Relax & Chill - Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. How has your week been? As our title suggests I have had a lovely relaxed week away with Rhod, staying near Bath in Somerset. I did some relaxing hand sewing. I finished a Sashiko project from a recent workshop that I did with the Swansea Quilters. I am now addicted to Sashiko. I find something soothing about concentrating on keeping the simple running stitches consistent in size and spacing. It’s not as easy as I thought. I love the history behind Sashiko and the fact that the Japanese started this stitching as far back as the 17th century as a practical way to repair and reuse precious fabrics and everyday clothing.

We enjoyed visiting some great towns and villages from Frome to Bath and searching out some quirky independent shops. In Frome I found a great fabric shop - Millie Moon. They had a great choice of unusual fabrics and indie patterns. I must confess I did buy some lovely Sevenberry linen that I hadn’t seen before. In Bath, I visited the Museum of East Asian Art and what a fabulous place that was. I could have stayed there all day. There was a Kimono exhibition and a dragon exhibition as well as art and ceramics that are permanently on display. I also loved the gift shop. I may have purchased some Christmas presents here. We also visited The American Museum and Garden near Bath. We first went with Claire and Simon in 2019 to see a Kaffe Fassett Quilt Exhibition and unfortunately due to really bad weather we couldn’t go round the gardens. This time Rhod and I got to visit the gardens which were works of art in themselves. There was loads to see…the wildlife photography exhibition was a delight, the shop and cafe were great (I had the best pecan pie) and the textile room was amazing. All in all we had a fab week away.

Back to normal next week. I have got some commissions to finish and Claire is busy putting her kits together and making mini rag wreaths. We are also prepping ready for our next workshop on Friday 29th November which is all about making Christmas decorations. Come and join us for a morning of fun and chat. You can book via our website booking page. Have a lovely week x Suzanne

Patchwork Madness! Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a great week. Claire has been busy designing and putting her new cross stitch kits together. She has some lovely new designs which I will share with you when they are ready. I have been designing and making a new skirt. I had some lovely Japanese prints so I cut them up into squares and along with some calico I made them into a skirt. I am really pleased with the result. I used some lace binding for the hem which I think finishes it really well. The photo above shows me pinning the skirt on to my dressmakers dummy to see what the patchwork would look like with the lace…excuse the mess on the floor.

Rod and I managed to dodge the showers this week and get out for a walk. We called in for breakfast at Fortes Cafe which is next to Limeslade Bay. We love this place. Fortes is a family business which had parlours and kiosks around Mumbles and Langland since the 1930s. It has recently been refurbished but they have kept the original ice-cream parlour feel plus they do a cracking breakfast. We then worked off some calories by walking to the top of Mumbles Head. You get an amazing view of the Mumbles peninsula.

I thought I would share with you one of our new Japanese Knot Bags. Claire has used beautiful bright fabric from a designer called Kaffe Fasset. He designs fabulous prints which we love. She also used it to make a Japanese Rice Bag. Claire and I are off to a Quilters Guild meeting tomorrow which we are looking forward to. Next week I will be busy writing our monthly newsletter as we roll into October. I can’t believe how quickly the time is going. If you want to subscribe to our newsletter, you can sign up on our website www.sistermakes.co.uk. Come and join our growing family. Have a great week and I will see you next Friday x Suzanne

Quilting Madness - Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. How has your week been? There was no blog last week as I was busy helping out at our Swansea Quilters Summer Exhibition. We had a fantastic weekend with over 400 visitors enjoying the exhibition. There were quilts galore….over 100! What was lovely was no two quilts were the same including the ‘sew a row’ challenge mini quilts. We were all given the same two rows each month but it was great seeing everybody’s interpretation of the challenge. I was chuffed with the response to my own quilt that I put into the exhibition. I decided to simply call it ‘Ginger Jars’. It was a great way to show off the prints that I used. If you fancy joining us, we would love to meet you. We are a friendly bunch who love to share our passion of quilting and sewing. Swansea Quilters meet on the third Saturday of the month from 10am-1pm.

