Teaching Classes at Ray Stitch

Yeah! I started teaching Machine Embroidery classes at Ray Stitch in January 2016 and taught my second class last night with some lovely sewing enthusiasts.

The lovely ladies in the January class learning how to sew pin-tucks

I have devised a set of classes that are aimed at people who want to learn new manipulation or machine embroidery techniques that can be applied to their own projects. The sessions are 3 hours starting at 6.30pm - 9.30pm and the price is £55.

 February's class had two very lovely ladies to learn how to extend their knowledge of pin-tucks and box pleats

There are four more sessions on the following dates if you would like to join in the fun:

Friday 18th March

Session Three: Machine Applique

Explore machine applique using fusible fabric and a sewing machine to produce creative designs that could be applied to furnishing, fashion or craft projects.

Friday 22nd April

Session Four: Cut-Work / Reverse Appliqué

Develop your decorative sewing machine skills further with cut-work. This technique is also known as reverse appliqué. You will be taught how to create beautiful textile samples using a domestic sewing machine with layers of fabric that get cut-away to build up a decorative pattern. This technique could be applied to fashion, furnishing or craft projects to add texture and interest. 

Friday 27th May

Session Five: Faux Chenille

Exploring properties of bias fabric you will create some exciting faux-chenille samples using a range of cottons and man-made fabrics that fray. This technique works really well for furnishing and quilting projects.

Friday 17th June 

Session Six: Free-hand Machine Embroidery

Learn how to produce beautiful machine embroidery using a domestic sewing machine. You will be taught the basic free-hand machine techniques and how to experiment using different threads and materials. You will also explore simple machine couching.

Pin-tuck Sorbetto

This is my third Colette Sorbetto top (first here and second here) and on this ocassion I decided to slightly deviate from the simple pleat at the front and add pin-tucks to the centre. I franken-patterned the Colette Sorbetto with the pin-tuck section of Tilly's Mathilde blouse.

I added a section of pin-tucking from Tilly's Mathilde blouse onto the centre fold of the Sorbetto

I wanted to make the top in a white cotton polka dot so I could wear it for work with a range of skirts and trousers. Here are the results.

Mathilde blouse

I attended a workshop in May to make the 'Tilly and the Buttons' Mathilde blouse at the fabric shop / cafe called Ray Stitch in Islington. I invited my friend Hayley to join me for the weekend to attend the workshop which was held on Saturday and Sunday from 12 - 5pm. Ray Stitch is a lovely little haberdashery that sells some gorgeous fabric and notions along with great tea and coffee (and cakes).

Tilly was a great tutor, helping everybody through the various stages of the Mathilde blouse construction that included; pin-tucking, stay stitching, machine gathers, basting, French seams, and rolled hems. I had to put in the sleeves two times and am not completely happy with the pin tucks at the front because one is slightly out at each side (luckily they are the same ones for symmetry's sake).

It has taken me quite a while (nearly two months) to finish the Mathilde blouse - it just needed the button holes slitting and buttons hand-sewing! Anyway here it is with a slight nautical-esque theme with the blue 'bunting' printed fabric with red stripy buttons.

If I make another Mathilde I will definitely use a plainer fabric because you don't even notice the pin-tuck detailing at the front because of the busy fabric. Nevermind, at least I know for next time.....

Gap skirt re-make

I love this white Gap skirt with roomy pockets and pin-tucking detail. It only came in one colour so I decided to do a re-make in black cotton.

I didn't use a pattern but used the skirt as a guide. It started life as a long rectangle with curved pocket sections cut away at either side which I finished with some self-made bias binding. The centre of the skirt front at this point was very wide ready for the pin-tucking. Lots of it!!

I repeated the pin-tucking at the back centre of the skirt too. Front and back were then sewn together. I finished the hem with a deep rolled hem and bias bound the top of the skirt after inserting a zip. I realised after making the skirt that I inserted the zip in the 'wrong' side - but hey, I'm not bothered it fits!