Been itchin' to share some birthday stitchin'

A friend asked me a few weeks ago what I would most like to do for my upcoming ahem-half-of-seventy birthday. I said what I wanted most was to somehow share my love of stitching with lots of my friends, some who already sew and some who don't. I am eternally grateful to the staff of Sewco for their advice and encouragement and wanted to show my friends what a wonderful and inspiring place it is! And so it came to be that the lovely Lesley, owner of Sewco Sewing and Patchwork Centre at Mt Gravatt agreed to my request for my own private class.

Our tutor would be the very cool and ultra-talented Stephanie. I first met Stephanie when I did one of her Amy Butler bag workshops, and I have recently begun following her blog 3 Hours Past the Edge of the World. You can read about Stephanie and her other sewing classes at Sewco here.



So today, with Stephanie's help, eight of us fortified by a very impressive array of sugary treats, chocolate and a damn good guacomole (so Steph said!), cut and stitched and ended up feeling pretty proud of ourselves. There were friends I'd gone to school and uni with, others who I'd met since having kids and my dear Mum. (Spookily, I realised we are ALL now somehow involved in health - womens health or mental health!). Some hadn't sewn since Home Ec in high school and others were able to tackle garments. A few used their Mums' trusty old machines and others got to drive some of Sewco's newest models.



We worked on a range of projects such as a bag, some cute-as pin cushions, menstrual pads, a curtain, slippers and a shirt. Here is Show & Tell from a few of us!

Shannon made a top for her youngest daughter (gathering to come):



Julie made this bag:



Mum made two pin cushions:



Beck whipped up a curtain for her laundry:



I made these summer slippers.



Although I had stipulated no presents, I was spoilt with a Sewco gift voucher, the workshop itself, a surprise package of patterns from a friend who couldn't make it on the day and a gorgeous hand-felted fire agate necklace.

Everyone seemed to have a fabulous time and one friend even bought a new machine (welcome to a VERY addictive hobby!). It was so fabulous to have Stephanie's patient advice on hand. I can't wait to do it again, including with those who couldn't make it today, sometime very soon!