Absence

Hey guys,

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted. I miss both blogging and sewing so much; I haven't been doing much of either recently. My assignments for university have been piling up, there are three essays due in for 10th December totalling 8,000 words. That's a lot of writing...

I've finished a dress, a skirt and a cardigan since I last wrote here, which are all waiting to be photographed. My phone is being a pain at the moment and won't let me take pictures the way I normally do, due to a lack of internal storage. Hopefully I can get it fixed soon so that I can start documenting some finished makes!

Thankfully it's not been all work and no play around here, as I have managed to fit in a trip to London, which was amazing as always. Although I don't think I could ever adjust to city life, I do love the occasional visit; there's so much to see, the bustling crowds and, of course, the shopping! There may have been a trip to Liberty involved, and I also picked up some gorgeous fabric in John Lewis, including the most beautiful purple needlecord, which I hope to make into a Megan Nielsen Brumby skirt.

Last night I also went to see one of my absolute favourite bands, Bellowhead, in concert. I know their name is suggestive of screaming rock music, but they actually produce the most lovely, bouncy folk music, which is far more my style. Check out my favourite song of theirs here. The evening was so much fun, and by complete coincidence I bumped into one of my lecturers and one of my flatmates Lucy there, neither of whom I knew were going too!

I will try to post more regularly, but no guarantees I'm afraid, at least until the first of my assignments have been handed in.

Thanks for bearing with me and being so patient :) I hope all your sewing projects are going well, feel free to share below!

-obligatory band t shirt pic-

Peace out guys. 

Beth x

A Stripey Sewaholic Renfrew

Hey guys!

Yes, it's another long-completed garment in the absence of any current sewing projects to share with you, although I'm going home for Reading Week today (sort of the uni equivalent of a half term) and am definitely planning to get some sewing done in the evenings this week after I've worked on my essays during the day. 

 

So, here it is, a Sewaholic Renfrew...this time not hacked into a dress!
 

 

I've made three Renfrew dresses, but never made up the top as patterned, so this was a new one for me. Stripes do not photograph well, so I sincerely apologise for the blurriness here! 

 

 

I'm not hugely convinced by the finished result. My fabric was fairly lightweight with not too much stretch, so the fit is a bit strange in places, especially around the neckline and the sleeves. Pulling the neckband tight enough was a bit of a nightmare - I ended up sewing a dart on each side, extending from the neckline into the shoulders. Still, it's definitely wearable, and another handmade top to add to the wardrobe! 

 

 

A very unattractive photo of my back for you to enjoy... 

 

I made up the smallest size as per usual, which was the right choice. The fit, bar the issues being caused by the odd fabric, is just how I like it. I can't stand my clothes to have too much ease, especially knit garments. 

 

 

You can get a better look at the neckline here, which in truth is a bit of a mess. If I make another version of this top I would definitely plump for something with a bit of a heavier weight and a bit more stretch to be able to cope with the neckband. At least I've learnt my lesson! 

 

Thank you for reading everyone, and for bearing with me through the long absences! I've just about finished off a burgundy cord BHL Elisalex Skirt, so stay tuned for that one within the next few days. 

 

Have a great weekend! 

 

Beth x

By Hand London: Kim

Hello everyone!

Long time no see...there has been very little sewing going on around these parts, and an awful lot of seminar work. Very boring, I know, but an inevitable consequence of uni life it would seem. Ah well, I have a finished dress to show you today, which I'm only just getting round to sharing despite the fact it was completed nearly two months ago. 

This is the By Hand London Kim, made with a simple gathered skirt (I skipped the tucks that come with the drafted pattern) and the sweetheart neckline option. I love me a sweetheart neckline, reminds me of my beloved Sewaholic Cambies. 

The fabric is a bordered cotton I picked up at Abakhan in Chester. I have a Belcarra Blouse made from the same fabric in a different (white) colourway. It's so pretty, right?! Unfortunately for me, it was slightly off grain, which means the border was tilted and my skirt is a slightly different length all the way round. Do I care? Probably, a bit. But I still wear it!

