Busy Busy

Well here we are again in December, boy does Christmas come around quickly. I have been trying to make a few extra bits and pieces to give as gifts and for those "just in case" moments.

I don't know what it is about bags, but I just can't stop making them.  I don't even know who these are for, but I like them anyway.

I also love making brooches and couldn't resist making a few extra ones, although I still have a box full of them.  These are always useful as last minute gifts for Christmas and birthdays. I particularly love the little gingerbread man, which is from Mandy Shaw's new Book "Christmas Wreaths and Garlands".    

I fully intended making one of the fabric wreaths from the book, but that just has not happened - yet!

Red work snowmen always look cute hanging on the door handles 

Lots of other things in the pipeline, and I really must make myself yet another useful tote bag as everywhere I go I always seem to carry lots of stuff.  

It looks as though Christmas is going to be quite a busy time with visitors expected and family coming to stay, so I will have to pack lots of things away. January is also going to be a very busy time with not much time for sewing in the first couple of weeks of the new year, so I intend doing what I can before that. 

My Christmas Gift to myself is a subscription to the Bag of the Month Club and I am looking forward to receiving the six new patterns when they come out on the first of each month.

   Who doesn't love a mystery?

I have already ordered the hardware kits for the first two bags from Alison at Bobbin Girl Bag Supplies, so I have no excuses not to use up my fabric stash (well some of it) and get making.

So, lots to look forward to so watch this space for updates.

Sew Saturday

Spent a lovely day on Saturday celebrating Sew Saturday at Johnsons Wool and Haberdashery of Bond Street, Blackpool. As usual Suzanne made everyone welcome with a roaring log burning fire in the sewing room and lots of yummy cake!
Angela of angelic threads was demonstrating Simplicity patterns and made a gorgeous retro shopping bag. Pop over to her blog and catch up with her news: www.angelicthreads.blogspot.co.uk
Lots of free tutorials and sewing information available.

I was demonstrating very simple appliqué on hessian, ideal for a quick make. The photos above are similar and give a general idea.
Here are a couple more:

Susanne got her new sewing machine out of the box and by the end of the afternoon was happily doing free motion embroidery. It was nice to meet some lovely ladies who dropped in to join us.

Dragons Den event in Blackpool

Only in Blackpool

Blackpool’s Treasure Trove 

Blackpool’s Treasure Trove is a two year Heritage Lottery and Blackpool Council funded project, which aims to bring people together by exploring Blackpool’s entertainment industry from 1950 to present day. The purpose of the project is to discover the stories of local people and link them to the fabulous Blackpool collections and bring them to life. Treasure Trove is running alongside the Blackpool Museum Project.

For the latest part of the project, three community groups have been working with professional artists to produce pop up museums.

Blackpool branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild have been working with artists Costumologists and our inspiration has been the tower and circus. It has been a really enjoyable and creative process working within this group with external artists.  We have all learned such a lot about Blackpool's Heritage and the entertainers and performers of the past. 

Our pop up is entitled “Only in Blackpool”

Working with materials and images from the archives at central library we have tried to focus on the past history of the circus.  Much of the content reflects our own memories from childhood and also the more unusual aspects of the tower.  For example, one of our members had vivid memories of being terrified by crocodiles in the circus, and the elephants exercising on the beach also feature along with happy memories of Charlie Cairoli and Paul.

These have been included in the final model which we saw this week at a Dragons Den style event, along with the designs from the other groups involved.  It is looking quite impressive. 

Construction of the final design of the pop up is under way and should be completed by mid July. This will then be available to display at any suitable sized space in Blackpool or beyond. We hope to see it in places such as libraries, schools, visitor centres, local shops and businesses to give positive publicity to Blackpool and its wonderful entertainment heritage. 

Of course we have to include some stitching in the project, and this will be in the form of Postcard Bunting, some of which we were able to display this week.  There are more works in progress which will be added to the final build.

To find out more about this exciting project and especially if you know of any spaces where the pop up could be put on display please visit:

 www. blackpoolstreasuretrove.wordpress.com

Trying again

The more I think about it the more I need to get myself organised and keep this blog up and running! 
Over the last year lots of things have been happening, including me taking up making clothes again. Well I decided I could only use so many bags and purses so I needed a fresh outlet for my fabric stash which is currently overflowing.

Our Embroiderer's Guild Branch here in Blackpool had a very successful exhibition in April at Blackpool Central Library., We welcomed lots of visitors and enjoyed lots of positive comments about our work, which is always nice!  

Summer Garden - one of my newer pieces

Priscilla

Summer Garden and Priscilla are two of the pieces I managed to finish in time to display them in April.  I have been busy with lots of projects to try to use up my endless supply of fabric scraps, and produced a couple of canvas mounted pieces after watching Alisa Burke's Grafitti Class.

In between I have been making bags, hearts, kindle cases, and all manner of things to give as gifts but then wishing I could keep them for me!  I have also revisited the "She Art" theme which I started a couple of years ago after taking Christy Tomlinson's classes.

These are always a favourite and I love making them just to see how the next girl is going to turn out!

 And of course I have been making bags..........

I need to get going on a couple of new things this week - a dress fro my grand daughter and one for me plus a new piece to enter for one of our annual Guild competitions if about 3 weeks time!  As usual no pressure - I love to be busy!