Plant a lasagna bulb pot for fantastic spring colour
You may or may not have heard of a lasagna bulb pot but I assure you that they are fantastic. For a little bit of work in the autumn (fall) you can guarantee weeks and weeks of spring colour in your garden / porch /patio/ etc. The idea is that you plant your various types of bulbs in layers (kind of like a lasagna) so that your pot will have a succession of bright flowers throughout spring. So easy but incredibly effective! This year I am also doing it with an old wheelbarrow so a little bit of upcycling too. There are no rules about what you can use as…
Fabric Covered Notebook
Turn any inexpensive notebook or diary into a luxurious, top of the range product. Make a fabric cover that slips on and off. You can even transfer it from book to book as you fill each one. A fabric covered notebook is a great gift idea. How about personalising them for those special people in your life? I have made one for a trusty notebook to carry around and one for my next diary for 2020. This tutorial will show you step by step how to achieve a great finish. This page contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission if you use those links at no cost to you.…
Yarn Doll (Dammit Doll) – How to Make
A yarn doll is really quick and easy to make and is a fantastic use for leftover yarn from other projects. I first encountered them many years ago as ‘dammit dolls’. I have included a free printable sheet of the labels to use if you would like ‘dammit dolls’. These make great gifts or craft items to sell. However you can just make them to play with as countless generations have done already. Involve the kids in making them with you! This page contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission if you use those links at no cost to you. I only recommend brands I use and trust. What…
Super Simple Dressmaking Pattern Weights.
On this site there are various tutorials showing you how to make your own sewing supplies. You can make your own needlebook, make a pincushion that sharpens your pins and make some pattern weights. This tutorial shows you how to complement those items with some small, simple dressmaking pattern weights. I use both kinds of weights when I am sewing but you may have a favourite! They are super quick and really inexpensive to make. This page contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission if you use those links at no cost to you. I only recommend brands I use and trust. You will need: Small pieces of fabric…
Make your own Pattern Weights
This is the third part in the series showing you how to make your own sewing supplies. The first part was a pincushion that sharpens your pins that you can find here. The second part was a needlebook to store all your needles safely and that is available here. This tutorial will show you how to make your own pattern weights so that you no longer need to pin your pattern pieces to your fabric. You may well have seen them used on television programmes like The Great British Sewing Bee. Pattern weights save you time and prevent pin marks on fine fabrics. I am loving them so I have…
Make your own Simple Needlebook
This is the second tutorial in a series that will show you how to make your own dressmaking supplies. This tutorial will show you how to make a really simple needlebook to store all your needles. It will also give you great tips on adapting it to suit your needs. So simple yet so effective. I have made mine out of the same fabric as my pincushion and pattern weights so that I am making a sewing set. You can see the full tutorial for the pincushion at ‘How to make a pincushion’ and the pattern weights at ‘How to make pattern weights’. This page contains affiliate links meaning I earn…
How to Make a Pincushion (that sharpens your pins!)
This tutorial will show you how to make a gorgeous pincushion that you can use for all your sewing tasks. If you include wire wool in your pincushion it will also sharpen your pins whenever they are inserted. You can use any item you like to make these. As you can see, I used various containers but I must confess that my favourite are the little bucket and the teacup and saucer. This is the first in a series of tutorials showing you how to make various items to help you with all your sewing so keep coming back to the blog for some more ideas. The set includes how…
Button Art – DIY
Button art can be so pretty and I have been admiring some on-line for some time. I thought I would have a go and I loved it. It is really relaxing to do and the results are really impressive. This tutorial shows me completing a tiny canvas (7.5cm or 3″ square). It was a great way to ‘have a go’ and I recommend starting small. The result is so cute! Keep reading and you will see how I developed onto a larger canvas. This page contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission if you use those links at no cost to you. I only recommend brands I use and…
How to Make a Fabric Corner Bookmark
This tutorial will show you exactly how to make a quick fabric corner bookmark. These are great for using up fabric scraps and make lovely gifts. They are great to give with a book or gift card to make the gift extra special. It will only take you about 15 minutes to make one so what are you waiting for? This page contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission if you use those links at no cost to you. I only recommend brands I use and trust. You will need: Basic sewing supplies Iron and ironing board Three squares of fabric 10cm x 10cm (4″ x 4″). Great craft…
French Knitting – How to Cast off and Create Masterpieces
Well in the previous 2 posts we learnt how to Make a French Knitting Nancy and Cast on and Knit. Now we will learn how to cast off and create a masterpiece with your knitting. This is for when you have got enough French Knitting to make whatever you are wanting to make. You will Need Your French knitting on your Nancy Scissors Step 1: Select one post, in my case the blue one. Take the loop off the post and carefully place it over the next post along (anti-clockwise) in the same direction as you have been knitting. You should now have 2 loops on that post. Take…