Top Tips For Cutting Out

Cutting out before starting sewing is one thing that has people divided. Some love it some hate it. I'm not sure which category I end up in. Sometimes I love the process of playing pattern tetris and sometimes when the fabrics off grain for its been cut wonky I just want to scream.

But I've put together a few top tips for when It comes to cutting out your patterns to hopefully make it less painful! And then you can get onto the really important business of sewing. 

1. Use a flat surface. For woven fabrics you can hang your fabric over the end of the table but for stretch fabrics are fine slippery fabrics your best cutting it out with no fabric hanging down so it doesn't distort. I personally use the living room floor. [In fact one of the things I checked when we got our new sofa was that I would still have enough room to cut out patterns on the floor!!!]

2. Use sharp scissors. As someone who's pretty thrifty with money I actually kind of hate this one. But its true a good pair of scissors will make your cutting out experience 100% more enjoyable. Now this doesn't mean you have to spend upwards of £50 both of my favourite pairs of scissors were under £25. One pair were under a tenner and the others were £25 but also came with a small pair of scissors and a thimble. I personally would buy the best you can afford and make sure you keep them in good nick by only using them for sewing and not for cutting paper or god forbid sellotape.......

3. Use sharp pins! I know I know it seems like I'm just trying to convince you to buy stuff but sharp pins are your best friends. Bin any that get blunt or bent and replace them when needed. 

4. Use pattern weights for fabrics that move or knits. Some fabrics just don't like having a patterned pinned too them. So I use pattern weight, I personally have these donut ones but I believe the lady is no longer making them. You can also use metal washers from your local DIY shop or big stones from the beech or even tins of beans etc. Basically anything heavy and flat with do. [we used to have some great coasters that I used that had felt on the bottom which stopped them shifting around. 

5. Iron your pattern pieces. This was actually suggested to me by a lady I know and I haven't looked back since. Its especially useful for accuracy especially if you stuff your patterns back into the envelopes like I do!!! 

6. Keep a fabric marker/chalk handy for marking dots, darts and cut lines. BUT make sure you can remove it from your fabric afterwards!!!

7. Clip notches [little triangles] as soon as you've cut out the pieces so you don't forget. I am so guilty of forgetting to clip my notches and then sitting and trying to work out how things go together! Clip them straight away and then everything should go together smoothly.

8. Be mindful of pattern placement. I'm not talking perfect pattern matching here because half the time I'm winging that I'm talking about making sure that you don't end up with embarrassing placement on your boobs or foof areas. For example you wouldn't want to make a polka dot dress and have a large circle over each nipple would you???? Just something to bear in mind!!! 

And that's all of my suggestions. How do you make pattern cutting more fun!!! 

Much Love 

Frankie 

xxx

Sweet Treats

The theme of these past few days has mainly been sweet, for starters we had Halloween. Naturally lil man got dress up as the grim reaper and stayed out for the longest he's ever stayed out. Normally he gets tired from the walking and it being so late but this time we came home because he wanted to hand out sweets for a bit. In fact I was quite worried about trick or treating because it can be so hit and miss with how many people actually have pumpkins out and I didn't want him to be disappointed.

In fact the only downside was at 10 o'clock when there was a knock on the door.... Now before you think I'm a huge wuss bear in mind Rikki was on nights and it was bloody Halloween so when there was a knock at the door I nearly wet myself. And no I didn't open it. Anyway my neighbour checked her cctv and it was just kids playing knock a door run............

But anyway! Here's my latest sweet treats!

This pin cushion was my by my niece for a craft fair her and here mum were doing, here mum sells some really cool up cycled stuff and you can find it here. But my niece had made the pincushions by herself to sell and well you can never have enough pincushions! The top is cotton fabric with cakes on and the bottom is a silicone cupcake case. 

And last night my mum and dad dropped off my last birthday present which had come a bit late! 

DONUT PATTERN WEIGHTS PEOPLE! I mean they are donuts and they actually look like donuts, to the point where my five year old was like "can I have one mummy?". I've had to explain to him what they are and that under no circumstances should he try and eat them! 

They are handmade and are from "oh sew quaint" which is an etsy shop. They are a good pattern weight size as well, they should fit on all of the areas of a pattern like straps and stuff. And they seem to be really well made, for example non of the sprinkles have fallen off and that's after me and lil man had a look at them! 

P.S If you want some of your own the shop is currently closed due to a high number of orders but should be open after Christmas, you can find it here. 

They also make Magnetic Donut pincushions and macaroon and french fancy pattern weights which are also really cute! 

In fact I'm wondering with all these sweet themed sewing things if I should display them on a cake stand or something? 

In other news!

Lil man has a his school disco tonight and he is very excited!!! In fact all the kids go a bit hyper and its a bit like being at a rave.... But raves are more low key.

I've started a bullet journal in the hopes of being more organised but so far I'm just enjoying making all the pages look pretty! 

I have a pile of things to photograph but the weathers just been so rubbish that I've not managed it! 

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx

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

Salt Dough Button, Pattern Weights

Kids like crafts, they really like making things. But their is only so much stuff I can fit in my house or I can give to relatives. So when I wanted to do a craft this week I thought why don't I get him to make something I can actually use!

Button shaped pattern weights!!!

As it goes he was having to much fun squishing and rolling the dough I made a few more than he did!

But I'm really pleased with how they turned out, especially seen as the recipe is so easy, 1 cup flour, 1 cup salt, 1/2 cup water. I think they went in the oven for two hours at about 180'c to firm up, [but don't hold me to that]

In fact its that easy little knitwit measured it himself!!!

These are the ones I made, luckily I had a small cutter to take care of the buttonholes!

These are the ones lil knitwit got round to making after having fun with the dough. I painted them with his poster paints because after all that fun he wasn't interested in painting them and just wanted to play cars.

All in all I'm really pleased with them, and so is Mr Knitwit because it means we can have the coasters back on the table and not in my sewing box!

The only thing I might do is back them with some felt [probably using my glue gun] so they don't snag finer fabrics. I've seen so many cool versions of pattern weights but I like mine too especially seen as it was a mummy and lil knitwit project. 

I also think its a great craft for dads who like to make things with their children for mothers day/birthdays! and they are so easy anyone can do it! Although lil knitwit would like me to warn you not to lick your hands whilst using it! He learnt that the hard way!

Much Love 

Frankie

xxx