These offer exactly what it says on the tin (or the box in this case!). I have mentioned these before, but I’ve recently sourced some boxes that make them perfect as gifts for someone who likes to dabble.
I’ve always enjoyed making things from kits at home, and we’ve had fun in recent years, particularly with the 13-year-old, crafting together, with kits involving mosaics, felts etc. So I’ve assembled a couple of kits which include all the fabrics and bits and pieces for the recipient to put together at their leisure. Full instructions are included, with illustrations, so you just need to assemble the materials and stitch together as appropriate.
The two kits feature lavender-filled hanging hearts and wallets in two sizes, so I’m offering a mixture of decoration, or practicality.
I’ve tried to make these kits fun to use, for experienced sewers and beginners alike, and all you need is the thread and a needle or sewing machine. Oh, and an iron if you choose the wallets kit (there is some iron on interfacing included).
https://www.sallyannsews.co.uk/products/kits
Bespoke Kitchen Linens
You’re the first to hear about my slight change of direction on kitchen linens.
Oven gloves, pot holders, tea cosies, and aprons and the like have been a mainstay of my offers since I started up Sally Ann Sews, and have been quite successful.
Recently though, I have had a few commissions where the customer has preferred to dictate the choice of fabric, because it’s more attractive to themselves or may suit the recipient of a gift pack better than the fabrics I’ve been offering. And in truth, I’m aware that my taste is not for modern, fashionable fabrics, so having lots of stock fabrics is not ideal for the business, especially if they don’t sell.
I have therefore decided to offer kitchen linens on a bespoke basis in future, where I can discuss, source and agree the fabrics beforehand, to make the products ‘special‘ to the customer.
I guess this is a good example of how a business develops - listening, learning and adapting to customer wants and needs.
https://www.sallyannsews.co.uk/products/kitchen-dining
Fancy Dress
Over the last couple of years, I’ve had lots of commissions to make specific costumes, ranging from individual items such as the White Queen from Alice, Dumbo, Harley Quinn for Halloween, Seaweed (yes, seaweed!), to a whole school production of Ali Baba.
I just love taking on these challenges, where there is no pattern or precedent - I suppose they release the ‘inner designer’ in me, which I rarely confess to having.
https://www.sallyannsews.co.uk/commissions/bespoke-clothing
Sally’s Snippet
This month’s Snippet is a video tutorial showing my method of cutting buttonholes without the risk of damaging the end stitches or surrounding fabric.
I guess we’ve all done it. We stitch a buttonhole, very neatly, and in exactly the right place, and then when it comes to slitting the fabric to make the hole for the button, we spoil the whole thing by damaging the end stitching and the adjacent fabric. From bitter experience, the damage may be slight, or sometimes a bit more spectacular!
So, I’ve devised a method to avoid this - every time - which I share with you in the video.
I insert a pin, at right angles through the buttonhole, just below the top end stitching. Then, starting from the bottom of the buttonhole, inside the stitching, I insert the seam ripper (you could use scissors), to cut the fabric, working towards the top. The pin provides a barrier for the cutter, thus preventing you slicing right through your top end stitching and the surrounding fabric.
I hope you find this tip useful.
Check out my Facebook page for this video and others like it.
https://Facebook.com/sallyannsews
The December blog
will cover a sneak peak of my new range of products in my own exclusive, exciting designer fabrics. Designed by my friend Barinder Gahir of Barinder Designs, these exclusive fabrics were developed .........well, if I tell you more, there won’t be a December blog!
Have a great November, and enjoy the countdown to Christmas - at the time of writing, there are only 47 days to go. My friend Della at Della by Design is counting down the days - check out her Facebook page to keep you on track with your preparations. 🙂
https://facebook.com/dellabydesign
