- Posted in: Uncategorized

Come and join me at the Handmade Festival. We have fun and workshops galore!

Ok folks. I have big news. For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram, (errr, why not?!) you may not have seen all the things I’ve been talking about recently. The main topic of conversation on there for most of this year has been my plans for this years Handmade Festival.

Which is NEXT WEEKEND!

DON’T PANIC!

I’ve been a regular at the festival for the past three years, running workshops and being the crafty expert for some wonderful brands such as Swarovski and Velcro. This year I am going it alone! I have a 5 meter by 5 meter tent (THAT’S BIG!) that I am going to fill with all kinds of crafting fun. We’ve got workshops, demos and giveaways, free pompom tuition and a giant upcycling project that everyone can get involved in.

I’ve spent the last few months curating a really nice timetable of workshops asking some of my favourite creative people if they would like to guest host.They all said yes so here is a taste of what we have planned.

 

 

Each workshop is an hour long and costs £15 with all materials included. Everyone joining one of our workshops will automatically become a member of the Sewyeah Social Club and receive a free membership badge worth £8. Workshops are only bookable on the day and we will be operating a first come first serve system.

Make sure you come along to tent S19 (next to the Big Contemporary Craft Marquee) nice and early to sign up for your chosen workshops!

This is what we have planned.

 

FRIDAY 13th September

FRIDAY 10am  Pompom Cacti and Felt Succulents with Christine from  Sewyeah Social Club

Join Christine as she shows you how to make this cute cacti from her book Pompomania.
You’ll learn some nifty wrapping and trimming techniques to create this two tone cacti and also a couple of felt succulents. Everyone will also receive a hand made concrete pot to take
home and display your cacti in.

 

FRIDAY 11.30 am Resin Terrazzo Brooch with Rosa from Rosa Pietsch Jewellery

Are you good with making colour decisions? as that will be the hardest thing you’ll have to do at this beautiful brooch workshop. You’ll have hundreds of colour combinations of resin shapes to choose from to create your own unique piece of jewellery based on an original Rosa Pietsch design. Once you’ve decided your colourway Rosa will show you how to complete your brooch.

FRIDAY 1pm Felt Alpaca Ornaments with Christine from Sewyeah Social Club

Make your own baby Alpaca ornament. Some of you may have seen these little cuties on Kirsties Celebrity Craft Challenge, they totally took the prize of cutest make of the series. Now Christine will show you how to stitch your own from gorgeous 100% wool felt stuffed with real alpaca fur. Add a hanging ribbon and finish off with some felt flowers or crown or a beaded and stitched motif.

 

FRIDAY 2.30pm Paper Garlands with Miesje from Miesje Chafer Designs

Love paper? Love sewing? Pop along to this workshop and learn how to make your own colourful paper garland with the lovely Miesje. You will use paper punches to cut shapes from a combination of hand screen printed and plain paper, which you will then stitch together on a sewing machine. No sewing experience necessary!

FRIDAY 4pm Mindful Embroidery with Christine from The Sewyeah Social Club

Relax at the end of the day with this calming and meditative embroidery workshop. Begin by creating a pattern of random shapes made from iron on vinyl (or use one of the ones all ready created) and then embroider a pattern over the top. Take your artwork home in the hoop provided and use your newly learned skills to upcycle tired tshirts or wornout jeans.

 

 

SATURDAY 14th September

SATURDAY 10am Beaded Himmeli Ornament with Christine from Sewyeah!

In this workshop Christine will show you how to create a beautiful bejewelled ornament using Swarovski crystal. Learn wire and beading techniques to turn a simple wire decoration into an eye catching work of art, all topped off with a handmade tassel. Once you’ve learnt these skills you’ll be wanting to bejewell everything so you’ll also take home a treat bag filled with crystals.

 

SATURDAY 11.30am Felt Alpaca Ornaments with Christine from Sewyeah!

Make your own baby Alpaca ornament. Some of you may have seen these little cuties on Kirsties Celebrity Craft Challenge, they totally took the prize of cutest make of the series. Now Christine will show you how to stitch your own from gorgeous 100% wool felt stuffed with real alpaca fur. Add a hanging ribbon and finish off with some felt flowers or crown or a beaded and stitched motif.

 

SATURDAY 1pm Oversize Wall Charms with Alice and Helen from Hand + Eye

Join Alice and Helen from Hand+Eye Workshop to make your own super-fun clay wall charms. Select a choice of charms and learn simple but effective patterns to decorate them with. Alice and Helen will show you how to construct your wall hanging and make pompoms and giant woolly tassels to finish them off.

