How To.. make a SEWING BOARD

Does anyone else experience the disaster of the sewing box? Admittedly I usually use a tin for all my threads - I have a gorgeous sewing box but it's totally full up with ribbons and fabrics so my threads end up drawing the short straw and living in an old chocolate tin. I can't even bring myself to show you a photo of what it normally looks like but trust me when I say it usually takes about 20 minutes to get some thread out of it.

I came to the end of my tether with it all this week and decided enough was enough! I need something that will keep all my threads and bobbins separate. So I thought I'd make a 'sewing board' - basically a sewing box on a pinboard! Here's this month's How To tutorial. Hope it helps!

What you'll need:
1 piece of board
Enough fabric to cover the board
Some wadding (optional)
Tacks - choose long ones that are about the length of an average spool of thread
Hammer
Glue - fabric spray adhesive works best but PVA will work if you haven't got anything better to hand!
Scissors
Ribbon for 'washing line' effect
Some fabric in a contrasting colour for pockets
Elastic
Sewing machine (not essential)

What to do:


1) Cut your board to the size you want - if you are using a saw please be careful and keep fingers away, always saw on a stable surface and follow the instructions.









2) Cut a piece of fabric a little larger than the piece of board you want to cover. I used an old scarf that I never wear and the width was almost right. You need a few inches on all edges.

3) If you want a padded board (that you can then stick pins into or add extras to) then cut some wadding to the same size as the board and use spray adhesive to stick it on securely. If you don't have spray adhesive, just use whatever you do have - I only had PVA when I made mine and it still sticks it fine!

4) Start with your pockets - this is where I can't give many photos as I stupidly decided to do mine at the end so had to hand sew them on and it resulted in bent needles! BUT... start by drawing yourself a semicircle on some pretty fabric with a widened flat top. Remember there will be seam allowance so think about how big it will be when you fold over the seams.

5) Cut out your semi-circle and then cut 2 pieces of fabric using the semicircle as a template.

6) Fold over about an inch from the top of your semi-circle and pin it. If you place your pins at 90 degrees to the line you sew, you don't need to tack it as well.

7) Sew in a straight line near the edge of your seam leaving a good half inch space between the top of your semi-circle and your seam.


8) Attach a safety pin to the end of some elastic (don't cut the elastic yet!) and, using the safety pin to hold onto, thread your elastic through the seam.

9) Sew along one edge of the elastic to hold it in place. Then pleat up your fabric until it is about half the width it was before and sew the elastic in place on the other end. Repeat Step 6-9 with the other pocket.



10) Place your fabric over your board, right side facing up. Adjust so that you know exactly how it will fit (with an even amount hanging over each side. Place your two pockets about half way down and fold under the edge of the unsewn edges. Pin in place, making sure you pin the pleats too - you don't want to sew the fabric straight.

11) Sew along the folded edges of your pockets, leaving the elastic opening free.



12) Now for attaching the fabric to the board... Place your fabric face down on a flat surface. Spray your board's padded side liberally with adhesive - or smother it evenly with glue if that's what you are using.

13) Carefully turn the board over and place it centrally over the fabric and press down. Trim the corners so that you don't have too much bulk.

14) Pull the top edge taut over the back of the board and glue it down. Do the same to the other edges. Make sure you keep it as taut as you can as otherwise you'll end up with puckered fabric.

15) Cut a piece of ribbon about 3 - 4 inches longer than your board. Glue one side of it and attach it to the back of your board, below your pockets.

16) Turn your board over and stretch your ribbon tight over your board in a straight line. Pull it around to the back of the board and glue the other end onto the back. Make sure you keep it taut throughout this. This will give you a cute little 'washing line' that you can pin things onto with pegs or, if it's taut enough, you can keep paper safe by tucking it under.









17) You're ready to do some hammering! Turn your board so that you have the wrong side up and put it on a stable surface. Balance it so that the top half of the board hangs over the edge (so that you can hammer safely) and hold it steady.

18) Place your first tack in one corner and carefully hammer it through to the other side. It will try and pull your fabric off the board when it exits the right side - just push your fabric back onto the board.

19) Hammer tacks all along the top edge of your board and then make a second (and possibly third depending on how annoyed your neighbours are with your hammering) line underneath making sure you push the fabric back each time.

