The Teacher's Gifts Have Been Given

Hello!👋

Hope you have been keeping well!

After months of planning and making, up until the last day really, the teachers' gifts have been given! 🥰

The evening before the last day of school I decided to add one more item to the gift bags, a scrunchie. 😃

I am so glad I did as the teachers seemed super happy about getting them!

I was pretty nervous that the moment had finally arrived to give them their gifts, I was worried about whether they would like them and if the items would actually fit them! 😬

But my excitement level was much higher than dwelling on the nervousness. 😂

It got a bit emotional and there were some tears involved but I was really happy the gifts were well received and they actually fit them all really well! 🥳

As part of the gifts, I asked my daughter to make each of her teachers a card instead of buying one from the shops and it gave the gifts that extra personal touch! ♥️

So in the end, each teacher got a tote bag, a scrunchie and a garment.

The garments included the Sabina Skirt by The Little Pomegranate, The Dream Cardi and the Monster Sweater, both by KnitStitchRepeat.

And just like that, my daughter has finished Reception! Feeling all emotional as I can’t believe how quick kids grow up! 

I was speaking to a friend last week saying that time flies by so quickly when you have kids.

But what it really is, is that time goes by just the same, the difference with having kids is that you can see them grow from babies into young adults, when you are an adult yourself you don’t really have this growth anymore to measure time.

So it feels like they are growing just too quickly, I still feel like I am stuck at 25! 😂

Another gift that was finished just in time for a 5 year olds birthday party is the Chloe dress by Vintage Little Lady.

I thought I had finished it a couple of days before, but then realised I still needed to do the buttonholes and sew on the buttons! 🤦🏼‍♀️

So on Thursday I did all this, but not before fighting with my machine. 😐

I tested sewing the buttons on a piece of scrap fabric, but it just wasn’t cooperating or I just wasn’t doing it right. 🤷🏼‍♀️

The foot to do this isn’t the best, unlike my previous machine. That one has a metal piece to hold the button in place, my new machine foot doesn’t have this, so the button was a little fiddly to keep in place under it.

The white one on the left is from my previous machine and the one on the right is the Janome one, it is the satin stitch foot they recommend to use in their instructions manual.

I did manage to hold the button there, but then the threads kept on bunching underneath and I actually had to take the whole needle plate off to sort it out.

While I was there, I gave the machine a bit of a clean and then resumed with the buttons, but again I didn’t like how it was working. I resorted to sewing the buttons on by hand and maybe I will have better luck next time with the machine.

Anyway, I also decided to add a matching scrunchie to this gift too because…why not! 🙂

I have been meaning to make myself some in all the colours to go with all my outfits, but I seem to be making for everyone else besides me right now. 😅

My daughter has been invited to another birthday, but this one is only at the beginning of September, so I have plenty of time to make something, I think. 😶

With the kids being at home for weeks now, not sure how much will actually get done, but where there is a will, there is a way. 🦾

I have also now managed to store all the fabric that was on the floor in the chest of drawers I removed from my daughters room. 

So pleased that I didn’t have to spend any more pennies for storage and I still have a bit of space in one of the drawers.

All the fabric that is in my sewing room has all been washed and is ready to be used.

I do have quite a bit more fabric stored in other places and that haven’t yet been washed, but they are going to stay there until I actually want to use them.

I don't want to wash anymore than what I have to at the moment. My normal household washing is more than enough! 😂

My Jasmine Sweater by RitaMadeThis is now finished and I am over the moon with it! 😍

I had been wanting to make a bubble sweater for a while and I can actually tell you since when. 😅

I bought yarn in Portugal last August specifically to make the Bubblegum Bobble Sweater from Paintbox, which is a free pattern by the way. I went as far as casting on, but never got round to continuing because the next step in the pattern was confusing to me somehow. 🤷🏼‍♀️

So I have been wanting to make one for about a year now, and doing this test knit for Rita has ticked that off my list! 🤗

And using this gorgeous colour changing yarn, the Yarnsmiths Play Chunky in the Stomp colorway, has just made this ever so more beautiful to me!

I was low key stressing towards the end because I really wanted my sleeves to match and I was running out of yarn in the right coloured sequence. I had to try and find the exact point where the colours were changing to match with what I had just knitted to keep on going.

In the end I think it worked out fine, with one sleeve being slightly more darker than the other just before the cuff.

All I had left of the 5 balls that were sent out to me by Wool Warehouse was a little ball.

For my next knitting project, I am a bit undecided on what to do now. 😩

Last week I said I wanted to make another Jasmine Sweater, but the week before I said I wanted to make a pair of socks, and now I am stuck!

Of course I can make both, just not sure which one I want to get out of my system first. 😂

The reason I am now undecided is because one of the lovely ladies that comes to my sewing social gifted me some sock yarn, so I am excited to get into it.

