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Gaynor Marshall Designs

Illustration and surface pattern

sewing blogger

Combining my Passions, Sew in Love

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After a longer than anticipated break, I’m back.

Last year, I took some much needed time away from my blog and my business, and after a longer than anticipated break, I’m back. Running my business with all that entails together with the stress of looking after my senior Dobermann, Juno, meant I was reaching burn out.

Going to the studio for any length of time on a regular basis is a little tricky as Juno frets if I’m away too long, which means that working at the studio is something I have to fit in when I can. I was worrying constantly about the fact that my studio time was limited and I felt that my shop and my business were suffering as a result.

I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

Jimmy Dean

That doesn’t mean I did nothing. I may not have been working in my studio but I had my sketch books and my computer at home. After all, I am a creative person and my mind is always thinking and creating even if my hands are still, which they aren’t for very long!

Combining my Passions

During my time away from my business, I continued drawing and pattern designing from home, and just let the ideas evolve.

As I started to get back into business mode, I began to worry again about leaving Juno. I knew there was a way to make everything work, and keep everyone happy, I just had to find it.

Creative thinking inspires ideas. Ideas inspire change.

Barbara Januszkiewicz

My Christmas cards were well received

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Deck the Halls Christmas Wreath Card

During my time at home, I designed some Christmas cards. Initially they were just for fun, but I put them in my shop and they were very well received.

I enjoyed the process and realised that greetings cards were definitely an area I wanted to explore more. I just needed to find my particular niche. I wanted them to fit comfortably with my other products and form a cohesive range.

You can find my Christmas cards here if you’d like to see the complete range.

Going with the flow

If I’m honest, I was enjoying the freedom of drawing and designing just for me. There was no pressure to make products, no worrying about organising time for photoshoots and no deadlines to contend with.

I just went with the flow.

I also took part in some business webinars produced by Alison Wood, my business mentor and the person behind AlisonMWood.com

It was during one of these webinars, where we were discussing who was “your ideal client”, that I had my “Eureka” moment. We were thinking about our particular areas of expertise and how we could use that more in our product offerings.

As I wrote down my areas of expertise, which are: sewing, printing and pattern design, it all started making sense.

Sewing Themed Cards

I had it! It hit me like a thunderbolt. It seemed so obvious, why had I not thought of it before?

Sewing themed greetings cards

This would enable me to combine my passions (sewing and design) and offer a choice of fun, modern and niche cards that would be perfect for all the sewers and needleworkers out there. The best part, at least as far as Juno is concerned, I could work from home without needing to spend hours at the studio.

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I Sew Therefore I Am Greetings Cards
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eat, sleep, sew, repeat, greetings card

Sew in Love

I’m totally inspired by these new cards, in fact you could say that I’m “sew in love” with them! Ideas are flowing and the feedback has been very positive. The cards I designed for Valentine’s Day were extremely popular and I’m about to launch my Mother’s Day range! If you would like to be among the first to see them and hear about other news from the studio you can sign up to my newsletter here.

Taking time out was exactly what I needed. It cleared my mind, re-charged my batteries and allowed me to see what had been in front of me this whole time. I have found a way to combine my passions in a way that works for me and my current situation, and hopefully for my customers too.

I hope you like my new designs as much as I do!

Until next time…

Christmas celebrations

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As you settle down with your loved ones to enjoy the Christmas celebrations this year, I wonder if you’ve ever thought about why we celebrate Christmas the way we do?

It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now, the hustle and bustle of present wrapping and food shopping, without ever thinking about the rituals and traditions that make up many family Christmases.

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Christmas celebrations

I know people around the world celebrate Christmas in many ways, but I’d like to share a few traditions that make up part of my family’s traditions here in the UK.

Why do we celebrate on the 25th December?

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The short answer is, no one really knows.

It is likely connected to the Winter solstice and the Roman pagan mid-winter festival of Saturnalia as both took place around this time. They were a focal point in the darkest months and offered hope for the lighter months to come.

Surprisingly, it was 200 years after Christ’s death before his birthday was actually celebrated.  Then it wasn’t until 440 AD that 25th December became the official date.

Why do we pull Christmas crackers?

From the utterly naff to the extremely decadent and everything in between, crackers are such an intrinsic part of Christmas. The awful jokes and the paper hats all add to the fun, and yes I do wear my hat all afternoon!

We have been pulling Christmas crackers in their current format since 1847.

It all began in 19th Century London. Sweet shop owner Tom Smith copied the French idea of selling sugared almonds in a twist of paper.

Before long he began wrapping small toys and novelties and added the snap after sparks and pops from his fire inspired him.

Why do we send cards?

