National Craft Month

March is National Craft Month, a month full of blogging and events where crafters can show off their makes, open to any age or medium.

 I have been inspired by Patience Brewster to celebrate National Craft Month and blog about why crafting is so important to me, so here goes:

Since an early age I have been sewing, had my first tiny Singer at age 6 and never really looked back. Making is in my family going back generations with my Mum making silk blouses for herself from used parachutes during WWII, my Grandmother stitched, knitted, crocheted and tatted lace. A great Aunt was a milliner and a Great Great Aunt lived in the Grace and Favour apartments at Hampton Court Palace (now the Royal School of Needlework) a seamstress for Queen Mary. My Father was an artisan builder and house designer. So you could say creativity is in my blood.

Making is a passion and something that I have to do, am at my happiest in my sewing room coming up with ideas to stitch. Choosing fabrics from linen, cotton and lace. I am a fabric, trim, button, beads and more collector. Can never walk past a fabric shop, antique market without a browse, hunting for vintage laces etc. always searching the internet for suppliers of fabric that just has to be bought.

Making is my life and makes up who I am and can never imagine not having some project on the go. Making is also my business and each item has been made with love and care. Every product I produce has a bit of me added, each piece is personal.

I love to make OOAK (One of a Kinds) for 2 reasons,

1. I never buy long lengths of any fabric or trim, so once used that is it.
2. Could never work in production line method love to move onto something new and different.
3. This means any item bought from my stall or website will not be found elsewhere and with limited quantities unlikely to be a duplicated gift.

I also love to buy and make handmade gifts and cards to give. A friend said recently she loves to receive a handmade gift from me as she feels she is getting a part of me and knows it has been made with love and thoughtfulness. If something I cannot make will source out a crafter to buy from and there are so many around so worth the effort. Most crafters will bend over backwards to help you and always going that extra mile something that cannot be found in the high street shops.

Hand making is part of my past, present and future and hope that I will be able to continue with my passion for many years to come.

Check out Patience Brewsters website by clicking on the title and picture below. Patience is a crafter of unique ornaments and home decor. 

Must be a month for invitations as also invited by Stampington magazine to pin a handmade item daily through March to their National Craft Month Pinterest board, take a look at the wonderful variety of makes on offer.

Also not forgetting joining up with Handmade Monday and the wonderful Vicky this week. Cannot believe we are on week 10 already. Remember to click on the avatar to check out the other participating blogs.

Have not done as much sewing this week as would have liked, two reasons firstly got stuck into some gardening, well directing Lee where to plant plants etc. not to mention visiting garden centres. Secondly realised part way through the bags had ordered the wrong sized zips, oh bother. Reordered on Thursday and my fantastic supplier delivered on Friday, hence the first sample of the Paris label bag, shown here in duck egg blue. 

The smaller zips have not gone to waste as they fit perfectly in my new purse/wallets. Made to compliment the Paris label bags or on their own.

That is all for this week and hope to have more handmade offerings next week. Have a good week and a very Happy Easter.