easy peasy sewing tutorial {that stretchy band thing for your midriff}

If you're not sure what this thing is for, see my previous post (it's a good introduction, trust me).

So, as promised, here's the tutorial.

What you'll need:

• a stretchy top in your size (I used a cheap fitted tee)
• scissors, for cutting fabric
• measuring tape
• ruler (or just an object with a long straight edge - you could use a book)
• chalk, for marking your fabric
• a sewing machine (but you could easily do this by hand)

Now step into it and hide it under your top. Looks good, huh?

Now tell me, how did I do? Clear instructions? Was the text big enough? Have you made one following my instructions? How did it go?

easy peasy sewing tutorial {an intruduction}

Are you fed up with having to check that you're not showing your underwear (or worse!) every time you bend over?

Does it bother you that none of your tops are quite long enough?

Would you like a garment to stop your back getting cold when you're on your bike?

Do you feel self-conscious reaching up in case you show everyone your midriff?

Are you pregnant and needing something to cover your belly (or your undone trousers) because your top just doesn't want to stay down?

Then this tutorial is for you!

It is possible to buy bump bands for pregnant women, but they are ridiculously expensive for something so simple. So I was going to call this a bump band sewing tutorial or a maternity band sewing tutorial. But a friend reminded me that it's not just pregnant women who want a little something to cover up that exposed belly and/or hide those muffin tops. I'll let you into a little secret...

Come closer.

I have been wearing a belly band for the last year. Yup, I know, you didn't have a clue did you? You just thought I was wearing another top underneath. Nope, I get far too warm for that. No more tugging my trousers every time I sit down; no more checking my underwear status every time I bend over; and no more flashing my tummy every time I reach for something.

"So, what is this mysterious garment?",  I hear you ask. Well, it's a stretchy band of fabric which is worn under your top around your waist. To an outsider, it looks like you're doing a bit of layering. Pull it over your trousers a bit and it can hide those muffin tops brilliantly. Still confused? Please welcome our model for today who posed for these at the last minute (I'm hoping to update this post with a pregnant model, too)...

See that black band? That's it! 

It can even hide your behind when you're having a fat day ;)

No muffin tops here!

So, I'm still undecided as to what to call this thing. A modesty band? Sounds like some kind of hippy music group. A muffin belt? A hide-the-crack band? No? A belly band implies that it's not for small-waisted folk. I don't know. Any ideas? 

I'm still working on the actual tutorial, so you'll have to wait until Monday for that (I could have pushed myself, but my energy reserve is low. Sorry about that). But if you want to be really prepared for making your own, here's what you'll need:

• a stretchy top in your size (I used a cheap fitted tee)
• scissors, for cutting fabric
• measuring tape
• ruler (or just an object with a long straight edge - you could use a book)
• chalk, for marking your fabric
• a sewing machine (but you could easily do this by hand)

 Go and get your supplies and I'll see you on Monday. Have a good weekend!

Art Market at Bristol's Tobacco Factory

As I mentioned the other day, I was at the Tobacco Factory this weekend at an Art Market on the Southbank Arts Trail.

It really began on Saturday, when I was getting everything ready, finishing off one more sock animal (that'll need a blog post of its own) and playing about with how best to display it all.

We set off early on Sunday (8am is incredibly early for me). While in the car, I discovered some false eyelashes on my wrist-warmer. But that happens to everyone, right?

What?! I haven't worn false eyelashes since I was 18. Where did that thing come from? I'm still hugely confused. If anyone would like to offer any explanations, that would be great.

By the time we arrived at The Tobacco Factory, I was over the eyelash incident. And that's when I saw a man, wearing trainers and a bin bag (and nothing else), walking down the street.

Just an average day in Bristol.

Back to the Art Market. I liked this sign. Fonts can say so much. This sign tells me that the art and craft market upstairs is full of incredibly cool people selling incredibly cool things. Oh yes.

Inside the venue and we're right back to the obscure again where the lift (aka 'elevator') button is missing its button:

It didn't take us too long to realise that this was an old button and that there was a new, working button (which didn't swallow your fingers) just next to the lift. Added to the humour of the morning though. I must point out that my hand isn't that hairy. That is the hand of a man.

Anyway, back to the market...

The hearts didn't get much attention at all, which surprised me because they were my favourite thing on the stall. If I didn't care about things getting dusty, I'd display them all around the house because I like them so much. But I don't do that.

The neck-warmers got a lot of attention. I think the freezing weather (and the improved presentation!) helped. This one got the most attention:

Which again I find interesting because I like the bluey one on the mannequin best. This lovely olive neck-warmer is now sold. I do have more of this yarn though, so I will be making another one. Eventually. Maybe after the summer, unless someone put in an order.

