Birthday Lanyards!

Hello!👋

Hope you have been keeping well!

I finished two unplanned sewing projects this week! 👀

I knew my daughter wanted to wear the Elsa inspired dress again that I made her sometime last year for a school event. I also knew that she was going to be cold in the venue without a jacket on and just the dress.

I had been thinking of making her a cropped fleece cardigan but I had no pattern to accommodate the fabric and I didn’t want to waste time searching for a pattern or trying to draft my own.

So I used a pattern I had used before and which is easily hacked, the Storybook Cape from Waves and Wild!

Instead of lining it as per pattern instructions, I cut one layer of fleece and bound the edges with bias binding.

The plan was to sew the binding to the right side, turn it over to the wrong side and sew it down.

So I got started and by the time I decided to really look at what I was doing, I had sewn the binding to the wrong side! 🤦🏼‍♀️

Since I sewed it to half the perimeter of the wrong side and I didn’t want to unpick it, I decided to just keep going and see what I could come up with. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I remembered I had used some silver ricrac on the Elsa dress and I decided to pull it out of my stash again for the capes.

I flipped the binding over to the right side enclosing the raw edges and placed some clips to hold it in place. Then I placed the silver ricrac over the binding on the right side and sewed them down together.

I really like the end result, I feel the cream binding gives it a more delicate touch and the silver ricrac just brings the sparkle to it! 

It looks much better than the original idea I had in my head, so I say everything happens for a reason!

I have now made a total of 4 items from this pattern, and 3 of them were hacked! It is a really good pattern to put some final touches to any outfit, especially for dress up, because it not only comes in 4 lengths and 4 necklines, it comes in sizes Age 1 all the way to Adult XL!

I have thought about making it in a waterproof fabric and a wool version, both for me. 🤭

It would accommodate my really big knit sweaters easily because, currently, I don’t have a jacket where my arms can fit into when I wear them.

These are a couple of projects that are on my sewing list that I may only get to in about 2 years! 😂

The other sewing I got finished this week are the lanyards for my daughter’s birthday party, all 24 of them and I ended up not making the extra ones from a unicorn fabric.

As I mentioned last week, I wanted to give a little something to my daughter’s friends before going home and I wanted it to be as plastic free as possible.

I decided on just the lanyards and some sweets.

I punched some holes to the top of the sweet bags and hooked 2 bags onto each lanyard. (Can you believe I forgot to take a photo? 😑)

A friend told me that party bags are a thing in the UK because the birthday cake is never eaten at the party itself. So the bags to take home are to put a slice of cake in and you take it home to eat.

Whether this is the reason for its origin or not, we will be eating the birthday cake at our party with all the guests. Eating cake at the party seems to be a European custom after talking to many parents from different backgrounds.

I still  thought it would be nice for the kids to take a little something home with them.

And as far as it appeared, they loved having something to put around their neck with some bonus sweets on! 😃

All is all, the party was a success with a total of 22 children coming to celebrate the day with my daughter! 🥰

My Roma Necessaire bag pattern has been with the testers for a week now, and I have been receiving lots of feedback on how to improve bits and pieces in the instructions.

It doesn’t matter how many times you go through your instructions, there are always things that you miss but that others will pick up on.

This is why I find the testing phase such an important part of the process!

As this is going on, I made a new quilted squares panel to take better photographs to substitute some of the ones that needed improvements.

I LOVE THIS ONE! 😍

All these fabrics were taken from the scraps bag that was given to me by a subscriber and they look gorgeous together!

This colour combination has also allowed for better photos since that fabric is lighter than the original fabric in the photos and simply because it is more visually appealing.

I don’t think I will work more on this panel next week since I have updated all the photos that I needed to in the written instructions, I think I will spend more time on the Palma Pouch that I want to get out to you soon!

My beaded sweater has finally been blocked now! 🎉

But with my father-in-law over, birthday party preparation and a few days out the house has made it difficult to get some photos of me in it. 

