A Crafty Sheffield Christmas

Well...its the last day of school before Christmas and when I was young that meant you could bring games into school like Connect 4 and Battleships, so I'm in the Christmas holiday mood. Since the last post things have been busy with the spring workshop programme and I've made lots of gift vouchers for crafty Sheffield people to get in their Christmas stockings.

This week I was in town for the last minute presents and also popped into 'Birds Yard' on Chapel Walk. Birds Yard (Sheffield) has been set up by Birds Yard (Leeds) and local artists and craftspeople can rent selling space to promote their wares to the good people of Sheffield. This is MUCH needed in Sheffield, in fact 3 of our tutors have items for sale in the shop (Sharon - tweet cushions, Saskia - Screenprints and Hayley - Lampshades). I often feel that Sheffield falls way behind places like Bath, Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and Leeds for promoting good and professional craft (except for Silversmithing of course). I wonder if its because our art / craft degrees in Sheffield are quite limited and we are just not turning out trained graduates and craftspeople, or is it because Sheffield doesn't value the benefit of craft as much as other major UK cities? Where are Sheffield's crafty pop up shops for example? I hope Birds Yard starts a new trend.

Wandering down Chapel Walk (this little Street has real potential...) brought back fond memories of Whiteheads (does anyone remember this little Aladdin's cave of crafting?), me and my Gran used to do down into the basement bit of the shop and buy lots of crafty things to keep us going. It was real jumble of stock and you almost couldn't see Mr Whitehead and the till behind all the stuff piled high! Later the shop moved to the bottom of London Road, but it always lot some of its charm for me at its new location.

So over the Christmas break I really must do those curtains for our bay window (they've been over a year on the to-do list), and finish that linen top and do 18 more granny squares for the cushion......while drinking hot port and listening to Bing Crosby singing 'White Christmas' .....I hope you all have a wonderful time and hope to see you in the new year - Emma x

Craft projects on the go....

This week I have learnt a new craft! (I'm not sure what you call someone who collects crafts skills, maybe a craftoholic but that sounds really unappealing!). I learnt how to crochet which is fab. I joined in the workshop led by Laura last weekend making 'Crochet Granny Squares' and I actually got to grips with it. Once I got home I manically tried to find a crochet cushion cover pattern published in a Magazine a few months ago and after about an hour I found it. Then things got slightly confusing as I'm not sure that it was an 'English' pattern but in true Running With Scissors style I launched myself into it without worrying to much and now I'm the proud owner of 4 crochet squares (the pattern calls for 36 squares, so only 32 to go.....) I am very impressed with myself!

To add to all things woolly I have put aside my current kitting project (despite promising myself to finish a project before I start another one) and started on a winter top which is all silver and sequins - sparkly and seasonal - I will be a walking glitter ball once completed. Its a good job its on 10mm needles so it will be quite quick to knit. I've started this project as I have been naughty and ordered some wool online which arrived yesterday (it was in the sale!) for a winter top pattern which I've had since last year - its going to be purple and pink!. I have never really understood why 'winter colours' are black, brown and grey when what you really need on English winter days is a strong blast of tropical shades to lift your mood and make you feel better!

The Sewing Projects I have on the go include:
Green linen print top
Reversible skirt
Curtains for our bay window (fabric stored for over a year!)
Purses
Christmas Stocking
Wall hanger with pockets
...and those are just the ones I can remember.

Laura has recently been to the 'Knitting and Stitching Show' in London and its coming to Harrogate this month 22nd - 25th November, I went a few years go and its fantastic, all the stalls have lots of offers and discounts and there are workshops, exhibitions and shows too. Apparently one of the exhibitions is called 'The Unfinsihables' - I think this may be one for me! Here's a link to the show if your interested in all things knitty and stitchy!  http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=39

Vintage Patterns and other musings...

Today I met a lovely lady who has passed onto me some fantastic vintage dress patterns. She has always made clothes for herself, her mother, her children and now her grandchildren and great grandchildren - what a wonderful woman! I love chatting to people who have this sort of knowledge and enthusaim for sewing and crafting, she reminded me so much of my dear Gran, who taught me to sew, and knit and crochet and other crafty things. The lady had heard my interview on Radio Sheffield and gave me a call about her patterns as she has loads and loads and they would only end up in a skip, or thrown out in the end (perish the thought!) - some of them even date back to the 1940's and the images on some of them as so fabulous - a whole different era (Grace Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Eve-Marie Saint et al)

Here's a picture of just a couple of them, I'm going to go through the two bags tonight. If you are lucky enough to be booked on the workshop tomorrow I'm planning to bring them along for our tutor Sharon and everyone to have alook at. I am very tempted to make the 'dust coat' pictured here.

