Sorry for not posting in ages been so busy with work I've hardly had a second! Here is a lovely Picture of Durdle Door to cheer you up taken last weekend when I managed to escape for a few days!

Arrived!

Well the long awaited day arrived my new Janome 1600P Arrived! It was going to be my return to work encouragement, but a bad bout of flu gave me such aches all over my body I went back to bed for 2 days and extended my christmas holiday! However I did manage a few test runs on the machine one to check speed, and one to check how many layers of fabric could it sew, thankfully iit passed both with flying colours! So far i'm impressed Very Impressed, almost looking forward to work Monday morning and giving it a real test run!

Taking Stock

I decided that when I start back in January I want to start with everything new, the Machine is now on order, and quite frankly the last time I bought a decent pair of scissors is longer than I remember, The last pair of Fiskars I bought cost about £14.00 today they cost a staggering £26.00!!!! I also invested in a £16.00 sharpner, I did hesitate but thought i'd give it a go.....well i'm quite annoyed to be honest that £16.00 sharpner has returned my 15 year old scissors back to as new condition.......I could have saved £26.00!!!! LOL

New machine!

Well some very heavy interlined curtains saw the end of my faithful Elna, well not the end i'm sure a good service will have her running like new again! but it has proven since I sold my Industrial Brother machine, the Elna is being put under too much pressure, after lengthy investigation I have decided on the Janome 1600, if anybody has one I would love to know what they think of it! Hope your all having a great Christmas! X

Hello Everyone

Sorry for not posting been so busy with work which is great, but hardly have time for anything else! Here are a couple of pics of some Roman Blinds iv'e just finished for an Interior Design shop based in the town I live.

Quick Update

Just in case you were wondering what i'm doing, I'm still up to my eyes in work! here is a recent job 2 pairs of curtains 4 widths per curtain and over 13ft Long!!! I will try and post something more interesting shortly!

More & more curtains!

This embroidered silk fabric was beautiful! and made up so nicely with a natural bump interlining. They also had a nice broad border of plain silk on each edge. Bagged up and delivered!

Going well...

Well just a quick update so you don't think i've forgotten you all! Here are a few pics of the curtains I have been making, some of them finished some of them bagged up to be delivered, it's all going very well! I seem to have more work than I can cope with, and hopefully if it carries on I might be able to get an extra pair of hands to help! I am working weekends and evenings but it's worth it, I forgot how nice it was to be in control of my time again, I have even been able to meet friends for the odd lunch date! I am now starting to take pics of every project that passes through the workroom, I will start posting these regularly.

Some News........

Dear Bloggers I am pleased to announce that as of next month I will be going back into business as a Curtain Maker! The workrom is nearly finished, Business cards and web-site being set up! Perhaps not the best financial Climate but hey nothing ventured nothing gained! I will update you with more info over the next few weeks!

Lark Rise To Candleford

Don't forget all you period costume drama fans the new series 4 of Lark rise to candleford starts tonight BBC1 at 8pm! my blog is starting to look like a TV listings! Sorry news on the new work room coming soon!

Upstairs Downstairs

Did any of you start to watch the new series of Upstairs Downstairs? I have recorded them all but as yet have not watched any! So for those who have and also remember the 70's series how do you think it compares?? Is it actually the same house that they used last time??

Merry Christmas!!

Just a quick message to all the wonderful people I have met on here, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!

Sorry for not posting for so long! In the last few months there have been a few ups and downs, and I have also moved address! Will tell all in 2011 when i promise to blog at least weekly once again!

Merry Christmas from me and Ralph Xx

Finished!

And finally here they are! excuse the room as it hasn't been decorated yet! but i'd rather hang the curtains now and not have to press them all over again! Well I'll be posting my next project shortly and it will be very flowery for all you vinatge lovers!

More curtains.......