 

SATURDAY 2.30pm Tassel Wall Hanging with Rachel from The Rachel Henderson Studio

Get creative with Hooked Zpagetti recycled yarn and have a go at creating a colour-popping wall hanging for your home, hosted by Craft Designer and Interiors Artist Rachel Henderson. You’ll love creating this project and will leave wanting to make more. You’ll also get a tasseled tote bag to take your creation home.

 

SATURDAY 4pm Mindful Embroidery with Christine from The Sewyeah Social Club

Relax at the end of the day with this calming and meditative embroidery workshop. Begin by creating a pattern of random shapes made from iron on vinyl (or use one of the ones all ready created) and then embroider a pattern over the top. Take your artwork home in the hoop provided and use your newly learned skills to upcycle tired tshirts or wornout jeans.

 

SUNDAY 15th September

SUNDAY 10am Pompom Cupcakes with Christine from The Sewyeah Social Club

Pompoms and cupcakes are two of Christine’s favourite things. If that’s the same for you then come along to this workshop and learn to make your own pompom confection. Christine will show you how to trim the perfect icing and cupcake shape all from one pompom and decorate with sprinkles or a simple cherry on top.

 

SUNDAY 11.30am Upcycled tshirts with Emma from Steel and Stitch

Join Emma the Queen of Upcycled Clothing at this workshop where she will show you how to breath new life into an old tshirt. Chose for a cool selection of vintage tees and get busy with the scissors, patches, crystals and stitching to create your own bespoke piece. You’ll leave this workshop with loads of tips and practical advice on how to make your wardrobe last longer.

 

SUNDAY 1pm Terrazzo Jewellery with Emily from Make E

Learn the magical skill of making abstract patterns and marbelling techniques using FIMO clay. Once you’ve created your pattern Emily will show you how to create necklace pendants, drop earrings or for the knit and crochet fans out there you can make a set of stitch markers.

 

SUNDAY 2.30pm Self Portrait Embroidery with Shikira from Kreative Pursuits

Create unique embroidery hoop art by designing a bright and colourful self portrait with added flower crown. Perfect for all levels of embroiderer (or non embroiderer!) Shakira will guide you though creating your own bespoke stitched portrait finished off with beautiful 3D flowers around your hair. When finished display your artwork at home in the bamboo hoop provided.

 

Sunday 4pm Beaded Himmeli Ornament with Christine from Sewyeah Social Club!

In this workshop Christine will show you how to create a beautiful bejewelled ornament using Swarovski crystal. Learn wire and beading techniques to turn a simple wire decoration into an eye catching work of art, all topped off with a handmade tassel. Once you’ve learnt these skills you’ll be wanting to bejewell everything so you’ll also take home a treat bag filled with crystals.

 

 

 

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- Posted in: Makes + Freebies

Gorgeous Gem Hair clips

There’s a real craze for oversize hair clips this summer and these Swarovski crystals are perfect for a super special and super speedy DIY.

There’s something about these crystals that reminds me of the boiled sweets my Nanna used to bring back from Germany. The colours are so bright and well, just delicious!

YOU WILL NEED

Two pear fancy stones 14 x 10 mm, four cushion fancy stone 12 mm plus settings with holes for each. Try here for a nice selection, thin beading wire, pliers for cutting and bending the settings to secure, E6000 glue or similar (GemTac is also good), hair clip blank

STEP ONE

Spread a thin layer of glue across the hair clip

STEP TWO

Place each of the settings onto the glue. you will be able to reposition them for a short while to make sure you are happy with the placement.

STEP THREE

Though the glue will hold the settings in place I like to use wire for extra security as the hair clips can bend when being placed in your hair. Open the hair clip. Cut a length of wire about 30 cm and fix it at one end by winding it around the clip and twisting to secure. Next thread the wire through the holes in the settings and around the top of the clip. Work your way down the clip securing each setting.

STEP FOUR

Place each of your fancy stones into their appropriate setting and then use pliers to bend down the fastenings to secure.

YOU’RE DONE!

If you don’t want to make a fully covered clip then just one fancy stone and setting on an oversize kirby grip looks lovely too.

DID YOU KNOW? I spend a lot of time on Instagram @sewyeah – I’m trying to keep my blog more up to date but if you want to know what I’m up to on a daily basis them Instagram is the place to be. Come and join the fun over there!

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- Posted in: Christmas

E IS FOR ELF (and a dancing one at that!!)

Over on my Instagram @sewyeah (where I do most of my business these days!!) I am running a Photo a Day challenge entitled ADVENT ALPHABET, where everyday I am offering a christmas themed prompt to inspire my followers to showcase their festive preparations. (It’s fun you should come and join us!!)