In keeping with the vintage theme I finally finished a little hat which I started at a Millinery class (which must be a year ago now.... - I have a long 'to do' list). It was created from scratch from steaming the buckram pieces over mould to create the curved body and then covering it and lining it and adding the hair comb. The only problem is that it keeps slipping out of my hair, so some industrial strength hairspray may be in order!

Uzzle-Wuzzle Bird

The rare Uzzle-Wuzzle bird spotted in our garden

Dress in a Day photos

On Saturday we had our 'Dress in a day' workshop. As always I am seriously impressed with the dresses everyone makes at the workshop, they are always so different. The dress is such a flattering style, easy to make up and you get to take home the pattern which is made to your measurements! I was very inspired after the workshop that I decided to start making a linen top which has been on my 'to-do' pile for some time. Here are some of the dresses from the workshop modelled by their smiley creators!

Lisa's lovely check fabric which matched up on the side seams perfectly + some bias binding  + two patch pockets = fab dress

Joanne's 'Liquorice Allsorts' dress (very Sheffield!), a short and very sweet version!

Sara's black and white chic number, which I think is very Mary Quant! Sara bought 2m of the check fabric fabric in the John Lewis sale, before realising we need 2.5 metres to make the dress, so we added a strip of black fabric at the bottom of the dress to extend the length and made some black bias binding for the neckline in the same plain fabric.

Our next 'Dress in a Day' workshop is on Saturday 27th October!

Phew.....autumn here we come...

Well I'm back (and just slightly embarrassed that its been so long since my last post), things have been quite hectic here at RWS H.Q. We have been planning our autumn workshops, which are now ready for booking (hurahhh) although there are some more to come too. We were also at sharrowvale market which was a really busy, as well as sunny, afternoon - so a BIG hello to everyone who discovered us there. Our Private Sewing Tuition sessions are becoming really popular and also we have been working really hard to find a more permanent venue for Running With Scissors (we're almost there... more news on this soon).

We are running 7 new workshops in the autumn block as well as your favourites. Here are some images for the new workshops, I'm intending to do a more detailed blog on each one:

Free Machine Embroidery (+ water soluble fabric) very exciting - its like drawing with stitches, lots of possibilities and lots of scope for creativity! (which is what we are all about at RWS)
 

The Baguette Bag!
As the name suggests - perfect for carrying your baguette home, without it falling out or snapping! Use some lovely fabric and they make great gifts for your friends..

Easy Peasy Shirt to Top
A bit of up-cycling - made from a man's shirt you can run up this little top in a couple of hours. You will get to have a go at attaching some bias binding which is a nice way to finish raw edges.

Improvers Knitting 
Our knitting tutor Fran is running our improvers knitting workshop to give all the beginners out there the chance to have a go at some more techniques, such as increasing and decreasing, stitch patterns and reading a pattern.

101 Ways to Felt
I am very exciting about this workshop which is going to be run by me and Fran. Everyone will get to have a go at wet felting, dry felting and using an embellisher machine and then we are going to chat about knitting and felting in the washing machine! You will get to play about with lots of wool, have a good experiment and make lots of little things to take home! This is a little purse decorated using the dry felting technique (using a felting needle), which you can make at the workshop (we'll put the zip in for you)

Patchwork & Quilting
Our fab tutor Janet is back in December for our place mats and coaster workshop (which would make great Christmas gifts) - they are the wonky house and trees pattern so they have their own individual charm! if you prefer you can make a table runner instead with a little row of houses!

Improvers Crochet
Laura will be running a more advanced crochet workshop for everyone who has grasped the basics and wants to learn more techniques. Provisional date is Sunday 28th October (images and booking details coming to the website soon)

Hope to see you all at a workshop soon
Emma x

Fab Patchwork Cushion Covers

Last Saturday was our Patchwork Cushion workshop with our fab tutor Janet Bottomley. For once, I had the opportunity to join the workshop and managed to whip up a coaster, as a sample, and the actual cushion cover. I'm very impressed with it - and now I can strip piece (which sounds a bit racy but isn't) and do some simple quilting. I went for some contrasting fabric which kind of co-ordinates with our bright blue sofa.

