So Life has gotten in the way again, but in between all the drama I've managed to finally finish my sons beanbag. I used the pattern in the cath kidston book, its the biggest thing I've made so far and the most complicated pattern, but very pleased with how it turned out. Here are some pictures...

It was also the first time I'd sewn a zip and after dreading starting it, it didn't turn out to bad, (not from the outside anyway) I also love the jungle fabric and will make a nice little addition to our living room, perfect for cbeebies time

my first zip

Next on the to do list is to make myself a bag for uni and continue with some little key rings I've been making.

So I'm starting to realise how life can so easily get in the way of things you really want to do. We have all had a sickness bug that's been going round as well as starting back at uni. So all crazy and not much lovely sewing time to be had. 

I finally got round to making my pin cushion which I love, and its already come in handy, no more pins stuck in the edges of the sofa...

I ended up using the pattern in my Cath Kidston book and actually following the instructions (after my free and attempt failed,) but really happy with it now and gave me a bit of practice at following instructions. So far so good...

The only other thing I've had chance to make was a necessity for my little boy. He got lots of jigsaws for his birthday and loves them but they're everywhere. Instead of having lots of boxes of jigsaws I decided to make him a bag with some gorgeous fabric in my stash. I think I'm getting better at actually making the bags it was just the handles I was unsure of as before I've always just used ribbon. Luckily for me my  yr old isn't much of a critic so will do perfectly for what he needs.

I've got lots of sewing plans at the moment its just a matter of finding time to do them. I want to make myself a couple of things out of my 1 sewing book, a toddler size bean bag and also a tote bag for myself for uni. I've already got the fabric for the bean bag and am on the look out for lovely fabrics for myself.  I think I'd also like to check out what other sewing books are out there as well. In the future Id love to make my own patterns but I think I will learn much more by following other peoples advice for now. Hopefully it wont be as long before I have some more makes to show off :)

So the first week of my sewing adventure has made me realise just how useful my new hobby may be and that just because I love making pretty things doesn't mean I cant make useful things as well... Brilliant! There are a few things on my, to make list this week including a pretty pin cushion that I am on the search for a pretty design, and a bag for my little monkeys jigsaw pieces that I keep finding everywhere! Both useful and hopefully gorgeous!

This week I have been copying other things that I would previously just have bought. Firstly a little bib for my baby who is teething at the moment so is unbelievably dribbly. 

 Rory is at  nursery so I used his favourite teddy to demonstrate his bib and haven't quite had chance to check it fits yet but fingers crossed. Again the pattern is very primitive and therefore not very neat because I simply copied from some I had bought in H&M a while ago but I think with a little bit of fixing up I can make a few of these that he would actually be able to wear in public. I used little sew on press studs to hold it together which are the first time I've seen them but they're amazing!

My next project was something again that I normally would have bought, I saw some gorgeous t-shirts with fabric sewn on to make the union jack in a shop in York the other day, but with  my new found addiction I thought "I could make that", so I haven't quite got to making that yet but I have started with a little vest which I used the technique I saw on those t-shirts. The elephant is actually from the Cath Kidston sewing book "Sew!" I redrew it to change the size to fit onto his little baby vests, but I love it and think Ill be trying more little applique baby vests, especially as there are lots of new babies due soon within my friends!

 I really want to try and make something according to an actual pattern rather than just trying to make it up this week, so I think I'll be bringing out the sewing books and actually following some rules and since its been a bit of a baby dominated week, I think I may just make myself something...

And so my journey into sewing starts. I was given a sewing machine for my birthday in August, and although I have completed a few projects and am constantly writing lists of thing I want to make, I find myself being distracted by other things and losing my random lists, hence the need for this blog. I'm hoping that this will keep me on track and remind me of those projects  that are half finished before starting new ones (one of my biggest weaknesses.) 

I have my lovely red sewing machine, a large pile of fabric that still has no home, my Cath Kidston sewing box (also a birthday gift) and a few sewing books that I'm hoping will help start me off and give me lots of inspiration along with other sewing blogs that I have been obsessively reading for the past few months. 

I thought I would start of posting some of the things I have already made, although only from my own mind not a pattern, more as a way of getting used to my machine and using some lovely fabric. 

 Firstly a little bag was my first mission, this one is currently being used as a wash bag for when we go away, I used two different fabrics, firstly because they're gorgeous but also because I seem to have developed a habit for buying scraps of fabric from people which are all about this size. I see more little wash bags being made in the future, possibly as presents...

 Another way of using my scraps, my first piece of patchwork! Very wonky and the corners are all off so may need to find a tutorial on that but quite happy for a first attempt and very cute if I do say so myself. Now I just need to decide what to do with it...

Finally is my first bit of bunting, I've wanted to make some for my sons room for ages and finally decided to give it a go. We live in a rented house so cant paint at all and little bits like this really help make it more like a little boys room. 

So that is my first blog post, hopefully there will be much more to show in the coming months, now very excited to get started and make my home a handmade haven...