20) Essentially your board is now done... although because tacks are much thinner than the holes of your spools of thread and bobbins you may want to wrap something around each tack so that they stay on better. (it's a bit precarious otherwise)

21) I used scraps of paper for my board as it gave the bulk for the width and, unless you look really closely, you can't actually see it's scrap paper, it just looks like white hooks. Get strips that are about 8cm / 3" long and about as wide as a spool of thread is high (1.5" / 4cm)

22) As tightly as you can, roll the strips of paper and glue the ends down. You will need a paper roll for each tack you have used.

23) Cover your tack with PVA and carefully push your paper roll onto the tack. Leave them to dry.

24) Finish off your board by adding picture hooks and threading some wire (or string) onto the back.

Voila! One sewing board that you can hang on your wall and keep some of your threads from getting tangled up everywhere. You can use the ribbon as a clipboard and your pockets for needles, sewing machine feet or whatever takes your fancy!

Reading A Little More...July 2012

I think I may have been doing the Reading Recommendation posts for nearly a year now, although I have to admit that I have been incredibly slack with them this year. That is because I haven't really had the chance to read much recently - I've been going to lots of exhibitions, have been getting ready for various craft fairs, been making all sorts of things and generally trying to be more active. Anyway, this month I have been a little more prolific in my reading and am doing a second recommendation post this month. Have you read either of these? And what did you think? 

The Prince of Mist - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Wow. I loved this. I've read Shadows of the Wind and really enjoyed that so I opened this thinking there was a good chance of liking it. It is incredibly different though. This is a gripping story that had me reading well into the small hours, unable to put it down. It is written with very childlike language as it is from the perspective of Max, the main protagonist, who is just 13. His family move to a cottage by the sea because of the war and, from the moment that they get there, things are not quite right. The clocks move in a funny way, there is a mystery surrounding the cottage that they have moved to, a recurring symbol is found in various places and then strange events start occurring. It is down to Max and his sister Alicia to find out what is really happening, and whether they can prevent events from taking a horrific turn. The novel rapidly turns from a safe, beautifully written tale into a horror story. The simplicity of the language serves to make it even more scary - it seems to emphasise just how awful the events are and make it even worse. As the reader you find yourself dragged into the story, predicting what may happen next and hoping against hope that it won't. An incredibly powerful story that I would really recommend. Oh and it's fairly short so won't take you forever.

The Secret Life of Bees - Susan Monk Kidd

Lily shot her mother when she was four years old in a freak accident. And she's still learning to live with that. In the summer of 1964, Lily suddenly has to reassess her life as she knows it when Rosaleen, the black kitchen help who has been doing the cooking and cleaning since her mother died, is arrested and beaten up. Lily takes action and the two find themselves hiding out at a bee-keeping farm. There Lily begins to start questioning her beliefs and what she has always assumed to be true, and learns a lot about herself in the process. This started quite slowly and it took a while before I got into it properly; I initially thought it was a bit of a 'oh woe is me, I know, I'll get some self-help' type of book, which isn't generally my cup of tea. But actually it wasn't. What it did was give you a warm fuzzy feeling towards the characters, who are all flawed in their own way, and one of the central events had me suddenly really wanting everything to be okay and turn out with a happily ever after ending. It's well-written and the pace does change and get faster as the book progresses. It has happiness, peace, sadness and tragedy - a little bit of everything all put together into a lovely combination which mixes a range of characters with a coming of age story. As I said, it took a while to get into it, but I enjoyed it in the end. 

Reading A Little...July 2012

I live in a flat that is piled high with books and the only question I ever have is: which book shall I read next? I'm lucky enough to live with a literary agent who shares similar reading interests to myself, which means that I always have book recommendations and there are plenty of books around for me to choose. And recently I had a great recommendation: Tony Hogan Bought Me An Ice Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma by Kerry Hudson. I read it before it had been officially released, and what's more, last week I got to go to the book launch as well. It was up in Stoke Newington and over the course of the day, the entire novel was read by a mixture of actors, volunteers, Kerry herself and... well my flatmate and me. We weren't able to go till after work so I only caught the last few chapters, but luckily I'd already read it so knew what had passed and what was to come. Didn't mean I was any better at reading aloud in front of lots of people - I stammered and fell all over the place. But it was a great afternoon/evening, I got to meet the author and I really enjoyed the experience. 

