Tell people that you sew your own clothes, and no doubt you’ll get a similar response across the board: that they’d love to try it, but they don’t know where to start. There’s so much jargon to learn, so many gadgets to buy, and a multitude of potential needle-and-pin-related injuries to contend with. Yet sewing is like any skill or hobby – it takes practice, practice and more practice, plus a heavy dose of enthusiasm (and lots of tea). Continue reading “So, Why Sew?” →
One of the trickiest things about being a sewing beginner is knowing where to buy fabric and notions. Gone are the days when your trusty local department store could be counted on for a great haberdashery selection; now you’ll be lucky to find a novelty sewing kit. Continue reading “My Top 5 Online Sewing Shops” →
A couple of weeks ago I picked up a needle and thread and tried my hand at sewing for the first time since studying A Level textiles (which is too many years ago to mention) so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that a new Great British Bake Off-style sewing series was about to hit BBC2. Judged by no-nonsense sewing expert and WI Institute member May Martin and dashing Savile Row tailor Patrick Grant, the show features eight competitors battling it out to be crowned the country’s best home sewer. Cue frantic seam-finishing, bungled buttonholes and sweaty-palmed stitching galore. Continue reading “Review: The Great British Sewing Bee, BBC Two” →
Eclectic Threads