Author: Sue Mcgregor

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Beginner’s Sewing

In this beginners sewing series you will learn how to sew with confidence!

Week 1 we will look at the functions of the sewing machine and find out what all those little buttons, knobs and levers do!  There should also be time to make a quick tote bag or drawstring bag to take home.

Week 2 we will make a patchwork square cushion cover

Week 3 Learn how to insert a zip and make little bags

week 4 Make a simple summer top or bucket storage (like the photo above)

The aim is to create confidence in your sewing through a patient and relaxed atmosphere that usually involves lots of coffee and cake.  Booking essential and timings are negotiable dependent upon when you can get here.

I look foward to seeing you soon!

Sue

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Upcycling

We had fun upcycling a man’s shirt into a tote bag this week, next class for this is Thursday 4th May (Star Wars Day if any of you are interested…) 

Simply sew up the button placket, cut across the shirt from armpit to armpit then down the sides. (save these for the handles)

Right sides together, stitch up the sides and across the bottom

Use the offcut side pieces to fold over and sew up for the handles

Attach handles where you feel comfortable!  If you need longer handles to go over your shoulder, then use the sleeves.

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Cardmaking

Among the many workshops here at Mrs McGregor’s is cardmaking.  Not so much in favour these days, as fabric and sewing have really taken off lately, but with the eye popping cost of most birthday cards it is well worth buying the stash to make your own.  You can buy a kit to make one, or an A4 design sheet for £1 that you can squeeze at least 2 cards from, or go mad and buy a whole paper/card stack along with double sided tape and a 50 pack of card blanks.

I run a papercraft class nearly every week, so if you fancy coming along to a workshop they are only a tenner each, or pop in and choose your own bits and bobs to get cracking and save yourself a fortune. (Plasters for papercuts can be provided)!

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Embroidery hoops

I ran a couple of embroidery hoops workshops recently. Everyone commented how relaxing they were and how much fun they had.  If you Pinterest embroidered hoops there is a massive range of super contemporary ideas to give you inspiration. From well known phrases, song lyrics, names and initials to way more unique and complex designs of tatoos, body parts(let’s just leave it there…..)amongst others.

The next hoop workshop will probably be late April or May time.  If you fancy a go, start researching your ideas now and drop me a line if you are interested.

Hope to see you soon!

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Crochet Ahoy!

Crochet has never been more popular and for the last few months we have been enjoying the company of crochet expert Steph Baker on a Saturday morning.  The whole thing usually ends up as a laughter riot but before that there are the usual calls for Gin as we find a new stitch difficult to master, pin drop silences as we count rows and interpret a pattern and the contented sighs of relishing a cuppa and a biscuit.  Whatever your skill set, it’s never too late to learn a new one and crochet has been one of mine recently.

We can run beginner’s classes during the week or on a Saturday and our next class is the 18th March where we will be making crochet flowers (see photo above) to adorn any and everything.

If you would like to join us then do get in touch or look under Events on the website, Mrsmcgregors.com to see what you might want to learn next.

Hope to see you soon!

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Crochet snowflakes

crochet-snowflake

Well our crochet snowflakes class was a hit! We had so much fun I forgot to take photos and I even had to put a sign up in the shop for customers to ring the bell if we couldn’t hear them enter.  There was a real mixture between intense quiet periods of concentration and manic laughter!  A lady who really struggled to feel she had accomplished much at the last session turned up with a bag full of finished granny squares and half a scarf, so she really inspired another who, as a knitter, was having a hard time re-skilling for crochet.

The human spirit is amazing; one minute we can be seriously disheartened (last time’s crochet was going out the window) followed by gales of laughter, tears of joy or rather a lot of naughty words that bring a shared understanding of our frustrations, but whatever it is, the support and encouragement of a group of women can be a force to be reckoned with.

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Fabric storage workshop

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Fabric storage boxes are fab! As we had a super time making fabric foldy boxes at the workshop this week!  There are three ladies that enjoy each others company and love to make something each month.  One lady has made rather a lot more at home and found some paper napkins to add as gifts so that’s her Christmas pressies sorted! We had fun with a candle sealing the ribbon ends and thankfully didn’t set fire to the shop in the process. We also found that ironing on interfacing was a better choice in making the boxes stiffer and more durable.

Whatever you are up to, enjoy your sewing time.

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Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day has taken many forms in our house over the years.  When the boys were part of Boys Brigade and Scouts, many times we were part of the parade underdressed in lots of layers to protect against the cold.  The one year we didn’t take large teenager (too grown up to come) we had a panicked phone call mid service as he had decided to come into town and find us at the cenetaph as he felt all weird at home by himself.  Most of my married life has been military living and we have endured our share of losses over the years.  Hubby has latterly changed his uniform to biker leathers as part of the British Legion and had a seat right at the front of church while the rest of us squash at the back with standing room only!

As a consequence of now being a biker’s spouse, I have found myself persuaded into sewing on patches to his jacket, which has expanded into  a small stream of bikers passing through the shop door leaving their precious leather cuts for me to lovingly sew on patches after biker night!

Sewing these patches on is a year round reminder, not just a November thing, so a big thank you to all service personell and their families wherever you are.

We will remember you as well as the fallen.

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Dear Santa,

 Dear Santa!

There is such a fine line being in retail on the issue of Christmas.  Talk to the crafters and they will tell you that by the end of January, they have all their cards made and ready.  Some finish theirs on their holidays in July in the caravan and take cases of paper and die cuts with them.  I was asked for Christmas fabric before Easter last year (I had only just put it away)!    Then the non crafters tut at me for having a quiet stash on the table under the stairs in September that will gradually creep out “Christmas? It’s not even November yet”!  The good news is that over the year I learned to just keep Christmas under the table, accessible enough for crafty makers and hidden from the shoppers.  I can probably guarantee that I won’t be ready for Christmas when it comes and will end up sending shop-bought cards which will be embarrassing for a die hard crafter!  Nevertheless, whenever you enjoy your Christmas making, I will probably still be thinking about buying more sparkly and glittery stash!