WOYWW.....

 Hello all. We all said our final goodbyes to our dear friend Sarah this week and what a beautiful service it was.  I hope her family know how much love was coming their way from us all.

Having finished making my Christmas cards last week I have moved on to making little felt Christmas tree decorations.  Every year I make one each for my grandchildren to hang on their Christmas trees.  I've made a selection this year so that they can choose what they would like if they want one.  As you can see they are all waiting for their eyes...they should arrive in the post today so I can get them finished.

I've made 6 little Christmas teddies.

I then made 3 little cats and 3 little robins.

There was a lot of hand stitching on each of them ...I'm just frustrated that I didn't have little black buttons to finish them off.

Any that don't go to grandchildren will hopefully sell to raise funds for the charity.

Next I made these...can you guess what they are?

It was an idea both Jo and I saw on Pinterest and we both thought they might raise some pennies for the charity so I thought I'd have a go.....

....did you guess right?  What a simple idea eh?  

My latest purchase is the fab shelving at the back of my sewing room, the same Jan uses on her craft stand.  Thanks for sending me the link Jan.  It has enabled me to put a lot of the craft makes up where they can be seen and it's given me back the space on my cutting table so I don't have to move things when i need to work.

That's all from me for this week.  I will do my best to pop along to yours to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

 Hello all.  I've been in production mode this week making batches of Christmas cards...

These 10 were made with thread and like a Spirograph design to make Christmas garlands...I've added a few silver stars to each but you cant really see them on the photo.

These were similar to my first batch I showed you last week but using a different colourway.  The stars are more sparkly than in the photo and are stitched on with shiny thread.

I rather like this batch with tartan Christmas trees.

That is hopefully all the Christmas cards I need now so I need to move on to other things.

So I made a new cover for my little ironing board....the old one was looking very stained with iron cleaner.  I'd been using my little craft iron for the card making and it had bond a web on its surface....I need to remember next time not to clean it over the ironing board!!

Since then I have cut out a batch of interfacing bears to use for the next Memory bears I'm expecting soon....I like to be prepared. [Can you tell I used to be a Brownie?]

That's all from me for today.  I hope all is well with you.  I will be along to see what you've been up to ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

 Well, it was a different sort of week for me.  It was my birthday weekend so my darling hubby booked us a long weekend in a cottage in South Wales....and what a weekend it was!!  We had rain...lots of it and gale force winds :-)  I was just really glad we decided to stay in a cottage and didn't take our caravan.

There were lots of highlights of course...we always make the best of our time away.

Saturday our dear friend Jan had a craft stall just half an hour from us so....

...it just had to be done.  It was so lovely to catch up with my little Welsh sister and her hubby.  She did really well on her stand too.

We did make it onto Pendine sands a couple of times.....as you can see the miles of sands were pretty much empty.  If you enlarge the pic you might see our little Peggy ....she's the tiny dot almost on the horizon, and she was having the time of her life fetching her ball....we have a ball launcher so it goes miles for her.

We didn't get home until yesterday afternoon and I had no customers booked in so I made the best of my time making my first batch of Christmas cards.

That's all from me for this week.  I will do my best to pop over to see what you've all been up to.

Hugs,

Annie x

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

WOYWW....

 It's been another busy week here at Sewing by Annie's.  We had the funeral of another family member last Thursday...there seems so many lately.  I'm determined to make every day count.

Both Jo and I have been doing more sewing for The Harry Johnson Trust...although this year is going to be a little different.  The charity usually has a couple of craft stalls but, because of extra family commitments, they wont be having them this year so I have said I will put our crafts out in my sewing room and hope to sell some to my customers so we can give the money to them.

I've made a batch of Christmas coasters [40 in total] and these are now tied into 10 sets of 4 coasters.

I love all the different tartans.

I next had another idea and cut out lots of these....Can you guess what they might be?

Did you guess right?  They are tiny popper purses that will each hold a a £1 coin or shopping token and made into key rings so that you always have one when you need it.

I have a special Autumn sale on my Sewing by Annie Facebook page...there is 10% off for the first 10 to order their Memory bears and this is the first to take up the offer.

It's even more special for me because this customer has already previously ordered 10 other bears and this one is a school bear for the school I went to as a little one.

The last thing I have to share with you this week is an idea I saw on Pinterest.  I never like to throw anything away so I have used the narrow ends of some ties I had left to make these 8 into key rings.

That's all for this week.  Today I will be working on a bridesmaid dress that arrived last thing yesterday and then I plan to make some Christmas gnomes using the paterns Jan sent me through the post....thanks Jan.

Hope you're all well and happy.  I will pop by to say hello ASAP but please be patient with me.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Hello all.  Such a lot has happened since I was here last Wednesday.