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It all started as a marketing ploy to get ordinary people to use the newly formed Public Post Office.

In 1843, Sir Henry Cole and his friend John Callcott Horsley, got together and designed the first Christmas card.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Lots of people send emails at Christmas instead of paper cards, but I don’t think real cards will ever really go out of fashion. Responsibly sourced paper from certified manufacturers ensures we don’t need to harm the environment either.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the history behind some of our favourite Christmas traditions and celebrations.

Merry Christmas to all

I look forward to sharing lots more creative adventures in 2018 and I would love you to join me.

Before I go, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year!

Until next time…

Gaynor xx

Creative uses for machine embroidery.

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Design your own fabric using decorative machine embroidery!

I’m sure you’ll agree, beautiful fabric is one of lifes’ necessities…erm…ok…luxuries; the colour, the texture, the feelings it can evoke, the endless creative possibilities. You’ll also be aware of how expensive good quality fabric can be. I’m not trying to talk myself out of my surface design job, but I want to share a quick and easy way to create gorgeous, unique fabric using only plain fabric and thread.

Decorative Machine Embroidery.

Your sewing machine is a fabulous tool. A very, under-used tool. Most of the time, the only stitch we use is the straight stitch; much needed and very necessary when sewing seams, but not the only one available.

Even if you have an entry level sewing machine, it will have a good handful of utility and decorative machine embroidery stitches. Have a look. If you create a stitch library you will be able to see at a glance the array of stitches available to you.

I have designed a number of projects suitable for using any of the stitches you have on your machine. Use them to create home decor items, either for yourself or to give to a loved one or friend.

 Projects.

1. Pincushion

The first project I want to share is a pincushion. Very simple to put together but very stylish and no one anywhere will have one the same style.

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  • I wanted to create a 6″ (15cm) finished pincusion. I cut 2 squares of main fabric and two squares of lining measuring 6.5″ x 6.5″ ( 16cm x 16cm approx.). You don’t have to use lining fabric you could use stabiliser, thin wadding or anything you have to hand for the inside.

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  • Using two contrasting colours makes a bigger impact.
  • For the turquoise side I used a bright pink thread and for the green side I used a turquoise thread. I find the best thing to do is to draw a straight line with an air erasable pen so that your first row of stitches is straight. It doesn’t matter whether you start at the edge of your fabric or the centre, I prefer to start in the centre and then space the rows evenly either side.

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  • You may choose to sew a random selection of decorative embroidery stitches, or you could mirror them to create a further interesting design feature.
  • Once both your fabric pieces are complete, place them right sides together and sew them together using a straight stitch, remembering to leave a small gap for turning.

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turn_out

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  • When you have turned the pincushion out and you are happy with the corners, stuff it firmly with toy or craft stuffing. The trick when stuffing anything is to use small pieces until it is firm and evenly filled.
  • Hand sew the gap using a ladder stitch.

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  • I also rotated the fabric pieces, so that on one side the stitches ran top to bottom and on the reverse they are side to side. Another design feature for a totally bespoke pincushion.

2. Scissor Keeper

The instructions for making scissor keepers is almost identical to those for a pincushion. The only difference, apart from size, is you need to add a piece of ribbon or cord before you stitch the two pieces together.

For reference my scissor keepers measure 2″ x 2″ and 3″ x 2.5″ finished sizes (5cm x 5cm & 7.5cm x 6cm approx). Add 1/4″ (1cm) for the seam allowances.

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  • Carefully tack / baste the ribbon in place before stitching the outer pieces together.

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These handy little notions can be made in a variety of sizes for different scissors and can even be used as keyrings.

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scissor_keepers

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3. Hoop Art.

Use fabric in an embroidery hoop as a modern style of wall art.

These clever little inventions lend themselves perfectly to home decor. Arrange them in groups of varying sizes to add interest to a plain wall.

  • To crate your own hoop art, choose the hoop size you wish to use and stitch your fabric. Make sure the piece of fabric you use is big enough to fit inside the hoop.
  • Trim the fabric piece by using the inner hoop as a template and fix onto the frame.

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Display proudly on your wall!

4. Wall Art.

Another idea is to stitch a panel of fabric using decorative machine embroidery stitches and display in a box frame. I created a simple design by using one stitch in the centre of the panel and then I mirrored the outer stitches to form a balanced design.

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Use more than one colour and see the different effects you can achieve. A rainbow of colours would look stunning.

I hope you enjoy creating your own fabric using the decorative machine stitches on your sewing machine. Feel free to share photos of your makes using #gaynormdesigns over on Instagram, I’d love to see them.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx

Building My Dream

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Hello and welcome to my new website! You may notice a familiar feel which is exactly what I wanted. This isn’t a total re-brand just a new platform, somewhere more suited for the new direction my business is taking. A place to continue building my dream.

