Operation Cushion Next on our sewing-day agenda were cushions. My friend had recently decorated her lounge and wanted to make some new cushion covers, and she wanted zips.

I bought an overlocker. And apparently, once you own an overlocker, everything must be overlocked. Does it need overlocking? Irrelevant. Can I physically get it under the presser foot? Excellent. OVERLOCK IT.

Christmas is a time for joy, warmth, and creating lasting memories with loved ones. One charming way to add a sprinkle of magic to your holiday celebrations is by using Santa treat plates. These special plates are designed to hold festive goodies for Santa Claus, making the tradition of leaving out treats even more exciting for children and adults alike.

So… Is Handmade Worth It? If you want the cheapest option available, no, handmade custom designs that are More Shabby Than Chic are not for what you are looking for.

In fact, some things don’t even make it out of my head before they go wrong. There are projects that have been unpicked more times than I care to admit. Pieces that were cut twice because I measured once. Things I was convinced would be the one that ended up folded into a drawer, never to be worn, gifted, or spoken of again. I have an actual drawer for them. A drawer of UFOs - unfinished objects - quietly waiting their turn.

This was one of my very first custom card projects, and in typical me style, I over-stretched myself spectacularly. By the end, my hair was thinning, my hands were permanently mimicking the motions of folding and gluing, and my Cricut and I were no longer on speaking terms. In all honesty, this project pushed me right to the edge of a breakdown. I can say, without exaggeration, that it took blood, sweat, and tears. Was it worth it? Yes.

I’ve found that small, consistent habits make a huge difference in staying productive without burning out.

As you can probably guess, my fabric choices can be as chaotic as my brain. That doesn’t mean they can’t work together, it just means they might not make sense to anyone else at first glance. I can get wildly carried away in a fabric shop, stroking bolts of fabric like a Victorian lady fainting over velvet and spending far too long gazing at colour ranges instead of making decisions.

But then summer rolled in, as it always does, and suddenly I had six weeks off work. Six whole weeks of no bells, no students, no deadlines. That was when everything shifted. With time, space, and absolutely no one policing my day, I really started to learn who I was, and I threw myself straight into sewing. I was on every sewing course going. If someone was teaching it, I was there, armed with a notebook and absolutely no self-control around fabric shops.