Blossom Tree Mini Sew Along - Week One!!

 

Hello and Happy Monday to you!  Welcome to week one of our Mini Sew Along!

This week, we are going to begin with the basics, so if you haven't yet received your kit, have a good read through and if you have any supplies to hand, please feel free to join in and practice with us.

Not yet bought a kit or PDF Pattern?  

That's ok, you can buy the kit here

or the PDF Pattern here

and you can join in with the Sew Along at any time you wish.

We're going to start with the stitches.  Full details are in the instructions of how to create each stitch.  There are just 3 to master

In your kit you will find a small piece of linen with faint pencil lines on it.  If you don't have the kit, just choose a small piece of fabric from your stash - linen/cotton/calico will work best.

Cut off a piece of Embroidery Thread (Tip of finger to inside elbow length is recommended) Divide the thread into 3 strands and thread your needle.

Following your Instructions guide, practice your backstitch working along one of the pencil lines as shown here:

Now let's turn our attention to the Long and Short Stitch.  Follow your instructions to create your stitches, ensure each stitch is of different lengths in order to create a bark like effect as shown here:

*Note - each stitch should butt neatly to the one next to it to ensure you fill in the area.

It's now time to tackle the the French Knot.  Again use your instructions for guidance and follow along one of the lines on your practice piece.  You can vary the sizes by wrapping the thread more than 3 times, but do no more than 5.  I deally you want to wrap 2 - 3 times as shown in this photo:

Wrap thread round needle 3 times

Wrap thread round needle 2 times

Once you feel confident with the stitches we can turn our attention to preparing your fabric.  (If you are struggling with any of the stitches, don't worry, either practice some more, or see below for alternatives)

Taking your main piece of Linen/Cotton fabric, press it well - you may need to dampen it or add steam to press flat and reduce creasing.  Your iron should be med-hot, but do test it first on your fabric.

Next we need to take our template as we are now going to trace the outline onto the Linen/Cotton.  Follow your instructions how to do this, using a light box or a window.  Then place your fabric into your hoop and ensure the fabric is taught.

Your hoop is now ready for you to backstitch your outline and fill in with the long and short stitch.  Ensure you vary your threads as you go to add depth and texture.  Have fun and use your own artistic licence for this.

Alternative

As an alternative you could Applique your Tree Base.  In your kit you will have a piece of brown fabric and some fusible web.  Following the instructions, trace your tree outline, and bond it to the brown fabric.  Then cut it out and bond to your cotton/linen.  You can then stitch in either one of the methods below - practice on scrap first to ensure you are confident.

Hand Applique (beginner)

Use a Stabbing or running stitch  

Machine Applique (beginner to more confidedent)

With normal presser foot follow the outline with a straight stitch, being careful not to distort the points

(white thread used for you to see it)

Free-Motion Embroidery (advanced)

Drop your feed dogs, put on your darning foot or similar.  move your fabric so that the needle draws lines around the edges of the tree.  Get creative and move the fabric up and down to add thread lines for detail and perhaps swirl at the end of a branch to add more details.

Once you have practiced your techniques and you feel more confident, begin stitching your tree outline and don't forget to post your progess on social media with the hashtag #stitchbystitchsewalong

And don't forget to buy your kit or pdf pattern

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm with this and I can't wait to see your progress. 

I'll see you back here next Monday xx

Happy Stitching

Michelle xx

Introducing My New Embroidery Kit - The Blossom Tree plus a Sew Along!!

Hello again - long time no write!  I hope that you are safe and well and having a year full of creativity and wellbeing, despite all the other goings on in the World.

Today, I would like to introduce you to my new Embroidered Blossom Tree Kit

It's been a long time coming as I had planned 3 years ago that Embroidery and Sewing Kits would be available, but I only managed the Ballerina available Here due to the fact that we moved house and lots of things were put aside including this Blossom Tree, which I am now - finally- pleased to announce that it is available Here

A little about the Kit

Your kit will include a 12" square of Linen or Cotton, an embroidery Needle, 8" Hoop and 4 DMC Threads for you to Hand Embroider your Tree.

Also included will be some brown Fabric and Bonding fabric to enable you to have the option of Appliqueing the Tree itself, using either Free Motion Embroidery or a small zigzag with your sewing machine.

Your kit will also include a handmade drawstring bag which you can use to store your work in progress project in to keep it clean and keep everything together.

In addition to the instructions, I am inviting you to join me here in a Stitch by Stitch Mini Sew Along.  

