tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200439312024-03-05T09:43:35.461-08:00OriginalStitchEco-friendly gifts and homewares, made from vintage and recycled fabrics, by stitchers in Britain, with love for youCatherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-42189577383192215352012-05-05T01:14:00.002-07:002012-05-05T01:14:57.406-07:00Personalised Birthday PictureBeing a bit of a stitcher, it's difficult not to use my skills when making birthday presents. Sneakily, I accumulated dates, memories, phrases, and favourites from my brother's family and friends, and compiled it into this big pint of memories. I think he was quite chuffed to see his life's work so far thus immortalised. And it's not often you get to stitch cricket bats, chillis, or very roughly rendered New Zealands...
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgETS6ug8-9mL3gIgLBoybb2BBUtvixVcqjShQWyMbQMxQZ52QvjDwZ3XAgtKNSrOcRp342kLpIF7FpqEAw1BgBA61eNHg4_4_OQcfWpOko9oH5SNlP5Qof0nC7qL7QJuceCpbw/s1600/James40th_wholepicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgETS6ug8-9mL3gIgLBoybb2BBUtvixVcqjShQWyMbQMxQZ52QvjDwZ3XAgtKNSrOcRp342kLpIF7FpqEAw1BgBA61eNHg4_4_OQcfWpOko9oH5SNlP5Qof0nC7qL7QJuceCpbw/s320/James40th_wholepicture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zKiFvZVC8tYZd6A39hVMT1rZdqd6BhS19Vic5VNjY7As0azwFCgpZdqDln2O1XgmgH1ORN-CTBtN-VCA-0h8Ux10RxJK2StNQlxSF1OgCjE_2aqQgv8lAJAFKwd2b_JaZJKH9w/s1600/Hoop-up_WIP_James40th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zKiFvZVC8tYZd6A39hVMT1rZdqd6BhS19Vic5VNjY7As0azwFCgpZdqDln2O1XgmgH1ORN-CTBtN-VCA-0h8Ux10RxJK2StNQlxSF1OgCjE_2aqQgv8lAJAFKwd2b_JaZJKH9w/s400/Hoop-up_WIP_James40th.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoop up, de-hoop, hoop up, de-hoop...big piece of work!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back, and my practice piece. How tricky are footballs?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not every day you stitch Lego pieces, that's for sure</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love selvedges, and they're perfect for hiding staples on the frame!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxer2-BIXoOLWRjpWEhbito7yk1MUklx1bm_PY1yFYh4JUkRMduYBMBPBCvY1bs1cz1JQJZrXb11Ias67xB284LbLt4v0X9GNbPIQ6GvSIwE6zePT8fWRny3D0EuKEpTPHLlc7Sw/s1600/James40th_bicycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxer2-BIXoOLWRjpWEhbito7yk1MUklx1bm_PY1yFYh4JUkRMduYBMBPBCvY1bs1cz1JQJZrXb11Ias67xB284LbLt4v0X9GNbPIQ6GvSIwE6zePT8fWRny3D0EuKEpTPHLlc7Sw/s320/James40th_bicycle.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite bit? James' mountain bike.</td></tr>
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Zoom in and have a good look. Which is your favourite bit?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com116tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-17546244993351080402012-03-21T06:21:00.000-07:002012-03-21T07:51:41.147-07:00The ABC of Product Invention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq762x0L13kV-xOs6q77PrSLCSatTPqC-3mirgvEqXGWch8lK0I8WHA5_wfv2q7eLiIw43mr2tr3FdI2PoifJVtv-AQpMm3DnZgLeDq5KQKc9wCyUpl3sXTF_LiGY8da5q7QDvcw/s1600/Logolabel_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq762x0L13kV-xOs6q77PrSLCSatTPqC-3mirgvEqXGWch8lK0I8WHA5_wfv2q7eLiIw43mr2tr3FdI2PoifJVtv-AQpMm3DnZgLeDq5KQKc9wCyUpl3sXTF_LiGY8da5q7QDvcw/s320/Logolabel_grunge.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
We had a very silly Facebook thread going on the other day, after an equally silly conversation between Amanda and I, which went something like this.<br />
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"I find it so hard to know what the best products would be for us to make, sometimes..."</div>
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"I know, I mean - some are obvious, like the Great British Tea Cosy, but some are less so - I mean, with the demise of plastic bags, would we ever consider making plastic bag holders?"</div>
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"Exactly. And also, frankly, I just want to make EVERYTHING out of fabric. Everything in the world."</div>
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"Like what?"</div>
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"Cake tins, glasses case, cars, walls...."</div>
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"I think maybe that's going a bit far. The cakes wouldn't stay moist, silly."</div>
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"So let's just get the alphabet to decide what we make."</div>
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"Oooh! Yes! And our customers. And Facebook. They will have The Answers We Seek"</div>
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And we are delighted to announce the results of our highly professional market research on what products we could viably add to our portfolio, yes, yes....<br />
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A: Apron</div>
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B: Bag</div>
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C: Catamaran. No, cushion cover.</div>
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D: Door-Stop, Dotty Something, Door-Pockets</div>
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E: Egg-cosy</div>
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F: Finger Cloth, Floor Cloth, Fabric Fridge Magnets</div>
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G: Grain Storage Bag, Gardening Apron, Garden Kneeler</div>
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H: Haberdashery Pockets</div>
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I: Ironing Board Cover</div>
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J: Jam Jar Covers, Jewellery Roll</div>
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K: Kitchen Towel, Key Fob, Kettle Cosy (ok, we just liked the word kettle, ok?) Knitting Needle Case</div>
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L: Lampshade Covers</div>
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M: Mug-Cosy</div>
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N: Needlecase</div>
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O: Oven-Gloves, and our Over-Door Storage Pockets</div>
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P: Placemats, Patchwork anything! Pillows</div>
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Q: Quilts</div>
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R: Rag Rugs</div>
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S: Shopper, Spectacle Case, </div>
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T: Travel Laundry Bag, Tea Cosy of course, </div>
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U: Umbrella Holder</div>
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V: Vacuum Bag Holder, Violin Case Cover, Votive Candle Holder Mat!</div>
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W: Welly Cuffs</div>
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X: Hm. Xylophone Case</div>
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Y: Yarn, for tassles</div>
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Z: Zen Yoga Mat Bag, Zebra Bag (no, you're right, there is no such thing.)</div>
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Click here for the whole <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OriginalStitch/posts/406649976015573?ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment" target="_blank">silly conversation</a> if you like, and rest assured we shall of course launch every single one of these in due course. Ahem. Or maybe <i>some</i> of them.<br />
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What? What's that you say? We forgot some?! Tell us!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU42v12xCN5C8lfszHUDOHfZfWFQXeHdjvEW6rvAkMSyKfLGSjjdcd9KsERYhUTVSRdnnMD4r4cn-NWXEHeaIzFD95dO1co09WnR_3WQcCePlK00gzipBV4BhQR5gV4FnCliNQAw/s1600/teacosy_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU42v12xCN5C8lfszHUDOHfZfWFQXeHdjvEW6rvAkMSyKfLGSjjdcd9KsERYhUTVSRdnnMD4r4cn-NWXEHeaIzFD95dO1co09WnR_3WQcCePlK00gzipBV4BhQR5gV4FnCliNQAw/s320/teacosy_grunge.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well. It's a given, right?</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-55227274227559528192012-03-20T07:10:00.001-07:002012-03-20T07:17:49.968-07:00Coffee & Alpacas: Spinning a Yarn<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRHMosqbNeB7arzZeERRoUdird2xcqtv63NxXQvC2sxkK9EzFd5nOYmHR78EdQzvnpq82aN4HLJRhvZq-imcp-3nIGqbhsbMYiu3q-N0gaHBSJXQpR-pFVFSDMy41rRe01NDeHQ/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Alpacas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRHMosqbNeB7arzZeERRoUdird2xcqtv63NxXQvC2sxkK9EzFd5nOYmHR78EdQzvnpq82aN4HLJRhvZq-imcp-3nIGqbhsbMYiu3q-N0gaHBSJXQpR-pFVFSDMy41rRe01NDeHQ/s400/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Alpacas2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpacas! And alpaca babies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sneak peek at some of their stuff, awaiting new shelves</td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Unpacking and Alpacas</b> <br />
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Works Outing! We needed to drop by and visit our friend Kirsty, of <a href="http://www.mossstitch.com/" target="_blank">Moss Stitch Yarns</a>, so we could beg her to lend us her gorgeous home for our new patchwork product range photoshoot, and bribe her with some brand new oven gloves.<br />
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Kirsty has recently moved to some new premises, where she shares her workspace with the lovely Liz of Chalkshire Alpacas in Buckinghamshire, who runs workshops and spins, dyes and knits yarns into products for sale. They grabbed a break from pots of paint and bits of old wood, which they were valiantly wielding to make shelves and display stands for their workspace, so they could show me their wares.<br />
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We had a lovely warm half hour, basking in the spring sunshine in their cabin, while Liz untangled a gigantahoosive ball of wool, Kirsty made coffee, and I talked expansively with my hands, panicking when I got very excited that I was going to throw coffee all over their yarns.<br />
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<b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Ethical and Fairtrade</b> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7l4kyD1jQhyphenhyphenEDP58cfEfBbuvKGsiJbbnz5dgoXo85p2JGmHu9Gtd5hSLlfEtsVHBYl1Q-p7UCAu2mlwEVRJKgLqb6to_ws-t4M5wun7MnDDxPIhElVKGAFmonF05yu8xca0S2hg/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Wools2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7l4kyD1jQhyphenhyphenEDP58cfEfBbuvKGsiJbbnz5dgoXo85p2JGmHu9Gtd5hSLlfEtsVHBYl1Q-p7UCAu2mlwEVRJKgLqb6to_ws-t4M5wun7MnDDxPIhElVKGAFmonF05yu8xca0S2hg/s320/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Wools2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A box of Kirsty's yarns</td></tr>
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Kirsty, like us, has a keen ethical and environmental basis to her work - she imports and supplies many wools which are fairtrade or ethically produced, and of course, there is nothing better than dyeing and spinning yarns from animals you can actually see from your workshop window. Liz has been working with the alpacas for years, dyeing their wools, and running knitting groups which include a walk to see the alpacas.<br />
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I was desperate to see the various woolly creatures in the fields beyond so I could say hi to them, probably in the voice I use for babies and animals. It's not pretty, the voice, I'll be honest, but I think you'll find that ALL babies, without exception - including currently my little tiddler nephews - love it, especially when it's teamed with my grinning, gurning, funny-looking face. Animals also. Alpacas like a funny-looking face as much as the next ungulate.<br />
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<b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A Stroll in a Natural Setting</b><br />
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When I was a kid we had a cavalier King Charles spaniel, so I was pretty pleased to see some clamouring at the gate as we strolled towards the woollier animals. Kirsty too, apparently, because she has accidentally taken one of the puppies home with her. That's what you get when you team up with alpacas, Kirsty. Puppies. Just leave it at that for now, eh? Don't go taking any alpacas home...even babies, coz they DO get a bit bigger.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuDWwcDwm9Tu19-oblq7546sNk4zUR-LDGx4ZQUQ8Nk7UJenP8IbB1T0s8uC-K5NfxeQUU0KbJQdkpZ-DSS0KDdu7h5qgE29rQ6ZEPz4uXxxASwCAnwUu8Brrm0fqjrp0fIXxDQ/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Kirsty2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuDWwcDwm9Tu19-oblq7546sNk4zUR-LDGx4ZQUQ8Nk7UJenP8IbB1T0s8uC-K5NfxeQUU0KbJQdkpZ-DSS0KDdu7h5qgE29rQ6ZEPz4uXxxASwCAnwUu8Brrm0fqjrp0fIXxDQ/s320/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Kirsty2.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kirsty, with her puppy's Mum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBr2_CpzSE3Opnc2luv4YDVk3Yfif7vbz8tPLvLT0XiehFKWiYg7SOT6FDyF9hvBbetJ8-YDh3-HnafkACnDNtbYW4LidOuDgIj40ddy_RvaQyIaVoA-HmhGSqMzUVqAOf5_1bPQ/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBr2_CpzSE3Opnc2luv4YDVk3Yfif7vbz8tPLvLT0XiehFKWiYg7SOT6FDyF9hvBbetJ8-YDh3-HnafkACnDNtbYW4LidOuDgIj40ddy_RvaQyIaVoA-HmhGSqMzUVqAOf5_1bPQ/s400/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Boat.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And why not? A barge in the yard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSKIzXbySopeWKCvoGi4JtnlpbdGm5KVsNbhlLFpQWX4RKdt6b7B9XRMlmuRNIrDU4oZMFm8M6sJ7wayu5mBQ6I8v8NY4hhGlpKC3aDJ8lNylo9KaEqP-HGs5e5V-mljSlwJ27Q/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_ChookTruck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSKIzXbySopeWKCvoGi4JtnlpbdGm5KVsNbhlLFpQWX4RKdt6b7B9XRMlmuRNIrDU4oZMFm8M6sJ7wayu5mBQ6I8v8NY4hhGlpKC3aDJ8lNylo9KaEqP-HGs5e5V-mljSlwJ27Q/s320/Coffee%2526Alpacas_ChookTruck.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chook Truck!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEqOO8gch8CYh1PuyTxltp-m1tevCsAMRaBOWidmc6vS-DrVM6QKLeNuXalQSWGoG35Cm897JqlWfWqqlFgQKUuNBWbPOm06GvaItA-lLWE2lGB8Zk8VcLDuB9Pva9lowvy7GCQ/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Chooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEqOO8gch8CYh1PuyTxltp-m1tevCsAMRaBOWidmc6vS-DrVM6QKLeNuXalQSWGoG35Cm897JqlWfWqqlFgQKUuNBWbPOm06GvaItA-lLWE2lGB8Zk8VcLDuB9Pva9lowvy7GCQ/s320/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Chooks.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheely comfy, if you're a chicken.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Hdw-jqYOk-75a1Grh2IWzk3QdfLtdNzoDMLYNEKNS6t0RNnzltVebMzpIo44iJURTgdkfhd0pj2Pv8Vt8rZKX6oKJdjOShgZEHtoNtqvUfD4orpyi8i4kvp4gya7onrGAsKz3g/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Kirsty_wool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Hdw-jqYOk-75a1Grh2IWzk3QdfLtdNzoDMLYNEKNS6t0RNnzltVebMzpIo44iJURTgdkfhd0pj2Pv8Vt8rZKX6oKJdjOShgZEHtoNtqvUfD4orpyi8i4kvp4gya7onrGAsKz3g/s400/Coffee%2526Alpacas_Kirsty_wool.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kirsty gathers and forages for whisps of fleece, mainly amongst the poo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkLgJIn4tZXKzC6a49e-sbWd3ja-eWnAsRxOzlbT0oM4GqdaIUYujejWHfoLXXJxsaiA-HbongzrJ-1zPguJ4dMfsiqljMPnsFwyPrFrThIqNAy9fQK5MRdEfLxwCYsZ6ImhYLw/s1600/Coffee%2526Alpacas_alpacas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkLgJIn4tZXKzC6a49e-sbWd3ja-eWnAsRxOzlbT0oM4GqdaIUYujejWHfoLXXJxsaiA-HbongzrJ-1zPguJ4dMfsiqljMPnsFwyPrFrThIqNAy9fQK5MRdEfLxwCYsZ6ImhYLw/s400/Coffee%2526Alpacas_alpacas.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely alpacas, who look like they're wearing woolly leggings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You can catch Kirsty over at her Facebook Page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moss-Stitch/100641830006635" target="_blank">Moss Stitch</a> and go follow her, <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/mossy_mosstitch" target="_blank">@mossy_mosstitch</a> on Twitter too of course; why not go and say hi? You can talk to her about the Chalkshire alpacas too, while Liz is in the process of getting on board with technology. </div>
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And we'll keep you posted on our imminent photoshoots, in Kirsty's lovely home, where you'll see our new range of patchwork products. Launching soon!</div>
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Why not pop your email address in our newsletter box up top there? Then you'll be first to know when the new range and the new website are launched.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com143tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-57118361559589513962012-03-07T09:43:00.000-08:002012-03-07T09:43:14.674-08:00A Day in Pictures: In the Workshop<div style="text-align: left;">
