I have a new blog, it's kind of more of a lifestyle blog and will be more about the simple pleasures we take in life.

It's called One Tidy Studio and I hope you like it!

You can find it here

Sewing Workshops

I am teaching some Introduction to sewing workshops this weekend and to prepare myself I thought I would try out a simple project kit that came with Homemaker magazine (I really love this publication and have subscribed to it from Day one).

To really test my skills (and patience) I decided my daughter (age 5) was going to be my guinea pig! She got on surprisingly well, considering she had never used an iron or a sewing machine before, here's how it went...




Very excited to be using the iron (it was set really low)

 The look of concentration on her face was priceless!

I powered the foot pedal and Eva fed through the fabric!!

Ta da!

Then the fun bit.

The finished item and some silly faces!

Eva was really pleased with her cushion and said she will keep it forever and might even give it to her children!

I have a couple of places left on my workshops this weekend, we won't be making cushions, but we will be learning how to use a sewing machine and making chicken doorstops!! Here are the details, if you would like to book a place then message me...

New Year - New Hobby?

Happy New Year!

Yes I know it's late (a whole month in fact) but there's lots going on behind the scenes here.

First and foremost I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to teach some workshops by the lovely Courtyard Gift Box. They have a lovely shop stocked with gorgeous handmade products (including some evajeanie) and a converted stable for workshops. There is also a new pantry opening this month.

The first workshops I'll be offering are an Introduction to hand pieced patchwork. The stable is set in the most beautiful rural location just outside Kettering, Northants! Oh and did I mention there is homemade tea and cake included?! Message me or leave a comment for further information.

New Christmas Products

It's been such a busy month, first off Eva was sick, then I was and then my husband was. Somewhere in the middle of all the illness I have managed to re-stock my shop with the majority of my new Christmas range!

I'm really please with how it has come together for the first year ever there are no fabric products, it's all typography and Illustrative work which really feels like coming home for me, I'm super excited about the response I have received so far and even more excited to have been fortunate enough to be featured on the etsy uk shopping guide email today!

Without further ado, here's a quick run through of the new products:

These are the hand screen printed Christmas cards, available in a set of three or a set of six, available here:

This is the matching gift wrap for Christmas, again it has been hand screen printed, the design will also be available in gift bags and tags by the end of this week, I'll also be offering the lovely red ric rac braid in my shop. The Wrap is available here:

These are the hand pressed bottle openers, the Naughty list ones are available here:

 The Santa's Little Helper ones, are available here:

 

Both of the bottle openers are also keyrings and are available as a badge pin here.

I'm being Santa's little helper again this year and am helping out with personalised letters from the big man in velour himself. They were hugely popular last year and are back for 2013 with a brand new Scandi inspired design, available here:

The final thing for sharing this evening is the Bag for Wife, I don't need to explain it, it's a screen printed tote bag and is a bit of a collaboration with my husband's shop we are hoping to do more of this sort of work in the new year.

You can get the full product details here:

Well I'm off to get the outstanding products listed, watch this space for updates!!

Halloween Party Bag Mirrors And Badges

Well I have been having no end of fun with my new machine since my last post. The badges and the mirrors have proven to be a really popular way of getting my designs out there.

September was a really busy month for me as Eva started school. I haven't quite adjusted to this, I still feel really sad about dropping her off but am enjoying have regular working hours, I still work just about every night but somehow it's feeling slightly less manic. I'm so glad I have got new design projects to occupy my time.

I have added some new Halloween themed badges and mirrors to my range:
 

'Spooky' green eyes badges great for Halloween children's party bags as an alternative to sweets! Perfect for trick or treat gifts!

If vampire myths are to be believed then no vampire will show a reflection in a mirror!

Badges and mirrors are sold individually or in mixed packs of 5 and 10 or as mixed bags of badges and pocket mirrors, and are the perfect alternative to sweets for trick or treating or for giving out as little gifts in Halloween party bags!

Children will love these cute and quirky Halloween badges, but they are not toys so please don't give them to children under 5 years old due to small parts and pin fastening. I offer a plastic clip back fastener which is safe for children over 3 years. Contact me if you would like these.


Available in limited quantities so order now for Halloween from my etsy shop!!

Exciting News!!! Also a giveaway of first new products!

I was so excited about typing 'Exciting News' that I accidentally typed 'Exiting News' which wouldn't be right at all, quite the opposite in fact! I'm pleased to announce that evajeanie are expanding our product range.

We have invested in a new fancy piece of machinery which will help business grow and take a slightly new direction. Don't worry all the lovely bunting and bags will still be available but we really want to incorporate more graphics and illustration work into the brand. There's been a lot going on behind the scenes over the Summer and are we almost ready to launch a new range of designs and products.

The new machinery will allow us to show of our new designs on beautiful little pocket mirrors, badges and clips (for children), keyrings and bottle openers and here it is...

it's a proper heavy duty piece of machinery with a super smooth circular cutter.

This is the cutter...