I finished the 5 Memory bears I was making on Wednesday and the went to their new homes ...each one had a panel of the 4 favourite items of clothing that belonged to a much loved Mum and each one has a little silver charm sewn on the front from her charm bracelet....such a lovely request and they made them even more special.

Thursday Jo and I visited Jan in her holiday home and we had a lovely time together...there certainly were no awkward silences :-)

I took up some crafty bits with me and we managed a bit of crafting together...these are to raise funds for the charity we support.

Friday my darling hubby and I set off with our caravan on another adventure...this time we headed to a campsite near Lytham St Anne's.  Not a site we had been to before and it was pouring down with rain and blowing a gale when we got there so we got rather wet setting up our caravan.

Monday we visited Denise at Cabin Crafts near Blackpool.  I have 'known' Denise for years and ordered many metres of fabrics from her over the years...I even made 2000 face masks using her fabrics plus many quilts etc 

I have never met her before but she was every bit as lovely as I imagined.  She has an amazing cabin in her back garden filled with gorgeous fabrics and haberdashery and I would highly recommend her if you're looking for fabrics...some just might have dropped into my bag [it would have been rude not to].

You can find Cabin Crafts here....it's well worth a look.

That's all from me for today.  I will do my best to visit all who call by ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Wow it's been a busy week....yes, another one :-)

We enjoyed birthday celebrations for Theo at the weekend.....can you believe he's 10 already?

It was really lovely to enjoy some family time...we make the best of every moment.

I had been waiting for months for these 7 to arrive and my customer eventually came on Friday, telling me he needed them ASAP.....so apart from family times I spent all weekend sewing them for him.  He came and collected them on Monday :-)...that's what you call service :-)

In my spare time [yes there was a little lol] I have finished the latest army of frogs...I love them when the are all layed out like this....They will be off to fight the battle against cancer soon.

On my desk today is another 5 Memory bears being made...they arrived Tuesday.  I must try to get them finished today because I am having the day off tomorrow to spend the day with Jan and Jo...I'm sure there will be lots of chat and giggles .  Can't wait to catch up with them both.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 What a lovely week it was last week celebrating 900 weeks of joining up with old friends and the usual ones.  Long may the friendships last.

This week I've altered two bridesmaids dresses, Shortened a few trousers and managed to sew the body parts of an army of 10 more little frogs...

These all need snipping, turning through and stuffing before putting them together...lots of fiddly frogs legs!

I've treated myself to a new little crafting iron...it's so handy when you work with fiddly jobs like I do...I love it.

It's been an exciting back to school week for our Grandchildren....Sam seems to have grown lots during the summer holidays and, as you can see is now a good bit taller than Lexi.

Our youngest, Louie has just started school [he looks such a little tot in his uniform] and Theo has just had his 10th birthday...Don't they look smart together?

The other thing I have to show you this week is these yummy cheese and courgette scones....such a great way to use up the glut of courgettes at this time of year....If you want the recipe please shout.

We have had another death in the family sadly and this week I have had health problems that have required lots of tests so it's been a challenging week.

As they say 'Live every day' !!

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...Number 900!!

Hello all.  We are celebrating the 900th Anniversary of WOYWW, a brainchild of Julia's.  I joined in on 3rd September 2009 so have been going for quite a while and have seen so many different folk joining in the fun over that time. Sarah over at Sarah's Craft Shed took over the running of our group from Julia and it's wonderful to join in the fun each week.  Sarah suggested we shared one of our blogs with 00 at the end so I have been looking back over the years.  I'm not certain of the number as I never number mine but it seemed around the right time and look what it is.....

Wednesday, 10 August 2016

WOYWW.....

So on my desk this week is....

Curtains, curtains and more curtains......talk about a labour of love eh?  :-)

I've also shortened some really pretty window blinds to make them more just window dressing......rather more tricky than planned too cos the main fabric pulled out of shape while trimming the bottom [cut into a 'v' shape] and both blinds [yes there are two little windows] had to be done twice!!  I'm rather chuffed with the finished result though and now just hope they look as pretty as we hoped when up at the windows.

 This is the other project I've been working on this week. It was something I had in mind to do at some point but a friend gave me a shove in the right direction and this week has seen me designing the pattern for a Memory bear and making a few prototypes to get the pattern how I wanted it.  Plus I have designed a label for those wanting special details on the bear.

The idea is to use special fabrics to make them out of to keep memories together...

