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Hi Reader, The moment right before you start sewing is often the hardest. Not threading the machine. Not cutting the fabric. Just… starting. In class this week, one of my learners had everything ready. And then she stopped and said: “I’m scared to sew in case I make a mistake.” So, I asked her: “What happens if you do make a mistake?” Her answer, and what came next, is something I see all the time. And it’s probably the one thing that keeps people stuck for the longest. I’ve written about it here:
If you’re wanting to start sewing but keep hesitating, start smaller than you think you need to. That’s exactly why I created the Straight Stitch Starter Pack to give you a safe place to begin without the pressure of a full project.
Because honestly? The only real mistake… is not starting at all. |
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Hi Reader, Last Sunday I was invited to a very special afternoon tea at Penn House to celebrate Chiltern Open Air Museum's 50th anniversary. My first thought was "What am I going to wear?" I had a rummage through my fabric stash and found a length of lightweight viscose I'd completely forgotten about. It was smooth, soft and drapey - perfect for a summer dress. Then I pre-washed it. Let's just say it didn't come out looking anything like it went in! Rather than trying to fight the fabric, I...
Hi Reader, I have 2 sewing rooms in my house. Upstairs is usually where I cut and prep fabric. Downstairs is mostly sewing and construction. But they weren’t functioning properly. I was fed up with shimmying around the ironing board to get into my sewing room. There was fabric and sewing supplies all over the place. Boxes and piles in the way of cupboards, drawers and shelves. I thought it would be a morning’s project but what followed involved moving furniture, sorting fabric for Vinted and...
Hi Reader, Her: You could take a leading role. Me: What?? Me?? NO! I can’t do that! Her: Why not? Me: well...... [scrambling to think of a valid reason] .... I can’t sing Her: You can learn to sing. Me: [mind blown] Really!? This was the conversation I had backstage with Sam, the leading lady of The Boyfriend, the first musical I was in and only the second show I’d ever been in. I was an ensemble member. Up to then I had assumed that singing was something you were naturally good at. I had no...