 

Arghhh the straps. They do not like to stay on my shoulders! I've had to resort to wearing this dress with a strapless bra, which is usually something I try to avoid like my life depends on it, but for this dress it's probably necessary. The fit is a little big around my bust, there's a bit of gaping if I lean forwards too far, but I don't want to pull it in too much and then not be able to breathe. I'll have a think and see what I can do - any suggestions? 

 

SO SWOOSHY. 

I may have a few complaints about this dress but it is made in some of the prettiest fabric I've ever owned, so I basically shut up and wear it anyway. I think it goes well with teal tights and my colour blocked Colette Astoria, so that sorts out the gaping bodice issue at least. Sweatshirts for the win! 

Thank you for bearing with me during my long absences...I'm trying to get back into the flow of sewing but it's just not happening at the moment. Sooo many essays, so little time. 

Still, here's hoping everything is well with all of you - and help me live vicariously through all your lovely sewing projects! 

Have a great week everyone. 

Beth x

The Liebster Award

Hello everyone!

I have some very exciting news today... the lovely Mona of Curls & Cakes has nominated me for the Liebster Award!! Thank you so much Mona, it's such an honour to be nominated by such an awesome, stylish and intelligent person (if you've not read Mona's posts on understanding cancer yet, you should check them out - they're easy to understand and contain information we should all be aware of about how cancer works).

From what I've read, the Liebster Award is basically a way for bloggers to share their love for blogging and other bloggers with each other, which I think is a wonderful idea.

I'm supposed to share 11 random facts about myself, so here goes...

1. I'm a pescetarian, which is someone who eats fish but not meat - so far I'm not dedicated enough to go vegan, but I do what little I can to limit my impact on the lives of other animals

2. I used to have very blonde hair; it only started to darken to the shade it is today in my first year of primary school

3. I was recently made a godmother to a beautiful little girl called Abigail

4. I've visited 11 countries so far - Wales, Scotland, Ireland, USA, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and Russia. When I've finished my degree I'd love to go travelling and cross off a few more

5. My absolute favourite TV show in the world is Detectorists (there'll be a few spoilers in that link if you haven't watched it yet!)

6. I never leave the house with unpainted nails

7. I've always been a reader, and when I was little I wanted to be a writer. The inspiration behind my choice of degree - Welsh History - can be found in a single book, Here Be Dragons by Sharon Penman. Please, go and read it. I've never read a novel more beautifully written

8. I have a particular weakness for huge hoop earrings, but it took me five years of having my ears pierced to learn how to take them in and out by myself

9. I've always wanted to be Welsh, just like my great-grandmother. I guess a lot of my choices in life have been influenced by that desire, including my choice of university and which rugby team I support!

10. My favourite animals are narwhals (they are like sea unicorns!)

11. I've been to watch the Tour de France four times, all of which were amazing

Now for my turn to nominate some people...I've chosen these amazing ladies for their beautiful blogs and awesome style - 

1. Fiona of Sewing vs Knitting

2. Kaitlyn of Kaitlyn's Simply Vintage

3. Lauren of Lady Sewalot

4. Kristy from Scientific Sewing

Whether or not you pass on the award is up to you, but thank you so much to all of you for your inspiring blogs, I love reading every single one of them :)

Beth x

Back to Bangor...and a new blog!

Hello everyone!

It's Fresher's Week here at Bangor University, but luckily I'm living in a returners hall this year, so it's lovely and quiet, filled with third years who are concentrating on their dissertations. I moved back to university on Saturday and have spent my time since then catching up with friends and preparing for the Fresher's Fair, where all the clubs and societies Bangor has to offer come together to attract new members. This year, the Bangor Craft and Sewing Society has gone all out - I spent my Sunday putting together key-rings and cutting out 300 flyers!

As Publicity Officer for the society, my main job is to advertise what we're about and try to draw in new faces. Last year, I made flyers to advertise our main events, set up a Facebook page and ordered society hoodies; this year, however, I want to do more, starting with setting up a society blog!

