A Little Sewing Project

I thought I might try and do something different with my blog by giving you some simple projects to keep you busy in the winter nights.  If you start now you could make some lovely personalised  Christmas gifts for your friends and family.

I have made up patterns for various things for years, I have never been taught, I just look at how things are constructed and then have a go. Some times it all goes wrong, but you learn from those mistakes.  You need to be good at abstract thinking to draw patterns because things are sometimes in reverse or you need to imagine how to join up different size pieces of fabric. I want to get better at this so I have signed up for a course.  I will let you know how I get on with that.

A while ago I did a make for a lovely magazine called Daisy Green  I thought I would start off with the little make up bag I shared with them.

To make a small make up bag you will need the following materials

• Two pieces of fabric approximately 16cm by 21 cm, or the size you want to make your bag.
• Two pieces of lining material cut to the same measurements as your main fabric.  I used waterproof fabric which can be purchased from any good fabric store and is around £3 for a metre and is great for make up bags, wash bags and pencil cases and you will get loads of bags from a metre.
• For this size bag an 18cm zip, if you make a different size bag choose a zip a couple of centimetres smaller than the width of the fabric you are using
• Thread
• Some tailor's chalk, a ruler, pins and scissors. If you don't have tailor's chalk a pencil will do.

Making Up

Mark out the measurements of the bag using the tailors chalk on the fabric and the lining.  Cut two pieces of fabric and two of lining. 

If you are using a bold pattern fabric, like the one I have used, make sure you centre the main pattern in the middle of your fabric so that it will look good when you are finished.  I wanted to make a feature of the Scottie dogs. 

Neaten the edge of the fabric along the top edge where the zip will be using a zig zag stitch on your machine.

Press under 1cm on the neatened edge, pressing the right side towards the wrong side, this will be the edge of the fabric that will make the zip opening.

Fold the fabric in half and mark the centre of the top of the fabric, find the centre of your zip.  Align these two centres and pin the fabric close to the teeth of the zip.

Using a zipper foot stitch along the edge close to the zip. (If you don't do a lot of sewing this is a special foot that lets you stitch close to a zip)  Repeat the process with the other piece of fabric.  Open the zip and turn the fabric so the right sides are together.  Leave the zip open so you can turn your bag right side out when you are finished.   Remember to change back to your normal sewing machine foot for the next steps.

Pin around the edges and stitch a narrow seam around all three remaining edges.  In dressmaking it is usual to sew 1.5cm from the raw edge, but you can sew closer to the edge on a small bag like this, around 0.5 cm will be fine.  You could use the edge of your sewing machine foot as a guide an keep it level with the seam this is usually 0.3cm and would be fine for this too.  To make your bag stronger, sew over the first line of stitching again.  Next, neaten the edges using the zig zag stitch on your sewing machine, this will stop the fabric from fraying. 

Make the base of the bag by opening out the bag across each corner where the side seam meets the base of the bag, line up the side and base seams so that they make a triangle shape at the corner.  Stitch across about 3cm from the point of the fabric. Do this at both corners.  It should look like this.

Make up the lining by joining two pieces of lining fabric, right sides together and stitching 

around two short sides and one long side.  If you are using waterproof material you will not need to neaten the edges as it doesn't fray and it doesn't matter which side you use as both sides are the same.  Make the base of the lining match the outer bag by stitching across the corners as you did on the bag.

Place the wrong side of the bag and the wrong side of the lining together and turn under a narrow hem around the top of the lining and pin the lining and bag together.

Hand sew the lining to the zipper tape to give a nice neat finish.

Turn the bag right side out. Tah Dah!

Now you have the basic principle of a make up bag try experimenting with different sizes and shapes, find some funky fabric and make your kids some little pencil cases.  I'd love to see your finished work.

It's been a long time

Well I promised to blog more often and I didn't.  So a lot has been happening since my last post.

I was delighted to find that I had been featured in Simply Homemade magazine in a Folksy Finds feature.  As a result I had some contacts from new people interested in the things that I make.  It strange where you pop up and people put you in their blogs or pinboards or magazines and you don't even know about it.  All very exciting.

Speaking of Pinboards, I have tried to get to grips with Pintrest but find that for all it is full of beautiful things I don't have have the time to be browsing.  I don't know about you but I have to make sure that my virtual life doesn't take up more of my real life than it should.

In May I was asked to help with a really exciting project working for the stylist Krista to make 6 dresses for an all girl folk band called The Shee to be used for their new album which comes out in the autumn.  Well that was great pressure and great fun.  There was a problem with the fabric supplier and the fabric didn't arrive until Friday morning and the dresses had to be ready for a photo shoot on Monday. So a weekend of cutting, sewing, pressing. somehow it all came together and whilst the dresses needed some tweeking on the day we made it.  The girls were pleased with their dresses, they had each chosen their own individual style, so it was lovely to see how they reflected their individual personality.

