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

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

'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!

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!