This week, nothing but images of our new patchwork products in the making, and some of the (bonkers) quotes that come out of it. This is a day in the life of Amanda and I, as we create in the workshop. It'll be just like you're here with us! In which case, put the kettle on, eh, love?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAlTrl6zvwI11AIIAxOrw8bRMtfsT-XBSnsk-ZD6D7jKoV2YSObxlvTDSxPTWiH5l2QK_Zlfe1d0ZaDm6Nedtrx9EQlQDHaF96k4b0PKqclNDE5c51shA3jUQUqW_F6hr4M69cg/s1600/ADITLmontage_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAlTrl6zvwI11AIIAxOrw8bRMtfsT-XBSnsk-ZD6D7jKoV2YSObxlvTDSxPTWiH5l2QK_Zlfe1d0ZaDm6Nedtrx9EQlQDHaF96k4b0PKqclNDE5c51shA3jUQUqW_F6hr4M69cg/s400/ADITLmontage_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6RQwIj7UgwPxDMAoDmUIcPlwfMb4WtnCFde6_YgFfYwKsobNVHDcSfrMxD32asQgJN0S_TTU3ISyc1EfcsIg9WRja9WIfdKE5h-GHAK44nZHRhcsIbJAHR4OvxfJnbI2gW8aSA/s1600/ADITLmontage_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6RQwIj7UgwPxDMAoDmUIcPlwfMb4WtnCFde6_YgFfYwKsobNVHDcSfrMxD32asQgJN0S_TTU3ISyc1EfcsIg9WRja9WIfdKE5h-GHAK44nZHRhcsIbJAHR4OvxfJnbI2gW8aSA/s400/ADITLmontage_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqMGIlOHK5SgPwJouL2XuQbp5do9jhbrP0DfPKgW9Zbz4wOoZpbyv4kaDGxpMlzWlvlclLIsIOG4n_KOabo3v4X1Uz2pVv6kDnmdii_ooBN6o67LACliNBGcd9MKbANFvKcBBvw/s1600/ADITLmontage_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqMGIlOHK5SgPwJouL2XuQbp5do9jhbrP0DfPKgW9Zbz4wOoZpbyv4kaDGxpMlzWlvlclLIsIOG4n_KOabo3v4X1Uz2pVv6kDnmdii_ooBN6o67LACliNBGcd9MKbANFvKcBBvw/s400/ADITLmontage_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUdxueMWBQ21Zv8QZZ6EdmJ3CzIzbRm6wvPel93fXm5lU2KMBhbxdgpkEWQzAe-IWYIV_lp83n_yhTjSXuKVHD0eCwNH_mAStKukqQzngFVkgm5efPStuOBtiHbWQsPEZkOyWSA/s1600/ADITLmontage_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUdxueMWBQ21Zv8QZZ6EdmJ3CzIzbRm6wvPel93fXm5lU2KMBhbxdgpkEWQzAe-IWYIV_lp83n_yhTjSXuKVHD0eCwNH_mAStKukqQzngFVkgm5efPStuOBtiHbWQsPEZkOyWSA/s400/ADITLmontage_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEGBshvX07kdZ2sSwDIXLjJgDibIVojT6OzYt-01xUHfN-6x5AufzAfRmxjHS8hCoTkt-NphA373vilGyWi8ezzsj01opYhCly8y7RDhG_Eu86McuL9p2YiVUAhMnRdQdmhWiiA/s1600/ADITLmontage_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEGBshvX07kdZ2sSwDIXLjJgDibIVojT6OzYt-01xUHfN-6x5AufzAfRmxjHS8hCoTkt-NphA373vilGyWi8ezzsj01opYhCly8y7RDhG_Eu86McuL9p2YiVUAhMnRdQdmhWiiA/s400/ADITLmontage_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
If you enjoyed this nonsense, then come follow us on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/originalstitch" target="_blank">Twitter</a> where there's even more. And tell us in a comment below the most ridiculous thing you've said today. The more out of context the better!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-55313470614001130832012-03-01T03:41:00.001-08:002012-03-01T03:47:25.675-08:00'Patchwork Colourway' Competition Winners!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3bo908XU2sSUqG_nzzvQE4nRnzc8c8t0sy1um80qjjid7KGW4oX6fm-F-hRYWsxj9KEYwAR13C95e_H7unv5ef5u-UPWBi0bCoSdRM3dn6JsOcvjOG-GCekTYuK0n0yONBdPeQ/s1600/Teacosy_loop_tony_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3bo908XU2sSUqG_nzzvQE4nRnzc8c8t0sy1um80qjjid7KGW4oX6fm-F-hRYWsxj9KEYwAR13C95e_H7unv5ef5u-UPWBi0bCoSdRM3dn6JsOcvjOG-GCekTYuK0n0yONBdPeQ/s200/Teacosy_loop_tony_grunge.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sneak peek: Tea Cosy loop in Mermaid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As you probably know, we make all sorts of lovely kitchen, laundry
and kids' gifts, but we only use
recycled and vintage fabrics, so it can be quite tricky telling you what
colour your products are going to be...<br />
<br />
The perfect answer to this, and frankly to any question you might ask, ever, including: <br />
<ul>
<li>What's the best way to use up old fabrics?</li>
<li>What's the nicest and most attractive way to turn scraps into something gorgeous?</li>
<li>What's a nice quirky British look for a big year in Britain's sporting calendar?</li>
<li>What's the capital of Peru?</li>
</ul>
....is, <b>Patchwork Fabric Colourways</b>! Ok, so maybe not the Peru one,
but I'm not kidding when I say we feel patchwork is the answer to all the Puzzlements in the Known Universe. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Brand New Colourways for 2012!</span></b> </div>
<br />
We've come up with 4 lovely Colourways, which will feature in ALL
our products (except the Kids' Collection which has its own simpler Colourways) and although we just about managed to name the first one we put together - 'Jellybean' - we could not narrow down the others, despite innumerable
cups of tea and some expert head-scratching. So we came to you, and you
helped by voting for, or suggesting a load of fabulous names.<br />
<br />
So without further ado, and accompanied by a small drum roll, we give you..... <br />
<br />
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</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPQKAbPQPPf1LS-FQENDXCyfyohlY5Yz_S8P8iShu5wuKw08cbc9Uub6M0jk169eBcFUxG1ej0baPn1y6SN90VE8udIHFsKjq-46z7YDBel6-455aRGTM-ZrwIyRV4ZOFAB3C5w/s1600/Mermaid_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPQKAbPQPPf1LS-FQENDXCyfyohlY5Yz_S8P8iShu5wuKw08cbc9Uub6M0jk169eBcFUxG1ej0baPn1y6SN90VE8udIHFsKjq-46z7YDBel6-455aRGTM-ZrwIyRV4ZOFAB3C5w/s320/Mermaid_grunge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mermaid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhPqba4Dtc__LNPgGJPOG5fNklsnKdYvU7Jsb0vW1f7iNWvNFNhYZ4L8BARAjlcegxJtF-2FTyIi5mINfBkFlcYgu2W1RR6auU-GY1ECGoWgAs7hsYsur40ojXZsUyJ4mnWZS9Q/s1600/Flameberry_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhPqba4Dtc__LNPgGJPOG5fNklsnKdYvU7Jsb0vW1f7iNWvNFNhYZ4L8BARAjlcegxJtF-2FTyIi5mINfBkFlcYgu2W1RR6auU-GY1ECGoWgAs7hsYsur40ojXZsUyJ4mnWZS9Q/s320/Flameberry_grunge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flameberry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriNrs7YPc-Gm8yTYN98_Ll9RzX6N7p6r8ouQHEPFYWq_Z8a18IkkbjVvwekrAHEp2jW4hnLWjDwvPsX_ozmyTjUQjXBWSgbvBjGmro189dUYLkGuzT0Btd4uHAHn-OmNz2oqRcw/s1600/Jellybean_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriNrs7YPc-Gm8yTYN98_Ll9RzX6N7p6r8ouQHEPFYWq_Z8a18IkkbjVvwekrAHEp2jW4hnLWjDwvPsX_ozmyTjUQjXBWSgbvBjGmro189dUYLkGuzT0Btd4uHAHn-OmNz2oqRcw/s320/Jellybean_grunge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jellybean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijC_G1Iz474WT9Y1Q8_aNVC1e5E-v5tynDbthCDfusYbPAv5b_PXOHVzvjoQZUrhwBSxvchL_q_rvZ071EEtrwSrt_iovBk-5RFAmHcEY7GaIDPEUE8DCIozRlVH8elgTTFhyphenhyphendQQ/s1600/DollyMixture_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijC_G1Iz474WT9Y1Q8_aNVC1e5E-v5tynDbthCDfusYbPAv5b_PXOHVzvjoQZUrhwBSxvchL_q_rvZ071EEtrwSrt_iovBk-5RFAmHcEY7GaIDPEUE8DCIozRlVH8elgTTFhyphenhyphendQQ/s320/DollyMixture_grunge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dolly Mixture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Thanks so much to <b>Eve Miller</b>, whose suggestion '<b>Mermaid</b>' we chose instead of our offerings! Eve will get a little surprise pressie from us in the post soon. Thanks Eve!<br />
<br />
When it came to drawing a prizewinner, we were a bit bored of putting names in a hat; so we decided to find a new way of getting the winner's name, via Elefun. Yes, that's right. When in doubt, raid your children's games cupboard, take a shockingly poor quality video, and job done. I can confirm it WAS more fun. As soon as the video is edited, we'll shove it up here so you can see how extremely professional we are.<br />
<br />
<i>And the winner was.........</i><b>Sharon Wells!</b><br />
<br />
Sharon will be able to choose an OriginalStitch product from the website as soon as we launch them in about a month, in one of our new Colourways. Lucky lady. She'll be practically the very first customer!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Thanks for your support</span></b>... <br />
<br />
We'd like to thank you all very much for your inspiration,
your time in voting or suggesting, and your interest in our happy
little company, where we strive to be ethical and eco-friendly in all we
do. If we could kiss you we would, mwah, mwahhhhh.<br />
<br />
Right now we're busy making and photographing the products, ready for launch soon. We'll keep you all posted about the launch of these colourways here on the blog, on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/originalstitch" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/originalstitch" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and by newsletter (pop yer email in at box up at left, see it?) <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs2PDSgVObDJOxVeUoatCNzHSvWahqQoIJItoivALxE-Gzq5rSWOldarBpZZrp6gnasJXG8LVdKDFUZp6T87FSlEb8DR3ufJu5R104UBlvmwmUK0XbB4ZhQJhIhnI034Ti1ijZg/s1600/Apron_tony_fabric_grunge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
Exciteds! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs2PDSgVObDJOxVeUoatCNzHSvWahqQoIJItoivALxE-Gzq5rSWOldarBpZZrp6gnasJXG8LVdKDFUZp6T87FSlEb8DR3ufJu5R104UBlvmwmUK0XbB4ZhQJhIhnI034Ti1ijZg/s1600/Apron_tony_fabric_grunge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs2PDSgVObDJOxVeUoatCNzHSvWahqQoIJItoivALxE-Gzq5rSWOldarBpZZrp6gnasJXG8LVdKDFUZp6T87FSlEb8DR3ufJu5R104UBlvmwmUK0XbB4ZhQJhIhnI034Ti1ijZg/s320/Apron_tony_fabric_grunge.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sneak Peek: New apron design in Mermaid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-90805031906991595422012-02-10T02:07:00.000-08:002012-02-10T03:05:18.962-08:00Green Living: Book Review of 'Second Skin' by India Flint<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XJwGBFgpu4_DyFkPNw8-Bw_GVLTBvaKvF8wyVjwzHai1-rvIkX_4t9q1hhCTWiyboBpwpQ6MEbH5hrvWgGzywoCZ32sdYcPeC-UtOjEweK1mL30nCW9G6ZhGpucbSAOL8xp3ew/s1600/38-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XJwGBFgpu4_DyFkPNw8-Bw_GVLTBvaKvF8wyVjwzHai1-rvIkX_4t9q1hhCTWiyboBpwpQ6MEbH5hrvWgGzywoCZ32sdYcPeC-UtOjEweK1mL30nCW9G6ZhGpucbSAOL8xp3ew/s400/38-39.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous images inspire. And frankly, make me a little jealous!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If you're into making do and mending, living sustainably, or even just trying to thrift a bit and save money; if you're creative, love textiles, love beautiful imagery or just love a good, hearty coffee table book; if you're all or some of the above, then <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Skin-India-Flint/dp/174196721X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328866345&sr=1-1">Second Skin by India Flint</a> could be the title to add to your wishlist.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>"Almost from the moment of our birth we are wrapped in textiles of one form or another..." </b></blockquote>
<br />
While India's book at first glance looks like a beautifully rendered reflection of her values, philosophies and thoughts about her place on the planet, it is also surprisingly choc-a-bloc full of hints, tips, tutorials, patterns and suggestions of how you can get more out of your clothes and textiles.<br />
<br />
So I was torn between settling down with a cup of tea and doing some gentle Sunday reading, and my usual frenetic gobbling up of a craft book, which involves leaping up in a frenzy of inspiration to start on something before I've even finished the book, or indeed, read the instructions.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI-XLEXfKizD9aAkierllbaDPup5o6wqMRmvMBk99HPBAyXRgWAwydT9KwDFUN0VGRhYY7rJg59ynBK8Wpe3oghp8AsluzM-5SAizBLBUr-gO9KVL2bq8DaCEQ1zwxkm1fvo7mQ/s1600/200-201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI-XLEXfKizD9aAkierllbaDPup5o6wqMRmvMBk99HPBAyXRgWAwydT9KwDFUN0VGRhYY7rJg59ynBK8Wpe3oghp8AsluzM-5SAizBLBUr-gO9KVL2bq8DaCEQ1zwxkm1fvo7mQ/s400/200-201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We all love a how-to! Good little graphics inspire you to rummage in your wardrobe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For example, a whole chapter is dedicated to repurposing your clothes, including such quirky and inspirational ideas as:<br />
<ul>
<li> Working out what will suit you by making a paper doll of yourself and playing with clothes shapes to work out what suits you;</li>
<li>Dividing your wardrobe into Keepers, Tweakers, Throwers, Swappers, and Rippers</li>
<li>A host of re-purposing ideas and talk-throughs such as:</li>
<ul>
<li>Over-dyeing stained clothes</li>
<li>A short skirt into a shopping bag</li>
<li>Jeans into a picnic bag</li>
<li>Jumpers into cushions</li>
<li>Turning two jumpers and an old silk shirt into a long cardigan</li>
<li>Making a pinafore from an old skirt</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Added to these lovely practical how-to's, are a gallery of wonderful images from inspirational textiles artists and refashioning gurus, and lovely pictures of India's dyeing projects. She also gives you the no-nonsense, undeniable facts about some of the abominable environmental crises the fashion industry is responsible for; a good reason we should all change our thinking, and our actions, when it comes to the clothes we wear, a fact India sums up with a quote from fashion writer Lou Pardi:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>"Modern production of clothing is an environmental and social disaster" </b></blockquote>
<br />
The book is beautifully written - full of whimsy and nostalgia, as well as practical and down-to-earth information on fibres, fabrics, washing notes, dyeing clothes and looking after them. I was delighted to see that the index, a benchmark of a publication truly valued by its publishers but often a victim of cost-cutting, is refreshingly good, at 6 pages long. It did well in some nasty tests I applied to it - I looked for English words such as 'jumper' to test its suitability for the UK market, and some vague terms like 'chemicals' and 'recycling' to test depth, and it didn't disappoint - it reflects the wealth of information and detail in India's work.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJBqfxDnStWGp2IE53Rd68c0ametZNDWfhUhBduOrxBgMQasOTUl_KT79wil_H4w0R2qvvTd9NNjiT2EJrbSS1gJVNw6UMMY0Vi1NFfkVOQh3Gp0kbK1i2LFOMLOWJ0JWGoEvBA/s1600/222-223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJBqfxDnStWGp2IE53Rd68c0ametZNDWfhUhBduOrxBgMQasOTUl_KT79wil_H4w0R2qvvTd9NNjiT2EJrbSS1gJVNw6UMMY0Vi1NFfkVOQh3Gp0kbK1i2LFOMLOWJ0JWGoEvBA/s400/222-223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The book is graphically attractive, the colours natural</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is a book from a person for whom textiles is as intimately a part of her life as her skin is; Second Skin is a lovely expression of India's belief that we should all take care in what we put next to our, and our families', bodies.<br />
<br />
I love this book - it is a treasure that I dip into when I have a quiet moment. I hope you will love it too.<br />
<br />
You can see what other lovelies <a href="http://www.murdochbooks.co.uk/">Murdoch Books</a> have in their stash too. I follow Murdoch on twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/murdochbooksUK">@MurdochBookUK</a> ; and of course you can follow our twitterings at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/originalstitch">@OriginalStitch</a> But don't blame me when you drool over Murdoch's library and find your wallet accidentally relieved of cash, ok?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRJJx8kH9NTZH9wbqfY6kpvFoEcBi7EM8eZECI22dF0ECo2ldzNpgAQXS5LoVPhnga8lds8cXZOb_Xgsn4XukemVYfXjLNO9CCwuhelpLCN4H3EEFPDJROC3_oTqNNTucDr4amA/s1600/Second+Skin+front+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRJJx8kH9NTZH9wbqfY6kpvFoEcBi7EM8eZECI22dF0ECo2ldzNpgAQXS5LoVPhnga8lds8cXZOb_Xgsn4XukemVYfXjLNO9CCwuhelpLCN4H3EEFPDJROC3_oTqNNTucDr4amA/s320/Second+Skin+front+cover.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Images taken from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Skin-India-Flint/dp/174196721X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328866345&sr=1-1"><b><i>Second Skin by India Flint</i></b></a>, published by <a href="http://www.murdochbooks.co.uk/">Murdoch Books</a></span><a href="http://www.murdochbooks.co.uk/"> </a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-26146388363546457242012-02-09T05:29:00.000-08:002012-02-09T05:29:17.456-08:00Name that Colourway: Part 3! Pastel Pinks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PBSHG6X"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4zROpsMG6f-Ai3TIJIzjSGQX1WeDMaJk98GvoRwDauaSScpFnwATdM7AS-QHmHtRI6QBNhopUwfBYufC1PkFwNzF75IAOLviVZkqWAo-mXI5B2nAbabcH-ME9ikX8qdEZ4Ws4g/s320/Pastels_colourway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Look...look....oh, so pretty!<br />
<br />
<br />
You're sick of this now aren't you?! <br />
Well, that'll teach you to be so creative and full of wondrous name ideas, you talented, attractive, gorgeous bunch, you. (Feeling bigged up now?!)<br />
<br />
This is the final of our <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PBSHG6X">Colourway naming competitions</a>, and is one of four new patchwork fabric colourways we are introducing for our 2012 Collections of eco-friendly gifts and homewares products.<br />
<br />
Your favourite of our <a href="http://originalstitch.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-patchwork-colourway-name-part-2.html">Reds/Pinks/Oranges</a> was our<br />
<br />
Flameberry,<br />
<br />
to which we've added the excellent suggestions<br />
<br />
Popping Candy<br />
Pink Abyss<br />
Tutti Frutti<br />
<br />
Thanks to Lisa, Ethel and Gemma for those fab ideas! Amanda and I will scratch our poor puzzled heads to make a final decision on the two sets of name ideas we already have, ready for the grand unveiling in a week or so of all our new patchwork colourways!<br />
<br />
So pop over to our <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PBSHG6X">Pastels Colourway Survey </a>and vote for your favourite, or tell us what you think it should be called. It'll take you about, ooh, I dunno, 8 seconds. <br />
<br />
Thank you, you handsome, pretty devils, you. <br />
<br />
If these patchwork colourways are tickling your fancy, and you'd like products made from them, do pop your name in right at the top there for our email newsletters.<br />
<br />
x x x<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-28485707172137593272012-02-06T05:43:00.000-08:002012-02-06T05:43:10.961-08:00New Patchwork Colourway Name: Part 2!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7TDZY8S" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEjcpFdkIkm1xBhi8myTk8pYPtJzs0_i2oAZ1rTsDl7IRMOex-rnUO3rqg_sZbJ0gYapLcWlyChLom0jLVD6I2pJpFVoLaguCxKDbfWqiYvxxP4lx_9r5ZPO8H_O9rtnW7gI8EQ/s320/Colourway_pinkredorange.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done the blues, now on to the pinks and reds and oranges...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, you gorgeous lot, you responded in force to help us choose a new name for our blues, greens and purples <a href="http://originalstitch.blogspot.com/2012/02/help-us-choose-name-for-our-new.html">vintage patchwork colourway</a> - thank you! Hooorah and have a big kiss from us.<br />
