Half-way through another year...Where does the time go?

I can't believe that it is already the 1st of July. Thats half of 2016 gone already and what a crazy six months it has been. (No I'm not talking about Brexit or any other politics related stuff here, just sewing!)

I wrote a similar post this time last year here and wow how things have changed. So my blog has been going for 18 months and in that time it has gone from strength to strength with more and more people visiting, which I still find hard to believe! OK I will be honest that my posts this year have been few and far between but not because I couldn't be bothered but of various other commitments hampering my blog writing time.

As you know I appeared on the Great British Sewing Bee programme earlier this year and that, as you can imagine, took up quite a chunk of my time. Sadly I didn't progress as far as I had hoped but was proud to even be considered to appear.

I also found out that I am to be a dad again, with another son expected in September so of course that meant planning things....One thing I had to plan was my sewing room being relocated. I have been lucky and did have the largest room in the house but with another little man heading our way it was time to shift rooms.

Since moving to this house, as I wrote about here, the sewing room consisted of a big dining room table (to cut and sew on) and odd shelves/boxes for storage so I decided to plan the move more carefully.

So here is the finished room:



A much better place to sew. I have more storage, space to have all 3 machines out at once, a cutting table at a sensible height and 2 windows for good light during the day. Of course it means that Harry and his new brother will have somewhere suitable for a while to come.

I have been busy writing for Sewing Made Simple magazine and after appearing in the May edition I will be following up with 2 more appearances later this year and I will keep you posted.

I continue to make and blog for the Minerva Crafts Bloggers Network and I have made a floral shirt and maternity blouse (click photos to read more) and there will be another new post from me soon.

    

I was also invited to guest blog for Britex Fabrics in San Francisco and completed a grey knit 'Shacket' for my first make. You can read about it here.



The wedding dress I have been making for my friend Gemma was completed on time and she had her big day at the beginning of June. It was a lovely day and I even made a shirt to wear especially.

A Rose and Hubble sewing based print with (pattern matched) pocket and black satin collar stand/inner cuffs.


I also mentioned I was making a dress for the Mother of the Groom......


A satin/georgette lace up back with John Kaldor lace covered bodice. I also made a matching lace jacket to finish off the ensemble.

Oh I better show you the actual dress now it's no longer a secret! Pretty don't you think? It was a lot of work but i really enjoyed making it.


Now a very strange thing happened to me a while back. I was in my local fabric shop and got talking to a lady called Sally. Now she has been sewing for a long time (a very long time) and was downsizing. She asked me for my phone number because she wanted to give me some of her fabric stash! Well a few weeks ago I got a phone call telling me to collect said fabric. I couldn't believe it! Here is just some of the beautiful fabrics she gave me. I'm glad I made a new sewing room with the extra storage space! Thank you so much Sally.


Now I mentioned the #Blazerof2016 challenge in my last post and @ooobop and I decided to extend the deadline until August so I figured I have time to make another blazer. Well more a mini blazer for my little boy. 

This is the Burda pattern 9452 so basically a little version of my mine in a nice cotton/linen mix. It will be lined and finished this week I hope.

Now if you like to sew and have a bit of time to spare, how about sewing something to help someone else? Sound interesting? Well the Wrap Pyjama Fairies make Pyjamas and surgical gowns for children in hospital.


The charity is always on the lookout for people to help sew these garments so if you fancy doing something a little different and becoming a 'Fairy' head over to their page  to find out how you can help. Here is one of my gowns ready to be sent off....


And finally....... As you know I enjoy sharing my sewing and in particular giving you tutorials, well I've just done my first video tutorial. Yep thats right a video tutorial! Now be gentle as it is my first attempt and there is definite room for improvement.

Learn to sew a Welt pocket:



Let me know what you think and please give me pointers on how I might improve for the future.

So until next time......Happy Sewing!














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