Tony Hogan Bought Me An Ice Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma - Kerry Hudson

This novel is set around the Ryan family: Iris (Ma), Janie and Tiny (Tiffany), and winds its way from Aberdeen to Great Yarmouth, via plenty of council estates and dodgy B&Bs. The main protagonist is Janie; the novel starts with her birth and being surrounded by her relatives, whose breakfast you can smell on their breaths, and it's mostly of the alcohol variety. I can't exactly say this is a heart-warming story as it's based on what life is like at the bottom of the pile for those trying to scrape by on benefits, loans and what can be scavenged before managing to get away as the rent collector starts knocking at the door. It shows the gritty, seedy side of life where dreams are things that people who are better off can have - there isn't room for them if you are a Ryan woman. It's a hard life for Janie; while Uncle Frankie helps out when he can, Janie grows up knowing that food is in short supply, you take what you can and it's often better not to ask too many questions. 

The novel is hard-hitting but in such a manner as to defy pity: Janie has a potty-mouth if ever there was one, she's a tough little cookie who you know can look after herself. You find yourself rooting for Janie, and praying that she'll manage to escape the all-too-apparent cycle that you can see her falling into before she's even got to school. And of course school doesn't make it any easier - she is told not to bother aspiring to anything because no one from her background has ever managed to get out of the cycle and she won't either. In the later chapters of the book you become more and more uneasy as you sense the inevitable hurtling towards her, hoping that she'll break away. At the same time, as a reader you are touched by the fleeting glimpses of emotion that you are privy to; the Ryan women may make out that they are hard as nails, but the scenes of them curled up together for warmth or to protect each other are, at times, heart-breaking. They are what make the story so touching, and what make you hope that somehow there will be a happy ending after all. 

It's a gripping story of what life really is like for some people, and it's not entirely fictional either. Kerry Hudson, like Janie, was born in Aberdeen and spent the early years of her life moving between estates, B&Bs and caravan parks so a lot of the material for this novel has come from first hand experience. It's a story that leaves you wanting to know more; it's written in such an engaging, matter-of-fact tone that you find yourself enjoying it, despite the fairly dark content. I for one want to know what happens to Janie after the story has ended and will definitely be looking out for more work by Kerry Hudson. A really good read that I really enjoyed and would recommend.

A Bit of Blog Lovin'

There are so many amazing blogs out there that I have found since I joined the blogging world myself. This month I would like to direct you towards Dana at  http://www.craftyminx.com. I love her blog. It's an eclectic mix of crafts, fashion, living life to the fullest, aspirations, tutorials and inspiration. A fabulous all-round blog that always has something new to read and get interested in. I've been impressed by Dana's 'Granny-A-Day' series and have used her blog as a starting point for a lot of the grannie squares I've made myself over the past few months (although I could never actually make a granny a day!) I also like some of the other regular photo round-ups and features that Dana has regularly - What I wore and Happiness Is... are two that I look forward to seeing and I'm constantly impressed with how much Dana manages to make out of every week. She is always discovering new things, creating, making perceptive insights and just generally being a really interesting person. I look forward to seeing CraftyMinx's new blogposts - so go on, go and see what I mean. Fabulous blog and thank you Dana!

Reading a Little...January

For some reason I haven't given any book recommendations for a while. I guess I had better remedy that and get back into my monthly round-ups. I have read lots of books recently that I wouldn't necessarily recommend to anyone, but among the less exciting ones, I have found a few good reads for you...

Heart Burn - Nora Ephron
A short novel based (very transparently) on the writer's own personal experiences of divorce and breaking up. I'm not usually into these 'girly' reads, but actually this was a humourous take on what is essentially a really awful emotional roller-coaster. I enjoyed it; it's a very quick read and is a definite recommended read for those who have been through a break-up recently. Ephron manages to capture the sense of sadness, anger, upset, disbelief, incomprehension and all the other emotions that newly-singles feel with such a great touch of humour and cynicism that I was laughing for the most part.

The Black Dahlia - James Ellroy

I'm not really sure how to review this - it is incredibly violent, quite graphic and very bleak. A True Crime novel based on the real 'Black Dahlia' - Elizabeth Short whose body was found mutilated in Los Angeles in January 1947.  In reality the killer was never found, and is still a mystery - every time it is mentioned, people come forward claiming they were the murderer. The novel  revolves around the LAPD and two officers' quests to find the killer. Both are ex-boxers, both in love with the same girl, both horribly affected by the killing. It's a well-written novel that did have me wanting to read, but I found the subject matter really disturbing and I would not recommend it as bedtime reading. I can't say I enjoyed or disliked it - I found the writing good and there were a number of unsuspected twists and turns in the plot - most of which I totally did not expect, some of which had clues planted much earlier that were half forgotten. However, I'm not really into graphic violence and found it a little too much to cope with.