<br />
The most thumbs up out of our choices went to Seabreeze, but we had loads of really stonking name suggestions, which we then further struggled into narrowing down to.....<br />
<br />
Aqua Flora <br />
Azure Bloom<br />
Blue Abandon<br />
Cerulean Blue<br />
Teal Appeal<br />
<br />
Thanks to Karen, Sally, James and Valerie for those! <br />
<br />
We didn't choose the name 'Steve' which was one of the suggestions, although I nearly fell off my chair laughing. I should point out that the person who suggested it is a friend of mine, and it's a man-person; so clearly he had a little moment of fun in his day there, bless him. Another man-person, James, was amongst our shortlist suggestees, so come on you man-persons, if you think you're 'ard enough, and have a crack at this competition.<br />
<br />
Anyway, we will add these lovely names to Seabreeze now, and mull them over...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7TDZY8S"><b>Patchwork Fabric Colourway: Reds, Pinks and Oranges </b></a><br />
<br />
But in the meantime....you didn't think that was all did you?! Oh no, no, no....you have shown yourselves to have such brilliant minds that we're going to get you to do it all again! Check out this gorgeous feast for the eyes - it's our second brand new colourway - and again this patchwork fabric will be available in all our products. Pretty patchwork apron anyone?! Or a patchwork pegbag, ooh, imagine that....<br />
<br />
So come on over to the survey, and tell us what you think. Again, don't forget to include your email address because we'll be adding all the names to the Prize Hat (if you vote twice, we'll add your name in twice, so you get another chance to win!)<br />
<br /> <br />
We cannot wait to hear your ideas, it's been such a thrill, you gorgeous devils you.<br />
<br /> <br />
So come on over to the survey now, and <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7TDZY8S">vote for your favourite</a>, or make a suggestion!<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09385897136860869537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-65255087547985831652012-02-01T07:01:00.000-08:002012-02-01T08:04:20.516-08:00Help us Choose a Name for our new Colourway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q6LZ3LL" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eE8AV7IMyLA2B3LDN8-3-LpPsa2pHMt46spnZypSWcSLfPASD5pa3Z5ykFrTozJx9szSiironfyK4WGcz-NtmnuNKdQ3vTLncer9Y_DgG-ATo8ph4MQFZreqxEqCHmSUw-3EFQ/s320/Colourway_blues.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Well, Amanda and I, between us, and friends and family, have thought of 15 names for this, one of the upcoming colourways for our 2012 vintage patchwork look. You'll be able to choose any of our eco-friendly products to be made in it (nice tea cosy for summer tea parties, anyone?).<br />
<br />
Which is all very well, but we are going to have to decide on ONE name. Which apparently we can't do. Which is a bit silly. <br />
<br />
So please, would you do us the honour of helping us choose a name? We've scribbled down the 10 names that made it onto the shortlist, and we'd like you to plump for one.<br />
And in return for your hallowed opinion, we'll lob your name in a hat, and pull out a lucky winner, who will be able to choose one of our <a href="http://www.originalstitch.co.uk/">OriginalStitch eco-friendly products</a> to be made in our new patchwork styles, with our usual love and happiness, and sent to you!<br />
<br />
Also, if you think of a waaaaay better name than any of the ones that are there, you can add your suggestion and others can vote for it too. Of course, if your suggestion wins the day, not only will we pull a random name out of the hat - but you'll get something too!<br />
<br />
Get your thinking caps on - and<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1911088949"> </a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q6LZ3LL%22%3EClick%20here%20to%20take%20survey%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">come and vote</a>! Keep your eyes peeled for more too - you didn't think we just had ONE colourway we couldn't decide on, did you?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q6LZ3LL">Click here to take survey</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzNYw7mSjkNY0LIIYQyRHR8-WDUV474XjYQfRL5e8tnGYMYRsk3uwrekF_IFYkOBNCr2YzvZofAfXS4I-y5i_GlurjvbHZIwwJRSeHVRcWbjbcS7uBVSbXsAZJ32hQ7JfsvPJfQ/s1600/SAM_3268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzNYw7mSjkNY0LIIYQyRHR8-WDUV474XjYQfRL5e8tnGYMYRsk3uwrekF_IFYkOBNCr2YzvZofAfXS4I-y5i_GlurjvbHZIwwJRSeHVRcWbjbcS7uBVSbXsAZJ32hQ7JfsvPJfQ/s320/SAM_3268.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which bit of fabric grabs you? For me - the teal flowery!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com215tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-9315162271713803332012-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:002012-01-19T08:22:20.453-08:00Make a Dolly Sling: the OriginalStitch Dolly Sling Sewing Pattern<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxM3h7UY8mlPa_urlGtZ_YvouQ0kkFlQtr2ZwfC21sAeWB0DRmIJWC6cZnJrPwQ_M9TzkMUeSs4F9xVc9bz5p0pRCIJPyKjjMEgpntFnGjx8v60WgGJjdMCn6IxEHJ43biQGi0g/s1600/DollySling_builderbear_GirlBrights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxM3h7UY8mlPa_urlGtZ_YvouQ0kkFlQtr2ZwfC21sAeWB0DRmIJWC6cZnJrPwQ_M9TzkMUeSs4F9xVc9bz5p0pRCIJPyKjjMEgpntFnGjx8v60WgGJjdMCn6IxEHJ43biQGi0g/s320/DollySling_builderbear_GirlBrights.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes. That is a grown woman modelling it...!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Phew, we've been getting down and dirty with our Dolly Sling redesign. We've tweaked and preened and primped a coupla things; they're much better designed now.<br />
<br />
And it's all yours! <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/sewing-patterns/sewing-pattern-dolly-sling.html" target="_blank">Click here to buy the PDF pattern download</a>.<br />
<br />
Aw, the Dolly Sling - it's just one of our all-time favourite products - it has a lovely cute shape, the size is just right for fitting in lots of different shaped and size toys and dolls, and it even fits some well-known toys such as Build-a-Bear and Born Again dolls.<br />
<br />
So if you're looking for a really unusual gift to make, this one definitely has wow factor.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Why OriginalStitch Patterns? Let me tell you...</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
<b>1) No Wordy Cutting Lists!</b><br />
Don't know about you, but honestly I find written lists tricky - I'm a very visual person, so I mean no offense at all to patterns which use them, but I likes pictures. So we <i>always</i> use cutting list images - you can see literally every single piece you're going to need.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hbby61_bcr0/ThXdxf3LiZI/AAAAAAAABBM/YwJlhp0drQc/s1600/Picture+7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hbby61_bcr0/ThXdxf3LiZI/AAAAAAAABBM/YwJlhp0drQc/s400/Picture+7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2) Consistently Named Pieces</b><br />
When you sew from a pattern, you start off with lots of pieces, and halfway through you have half-constructed bits....now I can get confused in patterns when there's no 'halfway house' names; patterns often state "Now take this piece" or worse, omit the noun entirely - "Turn over and stitch along sides" Um...turn which bit over? The bit I've just done or the thing I had to do before that?!!<br />
We always make sure that once a construction is completed, we tell you what it <i>will now be called</i>, and when it comes up again in the pattern, that's how we refer to it. Sounds basic - helps in the long run!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4SNkstHXe6g/ThXdx6tKUvI/AAAAAAAABBQ/_BD90PvMqtw/s1600/Picture+8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4SNkstHXe6g/ThXdx6tKUvI/AAAAAAAABBQ/_BD90PvMqtw/s400/Picture+8.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>3) Integrated Seam Allowances</b><br />
When you cut out our patterns, you won't be expected to add seam allowances. I know this can in some cases be necessary, especially in the world of dressmaking, but we tell you every step of the way what seam allowance you'll need to stitch. It's almost always the same throughout the pattern, but even so, you will always be told what it is.<br />
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<b>4) A Besquillion Diagrams<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVBig8ekcIM/ThXjErN_qfI/AAAAAAAABBU/X_hY7DGoslc/s1600/Picture+10.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVBig8ekcIM/ThXjErN_qfI/AAAAAAAABBU/X_hY7DGoslc/s320/Picture+10.png" width="320" /></a> It's one of my very favourite jobs here at OriginalStitch, so maybe that's why we have so many of them, but we use looooooads of diagrams in our sewing patterns. I draw them myself, having designed the product myself or stood over Amanda while she makes it, so they are straight from the very horse's mouth - I draw them from the exact construction at that very point, so if there's still pins there, I draw them; if there's loose threads hanging down, I draw them. We then have our lovely designer Jon colour 'em in all pretty so they're even easier to understand, and have shading where there would be some, and right and wrong sides of the fabric properly coloured. Lovely. If you're terribly clever, you can probably almost make something without even reading, which is what my mother does.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGkM7u6zJNw/ThXjXorokGI/AAAAAAAABBY/SQtVPVjla1A/s1600/Picture+11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGkM7u6zJNw/ThXjXorokGI/AAAAAAAABBY/SQtVPVjla1A/s320/Picture+11.png" width="320" /></a></div>"What seam allowance am I using?" she said once.<br />
"It says it right there look Mum - quarter of an inch, see?"<br />
"Oh I haven't read the pattern, I'm just using the pictures." she said.<br />
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<b>5) No Template Enlargement<br />
</b><br />
When you cut out our templates, you won't have to enlarge them. I'm quite happy to admit this may be a matter of preference, but I try to think of the person sewing from their abode up the top of a Welsh mountain, with no access to a photocopier shop, and as temperamental an all-in-one printer as we have (shh, don't tell it I said that, it's easily upset...). So our templates are designed to fit on an A4 sheet, so that when you print them out, they're real-size. You may have to join pieces together to make the whole template before applying to the fabric, yes - but we make this as easy as possible by including full written instructions and using nice little symbols.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J92g3LqW_Xs/ThXkynrxqFI/AAAAAAAABBc/3y_dvqJnmDA/s1600/Picture+12.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J92g3LqW_Xs/ThXkynrxqFI/AAAAAAAABBc/3y_dvqJnmDA/s400/Picture+12.png" width="245" /></a></div><b>6) They're available immediately!</b><br />
Our patterns are currently PDF downloads, to which there is a link in your confirmation email, once you've purchased your Sewing Pattern PDF from the <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/sewing-patterns.html">website</a>. We have chosen this method because of our eco ethics - we felt it was a little cheeky to go printing out reams of paper for our sewing patterns when we bang on about environmental concerns.<br />
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Having said that, we'd be interested to know if you <i>would </i>like them as a paper version, because we would seek to work with some lovely bonkers paper made from rhino poo, or beer dregs, or old Barbie packaging or something. (We ain't joking, our tags ARE made from old <a href="http://ecoprintuk.com/">beer dregs</a>!)<br />
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<b>7) Online Support</b><br />
You can get support when making your pattern from our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OriginalStitch?sk=app_109486035783059">Facebook Page</a> - just come and holler at our wall! One of us will come and join in the discussion. Of course you can always <a href="mailto:enquiries@originalstitch.co.uk">email us</a> directly too. <br />
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So, if you haven't taken a peek at our <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html">sewing patterns</a> yet, have a little look.<br />
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Which of our products would you like to see a Sewing Pattern PDF for next?Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-15786635772364562112012-01-14T10:42:00.000-08:002012-01-14T12:00:34.239-08:00Personalised Stockings Special - 12 Months of Christmas Deals!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1y0SjlmqMIpWN0C73lOoH7lwR1Wrt_hkwdbpTGlMCToXUzYCMVCQTqS_UnT2W-QaLQBV_XVIt8jLfk5jROvZQc6IRgnYylTnu2c0ljdjtm6Vb3S7-qVtnM-_NYS1q3E8MlipdAw/s1600/Tomaso_stocking" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1y0SjlmqMIpWN0C73lOoH7lwR1Wrt_hkwdbpTGlMCToXUzYCMVCQTqS_UnT2W-QaLQBV_XVIt8jLfk5jROvZQc6IRgnYylTnu2c0ljdjtm6Vb3S7-qVtnM-_NYS1q3E8MlipdAw/s320/Tomaso_stocking" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Customer pic of little Tomaso getting ready for Father Christmas!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDXB6tdh7dyD0NhQ_D8ffuz33sqneSVwyTfT86NLvBw4wcPZLW30uSOX1DtOYoYnjc5J1IIgR9yftAvLMKp1H9tKmOXpqHsEkpQXpHKPnkQBNkxBQ1XQTm-2UiZt443L1vqDfsg/s1600/Giulia_amazingstocking.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDXB6tdh7dyD0NhQ_D8ffuz33sqneSVwyTfT86NLvBw4wcPZLW30uSOX1DtOYoYnjc5J1IIgR9yftAvLMKp1H9tKmOXpqHsEkpQXpHKPnkQBNkxBQ1XQTm-2UiZt443L1vqDfsg/s400/Giulia_amazingstocking.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We are launching our ridiculous but like-honest-guv'nor-for-reals<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">12 Months of Christmas Promotion</span></b>! To help us plan the Stockings better, and give you all a <b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">stonking</span></b> good deal, we are offering silly prices on Stockings made throughout the year.<br />
<br />
A personalised patchwork stocking is normally £36.50, but we are offering them starting at £25 in January!<br />
Every month, the price will go up by £1 until normal pricing resumes in December. This is a great way to get one for all the family - as one of our customers, Claire said "They are so beautiful, and I love that we will be getting them out year after year after year; they are a real investment."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ3Hu0M11HaUer5rLRDenDkQj4bBvipbD6DUf4YiW3iyNiDvFgYVasD-lIdeCVXu0XH3jMR0-LwgcGTBdvPbDdri9m6enNKZJ8kTGxXutfO-rP7wv-Y5i0QGfWUee0ATTqtKXWQ/s1600/Jamie_testimonial_montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ3Hu0M11HaUer5rLRDenDkQj4bBvipbD6DUf4YiW3iyNiDvFgYVasD-lIdeCVXu0XH3jMR0-LwgcGTBdvPbDdri9m6enNKZJ8kTGxXutfO-rP7wv-Y5i0QGfWUee0ATTqtKXWQ/s400/Jamie_testimonial_montage.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
We were hyper-super-majormongously busy with our lovely Christmas stocking orders in the weeks before Christmas - but we still had time for one of our favourite games - texting photo updates to the customers awaiting them. Time to share - here's a montage of those pics, and the happy responses. To order your stockings for £25, simply head over to the <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/stockings.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=451&category_id=131" target="_blank">website</a> now - but hurry - this is the all-time lowest price!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIj_3tDMY2UG7qt2CQ8dNcFBSTU37_iFOlWv7ClWmz20CCkPZUM4GXaBzAO8Mhnq_mggqnWLt28uOKAtzSkP0ud2cl6aCTTDvdjQ5y73AvVVCwzdKg_7Oebr5FbwA-Mpt04juAAQ/s1600/Happy_stocking_customers_montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIj_3tDMY2UG7qt2CQ8dNcFBSTU37_iFOlWv7ClWmz20CCkPZUM4GXaBzAO8Mhnq_mggqnWLt28uOKAtzSkP0ud2cl6aCTTDvdjQ5y73AvVVCwzdKg_7Oebr5FbwA-Mpt04juAAQ/s400/Happy_stocking_customers_montage.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-69210446768654532992011-10-22T01:00:00.000-07:002011-10-22T13:52:11.211-07:00The Union Jack: Loving it yet?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9NLPRSLJXJklZTwIhiv44XVkHB_VdOfweav_05nJcY6HPWtETGWtMl9SjmiyyWDT8NJUU1lRVTz6tDsG-s5JQ9lNamnl2jh0VpGtOfT7JFVhKgJYBz7PJ0-A0UoL-YLkbX79Qw/s1600/IMG_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9NLPRSLJXJklZTwIhiv44XVkHB_VdOfweav_05nJcY6HPWtETGWtMl9SjmiyyWDT8NJUU1lRVTz6tDsG-s5JQ9lNamnl2jh0VpGtOfT7JFVhKgJYBz7PJ0-A0UoL-YLkbX79Qw/s400/IMG_0723.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Today, I am attempting a wordless blog post, with just lots of pictures.<br />