 

Here's a couple of other cushions made at the workshop, which would look fab on any sofa!, (including a skulls and owls combination) 

More patchwork workshops will be coming in the autumn where you can learn some simple projects which you can make as Christmas presents (or other gifts), sign up for our mailing list on our homepage www.rwssheffield.co.uk so you can find out when they are ready for booking.

'Dress in a Day' for Summer

After last weekend's 'Dress in a Day' workshop I was so impressed with what everyone had achieved in the day that I decided to make another dress for myself, using the same bias cut pattern. So this is a lovely Summer dress in printed linen (from Direct Fabric warehouse on London Road), I didn't have any bias binding to match so I did double hems on the neckline, hem and sleeves. I opted for cap sleeves and gathered them slightly to make them runch a little. As the dress pattern is designed to be quite loose fitting instead of putting darts in etc I just sewed some lengths of ribbon into the side seams and tied them at the back. I think it worked out really well and I've been wearing it for the last few days because its so cool and lose fitting in this warm weather.

At the workshop everyone created different dresses, some were plain fabric with contrast or coordinating bias binding, some were patterned, others altered necklines, added darts or sewed hems in contrast coloured thread, and everyone put in some sleeves which were long, short, flared or runched! It was a really busy day for me, our tutor Sharon and everyone at the workshop!

Next 'Dress in a Day' workshop on Saturday 4th August @ Meersbrook Park United Reformed Church!

Contemporary Craft Fair - this Saturday

Don't forget Running With Scissors will be at the One For Luck Craft Fair at the Workstation (next to the Shrowroon Cinema) on Saturday, its starts at 10.30am and its free to get in. Laura, our crochet tutor and Melissa our Bath and Beauty Products tutor also have stalls. Come down and support your local crafts people and treat yourself to something nice!
 http://www.facebook.com/events/226481104093744/

Running Wtih Scissors now in City Centre!

Well the shop display is actually up for the people of Sheffield to gaze at! (on Cambridge Street, in town) I am really impressed with what the retail display students have achieved. The Running With Scissors concept is quite hard to put across in a static display because its really a creative / dynamic / changing business but I think the students have got it spot on. I didn't just want to display all the products we do at our workshops as they would look really disparate and random, it was more about getting the idea across and using materials and equipment which would be of interest to people who are interested in crafting. We had decided beforehand that the chest of drawers should be painted red and then I created 6 streamers (a line of pom-poms, tape measures, red ribbon, red pom-pom trimming, a washing line with 3 products from our workshops and a paper chain in red, white and black). When I met with the students I also gave them a little sketch but I said that they could have a free hand and chop up the streamers if they wanted, use some of the items only, or could request more things.... I think its important to give creative people a free rein as both they, and you, get the most out of a situation that way. So streamers got chopped up and wool 'rope' created and fabric samples added - all to everyones benefit.

Also you might have noticed in the window that Running With Scissors now has a QR code (one of those black and white grid box things that you can scan with your smart phone), when you scan it it take you straight to our website - how cool is that!

The lost art of pom-pom making

This week I have been making lots of pom-poms for the Running With Scissors window display in the centre of town (more on this later). I am am completely shocked that when I ask children or young people I know, not only have they never made a pom-pom, they don't even know what one is!! We used to make them all the time at school, make Easter chicks from them, scarves, bobbles for hats, stick wobbly eyes on them .... hours of fun - I'm really shocked at the lack of pom-pom knowledge in the youth of today. Is it just because I'm a product of the 1970's or is it just that children don't get to do much craft at school? - there seems to be a whole generation which has skipped these craft skills (as well as cooking!) and this generation are now teaching the children of today, but don't have the skills to pass on. Since I found out about the lack of pom-pom knowledge I've been asking children if they do any sewing at school - and I'm really astounded at what I'm hearing. It seems that the government really does not see the value of creativity and it's slowly getting squeezed out of the curriculum. Running With Scissors is now on a mission to turn the tide. I feel a summer school coming on just to give children and young people the creative space and time they need to express themselves and to make something which is relevant for them. I'll update you on this later!