Eragon - Christopher Paolini

Much easier to review! I really enjoyed this. It may be something to do with the fact that there were dragons and magic, and you may have picked up that I quite like my fantasy books. Eragon lives in Alagaesia, a land ruled by Galbatorix - a king who believes more in subjecting his people to his whims than in their well-being. As Eragon is hunting he comes across a bright blue stone - which turns out to be a dragon's egg. What ensues is the pursuit of Eragon by the King's henchmen, narrow escapes, quick paced adventures and friendships made (and lost). Eragon grows in both maturity and skills as he makes his way and tries to determine his fate, although in reality his fate is determined the day that Saphira, his dragon, breaks out of her egg. It is the first of 4 novels about Alagaesia by Paolini and I will definitely be reading the next ones.

Reading a Little...November

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Wow, wow, wow... a beautiful, magical feat of a novel that had me wishing I lived in a magical time and totally wanting to visit and be a part of the Night Circus. At the heart of the novel are two central characters: Marco and Celia. One is the daughter of a 'manipulator' the other an orphan, adopted by another 'manipulator' in order to challenge the first. They are bound into a magical challenge, where the rules are uncertain, the outcome blurry and the people who started it all distant. Both protagonists need to find their own way and means of surviving the challenge but come across various obstacles in the process. And the most beautiful and wonderful part of the challenge is the Night Circus. A collection of tents held together by the magical threads that Marco and Celia employ to enthrall and captivate each other. I loved the imagery of the Wishing Tent, the Pool of Tears, the Labyrinth and many others. But mostly I was transfixed by the huge clock that stands at the entrance and it's amazing properties. A fantastic read and I can't recommend it enough.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Another whirlwind of a novel but very different from The Night Circus. While with that I felt the touch of magic and beauty, this is far rougher and more of the boisterous adventure-type novel. Claire Beauchamp, married to a respectable Oxford Don is taking a break in the Highlands with her husband, Frank. Frank is trying to find out more about his six-times grandfather Jonathon Randall, although Claire thinks little of his preoccupations with the past. Until she somehow finds herself caught in a time warp in the 1700s, face to face with Randall himself and trying to convince him that she isn't actually wandering around in her underwear (1940s dresses being not considered appropriate in the 1700s...) A fast paced adventure story but be forewarned - it gets incredibly steamy in places!! Especially after Claire somehow finds herself marrying a Scottish Clansman... I really enjoyed this book and is another great read. For those of you who are British though - it's known as Crosstitch here in the UK.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This month has been a remarkable month for reading. I have had this sat on various shelves for the past year and have been meaning and meaning to read it. But for some reason something else has always come up - a Book of the Month for a reading group, not enough time, an amazing recommendation that has pushed it aside... I started this the other day and was hooked from the first page. Why on earth has it taken me so long to get around to it? The print is tiny, and even if it were of a normal size this would be quite a hefty read, but the style of writing is friendly, accessible and direct and, as such, makes this an absolute gem of a read. It tells the story of 3 characters in Nigeria during the 1960s. Olanna and Ugwu are both Igbo - Ugwu comes from a small village and is sent to work at a political professor's house. Soon after, Olanna, daughter of a rich businessman, moves in with her lover, the professor. And then there is Richard - a British man involved with Olanna's twin sister, in love with Igbo art and trying to write a book. This tells the story of the troubles during the sixties, when Biafra declared its independence from Nigeria, and the ensuing problems, trials and despair that the characters then encounter. This is definitely worthy of being on the 1001 Books You Must Read list: it is poignant, heart-felt and stunningly well-written.

Quick Tuna and Cannellini bean recipe

Ever have that feeling that you just cannot be bothered to cook? I do all the time - or rather I do when it's just me around on my own. I usually end up eating a piece of toast or, if I'm very lucky, an omelette. But last night I decided to do something majorly simple but a bit more adventurous. OK not very adventurous at all, but at least it was quick and required minimum effort and, more to the point, tasted great.

Quick Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 tin of cannellini beans, drained 

1 small tin of tuna (ethically sourced of course)

4 tbsp red onion finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, chopped finely

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cook the cannellini beans in some salted water until soft enough to eat. Drain them and allow to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile combine the onion, parsley, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a jug / bowl / whatever you usually make dressing in.

When the beans are at room temperature, flake the tuna on top and then drizzle the dressing over it. 

Super simple, easy and pretty tasty too.