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Dang it! I've failed at the first count. Darn it and fiddlesticks, as we Brits love to say. No, but seriously, we're always saying fiddlesticks. And bother. And oh my goodness.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlsM-A4pdfXCW2A2yUVml5oD7rYeabs1oc2bhxi5hyphenhyphenycC4SkarnJ1YGWBjUpYcaSiXtRH3B9oGn7e5xMKp-G6sQQMk9K2qpMUS3ThgRKhIw4MbeiF0bKyLfezFjb_OxM0aJKFYA/s1600/IMG_0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlsM-A4pdfXCW2A2yUVml5oD7rYeabs1oc2bhxi5hyphenhyphenycC4SkarnJ1YGWBjUpYcaSiXtRH3B9oGn7e5xMKp-G6sQQMk9K2qpMUS3ThgRKhIw4MbeiF0bKyLfezFjb_OxM0aJKFYA/s200/IMG_0713.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3ffCVWo61BCp4IdeXzuKJjTiFGnETdEvhamwtOnj0tWGmE5tqttRotwv3gI87J-wfljwCen9DqjijF-rr0SkmEZ3CThQXItr4zp9fLNMh9AmD6NRmUCMgg5uT9sOvI5wxnL0vg/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>We Brits also seem to be good at bigging up our flag, the Union Jack, at the moment. Flags are an emotive, powerful symbol and for a while there the Union Jack came with a lot of jingoistic and nationalistic sentiments that bordered on fascist, rather than being an emblem of pride and belonging. Many of us rather flinched at it. I make no claim to understand or know the complex historical and social reasons for this, but certainly, it was an indication that the bearer, waver or wearer was to the right of centre in their politics. Now this is a democracy so bring it on, it doesn't matter what you vote, but I think many Brits didn't feel that the flag was theirs, except at world sporting events, when we felt safe in the knowledge it was ok to wapple it around and big up our countryfellows. Yes, wapple is a word. I just made it up, but it is still a word.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3ffCVWo61BCp4IdeXzuKJjTiFGnETdEvhamwtOnj0tWGmE5tqttRotwv3gI87J-wfljwCen9DqjijF-rr0SkmEZ3CThQXItr4zp9fLNMh9AmD6NRmUCMgg5uT9sOvI5wxnL0vg/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3ffCVWo61BCp4IdeXzuKJjTiFGnETdEvhamwtOnj0tWGmE5tqttRotwv3gI87J-wfljwCen9DqjijF-rr0SkmEZ3CThQXItr4zp9fLNMh9AmD6NRmUCMgg5uT9sOvI5wxnL0vg/s200/IMG_0722.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Enter Stage Left: the world of crafting. The Union Jack has been gently and uncontroversially popping up in textiles; in pottery, in knitting, crochet, upholstery, fabric design....it is quietly gracing cushion covers, comfortably inveigling itself in different colourways onto rugs, and politely positioning itself on mugs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRq5HFovpi8A2-5ABwLnIqwZLEOVmp44WaPA6AGwJpx0AP5JnynVKAqK7XTKdVxx5q5aBXAIozFTJvFfLSkyPPsvgGw-KigHWKKtRLulLMB4KClqWyXY7FjA8tO9jKSjVe8ba-8Q/s1600/Mairi+and+girls+royal+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRq5HFovpi8A2-5ABwLnIqwZLEOVmp44WaPA6AGwJpx0AP5JnynVKAqK7XTKdVxx5q5aBXAIozFTJvFfLSkyPPsvgGw-KigHWKKtRLulLMB4KClqWyXY7FjA8tO9jKSjVe8ba-8Q/s200/Mairi+and+girls+royal+wedding.jpg" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The daughters with Aunty Mairi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm not for one second going to pretend the Royal Wedding in April didn't bring the jolly old Union Jack romping home as a symbol of parties and silliness (hoorahhh!) because I think it did - we, for one, went long on the flag-waving and Union Jack biscuits, got dressed up in wedding outfits and sat in our living room having proper afternoon tea, don't you know. Significantly, I'm no royalist - I just like a good do.<br />
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And the fact that we've the Olympicationals coming to our town next year is making many of us very excited and flappy, and flags are a great accessory to have about your person when you feel like that.<br />
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Also, I like the colours of the Union Jack, not that for one second I stick faithfully to them when stitching one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HXE91no_91xWMFXWmzE9e2hA7ICKD-1Sv-JBbH4TmzJm9vscpWYTCJ224UpBOROhmEvzMGCO3u-JViDcqrMLxDyeh950ey_qnOCTtfBEMTUo5zsl8omV8EanzUlPyxtDDxqqtw/s1600/Union+jack+biscuits.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HXE91no_91xWMFXWmzE9e2hA7ICKD-1Sv-JBbH4TmzJm9vscpWYTCJ224UpBOROhmEvzMGCO3u-JViDcqrMLxDyeh950ey_qnOCTtfBEMTUo5zsl8omV8EanzUlPyxtDDxqqtw/s200/Union+jack+biscuits.jpg" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good for eating too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We at OriginalStitch want ourselves a piece of this 'ere flag thang, and so Amanda and I have been taken an Olympic dive into the threads and fabrics and we're having a good play around with the design.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLcaJoRr1-eyHlCuoRVzcbugsn7me8hTaaf_NZMnKiiMLUCWL3bosdXW5rasxnkRErI-d-rokmjRV1nLa4uPWO8FlkUyB9lcbSlatAh_XHAYd8ykha_UxSCtWol_0ANkMR_Onaw/s1600/IMG_0700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLcaJoRr1-eyHlCuoRVzcbugsn7me8hTaaf_NZMnKiiMLUCWL3bosdXW5rasxnkRErI-d-rokmjRV1nLa4uPWO8FlkUyB9lcbSlatAh_XHAYd8ykha_UxSCtWol_0ANkMR_Onaw/s200/IMG_0700.JPG" width="200" /></a>We'll keep you up to date as work progresses - we think we will get a lot more bonkers with it than it is now; maybe warp it and wangle it a bit, but we still like the bits we've been playing with so far. Certainly, having learned how to render it perfectly, we will now let our imaginations loose on it. <br />
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Have you ever tried to draw the Union Jack - let me tell you, it's a tricky beast....have a go - check out <a href="http://www.jdawiseman.com/papers/union-jack/union-jack.html">this tutorial here</a>, and woe betide you get your diagonals in the wrong place!<br />
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I plan to bedeck my entire house in British-made Union Jack craft in time for the Olympics next year - will you be joining us?<br />
What do you think of the Union Jack? Has it changed for you in recent years? And why?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8w_Ej9nVrLldtziuvyN84S5POz862cYgEe_eZ_aPq7jRfZeR6dapZvukmNTCTAifJmAbtopw8nBKOINN-xQiY5LEeLc7aT66qOVfi_c0yU6LrBZwDHEqqZ2jK-syHstCrOfuKw/s1600/shoes+and+union+jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8w_Ej9nVrLldtziuvyN84S5POz862cYgEe_eZ_aPq7jRfZeR6dapZvukmNTCTAifJmAbtopw8nBKOINN-xQiY5LEeLc7aT66qOVfi_c0yU6LrBZwDHEqqZ2jK-syHstCrOfuKw/s320/shoes+and+union+jack.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoes - never out of place, even on a Union Jack</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_325216383"></span><span id="goog_325216384"></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-51190101299952139772011-10-06T05:28:00.000-07:002011-10-06T06:02:15.941-07:00I Heart Wall Art: Make a Noticeboard With Scarves<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjNJQRkzmHAh8-4TabfEnowucJ1IdEZ0SijRC7ioBMVQgEo97Jc2JuZklUBLKRRsZqQ0x9UE04kmAEC3UK0IRxhmmKsEhJ_fvnOaEOtJdkbtBp_FUtLg7GA0hD53-bX3coCaeAg/s1600/Wall_hearts_vintage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjNJQRkzmHAh8-4TabfEnowucJ1IdEZ0SijRC7ioBMVQgEo97Jc2JuZklUBLKRRsZqQ0x9UE04kmAEC3UK0IRxhmmKsEhJ_fvnOaEOtJdkbtBp_FUtLg7GA0hD53-bX3coCaeAg/s320/Wall_hearts_vintage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now then, if like me, you prefer to make your life difficult via the means of:<br />
a) Trying to not ever buy things new, unless they're full-on proper eco-friendly produced<br />
b) Always wanting very pretentiously to do something a little bit 'different' but not actually having any ideas jump into your head easily<br />
c) getting a bit cross and bothered and wishing you were a really creative 'blank canvas' person who just goes "Ooh, ooh, how about we twist some twigs into a giant pepperpot shape, interthread tin-can shards in it and then invent a whole new peg system made from old cotton reels and make a noticeboard that way!"<br />
<br />
Yes, sound like you? Then what the heck, my love - just steal this idea. Honestly, do. It looks awful purrdee and is a proper good scavenging project. Plus of course, it's got hearts in it, and like it or lump it my good people, hearts are a nice shape, aren't they.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkkbk885KftLDAnO1jxm1bSaLqHm2RZtxvdPYzDO6x9ZYlSLMTktOEyqD5b0ajPrX2ECgiG2MSoqOhGCYgWimdu3v0GPzMyXVF2xUujufbKOYfUhVvrGLaAvIN2OZTwy6dkbvow/s1600/Deely-boppers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkkbk885KftLDAnO1jxm1bSaLqHm2RZtxvdPYzDO6x9ZYlSLMTktOEyqD5b0ajPrX2ECgiG2MSoqOhGCYgWimdu3v0GPzMyXVF2xUujufbKOYfUhVvrGLaAvIN2OZTwy6dkbvow/s200/Deely-boppers.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deely-boppers. Key to our business. Ahem.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Stuff and Things You'll Need</span></b><br />
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<ul><li><b>Scarves</b> from t'charity shop. Also good - silky tops you've kept to re-use for something. Best is silky things because they will not be bulky and will insinuate themselves nicely through rings and round nails etc</li>
<li><b>Rings</b> - I found a bedillion inch diameter or so metal curtain rings in a charity shop once, and I used those. Failing that, use whatever rings you can lay your hands on. Can't find any? Don't worry - leave 'em out!</li>
<li><b>Magnets</b> if your rings are metal - ideally little craft magnets (strong ones), but you could just round up all the magnets yer kids have abandoned</li>
<li><b>Paper clips, curtain cafe clips, bulldog clips</b> - anything clippy or hangy or holdy or grabby. And yes, they are the proper technical terms.</li>
<li><b>Hammer and Nails</b></li>
<li><b>Tape measure, Pencil, Rubber</b></li>
</ul><b> </b> <b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Ready? Hop to it!</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AIWGwjtekD3gcbNvn8k3ffrjJ__qlpCWiH_riPgs90o2fdKC6iKR3KwR73G1lq7KxTSOsE3AStJ6Q6tzHzBeIRIXQHkXV3aF013KJQTh89Dhv-2HVKFAmqW-Oys3fzONEvlZYQ/s1600/Dustpan_vintage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><ol><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oZsifu6Vk87hh3A9eNFrsfTvZ3-VOed9JeQpL06jyXV_hM-kENU_7xrsLWDQuS5mxvWWNx44567XymUNfITFjqwQORY2h1KAOjezDRE_wyu3dxs6S-cZNev2q76mukmR7OAfsw/s1600/Curtain-ring_vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a> </ol>We gave our workroom wall a good clean to rid it of dust and, ahem, pencil drawings, and removed bits of blu-tack and sellotape. A nice clean blank canvas for you to whack your scarf art onto.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjNJQRkzmHAh8-4TabfEnowucJ1IdEZ0SijRC7ioBMVQgEo97Jc2JuZklUBLKRRsZqQ0x9UE04kmAEC3UK0IRxhmmKsEhJ_fvnOaEOtJdkbtBp_FUtLg7GA0hD53-bX3coCaeAg/s1600/Wall_hearts_vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oZsifu6Vk87hh3A9eNFrsfTvZ3-VOed9JeQpL06jyXV_hM-kENU_7xrsLWDQuS5mxvWWNx44567XymUNfITFjqwQORY2h1KAOjezDRE_wyu3dxs6S-cZNev2q76mukmR7OAfsw/s320/Curtain-ring_vintage.jpg" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poke through, bring round, poke through again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ol><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikojbsKZIcGvyF7c6QuC_45o9UGCZM7JSJkdSqJZmwCkasirQpBrWyEFsjIpAA8qssWcrQ8j1k1i1S5irOdaFCMRFW_LvfnTgQO0kox6hQz3j-Zn3RbHWqaajeQ0mIE0JND4l3fg/s1600/Shedsomelight_cafeclips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a>
<li>Tie/sew your scarves and silky bits together, and measure how long it is. You'll need this figure in your head to give you an idea of how big or small your outline is going to be in the next step</li>
<li>Put the curtain rings, if you are using them, at regular intervals. Simply poke through once, bring round and poke through again, as you can see here, so that the rings are 'caught' on the scarf. </li>
<li>Next you need to sketch your heart-shape on the wall (or hey - any shape, it doesn't matter! Go crazy you creative loons, you) using your pencil. Start lightly - it took us a while to get the heart shape <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AIWGwjtekD3gcbNvn8k3ffrjJ__qlpCWiH_riPgs90o2fdKC6iKR3KwR73G1lq7KxTSOsE3AStJ6Q6tzHzBeIRIXQHkXV3aF013KJQTh89Dhv-2HVKFAmqW-Oys3fzONEvlZYQ/s200/Dustpan_vintage.jpg" width="162" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mighty dustpan and brush</td></tr>
</tbody> </table>right, let me tell you, and involved lots of standing back and viewing it askance and squinty-eyed before we got it right, which in turn involved a lot of drawing, rubbing out and re-drawing. </li>
<li>When you're happy with the shape, start hammering the nails in to the wall. Now listen here - you have to <i>angle</i> them slightly, and the angle will differ depending on the shape the scarves will make. For example, the downward 'dip point' at the top ofthe heart needs a nail which is angled <i>downwards</i> so that the scarves don't just slip off, upwards....think tent pegs and guy ropes and you'll know what I mean! If in doubt, just hammer them in a little, so that you can manoeuvre them once the scarves are tied on. You'll soon see what we mean.</li>
<li>Next - begin placing your scarves round the nails - if you're on your own, you may need to tie the first bit to a nail, or it'll keep slidin' awff. Amanda and I were doing this together so one was holding the first bit in place while the other looped and curled the scarves into place. If you found the whole nail angling thing tricky, you can always 'loop the loop' the scarves round each nail.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikojbsKZIcGvyF7c6QuC_45o9UGCZM7JSJkdSqJZmwCkasirQpBrWyEFsjIpAA8qssWcrQ8j1k1i1S5irOdaFCMRFW_LvfnTgQO0kox6hQz3j-Zn3RbHWqaajeQ0mIE0JND4l3fg/s200/Shedsomelight_cafeclips.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="187" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get cafe clips from curtain hardware suppliers</td></tr>
</tbody></table></li>
<li>Tie the two scarf-length ends together when you've created your shape, or if you prefer, tie them to a nail. Don't worry if you have too much - just let it hang down, or cut it, or wind it round some more. Don't get hung up with measuring, no, no. </li>
<li>Now's where you get busy hanging things off your hearts! Now, I'll leave this to your imagination - we had all sorts of funny bits and bobs - we've got some things stuck on with two magnets, some things jammed into paperclips just hanging off scarves; we've got cafe clips holding stuff, and of course we used the nails too - see the dustpan and brush there?! Basically, use whatever you think might work!</li>
</ol>A lot more interesting than a boring old noticeboard, eh? We shove things we love, reminders, our sewing patterns all hole-punched and hanging on a nail, ready to whip down and use when we get orders; we stick receipts on nails, hang works in progress, even coat-hangers sometimes, with other things hanging off them. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnoLw6KaJLP5y1wlu5YRsYn8tpfs1jYmVDnmifTNL0W4-ORN6P_OvxJnQPTiTEQF0KI8F6bo5aaKI1WXbF-J37HcwGCBAMBE69ZkwZzt_hjNA8TppQ7LboOC2L6LiwqejY-kgmQ/s1600/Single_heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnoLw6KaJLP5y1wlu5YRsYn8tpfs1jYmVDnmifTNL0W4-ORN6P_OvxJnQPTiTEQF0KI8F6bo5aaKI1WXbF-J37HcwGCBAMBE69ZkwZzt_hjNA8TppQ7LboOC2L6LiwqejY-kgmQ/s320/Single_heart.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take part in some heart wall art!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What will you do? Ooh, and what shapes are you thinking of using? A cat? An owl? Kisses? Tell me!Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-8080585645888837832011-07-28T03:09:00.000-07:002011-07-28T03:09:01.259-07:00Featured In: Sew Hip August Issue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AI2LoMszv7I/TjATp7XC4WI/AAAAAAAABE0/Q0nJ6V4ItWc/s1600/SAM_2656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AI2LoMszv7I/TjATp7XC4WI/AAAAAAAABE0/Q0nJ6V4ItWc/s640/SAM_2656.JPG" width="425" /></a></div><br />
<br />
As you may know, I write the Back page column, called Musings, in Sew Hip magazine. First up was August issue, and out today is September. So just in case you missed your August copy, here it is!<br />
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We also have a lovely feature in Sew Hip's latest issue - the September issue, which IS out on the newsstands now, so if you fancy a peek at the daughters doing sewing in my workroom, and other cheeky close-ups of work at large, then hotfoot it to yer nearest Noozagent and grab a copy.<br />
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And don't forget to read the back page too - it's about your workroom demons...!Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-64739214930162077622011-07-27T09:24:00.000-07:002011-07-29T09:12:10.103-07:00Reinvintage: Revamp your Chairs with Scarves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9PFxmOKTZc/TjASYT9At9I/AAAAAAAABEs/Qhp7ckhU2Ic/s1600/Hankerchief%2Btie-omatic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9PFxmOKTZc/TjASYT9At9I/AAAAAAAABEs/Qhp7ckhU2Ic/s400/Hankerchief%2Btie-omatic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I'm very happy to be guest blogging over <a href="http://www.eco-age.com/item/3771-Not_just_for_necking_it%21">Eco Age</a>'s blog this week, with a piece on quirky chic recycling - using, yes, you guessed it - scarves. I do seem to have a bit of a thing about scarves. Well, they're just so easy to get yer hands on!<br />
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Go and have a little read - it'll tart up your chairs beautifully!Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com183tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-87996620605963827922011-07-23T00:21:00.000-07:002011-07-23T03:25:57.113-07:00Material World: 60s Kitsch-en, the August 2011 Featured Fabric<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rFh_dYwmT6k/Th6JORyIeKI/AAAAAAAABD4/8BH7QDXMW-g/s1600/Jultriptych_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rFh_dYwmT6k/Th6JORyIeKI/AAAAAAAABD4/8BH7QDXMW-g/s400/Jultriptych_originalstitchblog.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Material World is launching! </span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A</span> new section on the website with each month's selection of 3 gorgeous fabrics - order any of our products to be made in those fabrics and you're entitled to get a big fat discount of 30% off usual prices, while stocks last of course.<br />
<br />
In our last post, we ran a competition to get you lot to name it, and we had some fab ideas! Check out this sunny, summery list.....<br />
<br />
Grandma<br />
Sun Lounger<br />
Summer Picnic<br />
Beach Brights<br />
60s Kitsch-en<br />
Jaffa<br />
Refresher<br />
Springtime<br />
and one suggestion from a Helen, who became a little overwrought, with<br />
"Orange, loverly loverly Orange" !<br />
<br />
And after much (seriously - how great are those names?!) consideration, the winner is........<b>60s Kitsch-en! </b>This was suggested by Helen Stokes, who said:<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"<span data-jsid="text">They remind me of my nan's cups and saucers and kitchen stools. I would LOVE to own these fabrics!"</span></div><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What's the prize? </span></b><br />
<br />
The lucky winner gets to choose between:<br />
<br />
a) 3 fat quarters, one in each of these fabrics (a fat quarter is 18" x 22", or approx 46cm x 56cm) or<br />
