A line skirt class

I am delighted to be taking another A line skirt class at lady sew and sew in Henley on Thames on 13 March 2015. It will be a one day class at the end of which you will have all the skills to make a simple skirt. You will learn use of interfacing, how to insert a zip, clipping curves and basic stitching.
You will need to know the very basic functions of a sewing machine. Machines can be hired from Lady Sew and Sew and fabric, zip, thread and any haberdashery needs can be bought there too.

Kaffe Fassett shirt

This fabulous shirt is made by my pupil out of a rainbow of spotty Kaffe Fassett fabrics that she chose and arranged beautifully together. The shirt was finished off with a flourish of star shaped buttons. Burda pattern 7045 was used with an added pleat at the back for a more relaxed look and fit.  The next shirt we are making is with some fabric from Zhandra Rhodes latest collection.

Man shirt by Michal

This shirt has just been finished by my pupil Michal - amazingly this is the first bit of sewing she has ever done and look at it, perfection, wow is all I can say!

Christmas scraps stocking

I still think Christmas is a bit far away but could not resist starting to make quilted stockings out of my embarassingly large basket of scraps. Rather enjoy remembering what they where used for - a bit of left over pyjama, a summer dress and baby bonnet fabric. Its pretty basic quilting - machine stitching the layers, binding the two foot shapes together and adding an appliqued initial but v satisfying rainy day project.

Art for Youth

I am exhibiting 5 pieces again this year at Art for Youth, Royal College of Art on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October in the eves 6-9pm or daytime 11-3 on Thursday. a percentage goes to Youth Clubs UK. For more info go to..www.artforyouth.com

Littlewick Sewing Bee

Come and sew with likeminded people. We are a group of all abilities and with all sorts of projects. Bring along a bit of hand sewing or your machine and have a chat with other stitchers. There will be plenty of tea and cake.  Wednesday mornings, Oct 22, Nov 12, Dec 10, Jan 14

 no need to book - email me on kashaprints@gmail.com or call 07866 355 993 for more info.  

Snuggy slippers

Youngest was complaining of having chilly toes so I drew round her feet and made these slippers.

You will need some warm fleece for the inner, wadding to make them squidgy, then something pretty for the outer pieces and binding and finally a piece of tough fabric for the base.

They are super quick to make..... sandwich the different fabrics together like a quilt with a foot shape, toe and heel piece made out of a bit of each fabric. The slipper is then held together with binding. The sides were a bit too thick for my sewing machine to get through ( 3 broken needles) so I handstitched the last bit.

Collograph horses

Have decided to make some more collograph prints - its much quicker to make than lino cuts so helps to create an energetic looking image. The only lengthy bit is sealing the plate and the inking it up. The basics you need to make the plate are a piece of stiff card ( mountboard works well), pva glue, button polish, scalpel or similar, metal filings and any other texture you like eg eggshells, fabric that can be stuck down. I will do a demo in the next blog. The button polish and PVA can be bought at most DIY shops and the rest at an art shop or Great Art website has a good selection.

Pinny and Ironing Board Cover Classes

Oooh domestic bliss - why can't baking and ironing be glamorous? In November I am going to be doing a two day Pinny class and a make an Mini Ironing Board Cover at the Plain Stitch Workroom in Wendover. For more info go to the Autumn Classes page of Plain Stitch

Autumn classes

I am teaching a shirt class, wednesdays for 6 weeks and make a skirt in a day class at Lady Sew and Sew in Henley-on-thames. Check out the classes page at the top of my blog under the title for dates and further info.

How to insert a zip

I used to think zips where a bit souffle - a thing to be dreaded and certain of disaster but so long as you tack neatly in place all will be well!

First pin your zip in place by lining up the pressed edges of your, for example, skirt so they meet down the centre of the zip. Then tack in a contrasting colour to hold the zip firmly in place. Take your time to get it perfectly lined up.

With the zip foot in your machine, lower the zip a few centimeters and start stitching, a little back and forth at the top to secure.

After a couple of centimeters, lower the needle to hold the fabric in place, lift the sewing machine foot and carefully pull the zip up to the top of the skirt under the zip foot.

Lower the foot again and continue to the bottom of the zip, quater turn at the bottom with needle down, foot up and go back and forth at the bottom of the zip a couple of times to reinforce it. Then needle down, foot up, quater turn and wizz up the other side. A few centimetres from the top, needle down, foot up and wriggle the zip down. Now lower the foot and stitch to the top of the skirt, go back and forth a little to finish!

Finally remove the tacking stitches with a seam ripper and give a little press with an iron. Voila a perfect zip!

