Crafty Sew n Sew

21/08/2024

Love the new app logo

18/08/2024

18/08/2024

So far 13 bins with enough left to fill another 6 or so! Am on the homeward stretch now - love the app!

31/12/2023

Being at home alone recovering from surgery means that I have had a lot of down time binge watching the lines of series.

During the course of the days I decided to teach myself how to crochet and made my first ever crochet square.

It’s a bit rough but I’ll take that as a learning square!

29/12/2023

I made a thing! Not just any old thing but a practical thing! I made a sewing tool roll based off a Merchant and Mills pattern I brought off Miss Maude. I kinda stuffed it up but refashioned it into my own and have never worked with oilskin before. My domestic machine did not like working with this as a material and changing to a walking foot and a 90/140(?) needle made marginal difference. However it’s done and should be reasonably robust.

11/02/2023

It has been sew long since I have done crafting of any kind and decided to make a shirring elastic top. No pattern just a thought - I haven’t made one of these for around 40 years - finding the right tensions etc was a bit of a mission. Very trial and error on my part, and it is quite rough but I think it is ok!

The top row of stitching on the patterned piece all started to give way after I added the straps ? So I re sewed over it , hmm not sure if that will work!!


To begin with I was only playing with the patterned fabric and decided to make it into a top for a friend, only to find it wasn’t quite the right fit. Adding a contrast panel fixed this problem.


The “spaghetti” straps proved to be problematic for my hands, but I am sure there is an easier way to turn them right side out.

18/11/2022

This is my new FAVOURITE fabric shop. Well done Emma - this is sew deserving.

Posted • MEET THE FINALISTS! 2022 Finalist in the ANZ New Zealand EMERGING Business category is Maude, a boutique fabric, yarn and haberdashery store stocking a beautifully-curated selection of natural fibre dress-making fabrics; independent sewing patterns; knitting yarns; and haberdashery to delight, inspire and bring joy.

Miss Maude started as a part-time online store with a focus on high-quality products and exceptional customer service. Three years ago this led to the opening of a stunning retail store in the heart of Greytown Village which has quickly become a much-loved destination for fabric and yarn lovers from around Aotearoa and Australia. The growing Miss Maude team pride themselves on providing an exceptional customer experience, both instore and online through sharing their technical knowledge and passion for making. https://wairarapachamber.co.nz/event/the-wairarapa-awards-2022/

26/10/2022

This is by no means a perfect make as I made it in a hurry, but it will do for .social.nz on Saturday night. Just a minor amount of hand sewing to go and she is done!

24/10/2022

Whether I need to or not I am bias binding all seams that can’t be French seamed. Sequins scratch!!
.social.nz

24/10/2022

Finally it is taking shape for .social.nz’s fabric from .fabricsbotany

15/10/2022

Oh gosh this looks like a dogs breakfast at the moment. Frankensteining Gerties wiggle dress. Flatlined the pattern pieces and French seaming the side seams and front seam. I have sewn a strip of the lining to the edge of the back seam so the sequin lace isn’t so scratchy.
Am thinking of changing the neck line as it is way too high for me. I have netting to go on this somewhere on this - maybe a fishtail?? Will see how this pans out for .social.nz’s event. As the sole organiser of this event I can’t (rather won’t) enter my tags in to competition. ?

09/10/2022

Finally started the dress I will be wearing! Here I am the one organising it and I leave it until the 11th hour. Thanks to Ange and her team .fabricsbotany for the epic assistance in helping to choose the fabric. FYI I am basing this on Gerties wiggle dress, but in sequinned lace, flat lined with some awesome silver lining. And sew the process begins. As I am the sole organiser of this event I will post it to .social.nz but will not be putting it in the drawer for the prizes.