Hillarys Blinds Country Crafts Competition Entry

When I saw on Craft Blog UK that Hillarys Blinds had launched a competition for craft bloggers, I thought it would be the ideal chance to throw myself into a sewing project for the first time in... well, about a year! The brief was simple - choose a sample from their new Country Retreats fabric range, make an original design, and write a blog post about it.

This beautiful fabric, 'Bird Parade' leapt out at me straight away, especially as it would give me the perfect excuse to make and paint a peacock button to go with it, so all I needed was to decide what to make.

The next day I was at work - I work in a large college - and it was pouring with rain. We sell Pink Pig sketchbooks (made in Huddersfield - I love them), and I was trying to find a large carrier bag for a student, who was upset that her portfolio had not only got wet, but was getting repeatedly bent at the corners from being carried back and forth to college every day. I'd just stocked up on fresh sketchbooks myself the day before, and so it hit me - I'd make an A3 sketchbook folder, to protect my Pink Pig when out and about!

So I used my shiny new Pink Pig to sketch out a design...

...And visited my local market to buy delicious ribbon and cotton thread. As I was waiting to pay I admired a huge carousel of stunning embroidery threads, and it gave me an idea for adding embellishment to the back of the folder.

Using my sketchbook as a guide, I cut my peacock fabric and the inside grey cotton to size. The Hillarys fabric was already nice and thick, so I just added fusible interfacing to the lining fabric, and then used spray starch to give both pieces some extra structure. 

Someone decided to 'help', of course!

Before I could start sewing I needed to add the embellishment to what would become the back of the folder. I settled on a large, sweeping peacock feather design. This is where I was nearly defeated, because it turned from what I thought would be a couple of hours' worth of embroidery into fourteen hours' work over the space of two days! I was worried I wouldn't be able to finish the project before the deadline, but I took my embroidery hoop to work with me and put my lunch breaks to good use.

After that there was lots of pinning, a bit of arm flapping as I got nervous about running the fabric through my sewing machine, and eventually the project came together. I made the button and enjoyed using fluorescent blue paints to give Mr. Peacock a bit of grandeur.

I added a magnetic popper as a fastening, which was interesting as I've never used one before...

I knew I wanted to add quite a bold rosette to the front of the piece to make it look like the feathers on my handmade button were extending outwards. The latest issue of Mollie Makes provided me with an idea for making a rosette out of felt, so with a little improvisation I had what I wanted. 

I gave the finished folder a last spray of starch so it can easily be wiped clean.

Phew! It was great to get stuck into a sewing project for the first time in a while, and it was good to remind myself of the importance of taking my time in ironing and re-ironing my fabrics, measuring, and paying attention to getting nice straight hems - something I've always struggled with! I love using bird and animal motifs in my crafts so using one of my buttons allowed me to add in some extra personality.

Now my beloved Pink Pig sketchbook won't be getting wet and bent next time I'm on the move!

You can see the other fabrics that were available to choose from for the competition here. 

Have a crafty week!

Interview With Elena of Randomly Happy

Everyone, if you haven't already, you need to meet Elena. 

I first came across Elena's gorgeous blog, Randomly Happy last year, and have been repeatedly bowled over by her fresh photography style, chipper writing tone and innovative sewing how-tos. If like me you dream of being able to whip up snappy outfits on your sewing machine, Elena's your woman. Her blog also oozes modern, creative inspiration, all with a dash of Italian flair.

I'll hand you over!

 Hi Elena, and welcome to Miss Beatrix! One of the things I particularly love about your blog is your fresh, positive approach to sewing and all things handmade. What is it about making that draws you in?

Aww shucks - what nice things to say! I'm glad you like the blog and think the content's not too awful :)

I started sewing seriously when I couldn't find anything I liked in the shops. I made a skirt, then curtains, and a dress... and well, it's kinda snowballed. But I guess it's always been there in the background - I grew up making and sewing (my Italian mama is a very talented sewer and pretty deadly with crochet and knitting).

Why did you start blogging?

I first started reading blogs while I was sourcing ideas for our wedding back in 2010. There were just so many awesome things about blogging: the ideas, the people, the creativity. I just really wanted to be part of it.

So you're a psychologist! How does this affect your approach to life and being creative?

I'm always analysing people, trying to work out what drives people's behaviour. I'm probably the most tedious dinner guest you'll ever have. But than I also know a lot of random facts about the brain - so it's a tough call.

What was the first item you ever sewed?

The first thing I made on my very own sewing machine was an A-line skirt. But I was one of the founding members of the 'Pins and Needles' gang in elementary school (pretty bad-ass, right?) so the first thing I ever sewed was something really wonky and really hideous.

Are you a fabric addict? Where do you source your clothing fabrics from?

I wish I could be more of a fabric addict! We have such a small house I wouldn't know where to put great big stockpiles, so I tend to stock up when I have a project in mind. Mostly I buy off of ebay, etsy, and occasionally from a man I know at the Brighton bric brac market who finds amazing vintage fabrics.

What advice would you give to a beginner at sewing?

Just give it a go. It's honestly not that hard to start out and you'll be impressed with all the awesome things you can make. And if things go wrong a seam ripper is your best friend.

Where do you see the DIY revolution heading in a few years' time?

What a good question! I love the fact that's it's taking off. When I first started there was nothing really. Just me and some little old ladies shopping in the haberdashery shop in Liberty. But now loads of people are into it - hopefully that means we'll get a bigger choice of fabrics, tools and fun bits.

And finally, any advice to new craft bloggers?

