WOYWW.....

Hello all.  I've got lots to share with you today cos it's been a busy, productive week here at Sewing by Annie's so here goes....

Having, eventually, sold my industrial sewing machine I have now bought a new table to go where it stood in my sewing room and have set it up for my embellishing machine....it had stood pretty much neglected under it's dust cover since we moved houses and to be honest I had forgotten the pleasure had by using it.  I really enjoyed making these little note book covers.....a bit of dumfing [check R.side bar if you don't know what this is], some machine embroidery and a few beads and hey presto......

I then looked at my full to overflowing box of scrap fabrics and decided to use some of them.  I chose colours that toned/matched and made two pieces of crazy patchwork, embellished it with machine embroidery and....

....made two fabric book covers with it. 

These little owls were another idea I made as little gifts suitable for teachers at the end of the school year....They are little paperweights and used up more of my fabric scraps.....I do have rather a lot of fabric scraps don't I?

The rest of the week I have been making more of my Memory bears.  I feel very honoured helping grieving families by using special items of clothing to remember much loved members of their families. 

These three were made from a much loved husband and father's trousers, scarf and coat lining and the little red ear on each of them is a little fabric taken from a hat that was his all time favourite......it was very special for me to learn a little of the character of the man before I incorporated some into the three bears.

This one was made in memory of a much loved dad and it was by special request that I added the buttons on the front.....I rather like this effect don't you?  The pinstriped grey on the right side was from his trousers he had worn at his wedding.

There you go....sorry I took so long this week but I knew some of you would want to see what I've been up to.  Please leave me a little comment to let me know you've called by and I will do my best to pay you a return visit.  I do read all the blogs but am unable to leave comments on some....sorry.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 203

Here we are at another round up of the week's smiles.  Many thanks to those who joined in the fun last week.....I really do appreciate all the effort.

For those that read my blog on Wednesday you will know that it's been one of those week of trials for me....the repairs on my overlocker are now done but what was quoted to me as £89 ended up being £113!!! [another £50 and I could have bought a new machine!!] and several of my other machines seemed to have it in for me too....

• one refused to sew at one point
• kept breaking the thread 
• I broke 2 needles while shortening a pair of jeans and
•  it even chewed up the thread while I was winding a bobbin!!! 

so I did contemplate hybernation at one point. 😁😁😁😁

It's for weeks like this that focussing on the smiles works like a tonic and I have lots to smile about....I'm alive for one 😀😀😀😀😀 So here's a few of my smiles so you can share them too...

Phoebe, Lulu, Sam and Lexi have swimming lessons and they seem to have brought back the rule to wear swimming caps.  We used to have to wear them when I was a child and it really made me chuckle this week when they sent pics to me of them trying them out.  I remember just how tricky it was to get them in place and as you can see it takes a little practise to get it right.

We really enjoyed watching the animal cameras on Spy in the Wild on BBC1 last night and had a good chuckle at Milly's interest too.

For those that saw the fabrics I was playing with on Wednesday I am sharing the, now finished cover I've made for my new diary.  I really enjoyed creating the crazy patchwork and machine embroidered to quilt it before finishing the cover.....and of course I'm now smiling at it every time I use it.

I hope you've enjoyed my catch up of smiles and will leave me a little comment before linking your smiles too.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Here we are at another Wednesday catch up with our creative friends around the world who expose their crafting spaces to us and share the wonderful creations they have been up to in the last week....if you want to know more and maybe join in the fun [go on....you know you want to  😀] then pop over to The Stamping Ground to find out how....we are all very friendly and don't bite....often!

Monday was one of those days for me. 

• Whilst making a Dr's bag for the twins I very stupidly decided I could overlock all the seams inside but as I had added pockets there were lots of layers of fabric and I ended up with a fabric jam in my overlocker and knocked the timing out!!!....so said overlocker is now in being repaired....the bill will be £89!....an expensive lesson learnt [til the next time!].  
• On getting my machine ready to go in for repair I realised my hubby had fitted the flex to it down the back of my work surface for me so I couldn't get it out!....bless him he came home from work and pulled the cupboards out to get it for me.
• As I couldn't get the flex out I thought maybe one of my other machines might have the same fixings but when I came to look the flex off my embellisher was missing!.....said flex has now been found out in the shed! [don't ask me why? lol]
• As I no longer use my industrial sewing machine I put it on Ebay last week and it sold ....but the buyer has failed to pay for it so we have had to open up an unpaid case for it with Ebay!....as I said it was one of those days.......but I'm still smiling. 😀

So, what's on my desk today?.....

 I decided that I needed a lift to the spirits so I've done what makes me smile the most....I've tipped out all my yummiest fabrics [most still at the 'stroking only' stage] and have decided to make a cover for my new diary using crazy patchwork.  You can see I have been sorting a few into colour combinations to give me inspiration. Here is the selection I chose to use and a little crazy patchwork in the making....such scrummy colours don't you think?

Thanks for calling by today.  Please leave me a little message so I know you've called by and I will do my best to pay you a return visit soon.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hi folks.  Here we are at another Wednesday full of fun.  I've not had a lot of customer's sewing to do this week so have been having creative fun so that's what I've got to share with you today.

Last week I showed you a pile of fat quarters that I had got out to give me inspiration for a little project I had in mind.  I chose a selection I felt went together well, took a big breath and actually cut into them to do some crazy patchwork with [not something I find easy to do but Julia gave me a good talking to last week ;-) ]

They are just my favourite colours and I really love the finished effects of the patchwork with the machine embroidery along the seams....can you tell I have really enjoyed playing with this little project?

And of course I have now used this finished piece of patchwork....to cover a book for a special little gift for a friend.

Of course I'd caught the crazy patchwork bug with that project so I am now using some more of my favourite fabrics and a more random patchwork style on my next project.

It's been so lovely to have time to be creative this week.....I wonder what my time this next week will be filled with?  :-)

That's all from me for today.  I'm still taking names for the 6th year anniversary ATC swap so if you are wanting to swap with me and haven't yet emailed me your details then let me know and I will put your name on one :-)  Hope you all have a great week.  Leave me a little comment to say you've called in and I will do my best to pay you a return visit.

Hugs,

Annie x