tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20434335133152651202023-11-16T13:32:32.190+00:00Mama Likes To SewLife from the view of a Mum who likes all things vintageVintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-44265270558478314152017-04-16T11:32:00.002+01:002017-04-16T11:32:47.597+01:00Happy Eat Your Weight in Chocolate Day!!I can't even remember the last time I wrote a post, bad isn't it!? <br />
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I'm sitting here at work on the day when most people have already attempted to eat their weight in chocolate, with a streaming cold and eating a pasta pot which should have been for lunch. There is a kids party going on in the main hall and a church group in the smaller hall and I'm at reception trying to concentrate on updating the social media for a major event and have found myself typing this instead! <br />
In one way or another I have always had jobs with anti-social hours, but that is the nature of the industries I have wanted to work in. I have been lucky enough to work with some really cool people and have been in a position where I worked in some amazing places. But.... and there is always a but isn't there?! Its days like this when everyone is having family time that it really gets me down. I love my job, don't get me wrong but please if you ever book an event on a public holiday, spare a thought for the people having to work! <br />
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Anyways... on a positive note I am now fighting fit after an ongoing shoulder injury so I am easing myself back into the sewing slowly by taking on the job of sewing a canopy for a sweet cart! I am using heavy weight cotton fabric from Ikea which is white with black stripes and it will be secured to the frame work using Velcro strips. The idea is that a number of different canopies will be made so that the cart can be used for different events and change it's style to suit. This first one will be the template for the others measurement wise and once it is a perfect fit, will be easy to reproduce. It is basically a large rectangle with hems around each side. Velcro will then be fitted across the middle section and also 5 inches from the ends to enable them to hang nicely from the frame. Ideally I would like to add curtain weights to either end, but with the weight of this fabric, it should hang ok without them. Once it is finished I will add some pictures.<br />
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I have a few other projects in the pipeline for the next month or so, including a lotus flower applique cushion, fitting a replacement zip on a vintage inspired dress and also making a dress out of some gorgeous vintage fabric I picked up in a charity shop. <br />
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I am in the process of sorting out my dining room area which involves de-cluttering my dining room table in order to be able to actually sew! I am having to complete the canopy at my place of work, as the fabric is way to big for me to deal with at home! I have realised my fabric and haberdashery stash is getting out of control and its time to have a sort out. <br />
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This summer I am determined to try my homemade summer challenge again by making clothes and only buying in charity shops or second hand. To be fair, I haven't really bought anything new from a shop (that wasn't underwear related) in a long time! I am excited that summer is just round the corner and I can get all my gorgeous vintage dresses out without the need for thick tights and boots! I once met a lady at a vintage fair who told me that she wears vintage all year round and that statement has stayed with me. I have been wearing it a lot more than I ever have before and have also taken the step to have my hair cut in a more vintage style. It boosts my confidence no end and gives me a sense of who I am. I may need to have a few lessons in vintage make up though as in that respect I am useless!Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-51689167373669190352016-09-26T20:43:00.001+01:002016-09-26T20:43:15.847+01:00Wardrobe RealisationToday I decided it was about time I tidied my wardrobe. For months now I've been shoehorning my hangers in and just putting freshly washed garments back on new hangers. I also made a pledge that for every item I buy, I send one or two to charity, so after a 3 dress eBay splurge, it was time to sort through the masses. Boy was I surprised at what I found!! My tiny little 1 metre wide wardrobe was so full that I found items I forgot I had! Every time I go charity shop shopping or eBay browsing I think to myself 'I haven't got that many vintage items, one more can't hurt!' But today I realised just how many I did have! The problem I have is that I can't bear to part with any of them, so the newer, high street items, got the chop. As I've probably mentioned before I am a terrible hoarder and because of this I get attached to items that I love but can no longer fit into, so dear readers I was faced with a dilemma! I had this lovely shirt dress - not vintage, more supermarket - that I wore to death around 6/7 years ago. It is made out of this lovely flowery print Lycra & cotton mix and at the time it fit like a glove. Fast forward to now and the only bit I can fit into is the neck hole, so after years of shoving it back into the wardrobe in the vain hope is ever wear it again, I put it in the bag. I feel a small victory about this as in my heart of hearts, I know I will never fit into it again no matter how much I love it. So after being more ruthless than I've ever been before and one nearly full charity bag later, the shoehorning is only mildly easier! With this in mind, I'm still thinking of those gorgeous vintage wedding dresses I saw the other day........Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-37433585838174103812016-08-01T21:37:00.001+01:002016-08-01T21:37:07.532+01:00Old Old Or New Old?I went to the amazing Yellow Vintage Fair yesterday, at the Ageas Bowl Southampton. It's the first time I've been to this show and I wasn't disappointed. Mixing music, cars and stalls, this fair had a lot to offer from clothes to homeware and even in house hairdressers! I love looking at what everyone else is wearing at shows like this and often get chatting to people about their outfits or the contents of their stalls. It was during browsing a clothing stall that my friend and I got chatting to another 2 ladies also dressed head to foot in vintage style clothing. Both my friend and I were dressed in modern vintage - new clothes made in a vintage style - and were commenting on how small true vintage items tend to be. Now I don't in anyway think that this next comment was meant to be nasty or derogatory, but one of the ladies looked up and said "Well I only wear true vintage pieces!" And give her, her due she looked stunning in a 60s mini and cardi. This got me thinking about the old old verses the new old. Price wise new old or new vintage style clothing can be pretty expensive but you are guaranteed a good fit using your normal new school dress sizing and also a garment that is factory fresh and undamaged. Old old or true vintage can be picked up incredibly cheap if you are dedicated enough to search through charity shops, fairs, car boots sales and online sites. From experience I know that sizing and condition can be a nightmare and sometimes I have questioned the authenticity of a supposed true vintage item. Some people may look at new vintage style clothing as not being true to era, with the use of modern materials and fastenings but arguably a true vintage garment has travelled, has a story about it. Personally I love the fit of a true vintage piece (the ones that have actually fit!) but I also like the fact that when I buy new vintage style clothing, I can wash it with my other clothes and it (hopefully) won't fall apart. Vintage fabrics can be hot and scratchy and sometimes a slight fire hazard, but they have a look that no modern piece can recreate. So there pros and cons to both sides it seems. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter if it's old or new, if you like it but it! Us vintage lovers should stick together and be proud to show our individual style whether it's fresh out the packet or someone's nan's! Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-499752796764140632016-07-02T22:38:00.000+01:002016-07-02T22:38:07.648+01:00Book WormI love reading a good book that I can get lost in. I have loved it since I was really young and always wanted to be the library assistant at school. A really fond memory I have is buying books on holiday as a child. We used to holiday in the Isle of Wight every year and my favourite place to visit was Ryde and especially a little arcade of shops called the Royal Victoria Arcade. It is an eclectic mix of antique shops, new age shops, some clothing shops and a secondhand bookshop. Underneath in the basement used to be a flea market, I'm not sure if this bit is still there but the actual shops have changed little over the years. The bookshop used to display some of its wares outside on tables and spinning displays and this is where I would find my teen romance novels such as the Sweet Valley High series and later on Point Horror. This was the mid 1990s and I remember these little magazine type books too, which I only ever remember getting on holiday. I would love to know what happened to these little books as they were great! We would go at the start of the week and I would be allowed to pick one or two and then I would spend the rest of the holiday reading them. I bet you would be hard pushed to find a child nowadays who thinks the highlight of a holiday is buying secondhand books!<br />
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I have carried on this love affair with words right through to adulthood and have always got a book on the go. Sometimes I will finish one in a few days and some take me a while to get through but I enjoy them all the same. I find that I know if I am going to get on with a book only a few pages in and it very rare that I will give up on a book.<br />
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A few years ago I was given a kindle for my birthday (hints were dropped for months before I just came outright and asked for one!) I loved the idea that I could have this little device containing hundreds of books at my disposal. The only draw back was lack of a back lit screen so it was upgraded as soon as the next birthday came about. The funny thing is I always go back to paper! I am very lucky in that I am given a large quantity of books from family and friends, luckily we all have similar tastes. This sharing of books has turned into a strange little book club, swapping backwards and forwards and sharing recommendations. I like the idea that I book I have read is going onto to another person who will read it and then pass it on to be read again and again.<br />
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I do also put my hand in my pocket and buy books, but not usually new ones. I browse my local charity shops for books as I can almost guarantee I will find my favourite authors at a good price. I know some people will have the opinion that I am not really supporting the writer by purchasing secondhand, but when you are on a budget charity shop profits win over publishers profits. My parents signed me up to the local library before I can even remember and I did this for my daughter too as I think it is important to have this opportunity available to use. To be honest I don't really use the library as much as I used to but I know it is there should I need it.<br />
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I really admire anyone with the skill to create something that other people can enjoy so to all you writers out there:<br />
Keep doing what you are doing as eventually your book might find it's way to an eternal book worm like me! Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-4666915027993398702016-07-01T18:54:00.001+01:002016-07-01T18:54:42.831+01:00Tea For TwoToday I went to my favourite eatery in the whole world the 19 Fourteas Tearooms in Havant (just outside of Portsmouth, U.K.) I love everything about this charming little 1940s inspired tea room. It is like stepping back in time the moment you walk through the door. I've been 3 times now and every time I see something I haven't noticed before. It's an Alladin's cave of vintage treasures right down to the cups and saucers you drink from. The lovely ladies who work there are all decked out in the 40s style which is so nice to see and makes me feel guilty for turning up in my boring modern clothes! The food is lovely, especially the cakes! There is also a gluten free menu which is great to see as its rarely catered for in so many places. The reason why I love this place so much is because of the atmosphere. It's such a cosy warm place and so welcoming from the moment you step through the door. It's one of the only places I've ever been where I have felt so at home! I asked if I could just move in today and sleep on the sofas upstairs! Novelty bars are always thought of as tacky but this charming little tea room is anything but! It's decorated so tastefully and true to its desired era, but is so understated from the outside you could easily miss it. I am so happy I was shown the 19 Fourteas Tearooms and I will be taking all my friends there whether they like it or not! <div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Check it out for yourself! </span></div><div>Here is a link to their website: <a href="http://19fourteashavant.co.uk/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://19fourteashavant.co.uk/</a> </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>**but call and book beforehand as this little place is VERY popular!!!