U-handblog

My neck is cold - resurfacing & new hair cut

Hello all, that is if you still out there.  Hello, hello hellooo ((echoing)). Well, if you are there I hope you are happy and well.

I really do miss dropping in regularly.  Lately I have been the absent wife (still not officially wife yet, but as good as), daughter, sister, boss, and blogger.  Book writing has really taken over my life, I have found it so hard to fit it in with all of the other work I set for myself.  I will be eternally grateful that folks had the faith in me to write in the first place, and it is still is a dream that I am lucky enough to be able to fulfil...  It is very hard work though, and chats with other craft authors confirm that; yep book writing is a nightmare, but (a bit) like childbirth it is a worthy and satisfying thing (eventually ha ha!)  I will never be dismissive towards other craft/cooking/instructional books again.

There are worrying bits and bobs happening with friends, I'm not the most organised person in the world and teamed with the fact that a majority of the book's projects simply blow shop bought patterns out of the water (yes that sounds arrogant, but I have worked so so very hard on them, so I don't feel bad about taking credit), this has resulted in me being holed up at home day after day not visiting friends or family (thank God for my iPhone). And this is not healthy.  I need to get a grip, because all this complaining is utter nonsense when I know that life is good.  There are far huger fish to fry - more about that in a minute...

Anyways!! Bitching over! Every new day brings a chance to improve upon the last. Yesterday I left the house (for more than 1hr) the first time in 3 wks to get me a 'book jacket worthy haircut' at me local Toni & Guy whilst they still had 20% off, woot! 

    Chopped loads off (I now have chilly neck) and put a raspberry red in the fringe. I'm dead chuffed with it.  I even bought myself some Pat Butcher style earrings to celebrate :)

  I just wanted to show you the results of Al's pancake tossing skills. Poor love, he was so disappointed - I just grabbed my phone to snap the event and split my sides laughing!  I did give him a big encouraging cuddle afterwards though.

Right I have to get back to my Blue Peter style phot prep.  I have to attend and prepare for a 4 day photshoot for the instructions photography in Devon with Lorna at the beginning of next month - YIKES!!!!  So I'm not sure when I'll be back on the blog. I do know that when I resurface I am going to donate LOTS of lush stuff for auction for Haiti aid. Included will be items like finished bags, purses fabrics, bag making supplies, patterns - you name it!

I still read every one of your comments (and delete the spam - thanks!) so thank you so much for your  sentences of happiness, they really do cheer me up.   Whilst I'm away from here I do hop in and out of Twitter so perhaps I'll see ya there!  Love & cuddlinks Lisa X!

New Carpet Bag making kit is listed.

  I promised folks that I would blog about the arrival of The Cavernous Carpetbag Kit in the shop.  Mission accomplished.  Just so you know; there were only 25 of these kits available - and they are walking outta here....  Thanks very muchly to all who have picked one up :)

Sneaky peek book preview of Built by Wendy - Dresses

So this cold weather is getting really yawnsville now...

But never mind there's always lots of nice crafty stuff to keep us busy inside the house. I for one have a bag book photography shoot list (as long as a bus) to prepare for. For anyone wondering, a photography shoot list is a list of instructions as to what needs photographing.   My lovely publishers have been very generous with the amount of photos allocated to my book. Lots of pics will make life sooooooo much easier for all readers - but will amount to lots of photo prep work for me :(   That's why you don't always get a ton of step by step photos in craft books; they take a lot of time, work, and they cost.  I'm lucky that my editor is a craft fiend who agrees that photography really helps clarify text instructions. 

Anyways, whilst I get on with fabric cutting for the book (ohh just wait until you see the fabrics!) here's a super sneaky peek inside Wendy Mullin's (of Sew-U)  Built by Wendy: Dresses book - it's not even in the shops yet!

  The book is spiral bound and comes with full sized pattern pieces, from which you can sew 25 different dresses.

The pattern pieces are actually for 3 different dress shapes: (left to right) Shift, Sheath, and a Dirndl all of which can be modified to make up 25 dresses (or more - as your imagination allows). Dress sizes covered are: Bust 32" thru to 41"; waist 25" thru to 34"; and hip 35" thru to 44".

A description of body shapes and what suits them.  Turns out that I have an 'Athletic-boy' figure - I'm not sure that has me jumping for joy :(

Suggestions for modifying sleeves, also included are necklines, collars, and hem lengths.

How to modify pattern and clothes to better fit your body.  I find this section most useful because (I'm a short stuff and) it's always easier to gain dressmaking confidence from modifying shop bought clothing before you take the plunge and start from scratch.

One of the pretty summer dress you can make.  The following 2 photos are the pattern altering, layout, and sewing instruction for the above dress.  All of the projects are laid out in this way: options are given for altering the pattern to you (if necessary), then you are shown how to lay out the fabric, and finally you are shown how to sew up the dress.  ALSO there is an alternative suggestion provided for each dress (which is really nice touch I think).

 

 

Some of the dirndl shape dresses you can make. Love the yellow one in the middle!

Also love this dress too.  The next 2 pics relate to the dress above.

 

My verdict of Built by Wendy; Dresses.

I love this book!  I haven't yet looked at her other 2 titles, but I think on the strength of this book I'll check out her Stretch book.  Wendy has a clear and friendly writing style. The plentiful line diagrams are as clear as day.  The book is written to be instructive (which it really is!) but she also peppers her instructions with lots of cool suggestions. Included is a whole heap of useful dressmaking information and tips (more than than I could ever blog about).  I think a beginning sewist could pick up this book and make themselves a simple but striking dress. More experienced sewists can explore the finer details of getting the perfect fit and playing around with collars, sleeves and so on.  Yep, this book is well written, inspiring, and great value for money. One to pop into the wish-list methinks! 

Have you folks seen Wendy's other books or sewn with her patterns?  What do you think of them?