It will be a 3 week programme and each week I will share different information or steps to help you create your Blossom Tree, plus ideas on how you can make the tree your own.

The Sew Along will take place here on my Blog and will begin Next Monday 12th July 2021, but of course you can join in whenever you want to - there are no rules, well, other than to have fun!

The Schedule

The Sew Along as I said will begin here on my Blog on Monday 12th July and here's what you will need to do to prepare:

First of all you will need to purchase either the Kit - Available Here and they will be posted out to you as soon as possible, or you can purchase the PDF Pattern, which is Available Here and you will have immediate access, but you will have to source your own fabrics and notions yourself - perfect if you live outside of the UK

So, with all of that said, I will also be posting on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK and I would love for you to do so too by using the hashtag #stitchbystitchsewalong so that we can see our progress.

I can't wait to see yours, so let's get Stitching!

Much Love

Michelle xx

Make a Tool Roll in 10 Minutes

Today I want to share a really quick make, for you to store your paint brushes, pencils, knitting or crochet needles and more. 

So, I had been promising to make myself a Roll for my Artist Paint Brushes for quite some time now, but never had much time, to add seams and binding, so I put it off. My perfectionism always got the better of me, so I just didn't make one.

This is where Felt came in.  I had some wool felt in stock and as felt does not frey, it is the perfect fabric for this project.

So, gather the pens, brushes, or needles that you want to make a roll for and follow along.

*
Measure your longest tool.  Add approximately 10 cm, then lay out your tools side by side with a little space between each one and measure the width, plus 2cm.  This establishes the size of the back piece of your roll.  Draw it out on your felt and cut.
Mine measured 31 x 36 cm
*
Next, cut out another piece of felt the same width, by approximately half the height of your back piece.
Mine measured 15 x 36 cm.
*
Take a ruler and a water soluble pen, and draw vertical lines on the smaller front piece.  Make them wide enough so your tool will slot in once stitched.
For my brushes, they varied from  5cm, to 2.5cm, to 1.5cm.
*
Pin the front piece to the bottom (long edge to long edge) of the back piece.  Cut a piece of ribbon, or twine, whatever you have to hand measuring approximately 80cm in length.  Fold it in half and slot the folded edge sandwiched between your 2 pieces of felt and pin. (I placed mine in the right hand side)
*
Next, back stitch over the ribbon and sew around the perimeter of the whole piece and back stitch again at the ribbon.
*
Now Stitch your vertical lines from the top long edge of the top (smaller) piece of felt, back stitch and using straight stitch, sew to the bottom of your roll.  Back stitch again.  Repeat for every vertical line. Both pieces should now be stitched together with little slots, big enough for each tool you wish to store in it.

Lastly, fold down a flap, approximately 8cm from the top edge and press the fold in place with an iron.
*
Remove the water soluble pen with water, and once dry, pop in your brushes, pens or needles, roll up and tie the ribbon.

Voila!  Your quick project is done.

If you use this tutorial to create your own Tool Roll please tag me on Instagram @michellecorbindesign and use the Hashtag #michellemademestitch



Have a lovely day, and Happy Stitching



Michelle xxx



instagram.com/michellecorbindesign

DIY Cottage Style Pumpkin

Today I am going to show you how to make a beautiful Cottage Style Pumpkin, from an old woollen scarf.

You could also use an old jumper, or even some scraps of fabrics to create your pumpkins, but the main thing to take away, is to make them your own.  Add your own embellishments, have fun creating, use your imagination, and create the prettiest pumpkins to add to your own Home Decor, or gift for others to enjoy.

______________________________________________________________________

To create your pumpkin:

Do you own an old woollen scarf that you no longer wear?  Ever wondered what you could do with it?  Well, don't just discard it to landfill, why not re purpose it into pretty Cottage Style Pumpkins?

They are perfect for the Autumn/Fall season, to add to your cosy decor.

Follow my step by step instructions below, to find out how to make yours.

My scarf, made 11 pumpkins in total.

Step 1

Fold your scarf in half length ways, right sides together and pin in place.

Step 2

Stitch along the edge of your scarf leaving approximately 1/2 inch seam allowance, then divide your scarf into smaller sections and cut.  Mine were around 6 inches each.

Step 3

Gather one edge of one of your tubes around the circumference and pull tight to gather.  I used a double thread for this.  Repeat on all of your tubes.

Step 4

Secure your gathers with a few stitches and turn your pumpkin right sides out.  Repeat the same on the others too.

Step 5

Using Toy Stuffing or scraps of fabric, stuff each pumpkin.

Step 6

Now close the open end, using double thread and a gather stitch.  Secure with a few stitches.

Step 7

Using a strong thread (I used Embroidery thread), tie a knot at one end and insert your needle in from the top, right through until it comes out the centre bottom.  Wrap the thread around and reinsert to create the pumpkin sections (I created 7).  Pull tight and secure with a few stitches.

Step 8

Cut a strip of Burlap/Hessian and roll to create a stalk.  Use your glue gun to secure it.  I inserted some florist wire inside mine, so that I could mould it to shape.  Then glue it into the centre top hole.

Step 9 (Optional)

Cut out a couple of leaves from the Hessian/Burlap and glue to the top.  Glue some of the tassels from the scarf for added texture and add a bow made from a vintage lace.

Or

Embellish using whatever you have to hand

I hope you found this mini DIY useful and will enjoy creating your own Pumpkins.  Maybe you could use an old jumper or t-shirt to create some too?  And watch out for more on my Instagram, created with Liberty Scraps and Denim.

If you use this tutorial to create your own Pumpkins, please tag me on Instagram @michellecorbindesign and use the Hashtag #michellemademestitch

Have a lovely day, and Happy Stitching

Michelle xxx

 

I have Social Media Blues

Most of you who have followed me on Social Media for a while, will know that up until last year, I posted on Facebook and Instagram pretty much every day, quite often twice a day, and dipped in and out of Twitter and Pinterest.

I loved the buzz, the interaction and the community I had built.  Facebook did change in 2015 I think it was, but I found ways to keep my community interactive.  Then Instagram changed once Facebook took over, which changed the Algorithm and made it harder to be seen too.

Facebook was my first Social Media love, where I made my first online sale and it's where I have built a wonderful following, but as times have been changing I have also worked hard to increase my community on Instagram.  I'm still working on that, and I have recently purchased Hashtag Autentic by Sara Tasker (me and orla) to help with that - however, Facebook have recently announced new changes are afloat, and they don't sound very conducive to the world of small businesses. 

I'm a busy mum, working hard to look after my family, sew pretty things, and to promote my business as much as I can.  I have learnt so much since I began and I continue to learn, but the changes that regularly develop on Social Media Platforms, are incredibly hard for us 'Small Businsses' to keep up with at times and quite frankly - it's exhausting!

The new changes are said to decrease our posts from being seen even more, unless we create "amazing content" all of the time, which increases reactions, comments and shares.  These to be honest have always been important, but it looks like they will be even more significant or we will disappear in a puff of smoke!  Ok maybe not, but our posts just won't be seen. 

I just want to make pretty things and show them to you lol!!

Also, The Corbin Family decided to move house last year and life has changed.  The move was rough, with more than your average ups and downs, so my postings on Facebook and Instagram decreased as did my sewing hours.  I'm now trying hard to get back to where I was, but I've been struggling.

I have Social Media Blues!!

Overwhelmed with the work needed in the new house (it's a doer upper which needs lots of tlc), some personal family ups and downs, plus the getting back into the 'posting rhythm', the commenting and 'interacting rhythm' and generally finding the inspiration to post new amazing content every day, I just want to run away and hide instead!

Has something similar happened to you?  Will I ever lose these blues?  I miss the interaction and buzz it used to bring, but I just can't think what to post or comment anymore.  What is this "Amazing Content" and where will I find it?  Perhaps I'd best have another coffee and see if I can find it!!

If you have any top tips, to help me get out of my blues, please comment or email me info@michellecorbindesign.co.uk

Off to stitch something pretty now

Michelle xx

I Discovered Bullet Journalling!!

 A Belated Happy New Year xx

 So March 2017 I discovered a new way to plan my days, which tbh, really has changed my life!

The Bullet Journal!!

My Journals!
Filofax Notebook for Business Planning
and
Scribbles That Matter for Bullet Journalling

So what is a Bullet Journal?

Well it's basically a notebook that you use to plan your days in!

Isn't that a Diary?

Well, yes, but how often have you bought a diary, that you haven't had enough room to plan your day in the allocated space, so you end up using bits of paper, and before you knew it, you had lost your bit of paper, and therefore your To-do list or notes that needed to be re-written?

Yeah, me too!
Or, how often have you bought a diary and something didn't happen that day, so you left that page blank - therefore wasting valuable paper?
Yeah, me too!

So grab your cuppa and I'll talk you through my experience...

So, I used to use a Diary constantly, back when I was a Freelance Hairstylist and Lecturer, for my appointments and scheduling.  I've always also liked a good To-do list, but never found I had enough room for notes in my diary, so bits of paper were constanly added to my diary.
Then, when I started Michelle Corbin Design, I kept the diary system, but I found the opposite, I never really used it to it's full.  Many pages went unused, I found it a waste of money, it just didn't really work for me, so I began to use my phone calendar.  And, OMG that I found was a nightmare, I would forget what I had typed in, couldn't find anything, didn't have enough space to put all of the details in, kept forgetting how to use it, and it just took me so long to figure out what where and how!!  So I just continued with pen and paper notebook and referred to the phone calendar for dates, because, well, digital just didn't suit me, I remember things better when I write them, this appeared to be working, but I wasn't consistant as to how I jotted my to-lists down and I struggled with an appointment system - que the revelation!!

I flicking through good old Pinterest one day, when I discovered a few pins regarding the Bullet Journal, I dismissed them at first, but they kept popping up, so curiosity then struck and I took a look.  The first I saw, was an article from Bohoberry and in her article she advised you to go to the original source, the creator of the system bulletjournal.com. to find out how and where to start, so that's what I did - this was it!!

And that's what you should too, if you too, would like to try.  On the website bulletjournal.com everything is detailed to get you started, but the important thing to remember, is it is flexible, and you can use your notebook how you like, in order to do what you want or need to do.  Use it as a base to get you started and then adapt it to help you plan your life more efficiently.

Ryder Carroll, the creator, takes you through the system step by step and advises you that all you'll need is a notebook and pen (but you can purchase special Bullet Journal Notebooks on their site too).  

My first notebook, was just an old plain papered book I had on my shelf.  I began planning out my days in Bullet Journal format and I followed a few You Tube videos to get inspiration, and became hooked.
Boho Berry is one of my favourites

My first books aren't too pretty like hers tbh, as my main focus was to just get jobs done, which really is the main purpose of The Bullet Journal and boy does it work, if you apply it correctly, stay focused and get into a rhythm.  That's my advice.  

And Breathe....

An Affirmation I heard from Denise Duffield Thomas

My life since having children and setting up my small business has been quite scatty and busy and I needed to take back control.  Now I have found a system that works for me, I have found my days are running far more efficiently.  I can look ahead to my future now and plan ahead where I need to.  Schedule my orders and commissions in more effectively.  

And if I feel like it, I can do a little doodle in my Journal, track my excercise schedule, or even just focus on a little tlc.

Since discovering this system it has also inspired a new creation too for Michelle Corbin Design, take a look here at my Travellers Style Notebook Covers, they proved popular at Christmas time and I have more designs to be launched soon, so watch this space.

Have you tried Bullet Journalling? 
 I'd love to hear, pop a comment below, or tell me what form of planning do you prefer?

That's My Life In a Stitch for this month

_ _ My Life in a Stitch _ _

_ _ My Life in a Stitch _ _

Introduction

HELLO WORLD!!

So this is my first post with my new - reinvented - blog, where I hope will be my first of many.

A Little About Me:

Proud to be crowned #QueenOf Memory Bunnies in February 2017

Proud to be chosen as a #WOW winner by Jaqueline Gold CBE in June 2017

My name is Michelle and I run a small business from my home, which I began, to allow me to stay at home with my two amazing children.

Previously, I worked as a Freelance Hairdresser and Visiting Lecturer, but when I fell pregnant with my son back in 2005, my hormones began to do a song and dance and take over my life!

Depression set in, I lost my confidence and self esteem and I couldn't face the outside world anymore.  So my wonderful husband and myself came to the decision that it would be best for both my little boy and me, that I should become a Stay at Home Mummy.

Fastforward to after my daughter was born and the economy had changed.  I began to realise that I no longer could be a Stay at Home Mummy, and another sense of purpose, but as we did not have access to childcare, it had to be something flexible that I could do and still be around for my children, who I loved being there for.

Eventually, Michelle Corbin Design was born.

It's been a wonderful several years, and of course there have been ups and downs and struggles, but all in all, it's been an amazing journey.

I did begin this blog a few years back, but I really had no sense of direction with it, and quite frankly I struggled to think of what to write!  So I'm now back, and reinventing it.  I mini blog on my Facebook and Instagram pages, everyday, so once a month shouldn't be too difficult - right? :)

So, with all of that in mind, I am excited to share this new and exciting journey with you.  

Please join me for a regular cuppa and a slice of cake, and follow me and My Life in a Stitch _ _