Just in case you were wondering when the shop will be stocked, here is a teeny tiny glimpse of what I am working on at the moment……more to follow shortly.

My closest friends have either had or are expecting babies, so my crafting thoughts have turned to handmade baby items. Having knitted bootees in the past I thought that I might try my hand at making some cloth baby shoes, the pattern is straight forward enough but parts of the making up are a bit on the fiddly side. Here is my first attempt.

As a very little girl I absolutely loved Bagpuss so in love was I with this enchanting programme, that I wished very hard that when I grew up I too would have a little shop just like Emily, so that if I might find some lost whimsical item, I could bring it home, fix it up and put it in the window just in case the person who had lost it happened one day to be passing by.

Times changed, I grew up, left home and became a nurse. Instead of fixing things I helped to fix people. But I never forgot my childhood dream and after many years in the NHS, I decided to change direction and with the love and support of my wonderful husband to follow my dream.

So I now have a small and whimsical shop which can be found here and I am currently working very hard on stocking it with handmade items, so that if someone just happens to be passing by and looks in they may find something pleasing to buy. 

Never give up on your dreams.

If you want to know about more about the very new and wonderful MyEhive then click here.

I have previously posted about making bags here.

A while back I stumbled across a fun on line tutorial here which shows how to make a lightweight bag that is soft enough to fold up and have in your handbag or pocket for whenever you may need one. It is so easy that whenever I see a couple of pretty tea towels now I buy them so that I can convert them into a quick and useful gift. Here are some that I made earlier.

I whipped up a prototype softie on Sunday whilst visiting my mum – it made us both laugh, and was quick and fun to make, I am inspired to make some more whimsical cat softies, but will use my good fabric stash next time.

My rather squashed (thanks Mr Postman!) pre-ordered issue of this new magazine came today, it goes on general release in shops from the 31st October. It is full of fun and up to date ideas and patterns – definately worth a read. The website for more information and subscription details can be found here - happy sewing.

Operation S.A.D or rather S.A.B as it was renamed commenced phase 2 on Saturday afternoon and achieved completion on Sunday morning with the very satisfactory production of what I am calling my big red reversible sunflower bag. I made my own pattern out of brown wrapping paper, cut some red cotton fabric as the main colour to size and ironed on some heavy duty interfacing, then using some of the red and white bold flower cotton print I had chosen for the lining, I applique’d a simple sunflower design onto the front of it, which was heat fused with bondaweb and satin stitched at the edges.

I then hemmed the bottom and side seams, which were top-stitched for extra strength and did the same for the lining. 

The home stretch was to line the bag, edge-stitch the four corners to make it more rigid and then add the straps - et voila! And if I get bored with red, I can invert it and have the bold print.

Now, I am off to photograph a massive spider that is lurking in our conservatory which I may post for you later – you wouldn’t believe the size of it!

Operation S.A.D (sew a dress) has commenced.  Phase one, locate and dust off sewing machine. Check! The sewing machine I have had for twenty (yes!!) years now, I purchased it as a fresh-faced student nurse, I thought it cost a fortune at the time, earning only paltry student nurse pay, but it is still in really good condition and everything appears to be there and working. Note to self, remember to remove the chilli and sweet pepper plants growing in background.

So now all I have to do is recall exactly how to stitch something together and then we’ll be cooking on gas, I have a pattern (yay!), okay so it is not a dress, the dress I have set my heart on is glorious but a wee bit tricky to kick off with, so being realistic I thought I better start with a top and here is the pattern

The fabric is ordered and I am now waiting in eager anticipation for it to arrive, and then phase two commences………….