I love things with handles and levers, I am quite cheered by the bright red knob on the end of this handle!

The assembler itself has got all sorts of springs and slidy things, is it wrong that I'm excited about a chunky bit of metal?

It have a lovely action, obviously sophisticated engineering, that is robust and built to last! Yes it is made in Britain, just down the road in Stamford!

We only received the machine yesterday but we were keen to get cracking and share some of our new designs so have already made a few products (I was so excited and have been planning this for months).

These are the first two products, they are part of the new 'Wild' range, of which there will be available on notebooks, cards, bags and cushions, as well as mirrors and keyrings.

The hedgehog is based on our own hand illustrations that we have redrawn on the mac for production.

The other mirror is a grey chevron, both will be available to buy soon with our other products but these two are available now for you to win. All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment, it's as easy as that!!!

Good luck!

The winner will be announced on Thursday 26th September 2013.

Review - Sewing World Magazine

Last Monday I heard a gentle thud on my doormat, too heavy to be a bill but too light to be a fabric order, it sounded like a magazine, but my regular subscription had already been deposited. It was in actual fact a magazine (a pretty good one as it goes), the lovely people at Sewing World magazine had asked me to review their new look publication! How nice are they?!

Now as I'm sure you'll have noticed it has been a very busy time here at evajeanie, what with the world and their Granny ordering bunting and my little Eva finishing playschool (it was emotional to say the least) there has been very little time to sit down and give this job the time it deserved.

But this morning, in between bunting orders and shipping Eva off to the Library with Ninny (that's my Mum - I know, it just stuck and it is quite fitting, we all call her Ninny now),  I managed to carve some time for a bit of R&R. A sweet brew, a Kit Kat and a wonderful new magazine, what could be better?!

The first thing that struck me was how vibrant and enticing the articles looked just from the previews on the contents page, also the volume of projects impressed, it's literally chock full of lovely things to stitch - thirteen in fact!

I always love a shopping page and this one doesn't disappoint, it features this natty little Button Sewing Box, I am a button fan, especially if it that helps me keep my sewing stash under control, I am definitely going to invest in one of these for the studio.

 

Then we get down to the serious business of sewing. Specifically Using a Multi-Size Pattern, gulp! Now I like to think I am well-qualified in the art of stitchery, along with a BA (hons) I also have a variety of C&G certificates in my bottom drawer, but the thought of using a pattern is still a little disquieting. No idea why, I just prefer to you my own patterns and tend to make smaller things. But it's okay, you can come back out from behind the sofa, there's nothing to be frightened of, it's going to be okay, Sewing World have got it covered, I promise!

This (not tricky or in the least bit scarey) section is exactly what the tags on the top of the page claim it to be - a Masterclass! It explains what a pattern is, why you need one and ultimately how to use one. Genius! Even I can follow this guide (and believe me I was reluctant to try) but it really is effortless. It is simply written and fully explains instructions so you will feel armed to go forth and tackle that dress pattern you have lurking in your sewing box (I'm talking to myself here too!) It would also be a handy guide to cut out and keep.

The next section 'Projects' is definitely more my comfort zone. There is a gorgeous preview page for July Makes which makes you want to just jump straight in! Be it a funky tote bag, a handy sewing machine cover or the super-cute Pippi doll, there's something for everyone!

I particularly liked the Pippi Doll, inspired by the Scandinavian elf dolls, you may have seen them as advent calendars. The pockets on the front store small trinkets or sweets and I am tempted to make one with Eva as our summer project. It will be a lovely way to use up some of the pink/lilac scraps that I have been hoarding as they are too nice to throw away. I also thought it might be nice to add in some fabrics from some of her lovely baby dresses so that it will make a lovely memorable keepsake.

The instructions look clear, fun and above all easy to follow!

Another gorgeous project is this flirty floral top, the instructions are once again straightforward and beautifully laid out. You know, I'm tempted to have a go at this one too!

There is a special patchwork ruffle skirt, perfect for a little girl and yes I do have one in mind! The fabrics and colourways used for this project are especially inspiring. There is also a delightful matching headband to make.

The features section is also most intriguing, the first section is written by Editor Julie Briggs and is dedicated to M Makower & Co Ltd as 2012 saw the 150 anniversary of their beautiful fashion fabrics. A most absorbing read.

An example of one of the easy to follow patterns:

An enlightening feature of Choosing a Sewing Machine, this focuses on mid-range models and allows you to compare price and features on the USP of each machine, a real must read if you are thinking of investing or just want to find out what you are missing out on!

 There is also a feature on 'Men Who Sew' apparently there are some that do, although they are in short supply at evajeanie HQ, I must address this sharply!

There are far more appealing articles and delightful projects than I can't squeeze into this blog post. But I strongly hope that I have encouraged you to try out a magazine that might be considered to be focused on the more 'serious' side of sewing, don't be afraid, embrace it, it can be fun and Sewing Magazine certainly demonstrates that at it's very best!

Big Thumbs up from evajeanie!!!