Today is day 5: E IS FOR ELF and I’ve created this jolly little chap. I figured he would be good to entertain at the dinner table when we’re all sitting up waiting for the grub! As you can see instead of legs he’s got someones fingers – who knew knuckles make great elf knees!

Here’s everything you need to know if you want to have a go at making him

 

You will need

Felt in a variety of colours, matching embroidery threads, needle, scissors, small bells or buttons for decoration, toy stuffing, bondaweb or fabric glue, air erasable pen. 

TIPS:

• Use an overstitch to sew all the pieces together and a straight stitch when stitching decoration.

• I have taken time to change the colour of my thread to match the felt colour. This isn’t necessary and you could just sew in one colour all the time, but I think it looks nicer with different coloured threads. 

• To make my stitches finer and smaller I like to separate my embroidery threads out so I use just two of the normal six threads.

* Cut out all template pieces as directed. I have provided them at 100% and the booties and shorts fitted my fingers – before cutting the felt check they fit yours and adjust accordingly

 

To make his body

  1. First fix the stripes to the jumper pieces. You can do this bey either using Bondaweb (a heat fusible webbing) or fabric glue.
  2. Sew each hand to each sleeve piece.
  3. Take one pair of arms and hands and place together stripes outer. Begin sewing the arms together from the shoulder down. 
  4. Sew around the hand and before you start sewing up the underarm stuff the hand with a small amount of toy stuffing. 
  5. Sew up the underarm, keep stuffing the arm as you sew – as the arms are quite narrow this is easier than trying to stuff when you have finished sewing. Repeat with the second arm. 
  6. Take the two trouser pieces. On the front piece sew a decorative line vertical line as shown on the template. Place the front and back pieces together and sew together where indicated by the horizontal line.  Then sew around both the inner and outer leg holes.
  7. Take one of the jumper pieces and pin to the front of the trousers. Stitch together. Then repeat at the back.
  8. Place the front and back pieces of the body together and Sew up one side. When you reach the line marked on the template insert one of the arms. Pin in place and then sew through all layers of jumper and arm to secure. 
  9. Repeat on the other side. Leave an opening at the top and then firmly stuff.

To make his head

  1. Place the front hair piece onto the face piece then draw two eyes and a mouth on with tailors chalk or an air erasable pen. Embroider the features.
  2. Sew the hair in place using a straight stitch to fix to the face. (Make sure when positioning the front hair and face that they match the shape of the back hair piece when lain all together) Sew some extra decorative hair lines if you wish.
  3. Line the back of the head up with the front and sew together from one side of where the hair and face join to the other. Then stuff.
  4. Line the back of his head up with the jumper opening and then sew together. Flip over and sew his face to the front of the jumper. You may want to add or remove stuffing as you close the hole depending on how many chins it looks like he has! 
  5. Take the two ear pieces and pinch at the bottom and sew a couple of stitch to hold the shape. Then sew in place. 

To make his clothes

  1. Cut the jacket shape from one piece of felt. Carefully fold and press the collar piece in place. Dress the Elf and sew a bell to secure the jacket closed. 
  2. Cut the two hat pieces. Sew the main hat piece into a cone shape. Add a couple of bells to the top. Keeping the piece of thread you sewed the bells on with attached, sew one big stitch halfway down the hat and pull tight to make the hat fold over. Sew a couple of stitches to secure and then sew on the brim. 

To make the shoes

  1. Line up point B on the sole with point A on the bootie back. Sew together. Work your way around the bootie to the front on one side until you get to the point of the sole. 
  2. Fold the other half of the top of the bootie around the sole until the two curls of the bootie line up then sew the two curl pieces together. 
  3. When you reach approximately half way up the bootie stop sewing and then sew back down the same seam till you reach the tip of the curl again.
  4. Then finally sew to join the other half of the sole and bootie. 
  5. Decorate with a bell on each bootie tip. 

Visit my instagram to see him dance!!..

 

 

 

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- Posted in: Makes + Freebies

make: pompom sandals

SEWYEAH LOVEKNITTING POMPOM SHOES

It’s Summer, It’s hot and it’s silly season when it comes to footwear! These pompom wonders are a little makeover I gave a simple pair of Primark sandals for the lovely folk at Loveknitting.com. For the step by step instructions and to find out how I made them click here

 

Want to find out more about me and my crafty life? Follow me on instagram here. I’m much better at sharing interesting facts, mini craft projects and inspirational pictures over there!!

 

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