english girl at home

A Sewing & Knitting Blog, Made in Birmingham, England


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Love Sewing & Sew Now Articles

Sew Now Magazine

I’m late posting, since the newer issues are now out, but I had articles in the issues of Love Sewing and Sew Now published during January.

Tribe Patterns Billie Dress

Tribe Patterns Billie Dress

My article for Sew Now was a review of the the Billie Collection, the first pattern from Tribe Patterns, and a collaboration between The Fold Line and Rachel Pinheiro. I sewed this at the same time as my knit version, and, as with that version, it suffers from being a bit loose in the bust (as it’s drafted for a C cup, and I’m a B). The fabric is a gorgeous Geese Flock Cotton Lawn in ochre from Fabric Godmother.

Sew Now Magazine

My article for Love Sewing was a brief history of British Lace Making, with a focus on the Nottingham lace industry and Cluny Lace, who I have blogged about previously.

Love Sewing Magazine

Love Sewing Magazine


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Sewing Community Article in Sewing World

Sewing World Magazine

I have an article in the current issue of Sewing World Magazine, exploring the sewing community and how to get involved.

The full article includes practical tips for participating in the sewing community, but I thought I would share the introductory paragraphs here, which explore my own feelings about being part of this community:

I can honestly say that being part of the sewing community has changed my life. Growing up I always had good friends, but they were a select group – now I have friendships and connections with a huge, worldwide, community. The current age has been called the age of loneliness, due to our increased social isolation, but online communities – like the sewing community – create a connectness, which crosses boundaries of geography, age, and – to a lesser extent – language, gender and socioeconomics.

Sewing World Magazine

The opportunity to communicate with a diverse community of (mainly) women, in an atmosphere that is supportive and inspiring, has made me more confident. Like many bloggers, I began reluctant to take or post photos of myself online. Now I’m posting photos and videos regularly, because I’m inspired by others who are doing that and enjoy joining in. Plus, company is important to creativity. Without the opportunity to share what I make with others, and be inspired by them in return, I would have less motivation to create, and to try new things and keep challenging myself. I’d definitely still be sewing, but I doubt I’d be pushing myself to sew jeans, or lingerie. Seeing the beautiful projects fellow bloggers are making motivates me to have a go too.

Sewing World Magazine

Of course sewing is just the start – it’s the something in common to bring together a diverse community. It’s the thing we can draw around, which is representative of much more we have in common – creativity, a love of textiles, a desire to make things with our hands, and to understand how they are made.


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British Craft Awards Nomination & Elsewhere

I heard today that I have been nominated for Sewing Blog of the Year in the 2017 British Craft Awards, ‘Sewing’ category!

My blog has never been shortlisted for anything similar before, so it’s very nice to be included and there are some great blogs in the list.

Voting is now open at www.britishcraftawards.com (with a prize draw to win one of 5 x £100 Amazon vouchers), until 20th December 2016.

Elsewhere

♥ I’ve booked a ticket for The Dressmakers Ball in Leicester next May – it sounds like it’s going to be a great night, and a great excuse to sew up an impractical frock.

♥ I love these natural dyeing themed postcards from Pompom Quarterly.

♥ I have a few knitting projects on the needles, but I’m looking forward to making a start on Ella Gordon’s Hap Cowl very soon.

♥ People Tree are crowdfunding to upskill partners to produce Tencel in a closed loop process, and ethically produce garments from the fabric. Interesting stuff.

♥  shiftWorks exhibition at the National Centre for Craft and Design (12 Nov-08 Jan), twelve textile artists celebrate the shift dress.

♥  ‘Luxury brands feed demand for return of UK’s cotton and knitwear mills‘ in the Guardian.


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Behind the Scenes at the RSC Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

I have an article included in the October issue of Seamwork, which was released yesterday.

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

The article is a profile of the in-house costume department at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon. The RSC is one of a small number of UK theatre companies with a dedicated costume department (others include the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera, and Scottish Opera). The costume department works on every production at the RSC, across six departments: menswear, womenswear, hats and jewelry, painting and dyeing, costume props, and footwear and armory.

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

You can read the full article here, or download the magazine (for free) from the Seamwork website.

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department

Royal Shakespeare Company Costume Department


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Sewing World Natural Dyeing Article

Sewing World Nation Dyeing Feature

Just a quick post to let you know that, thanks to the lovely Kerry, I’m featured in the September issue of Sewing World magazine (which has been on sale since mid-August, I’m late posting…).

Kerry writes a regular article for the magazine, with the September issue’s on the topic of natural dyeing. I’m featured alongside Folk Fibres and .

I haven’t managed to post on the blog about natural dyeing much lately, but have projects to share when I get chance – plus a pile of silver birch branches in the garden, which Phil pruned from our tree, waiting for me to try dyeing with.

Sewing World can also be found on & .

Sewing World Nation Dyeing Feature


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The Seamworker’s Guide to Fashion Museums

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

I have an article in the August issue of Seamwork, released today.

The article is a guide to some of the best fashion and textile museums around the world. I’ve visited some of these museums in person; others are on my to-see list. I did my best to squeeze in as many museums as I could within the article word count!

You can read the full article here, or download the magazine (for free) from the Seamwork website.

One of the museums included is the Fashion and Textile Museum in London, which is one of my favourites. Below are a few photos of their recent Liberty in Fashion exhibition which I visited back in January. I’m especially looking forward to their upcoming Jazz Age fashion and photography exhibition (23 September 2016 – 15 January 2017).

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion at The Fashion and Textile Museum

Categories: press | Tags: , exhibition, fashion, Fashion and Textile Museum, gallery, , history, liberty, London, museum, , textile | Permalink.


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Spinning Your Own Yarn

Creating yarn

I have an article in the April issue of Seamwork, released today.

The article is a guide on creating your own yarn, and includes stages from buying and washing a fleece, carding and spinning fibre, plying spun singles, and washing your yarn.

That’s a lot of information to squeeze in. If anything is unclear in the article let me know. I’m only a beginner, but I’ll try to help.

Creating yarn

You can read the full article here, or download the magazine from the Seamwork website.

Oh, and I also pop up in another article in this month’s Seamwork! Nicki has written a great article about her #oneyearoneoutfit project, & I’m included as one of the participants.

Creating yarn

Creating yarn

Creating yarn

Creating yarn

Creating yarn

Creating yarn

Creating yarn

Categories: press, spinning | Tags: beginner, carding, fleece, , how to, plying, spinning, | Permalink.