A week of sewing

After sewing another summer dress last week, I got the sewing bug.  I had bought a Sewaholic pattern called Belcarra from Guthrie and Ghani my local independent haberdashery over a year ago.  It was about time I used the pattern.

I looked through my fabric stash and found that I still had some of the lovely fabric from my original summer dress.  So off I went. 

Here is the finished top and I loved making it.

Amy Butler fabric from House of Fraser

I loved it so much that I made another one.  The pattern didn't have many parts to it and the instructions were relatively easy to follow.   I did struggle with the cuffs but found a great page on a Sewaholic sew-along page. 

Sewing this week hasn't aggravated my primary raynauds.  I have cut out a third top and hope to finish it soon. 

The pattern can be purchased at many places in the UK and online

• Sewbox
• Fabric Godmother
• Sewaholic Patterns (This is a PDF download)
• Guthrie & Ghani

Review of 2013

With regards to Poppybead it has been a quiet year.  Mainly down to health reasons and not being able to stand up or walk for too long.  I injured my medial collateral ligament in my knee and this has caused some tissue called the plica to flare and cause pain.

I have been doing other things that don't require my legs as much.  Firstly my website is live again and I am hosting it on a site that is easier to use, manage and adapt.  I am happy with the look of the website items can be bought through my Etsy shop.

98% of the photography is my own and I am learning all the time.  With that in mind I got involved with a photography project called Lost Stories which is part of a larger project called INSIDE OUT. Being involved with this project has been a steep learning curve when it comes to taking photos.  However I am very proud of my photos and hope my photography will lead to other things.  In the meantime you can see some of my shots on Flickr and Instagram.

I have been sewing a fair bit and this has given me a chance to create for myself and frequent a lovely new haberdashery in Birmingham.  Guthrie and Ghani is a family run business which brings something new to crafting in the West Midlands.  I have also found a wonderful yarn shop in North Birmingham called Sitting Knitting.  SK is a friendly environment for yarn lovers and they also have some great workshops lined up for 2014.  There are some other small businesses Stitch Solihull like I hope to visit in 2014.

I have also got presence on Pinterest and Tumblr, these have more personal aspects but Poppybead is part of me so I hope the creativity shine through.

My first ever bunting attempt.

After a passing comment at my day job about getting out the bunting I realised I have never made any bunting.
Then I was chatting at Saturday knits about fabric as well as quilting.  So I looked at what I already had and this was the outcome.

What do you think?

The fabric and bias binding was purchased from Guthrie & Ghani in Moseley.