Parrot+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qANw1VLxTW0/TgnKZ4P3nuI/AAAAAAAAABo/vDYPjYI_ix4/s320/Parrot+bag.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">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...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">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!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">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)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">I'm going to put it on ebay and see if I get the same response...</span></div>Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-39257868575715703282011-02-24T13:18:00.000+00:002011-02-24T13:18:13.089+00:00A 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 <a href="http://www.made-by-rae.com/2010/11/snowblossom-hat-tutorial-by-rae.html">this tutorial by Rae</a> so I bought some lovely fleece the weekend before and decided to start making the hat.<br />
<br />
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'.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
The moral of the story? Check that fleece really is fleece before you start chopping it up! <br />
<br />
PS Any ideas of what I can make from some patterned fleece, where I can oversew the seams so it doesn't fray?? ;o)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9LoXX9p03I/TWZajIiHF9I/AAAAAAAAABA/hfZkt0L5gvc/s1600/Hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9LoXX9p03I/TWZajIiHF9I/AAAAAAAAABA/hfZkt0L5gvc/s320/Hat.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-59875241869963116022011-02-20T20:09:00.000+00:002011-02-20T20:09:31.290+00:00My very first bag!I made a bag this weekend - my very first one. Want to see it?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EPH4FZ1wk5U/TWFzrXxPSCI/AAAAAAAAAA8/jj49HGNh9cA/s1600/Bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EPH4FZ1wk5U/TWFzrXxPSCI/AAAAAAAAAA8/jj49HGNh9cA/s320/Bag.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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.<br />
<br />
It was fairly easy to do, and <a href="http://www.warehousefabricsinc.com/blog/pleated-lined-handbag/">this great tutorial</a> explained everything step by step.<br />
<br />
My family was over today and they were all suitably impressed, so that's a win in my book!Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-29803506165916927812011-02-18T15:58:00.000+00:002011-02-18T15:58:54.301+00:00Last 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!Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-87409994508787359852011-02-17T20:26:00.000+00:002011-02-17T20:26:20.232+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fzhvYV9F2O4/TV2C64nM9HI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/7mI0Ffr0Fuo/s1600/Kindle+case+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fzhvYV9F2O4/TV2C64nM9HI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/7mI0Ffr0Fuo/s320/Kindle+case+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And here it is! I used a Moda Jelly Roll (It's A Hoot) and followed <a href="http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/05/bookkeeper.html#more">this</a> tutorial. It was easier than I thought and the tute made it seem so easy.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Another view of my Kindle Keeper:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-covqpPP5o0s/TV2EPsttz3I/AAAAAAAAAAU/CvMJumm1BpE/s1600/Kindle+case+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-covqpPP5o0s/TV2EPsttz3I/AAAAAAAAAAU/CvMJumm1BpE/s320/Kindle+case+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6595942461966555192.post-27901853654465254512011-02-17T20:19:00.000+00:002011-02-17T20:19:02.168+00:00New 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. <br />
<br />
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!<br />
<br />
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...Nykie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369411967064227295noreply@blogger.com0