I will definitely get some photos taken next week though when life has quietened down a bit again.

My Ellie Sweater test knit did not make the deadline! 😩

I did get both sleeves finished, most of the ends woven in and made a start on the neckband, but unfortunately I had no more time to get it all finished.

I did contact the designer who kindly extended the deadline by a week, and that will give me enough time to finish the last bits.

I am going to make a rolled neckband, the same as the sleeves, so I need to knit a few extra rows to be able to fold the neckband back.

All this speed knitting lately has been a bit much for me, so I want to take the next knitting project slowly.

My partner has asked me to make him a sweater now. 😂

I don’t want this to end up being like the jacket where I take years to finish it, but I am also not going to make it my next project. 😂

The next one needs to be something smaller which doesn’t take more than 2-3 weeks to finish.

Maybe a vest, maybe a pair of socks, I don’t know yet.

I bought new yarn to make a chunky sweater!

We went to ALDI to get a couple of things and I happened to walk past a LOOOT of yarn!

I feel I have been very good lately in using more yarn from my stash that I even see gaps in my cupboard, so I thought a planned project purchase was deserved.

I quickly checked on my phone for yarn requirements for a pattern from karas.knit.eng that I got a while back. It needs 700 grams of yarn which meant I needed to get 14 balls of the yarn from ALDI.

I chose the Pistachio coloured yarn which was my favourite from all the colours there, so this project will happen sometime soon.

😎Confidence Corner:

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. - Charles Spurgeon

It’s easy to think that happiness comes from having more… More money, more things, more success. But true happiness isn’t about how much we have. It’s about how much we enjoy and appreciate what we already have.

When we pause to notice the small joys like a sunny morning, a kind word, or time spent with loved ones, we start to see that happiness is less about quantity and more about quality. It’s the mindset of gratitude and contentment that turns ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.

So, instead of focusing on what’s missing, take a moment to appreciate what’s already in your life. Happiness often grows when we choose to enjoy the little things.

🧵This Week's Tip:

What is Scuba Fabric and What Can You Use It For?

Scuba fabric is a double-knit material made from polyester and spandex. It is structured, with a smooth, slightly spongy texture. It takes inspiration from neoprene, however, scuba fabric is lighter and better suited for everyday wear.

Do keep in mind that scuba fabric is not very breathable, so it’s best suited for projects where airflow isn’t a primary concern.

Why Sew with Scuba?

• Stretchy and durable - Great for fitted or activewear.
• Wrinkle-free -  No ironing needed!
• It holds its shape - Ideal for structured garments and accessories.
• Opaque - Great for garments without worrying about transparency.

What Can You Make with Scuba Fabric?

• Clothing: Dresses, skirts, jackets, athleisure wear.
• Accessories: Bags, pouches.
• Costumes: Perfect for cosplay or dramatic silhouettes.
• Decor: Sleek cushion covers or modern panels.

Sewing Tips for Scuba Fabric:

• Use a stretch or ballpoint needle to prevent skipped stitches.
• Choose a stretch stitch or narrow zigzag for seams.
• The fabric doesn’t fray, so raw-edge hems are a good option!
• Be cautious when ironing, it is better to use low heat.

⭐My Favourite Things This Week:

• I nearly finished my Ellie Sweater test knit!
• My eldest’s 6th birthday!
• Finally blocking my beaded sweater.
• A little yarn purchase. 🧶

🗓️Upcoming Plans

• Finish knitting the Ellie Sweater test knit. 🤞
• Work on the details of my second bag pattern - Palma Pouch.
• Make one quilt block 🤔

🎉Upcoming Events

23rd of February 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 10:45h - 16:15h
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND014
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond014/

More 2025 Dates!

22nd of March 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event
26th of April 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event

Thank you so much for reading it! And if you enjoyed it, please tell a friend about it to allow me to reach more people. 🥰

Bye for now,
B! xx