We're on the BBC!

I was approached by Jolene last year about the possibility of taking part in a project for the BBC online. I was super excited but slightly nervous about the prospect of being filmed but also hearing the sound of my voice in the finished piece!
When I eventually found out that I'd been chosen as one of the films for the project we had made the move to our new HQ. The date was set for filming and both Jolene and Rich came to Dumfries for the day.
Thrilled that the film is now live on the BBC , take a peek inside my home, studio & shop. I love the end result, although I had to watch it with the sound down initially!

I love buttons, one of my treasured possessions is the button drawer inherited from my granny. It sits in our hall so I can see it every day. The drawers are still full of the original buttons and each drawer is a different colour.

As part of the project a tutorial was created so that you too can make a pretty button heart with your stash of buttons. Happy making!

About time too!

I have come to realise that I'm not that great at this blogging malarkey!!! Its a sad affair when I look to see that my last post was back in October last year. So I thought it was abut time I posted what I have been up to recently. If you do want to keep up to date with our going's on, both work and play then the best way really is to either become a friend or fan on facebook. Just search Leah Halliday or So Sew Pretty and you should find us.

Its been a busy year and at long last my wish to open a shop and move my work out of the house has happened. The perfect property came up for rent and although a very big step, I thought it was time to make the leap. We have moved , way back in March, to a beautiful Georgian town house in the centre of town in Dumfries. Our new Hq is spread over the 1st and 2nd floor. So we have a shop and two spacious workshops rooms with my studio and storage upstairs.

Here are a few before photographs when we'd signed the paperwork and collected the keys!

So after a month of hard work, which I couldn't have dome without Mr.P we officially opened our doors on the 13th March. And what better way to celebrate with a tea party of course. My collection of pressed glass cake stand were laden with cakes and tasty treats, and we served up fizz and cups of tea.

Its a wonderful feeling to leave home every morning, and when it's sunny, cycle to work. A feeling I am getting used to at last. 

Selling & Stitching!

We packed our bags and headed up to Glasgow last weekend to take part in the first Supermercado. Taking place in the city's most famous marketplace, The Barras, Supermercado is the only weekly indie market in Glasgow offering the best pick of thrift, vintage, craft, homestyle, design, fashion, food, art, music, books & lifestyle and more!

Having found our way and at last got ourselves parked we started to unload my wares from the car. Then disaster.........Mr P managed to lose control of the sack bearer and my vintage finds tumbled to the ground, falling out their boxes and spread out across the car park. To make matters worse it had been raining so they landed in puddles too. I lost loads of my stock..... now all smashed and broken. As you can imagine I was rather upset and devastated to be honest, and didn't feel up to taking part.

Still can't believe what pretty things I have lost. I feel a little connection with all my vintage wares and still get a thrill when finding something I can sell. So the day could only get better, it couldn't get any bloomin worse! I decided to soldier on, wipe away the tears and set up shop.

Its was a great day, eventually, the cake and hot chocolate helped. I think this new venture by the MITS gals, Carrie and Clare, can only get better and better. Head on over to their Flickr and take a peek at some photos taken on the day. The market is on every Saturday in the undercover courtyard of the newly refurbished Barras Centre, 54 Calton Entry, Glasgow, G40 2SB. Take a trip out east and discover the market and what it has to offer, their is an ever-changing selection of vendors. We shall be back on the 6th November then the 4th and the 11th December. Keep your peepers peeled for news of their official launch too.

I headed back up to Glasgow on Monday to teach my very first Oh Sew Basic Workshop at the Made in the Shade HQ. I was nervous and excited all at the same time and chuffed to bits that my first class had sold out in a couple of days. I had been up early getting everything prepared, hand stamping notebooks and sewing my crafty aprons for the guests. With my fabric stash packed, all the tools of the trade and supplies in the bag, I was good to go.

I had a wonderful night and all our happy stitcher's were as pleased as punch with their handmade cushions. The MITS gals have written a rather lovely post on their Blog. You can take a look at some other photos from the night on Flickr.

We are pleased to announce that due to popular demand, we will be re-running our Oh-Sew-Basic beginners workshop at the MITS HQ, Glasgow on Monday 18th October.

You too could make a pretty handmade cushion and learn to love the sewing machine! For more info and booking details email: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com.

Happy stitching!

Leahx

Itching to get stitching!

Well it's been a busy week playing catch up since I returned from my travels in London town, I promise to share my adventures in a future post and what I got up to. While I was away I was thrilled to announce news of my brand new venture, So Sew Pretty.
I shall be passing on my skills as both a designer and crafter, teaching you how fun it can be to make your own. From cushions to frocks, bags to bunting there will be laods of lovely things to make and take home while learning a new skill at the same time. Why not come on over to our facebook page and like us. We have details of our new classes, things you can make and lots more sewing treats. We will also be adding lots of crafty goodies, tools of the trade, ribbons & trims to our online shop in the coming months.

So excited as I shall be hosting my first class at the Made in the Shade HQ, Glasgow. We have had a great response so far and Oh Sew Basic, a beginners sewing machine class has now been fully subscribed, I am chuffed to bits and really excited. So I have now put my thinking cap on, so I can put together some other sewing classes to pass on loads of other sewing skills. You'll also make some handmade lovelies while you practice along the way.I would love to know if you took a class what you would like to make and take home at the end of the class.



I am also hosting a Make a Frock class at the MITS HQ, this is a great introduction to dressmaking. I have chosen a rather lovely 50's inspired dress, that's perfect for the party season and just in time for Christmas! The great thing is it would make a perfect day dress too, and it has pockets. During class we will be using a Vogue commercial pattern that has two variations with sizes from 8 to 22.


If like me you probably have piles of fabric sitting at home waiting to be used. You couldn't resist it at the time and knew it would be perfect one day for that certain project! Well why not make it into a dress. For more information and booking details head on over to the Made in the Shade Blog.

With classes in Glasgow confirmed I am making final tweaks to plans closer to home. Sewing classes will be available in Dumfries too, so keep your peepers peeled for more news soon.

Let's get stitching!
Leahx