Print your own shopper bag

I am holding another 'print your own shopper bag' class on Friday 10 October 9.30 - 12.30. Its £30 to include all materials  - all you need to bring is a top you don't mind getting inky and a few ideas of what to print. Don't worry if you can't draw lots of help given as well as chatter and homemade cake! For more info go to my classes page.

Beachy day

Off to the beach today for a bit of sketching and sandcastle making. Its a fab beach down at Studland, Dorset - very old fashioned with beach huts, soft sand and shrimps to be caught. This is my lino cut ' stripes' - think will do a few more rowing boat prints.

Shirt and Skirt classes at Lady Sew and Sew

Ever wanted to make your own clothes? I am so excited to be teaching classes at Lady Sew and Sew in Henley on Thames. There is 'make a skirt in a day' for adults as well as a half term one for children and on wednesdays a six week 'man shirt' class.  To book and for more info go to lady sew and sew

How to make a pie frill collar

I found a couple of pie frill shirts in a charity shop and just love the whole 80's Lady Diana thing about them . As I was not too sure about the summer dress( previous post) I reused the fabric to make this shirt.

For the frill take a 4cm wide x 3 times the length of your collar stand piece of fabric, fold along the length, pattern on outside and press.

Press interfacing to one collar stand.

Pin the frill to the interfaced side of the collar stand, pattern to pattern- use lots of pins! pleating as you go, fiddle about with it a bit to get even pleats. I found about 0.5cm per pleat worked well. The open edge of the pleated fabric is facing out. When you have finished pinning tack/baste the frill in place then lay the other collar stand on top to make a sandwich with the frill hidden in the middle.

 Stitch a 1.5cm seam , I have done this in green so it shows up, then clip the curves as below

 Turn the right way out and press, tah dah!

Pin the back of your collar stand to the back on your shirt, right sides facing, tack then stitch in place with a 1.5cm seam

For the inside of the collar, press a 1.5cm seam on the collar stand , you may need slightly less/ more of a seam so that the collar lies flat, pin and use a hand stitch to attach, ladder stitch works well.

 Finished shirt - perfect to keep the sunburn off the back of your neck and for those vintage moments.

Another A line skirt pattern 6128

A lines are so this season! so made another, not with pockets but with a deep pleat at the front.  I love this fabric Parson Gray Seven Wonders, Westminster Fibres from Lady Sew and Sew. I am going to be doing A line skirt classes at Lady Sew and Sew... more info soon.

To make the box pleat at the front I moved the front panel pattern back from the fabric fold when cut it out  to include the extra bit( see below) This was then stitched and pressed to form the box pleat. For a deeper pleat just move the pattern back a bit more. Although I cut out a tie belt I did not use it prefering a more simple look to the skirt.

Beach skirt newlook pattern 6128

This skirt is for my sister, I love the grey/ white spots on the 'dashwood' fabric - perfect for the seaside or even with a smart white T for lunch out. The patten was easy to follow although belt loops needed to be added. Going to try the straight skirt with square pockets that came with the same pattern..

Newlook 6803 summer dress in liberty fabric

I made this dress in a few hours - the pattern is super simple and has the option of pockets, tunic, belt and different necklines. It does not have a huge amount of shape to it but perfect for slinging on at the beach with a pair of flip flops. The fabric I have used is liberty tana lawn - found on ebay.

Lino prints for HRR

Dropped my work of at Henley Royal Regatta today - I have nine pieces of work in its gallery. Even in the pouring rain the river, white marquees, deck chairs and banks of flowers looked beautifully English. It runs from 2-6 July and I will be there on friday.

Sewing Classes Maidenhead

If you click on the Classes page header you will find  - 'man shirts', little girl dresses and bag printing. They will be held in Littlewick Green just outside Maidenhead. Would anyone like a sewing bee? A chance to come along with your own project, be inspired or just chat and sew?

Sunny days in the garden

The wendy house has been looking a little forlorn and was a home to spiders not children. So wearing old shirts we painted the inside a sunny primrose yellow, painted some old shelves pale blue for books and tea things and made this bunting out of old pyjamas, office shirts and favourite fabrics from the scrap bag.

Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta is coming up soon and I have five new pieces of work on show and for sale in the Stewards' enclosure. The regatta is from 2 - 6 July to find out more follow this link hrr

burda kids 9516 jumpsuit

I made this jumpsuit for my eldest, it is elasticated at the waist and top so even when she leaps about it stays fairly put. The pattern comes in a below the knee and long version too. As eldest is rather tall I had to make the pattern a bit bigger even though it says up to age 11. The fabric is a lovely seaside and beachhut design from ditto fabrics. I buy most of my patterns from simplicitynewlook or in charity shops where quite often I find rather crazy retro ones.