b) A wha-hopping 50% discount off any product from the website, which we'll make ourselves using those fabrics. *A-curtsey-to-you* <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AZXdcLio0m4/Th6JO194WkI/AAAAAAAABEA/1UlCs1wm_QY/s1600/orangefabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AZXdcLio0m4/Th6JO194WkI/AAAAAAAABEA/1UlCs1wm_QY/s320/orangefabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a bright, full, tangerine - with a gentle patterned weave in it</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3L-ayjr88eE/Th6JPv0yVTI/AAAAAAAABEI/HPfArxOKKq8/s1600/orangefloral_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3L-ayjr88eE/Th6JPv0yVTI/AAAAAAAABEI/HPfArxOKKq8/s320/orangefloral_originalstitchblog.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capturing an era - this fantastic floral is gentle yellows and dusky oranges</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But what's their story?</span></b></div><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The 60s Kitsch-en Collection, newly coined</span></b> consists of these 3 brights - we think they're just perfect for jellybean interiors and picnic colours. They would certainly brighten up any room you put them in.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXVbDv1X8QA/Th6KgFndtaI/AAAAAAAABEQ/NneJ4BfMxow/s1600/SAM_2333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXVbDv1X8QA/Th6KgFndtaI/AAAAAAAABEQ/NneJ4BfMxow/s320/SAM_2333.JPG" width="213" /></a>But what's their story? <br />
My sister often turns up, says "All right Sis?" and heads straight for the workroom with old shirts, remnants and scraps of fabric. Oh, there's many a Mairi blouse in our makes. But this time she and husband turned up with mighty great bags of the stuff.<br />
<br />
Mairi's husb is helping gradually de-fabrickise (yes, that is a word, I think you'll find. In my land) his lovely old grandma's house; she used to do a lot of dressmaking. Some of the fabric, like many of our groaning cupboards of stash, never got round to being made into anything, however, and so we have virgin vintage - and even the receipt...<br />
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Look closely - yes, you're right, that says 7/6. Pronounced, I believe, seven and six. I literally don't even know what that means, coz it's old money, folks! It was bought in Albert Street in Birmingham, in a store called the Beehive Warehouse. The date there, is the 11th July 1963. So, how fitting that this lovely bunch of beautiful, zany, vintage fabrics kicks of our inaugural <b>Material World</b> special offer.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZSe3Q50dOs/Th6JNf-nCFI/AAAAAAAABDw/3K9vK36K2As/s320/Greenfabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And how about this for a crazy, zany, fabulously contrasting checked greens?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">These fabrics will be featured in <b>Material World</b> during the whole of August, where you can order <a href="http://www.originalstitch.co.uk/">any product</a> to be made in them, and get a <b>30% discount. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Stay tuned for September 2011's Material World Competition</b></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZSe3Q50dOs/Th6JNf-nCFI/AAAAAAAABDw/3K9vK36K2As/s1600/Greenfabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" separator"=""> </a>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-58202387077417283802011-07-14T01:29:00.000-07:002011-07-14T01:43:56.523-07:00Christen-Me Fabric Competition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rFh_dYwmT6k/Th6JORyIeKI/AAAAAAAABD4/8BH7QDXMW-g/s1600/Jultriptych_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rFh_dYwmT6k/Th6JORyIeKI/AAAAAAAABD4/8BH7QDXMW-g/s400/Jultriptych_originalstitchblog.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
We come across some amazing fabrics in our work here; not just because we rummage and scavenge and hunt and scour, but because of course now friends and relatives belch up their attics and cupboards into our laps.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AZXdcLio0m4/Th6JO194WkI/AAAAAAAABEA/1UlCs1wm_QY/s1600/orangefabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AZXdcLio0m4/Th6JO194WkI/AAAAAAAABEA/1UlCs1wm_QY/s320/orangefabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a bright, full, tangerine - with a gentle patterned weave in it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We'll soon be launching <b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Material World</span></b> - a new section on the website with this month's selection of 3 gorgeous fabrics - order any of our products to be made in those fabrics and you're entitled to get a big fat discount of 30% off usual prices, while stocks last of course. But first, we want a name for the collection!<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What's the prize? </span></b><br />
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Enter our competition and you could win either<br />
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a) 3 fat quarters, one in each of these fabrics (a fat quarter is 18" x 22", or approx 46cm x 56cm) so you can run up summink fancy all by yourself<br />
b) A wha-hopping 50% discount off any product from the website you like, which we'll make ourselves, personally using those fabrics. *A-curtsey-to-you* <br />
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So, if you fancy yourself in an <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=331&category_id=61">Apron</a> of those colours, or you'd like a <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=281&category_id=61">Laundry Bag</a> to brighten up washday, here's your chance.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3L-ayjr88eE/Th6JPv0yVTI/AAAAAAAABEI/HPfArxOKKq8/s1600/orangefloral_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3L-ayjr88eE/Th6JPv0yVTI/AAAAAAAABEI/HPfArxOKKq8/s320/orangefloral_originalstitchblog.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capturing an era - this fantastic floral is gentle yellows and dusky oranges</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Christen Me!</span></b><br />
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First up for <b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">August Material World</span></b> are these 3 brights - we think they're just perfect for jellybean interiors and picnic colours! They would certainly brighten up any room you put them in.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXVbDv1X8QA/Th6KgFndtaI/AAAAAAAABEQ/NneJ4BfMxow/s1600/SAM_2333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXVbDv1X8QA/Th6KgFndtaI/AAAAAAAABEQ/NneJ4BfMxow/s320/SAM_2333.JPG" width="213" /></a>But what's their story? My sister often turns up, says "All right Sis?" and heads straight for the workroom with old shirts, remnants and scraps of fabric. There's many a Mairi blouse in our makes! But this time she and husband turned up with mighty great bags of the stuff.<br />
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Mairi's husb is helping gradually de-fabrickise (yes, that is a word, I think you'll find. In my land.) his lovely old grandma's house; she used to do a lot of dressmaking. Some of the fabric, like many of our groaning cupboards of stash, never got round to being made into anything, however, and so we have virgin vintage - and even the receipt!<br />
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Look closely - yes, you're right, that says 7/6! I literally don't even know what that means, coz it's old money, folks! It was bought in Albert Street in Birmingham, in a store called the Beehive Warehouse. The date there, is the 11th July 1963. So, how fitting that this lovely bunch of beautiful, zany, vintage fabrics kicks of our Christen Me Competition.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Christen-Me Competition for August 2011 Material World</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, what do you think this collection should be called? What springs to mind when you drink in the colours and patterns? </div><div style="text-align: left;">Answers below in the comments, or over at the OriginalStitch <a href="http://www.facebook.com/originalstitch">Facebook</a> page - scroll till you see the related post on this topic. Or at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/originalstitch">Twitter</a>, using hashtag #mwaugust - we don't mind where you find us! But please add something in your entry that relates in some way to this competition, or we'll be all, eh? Do what? Hm? Pardon?</div><div style="text-align: left;">How about "I think you should call the Material World August fabrics Zippity Dippity Doo Dah"</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, darn it. Sorry, have I stolen your idea?! Do make sure also we can trace you, wherever you leave your comment.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZSe3Q50dOs/Th6JNf-nCFI/AAAAAAAABDw/3K9vK36K2As/s320/Greenfabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And how about this for a crazy, zany, fabulously contrasting checked greens?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"> We'll choose a winner on Monday 25th July, so stay tuned! The fabrics will then be featured in Material World during the whole of August, where you can order <a href="http://www.originalstitch.co.uk/">any product</a> to be made in them, and get a 30% discount. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">We can't wait to hear your ideas!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZSe3Q50dOs/Th6JNf-nCFI/AAAAAAAABDw/3K9vK36K2As/s1600/Greenfabric_originalstitchblog.JPG" imageanchor="1" separator"=""> </a>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-28418541435741340332011-07-13T02:05:00.000-07:002011-07-14T01:46:30.355-07:00Fabric Reinvintage: Make a Shower Curtain<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ULN6Yly9B4/Th1X-GWNMoI/AAAAAAAABCQ/ffP_rzDYXpc/s1600/Shower_curtain_originalstitchblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ULN6Yly9B4/Th1X-GWNMoI/AAAAAAAABCQ/ffP_rzDYXpc/s400/Shower_curtain_originalstitchblog.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showering in reinvintage style!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Husb threatened to hotfoot it down the nearest gigantesque supermarket and buy a shower curtain at the weekend. He has been nagging for a new shower curtain for yonks. I, however, did not want to buy a new one, unless I could find an eco-friendly one, so I ensconced myself in the workroom. <br />
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Over the last 10 years or so, I seem to have amassed quite a collection of shower curtains - there comes a point in every shower curtain's life when the mouldy mildewy bit at the bottom begins tickling yer tootsies in none too pleasant a way, and so down it comes, off gets chopped the bottom (ooh, weird English, hm?) and the rest is washed, and put away.<br />
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Till now.<br />
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Yes, ladies and gentlemen - the new all-singing, all-soaping, all-frothing patchwork shower curtain is born!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yiONCnsao90/Th1kTr6MuyI/AAAAAAAABDo/p4MEYgcLDek/s1600/Post-Divider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What do I need?</b></div><br />
Got old bits of waterproof fabric you could use yourself? How about: old camping materials such as tents, canvas, cagoules, groundsheets if they're not too thick; and look in the charity shops for old shower curtains; often you'll find them completely unused, still in their packaging. And tell friends you want their scuzzy old mouldy ones. They'll look at you with disgust, but hey, you're used to that, right? You'll also need your sewing machine, invisible thread, heavy duty needle in the machine, and your rotary cutter and mat for the easiest cutting method.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">How To Make a Strippy Patchwork Shower Curtain</b></div><br />
1) Measure the width and depth of the curtain so you have some dimensions to work to. Mine was 71 x 71 inches.<br />
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2) Divide by 5, so that you are working with strips - I wanted 5 horizontal strips in mine. 71" divided by 5 is 14", ish. <br />
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3) Keep the top of the curtain, where the holes are. Fold it so it's in a manageable chunk, all the holes at the top, and cut to a depth of 14". Voila - there's your first strip! Also remove the little weights from the curtain bottom hem.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-20Q-U4Uyr2I/Th1YbnR8iSI/AAAAAAAABCY/c8EIl54sW4Q/s1600/SAM_2472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-20Q-U4Uyr2I/Th1YbnR8iSI/AAAAAAAABCY/c8EIl54sW4Q/s320/SAM_2472.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Measure to depth of 14"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>4) Now cut 14" depth strips from all your fabrics. If you're using old shower curtains, all your strips will be roughly the same - 71" x 14". But if you're working with all sorts of offcuts - cut them into rectangles/squares, ensuring two opposite edges are always 14" - the other measurement doesn't matter (in fact you're going to make them all different lengths on purpose to get the scrappy uneven look) but you will be stitching all your 14" sides to each other so they must match. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iNRQ-4gzRvs/Th1e9qrUcbI/AAAAAAAABDY/haV7_pFwRuY/s1600/SAM_2473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iNRQ-4gzRvs/Th1e9qrUcbI/AAAAAAAABDY/haV7_pFwRuY/s320/SAM_2473.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start cutting folded strips at 14" mark</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RGF9L45F9P0/Th1asdhSWmI/AAAAAAAABCw/2ZbSoxXPd9Y/s1600/SAM_2477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RGF9L45F9P0/Th1asdhSWmI/AAAAAAAABCw/2ZbSoxXPd9Y/s200/SAM_2477.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add a few daft captions </td></tr>
</tbody></table>5) Once you have your strips, cut them into all sorts of different sized 'bricks' - the shortest being about 10", the longest maybe 25", and keep them all stacked up. I couldn't resist stitching a few silly phrases onto mine, but be warned - doing this means you have to plan where they occur in the next stage, if you want them to look truly 'random'....often looking truly random means planning heavily! The way mine accidentally came together meant I had all my phrases on the left of the curtain. Which I pretend is fine...but if you were planning it, you'd want them more evenly dispersed. Ahem.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BN-GO6RgHVQ/Th1aZdT9gpI/AAAAAAAABCo/LqxxfKH5j-s/s1600/Cutting_showercurtain_collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BN-GO6RgHVQ/Th1aZdT9gpI/AAAAAAAABCo/LqxxfKH5j-s/s320/Cutting_showercurtain_collage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting different sized bricks from my strips</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
6) Now start to stitch 'em together! Use invisible thread, a good fat needle size - at least 90 - and a decent seam allowance - minimum half an inch. Stay random when you grab bits to sew together, don't try to be too orderly about it - I didn't go dot, flower, fishes, plain; it was more like dot, plain, dot, fishes, plain, flower, fishes, flower, dot, fishes, plain.....and the same goes for the different sizes. Stitch 14" to 14" sides, making sure you're stitching right sides together (although 10 points if you can see really quite a few wrong side flowers and fishes on mine....you can't? No, didn't bother me either...!) Keep stitching, so you're creating a long continuous strip. Measure how much you've made every now and then. In theory you need 71" x 4 so that you end up with 4 shower curtain width strips. Then stitch another good-sized brick on so you have a bit extra for seam allowances.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4zkKDeWmVk/Th1a5_AP3bI/AAAAAAAABC4/qPcOClZHJOc/s1600/SAM_2479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4zkKDeWmVk/Th1a5_AP3bI/AAAAAAAABC4/qPcOClZHJOc/s320/SAM_2479.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You'll end up with mounds of stitched bricks</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
7) Now, cut the big long strip into 4 strips - making each one about 73" would be sensible, and lay them on the floor to see how best to order them. You can see what I mean now about the phrases can't you?! All on the left. Doh. Let's name these top to bottom, Strip 1, Strip 2, Strip 3 etc<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qx1kDo3-Fbw/Th1b9SgehXI/AAAAAAAABDA/UD-x0uGa1h8/s1600/Showercurtain_laidout_originalstitchblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qx1kDo3-Fbw/Th1b9SgehXI/AAAAAAAABDA/UD-x0uGa1h8/s320/Showercurtain_laidout_originalstitchblog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swap them about till you like the order</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
8) You will now stitch the strips together. Start with your original shower curtain top, and stitch it to Strip 1 along the long edge. Remember right sides together - and you may need to 'neaten up' your long edges using your rotary blade and mat first. The long strip sides must be straight and neat before you start to sew. At this point, you are wrestling with mountains of crinkly shower curtain, so like, chillax, yeah?! Take your time...get it right...when you've finished stitching the Top (Holes) Strip to Strip 1, go and get Strip 2 from the floor, and stitch to Strip 1 and so on, till you have your whole complete shower curtain!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l3WEYTYOe6E/Th1cu6Li_pI/AAAAAAAABDI/wGWeILRa_LY/s1600/piecestripsshowercurtain_originalstitchblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l3WEYTYOe6E/Th1cu6Li_pI/AAAAAAAABDI/wGWeILRa_LY/s320/piecestripsshowercurtain_originalstitchblog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lay the Strips right sides together</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