**</div>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-39976367187463343582016-06-25T16:59:00.003+01:002016-06-25T16:59:57.712+01:00Creative ParanoiaWhen I was at school I loved to write stories, news articles and make things for my toys like clothes or cut small pieces of felt and pretend it was food for them. As a teenager I focused on art and music although was rather more successful at the latter! I did music production and music technology at college and got to spend 5 days a week being creative and to be honest I liked it way more than school. After I left college I kind of lost this creative side in the jobs that I did. I have mentioned before, specifically in my bio on here that I started sewing again after my daughter was born. It was almost as if a light bulb switched on in me that gave me back all these creative ideas that I just had to put into practice. Up until recently, I had never made anything for anyone else before and this was a whole new kettle of fish. Suddenly I had to make everything super perfect because I was so worried that the customer would look at me and ask why I had supplied them with a piece of rubbish. I'm not saying that I don't care as much when I sew for myself but I developed what I will call creative paranoia, that my items would not be good enough for someone else. I put myself under undue pressure because of my own insecurities and in a way I still do. I take my hat off to all those crafters who have made a business out of their passion and I always look at their items at fairs or online and think 'Wow! They are amazing! I hope my stuff looks that good!' But it seems maybe I am being too harsh on myself as my customers - as far as I know! - have always been pleased with the items I have made for them. I always wonder if anyone else feels like this or if I suffer creative paranoia on my own? If you are reading this and it sounds familiar please let me know!<br />
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At the moment I have all these ideas and projects that I want to do but not enough time to do them! I plan to share some of my new stuff with you on here, as some of it will be things I have never tried before, like hats! Millinery is my new favourite <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> obsession and to tie in with my love of vintage Pill Box hats in particular. As mentioned before I will crack Crochet and I also want to try machine embroidery, which fascinates me! So lovely readers, the next few months for me will hopefully be a creative tsunami!<br />
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P.S: I am on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> so check out my boards! <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/mamalikestosew" target="_blank">Mama Likes To Sew </a>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-11243511752600831122016-06-22T12:01:00.002+01:002016-06-22T12:01:23.652+01:00Handmade Summer Challenge Update!I am a month into my homemade summer challenge and so far so good! I have been lead into temptation a couple of times but can happily say I have only left a shop with one bra! As underwear was excluded from the challenge I am quite proud of myself.<br />
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Over the last month I have made a tube dress, a unicorn half circle skirt and have customized an old charity shop buy. Thanks to my lovely friend Leilei at Von Clair Designs I have acquired the half circle pattern and am planning to make a few more of these over the next few months. I have learned lots of new sewing techniques already which has been a fun process. I have perfected by exposed zipper technique, learned how to create the perfect curved hem and also how to use bias binding, which is my particular favourite.<br />
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I have also had some lovely custom orders for my soft furnishing business <a href="http://www.mamalikestosew.co.uk/pilosity" target="_blank">Pilosity</a> and this has given me the chance to work with some new fabrics and perfect my piping skills. I love to create things for other people and can't wait to see their faces when they see the items for the first time. Thanks to the support of lovely friends supporting my new business venture I am able to add to my portfolio.<br />
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All in all it has been a great month for crafting and I am really enjoying myself! It's always good to learn new skills and with the use of <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">YouTube</a> it makes tutorials so much more accessible. I have a huge collection of sewing books but I will always make these my go to sites as there is nothing quite like watching someone else to make learning easier. My next skill to master will be Crochet and I am determined to do this! As a lefty I am finding it quite awkward and have tried doing it both ways but still feel like I am all fingers and thumbs. I think over time with enough practice I should be ok but I can see it being a tough one for me to start with! Watch this space!! Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-28340762214265238182016-06-05T21:14:00.001+01:002016-06-07T07:43:28.193+01:00Summer Tube DressReally excited to make the first item in my homemade summer challenge! I've decided to start off nice and simple with a strapless tube dress made out of some fabric which I found in The Works book shop in their craft section. When I originally got this fabric I was going to make some bags and cushions from it, thinking it wouldn't be that big but when I opened it, I realised it had some serious potential. I'll be using 2 packs of this and priced at only £2 each it's a great start to the challenge! <div><br></div><div>For this dress you will need:</div><div><br></div><div>Fabric ( my squares are 100cm X 74cm each)</div><div>Elastic for top band ( mine is 1inch wide)</div><div>Cotton</div><div>Pins</div><div>Sewing machine</div><div><br></div><div>1. As I will be gathering this at the top band I haven't needed to cut my fabric, instead I have put them right sides together and pinned down each side. Then I have used a standard 5/8" seam allowance and straight stitched down both sides creating a large tube.