Category: Sewing

What's New?

10/20/2014

You'd be forgiven for thinking that I hadn't been up to much lately!

But, that's not the case at all - I've just been really, really bad at updating my blog.
You'll tend to find me over on Twitter.
(You can follow me here if you like: @_Donna_Jane)

Below you'll find a summary in Pictures of the tweets that I've been posting over the past few months. Wouldn't want you to miss out!

Donna Jane xx

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My first Knicker Workshop at Paper Village

9/29/2013

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Jo and Kate sewing away.

I suffer terribly with nerves, so when Vicky at Paper Village asked me to run a Knicker making Workshop. I had a bit of an R Kelly moment. You know:

"My mind is telling me no,
But my body's telling me yes" (well, I said 'yes' - anyhow)

I had of course had experience as a teaching assistant in sewing workshops, which was great. Don't get me wrong. And over 10 years experience in sewing altogether. It was just, that I'd never led the class myself before. With all my own material. On my own.
(It was scary)

To overcome my fears, I decided to plan. I planned and planned and planned. I produced thoroughly detailed handouts, including pictures and worked out exactly how the class was going to run.

Though you can't plan for having nerves on the day, It's akin to having stage fright, where everything that you know completely vanishes from your mind and you can't find the words to speak. If you suffer with nerves like me, then I'm sure you'll know what I mean.

However, despite my nerves. I am proud to say that I put together a pretty good workshop. And aside from a few little creases that need to be ironed out. I am on the whole, quite pleased. Everyone went home with a pair of knickers and a few new skills.

My students on the day were fantastic, and provided me with some very positive feedback and useful comments for future workshops.

Here are a few photos from the workshop last Sunday.

And a blog by one of my students, Kate Blandford, about her experience of making Knickers.

If you'd like to have a go at making your own knickers. I'll be doing another workshop on 1st December at Paper Village.

Hopefully see you there.

Thanks for reading.

Donna Jane xx

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Make a Dress at Paper Village

7/7/2013

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Last Sunday, I met the lovely Vicky from Paper Village when I went along to offer my help with the 'Dress a Girl around the World' Project. I also had the pleasure of meeting Louise from Sew Scrumptious who co-ordinates the project in the UK.

I had a lot of fun making these dresses. So much so, that I couldn't resist going back to help the following day. Each dress was really simple to make, you only need basic sewing skills to take part. You can watch a video of how to make one here.

On the day, There seemed to be a steady stream of kind and generous people bringing in donations of fabric, trims and even dresses that they'd made at home. It was great to see the local community pulling together to reach the 100 dress target.

Needless to say, we smashed the target and made 107 dresses by the end of Day 4.

The dresses are still in the Paper Village shop as we speak, and I believe they'll be there for one more week. Why not pop in and see them before they get sent to their new home. Or even make a dress yourself to add to the collection!

Watch out though... It is highly addictive.

Much Love

Donna Jane xx

**UPDATE** (21/07/13) There's a few more photos here ... for you to have a look at.

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