9) Hem all round the three edges to finish off, and if you have kept the weights from your old curtain, try stitching them into the bottom hem. It's not dastardly important, folks, but it does make it hang better.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-xSo3KVnTI/Th1duF_IdpI/AAAAAAAABDQ/L7wzp2abm68/s1600/Showercurtain_closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-xSo3KVnTI/Th1duF_IdpI/AAAAAAAABDQ/L7wzp2abm68/s320/Showercurtain_closeup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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And there you have it! A singularly individual shower curtain, which you can pretty much guarantee no-one else has, we think...yes? We would LOVE to see any images if you make one of these - so send 'em to enquiries@originalstitch.co.uk and we will definitely show them off the universe for you.<br />
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Off you go then - go rummaging for waterproof things....Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-47614034225797188872011-07-07T10:19:00.000-07:002011-07-14T01:49:30.600-07:007 Reasons to buy our Sewing Patterns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dUDaqzD_1zs/ThXpqbX_2jI/AAAAAAAABBo/dsglsClDFmc/s1600/IMG_2268_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dUDaqzD_1zs/ThXpqbX_2jI/AAAAAAAABBo/dsglsClDFmc/s320/IMG_2268_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We love our Sewing Patterns, and we're simperingly proud of them. Shall I tells you for why? Shall I? Hm?<br />
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We've been doing lots of nice PR things lately, and people often ask what it is about our Sewing Patterns that makes them different, or special or easy or unique; and being a little slow on the uptake, it only occurred to me after the fifth person asked this, that I ought really to have answered this question already.<br />
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<i>Like, duh...</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hiZU_8J2gdY/ThXlSBWW8vI/AAAAAAAABBg/sgU25YbjS-0/s1600/Dolly_sling_collage700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hiZU_8J2gdY/ThXlSBWW8vI/AAAAAAAABBg/sgU25YbjS-0/s200/Dolly_sling_collage700.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Both Amanda and I have followed many, many sewing patterns in our time. Some difficult, some head-bangingly impossible to follow, some wonderfully simple, some kinda in the middle, ish, somewhere. Some nearly made me cry. Some were joyous. So it was from our experience as beginner users that our Patterns were born, and for this reason we have always fiercely defended the 'beginner' nature of them, in that easy patterns are nice for everyone, not just beginners. My mother is an extremely experienced dressmaker (she made both me and my sisters' wedding dresses) but I can remember her frustration at the pattern she was using - it was tortuously written and omitted enormous chunks of information. She found herself groping her way blind through vast tranches of tulle, netting, interlinings, stiffenings and other masses of froo in order to figure things out. It wasn't pretty. And the swearing was a little colourful. And I nearly always came out the worse for it because I then had pins stuck in me during fittings.<br />
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Anyhoo, armed with all this history, here are the things we love about our patterns, and which we guarantee you'll get in each and every one.<br />
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<b>1) No Wordy Cutting Lists!</b><br />
Don't know about you, but honestly I find written lists tricky - I'm a very visual person, so I mean no offence at all to patterns which use them, but I likes pictures. So we <i>always</i> use cutting list images - you can see literally every single piece you're going to need.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hbby61_bcr0/ThXdxf3LiZI/AAAAAAAABBM/YwJlhp0drQc/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hbby61_bcr0/ThXdxf3LiZI/AAAAAAAABBM/YwJlhp0drQc/s400/Picture+7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<b>2) Consistently Named Pieces</b><br />
When you sew from a pattern, you start off with lots of pieces, and halfway through you have half-constructed bits....I often got confused in patterns because there didn't seem to be the halfway house names; patterns often stated "Now take this piece" or worse, omitted the noun entirely - "Turn over and stitch along sides" Turn which bit over? The bit I've just done or the thing I had to do before that?!!<br />
We always make sure that once a construction is completed, we tell you what it will now be called, and when it comes up again in the pattern, that's how we refer to it. Sounds basic - helps in the long run!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4SNkstHXe6g/ThXdx6tKUvI/AAAAAAAABBQ/_BD90PvMqtw/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4SNkstHXe6g/ThXdx6tKUvI/AAAAAAAABBQ/_BD90PvMqtw/s400/Picture+8.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>3) Integrated Seam Allowances</b><br />
When you cut out our patterns, you won't be expected to add seam allowances. I know this can in some cases be necessary, expecially in the world of dressmaking, but we tell you every step of the way what seam allowance you'll need. It's almost always the same throughout the pattern, but even so, you will always be told what it is.<br />
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<b>4) A Besquillion Diagrams<br />
</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVBig8ekcIM/ThXjErN_qfI/AAAAAAAABBU/X_hY7DGoslc/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vvm0-kCHNpA/ThXpKRDACrI/AAAAAAAABBk/d2P3jsTRAwQ/s1600/IMG_2274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vvm0-kCHNpA/ThXpKRDACrI/AAAAAAAABBk/d2P3jsTRAwQ/s320/IMG_2274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVBig8ekcIM/ThXjErN_qfI/AAAAAAAABBU/X_hY7DGoslc/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVBig8ekcIM/ThXjErN_qfI/AAAAAAAABBU/X_hY7DGoslc/s320/Picture+10.png" width="320" /></a> It's one of my very favourite jobs here at OriginalStitch, so maybe that's why we have so many of them, but we use looooooads of diagrams in our sewing patterns. Don't know about you, but it is just so very much easier. I draw them myself, when I have designed the product myself or stood over Amanda while she makes it, so they are straight from the very horse's mouth - I have drawn them from the exact construction at that very point, so if there's still pins there, I draw them; if there's loose threads hanging down, I draw them. We then have our lovely designer Jon colour 'em in all pretty so they're even easier to understand, and have shading where there would be some, and right and wrong sides of the fabric properly coloured. Lovely. If you're terribly clever, you can probably almost make something without even reading, which is what my mother does.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGkM7u6zJNw/ThXjXorokGI/AAAAAAAABBY/SQtVPVjla1A/s1600/Picture+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGkM7u6zJNw/ThXjXorokGI/AAAAAAAABBY/SQtVPVjla1A/s320/Picture+11.png" width="320" /></a></div>"What seam allowance am I using?" she said once.<br />
"It says it right there look Mum - quarter of an inch, see?"<br />
"Oh I haven't read the pattern, I'm just using the pictures." she said.<br />
<br />
<b>5) No Template Enlargement<br />
</b><br />
When you cut out our templates, you won't have to enlarge them. I'm quite happy to admit this may be a matter of preference, but I try to think of the person sewing from their abode up the top of a Welsh mountain, with no access to a photocopier shop, and as temperamental an all-in-one printer as we have (shh, don't tell it I said that, it's easily upset...). So our templates are designed to fit on an A4 sheet, so that when you print it out, it is real-size. You may have to join pieces together to make the whole template before applying to the fabric, yes - but we make this as easy as possible by including full written instructions and using nice little symbols.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J92g3LqW_Xs/ThXkynrxqFI/AAAAAAAABBc/3y_dvqJnmDA/s1600/Picture+12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J92g3LqW_Xs/ThXkynrxqFI/AAAAAAAABBc/3y_dvqJnmDA/s400/Picture+12.png" width="245" /></a></div><b>6) They're available immediately!</b><br />
Our patterns are currently PDF downloads, which you can access right there in your purchase email, once you've been to the <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html">website</a> and bought one. We have chosen this method because of our eco ethics - we felt it was a little cheeky to go printing out reams of paper for our sewing patterns when we bang on about environmental concerns.<br />
Having said that, we'd be interested to know if you <i>would </i>like them as a paper version, because we would seek to work with some lovely bonkers paper made from rhino poo, or beer dregs, or old Barbie packaging or something. (We ain't joking, our tags ARE made from old <a href="http://ecoprintuk.com/">beer dregs</a>!<br />
<br />
<b>7) Online Support</b><br />
You can get support when making your pattern from our <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_389849284"></a><a href="http://originalstitch.ning.com/">OriginalStitch Cafe</a>- it's where all the manuals and manufacturing information is housed for our stitchers to access, so it's where we put information relating to the sewing patterns. Come and join, and any help shouts you put out we'll pick up - either myself, or Amanda, or even one of our lovely stitchers will soon come to your aid!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6IlCfjMD-Ac/TJpYduIwCsI/AAAAAAAAAp0/tUZVQF6gI-g/s1600/Cafe_picture.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6IlCfjMD-Ac/TJpYduIwCsI/AAAAAAAAAp0/tUZVQF6gI-g/s320/Cafe_picture.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, if you haven't taken a peek at our <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html">sewing patterns</a> yet, have a little look - we're working on a whole raft of our <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html">Piece & Jam Collection</a> items next, so we'd love to know - what would you most like to see next in our range of Sewing Patterns?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4SNkstHXe6g/ThXdx6tKUvI/AAAAAAAABBQ/_BD90PvMqtw/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-53350932536423409292011-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:002011-07-14T01:53:37.407-07:00In the Making: The Men's Shirt & Tie Bag<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EDCI8hauhqs/ThHhC1G8CvI/AAAAAAAAA-k/WXT-Fpg4BfA/s1600/SAM_2369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EDCI8hauhqs/ThHhC1G8CvI/AAAAAAAAA-k/WXT-Fpg4BfA/s320/SAM_2369.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now where did I put those pi...oh yes, in my cakehole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We are in love with our <a href="http://www.athriftymrs.com/2010/10/guest-blogger-how-to-make-silk-fortune.html">Fortune-Teller Bag</a>, it's super simple to make and bags of fun to wear. You can run one up in 3 minutes flat. Nearly. Well, maybe half an hour, but that's how quick and simple it is if you do our scarf tutorial, residing for now over at Mrs Thrifty's, where we proudly guest-blogged. However, that's strictly for friends or for meself, but transferring the design to our product range means a little more quality control. So here is one, a custom make for my good friend, who saw mine and ordered her own. She stole her husband's shirt and sneaked it down the Post Office. She could have stuck some of his ties in too - so the handles are old ties, but for now, we used some lovely old vintage lining fabric so the handles slide smoothly inside the bag casings.<br />
<br />
When the shirt arrived I got my grubby, shoddy benailed mitts (aren't they a disgrace, my nails? My four-year-old painted those on for me 3 weeks ago. I'm just waiting for them to grow off because I've run out of nail varnish remover).<br />
<br />
Um, as I was saying, I got my shoddy benailed mitts all over the shirt and cut it to smithereens before reconstructing it into a bag. <br />
Naked. No, I'm kidding, I just happen to have a strapless top thingy on, but I admit it does look a little dodgy. Unless we want to start up a naked sewing club? Hm?<br />
<br />
Hang on...pins, needles, rotary blades....I'm thinking casualty, embarrassing potential for ending up on the medics' facebook page entitled OMG You'll Never Guess What Injury Came Into Casualty Today<br />
<br />
I'm thinking maybe we stick with clothes. Let's leave naturism to beach volleyball.<br />
<br />
Anyhoo, here it is; from shirt to bag. It's where all shirts dream of ending up.... <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sMfLtLGAAP0/ThHfQ5N7wxI/AAAAAAAAA88/sSLX0h3X09c/s1600/SAM_2339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sMfLtLGAAP0/ThHfQ5N7wxI/AAAAAAAAA88/sSLX0h3X09c/s320/SAM_2339.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grabbing buttons...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4AUbJv3__gA/ThHfRK4iraI/AAAAAAAAA9E/lXn-XoEj9_Q/s1600/SAM_2343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4AUbJv3__gA/ThHfRK4iraI/AAAAAAAAA9E/lXn-XoEj9_Q/s320/SAM_2343.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting off cuffs...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gh_K-OGg68A/ThHfRZfCONI/AAAAAAAAA9M/SsxWaLHQgDA/s1600/SAM_2347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gh_K-OGg68A/ThHfRZfCONI/AAAAAAAAA9M/SsxWaLHQgDA/s320/SAM_2347.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lopping off collars...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U3ZBYYvlYEo/ThHfR5xCDQI/AAAAAAAAA9U/FURu1l60rzs/s1600/SAM_2352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U3ZBYYvlYEo/ThHfR5xCDQI/AAAAAAAAA9U/FURu1l60rzs/s320/SAM_2352.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting out the big shapes....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAB0zKgmICQ/ThHhBdXDXeI/AAAAAAAAA-M/a5hFw3UH_I0/s1600/SAM_2354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAB0zKgmICQ/ThHhBdXDXeI/AAAAAAAAA-M/a5hFw3UH_I0/s320/SAM_2354.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing 'em together...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-12LmBhly_m0/ThHhBjdjmuI/AAAAAAAAA-U/mOaJe5vJeP8/s1600/SAM_2360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-12LmBhly_m0/ThHhBjdjmuI/AAAAAAAAA-U/mOaJe5vJeP8/s320/SAM_2360.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding lining pieces...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-liCMwzyu4Gc/ThHhDcotinI/AAAAAAAAA-s/tJ9y7aVP3pU/s1600/SAM_2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-liCMwzyu4Gc/ThHhDcotinI/AAAAAAAAA-s/tJ9y7aVP3pU/s320/SAM_2371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piecing the structure...<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jp6gXfJPc1M/ThHlYrB661I/AAAAAAAAA_w/kWwvl9WexDM/s1600/SAM_2380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jp6gXfJPc1M/ThHlYrB661I/AAAAAAAAA_w/kWwvl9WexDM/s320/SAM_2380.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it a cuff, or is it a pocket?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZseGTNJYbA/ThHlYyHIsiI/AAAAAAAAA_4/6nYIFCn7ztc/s1600/SAM_2381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZseGTNJYbA/ThHlYyHIsiI/AAAAAAAAA_4/6nYIFCn7ztc/s320/SAM_2381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stitching it all up...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HNgyZpt2x-8/ThHi_HdEarI/AAAAAAAAA_M/qAXWYdCORGE/s1600/SAM_2384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HNgyZpt2x-8/ThHi_HdEarI/AAAAAAAAA_M/qAXWYdCORGE/s320/SAM_2384.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving it legs - got to have your brand in there</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICMBt0JnI9I/ThHlZ6sqyuI/AAAAAAAABAA/NvsV1PVBVcs/s1600/SAM_2383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICMBt0JnI9I/ThHlZ6sqyuI/AAAAAAAABAA/NvsV1PVBVcs/s320/SAM_2383.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not wasting the breast pocket!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bu54eE0gKO4/ThHlaK4unII/AAAAAAAABAI/5ZbaAl3hOKE/s1600/SAM_2390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bu54eE0gKO4/ThHlaK4unII/AAAAAAAABAI/5ZbaAl3hOKE/s320/SAM_2390.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting buttons back on...it looks like tiny knitting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdgufGj0fr8/ThHlaqfi4BI/AAAAAAAABAQ/_P0wYcx8VEw/s1600/SAM_2394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdgufGj0fr8/ThHlaqfi4BI/AAAAAAAABAQ/_P0wYcx8VEw/s320/SAM_2394.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give it a little security with a button-up tab...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fqzcqYn-hVI/ThHqKiZPTPI/AAAAAAAABAg/XwvLWc9pL_o/s1600/SAM_2417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fqzcqYn-hVI/ThHqKiZPTPI/AAAAAAAABAg/XwvLWc9pL_o/s320/SAM_2417.JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Re-using the buttons and button placket for a little detail...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" separator"=""><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tJt_SFYmEH8/ThHqKIu-2bI/AAAAAAAABAY/o6EQrU5ngwo/s1600/SAM_2408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tJt_SFYmEH8/ThHqKIu-2bI/AAAAAAAABAY/o6EQrU5ngwo/s320/SAM_2408.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rouche up the handles....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZUAom0I7-Y/ThHqygYt2cI/AAAAAAAABAo/oWVv6wxDKi4/s1600/Petra_bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZUAom0I7-Y/ThHqygYt2cI/AAAAAAAABAo/oWVv6wxDKi4/s400/Petra_bag.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And voila - one Men's Shirt Bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Coming soon to the website! So if there's one of yer man's shirts you've had your eye on, stick a balaclava over your head and sneak into his wardrobe to half-inch it, nabbing a couple of ties while you're at it, and bob's yer uncle, a truly unique Men's Shirt Fortune-Teller Bag.<br />