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhTpTSOXgKFNOetVJcGnXS4d_cxYNA34m78oL3-WCQgODq9IwaNJ4kemgJh5HJstPe354ZvrR8T8NK0QMUVsxomasXsm_zcsogvONuR27sz6qLXo6Nm7hzzPl88Opc3mxAdtZibB7UWen/s640/blogger-image--701929026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhTpTSOXgKFNOetVJcGnXS4d_cxYNA34m78oL3-WCQgODq9IwaNJ4kemgJh5HJstPe354ZvrR8T8NK0QMUVsxomasXsm_zcsogvONuR27sz6qLXo6Nm7hzzPl88Opc3mxAdtZibB7UWen/s640/blogger-image--701929026.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>2. Next turn and press your bottom hem. I've stuck to the 5/8" seam. As my fabric is 100% polyester I don't need to serve the edges, but if your fabric clearly frays it would be a good idea to either serge or zig zag stitch them before turning and pressing.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGIyo3ntFj_zGcLsOWXDv7Lj3aGLMOVldp7K1Z9pNmJVfMWC5PWrkTNTYWbTbfrJZxOCJaQgMF9trnmLmXbYbl8y3n4qUN4tlalooesgBNHelvwSwWSIavMhvp8dY0IMh9HHLC51rguKH/s640/blogger-image-233814615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGIyo3ntFj_zGcLsOWXDv7Lj3aGLMOVldp7K1Z9pNmJVfMWC5PWrkTNTYWbTbfrJZxOCJaQgMF9trnmLmXbYbl8y3n4qUN4tlalooesgBNHelvwSwWSIavMhvp8dY0IMh9HHLC51rguKH/s640/blogger-image-233814615.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>3. Once the bottom hem is stitched, repeat the process with the top. Once this is done you will need to create the tube for your elastic. I did this by turning my top hem over enough to fit the elastic with a little room to spare. When sewing the tube remember to leave a gap to insert the elastic.</div><div><br></div><div>4. When cutting the elastic for your top band you need to make sure it is slightly stretched so that the dress will be held up. Measure under the arms and over the boobies and cut.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Carefully thread your elastic into the tube without twisting it. I managed to get mine twisted and had to unpick the stitching! Stitch the elastic ends together and pike into the tube. Now you can see up the gap and even out the gathers.</div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOPqJY2GSbe22LMon1_7NoGpXImlbT3RBhW_IZiFDAy0SQN8sWWTAFhdR45nEdxaRQHuqjja1XvZ8t3FpGn-VZgdxlgn8Ccln313XqqwbpVKn9X_zohgBaF6D4nsM-Tm4JOS9W8VzmiX9/s640/blogger-image-1245592094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOPqJY2GSbe22LMon1_7NoGpXImlbT3RBhW_IZiFDAy0SQN8sWWTAFhdR45nEdxaRQHuqjja1XvZ8t3FpGn-VZgdxlgn8Ccln313XqqwbpVKn9X_zohgBaF6D4nsM-Tm4JOS9W8VzmiX9/s640/blogger-image-1245592094.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Now you have a dress! You can either add an elastic waistband or like me wear with a waist cinched belt to pull it in. </span></div>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-63267014771062627212016-06-04T01:10:00.001+01:002016-06-04T01:10:29.127+01:00Fear of the UnknownIn my last post I wrote about a challenge I set myself to not purchase any new clothes until October. In conjunction with this I have also realised to be successful in making and altering my own clothes, I need to be more educated in the features of my trusty Singer. When I started seriously sewing I was using a beautiful 1955 Singer 201k, which is the ultimate work horse. That baby would sew through leather as if it were the thinnest cotton but the trouble was it only did a straight stitch. I am lucky enough to own an abundance of different attachments for it including a zig zag and button holer. But I found these increasingly frustrating to use with little or no instructions. I decided when I enrolled in a dress making course last year that I would invest in a modern machine to enable me to learn the skills first and then I could transfer these to the 201k at a later date. Anyone who sews will know that modern machines are equipped with up to hundreds of different stitches and all kinds of trickery but on average only a fraction of these features will ever get used. So regarding my challenge, I have been playing about with some of my lesser used machine functions and am actually quite proud of the results! I'd never attempted a button hole until this evening and I'd never tried to sew an actual button on using a machine before! I thank the good people at Singer for the latter as I HATE sewing buttons on at the best of times so this has really changed things up for me! My next experiment will be with the decorative/embroidery stiches which will look great when hemming clothes or adding appliqué to cushions. I've got plenty of scrap material to try this on and hopefully it will yield some productive results. All in all I would encourage anyone with a sewing machine to get out of their comfort zone and try some of these unused functions because you never know, they could become the most useful resources you have.Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-18580323942290865482016-05-19T08:12:00.001+01:002016-05-19T08:12:55.214+01:00Homemade Summer ChallengeYesterday I did my yearly trip to Primani to get some new strappy vests for summer. I replace all the faded, shrunken and generally scrappy tops in time for the nice weather and also if you go early enough in the season they have a better range of colours! Yesterday was my last shopping trip for clothes for the foreseeable future because I have decided to set myself a mammoth challenge! You see I'm a bit of a shopping addict so for me the following will be a BIG deal. I have decided that from today I will not be buying any new clothes for the next 5 months! That brings me to my birthday month of October and as I can't promise I won't enjoy a few new items around that time, it's the perfect time to end my challenge. Until then I will only wear what I own or make or alter from charity shop finds. I'm hoping this will not only help my sewing skills improve but also save some well needed pennies. It will also prove to me that I don't wear 40% of my wardrobe which will be donated at the end of the challenge. I am allowing myself to buy essentials such as underwear and hosery but this my friends will be it! Let the challenge commenceVintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-71784565364082275672016-05-12T16:35:00.001+01:002016-05-12T16:35:19.374+01:00Website Update!!!!I've just spent all afternoon sinking my teeth into editing and updating the Mama Likes To Sew website. When I originally set up the site I had no idea what I was doing and it was a rather daunting task to say the least! I spent ages trying to find a host and comparing prices and I was worried the more I searched the less likely I was to actually get the domain I wanted. It's an absolute mine field trying to get a website up and running! Today I have tweaked everything, added new pictures, new content and tested every link is present and correct. There is still much work to do photo wise as I'm constantly adding to my portfolio but all in all I'm quite proud of myself! Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-69593144484331552982016-05-10T22:45:00.001+01:002016-05-10T22:45:58.623+01:00Hello old friendIt's been FOREVER since I last posted. Life just kind of took over and now I'm back and ready to roll! Or sew, however you want to look at it! I've been studying Pinterest a lot lately for new inspiration from like minded people and getting ideas for future projects. I got my Singer out for the first time in yonks the other day and realised how much I actually enjoy making something from scratch. The feeling of looking at a finished item is one of such pride, especially when it was just a pile of fabric, wadding and a few reels of cotton only hours before. This got me thinking about the potential of some of my fabric stash. Crafting as a whole is seeing the potential in something that maybe others can't see, whether it's a pile of fabric, paper, beads or even furniture, the thought process is always focused on the final result. I really thrive around like minded people and revel in their creativity. A friend of mine is so talented in not only dress making but also mixed media art and has an amazing studio in her house dedicated to crafting. It was like walking into an Alladin's cave of creativity. She is able to take even the most mundane object and turn it into something beautiful and that my friends is a talent. I'm so glad that programs like the Great British Sewing Bee, Money For Nothing and George Clark's Amazing Spaces are given air time because these shows enable ordinary and unrecognised people a chance to show what they are truly made of. My local fabric store in town is always packed when I go in there and it just goes to show, the old skills are well and truly still going strong. Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-77448358485796325122015-09-04T22:35:00.001+01:002015-09-04T22:35:38.477+01:00Old things, new thingsIt's an acquired taste, the whole vintage thing. I guess you either love it or hate it but for me when I meet someone like minded it's excellent. Especially when they are already friends because it means I get to gush over my latest purchase or likes and know they are genuinely interested! I've recently added a new string to my bow by helping a friend reupholster a vintage swivel chair. It was more complicated than we both thought but the results were amazing. It just goes to show if you can look past how something looks and see your vision, the possibilities are endless.Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-41150491263092893082015-08-19T01:02:00.001+01:002015-08-19T01:02:13.644+01:00Exciting times!So it's all going on here, not only has the website launched this evening, but we've also listed a whopping 34 items to the eBay page which means there are vintage haberdashery bargains to be had! Please check out our site at www.mamalikestosew.co.uk which has links to our eBay and also previews of our items for sale. What happened this space Vintage Mama is taking over!! Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-74492139157652986142015-05-04T15:22:00.001+01:002015-05-04T15:22:21.227+01:00Out Of My Comfort ZoneI am writing this in a place that I would never think of entering voluntarily EVER! I am sitting in the cafe of one of our local gyms. Munch loves coming here with her dad swimming and I have been putting it off for ages to come and watch her swim. So today on this grey bank holiday Monday, I am camped out in the Costa Coffee watching them through the window and hoping that it doesn't become crowded with those special 'gym' types! Blissfully it's really quiet at the moment. <div><br></div><div>I know exercise is meant to be good and all that but I put it down to being seriously scarred by P.E lessons at school! Having never been particularly sporty, I found P.E an absolute nightmare. School teachers like to play the sporty kids off against the non-sporty, leaving the latter feeling inadequate and pretty rubbish. This is how it felt to me, as one of those who didn't fit the sports mould. As a result of this I've never been interested in going to a gym or taking an exercise class and until a rather drunk day in grand canaria I couldn't even swim! My idea of fun differs greatly from standing in a room sweating with strangers and I would rather walk or ice skate or just go plain old shopping! We seem to live in a society today where those who don't choose the gym bandwagon every January are made out to be lazy almost. I am certainly not lazy but I just won't put myself in the situation where I feel so uncomfortable voluntarily. I'm not slagging people who like or go to the gym and I am probably not in a position to judge as I don't go there, but I can't think of anything worse than showing my lumps and bumps to the beautiful people. </div>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-37299444114956455712015-04-23T22:33:00.002+01:002015-04-23T22:35:54.002+01:00Old Things, New EyesWhen I was growing up we just accepted that we had a castle in our village and it was a place to go and explore, play, ride bikes and generally cause havoc! Of course we learned at school of its origins and the people that built it and lived there but it seems now that none of us really saw it as anything particularly special. It was just that big stone place that had good bike ramps!<br>