Again, I was surprised (it seems I know nothing about what people want) that the gift boxes were popular. I always thought that everyone knew how to make them but, when making loads for the wedding last year, I found that people were fascinated by them. I was chatting to one lady about how they are made, but it got a bit too complicated without a demonstration. So, as I promised her, I will do a tutorial for the paper gift boxes on this blog. By this time next month, I will have done a tutorial. Just you wait.

The scarves were tidied up after this photo. Typical, really.

This guy also had a lot of attention, which was nice. He deserves it.

As I mentioned in my post the other day, I had my bag on display (at the Arts Market, not just in my house) and I will also be doing a tutorial on how to make your own bag from carrier bags. Just, be patient. It will happen though.

The bag was another example of me thinking "People like my bag! Nice! But they probably know how to make it so I won't go into detail because they wouldn't be interested in that." Wrong again.

So, it was an alright day. It was nice to hear so much positive feedback. It would have been even nicer if people had been a bit more prepared to spend money (!). I heard a group of people say "Oh look! I've found the prefect gift for Colin! Come and see this! Isn't that just perfect for Colin?" and another said something like, "You're right! That's perfect for Colin! We should get that!", then a third and possibly fourth person said, "Yeah! Get it! Colin would love that!". Then they left.

Colin, I'm sorry. Apparently I sell the perfect gift for you. I don't know what it is, but I bet you would have loved it. Your friends certainly think so. And yet they didn't get it. You know why that is, Colin? They just don't love you enough. Leave them, Colin. Break free! Make new friends!

Clearly I mustn't allow myself to do long blog posts because I start losing it. I think I've spent too much time at the computer today - blogging, tweeting about ME, putting together the sewing tutorial (it's finished, by the way). I'll be back later this week...

ME awareness day

As most of you know, I have M.E. I've had it for 4 years.

I'm so much better today than I was two years ago, when I could only leave the house twice a week for a couple of hours (and even that was sometimes too much) and was on constant pain medication (because I was in constant pain). I could go on, but I won't. I got off lightly, really. 

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Stroopwaffle is a tweeter (and person!) from Suffolk in the UK who is bedbound and unable to sit up due to severe ME. And yet, from her bed, she still manages to write poetry.

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Green Words has had ME for 15 years. Take 2 minutes to read this blog entry. It doesn't focus on the technicalities of the illness or list the various symptoms (because you'd be there a while), but it's a little insight into what it feels like.

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Billy Gean is from Staffordshire and blogs about life and her recovery from the illness: still not fully well, but now able to write and work part-time.

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A little while ago, I read a book called The State of Me by Nasim Jafrey. Here's a snippet:

I’m always measuring out my energy behind the scenes, but people don’t see it. They see you at a party and think you’re fine, they don’t see you resting all day to be able to go, and being wrecked all the next day because you went. They don’t see you leaning on walls at bus stops because you can’t stand for more than five minutes. They don’t see how tired your arm gets after beating an egg. They don’t know you almost always have poison in your calves when you wake up. They don’t see you weeping because you’re so tired of it all. Last week, a nun with bulbous eyes called me a lazy girl because I was sitting down on the bus.

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And if you want to understand what it's like to ration out energy like spoons, read The Spoon Theory. It's actually talking about another illness but could be applied to so many chronic illnesses, including M.E.

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Today, I'm trying to do as many ME-related tweets as possible to help #MECFS get to be a trending topic.

If you do want to find out more, here are some useful links:

A sum-up of M.E. for M.E. Awareness Day

M.E. Awareness Week 2010 - The Year In Review

M.E. Awareness Posts

A Hummingbird's Guide (this site has every M.E. topic covered)

The M.E. Association

Action For M.E.

After all of that, I need a lie-down.

make this bag

Yes, you've probably seen this bag before. I made it back in October '08, remember? 

Well, I've had so many comments on this bag over the last year and a bit (one woman even stopped me on my way out of the supermarket to find out where she could find one).

The thing is, it took me quite a while to make this bag, so rather than spend weeks making another one, I thought I'd show you how to make one yourself! Great, eh?

But first, a sewing tutorial. I just need to finish putting it together.

I shall return very soon...

happy birthday to me

Happy birthday to me

I'm not 23...

Bit busy here - Art Market on Sunday (if you're in Bristol, come along to the Tobacco Factory) and I'm working on a sewing tutorial for next week (it's going to be good! But I would say that, wouldn't I?). Meanwhile, I'm wading through birthday cake (bliss!) and accepting that I can no longer say that I'm in my early 20s. I'm okay with that.

I'll be back next week :) 

+Edited. I've just seen that I'm wearing exactly the same colours in this picture as I am in the picture to the right. Ha. I don't wear the same clothes everyday, I just really like that colour combination.