Krista is a very talented lady who sings, designs, styles, organizes event,s the list is endless.  The band are fantastic bunch of girls, fun, pretty and very talented and they wore their dresses to a concert at The Sage on the Monday evening.  I am looking forward to seeing the official images and sharing them soon.  You can get   a sneak preview in the image here.  Also do listen to the band and go and see them if you can here is their Facebook page The Shee.

Every year since it started we have been going to Indietracks a fantastic festival in Derbyshire.  If you have never been you should go it is the high spot of my year.  This year we took Lindy's Loops on the road and it was a great success.

I had the opportunity to take part in a summer market by Durham Markets in the historic market square it was a lovely evening, despite the weather forecast and the Mayor and Mayoress even stopped by to say hello.  This is me looking like a proper market trader. Could you watch the stall for me a minute Mo?

Oh and that reminds me of another photo opportunity when Lindy's Loops took part in the Fashion Fringe event for Newcastle Fashion Week and I was snapped running up some last minute bunting for the Jubilee weekend.

I thought summer might be quiet and I would start sewing projects ready for Christmas, but with lots of local activity its been busy.

Coming up this month, I have been invited over to Rosewill Cottage on Saturday 4th August, that is in the lovely seaside town of Whitley Bay and I am taking part in the Made In Newcastle Summer Market, on 11th August, which will raise funds to support the development of a permanent space for  local artists, crafters and designers.  I do hope to see you there.

Have a great summer whatever you are doing.

Forgotten Blog

I wonder how many people start a blog and then it's left hanging there in cyberspace all alone with no followers.  Well that has certainly been me but I feel I have valid excuses, here are a few of them.


Sewing, helping others sew, Christmas, the day job, family ill health (we have fallen back in love with the marvellous NHS), grandparent duties, parent duties, general life stuff and a bit of fun too. 


Well I need to get back to blogging, reading others great efforts has made me want to get back to sharing how things are going in the world of Lindy's Loops.  


So how have things been going?  November and December was very busy with Christmas Markets and orders.  I know I need to prepare well in advance for this next year. In these difficult financial times people really are looking for something, different, well made and at a good price. I had my best two months trading ever.  

It's a lovely thought that people were opening up their gifts on Christmas day and they were hand made by me.  I know this went away to be a gift for someone, chosen with care and attention.


And I couldn't make enough of these baskets inspired by the traditional Cretan baskets I saw on my holiday in October.  

I have had lots of requests for bespoke items, alterations and after I made bunting and baskets for my grandson's christening, more orders for some of that.  Look out for some new lines coming in spring for parties, weddings and other celebratory events.


At my craft fairs I try to spend time chatting to people to find out what they like about the things I make and what they would like to see.  A chance conversation has led to me starting one to one tuition for sewing, knitting, crochet and other crafts.  I have been working with one lovely lady since January, I had a plan of what I thought I could teach her in terms of basic skills, zips, following patterns and making adjustments.  Well it has mushroomed, she is full of ideas and projects and is a very keen student.  


It is the most fun thing I have done in years and it is a delight to see someone growing in confidence and ability, within the short space of time she has progressed from simple cushion covers, to cutting patterns for her children and bringing together ideas to adapt patterns to the style of fashions she has spotted in magazines.  We both get twitchy if we can't fit in a sewing lesson!  My business lesson is don't be afraid to follow the opportunities and try out new ideas.  I fear that her husband thinks I have created a monster!  But he too is benefiting from her new found skills with PJs.


I use Folksy as my web shop and I know I have missed opportunities by not having all my goods up on my site.  I discovered I can set my shop to holiday mode so if I am out at a craft fair or market I can close the online shop for the day.  So now it is well stocked please take a look and let me know what you like and what you think you'd like to see more of and what could be better.


My day job is getting smaller, I am really lucky to work for an employer who needs to shrink its workforce but is looking for new and innovative ways to do that. No mass redundancies around here.  They have supported me to develop my business idea and allowed me to reduce my hours as business has picked up.  We both get something from the deal.  Who would have thought that much criticised Local Government was at the forefront of innovative ways to manage your workforce planning!


As a result of the day job getting smaller I get to spend more time with my lovely grandson and he too benefits from Grandma's Crafting skills.  


George's funky PJs

Oh yes and last but not least the dreaded tax return.  I went to a couple of HMRC courses and they made it sound quite straight forward.  If you keep good records it is straightforward, but I wouldn't say the actual return is easy.  I didn't leave it until the last minute and this time round I plan to do it in the summer.  Alternatively get some admin help and in the spirit of supporting small business there is a lovely lady here if you are in the London area who is great with admin and PA type work.  Cath English

Crafting music recommendations that have helped me through the last few months Cats On Fire.   If you get a chance go see them in February here.... London Pop Fest and support small independent music promoters.