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Well this weekend we had some friends come to see us from Yorkshire. We sat down for weeks deciding where we would take them and what we would do and not once can I remember mentioning we should take them to the castle! It wasn't until I gave them all a lift to a local marina for dinner that I realised how unusual our local landmark was. As I drove into the marina the view opened up to a lovely sunny castle sitting just over the water. Their two boys were agog at this magnificent sight. "Wow!!!" I got coming from the back of the car, "Look at the castle!" It was then I realised how lucky we are to have this so close to us and yet we take it for granted. We decided that we had to show everyone round it before they went home, just so they could see it in its full glory. So on Sunday we got up early and drove down there. Portchester castle sits overlooking Portsmouth across the water and dates back to Saxon times. According to the articles in the castle museum it has evolved over the years to form what we see now, having being added to by the Romans. It's in really good condition considering its age and also houses the local church St Mary's, where most Portchester residents decide to get married. All local children have attended some kind of occasion at the castle, even if it was only the Christmas carol service that we were forced to go to at school. Memories of sitting freezing cold in the church go through my mind each and every time I see it! We decided as it had been years since we had climbed to the top of the keep, that we would all go in and have a look. I can remember only going up there once as a child with my dad and uncle and cousins. All I could remember was a very steep and narrow spiral staircase. I'm not great with spiral staircases, they make me dizzy and feel like I'm going to fall over! Luckily they have added wooden stairs going from floor to floor in the actual keep itself, but just as I remembered it was spiral for the last twenty or so steps, scary! The view from the top sees Gosport to the south, Portsdown Hill to the north, Portsmouth to the east and Portchester to the west. It's an astounding view. Once we had descended and walked back the car, I had realised the importance of this building and how fascinating it is for non locals to see. I guess it pays to see things through other peoples eyes once in a while to get a fresh perspective on life.</div>
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For more information on Portchester Castle visit the English Heritage website <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/portchester-castle/" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHl8WO9dmeKbNKMjHqBOay3x1ngm-zh4USAUFmg9xXEK_LnTeQ1_UyVDGLJ13CtqcG7cljbhfeC-cBAY4qebKN27MtI5xdL7LOT9Ew5Z-kYjSzx1kreoP8sS089yc_JCexqNgNfVHK4Xem/s640/blogger-image--94834482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHl8WO9dmeKbNKMjHqBOay3x1ngm-zh4USAUFmg9xXEK_LnTeQ1_UyVDGLJ13CtqcG7cljbhfeC-cBAY4qebKN27MtI5xdL7LOT9Ew5Z-kYjSzx1kreoP8sS089yc_JCexqNgNfVHK4Xem/s640/blogger-image--94834482.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpPnY4EQx_yq7vakcByk7SMl6yI0FBzZSczQr3_I4NKSkAmFnE1NNvGILxRwF9rJ4vnJ3GxUwJg_tMKGrU7FjwJ9RiJdLmgzP-t-85FTFUPhv5nQm70FKAsQiDfgnePGcvVFHFhe-Hr3t/s640/blogger-image--421590934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpPnY4EQx_yq7vakcByk7SMl6yI0FBzZSczQr3_I4NKSkAmFnE1NNvGILxRwF9rJ4vnJ3GxUwJg_tMKGrU7FjwJ9RiJdLmgzP-t-85FTFUPhv5nQm70FKAsQiDfgnePGcvVFHFhe-Hr3t/s640/blogger-image--421590934.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81SEbbXfSDEJ2caHBMqWW2cPIGXh39OKVApfwrbqPugtay-76_qZZqGCDbJHXm36FLKdWwUAEu1bHTX_HBGyExdyOq50MaQ277m0Q1YDUwJeB1yM_-IO1KDUZvrLjBgajM8hEyOqeP-Ot/s640/blogger-image--1275739553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81SEbbXfSDEJ2caHBMqWW2cPIGXh39OKVApfwrbqPugtay-76_qZZqGCDbJHXm36FLKdWwUAEu1bHTX_HBGyExdyOq50MaQ277m0Q1YDUwJeB1yM_-IO1KDUZvrLjBgajM8hEyOqeP-Ot/s640/blogger-image--1275739553.jpg"></a></div>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-41716052767228609862015-04-10T12:17:00.000+01:002015-04-10T12:33:16.782+01:00Works In ProgressI have decided that it's been such a long time since posting anything I've made, that I would share my works in progress to hopefully inspire myself to finish them!<div><br></div><div>Firstly there is the dress I started making on my dressmaking course. It needs the collar attaching and hemming. This dress is from a 1967 pattern which I got at a vintage fair. The material is crepe suiting in a lovely dark sea green/blue. I'm going to adjust the sleeves to 3/4 length as it gives it a more modern look. I had a bit of a disaster with the zip, so I will need to fashion a new zip pull out of something. Any suggestions welcome!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JamwKuUH345QIocNz95omYKZWw9sq70TERdAL_t5lblVITFpr7uwApvBu1ZpveAYLMS7yVMIhAFICyccDIm-Yr4n__yeej5f_OfzuMzuGSOiqE15u6qenR6gTa8KU8mqewZvXf4gXu_c/s640/blogger-image--838297410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JamwKuUH345QIocNz95omYKZWw9sq70TERdAL_t5lblVITFpr7uwApvBu1ZpveAYLMS7yVMIhAFICyccDIm-Yr4n__yeej5f_OfzuMzuGSOiqE15u6qenR6gTa8KU8mqewZvXf4gXu_c/s640/blogger-image--838297410.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>My flamingo material was originally earmarked for making the Ruby dress from Love Sewing magazine. Unfortunately due to the width of the fabric and the way the pattern runs horizontal, it would have been impossible to cut the skirt part of the pattern without changing it. As a result I have decided to make a half circle skirt from the book Gertie Does Vintage Casual. The pieces are cut and ready to stick together and zip fitted.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQibVnnQVhyphenhyphenfFzjoU0nPEZbKxpsAnOlZHph13hWl0UoYmTkaW8IjViEB_9YiS_Ij0sG1cWtf7YOnGOjo6tWO2Uz5qEMrn8IG2awYZokMt17MR_SqbXgKwVJTMv4tUscxSe38Po_24RDf7/s640/blogger-image--1824381975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQibVnnQVhyphenhyphenfFzjoU0nPEZbKxpsAnOlZHph13hWl0UoYmTkaW8IjViEB_9YiS_Ij0sG1cWtf7YOnGOjo6tWO2Uz5qEMrn8IG2awYZokMt17MR_SqbXgKwVJTMv4tUscxSe38Po_24RDf7/s640/blogger-image--1824381975.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I promised my mum i'd <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">make her some bunting for her new summer house at the end of last summer. Due to being a busy mum, I haven't even started it yet! I have a lovely selection for fat quarters purchased for the task and bias binding all ready to go, so I'm going to have to get cutting some triangles! I love the look of bunting when it's finished but it's such a monotonous task, especially when we are looking at nearly 4 metres.</span></div>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-37418559310849057972015-04-01T18:34:00.001+01:002015-04-01T18:34:03.480+01:00No Tax Disk!Ok so my car tax came up for renewel this month and after the annual heart attack over the cost, it occurred to me that the tax disk I'm taking out will be the last I ever have to display! Don't get me wrong being able to complete the arduous task every 12 months from the comfort of my own home is great but at least I had a piece of paper to show for the £230 I'd spent! I'm not sure it sits well with me that no one will be able to tell if it's been paid for unless they are driving a police ANPR car! Oh well, I guess I'll have more room for stickers!!Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-58711263122780425342015-03-22T21:15:00.000+00:002015-03-22T21:15:45.034+00:00Magazine LoveBecause until recently I've been a self taught sewist/sewer (never quite sure of the appropriate definition!) I have relied on books and magazines to help me along the way. I like to buy a few different magazines and see which suit my style and are beginner friendly. Straight away I loved the format of Love Sewing magazine and bought the first issue. I missed a few issues before I decided to subscribe and I really look forward to the monthly delivery of a great magazine and the free patterns and make ideas. One of the issues I missed during the brief pause in buying included a dress pattern for the Ruby dress. There are always pictures of reader makes of this dress and I was green with envy that I'd missed such a great pattern. Luckily for me, to celebrate the end of the Great British Sewing Bee series 3, the lovely people at Love Sewing have rereleased the pattern in paper format. I had to have it! I am waiting for it to land on my doorstep so that I can get started using the beautiful pick and turquoise flamingo fabric that I fell in love with at my local fabric shop. When I'm finished I will post the pictures!! <br />
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You can find Love Sewing magazine at all good retailers or subscribe on their website <a href="http://www.lovesewingmag.co.uk/" target="_blank">Here</a> </div>
Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-16919354235792575732015-03-22T20:52:00.001+00:002015-03-22T20:52:35.110+00:00My Little NemoIt looks like spring has well and truely sprung here in the south! Today was too good a day to sit in and do nothing so we all bundled into the car and took a drive to the seafront. Munch loves to swim so we took her to the swimming pool and let her loose on the wave machines and baby slides. As I don't swim I got to sit and watch while Munch and Daddy had a fantastic splashy time in a packed pool. A few years ago it looked like this pool might be closed forever due to storm damage to the building, but it's all been sorted now and open to the public once again. I'm so glad that Munch loves the water as I've never been confident in it myself and the last thing I wanted was for her to inherit my fear. She takes after her father and is like a little nemo! After they had both tired of the pool we decided to drive along the seafront and into town to spend her Christmas toy vouchers. Unfortunately there wasn't anything suitable so that will be saved for another day, but it was nice to be out and about even for a few hours enjoying the sun and being a family.Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-40838143981245442062015-03-12T07:39:00.001+00:002015-03-12T07:39:19.778+00:00Serial Material BuyerI often read other people's blogs and Pinterest boards and have discovered that there is a common guilty pleasure amongst sewers which involves the buying of fabric! It seems I'm not the only person who will walk into said fabric shop and buy something just because I like it. Most of the time I haven't got the foggiest what I will do with it! This has resulted in a rapidly growing fabric stash which is getting a bit hard to store. I'm so envious of the lucky few who have whole rooms dedicated to their hobby. If I had that kind of space who knows how much fabric I could hoard! My favourite purchase so far has to be some lovely Hawaiian style cotton adorned with flamingoes. I couldn't leave this beauty in the shop without having some and now I think I'm going to have to go back for more as I've decided to make a lovely summer dress with it. It's only been within the last month that I've had my eyes opened to how many fabric shops I have within a few minutes drive from my house. Obviously I'm delighted by this and it shows how popular the hobby is once more. Hopefully these shops will continue to thrive. My favourite shop by far combines two of my favourite things, sewing and charity! About 20 mins drive from my house is a charity shop ran by local hospice charity The Rowans, it is dedicated purely to all the donated craft items that come into their charity shops. It's an emporium for everything crafty and I love it! Where else (apart from maybe the Internet) would I have found three metres of crimplene in perfect condition for under £10! I'm planning another trip there to look through their extensive pattern box, in hope to find that vintage jem and no doubt I'll leave with another bag full of goodies. Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-84599885751560405002015-03-11T08:30:00.001+00:002015-03-11T08:30:35.439+00:00Bike Win! EventuallyLast summer I bought Munch a Smart Trike from EBay. It was a bargain at £25 or so I thought until I picked it up. It was in working order but was extremely faded and showing years of toddler shaped abuse. Also the bucket on the back, for mum storage, was missing. I was a little disappointed but I reasoned if Munch didn't get much use out of it then at least it hadn't cost a fortune. Which as it turns out was a smart move! I thought that she would love it, being out of the confines of a pushchair, being able to see everything going on.......WRONG! Any passers by might be mistaken into thinking that a child was being murdered every time we tried to put her on that bike! We ended up leaving it in my mum and dad's garage and only getting it out when round there so she could have a look at it. I got a squeaky horn for the handlebars and even fashioned a front basket out of a plastic peg basket so that her favourite toy could ride with her. It didn't work. Eventually the weather got colder and it just got locked in the garage and pretty much forgotten about. <div><br></div><div>I met up with a friend of mine and her daughter for coffee a week ago and her 4 year old had brought her micro scooter with her. I noticed Munch's eyes light up at the scooter and was delighted when my friends daughter let her have a go. I couldn't believe my eyes as she got on it and scooted off across the precinct! Unfortunately this led to a massive tantrum after my friends daughter wanted her scooter back, but it got me thinking that maybe it was a good time to try the bike again.