WOYWW...

 Hi all.  It's been another busy week here for me at Sewing by Annie's.  I've had a steady flow of customers to keep me on my toes plus I have also made lots more for the charity.

I found some more Christmas fabrics in my stash so made 5 more little teddies....and these are selling well.

I made another batch of key rings that hold a £1 coin or a shopping trolley token....and have already sold 6 of them :-)

I had bought a box of pencils last year and not used them so I made some Christmas tree toppers for some.

I have also made three more gorgeous memory bears...made in memory of a much loved Mum using the outfit she had worn at her daughter's wedding.

It's all kept me busy as you can see :-)

The other thing I wanted to share, just in case it affects any of you, is that normally I use Microsoft Publisher for my Sewing business [and have done for years]...for my flyers and business cards etc.  Microsoft Publisher has now ceased so I shouted Michelle for help in setting up another way of designing/printing it all.  We had a wonderful morning yesterday redesigning and printing everything off.  We laughed til we cried...she really is like a tonic and I feel so blessed to have her....Thanks Shell, Love you lots.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 It's been another of those weeks where I have kept myself busy.  I've already sold two of my little Christmas teddies and one of the Christmas Gnomes for the charity so...

...I made two more little teddies to replace the ones that sold :-)  I really love making these tiny teddies.

I made a quilt with farm animals on and will be selling that for the charity.

I then made 6 pretty denim hearts with machine embroidery, ribbons, lace and a few buttons/beads sewn on.

I really enjoyed making these.

I hope you are all well and happy.  I will pop over to see what you're busy with as soon as I can.

Love to all,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 

What a shock we all had at the weekend on hearing the news about Sarah.  I felt the words above were so appropriate because she was taken from us far too soon.  I hope her family all know what we are thinking and the love we are sending them helps to get them through this very difficult time.

On top of the sadness felt about losing Sarah we had yet more news on Sunday when we heard one of our dearest friends had suddenly died.  It definately teaches us to live every day because we really don't know what's around the next corner do we? When I'm feeling sad I sew and do my best to keep busy and this week I've certainly done that.

I've made these three more Memory bears in memory of a special Dad.

I've also had 2 bridesmaids and 2 wedding dresses as well as trousers to shorten and a boiler suit to alter to be used for fancy dress.

I have made 6 little Christmas teddies [they are only about 6" tall] to be sold for the HJ Charity.

I have also made 10 little Christmas gnomes using the pattern Jan sent me...Thanks Jan much appreciated.

I'm sure they will sell well.

That just leaves me to say RIP Sarah...you will be sadly missed.

Hugs,

Annie x

My new arrival and my knitty updates...

Thought I'd best introduce you to my new arrival.  I won a tree chameleon on Donna's blog last week and as you can see he has made himself comfy on our Christmas tree.  Thanks Donna.

I also told you I would update you on the Christmas Fairy Mice I was knitting for my little Granddaughters.

They are now finished and here you can see them posing for you hanging on our Christmas tree.  The little girls came down here Saturday to dress Nanny Annie's tree and 2 year old little P was really wide eyed at each and every little treasure she handed to her Mummy to put on the tree.....happy memories.  I'm sure she will love these little mice.....I do  :-)

On Friday my baby [now 23 years old!] had to have minor surgery and came here afterwards to spend some quality time with his Mum [and to be fussed over and spoiled a bit of course]   :-)  We have always enjoyed special times together and when he saw that I had been knitting he asked me to teach him to knit so he could make a little teddy to give to his girlfriend to hang on their tree.  We spent most of the day laughing, dropping stitches and learning new skills  :-)

Here's the proof  :-)  I thought I'd best not put a photo on of his face cos I'm not sure he would want his mates to see  :-)

Here you can see the results of our fun.  The one on the right is the one he knit and mine is the one on the left.  He was soooo proud of it and his girlfriend G was really thrilled with it too.  I have put a pin by the side to let you see just how small and cute the little bears are.  They are made using a free pattern from Little Cotton Rabbits....she makes some really stunning things too.

I plan to knit one as a Christmas gift for one of my blogging friends so watch this space if you want to be in with the chance to win one  :-)  I know a lot of you don't knit and thought you just might like to have one of your own.

Celebrations to end my week...

I have just done my books up for the end of yet another really busy week and I have hit another milestone.......900 customers :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) and, yes, I am grinning from ear to ear.
From what started very cautiously as sewing for just a few customers I am very proud to say I'm now buzzing with a very successful little business. I get usually 2-3 new customers every week and often even more and never have to advertise now as they all come through word of mouth. It's often hard work and very challenging but it's brilliant.

On top of that this week I have managed to fill a box full of goodies for a new friend to take to a local craft fair. She found my blog from a link on another blog and realised she walks past my gate often but wouldn't have recognised me if she met me in the street. I invited her to call in to say "Hi" and from that chance meeting she offered to include some of my crafts on her table at a local craft fair. What a small world it is :-)
It was a bit of a challenge for me cos I didn't know about it til this Wednesday but I managed to fill my box with :-
7 Machine Embroidered Flower pictures
24 little Christmas teddies
17 Christmas mice
12 Felted bears
and 1 Felted Fairy bear ........and a partridge in a pear tree :-)
Needless to say some of which I had in stock but it's certainly been a few late nights for me this week trying to get it all together and priced up ready.

As I say in my flier ....I love a challenge :-)

Ok Ok it's Wednesday again so here's my WOYWW

The sewing machine is steaming/smoking today. I've been shortening a lined Burberrys coat plus it's detachable lining. What a job! It was all top stitched and made in panels that all had to be unpicked to shorten it by the 13" requested and then, like a jigsaw, put back together. A very tricky job but I have to say I am rather pleased with the result. Now I have to put a new lining in a gents jacket, alter the shoulders on a dress and shorten 2 pair of trousers. It's all in a day's work for me. :-)
I am thrilled to see Julia has got her machine out this week :-) Ooer and hers is a Singer. Mine has hummed a bit today but it rarely sings :-)....and my motto is "I can do" Julia so I aim to be able to do most jobs even if a little daunted at some. My Grandmother was a dressmaker and I'm sure she sends me some divine intervention at times :-)



I can then, and only then, think about my next challenge. I was emailed yesterday to see if I would like to put some goodies on a school Christmas craft table. The only slight hitch is the sale is this FRIDAY!! So...... its Christmas teddies, Felted friends, and Christmas Mousie making for me and anything else I can find time to make......Bang goes the 1/2 hr nap time around midnight eh?