Just get in there and get involved. Find what you like to do and publish your posts. Reach out to other bloggers and have fun.




Thank you so much for chatting with us, Elena! I can't wait to see what wonderful projects turn up on your slice of the web next!

Book Review: Mollie Makes Feathered Friends

My heart flutters for bird motifs, so I took advantage of an introductory offer for Mollie Makes' latest hardback publication recently as it centres around this very theme! I don't own any of their previous books so wasn't sure what sort of standard to expect. 

It was a bit of a gamble as I was a little worried that it might be a regurgitation (mm... owl pellets) of projects featured in the magazine, but I wasn't disappointed.

The book features bird-design projects using a wide range of media, from crochet to paper cutting, sewing to felt, embroidery to stamping. The range of ideas was wide enough to include ideas that were entirely new to me, as well as new takes on familiar makes. 

This parrot reminds me of the secretary bird from Bedknobs and Broomsticks!

Including over 20 projects, displayed against inspiring backdrops, with detailed instructions, I'm now pretty excited about trying some of these ideas out. 

The book is officially out on 6th June, but I took advantage of a newsletter special offer, buying it for £7.00 with free p+p. Find out more about the book and offer here. (This is not a sponsored post).

Are you a fan of bird motifs? I've got plans to make a perching parrot before long!

Latest Sewing Project and an Important Lesson: Bullfinch Cushion

Many of you will by now have noticed that I take a lot of my inspiration for creative projects from British nature. When this little chap first visited the damson tree in my garden a couple of weeks ago I was quite literally dazzled by his beauty. I have spent hours hanging out of my window, extremely heavy camera with long lens in hand, trying to snap the perfect picture. These images don't do justice to this bullfinch's gorgeous salmon pink colour. Not only is he vibrant, but he is round and cute too! 

As he's been munching his way through all of my damson buds (less fruit for my crumbles this autumn then!) he has had me captivated, and his good lady wife as well, who was much harder to spot. And as I snapped away, I decided that the bullfinch really is my favourite garden bird. Inevitably, they were going to inspire creative projects before long. 

Here is a pendant I snapped up a while back from Accessorize. 

And of course Mr. Bullfinch had to turn up on a button...

This chap is in my shop here awaiting a new home.

So when I decided to make my nan a present of a cushion when she came to visit the week before last, a bullfinch seemed like the perfect embellishment for it.

Now, making any sewing project for my nan is like proffering a handmade cake to Mary Berry. At least, that's how it felt at the time. Sadly my nan's hands are painfully arthritic now, meaning her own crafting days are behind her, so as the sort of reincarnation of her own crafty soul I felt a fair bit of pressure to produce something, well, good!

How hard could it be? I have made something similar before - a robin cushion - and it turned out well enough. Alas, this time I think I put too much pressure on myself, and this cushion became the bane of my week! 

Its tummy had to be unpicked and re-sewn on the machine nine times. My machine kept jamming, at one point my zigzag stitch kept coming out upside down, however many time I re-threaded Audrey (yes, my sewing machine is called Audrey). I randomly lost all knowledge on how to do chain stitch, so I fear his legs and feet look somewhat... diseased. As for the cushion itself.... well, the corners turned out rather baggy, and my bullfinch somehow ended up not being in the middle, leading to some rather hasty re-stitching. 

At one point I found myself staring, incredulous, at this project and asking myself how in the quest to do something nice so many things could go so wrong, so many times over. I think it was because my nan was staying in the house at the time, and I had to keep sneaking off to work on it. Oh, the pressure I do put myself under at times!

Anyway, in the end I managed to wrestle it into something halfway presentable. My nan is my mum's mum, and how I was reminded of this when I sheepishly handed over her gift, feeling like a five year old presenting something they have made to their teacher. She looked at it for quite some time without speaking, before declaring, "You made this just for me? It's beautiful, dear, and it will match my chair perfectly. How clever you are." 

Aren't nans fantastic? 

The wonderful thing about these nightmareish crafty undertakings is that I always learn a heck of a lot. Once I calmed myself down, cut out another tummy piece and applied interfacing, it actually went on within two attempts (sigh.) Lesson One: use interfacing with applique! 

Also, once I'd handed over the cushion and been honest about the problems I'd had, my nan was able to offer sound advice for the next cushion I attempt. Of course, I wrote it all down in my Sewing Scrapbook of Useful Lessons.

Lesson Two: "Don't attempt challenging projects when you already have too much on your plate." The best creative work is borne out of inspiration and relaxation - it's supposed to be fun. This is something I forgot in this project, and it showed. 

Nevertheless, I ended up being quite proud of my cushion, because it was fun to take some authentic creative inspiration right through the design process, the colour selection (thank you to everyone on Twitter who helped with that, you can see what it was for now!) to an end product.

It's often been quoted that Islamic artists put a mistake in every piece they make to demonstrate that God alone is perfect. I'm not at all religious, but this idea has stayed with me, and I use mistakes to remind myself that creativity is not about creating something perfect, it's about the process, the learning, the reminder that something handmade - however flawed - will always be more precious than anything mass-produced by a machine, and ultimately, a handmade gift shows you care in a way that nothing else can. Five year olds know this when they confidently hand over a glittery, gluey brightly coloured depiction of a happy dinosaur to a proud parent, and it makes me wonder at what point we forget this important lesson during the growing up process. 

It's amazing what you can learn from a bullfinch, eh?

PS: I'll have a special how-to for #PostCircle peeps and post-lovers on Wednesday!