</div><div><br></div><div>Munch was going to spend Saturday with Nana and Grumps so I asked my dad to get the bike out of the garage and see what would happen. I got a phone call a few hours later to say that she had taken to it like a duck to water and was in and out of it like a yoyo. I was so excited that she finally liked the bike that I couldn't wait to take her out on it myself. So yesterday as it was a lovely sunny day, we got the bike out and I took her for a walk. There were no arguments, no screaming and even when she got out to walk for a bit, there was no complaining to get back in it to walk home. So all in all, patience has worked and I will thank my mum for persuading me to sell it after we had the first tantrum! This summer will be great fun walking with her and her bike. Roll on summer!!</div>Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-5674722329226149052015-03-09T10:12:00.003+00:002015-03-09T10:12:59.634+00:00Hello MondayI can't believe how quickly the days go by lately! It feels like winter has been and gone in a blink. So fast that not all of my winter attire got an outing! On Saturday I decided that it was time to tackle the dreaded winter mould spots in the bathroom and ended up having a proper spring clean. The sun was streaming in through the open windows - quickly followed by the not so warm wind - and it was nice to see some lovely sunny weather after all this grey. Everything seems nicer when it's sunny, like that feeling you get when you step off the plane in a hot country, everything feels so much more alive. As this change in the weather develops, it's going to me time to start thinking of summer type clothing and wondering what will work and what won't look good anymore. Whilst browsing my favourite go to site <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Pinterest</span></a>, I stumbled across an excellent website called <a href="http://refashionista.net/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Refashionista</span></a> which mixes thrift store shopping with sewing and what this lady can do with an ugly 80s throwback is astounding! It's really given me inspiration to see through the garment and look at the potential. I'll keep you posted on how this next charity shopping trip goes as it'll be like seeing stuff with brand new eyes.Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-75411515508476942492015-03-06T22:20:00.001+00:002015-03-06T22:20:38.823+00:00Vintage Pattern = Sizing Up! I didn't realise that when you buy a dress pattern you should always look at the measurements and not the actual dress size! I had read online somewhere that when shopping for vintage patterns that you should always size up at least twice, but I didn't think this applied to modern patterns as well. When I started my dress making course I was aware that I would have to have a pattern that I wanted to make already decided before the course started so I chose a lovely vintage piece that I had bought from a fair months before. Whenim bought this pattern i had been quite naive and thought because it stated a size 14, I would be quite safe I the sizing. How wrong was I! It wasn't until mŷ correct measurements were taken, that i realised how much it would have to be adapted to fit my 'modern' lady shape. Every single element of this 1967 dress had to be tweeked and altered in order for it to fit. At the start of my course this seemed like a mammoth task, but as the weeks went on I realised that it wasn't as difficult as first expected. Every pattern piece has to be widened to suit my body shape and after this was done a mock up was made out of an old sheet that I has lying around. This test piece was invaluable, as it taught me to cut from a pattern, mark and them sew darts and also the realisation that not all dresses made fit first time! After adapting all of the pattern pieces, I cut them to the final material and am now in the process of putting it altogether. I have four weeks left of my course and I am determined to get the dress finished before it ends and them maybe I might be brave enough to take on my own projects, or maybe I might stay on for another term!Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043433513315265120.post-61727497246369129872015-03-06T22:04:00.001+00:002015-03-06T22:04:47.117+00:00The Family LegacyWhen I was growing up I only had one Nan on my Mother's side as all my other grandparents were dearly departed. My parents told me all about my other Grandparents, which I didn't fully appreciate until I was much older. My Grandad on my Mother's side was an electrician with the SEB and did a lot of work on pylons. My Mum always said he was a deeply caring man, who both her and my Uncle respected highly. He died in 1981 before I was born, hit by a drunk driver on the way to work. Listening to how raw this still is for my Mum over 30 years later made me vow as a driver that I would never commit this sin as soon as I passed my test. My Dad's parents had sadly both passed away long before I was born but I was told about them again from a young age. My Dad's Dad had been a photographer on Southsea seafront while my Dad had grown up and then my Dad remembers him bring a delivery driver to the Stanstead Estate in Hampshire. My paternal Grandmother had been a tailoress and it is this that I have followed. Whilst going through an old case of family photos, I came across what now would be called my Grandmother's portfolio of wedding dresses, which she had made during the 50s and 60s. As an avid follower of both these decades I was very interested at looking at this amazing work, completed lovingly by someone I was related to. My Dad told me that whilst clearing out the family home, a lot of photographs had been disposed of and as these didn't hold any family significance he wasn't that bothered about keeping them. I asked if I could take them and keep them as a reminder of the beautiful work that she had done. I look at those photos with awe, that such intricate and beautiful garments could have been created by someone whose genes I now carry. I have always had a talent when it comes to creating things through sewing and jokingly my Mum always used to say that i was channeling my Grandmother, but recently after taking up the sewing hobby again I realised that there might be some truth in what she had to say. I decided to enrol in a dressmaking course to further my self taught skills and without blowing my own trumpet I seem to be taking to it like a duck to water. If there was one skill in life that I hoped was family born, it would be my relatives creative talents. I am so proud to have such talented family members and even if I only inherited an ounce of what they did, it would be the greatest family legacy to pass onto my daughter.Vintage Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01202694522932439670noreply@blogger.com0