Anyway, we will all soon find out what I go for first!

To wrap up this week, we had a brilliant time at the Sew&Bond sewing social I host in South Manchester! 😃

It was so nice to welcome new faces and catch up with some who we hadn’t seen for a while!

And so much was done! It was a very productive day, especially in the kids clothes department!

Lots of shorts, skirts, dresses and a couple other projects were worked on throughout the session. 

I managed to cut out most of 2 projects, some Heyday Dungarees from Waves and Wild and a pair of Safiya Trousers from Tilly and The Buttons.

Hopefully I get to making these this coming week, although I have a lot of editing and posting to do to clear my phone for more space to document these new projects.

And to keep us going throughout our sewing session, I need to thank my partner for making some delicious food! 😋

I need to confess though, I thought my partner said the one cake had a lemon icing, but I just misunderstood him.

It was a carrot cake with an icing he made that did not contain lemon! 😂 

Somehow, even when I was eating it I thought it had a lemon taste to it. I must have broken taste buds. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

😎Confidence Corner:

“Never dull your shine for somebody else.” ― Tyra Banks

Being yourself is one of your greatest strengths. When you show your true self, you inspire others to do the same. Imagine what an amazing place the world would be if everyone felt at ease to be themselves!

Society often tells us to fit in, but that’s not where real happiness lies. Don't let the pressure to conform make you hide your true self.

When you let your light shine, you not only brighten your own life but also inspire others. Your courage to be yourself helps others find their own strength.

So spend time thinking about what makes you unique and what you value, and surround yourself with people that are supportive of you!

There are many ways to keep us inspired to be our true selves which include people who encourage us, reading books or listening to podcasts. 

Looking back at your achievements is also a great way to see how far you have come and be inspired for what lies ahead.

This topic has come about specifically this week because of our sewing social. We briefly spoke about what I don’t wear on the morning school run, because of not wanting to stand out between the tracksuits and unbrushed hair. 😂

I often don’t wear certain items in my wardrobe because I feel they are not school run material, whatever that actually means. 😅

Maybe what is missing is me not being afraid to wear those items and stop saving them for special occasions. I shouldn’t be hesitant to stand out between the pyjamas and sleepy faces, maybe that is what another parent is waiting for, for inspiration to also go ahead and be more themselves. 

So bear with me for the next academic year and I will report back on how it’s going! 🦾😂

🧵Today's Sewing Tip:

How to use a Loop Turner

This week’s project saw me using my favourite turning tool to turn the waist ties on a dress the right way out.

You can view the exact set I purchased here on amazon.

Sew your ties, straps or whatever it is you are sewing into a long, tube-like piece that needs to be turned the right way out.

Sewing/basting one of the ends closed will help as you will have something to push against, these can then be unpicked later if needed.

If your seam allowance needs trimming, now is the time to do it before turning it out.

Choose a tube that fits into your piece of fabric to be turned.

Insert the tube until it meets the stitches at the opposite end.

Insert the rod at the end that you basted. You will be sandwiching the fabric between the rod and the tube.

Gently push until it comes out at the other end. You can push out the corners at this point if your end is to remain sewn closed.

Hold onto the end of the fabric that is sticking out and with the your other hand hold onto the tube and pull each in opposite directions.

Now iron your fabric flat and it is ready!

⭐My Favourite Things This Week:

• Giving my daughter’s teachers their gifts! 🤗
• Finishing my Jasmine Sweater! 🥳
• Catching up with everyone at Sew&Bond! 🥰

🗓️Upcoming Plans

• Decide what my next knitting project is going to be.
• Finish cutting and start making the Safiya Trousers.
• Get back to my partner’s jacket - just avoiding this at this point. 😣

🎬What I have been Watching/Reading:

Watching

• Missing or Murdered (Series)

These missing person cases continue to baffle police and haunt families, who wonder if their loved ones could still be alive decades after disappearing.

For the families involved, this must be so painful as I feel it must be worse not knowing what happened than being able to bring them home in whichever state they are found. 😞

• The Alienist (Series)

This story follows Roosevelt, then New York City police commissioner, and Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, as their investigative team attempts to solve gruesome murders through new methods including fingerprinting and psychology.

I have now finished watching season 2 and it didn’t end the way I would have liked, but I really enjoyed this series nonetheless.

🎉Upcoming Events

24th of August 2024 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 10:15 - 15:45.
(5hr30m, an extra 30min than usual)
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND08
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond08/

21st of September 2024 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 11:45 - 17:15.
(5hr30m, an extra 30min than usual)
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND09
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond09/

26th of October 2024 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 10:15 - 15:45.
(5hr30m, an extra 30min than usual)
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND010
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond010/

Question of the Week:

What are your other hobbies besides sewing?

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