Is it really going to happen this year?
Bianca SilvaHello from the other side!
I hope you had a fantastic end of year with your loved ones and you entered 2026 smiling!
I slept through midnight. 😂
But woke up with a ton of bangs going off outside at 00:04!
Things have been slow around here and we are enjoying time as a family.
I went to London for a few days last week to meet my mom, sister and nephew and I was told to come with an empty bag.
And I returned with 2 full bags! I had to borrow one of my sister’s.
My sister was clearing out her cupboards of clothes that no longer fit her and she wanted to show me first before giving them to someone else.
Some of the clothes were ones I used to wear in my younger days but then no longer fit after I had my kids.
They have come full circle because I now fit in them again! 🎉
I have around 20 new items of clothing that include dresses, jumpsuits, tops, leggings and a jacket!
Now I need to organise my wardrobe and see what no longer fits to make space for these new items.
Half the items are black which is a colour I don’t normally wear, but I can definitely brighten them up with my jumpers!
On the other hand, I left some of my hair there! 😂
It had played on my mind for a while and when I get something in my head, I won’t rest until I see it through.
Like one day I dreamt I cut my hair which was at my lower back to just below my ears, so the next day I just went and did it.
This was another one of those scenarios.
After my sister coloured my hair, that’s when I asked her to just shave some off but she wouldn’t take off more because she said she worked too hard on it for me to just shave it all off. She will shave some off more next time she said.
One thing I didn’t anticipate is how cold my neck gets now it’s bare. On the plus side, I think I have found my birth mark. There is a big red mark where it’s shaved and it’s been there for a week, so it can’t be from the shaver.
A quick update on the Sewn at Midnight Gala
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Voting will happen during the gala, so everyone gets to be part of choosing the winners.
Join the waitlist here
Stitches of the Week
Leap Year Socks - Summer Lee
These kept me company on my journey to and from London. I can’t remember how I felt the last time I knit socks, but I am really enjoying these ones.
It’s not just knit stitches for the main part of the sock like my previous pair, so it’s keeping it interesting, engaging.
My last pair feel quite loose on my feet, so for this one I decided to go a size down, from an L to an M.
I also feel like the leg part on my previous pair were too long, so I am making this one just over an inch shorter.
I’ve done the heel flap and turn, now I’m working on the gusset. I can say about a third of the sock is done.
I love this Pistachio green together with the bright pink, I am excited to get them on my feet!
Yarn: Yarnsmiths Merino Sock in Pistachio gifted by Wool Warehouse and Drops Fabel
Size: M
Needle Size: 2mm and 2.5mm
The Win: Loving the colour combo!
The Quilting Book - Building Blocks Sampler
I’ve been wanting to make a quilt for a few years now, and at the beginning of every year I say “This is the year it’s going to happen”. But it never has.
So I got my hands on The Quilting Book and there is a quilt I would very much like to make.
I spent a few hours this week checking my scraps stash for colours and I think I have settled on my colours.
I’m still on the fence about the neutral fabric, but for now it’s going to be cream with a white ditsy design.
The quilt is a crib size (99x114cm) which I think we can use as like lap quilts on the sofa. I will see how it looks when all the blocks are sewn together and if I want to make it bigger, I can always just add more blocks to it.
I like this pattern because it involves quite a few techniques like traditional piecing, foundation paper piecing (FPP), English paper piecing (EPP) and applique.
I’m not going to rush this project, I think I may keep this one as something I do in between other projects because I am itching to make garments. I haven’t sewn one since the beginning of December! 😱
Fabric: Cottons
The Drama: There are a lot of techniques involved in this project!
The Win: I’ve never gotten this far in the planning process of a quilt! 😀
Size: Crib size - 99x114 cm / 39x45 inches
Skill Builder of the Week
Why does my thread keep snapping on my sewing machine?
Threads break for different reasons so you will usually have to try more than one thing to figure it out.
The most common causes are not having the correct tension, using old or poor quality thread, or using the wrong or damaged needle.
Keep this checklist in mind when trying to figure out what the problem is:
- Rethread your machine first with the presser foot up.
- Change the needle, it could be bent or dull.
- Check that you are using a suitable needle for your fabric.
- Lower the upper thread tension slightly
- Use new, good quality thread. Old thread has probably weakened over time.
- Check that the thread is coming off the spool smoothly. (This is my most common cause for snapping on my machine.)
- Clean under your needle plate, there may be accumulated lint.
- Sew slowly especially over thick seams.
Fixing one of these will normally stop your threads from snapping, if not, there may be underlying issues that need repairing.
Maker Spotlight
This week’s spotlight goes to @elleandthestitches!
Elle looks gorgeous in this Gunnar Deatherage Persephone Dress!😍
It’s a pattern she returns to time and time again that looks beautiful in all different types of fabrics.
She even made a matching little jacket!
This time round, Elle used the Core Stretch Velvet from Minerva in this stunning green tone to make her dress.
Want to be featured in my newsletter? Just reply with a pic of your make and a little about it, I’d love to see what you’ve made!😍
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