I am busy making some kimono style jackets ready for The Vintage and Makers Market next Saturday 7th September and Sunday 8th September at The Waterfront Museum, Swansea. I love choosing the fabric to use. The jacket pictured below is nearly finished. I have just got to do some hand stitching to finish it off. The fabric in this makes me smile. I hope you like them as well. If you are nearby, come along and say hello. It’s free to come in and there are loads of stalls to look at. Dare I say it but if you are starting to do your Christmas list then this is a great place to start your shopping.

Claire and Simon have been busy with a lovely visit from their son and his family. Although the weather didn’t play ball, they still enjoyed themselves including taking the grandchildren to Margam Park. It’s a great place to take children and adults alike. She has still managed to make some new knot bags and also some Halloween Mini Rag Wreath Kits. Head over to our website shop to have a look. I have shown two bags below and what I love is that two becomes four as they are fully reversible.

Have a great week and I will see you next Friday x Suzanne

To be or Knot to be! Happy Friday!

Rod’s pride & joy

Hello everyone. I hope you are all well and enjoying the sunshine. What do you think of the title of this weeks blog? Claire has created some new knot bags which you can find on our website shop and I’ve put some photos of the new knot bags below. Rod & I went down to Oxwich Bay on our 1969 Triumph Motorcycle this afternoon. The temperature was perfect. We had a lovely ride down and enjoyed a coffee alfresco looking out over the bay from the garden at The Oxwich Bay Hotel. Claire & I are busy designing and making. We have got our next fair on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September at The Waterfront Museum.

What are your plans for the weekend? I’m hoping to be able to get out for a nice walk. We are lucky where we live. Swansea and The Gower have amazing beaches and green spaces. Next weekend is the Swansea Quilters ‘Power of Flowers’ Summer Exhibition. I can’t wait to see all the beautiful quilts on display.

The Power of Flowers!

Come along if you can. It promises to be a bouquet of colour!

Have a great week. See you next Friday x Suzanne

To Infinity (Scarves) and Beyond - Happy Friday!

Hello everyone how has your week been? Claire & I have been to the Festival of Quilts for our annual AGM and shopping spree. We love having our AGM at the festival as it is usually over a bottle of fizz and as there is only two of us we can cover a lot in a short space of time so that we can enjoy the hotel pool and spa facilities. We always love the amazing talent of the quilters and feel so inspired after looking at all the competition quilts and exhibitors. It’s a great way to catch up with suppliers and source new fabrics. For more news about our Festival of Quilts trip have a look at our August newsletter which will be out Monday. If you aren’t signed up then pop over to our website and subscribe.

Love the sunny yellow fabric and the different cats in this scarf make it fun

I have been busy this week cutting out some new kimono style jackets ready to sew next week. I love playing around with patterns and hopefully you will love what I create. Claire has been busy finishing some commissions. I have put some photos of the quirky patchwork tote bag below. She has also been making some new infinity scarves. These are great accessories and because they are 100% cotton they can be worn in the summer as well as the winter. You can find them and all our other products on our Sister Makes website .

Next week is all out sewing for Claire & I and don’t forget our slow stitch workshop on Friday August 16th at Dunvant Farm Shop & Cafe. There are still places available but booking is essential. You can do this via our workshop page on our website or by clicking here. I hope you are enjoying the summer sunshine whatever you are doing and look forward to catching up next week x Suzanne

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. How are you all and how has your week been? Claire was away last week catching up with friends but she is back now and creating some lovely fabric. We love how it looks in the prototype waistcoat that I made with her handmade fabric. I have put it on as the front of this blog. Let us know what you think. I finished some cushions and a table runner for Adelante in Mumbles. I enjoy patchwork and quilting. I love that you can reverse this table runner if you wanted. It looks completely different. If you haven’t been to Adelante yet, you must! It’s got so many different things from vintage clothes and homeware to jewellery and bags from local small businesses like Sister Makes. I defy anyone to leave there without something especially if you are looking for a gift. You will find Adelante at the top of Newton Road, Mumbles.