A New Direction.

As my business evolves I am being pulled in a new direction.  Blogging. This is an area I had never imagined would have really interested me as anything more than a place to document business related information.

I have always had a blog, but I have to admit that I only posted very occasionally. At the beginning of 2017 I set myself a challenge, I wanted to blog every week for a year. Surprisingly, I have managed this so far and I’m loving it. I really enjoy the freedom to write what I want and the fact that I am able to combine my love of teaching with my love of sewing is a bonus.

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This new direction meant that my old website was no longer relevant. It was really a selling platform and I felt that my message was getting lost.

Sharing the Knowledge

I will still be designing textiles and accessories however, for now, I plan to focus on writing my blog. Teaching is something that I love to do and I have realised that I can use my blog as a classroom.

I have already re-posted some of my most popular tutorials on the new blog and I will be adding to these over time.

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Learning Something New

Building this new site was challenging and at times very frustrating, but totally worth it.

I’m not very technically minded so in order to be able to build my own website, I took a course written by Alison Wood that was brilliant. Alison’s “Let’s Work WordPress” Course covers everything you need to set up your first WordPress website. It’s like having Alison by your side. If you would like more information you can find it here and there is also a private Facebook group for super helpful support.

I hope you enjoy browsing the new site. Please feel free to get in touch and let me know what you think.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx

Drawstring Bags: Make Your Own

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I don’t know about you, but I love drawstring bags. They are so handy. They can be made in all sorts of different sizes and used for so many things; from toiletries to toys and everything in between. Use them as party bags for the kiddos or as a gift bag for a friend.

Use Your Stash

The bag I have designed is simple but depending on your choice of fabric it could look very elegant indeed. It could be embellished with buttons or embroidery stitches. In fact, the only limit is your imagination.

You don’t need any particular fabric either, so raid your stash and let’s start making.

The first thing is to decide how big you would like your bag to be. What are you going to use it for?

I decided to cut my fabric 10″ x 8″ (25cm x 20cm) approx. This gives the bag approx dimensions of 9″ x 7″ (23cm x 18cm). 

I used the edge of the foot as a seam guide.

Materials to Make Your Drawstring Bags

You will need:

  • main fabric
  • lining fabric
  • matching thread
  • ribbon or cord approx 5 times the finished width of your bag
  • sewing machine (optional) as these bags can be stitched by hand if preferred

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Method:

  • Once you know the size you would like your bag to be, cut 2 pieces of the main fabric and 2 pieces of the lining fabric. I cut mine 10″ x 8″. You may like to press the fabric at this stage.

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  • Pin the main fabric to the lining pieces, right sides together.

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  • Stitch along the top edge of the fabric pieces carefully.

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  • Press the seam allowances open.
  • Take both pieces of fabric and place these right sides together, lining to lining, main to main, carefully matching the seams and pin in place.

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  • Before we can stitch the pieces together, we need to mark the openings for turning the bag the right way out and also where we want our  ribbon/cord to be.
  • Leave a gap of 3-4″ in the seam of the lining so that the bag can be turned inside out easily.

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  • Mark points on both side seams approx 1.5″ (4 cm) down from the top line of stitching and then 1″ (2.5 cm) below that. This will be where the ribbon or cord will be threaded.

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  • Stitch all the way around the edge of the fabric, remembering to leave gaps where indicated. Reinforce the stitches at the sides of the gaps with a couple or reverse stitches to strengthen them.
  • Before turning your bag out, trim the corners to allow them to sit neatly.

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  • Carefully turn the bag right sides out. Make sure you get into the corners for a neat finish.
  • Now handstitch the gap in the lining with a simple ladder stitch.

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  • Ease the lining into the main fabric and press gently making sure all of the seams are neat.

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  • After you have pressed the bag, and you are happy with the lay of the lining, top stitch close to the top edge.

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  •  After making sure the side seams are lying flat inside, stitch two lines all the way around the bag from the points marked at the seams. It may be easier to draw lines across the fabric for this, but make sure you can remove them easily afterwards.

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  • Take the ribbon / cord and cut two pieces as shown below.

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  • Using a safety pin, thread one piece of ribbon from one side, thread all the way around and bring it back out at the same side. Knot. Repeat from the other side with the remaining ribbon.

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  • Press well…et voila! You have a gorgeous, bespoke, drawstring bag! To close, pull on both ribbons/cords at the same time.

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These little drawstring bags are so easy to make, you’ll be making them for everyone! Have fun and if you take any photos I’d love to see them, just use #gmdesigns on Twitter and Instagram and I’ll take a look.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx