So the fabric I ordered for my Leaver's Ball dress has arrived! I decided to go with a navy blue colour since I'm more into subtle colours and I have shoes and other accessories that would work nicely with this colour. It will probably end up looking a bit like my Pre-Raphaelite dress except this time, I will use a long enough zip.

I ordered two fabrics: georgette and satin-backed-crepe. The satin-backed-crepe is actually in two pieces because the website I ordered them from didn't have one piece of fabric that I was the size I wanted. So now I have about half a metre more than I originally ordered but I'll probably end up needing it. 

I was worried about the satin-backed-crepe being a little too heavy and I really couldn't tell from the fabric samples. I want this fabric to make up the actual structure of the dress, so I can drape the georgette over the top of it, so it needs to be fairly heavyweight, but I want it to drape nicely and kind of flow when I walk. I think the fabric will do what I want. I just need to start making it asap so I don't run out of time.

Handmade Bucket List No. 4: Prom Dress

Next month, my school is having a Leaver's Ball for all the people who will be finishing school this academic year. It's kinda not really a prom. We had a "prom" almost 2 years ago after finishing GCSEs and I think I prefer the word "Ball" better. It sounds more grownup I guess.

Anyway. I seriously think that getting ready is the best part. I love trying to decide what I'm going to wear and there was no doubt about it. I am going to make my dress. I've been compiling a folder of inspiration on my computer for months now and I think I've made a final decision but what's in my head may look different to what I will actually be able to make, so I'll just post pictures for now.

I'm so excited to actually start making it! As you can see from the photographs, there are a few themes going on that I'm intended to incorporate into my dress. Strapless, floorlength, drapery, sweetheart neckline. And that's all I'll leave you with for now.

Images from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Handmade Bucket List No. 3: socks

Like No. 2 on my list, I wouldn't pick a very complex pattern in fear that I wouldn't wear them very much. I tend to gravity to knitting patterns that are photographed nicely and are made up in a colour that I would wear like cream or grey. I'm not too adventurous with colour but that's my style. I'm a big fan of neutral subtle colours.

All these images are from Ravelry so in theory I could make any of these socks. Excluding the last pair. Aren't the childrens pair just the cutest? If there was an adult sized pattern I would be knitting those socks up asap.

Images from 1, 2, 3, 4

So after digging around in the loft for a while, I came across the quilted cushion that my Mum made, which I mentioned in a previous post. I took photographs to share it with you. I think it matches my duvet cover quite well.

I've also started making my own quilted cushion cover in the same style as my Mum's. I've been following an old Threadbanger video and using up scraps of fabric. Here's just a little sneak peak at what it looks like so far. It's quite time-consuming and is making my fingers raw with all this handsewing.

Hopefully, if all goes well with this project, I'll take on a full sized quilt, except I'd use a half square triangle technique. Yep. I've done a little research into quilting. However, I don't think I'll be doing any handsewing only projects for a while after this cushion cover is finished.

Handmade Bucket List No. 2: a jumper

I really want to knit a jumper at some point in my life. I have no idea what I want it to look like. I think simple would be best since I'd probably get more wear out of it. I'd hate to go too all the trouble of knitting a jumper and then not wear it because I no longer thought it was "in".

Images from 1, 2, 3

I originally intended to focus this blog just on my little handmade projects. However, I kind of want to start a little blog series. Just so I can make a record of my thoughts in one neat little place. So without further ado, I give you my handmade bucket list blog series: a series of posts about big projects I want to take on at some point in my life.

1. a quilt

I really really want to make a quilt someday. I think it would be the perfect way to use up scraps of fabrics and it really doesn't look too complicated to make. Just a lot of sewing in a straight line. Except I'm not too good at cutting precisely which is a big issue for quilting. Now matter what, I will get around to making one someday. 

The images above make me want a quilt so badly. And I love the idea of taking on board a huge project and the sense of accomplishment after finishing it. The quilts in the images look simple enough to recreate but look so good because the combination of all the different fabrics works so well together.

Maybe a pillow would be a good starting project? Small enough to get to grips with it as well as taking less time. I'm sure my mother has a quilted pillow that she made. I'd love to find it. I remember admiring her hand stitches since they were so tiny and neat...

Images came from Dores Handmade, Design Sponge and I have no record of where the quilted pillow came from so if anyone does recognise it, please let me know.

Just a few beading samples for school. So time consuming. Especially when you consider the size of these samples.

These shoes are inspired by those Bonadrag shoes that have been seen all over the internet. This is actually the second time round making them because the first time round I used actual ballet shoes. Not a good decision. Not comfortable to walk around in but at the time I couldn't find any ballet pump-style shoe in any of the high street shops.

It's not an exact replica of the Bonadrag shoes since there wasn't enough room on the front of the shoe to fit 6 studs in. I'm also thinking I might add the elastic straps. I think they're quite cute and give the shoes a little bit something extra. I'm sure that when I ordered the actually ballet shoes for my first attempt. it came with elastic to sew on if I wanted but I seem to have misplaced it.

On another note, I really want to showcase more of my handmade clothes but I'm a bit stuck over how to photograph them in a nice way. Thats why I've only been posting accessories so far. Any ideas?

Welcome to my first tutorial: how to make a fold-a-way bag. It's extremely simple to make a tote bag so I've put a little spin on it. So follow my tutorial to make your own bag, whatever shape and size it is.

I tend to make the little pouch straight after cutting out the pieces of my bag so that I'm doing all of the cutting at the same time, but you could wait till you’ve finished constructing the rest of the bag. There isn't a great deal of different between the outcomes of each method.

And just in case you were curious about the measurements of the pattern of my bag, I thought I would include them:

• body of the bag is 31cm by 39cm

• straps are 4cm by 75cm each

1. Lay out the body of your bag or if you've finished sewing the rest of the bag, turn the bag inside out so that the wrong side of the fabric is facing out and tuck the handles inside.

2. Now you need to fold up your bag, to determine the size of your pouch. I hold mine into eighths.

So fold in half lengthwise, and then once lengthwise once more. I then do the same thing width-wise. My folded up bag now measures approximately 10cm by 8cm.

3. Time to make the pattern for the pouch. The basic shape of the pouch is the same width but 2.5 times the length of your folded up bag. I like to increase the pattern by a few centimetres just to make it easier to fold up the bag, for example by 1cm all the way around and between each panel. Then just add seam allowance as necessary, but bear in mind that a small seam allowance will reduce bulk so either have a seam allowance of 0.5cm or 1.5cm and trim it down. The pattern for the pouch to my bag now measures 12cm by 31.5cm.

4. After having cut this out of fabric, hem the shorter edges of your pouch however you like. I normally use a overlocker-type stitch.

5. Now fold the fabric for your pouch according to your pattern but with the wrong side of the fabric facing outwards and the flap of the pouch on the inside. Sew down the side seams with the seam allowance that you planned for earlier. Then trim this down if need be.

6. Continue to construct the rest of the bag, if you have not already done so.

7. Turn your bag inside out and fold your bag in half and half again width-wise. Mark these folds along the bottom hem. I use pins or tailors chalk depending on what is within reach. Place the pouch with the opening facing towards the top of the bag, in between two of the pins in the middle. My pouch just overlaps the straight stitch I made when sewing up the bottom seam by 0.5cm. I then sewed the pouch in between the two pins marking the width in quarters, following the straight stitch made from sewing the bottom seam. I don’t sew all the way across the pouch because this means the bag folds a little bit more neatly into the pouch.






8. Now I shall show you how to fold up your bag. Turn your bag inside out with the handles tucked in.

9. Lay the bag down with the pouch facing the surface. Now bring the pouch out from underneath the bag.


10. Then begin to fold the bag inwards on both sides. Next, fold the bag in half lengthwise, an once again. Do the same width-wise. Your bag should now be the same shape it was when you were making the pattern for the pouch.








11. Now turn your pouch inside out whilst enveloping your folded up bag. Now bring the flap up and over, so you can't see your bag and the flap is on the other side of the pouch. And that is that.

If you have any suggestions of how to improve this tutorial because I most likely left something out or was rubbish at explaining something, please feel free to comment. I'll be posting fully pictures of the bag later on in the week so check back in a few days.