Well instead of another no make weekend I decided to make some curtains for the spare bedroom, I bought the fabric as a possible for the new sitting room curtains, but it was a little too dark, but for the spare room I think they will be fine, the fabric is a faux silk so I am going to Interline it and use a hand sewn heading, I will post a pic in the next few days when they are up! Hope your all having a productive weekend too!

Changing Tastes or am I mug?!

I was having a laugh the other day when I was emptying the dishwasher, how funny how an item you bought years ago that you thought so nice at the time, and how our taste evolves over time, I remember buying the sunflower mugs about 20 years ago, and how the bee printed on the inside was so unusual, I remember the Laura Ashley mugs with the lemons on and at the time I bought matching fabric and tablemats, I then remember the blue and white spode mugs they were in a set of six, far more than I could afford at the time but I loved them, then the hand painted one's again with a lemon design, I bought these in Heal's in the Kings road when a friend had a flat nearby. And then the one you will all recognise the Kath Kidston strawberries, and finally the one I bought the other day in sainsburys for £2.50! with the blue hand painted dots (not sure if they are hand painted!) as they are a little Emma Bridgewater in style!

Fabric Sale!

Starting to list some fabric on ebay, once again I am regretting it even before it's sold! So I will be listing it in 2 Metre Lengths at a time! my e-bay seller name is 'witneycurtainco' if you fancy a peek!

And If you do like any of the fabrics I have more of them, but don't tell anyone!

Passing Fashions

No before you ask I am not going to be using this fabric for my curtains! It might be vintage but it's certainy not faded! But I have got meter's of the stuff so I think once again it's time for a Ebay fabric sale! I remember using this Ramm fabric when the English country house style was so fashionable in the late 80's, I wonder how many years will pass before it becomes fashionable again??

Cast your votes!

Fabric no 2! What about this one bit more cream??

Painting

So fed up of plain cream walls so thought I'd better start some decorating! Decided on Overtly Olive for the fireplace walls, and Natural hessian for the rest of the room, can't decide what fabric to choose for the new blinds though, so I am gonna keep hanging samples up till I see something I like! What do you think of this one?

Finished Curtains and Blind

As promised here is a picture of the finished curtains! will try and get some better pics the flash would not work and I still haven't read the new camera's instruction book! But curtains looked lovely and the client ws pleased so good result!

Pleats & Pins

Just in case you were wondering I have been busy sewing since I last posted and finally everything is nearly finished! The Interlined curtains are made and ready to hang, the pelmet requires one more row of piping on the top and the velcro stitched on and then there finished!

Here are a few pics, one of the pleats being pinned out and the other of the nearly finished pelmet! I will post them fitted in the next few days!

Pomegranate & Bee!

A few more I ran off tonight, and what's better they were free! just downloaded them onto a dongle put them in the machine and pressed start! The pomegranate is giving me idea's for a kitchen Roman Blind or something, I wonder if there is a market for machine embroidered blinds?

And still more sewing.......

I have decided i'm not making these is the letter 'S' is required, it felt like the first one I ever made going round those internal corners! This is going to be a cushion I'm not going to pipe it just have the back of the cushion made up in the floral the same as the lettering. I'll finish the back and put the zip in now and then it's back to the embroidery machine!

More sewing....

Just a few more embroidery's I wizzed off last night, one is for my cousins son Wyatt, love that name so unusual! and the other is for my mother, not sure if they will be cushions or lavender hearts or what don't care just like making them at the moment, but now I am going to put the new machine away for a while and finish the applique cushion I started last week! Hope you are all having a good weekend.

Machine Embroidery

Yes it's finally arrived my new toy! Had a family meal out last night so only had about an hour to hurriedly read the instructions and had a quick play! Well for my very first attempt I was very pleased, although I must say there is very little I had to do! thankfully the machine does it all for you.

Well I have attached a pic of my first attempt and I am very pleased, were out again tonight my cousin son's 1st birthday, but hopefully i'll have all weekend to explore my new toy!