No Ordinary Tote Bag

Well, this Saturday was our zip and buttons Tote bag workshop run by our tutor Sharon. We had a very busy day and Sharon kindly asked if I wanted to make a tote bag too (who can decline that offer?). I soon found out that this is no ordinary Tote Bag, this is an amazing tote bag! There was a choice of 2 patterns (the one we didn't do we could take home too) and then we got straight into picking fabric, interfacing (aka 'bump'), doing darts, inserting pockets and zips, (eating lunch), making made-to-measure bag straps and sewing it all together in the most ingenious way. I didn't finish mine at the workshop as I was busy helping out people and making sure everyone was full of tea and cakes, but managed to finish it over the weekend.

I decided to go with a strap attached to front and back of the bag rather than on the side seams, I also added some top stitching in a darker teal thread (one of my favourite colours). Not only do I have a fab new bag but I've learnt how to insert a zip pocket and use the scary looking machine foot to put in buttonholes. I have to say I'm rather pleased with the results....it's fast becoming my favourite bag!

I love Dresses!

Well I've got to admit I love dresses ....and hats. I love the way that women used to wear dresses every day (think of Mad Men 1950's dresses), women just looked so glamorous back then. I was wondering whether to start a campaign to encourage women to wear more dresses and more hats! (I've also enrolled on a millinery course at Sheffield College - but more of that another day). Being slightly stick shaped I find finding a dress that fits well is a bit of a rarity. So, when I decided to re-vamp an item to promote the Trashion workshop I was definitely going to do a dress. After I found a dress with a print and colour I would wear that was a couple of sizes too big I got all excited about the possibilities of adapting it and altering it to fit properly. I decided (fairly quickly) that I was going to do a halter neck, as I've always liked them but can never get them to fit very well (big issue for those of us with small boobs). It was a bit daunting at first but I found that a couple of glasses of wine helped with the courage, and then I just started chopping into the fabric just doing things by eye, not even measuring. Fortunately I'd chosen a dress in a t-shirt type fabric so I didn't need to hem everything to stop fraying. I have to admit I'm fairly pleased with the results. The dress (and my lovely new mannequin) will be coming along to the 3 craft fairs I'm doing at the Crucible theatre to promote the Running Wtih Scissors workshops - hopefully it'll cause a stir!

Felt Fanatics

Felt..felt...felt it's just so tactile I can't resist it. I have lots of felt items and I love crafting with it because it doesn't fray - just cut and use - it's my type of fabric. Making your own felt is also great fun people often get a bit confused but basically there are 3 ways to make felt:

1) get a wool jumper and wash it in the washing machine on a setting that's too hot (we've all shrunk a jumper this way in the past)

2) Needle Felting - this is dry felting using a specialist (very sharp) needle

3) Wet Felting (see more info below)

The wet felting technique is the technique our tutor Fran will be using for the felt bowl and coaster workshop on 13th August. You start with pieces of pure sheep wool. This is built up in layers and then essentially 'mashed' together to form a piece of felt. A combination of heat, friction and soap makes the tiny hooks in the wool fibres lock together with adjacent hooks so the wool becomes firmer and shrinks a bit. It's great fun (and a bit messy) to do and the end product is so unpredictable and beautiful. I've also recently come across a guy called Thomas Horst who makes exquisite designer felt dresses, in the article I read it said that he uses a Black and Decker sander, soap and garden hose! - how cool is that!

Sewing Patterns for beginners

Today I've been buying sewing patterns. This is the pattern I've bought to try out for the 'How to read a pattern' workshop for beginners .... so I need to find a teeny bit of time to give it a go. I picked it out beacuse it looks like its quite versitile you could make it in a longer length or with shorter sleves and it's for sizes 8-20 too. It ties at the back so you can wear it loose or tight and you can decide to trim it, or not. I thought it would be good with leggings, jeans or some nice wide linen trousers (....maybe another workshop!). If it works out and I think the pattern is suitable then each person would get a copy of the pattern included in the workshop and we could do some minor alterations as well so it can be amended to fit you properly. Any thoughts on the pattern? .... leave me a comment here or comment on the Running With Scissors facebook page as I've up-loaded it there too. I'm quite pleased with the choice of pattern - lets see what it's like when it's made up...

Vote for you favourite workshops

You can vote for your favourite workshops for the autumn and winter programme on the Running with Scissors facebook page. I still need to sort linking up the blog with the facebook page so apologies for that! I believe you can only vote for one option so if you have more than one preference just post a comment too. I do try hard with facebook but I'm always getting frustrated with it.

I'm hoping to meet up with some potential tutors on Friday for possible upholstery workshop and bath / beauty products so I''ll see how it goes and let you know!

Lino Print Workshop Deadline

Lino Print Workshop on 2nd July

Deadline for booking is now Midnight on Monday

Reserve your place by downloading a booking form at http://www.rwssheffield.co.uk/

Lino - not just for floors!

('Meersbrook View' Lino Print by James Green)


...well what a busy week... workshops are filling up quickly so get your skates on if your interested in booking a workshop! Our Lino Printing workshop is coming up soon with James Green on 2nd July. Lino Printing is a really hands-on way of transferring an image onto paper to form a print. Yes you use lino but it's slightly different from the stuff on your bathroom floor. It's very therapeutic carving into lino block with sharp looking tools and you get an amazing very detailed image. The best thing is that once you have your block carved you can make lots of prints in different colours, so you can make your own cards etc.

Some of James's works can be found on http://www.jamesgreenprintworks.blogspot.com/

There are also lots of clips and information about Lino Printing at http://www.craftzine.com/