Monday 14 July 2014

Sewing the Things

There's currently a mini summer swap in the Tiny Owl Knits group over on ravelry, so I've been doing a little sewing to send in my parcel!  Obviously I can't show you yet, in case the picture goes a-wandering and ruins all of the surprise, but I did have a chat with this lovely lady who has recently taking up sewing herself.    Nikki has some short & sweet tips for other budding seamstresses, with blog & book recommendations :)

You know when you read something & it makes you content to simply read for a while?  This girlies blog is pretty chilled.



You can find her blog here: http://hippynikki.com/
And twitter here: https://twitter.com/Hippy_Nikki




"A Newbie’s Guide to Getting into Sewing (by HippyNikki)
Thanks to the Great British Sewing Bee and my general desire to make all the things, I’ve really been bitten by the sewing bug lately. I’ve even posted a Sewing Manifesto on my blog, in which I state my intention to make rather than buy wherever possible.
I think that sewing your own wardrobe makes you so much more mindful of the finished garment. When you wear it you remember the process and you look after it a little better because you know how much work went into it. There’s also that little thrill of pleasure when you learn a new skill and that skill helps you create something you want to wear all the time.
As with all new things, it can sometimes be hard to know where to start. So here are my suggestions, as a newbie to the sewing world.
BLOGS
A quick google search brought me to the wide and wonderful world of online sewing blogs. A few of my favourites are: Tilly and the Buttons, Randomly Happy and Sewaholic
Blogs are a great place to start if you’re looking for inspiration. If you’re still not sure you want to try this new hobby, reading some blogs for a couple of weeks should help you figure out if you really are interested in it. It's also a great way to build yourself a sewing community.
BOOKS
I received Sew Your Own Wardrobe for my birthday, then I bought Love at First Stitch by Tilly Walnes. These books have the added advantage of having the patterns included, so you can start making straight away. I would recommend these kind of books over a sewing encyclopaedia because they are less intimidating and focus on getting you sewing, so you learn as you go.
CLASSES
If you don’t have a sewing machine, ask around – you’re bound to know someone who does. Offer to help them dig it out of their dusty attic if necessary! I was really lucky that my Nan had one so I made my first garment at her house.
If you can’t find a sewing machine anywhere, I’d highly recommend trying out some of the cool sewing cafes or classes around. A quick internet search should help you find something local. But if you’re in the London area, Sew Over It  in Clapham is a really cool place to go and learn in.
Have fun on your sewing adventure - I can't wait to see what you make! "

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