<br />
These will be available as a product to buy on the website very soon, but you know you can just get in touch with us anyway, right?<br />
Here, at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/originalstitch">Facebook</a>...<br />
Here, at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/originalstitch">Twitter</a>...<br />
Here at the <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/contact-us.html">website</a>...<br />
and Here on the Blog!Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-22760339735219495712011-06-23T12:01:00.000-07:002011-06-24T05:06:41.111-07:00Top Tips on Shopping Eco 3: Don't Lose Them, or You Might Lose Out<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jlPXsnf6kWQ/TgNsSOkR5gI/AAAAAAAAA8g/Y9HzEyP9TMM/s1600/cowset-218x218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jlPXsnf6kWQ/TgNsSOkR5gI/AAAAAAAAA8g/Y9HzEyP9TMM/s1600/cowset-218x218.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ecoboodle.com/">Eco-friendly lunchbag!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>You know I like to share with you easy ways to shop in an ethical way, because it's a good thing to do. It's nice to the planet, and it's nice to people.<br />
<br />
If you are a dedicated ethical buyer, as I am, though, there is a downside. Each purchase has to be researched, considered, compared and then usually purchased online. I admit there are times it would be easier just to slip out to my local builder's merchant, or mega-supermarket, or large famous online retailer. You are lucky if you are able to nip down to your local high street to grab eco-friendly clothes pegs, some environmentally friendly furniture polish, or an eco solution for your child's lunchbag. Every time I have a purchasing need, I have to research the ethical options online for solutions.<br />
<br />
I admit it, I've had to change the way I shop a little, so I thought I'd share with you some of the ways I do this - I already spoke of online ethical 'magazines' in <a href="http://originalstitch.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-tips-on-shopping-eco-1-green-e.html">the post about Green e-Zines</a>, and how to decrease your environmental footprint by <a href="http://originalstitch.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-tips-on-shopping-eco-3-buy-british.html">buying British in this post</a>, and this will add yet another dimension to your ethical purchasing.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Like, follow?</b></span></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i-uMj5k9NyU/TgM68UEHYeI/AAAAAAAAA8I/Dm_e34OcSHo/s320/Picture+3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1823435268">One of my vices. Shoooooz. </a><a href="http://www.beyondskin.co.uk/">Click for more.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0NXx4wuInK0/TgNvZklQLAI/AAAAAAAAA8k/oH6kaRCiuKc/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>I always follow great companies whose eco credentials I think will come in handy. I may be fiercely resisting buying shoes, but want to know I have ethical shoe boutiques at my fingertips when that party invitation arrives. When you find a company you like, go and find them on Facebook and click on the Like button, or follow them on Twitter if you're a tweeter. They may also have a Blog - click on the Follow or RSS feed buttons on their blog so that you can keep in touch.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0NXx4wuInK0/TgNvZklQLAI/AAAAAAAAA8k/oH6kaRCiuKc/s400/Picture+10.png" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Swings-Pretty-Things/51936997328">Cheeky minx. Worked though!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Green businesses, like us, tend to use the social networking sites heavily to engage with their customers, because often they're not enormous corporates with massive advertising budgets. We try to get up close and personal (in a very loving sort of way, not in a smarmy space invading way. Well, maybe sometimes if you're very handsome or pretty....) so we're right there when you need us. Quite often this is where businesses are at their silliest, like when we asked for your help to name our visiting Grass Snake the other day. (Olwyn, she's called, by the way.) The laziest customers, like me, even use Facebook or Twitter pages to ask customer service questions or even better, ask for discounts...I did the other day, in a blatant and cheeky post on <a href="http://www.swingsandprettythings.com/">Swings and Pretty Things</a>' wall. She responded, I bought, she was happy, I'm happy. Everyone's happy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6US3vA4Akv0/TgM5KqvhCcI/AAAAAAAAA8A/-pE2wIaHECE/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="92" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6US3vA4Akv0/TgM5KqvhCcI/AAAAAAAAA8A/-pE2wIaHECE/s400/Picture+1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.b-organic.co.uk/">And the answer was, yes, she did! Click here for more</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>After tweeting generally for eczema products, this company responded to me; we got into a conversation and they came back to me with links to a product, and even told me about a discount code I could use. She wanted the sale, I wanted the product and I wanted it there and then! Job done.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Sign Up</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1823435332" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SJY_KKoK_GM/TgNoJ4yqVrI/AAAAAAAAA8c/fU7U17B7zE8/s320/Picture+9.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.naturalcollection.com/">Pass the Pimms darling</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span> <br />
I'm an instant signer-upper. I don't feel I'm powerlessly bamboozled by newsletters - companies are governed by very strict laws and guidelines when it comes to sending you email newsletters, and most, like us, just want to alert you to new launches, new products, sales, freebies, competitions and other things we're up to. Sure, I get quite a few every day but I have them going to an email account which is not my work one. I scan them vaguely every day, and that way, if I'm sitting thinking about a garden party I'm planning for the summer (yes, summer - that sunny shiny thing we sometimes get in June, remember?) and I happen to open a newsletter from the Natural Collection which says this in the title "Let's go Al Fresco! Outdoor Dining at its Finest", then I'm going to give it a look. Honestly, I don't look at every email, but they're already self-selected - I signed up for them, chances are one day they may have the thing I happen to be after. And if my need was very fleeting - new pond lining specialists for example, and I'm not really interested any more, I can always unsubscribe. Unless the newts eat the old lining, in which case I'd be really peeved I deleted it, darn it and fig.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">See it, wish it.</b> </span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XC_-Ep_l77A/TgNhG3pPE8I/AAAAAAAAA8M/tBZP2Pd_3rY/s1600/Picture+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XC_-Ep_l77A/TgNhG3pPE8I/AAAAAAAAA8M/tBZP2Pd_3rY/s200/Picture+5.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting on my toolbar. Little temptress.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am fully prepared for the onslaught of gasps and controversy I might now meet for consorting with big corporates; but I'm telling you, when the things you seek are not immediately to hand in your local supermarket, this - the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/wishlist/get-button/ref=cm_wl_uwl_landing_btn">Amazon Universal Wish List</a> button is a very useful thing! You drag a little button up onto your toolbar, where it lives, waiting for you to press it whenever you see anything, anywhere, <i>on any website</i> that you like. I'm guessing most of you have an account at Amazon, and you might even already have your wishlist set up there. But did you know that you can add to your wishlist from ANY website? For eco buyers this is great - if I stumble upon a product I like, I wish it. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3q6QZF4HVh4/TgNhWoQ6sCI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/FYYgB4Io1y4/s1600/Picture+6.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3q6QZF4HVh4/TgNhWoQ6sCI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/FYYgB4Io1y4/s1600/Picture+6.png" /></a>It's a good tool for specialist buying. And if you have persons in your life who are a little bit net savvy, you can of course leave it lying open, accidentally, or share it with them.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3q6QZF4HVh4/TgNhWoQ6sCI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/FYYgB4Io1y4/s1600/Picture+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>I wish!<br />
(Let's put it this way - I actually ended up buying all my Christmas Wishlisted stuff, with all the Folksy gorgeousness I'd drooled over, myself. With my eyes closed - he was trying to hide the pictures with his hand whilst I typed in usernames and passwords and navigated round sites.<br />
No, he's not 80.<br />
Anyhoo....)<br />
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<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pin it</span></b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwo2DPd5EUA/TgNlFvyK-cI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/JqTqL4Zzb-4/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwo2DPd5EUA/TgNlFvyK-cI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/JqTqL4Zzb-4/s320/Picture+8.png" width="320" /></a></div>Of course, if you want a place that's a bit more public to list the things you love, then there is <a href="http://pinterest.com/originalstitch/stitchinspiration/">Pinterest</a>. If you haven't come across this yet, it's like a mood board, or inspiration board - again, with a handy little button you install on your toolbar - see? Every time you see something you like, you click on the little Pin It button, and it asks you which of the images you can see on that page you want to pin on your board. It's another sharing site too - other people can come and drool on your board, you can re-pin other people's pins, and you can have lots of boards, covering all your desires, fetishes, needs and wants. So, next time you see a product you love, pin it! Not only can you drop big hints with friends, but it's a handy reminder too. And again - for specialist, niche or non-high street stuff, what a great way to keep a record. If a little tempting...!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LACJ2ec8ljE/TgNjm8cceuI/AAAAAAAAA8U/AzMfQBb5h5g/s1600/Picture+7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LACJ2ec8ljE/TgNjm8cceuI/AAAAAAAAA8U/AzMfQBb5h5g/s200/Picture+7.png" width="200" /></a></div>So next time you're browsing at OriginalStitch, but not quite ready to buy, don't just sit stand there twiddling yer thumbs! Pin us! Wishlist us! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/originalstitch">Like</a> us! <a href="http://www.twitter.com/originalstitch">Follow</a> us! <br />
Oops, I seem to have become a little self-serving there [grins evilly], but in all seriosityness, if you find a good green company, you may not easily find them next week. Having massive, enormous standout and instant brand-name recognition in a crowded internet market is not easy for small green businesses, so grab their details while you can, then they'll be there when you need them, you follow me?!Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-28985222542610402272011-06-21T06:02:00.000-07:002011-07-14T01:53:37.409-07:00Life's Just Better With Jam<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QgggyVQaz-o/TgCIaxaO0dI/AAAAAAAAA68/ErFhMUEyzgQ/s1600/OriginalStitch_blog_feet_bathmat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QgggyVQaz-o/TgCIaxaO0dI/AAAAAAAAA68/ErFhMUEyzgQ/s400/OriginalStitch_blog_feet_bathmat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, it's taken me so long, their feet no longer fit. Ahem.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We discover, Dormouse Moneybags and me, that all of a sudden a half-term or an Easter or a Christmas holidays is slap bang sitting right on top of us. Wham! Just like that. We're all, what the, how the, where the heck did the time go? Are our children <i>ever </i>in school?<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WErc3p7py1g/TgCLlnwbnKI/AAAAAAAAA7M/U5WQard930M/s1600/OriginalStitch_bathmat_feet_closeup_transparent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WErc3p7py1g/TgCLlnwbnKI/AAAAAAAAA7M/U5WQard930M/s200/OriginalStitch_bathmat_feet_closeup_transparent.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like how it looks as if they've signed their feet...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
And in those weeks of course there's little point trying to do anything involving the following high falutin' thinky activities - <i>planning, strategy, website editing, product design, image editing</i>.<br />
You know, just the stuff in our jobs. No way. Forget it. And certainly not making products for our lovely (we're curtsying right now, curtsying) customers, who deserve only the highest quality products we can muster.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nh3TsDA2IU/TgCLley2-aI/AAAAAAAAA7E/0_WpcznoS4A/s1600/OriginalStitch_bathmat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nh3TsDA2IU/TgCLley2-aI/AAAAAAAAA7E/0_WpcznoS4A/s320/OriginalStitch_bathmat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add one gorgeous bright red giant bathmat! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>But we're addicted to sewing, so we do both attack little projects for our own home, since it doesn't remotely matter if we cock those up. Yes, I like to make a right old scruffbag of a thing for my gaff. I don't care about loose threads, scruffy edges, double-stitching, linings, neat hems, market trends, on-trend colourways or nuffink. No, I just grab some scraps, cut 'em up, hoop up, throw a sausage at the kids, stitch something to something else, lob some squash at the kids, stitch some more bits to some other bits, cut, snip, stitch, say "Yeeees!" to whatever thing they've just asked for (crisps was it? Tequila? Tree-climbing? Fire-starting? No idea, just can't stop in the middle of machine-embroidery), stitch a bit more, pinking shear some edges, bob's your uncle and here's a bowl of ice-cream with chocolate sauce and yes, of course, help yourself to too much telly.<br />
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Enter me for Mother of the Year Award, you say? Oh yes please, do, do.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBxb6rA6JvE/TgCO0nrxZ7I/AAAAAAAAA7U/Me-UeUnUeSU/s1600/OriginalStitch_picnic_mat_phrases.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBxb6rA6JvE/TgCO0nrxZ7I/AAAAAAAAA7U/Me-UeUnUeSU/s320/OriginalStitch_picnic_mat_phrases.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Machine-embroidered scraps for a picnic blanket</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Anyway, so here are the things I'd been meaning to make for donkeys' years, and scruffy though they are, I'm glad I've done them. They are the very things I love - they inject creativity into the fabric of this house. They are there to please no-one but me (and if they please other people, hooorah!); they are spontaneous; vintage; sustainable; re-used; and best of all, <i>being</i> used, so I get to have a little cock-eyed smile at them each time I see them. Slightly smug. You know that smile.<br />
I must tell you that the bathmat idea is not mine, no - I saw it in passing at a nice blog once, and always meant to do it. You can find a smashing <a href="http://montessoribyhand.blogspot.com/2007/11/recycled-bath-mat-tutorial.html">tute for it here</a> if you're not confident about tackling it freestyleeee.... <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">The picnic blanket idea has been germinating for a while in my bonce.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2MQ4nboMXzM/TgCPybn2ERI/AAAAAAAAA78/FJeKWcWdurA/s1600/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_guacamole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2MQ4nboMXzM/TgCPybn2ERI/AAAAAAAAA78/FJeKWcWdurA/s320/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_guacamole.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are all machine-embroidered squares with daft phrases on them, like our <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html">Piece & Jam Collection</a>. Ok, it's going to take me a while, but once I've done 12 or so, I'll throw them together with some other squares to make a picnic blanket - whack an old shower curtain on the back and hey presto, all ready for an English picnic, for which waterproofing is always advisable. A load of foody phrases, coz life is just better with Jam.</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RNij12H7ulY/TgCO1iGO2UI/AAAAAAAAA70/t89Chml7Tk4/s1600/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_doughnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RNij12H7ulY/TgCO1iGO2UI/AAAAAAAAA70/t89Chml7Tk4/s320/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_doughnuts.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Whose voice can you hear now? Yep. That's right. Homer Simpson.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PsQz2u2pqkA/TgCO1a-mtHI/AAAAAAAAA7s/H-Y86o6witU/s1600/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_csalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PsQz2u2pqkA/TgCO1a-mtHI/AAAAAAAAA7s/H-Y86o6witU/s320/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_csalad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JLN0pJbBM7I/TgCO0wadReI/AAAAAAAAA7c/-PnS0aa3Qa8/s1600/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_biscuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JLN0pJbBM7I/TgCO0wadReI/AAAAAAAAA7c/-PnS0aa3Qa8/s320/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_biscuit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes, that is Eddie Izzard, most beloved of this Isle. There'll be a few more of his by the time this picnic has finished. Cake or death?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dQBpespZ8Uw/TgCO1NzieVI/AAAAAAAAA7k/bAv_SnONLLo/s1600/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dQBpespZ8Uw/TgCO1NzieVI/AAAAAAAAA7k/bAv_SnONLLo/s320/OriginalStitch_picnicmat_chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So, now then - I'd like to know any of the following in your comments please...either here or on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/originalstitch">Facebook</a> page....<br />