Next week Claire and I are finishing some projects for the Swansea Quilters Exhibition. I will be binding my quilt and finishing a piece that was set to all of us as a challenge. It’s been lovely seeing some of the ones already finished. We all had the same brief but everyone’s is different. I always feel inspired by the ladies at Swansea Quilters. Photos to follow. We have been invited to do a talk with the Llansamlet WI next Thursday. We love meeting people who share our joy of crafting and sewing. I am also out with the Forget Me Not club I volunteer with. We are off to the Gower Heritage Centre for a ‘taste of old Gower’. Looking forward to that. I’ve put a few photos of the heritage centre. I love the one of what it originally looked like. If you want to have a look further click here. Have a lovely week and see you next Friday x Suzanne

Hello Friday!

Hello everyone on this fabulous sunny and warm Friday. Hopefully this is the start of our summer. Claire & I are busy getting ready for the Vintage and Makers Market this weekend. Come in and say hello if you can. It is free entry and is open from 10am to 4pm. There is so much going on around Swansea this weekend. By the Waterfront Museum we have got the vintage car show on in the Marina square tomorrow all day and there is a steam engine on the museum green from 12pm to 3pm while on Sunday the Marina Food Market is on. What are you all up to this weekend - making the most of the sunshine.

I have been busy making some new kimono style jackets ready for the market and then they will be put on the website. I hope you like them. Claire has been busy making some Japanese knot bags to add to the display and I have also made a pair of patchwork cushions. Rhod and I managed to get out for a lovely walk on the bank holiday down Oxwich Bay. It is so beautiful there and the tide was right out.

Yes that is blue sky you can see - I loved capturing it in the sand. The tide was right out that day!

You can just make out Oxwich Bay Hotel in the distance.

Sorry for the shortish blog this week but I am now off to have a well-deserved lie down and a large glass of fizz. Have a lovely weekend and see you next Friday x Suzanne

Hello Friday!

My lovely new table that can take both sewing machine and overlocker.

Excuse the mess - it’s a work in progress as I have had to rejig my work space.

Hello everyone. I know the weather isn’t ideal but we have a bank holiday weekend to look forward to. We can have an extra lie-in on Monday for those of us lucky enough not to be working. How has your week been? Claire and I were asked by the lovely ladies of the Dunvant WI to give a talk last week. I have to say I was very nervous as I am not very confident when it comes to public speaking however everyone was very welcoming. We had great feedback and lovely comments about our business and products.

We also managed to get on to The Big Wheel by Mumbles Pier. We were lucky to have sunshine and blue skies. We even managed to sit outside with a coffee at The Pier Cafe. It was great to be able to look at the coast from above. My photos don’t do it justice. Also this week I went to Plantasia Tropical Zoo for the first time with the gang from the Forget-Me-Not Dementia Day Club that I volunteer with. We all had a great time although I wasn’t too chuffed with all the creepy crawlies.

Nearly finished.

What do you think of the 1970s print?

I am busy making some new kimono style jackets ready for our next fair on May 11th & 12th. At the moment I have nearly finished one made in vintage fabric. What do you think? It’s very 1970s. I have also made one in a William Morris pattern. As you know we love our Japanese fabrics but I am enjoying sourcing these vintage patterns.

Claire and I are hoping that we can get outside and have some lovely walks by the sea this weekend and of course lots of sewing and crafting. Hope you all have a lovely bank holiday x Suzanne

Hello Friday!

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a good week. We have had a productive week at our Sister Makes HQs. I have finished my commission which I am really happy with. I have added some photos. What do you think? Lynne had a waistcoat that she loved to wear but could not find one similar so when she was in Adelante she asked Naomi if she could ask us to make one as she loved the fabrics that we used. I was happy to have a go. It is completely unique as I drafted a pattern using Lynne’s waistcoat. I used some floral fabric that Lynne liked and found some vintage buttons in my stash that compliment the fabric. Lynne now has a bespoke, unique waistcoat which I hope will give her many more years of joy.

Love the colours in the waistcoat.

It is now a bespoke garment that no-one else will own.