Pod shirt

I made this shirt for my Daddy's Birthday, he has lovely blue eyes and his favourite colour is orange so thought this fabric perfect. The fabric came from stone fabrics and the buttons the John Lewis in High Wycombe . I do hope that he likes it!

Printing nautical fabric

Had a flurry of half term fabric printing - my daughter printed this duck egg blue cotton with shells, birds and boats. When dry and ironed, to fix the paint, we are going to make it into a cushion

.

Shirts, shirts, shirts

Husband liked his first shirt so much I made him another one. All a bit Paul Smith with contrasting fabric and in a lighter fabric for, hopefully, all those hot summery days ahead. The fabric comes from a great shop we found on hols in Totnes www.stonefabrics.co.uk/
My sisters husband next.......

Fabric printing

Experimented with printing using acrylic paint mixed with textile medium onto some unbleached cotton.
The block is made using some art foam cut into shape with scissors or craft knife( craft foam from hobbycraft works well). I made indentations in the foam with an old knife for lines and a skewer for eyes. The foam is then glued onto card cut to the same shape to give the block a bit of depth. Finally glue it onto a wood block. Scraps of wood work well - just sand the edges so they wont catch any ink and you wont catch any splinters!
The ink is made 1:1 mix of paint and medium. I used a mixture of pigment red and burnt sienna to get a soft red to go with the colour of the cotton.The block is then rolled up before each print using a foam roller. It is really fun and speedy. I think a bit more experimenting with the block and depth of card would help make a crisper image.

Windsor Emporium Printmaking Class

I'm going to be doing an introduction to printmaking with lino at the Windsor Emporium www.windsoremporium.co.uk on Sunday 8th June 3-5 pm. You will learn how to carve and print your lino onto paper and go away with the skills to carry on at home. All materials will be provided for the session and if you enjoy it there will be lino, inks etc to buy. The class will cost £32. For further information do email me at www.kashaprints@gmail.com

Victorian Printing Press

Had a great time, at South Hill Park, Bracknell open access evening, printing with this fabulous victorian press. A fab monster of a press, great for getting a mountain of plates printed. 

Man shirt!

I made the shirt over the weekend - it did not take very long as most of the time we were out enjoying the sunshine. Except for the cuff instructions, that were slightly headache inducing, the pattern was easy to follow. Most important of all husband is happy with it!

Man shirt pattern 7045

Husband has decided its long past overdue his turn for a shirt so here is the fabric and pattern for my first attempt at a man shirt. The pattern is no 7045 and the fabric comes from  dittofabrics.co.uk . Ditto is a bit of a fave - lots of gorgeous fabrics and really helpful staff if you need advise.

Bow party bags

My 9 year old helped me with these party bags for her birthday party. They are made with a basic envelope shape, a popper to hold it closed and an essential bit of sparkle for the bow.

Plain stitch workroom

Spent a lovely day in Wendover visiting my friends new shop/ workroom. It is full of all things quilty and offers classes as well as having gorgeous fabrics to buy. Deb makes the most amazing inspiring quilts and I could not resist a bundle of bright pink fabrics for smallest daughter.You can see more about the workroom and the classes by following this link plainstitch.blogspot.com

Woodcut horse

Have been carving out a large woodcut, its rather more hard work than linocut but it prints with the grain subtly showing. My arms ache but there is a curly heap of kindling for the fire.

Shirt New Look Pattern 6010

I was given the Pride and Prejudice DVD for Christmas (the one with the wet shirt) and was inspired to make my own non wet shirt when I saw this fabric in John Lewis.  Jane and Elizabeth seem to waft about in long dresses in this spotty cotton, I am not quite up to that on the school run, so made this. The pattern was very easy to follow, pleats on front v satisfying to make and voluminous sleeves will do for romantic waftyness.

New Look Pattern 6010 and the finished shirt

Paper stencil printing

I have been printing with Year 4 at my daughters school, they had a fantastic time getting very messy with plasticine printing and next week we will be doing stencils. Therefore this morning I felt inspired to do my own stencils and rather enjoyed the effects. All you need is scissors, scalpel ( of course not for little ones) paper, an old lid or plate, poster or acrylic paint and a brush or sponge.

I drew this elephant and then carefully cut it out with scissors

Here it is printed, the bottom elephant is made using the stencil, the middle using the cut out elephant ( looks a bit like a cave painting) and the top two are the bits of stencils

Tried something a bit more complicated using a scalpel as scissors would be too cumbersome

Print using dabbing motions with a paintbrush or sponge. The best consistency for the paint is to have it a bit like greek yoghurt, mix it up on an lid or whatever is at hand

Final result...