Juggling A Bit of Everything

Hello!👋

Hope you have been keeping well!

How many works in progress do you currently have on the go?😅

When I went to Portugal in early February this year, I wanted to take a knitting project with me. Unfortunately, the project I was working on, a sweater, was too big to take with me in my backpack, so I decided to start something new.

That is when I started the Belle Vest by RitaMadeThis in a black colourway.

I needed a black vest in my wardrobe, and because I wear my pale yellow Belle Vest all the time, I thought it would be a good idea to make another.

I really only need to finish a few rows of the front bodice and then the ribbing for the neck and armholes!🥳

And I have felt that this is exactly what has been missing in my closet, since I think about reaching for it all the time…and it’s not there yet.🫤

In the meantime, I was accepted for a test knit in which I was selected for, and this is why the vest has taken me ages to finish.

So, I have finally managed to finish this test knit project now, which has taken me about 6 weeks! 🥳

I still have to block it though, so that will still take another couple of days before it will be ready to wear.

It is the Corinthian Sweater, which is currently in the testing phase, that is designed by Crochet.By.Alau on Instagram, so it is not yet available to purchase, just in case you were wondering.

This delicious colour purple just reminds me of Cadbury’s chocolate and I can’t wait to actually have this sweater blocked and ready to wear!😍

⭐Last Week, Today!

I decided to make another sample dress for my upcoming sewing workshop Make A Dress In A Day.

I wanted to use a lighter colour fabric to give it a much more summery vibe than the navy coloured one I made.

I am using this summery print cotton poplin I got in a subscription box quite a while ago.

I thought it was a good idea for you to see how it will look in a different colour/print fabric, and besides that, I need a couple more summer dresses in my wardrobe in preparation for our British summer.🤞

Let me know what are your go to pieces in your wardrobe for the warmer season.🤔

As part of my brand ambassadorship with UK Fabrics Online, for this month's project, I wanted to upholster something, and so I did!

So a little back story:

When we moved into our house in 2015, the previous owners left some furniture. To keep our costs low we continued to use some of this furniture as it still had plenty of wear. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, it was finally time to replace it. ⏲️

As we were dismantling it, we discovered the base had 4 mdf boards and I wanted to make use of them.

So I have kept all of them with the hopes of using them somehow.

One has now been upholstered in a gorgeous plush velvet fabric. Maybe not the neatest of works, but for my first upholstery project, I am pretty pleased! 🤗

The purpose of this board is to use as a backdrop for photos, so let's see how I make it work!

Other exciting news I have to share with you…

We are turning our spare bedroom into a full blown studio for me!😲🤗

On Friday we managed to clear the whole room out, except for the unit that stored all my fabrics which appears in most of my videos.

We also bought the paint (4 different colours🫣)because I don’t want to hold back.🤭

I want my room to be a full blown creative space where I feel inspired as soon as I walk in.

My partner on the other hand isn’t quite so keen on all the colours, nor all my plans, but the space is for me…so he has little say.🤣

We are also removing the carpet and putting in laminate flooring. It is easier to clean and move the furniture around if I want to.

As it was long Easter weekend, we managed to paint 4 walls and buy some of the furniture, but there is still lots more to do over the coming weeks.

The floor is going to be put in in 2 weeks and I still haven’t made a definite decision on what is going in. 🫣

Anyway, I am super excited and grateful that not only do I have a space that I can turn into a craft studio, but also that my family are allowing and helping me to! 🥰

😎Confidence Corner:

I am capable of creating beautiful garments with my own two hands.

I have heard many times people say : “oh I can’t do that, I can only make a pouch”.

To make a pouch, you need to wind a bobbin, thread a machine, cut out some fabric and sew a straight line… these are all things that you need to do for a garment as well, just maybe on a larger scale.

My first projects were a zippered box bag(which was a massive fail 😣), and a couple of envelope style pouches with snaps.

Although these projects left a lot to be desired, I somehow felt that I was ready to move onto making garments. 😂

One trip to Abakhan later, swimwear 🤷 fabric purchased and a legging pattern downloaded and taped together, I made my first garment.

I felt so revved up that I actually made something that kinda fit me, I was hooked from there.

These leggings no longer form part of my wardrobe, but all this to say, just dive in in the deep end, you will do great. 💪

🪄Today's Sewing Tip:

Make sure that you cut your fabric out accurately and that you transfer the markings accurately too.

Cutting out your fabric on its correct grain will make sure that the strength and stretch of it is in the right places. This is particularly important when sewing garments.

Patterns have been designed with the grain in mind and it influences how a garment will fit you, so take your time cutting out your pattern pieces.

And before you remove your paper pattern pieces, transfer all markings as well.

This will help you match up different pieces of fabric correctly, making sure that the fit and appearance of your finished piece looks as intended.

Next week, I will tell you what my preferred marking tools are and the different ways I mark my projects. 😀

What are some of your best sewing tips you have picked up along the way?

🩷My Favourite Things This Week:

• Getting my overlocker back after a fix and a service. I was without it for about 7 weeks! 😰
• Getting the finishing touches done on my website. www.beesilva.co.uk 🤗
• Emptying out our guest/sewing room to turn into a creative studio for me!😱

🗓️Upcoming Plans

• Wet block my purple Corinthian Sweater;
• Continue knitting my black Belle Vest by RitaMadeThis;
• Get started on making a project with the gifted yarn from Wool Warehouse;
• Continue painting my studio.

🎬What I have been Watching/Reading:

• Britney vs Spears

When I was younger, I was a big Britney fan owning all of her CD’s and listening to them on replay!

As I grew older, I grew out of her, but felt sad how her life had changed, for what appeared, the worst.

Watching this enlightened me to what actually happened to her behind the scenes throughout the years.

• Heroin(e)

It is sad to see the reality of the effects drugs have on  people. This short story is about the consumption of opioids in America in an ongoing crisis and 3 women from different backgrounds battle against it.

• The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes

When I was in school, I did a short essay on the life of Marilyn, so I decided to watch this documentary on it. It tells of her successes, heartbreaks and the mystery of her final days.

• The Outreau Case-A French Nightmare

A shocking case of a family incest that changes into a terrifying threat of widespread child abuse.

🎉Upcoming Events

The Sewcial Circle - Make A Dress In A Day workshop - 6th of April 2024

This is an all day event to boost your confidence in getting started with dressmaking. We will be going through taking your measurements, to cutting fabric and stitching up a dress on your sewing machine.

The Sewcial Circle - Beginners Sewing Workshop - 16th of April 2024

In this 2.5 hour workshop, I aim to get you confident in knowing the basics of your sewing machine and start stitching a project together.

The Sewcial Circle - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social - 20th of April 2024

Whether you come to seek inspiration, share your passion for sewing or simply to meet new people, Sew and Bond is where a community of individuals of all skill levels gather to share the art of stitching and the joy of connecting with other stitchers.

The Sewcial Circle - Virtual Sew&Bond - Sewing Social - 24th of April 2024

This will be a virtual gathering where you come together to connect, create, and share your passion for sewing in a fun, supportive and online environment.

Bye for now,
B! xx

PS: If you have any questions or anything to add, please reply to this email. I would love to hear from you!🥰

PPS: Also, if you have a few seconds, I would love to hear your thoughts on this email on what was useful and what can be changed/improved. Thank you very much!

PPPS: What do you think about my website? 😍😍😍 I am so happy with the way it turned out! www.beesilva.co.uk