Rope Bowl

I've seen so many beautiful bowls made from fabric covered rope and string online that I just had to try and make my own.

I used scraps from my fabric box and sewed it together by hand I didn't stitch the fabric to the pieces of string I just wrapped them around very tightly. 

The string I used was like the nylon stuff that's in pe bags, I'm not sure why I had so much of it but this seemed like as good as use as any.

The inside is really pretty and I especially like the spiral it makes but the back is a HOT MESS! 

I used one of my favourite soup bowls to mould it around so its pretty small, In fact I'd go as far to say its a pretty useless bowl.

Until I realised I didn't have anywhere to store my button pattern weights! Then I realised its pretty darn perfect!  

Much Love 

Frankie

xxx

Technique Tuesday : Sewing on Buttons

So here is my second instalment of Technique Tuesday!

Sewing on buttons

Up until about a year ago I didn't know there was a proper way of sewing on buttons, and to be honest I'm still not entirely sure there's a huge difference between the proper way and the slap dash way! But here we go, here is the proper way of doing it.

You will need:
a button
something to sew your button on to!
thread
a bobby pin or matchstick or another needle

First of all decide where you want your button to go,

Then place your bobby pin across the middle of the button and stitch in a cross shape until button feels secure.

When the button feels secure, remove your bobby pin and wind some thread around the underneath of the button to create a shank.

Now quite simply tie off the thread and your finished! A button done the proper way! Nice and secure!

So here is the burning question do people actually sew buttons on like this or do they do them in the over and over fashion? I don't remember being taught how to do it like at school although I don't think I was ever actually shown how to sew a button at all at school to be honest.

Much Love

Frankie

Tools of the trade

A wise man once told me that a workman is only as good as his tools , so I thought I'd let you have a little look at the items which "live" on my sewing table! 

Starting from the top we have:

My tape measure - my grandmothers, one side has inches and cms the other has the calorie content of most foods, I'm assuming that she liked to sew and diet at the same time. I on the other hand like to have a plate of biscuits close by! 

A bobbin and spool of white thread - thread wise I'm fairly boring to be honest I usually use white or black so have two separate bobbins, I only used matching thread if the project really calls for it! 

Metal rular - mr Knitwit picked this little beauty up for me , it's lovely and heavy so it doesn't shift about! 

Rotary cutter - genuinely don't how how I've survived for this long without one! It makes cutting so much quicker! 

Automatic button hole foot - when it not on my sewing table it lives with my buttons! Another item I'm not sure I could live without! 

My whiskey bin! - what can I say I'm a classy bird! Most of my stray thread end up in here , the others transport their way round the house via people's socks. 

My needle tin - also my grandmothers, all my needles live in here machine, darning and handwork varieties as well as a half penny to stop me hurting my fingers! 

Hand seeing thread - I stupidly brought some very cheap thread, it doesn't go through my machine but it works very nicely for handwork! 

My little tub of tailors chalk - I hate the stuff, generally I don't use chalk but every now and again I find that I have to. 

Floral scissors - brought for me by an old friend, scissors are a sewers best friend and I love these bad boys! 

Plastic ruler - for quick bits and pieces

Voodoo pin cushion - for the days when it's either torture an inanimate object or throw my machine out of the window.

Mini sketch book - for those beautiful moments when inspiration strikes, I also keep all my measurements in here! 

And underneath everything is my lovely cutting matt! I love how tidy everything looks on this! 

In other news my kimono got to have an outing with my best friend! 

I had a great night of letting my hair down and putting the world to rights! And I felt surprisingly dressy to say I was wearing an old sarong! 

Much love

Frankie 

Xxx