FabricYard @ Hope & Gloria

I'm very excited to be working with Hope & Gloria. Hope & Gloria is a non-profit fashion / beauty / homeware emporium in Coleraine which opened within the last year. The ladies involved are really very clever. I implore you to take a bit of time to look at what they do and if you live in the vicinity, it is definitely worth a visit.

They have recently opened a sewing room (called The Attic) where they run classes in both sewing and crochet and have kindly let me show my samples. You can view FabricYard samples and buy them from the Hope & Gloria store.

They created new window displays this week to promote The Attic and I just love what they have done with my fabrics. Clever, clever, clever. Thats all I can say.

You can find both Hope & Gloria and The Attic on Facebook

Phone Cover

Happy birthday to my Dad who is 75 today!

I got him a very boring boot liner for his car, and last night I made him a phone cover. I never seen the point in phone covers, they are a bit fiddly for my liking. I just like to lift my phone when it rings and answer it! But my Dad does use a wee dust cover bag with a drawstring for his when its in his pocket so I thought he might give this new one a go.

I checked out a couple of tutorials online but it was 10o'c at night and they made my head hurt a little so I took the general jist and gave it a whirl.

Ta Daa! Here is the finished item

I had a few problems making it. The seams are a bit bulky. I used a fleece on the inside and I'm sure I could have avoided the bulky seams but haven't worked out how yet! I used the embroidery option on my Janome for the tab and embroidered onto herringbone tape. Also, the velcro on the inside is a little wonky but at that stage I couldn't go through unpicking the whole thing to sort it out!

In fact, looking at the photo here it is embarrassingly wonky! Ah well. I fully intend to make him a new one at some stage which will be better.

I used the Alexander Henry Spotted Owls in Smoke from the shop. Its very hard to pick out a  'Dad' fabric but I think this works ok. 

Here are a few good tutorials that might be useful if you decide to make one yourself. If I can rework this one well enough I'll maybe try and do a tutorial for it myself. 

http://fionamarie.typepad.com/fiona_maries_daily_thread/2012/08/cell-phone-cover.html

http://duringquiettime.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/iphone-pouch-tutorial.html

Hopefully his phone will fit, as I didn't actually measure it.... 

Lucy Loves Ya Giveaway

Today LucyLovesYa and FabricYard have teamed up for a giveaway.
Follow this link to Lucy's blog for details on how to enter for a chance to win this tidy little bundle

Theres Alexander Henry (Wranglers, Ghastlie Gallery, African Butterfly and Buddha), Kokka (Mushrooms, Owls on Trees, Green Apple, Red Deer and Little red riding hood) and a FQ of Michael Miller's Dandy Damask thrown in for good measure. Theres also a set of self cover buttons including instructions and a tool to make your own buttons in whatever fabric you fancy!

Lucy has a great blog with all kinds of makery and interesting interviews that is definitely worth a little looksy. Good luck!

Bamboo handle handbag

The girls are at Grannys. I'm having a quiet afternoon, called into the bakery for a piece of carrot cake, made a cup of tea and put on my new cd. City & Colour - Bring me your love. Its not a new cd to them, as in it came out in 2008 but came across this song on youtube and got the cd for £3 on amazon. Thats just me, I'm years behind everyone else when it comes to music.

I found another photo of a 'make' and thought I would post it so you can see I make things other than girls dresses! I made this a while back using a pattern from MollieMakes Magazine. It was quick and easy, and has really managed to last the pace in this house (its current use is for the girls irish dancing shoes).

It uses Melody Miller's 'Happy Kitchen Mint' from her original Ruby Star Rising range. I'm now sold out of this (although I think I have a small cut lurking somewhere, I'm a little bit reluctant to let go of it though if truth be known.) The handles were some that my Mum had got free in a magazine, they are 'D' shaped. This was obviously before I started stocking them in the shop...... Circular handles would have worked better but these are fine.

Here is a tutorial from 'Little Birdie Secrets' blog which can use up any bamboo handles you might have floating about the place.

Oh - and speaking of Melody Miller's Happy Kitchen Mint, I splashed out on this a while back. A gelaskin for my laptop. I know Melody has some new designs up on the gelaskin website now if anyone fancies having a looksie at them!

John Lewis Mini Sewing Machine

Another blog post! Wow thats 3 in 3 days - I'm going crazy here

Came across this photo - its the John Lewis sewing machine my 6year old got for her birthday in September. Its a great job. We customised it for her as she couldn't decide between the lovely colours available at John Lewis or the Hello Kitty one at SewingMachines.co.uk so in the end we got the pink from John Lewis and added some stickers ourselves.

She is getting good fun out of it, it seems fairly safe although at the minute she is sewing whilst on my knee. I bought a finger guard from ebay and attached it but I think it probably doesn't need it anyway as the needle area is well protected by the foot. Great wee machine for the price in my opinion. Only thing missing is a light, but I have a angle lamp which can compensate.

Some project photos......

I'm still trying to figure out this blog stuff - starting to look around at other blogs and especially those that are going to the Fat Quarterly retreat next July. I still don't understand how you keep up to date with what is going on in other people's blogs so please excuse my ignorance....

Thought I'd post a little photo of some of my past projects.

I love me a good ole bandana bib!

Love this Bucky the Cowboy fabric

 Oh and here it is on a live one

 Some flower girl dresses I made-they're the same dresses but I made different sashes for each wedding (insert lazy icon!)

Some sun dresses from away back

Snapshot from my sewing space about a year ago - again with girls dresses..... sorry I promise I do make other things as well! I  just never photograph them. It seems......

This was something we had to do for a photography project in order to help define our style and what interests us, I don't normally take photos of random spaces in my house!

Update - finally!

Oooh - it was about time this little blog was updated!
Plenty has happened since last March. No wait, not last March. It was 2 Marches ago!  including a new cutiepie little baby who has been added to the fold!

Our own little Sadie Lady xx

Almost a year old now - where has the time gone!

FabricYard has been going from strength to strength as well. We're going great guns with our Alexander Henry and Kokka fabrics. Going to be bringing in even more Michael Miller soon as well.

All I need is a few extra hours in the day and I might actually get some sewing down as well.......
Right. Now I just have to repeat to myself. MUST. UPDATE. BLOG. MORE. OFTEN........