Back to the shop window - Running With Scissors has a shop window display in centre of town at the bottom of Cambridge Street (which runs down the side of Cole Bros) from 8th - 21st May. I have just been to drop off the items for the display and to meet the students who will create the window, 2 girls studying for their NVQ Level2 in Retail Merchandising. The shop is one of the shops painted green and is part of the 'Sheffield Showcase' project, run by Sheffield City council and the Source Training Centre at Meadowhall. I'm really excited to see what the students do with items I brought in (including a chain of pom-poms) and can't wait to see the finished window. I'm really chuffed that the students get the opportunity to get this sort of experience and support the project whole-heartily.

Rant over - more updates coming soon!!

The Baguette Bag

Here at RWS we are working on our autumn schedule. I have jsut finished this little project - the baguette bag, not that its shaped like a baguette, but you can carry a baguette nice and safely without it falling out or snapping. Workshop coming soon!

My first ever craft project

My mum has recently been having a clear out and I ended up with a bag of random craft projects from my childhood, and I found this! This is the first craft project I remember making - it's a Mr Sneeze pin cushion and I remember vividly making it in infant school probably around age 6 or 7. I'm still very impressed with him and his smiley face - I think he may have to have pride of place in my newly decorated little workspace!

Knit your socks (or bootees) off

It's been a while since I managed to do any knitting so I thought I would share these little bootees with you all. I've made them for my friend's baby No.2 - aren't they adorable? They are from a free pattern found at http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/baby_booties_mittens.php

If you are not a knitter and want to have a go, we are running 'Knitting for beginners' on Sat. 28th April where you can learn all the basics - these bootees are made just using knit stitches (no purling involved!)

If you are already a knitter and you want to use the pattern the 'm1' only includes the m1 (the m1 and the stitch you are knitting into are counted as individual stitches i.e. 2 stitches)

and... if you are wondering how the new years resolutions is going - you will be as surprised as me that still no new clothes have been bought in 2012 (other than the exceptions listed on previous blog posts) and we are well into March!

Valentines Day Wash-out

I'm never very good with Valentines day, it always sneaks up on me and catches me out. This year me and the better half had booked a meal out but I ended up with a full on cold and was in bed by 8pm...roughly when we should have been tucking into starters...Oh well - try again next year.

Valentines Day sneaked up on Running With Scissors again this year, must try harder in 2013. What do you make for the special man in your life? With all the will in the world they are not going to be best impressed with a vintage fabric love heart stuffed with lavender hanging from a velvet ribbon, or a cute love-bird paper cut or a heart cup-cake (OK at least that one is edible). I have a feeling that I will need to spend the rest of 2012 coming up with some workshop ideas for 'Man-Gifts'!

If you are so well planned you are already considering Mothers Day (18th March) then we can help you out there with our 'Make a Candle in a tea-cup' workshop, and while it's setting you also get to make some sugar scrub and some lip balm. what a great gift - even better if Mum gets to make it herself!

Little Owl

This week I managed to complete a little project (one of the many on my To Do list). Here is 'Little Owl' which I've been meaning to do for some time. I had good fun taking the photos despite having to stand shin deep in the snow to get a decent shot!

Little Owl is one of the products we are going to offer for our private parties and events, the little fella will also make an ideal lunchtime activity in the office to cheer up your day!

Purchaces

So.. this week a bought new stuff. I bought 3 new long sleeved tops (please note this were exempt from the new years resolutions) and also a pair of new shoes (new shoes aren't classed as clothes - right?) Everywhere has a massive sale on at the moment it's very hard to resist a bargin. Oh.. I nearly forgot I bought a second hand (also exempt form rnew years resolutions) H&M linen skirt, size 42, whatever that is, hence it being way too big for me and I now need to put in some darts, it will go on my ever expanding 'to do' list

New shoes! (half price!)

(Late) New Years Resolutions

Here are my new years resolutions:
1. Update this blog more often
2. Not to buy any new clothes* (for as long as possible)

*exceptions to the rule: underwear (obviously) and probably long sleeve T-shirts as I wear them all year round and the current stock are probably going to need refreshing some time soon.

Note also the word NEW, this lets me get away with buying 2nd hand and vintage clothes and obviously making my own. Last night I finished my little blue skirt, but I have lots of other clothes projects (and non-clothes projects) on the list. Next up will be a bias cut dress which I am making as an example of the dress you can make at our 'Make a dress in a day' workshop (date probably in May). I have bought some rather funky fabric which is petrol blue / black / white tartan (looks better than it sounds, I promise).

Here's the skirt photo (not a fab photo but at least you get the idea!)