<br />
a) What did you make in the holidays, and on a scale of 1-10, how scruffy was it?<br />
b) What were your most shameful hands-off childcare tactics? Share. Seriously - I need some tips!<br />
c) More Eddie Izzard phrases for the picnic blanket please. And by the way, these are for everyone - please make a picnic blanket using them! Could you pass me the idioms please. Thank you.Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-81202858227461909922011-06-06T04:42:00.000-07:002011-06-06T04:48:01.800-07:00Grubby Buggy Revamp Sewing Pattern!Hoorahhhh! Well, that'll teach us to make silly bets with ourselves. And publish them. A couple of weeks ago I said this outlandish thing on the OriginalStitch Facebook page<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jcwwci82RoE/TeyxxpH8vgI/AAAAAAAAA5s/25RrmRzEfjY/s1600/Picture%2B28.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jcwwci82RoE/TeyxxpH8vgI/AAAAAAAAA5s/25RrmRzEfjY/s320/Picture%2B28.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Well. The web goblins' famous techno spider-bot crawled across it in their evil cyberspacian way and thought to teach me a lesson - unleashing some lovely webby glitches on my Powers of Uploading and Launching A Product. So instead of taking my planned one and a half hours to achieve, it took more like one and a half weeks. Ahem.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www2.blogger.com/goog_395005369" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TOou_O50E7k/Tey7tk91adI/AAAAAAAAA6U/KKwMEszDRDU/s320/Buggyseat_doubles_cutout.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=361&category_id=31">Two kids? Two buggy seats!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Anyhoo, you'll all be delighted to know it is now available!<br />
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There's a nice little history behind this being our next launch. We ran a lovely <a href="http://www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/news/2011/03/30/original-stitch-competition/">competition</a> with the super duper (big cheer please) <a href="http://www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/">The Sewing Directory</a>, to get the sewists and stitchers out there to help us decide which of our products we should launch the Sewing Pattern for next. The winning product was the <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/buggy-seat.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=221&category_id=11">Buggy Seat</a>, and the winner picked out of a hat was <a href="http://www.holdingmummyshand.blogspot.com/">Anna West</a>, who received a ready-made version made by none other than me me me lil' ole me, and the sewing pattern itself, which will shortly be winging its way to her.<br />
She sent us a lovely Tweet to say...<br />
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<div style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>"The buggy seat arrived safely yesterday; my daughter loves it! She can't believe it's reversible, all her dollies are taking turns in it!"</b></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www2.blogger.com/goog_395005364" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LR2slQptHQY/Tey7skNOnGI/AAAAAAAAA58/VjDS5mBptww/s200/Buggyseat_fig3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=361&category_id=31">Lovely full-colour sketches</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Aww, we like it when you feel the OriginalStitch luuuuurve. And, just to help everyone feeled all loved and special, we also included a 25% discount for Sewing Directory users so they could buy this and any other patterns they like from our selection.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www2.blogger.com/goog_395005359" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Jmm8_4tpNw/Tey7s7A6XbI/AAAAAAAAA6E/BMZ4xxAoO9s/s200/Picture%2B21.png" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=361&category_id=31">No wordy cutting lists here!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>For your discount, just head on over to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheSewingDirectory">The Sewing Directory's Facebook page</a> where you should find a status update, or have a read of the lovely <a href="http://www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/original-stitch/">interview</a> they did with us. You'll find details of the discount there. If you do use the discount, don't forget to make sure you've Liked their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheSewingDirectory">page on Facebook</a>, or that you follow on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/sewingdirectory">Twitter</a>! Go and say hi, and make sure you bookmark the <a href="http://www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/">website</a>. It's a wealth of information on sewing courses, supplies, and articles. Plus it has fantastic competitions like the one we did with them, every week (I've been a loyal follower for yonks, and I have to tell you, I've won quite a few prizes!)<br />
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Anyway, we hope you enjoy the <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/originalstitch-sewing-patterns.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=361&category_id=31">Buggy Seat Sewing Pattern</a> - like all our Sewing Patterns, it's packed full of easy-to-follow instructions, with a pictorial list of the pieces you'll need (we like to steer clear of wordy cutting lists), and lots of lovely little sketches to help you make the Buggy Seat without confusion. This is a super pattern; to quote our stitcher Jennie - this is great for 'pimping up your kid's ride'! Plus, what a fab idea for a gift, eh?! If We Do Say So Ourselves. Seriously, I mean, EVERYONE's got one of those grubby old buggies lying about!<br />
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Ooh, and why not come and join the <a href="http://www.originalstitch.ning.com/">OriginalStitch Cafe?</a> That way if you do get stuck, you can just shout, and someone will be right along to help you get your wrong sides on the right side.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.originalstitch.ning.com/"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aS5SM8bJlw0/Tey7rxChMqI/AAAAAAAAA50/pflH_gI8NXs/s320/Cafe_picture.png" width="320" /></a></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-40516613070270169612011-05-26T06:15:00.000-07:002011-05-26T06:23:26.819-07:0010 No-Messin’ Rules for an Efficient Laundry Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9gDB5VXxsS0/Td5QNoHEzgI/AAAAAAAAA5c/mNQP8Jw73xE/s1600/SAM_1748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9gDB5VXxsS0/Td5QNoHEzgI/AAAAAAAAA5c/mNQP8Jw73xE/s320/SAM_1748.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mama of All Bung-It-In-Bags</td></tr>
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</div><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">You think I'm kidding don't you? I'm so NOT kidding. </span><span style="font-size: small;">I've only gone and written a perrrrrroper, nice and domesticated blog post! </span><span style="font-size: small;">This will knock your socks off. Just make sure you pick 'em up and clean 'em after.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #073763; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">My Hardcore, No-Messin’ 10 Rules for an Efficient Laundry Day</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our new Piece & Jam Collection takes iconic shapes and phrases and turns them into mini-artworks on every day stuff. Sound a bit arty farty? It's not really - this approach to our products comes from trying to make the paraphernalia of housewifery fun, not just functional.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am not known for my enjoyment of washing chores (I'm a very shoddy Domestic Operating Officer), but that’s exactly why I need it to be an efficient and time-saving operation. I would rather be sewing, you see?! So here it is:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">1)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>Count your pegs</b>. Have I gone mad? Seriously – count your pegs, and check out how much hanging space you’ve got. We’ll come back to the pegs and line in a minute...</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">2)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>Sort your laundry bins</b>. <i>Don’t</i> have huge ones. But do have a few, because you’re going to sort clothes the moment you get naked, my friends. Establish the following laundry baskets:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">a.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>one for white undergarments </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">b.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>one for dark undergarments</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">c.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>one for workshirts </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">d.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>one for dark clothes </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">e.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>one for light clothes </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">f.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>I tend to shove all the kids’ clothes in one or two bins divided into lights/brights </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">g.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>I have one for woollens and silks etc (which, ahem, never really get washed.) Anyway – you get the drift, yes?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Try to plan your Laundry Baskets so they relate to where you put things away – so if you have all the kids' tops and t-shirts in one chest of drawers, have a laundry basket for that category. All the husbands’ pants and socks in one chest of drawers? A laundry basket for that category. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Pyjama drawer? Pyjama laundry basket. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">3)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>DON’T move your laundry baskets</b> from their allotted positions, on pain of death! They live there to catch yer smelly smalls – let your Laundry Bags do the moving jobs.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1300338193" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SAF7kRMeROo/Td5QNdK0VlI/AAAAAAAAA5U/4ii0xJX-uVU/s320/IMG_7889.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=281&category_id=61&keyword=laundry+bag">Disobey the Receptacle Rule at Your Peril</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">4)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>Start thinking in ‘loads’ and ‘receptacles’</b>. Have SMALL receptacles such as laundry bags to take your stuff from laundry basket to washing machine. We designed our <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=281&category_id=61">Laundry Bags</a> in two sizes – half and full load! <i>Don’t overload</i>! Too much and you’ll end up with ditched knickers on the floor. Moreover<b><i> </i></b>you’ll have too many clothes to hang on the line <b><i>and</i></b> not enough pegs to hang them with! Ah, do you see? Told you it would make sense.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">5)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>Obey the Receptacle Rule: Always have Only One Load Per Receptacle, and Always One Receptacle Per Load!</b> The laundry bag is like a faithful bodyguard – it stays with its load at all times. Leave the bag by the machine (a line of rustic hooks on the wall by the machine is perfect for hanging bags on), and there it is – ready to decant your shiny smalls into when done. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">6)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>The Load fits the Line!</b> Now your perfectly size-defined load of washing will magically fit the number of pegs in your lovely <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=291&category_id=61">Peg Bag</a>, and the amount of space on your line.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1300338188" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J4qSO_PKa3U/Td5QNJhTHeI/AAAAAAAAA5M/RIIhiWJkjQ0/s320/Peg_bag_sq.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=291&category_id=61&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=331">Peg Bags like art. Bring it, they say.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">7)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>When dry – fold as you take down.</b> And this is where that tip about matching your laundry baskets to where things live helps – on a good day, I fold all the items from the line onto a chair, then carry up and put them all away in just ONE place, not 18! No stray teatowels, no odd socks, no belligerent towels creeping in. And the trusty Laundry Bag gets put back upstairs, ready for its next lovely filthy occupants.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">8)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>One in the Machine, One on the Line, One to Put Away. </b>Have a Maximum of 3 rule! A cheeky queue of Laundry Bags next to the washing machine isn’t so bad, if you have a utility room that can accommodate such guests, but get upstairs and put the clean and dry ones away first, you slattern you.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">9)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>Have a Washing Calendar.</b> If you’re really efficient, you can even do a calendar, for all your categories, including towels and sheets (for which bulky monsters our beefy <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=os.tpl&product_id=271&category_id=61">Bung-It-In Bag</a> is designed). Not forgetting of course, Sunday Evening at 9.30pm – School Uniforms. Ahem...</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">10)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b>Be green in your washing choices</b> - if you prefer a stiffer alternative to Laundry Bags, you could try sourcing a fairtrade jute basket, or look for a recycled plastic basket like the ones in Folksy store <a href="http://www.folksy.com/shops/MerjasCrochetRecycle">Merja’s Crochet Recycle</a>. For other washday products, try <a href="http://www.nigelsecostore.com/">Nigel’s Eco Store</a>; for some cool British-made and green pegs, you could give these <a href="http://www.green-tree.biz/epages/es121176.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es121176_es124588086412/Products/%22Recycled%20Clothes%20Pegs%22">recycled clothes pegs</a> from <a href="http://www.green-tree.biz/epages/es121176.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es121176_es124588086412/Categories">GreenTree</a> a try and if you really want to have some fun – make your own cleaning products – that’s what I do. For all the ingredients to make them, try <a href="http://www.summernaturals.co.uk/">Summer Naturals</a>, and give this smashing little book a try – <a href="http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/angela+martin/natural+stain+remover/3299227/">Natural Stain Removers</a>, by Angela Martin.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ooh, you'll be mean, green cleaning machines in no time!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20043931.post-40473106449801724442011-05-16T05:57:00.000-07:002011-05-16T05:57:58.554-07:00Come Press Us!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yudu.com/item/details/333226/OriginalStitch-2011-Spring-and-Summer-Press-Release?refid=65006" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Click to view the full digital publication online" height="200" src="http://content.yudu.com/LibraryThumbnails/item_thumbnail/33/3226/9a71063e8/thumb/page1.jpg" style="border: 0pt none;" target="_blank" width="140" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yudu.com/item/details/333226/OriginalStitch-2011-Spring-and-Summer-Press-Release?refid=65006">The OriginalStitch 2011 Spring and Summer Press Release</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Thanks to the lovely <a href="http://www.sevencolourmedia.co.uk/">Seven Colour Media</a>, who work with boutique (yes, I think we like the term boutique, no?) businesses to offer great bite-sized PR packages, we are working very hard to get our delicious new <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/piece-a-jam-collection.html">Piece & Jam</a> and <a href="http://originalstitch.co.uk/collections/the-stratford-collection.html">Stratford</a> Collections out there into happy homes in the nice big wide world...<br />
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But before you click, ooh, ooh, turn the sound up - it's another YuDu document! I do so love the YuDu flippy flappy page-turny noises!<br />
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And yes, I think you'll find that is the technical term, m'kay?<br />
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<a href="http://www.yudu.com/item/details/333226/OriginalStitch-2011-Spring-and-Summer-Press-Release?refid=65006"><br />
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</a>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02422541501117799662noreply@blogger.com0