All I know...

Following on from the incredibly talented Debi from 'My Happy Sewing Place' showcasing her 'Sew Grateful' week I thought I would use this opportunity to let any and every sewing blogger know how amazing you are, and what the online sewing community has meant to me throughout my sewing journey thus far. 

All I have learnt about sewing I have learnt from sewing blogs. Granted I haven't been sewing very long, and at best I'd still consider myself a beginner. All of the informative, well structured and (best of all) incredibly entertaining to read tutorials have helped me become familiar with all the working bits and pieces of my machine, fabrics, darts, notches, buttonholes, pleats, basting, (the list goes on!) and generally the basic construction of garments.

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with the lovely Tilly of Tilly and the Buttons? Her amazing, thorough tutorial on the Picnic Blanket Skirt led me through my first garment ever! Prior to that I had never in my life sewn a single thing... with or without a machine. It took me bloody AGES given that I had to first learn how to thread my machine, work out what my measurements were, the proper way of taking measurements, every little thing a lot of you take for granted now, I relied on my old friend Google ... and he led me to you : ) 
And here it is! 

Aaaand a close up of the cute little cherry/flower/whatever the hell they are things...

So to all sewing bloggers...  THANK YOU!! 

I don't know anyone who sews and I see this as a great resource to receive/give positive feedback, constructive advice/commentary and basically help me blunder my way through into making something wearable! 

Well.. as long as it covers the important bits anyway! 

Lauren x

And In The Beginning...

Oh well helloooo! My name is Lauren and here I'm planning (reasonably) regular updates on my very own battle to master my sewing machine! 

I have a lovely Janome Decor Excel 5018 which was given to me as a gift from dear ol' dad, in an effort to distract me from anything medical related (I work full time as well as study part time in the healthcare industry). And I must say so far it is working! 

Whilst it currently remains a bit of a love-hate relationship, filled with poring over beautiful images of everyone elses beautiful dresses, skirts, pretty little things, I sit in the corner, steam coming from my ears, curses pouring from my lips, coffee mugs thrown, fabric ripped in frustration ... okay, maybe I don't get that far. 

There's definitely a lot of cursing though.

But I'm getting there! With every project I learn another skill, and there really is nothing like wearing something you've made and have someone admire it

"Oh really? You like it? I made it. It's nothing really."

; ) If only that were the truth!