• A first babygro
• A special outfit from a toddler
• A junior school uniform when the child moves on to big school
• A special family member's clothing when they die

....in fact any clothing can be used [up to 4 different garments] to keep a memory safe.  I have put the pics in my Sewing by Annie Facebook site and have already got orders for 6 so they are proving very popular.  :-)

There you go....that's all from me for this week.  If you'd like to leave me a little message I will do my best to pay you a return visit as soon as I'm able.  Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

                                                                                                                                                                   

It's my first Memory bear I made!! and so much has happened since then. 

On my desk this week was....

These were the rainbow of favourite silk ties [opened out and ready to use] belonging to the husband of one of my customers. She wanted them made into two Memory bears for her Grandchildren.

.....and this was the result.  They were really lovely to make being in silk and are so bright and colourful.

These bring the number of bears I've made up to 1015!!!! now.  What a lot has happened since August 2016 eh?

Each little bear I've made has had his photo taken and they are all put together in my Bear file :-)

So.that's all from me for this week.  Happy 900th Anniversary to you all and thanks for all the love and friendship over the years.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

 Hi all.  What a lovely week it's been.  I've had a steady flow of customers and have also enjoyed some special family times.

Last Thursday we met up with 4 of our gorgeous grandchildren and their mummies at a local sunflower field.  It was so special to spend time with them and to watch them enjoying time with their cousins.

On Saturday our men went to the first football match of the season so I spent the afternoon with that much older sister of mine....I've missed our Saturdays together.  Love her to bits.

In the sewing room this week I have...

•  shortened and altered a pretty Wedding dress
• shortened 3 pair of trousers
• let out a gent's trousers and...

....labelled this pile [plus the jacket]  of school uniform ready for a young lady to start her new school next week.

I have also got some memory bears to make from silk ties so that will be a lovely job to do.  I will pop over to yours ASAP to see what you've been up to.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

 It's been a different kind of week this week for me.

On Friday I met up with two school friends for coffee, one I've known for 64 years and the other 58 years [seems like a life time :-) ].  It was so lovely catching up....they really haven't changed a bit apart from, like me, getting older and as I always say only the lucky ones get there.

I wanted to take then each a little home made gift so I made them both a covered book.  I used applique, free machining, and machine embroidery and was pleased how they turned out.

They both loved them too.

On Monday we went to an Aunty's funeral.  She had had a long life, dying at 96 so it was more a celebration of her life really and it was really lovely catching up with our cousins.  It's always sad that these events seem to be the only time we get to see some of them.

The only other thing I have to share with you is what arrived through the post box on Monday.  I like to keep my fat quarter box well filled and it was looking rather depleted so I messaged Denise Newman from Cabin Crafts and asked her to put me a parcel together of various coloured ditzy printed fabrics...and she never disappoints.

I like to let her decide on the colours because I wouldnt choose some of them and it pushes me out of my comfort zone....aren't they pretty?

That's all from me for this week.  I hope you are all enjoying the cooler temps...I know I am.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Hello all.  I was missing last week because we didn't get back from an escape weekend in our caravan until Tuesday and I had nothing to show and tell.

We went to a lovely little campsite near Monmouth with only 12 pitches and really lovely facilities.  As you can see Peggy loves the camping life. It was a little too hot and the internet signal was poor but who cares...a lot of nothing was done and batteries were recharged.

I was really missed and have spent the last week catching up with work.

This customer said she was coming for 2 memory bears and when she arrived she decided to have 4 made :-)  They are made from a Dad's/Grandad's favourite shirts and turned out really lovely.

One lady came on Wednesday morning [a week early by mistake lol], ten minutes before I was expecting a Bridesmaid and an evening dress to arrive!  She came with a bag full of dresses and skirts but was well prepared so I managed to fit her in before my other customers arrived.  :-)

 In fact this week I have....

• Made the 4 Memory bears
• Shortened an Evening dress
• Shortened a Bridesmaid dress
• Shortened 5 summer dresses and 2 Skirts
• Took 2 dresses up on the shoulders
• Top stitched up the front of a blouse
• Shortened 2 pair of leggings to make them cropped length
• Cut up the front of a fleece top and put a zip in
• Shortened the sleeves on a Demin Jacket

....Phew.  And there's more to come yet. 😊😊😊😊  I've had lots of new customers lately as well as my regulars...I don't know where they all come from?

On top of all that this is what's been going on at the end of our front drive.  3 weeks ago we reported a water leak at the end of our drive.  During the next 3 weeks it got worse and was reported several times. It took 4 teams and 3 weeks to deal with it!!

1 guy came and drew a blue box round it!

3 weeks later the next team came and dug a hole and repaired the leak.  Another team came to backfill the hole and the next team came to tarmac it all.

Eventually the road sweepers came and washed the road and pavement.

No wonder there's a drought eh?

That's all from me for this week.  I will do my best to pop by at yours to see what you've been up to.

Hugs,

Annie x