The blog, 'Sew What?', is in its infancy at the moment, but over the course of this academic year I'm hoping to develop it and include weekly workshop updates, tutorials and posts from guest bloggers. Although the blog is primarily targeted at students, I'm hoping that the content will be relevant and accessible enough to attract readers from outside the Craft and Sewing Society. If you're interested in keeping up with any society news or looking out for the odd crafting tutorial, then head on over there and please do feel free to give us a follow on Bloglovin' or Google+.

I'm only aiming to put up a post or two a week, so you won't be totally spammed - the main purpose of the blog is to allow us to connect with members of the society who don't have the time to attend weekly workshops, and give us a platform through which to easily share information about the society.

I hope you all have a fantastic week and thank you, as always, for taking the time to read,

Beth x

A Pinafore in Chambray

Hey everyone! How's it going?

I won't lie to you, I'm rather on the fence about my latest project. I saw a photo on Pinterest which I absolutely adored, but as is always the way, it seems, the finished result didn't live up to my expectations. 

Here's my finished garment - a chambray dungaree dress with buttoned straps and a front pocket. 

Here's the original photo that inspired me. It makes my dress seem a bit too stiff and matronly, I think. Perhaps I ought to go back and add more fabric to the gathered skirt? 

The fabric itself is lovely - having discovered chambray fairly recently, I've now got two projects under my belt and am sure there are more to come (I would love to make my own Sewaholic Granville Shirt in chambray, but I know that's pretty advanced stuff!) 

I made a buttonhole on each of the straps so that I could adjust them depending on whether I wanted them to sit straight or crossed. I like both, but I think crossed is probably my favourite, as they feel more secure that way. 

I added the first patch pocket I've ever made onto this pinafore! It's not the neatest execution ever, but I don't think it's bad for a first attempt. Dungarees with big front pockets are one of my favourite things ever. I keep an odd assortment of things in mine, usually a comb, my little tin of Vaseline and some notes jotted down on paper. 

I'm not sure how much wear this pinafore will get, but I'm planning on going back for a big unpicking and restitching session, to make the adjustments I think it needs to make it feel more wearable. I think I should add more fabric to the skirt, to achieve more of a drape, and some buttons at the waist like in the Pinterest photo. Hopefully it will end up as a garment I love to wear! 

Have you made any garments you feel unsure about recently and, if so, how do you think you can fix them? 

Beth x

Completed (finally!): My Mustard Mama Vertebrae Cardigan

Hello all! How is everyone doing? 

The biggest news going on with me is that I have finally finished the cardigan I have been knitting since last August...my mustard Mama Vertebrae cardigan. 

Yes, this project has taken me over a year to complete. However, very luckily, I am rather pleased with the finished result! I can see the progress I've made as a knitter since my first attempt at this pattern, and so hopefully my skills will be even more developed by the time I finish my third project (more on that soon!). 

I knit up the smallest size for this pattern, using a 4-ply yarn which took an age to knit. It seemed like for every ten rows I knit, only one row of progress had been made! I think from now on I'll be sticking to double knit...

That being said, the fine yarn has resulted in a really lovely looking cardigan. Obviously my shop bought cotton cardigans are the neatest of all, but you could never replicate that as a home knitter, and this will keep me warm over the winter! 

There's five centimetres of ribbing along the bottom and to finish the edges, which took the longest of all. Ribbing really is the bane of my life. I perservered for longer than my first cardigan though, which resulted in a deeper and more professional looking rib. Even my grandma was impressed, and believe me, if she doesn't like something I've made she tells me so! 

I planned this cardigan with my Mustard Sunflowers dress in mind, which it is photographed with here. I think it does go really well! 

The observant amongst you have probably noticed I'm not wearing my glasses in these photos...I need a new prescription but didn't want to change my frames, so I've surrendered my glasses to the opticians for them to put in new lenses. Hopefully I'll have them back soon (I've been walking round like a moron in my prescription sunglasses - even inside to watch TV!). 

Have you completed any knitting projects recently and, if so, how long did they take you? 

Thank you everyone for reading, 

Beth x