On Saturday Claire & I have our monthly Swansea Quilters meeting and this month we have got a talk called “Art to stitch and back again’ by Carol Bartlett. Sunday we are off to the Retro Fair which is being held at Mumbles Pier. It is free to enter and is on from 11am to 3pm. There will be lots of lovely finds from records to homewares. I might even have a go on the Big Wheel which is by the pier if the weather is okay. The views will be stunning looking out to sea. We might even see Devon if the weather is good.

Let’s hope it’s not too windy!

Looking forward to seeing Mumbles from a new angle.

Monday 22nd April is Earth Day and the theme this year is Planet vs Plastics and it aims to raise awareness of the harms of plastic pollution to us and to our planet. For further information have a look at their official website www.earthday.org. As you know Sister Makes tries to use as little plastic as possible. All our bags are plastic free and are great to use instead of a plastic bag. It is important to Claire and I to reuse, reduce and recycle where we can. We love looking for vintage fabrics and haberdashery.

Who needs plastic bags - not us.

Our knot bags are great for lots of different uses.

Claire & I have been invited to give a talk about what we do to the Dunvant WI next week. More about that in next week’s blog. In the meantime have a lovely week x Suzanne

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. How’s your week been? Lots going on at Sister Makes HQs.

I have received some lovely feedback regarding my kimono style jackets so I have just finished a new one which I will put on the website along with the others that we showcased in the vintage and makers market. Apologies for the delay in putting them on our website but they will be up by Sunday. I have loved choosing the fabrics and this last one is one of my favourites.

Isn’t this fabric fantastic!

This is a size Large and is £45.00

We are so excited that the workshop for April 11th has gone live. You can book by clicking on www.sistermakes.co.uk/workshops and using the red booking button. Please share this with anyone you know who loves to learn a new craft. Claire has been busy getting the kits ready. The workshop is excellent value at £25.00 per person. All supplies are included and you get to take home a 6 inch mini rag wreath in colours that you have chosen. As a bonus there is a free hot or soft drink included. A workshop is a lovely way to meet other like minded people. In May we will be running a crochet workshop where you will learn how to make granny squares.

Claire has also been making stock for the lovely Adelante in Mumbles. If you haven’t been yet, Adelante is a fabulous fashion and vintage boutique. Naomi supports local makers as well as stocking clothing which is original and quirky.

Hope you have a lovely week x Suzsnne

Hello Friday!

Adelante, Newton Road, Mumbles

What a fabulous display even better with our scarf and rice bags. They look great.

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a great week. Apologies to you all as last week the blog went out before I had completed it. I am not losing the plot honestly! I don’t know what happened. Half term has been and gone. The weather hasn’t been co-operative although it was glorious on Monday. Looking forward to spring. It’s great seeing the daffodils starting to come out. They make me smile. We had some good news. Naomi from Adelante in Mumbles has started stocking some of our Japanese rice bags and knot bags. There are also a selection of our infinity scarves. We always feel so proud seeing our products displayed in the shop window. If you haven’t been in to Adelante you are missing out. It is full of quirky and interesting goodies. Naomi loves to showcase local makers but also stocks vintage and retro clothing, jewellery and homewares. There is something for everyone. You can find Adelante on Facebook and Instagram as adelante_mumbles. We are busy making some new stock at the Sister Makes HQs. Lots going on which I will be sharing with you in our March Newsletter. Have a great week x Suzanne

A new rice bag

Claire has been busy. We have got some new fabrics with gorgeous designs on them.

Hello Monday!

Happy New Year everyone. Apologies for lack of a blog over Christmas and New Year. For a change I have chosen Monday this week but will be back to Fridays after today. As we start to sober up from the festivities and merriment of Christmas and take our first steps into 2024, we can’t help but look back at 2023 - and what a year it was! Our knot bags were a huge success both with old and new customers. We created our very first kits which were mini rag wreaths. These proved popular and Claire is working on new ones for different seasons. We introduced Infinity Scarves and started to make homeware. Our most popular bags often had cats on them and of course you continue to love our Japanese prints. And finally, before we throw ourselves into all that 2024 has to offer, we’d like to say a big thank you! We love what we do and sharing our makes with you. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2024 - cheers x Suzanne

Which prints do you like best?

Cats were one of the most popular prints in 2023