Friday 16 May 2014

Farewell


The time has come to say farewell to this; my dear, sweet and increasingly neglected blog. Blogging has lost it's shine for me over the last year or 2, feeling like another drag on my time, something to feel guilty about because I don't do as much as I should. Like going running or mopping the floor. Posts about new fabric don't make for an enthralling blog.

I have been thinking about changing my blog for a while now, and over Easter school holidays when I took some time away from the shop, it was some time after returning that I remembered that I had a blog that needed me or that I read other people's. I think with the arrival of Instagram and Pinterest which continue to engage and interest me, blogging feels like it can't complete. Running a fabric shop, making things from that fabric are a very visual thing and I wonder if long posts about it are really necessary anymore? Increasingly, blogging does rather feel like I am talking to an empty room.

That said, I still want to share things with you, cool stuff I have found, photos, maybe even the odd post about something I've made, or just pictures of it if I don't have the time to write a few words.

So, this little space on the internet will retire and I am now blogging on Tumblr. This excites me far more; I can share selected pictures with those of you who don't fancy Instagram or Pinterest. I can also share links and cool things I find on the internet, straight away, not in a month when I have found enough things to fill a post that I probably won't get round to writing. I can post images of new fabrics, those coming soon, and everything inbetween.

You don't have to follow it, just bookmark the new blog and check in now and then. If you want the news about new fabrics when it happens, then I have plenty of social media for that and the newsletter too - you can find all of these on the bottom of the shop home page.

The thing I love about Pinterest is sitting infront of it with a cup of tea, and taking a break for 5 minutes. I hope you will treat my new blog like that - pop in, enjoy looking at what other people have ordered recently, see what's new, watch an interesting video, soak it up. I hope to see you there.

Kate
x



Saturday 10 May 2014

10% off 'Up, Up and Away'



Until the end of today there is 10% of the gorgeous 'Up, Up and Away' collection by Heather Moore for Cloud 9 fabrics.

Enter the code 'up' after leaving PayPal to receive your discount. 

Wednesday 7 May 2014

The Sundown collection: fabric pick n' mix

http://www.misformake.co.uk/collections/fabric/sundown

I have been slowly adding some collections, selected from across different collections. Here's the Sundown collection, lots of grey and gold (my favourites) with some pinks thrown in for good measure.

You can pick and mix whichever fabrics you like from this collection, take a look at the Midnight collection and Dusk collection too.


Friday 25 April 2014

The Dusk Collection

http://www.misformake.co.uk/collections/fabric/dusk


I have collated a beautiful set of fabrics from across M is for make to create the 'Dusk Collection'. Themed on dreamy greys, blues and pinks, there are 15 fabrics to chose from and create your own bundle.

What do you think? any requests for colour themes of future collections?

Wednesday 23 April 2014

New: Japanese dressmaking fabrics


Also new in this week, lots of gorgeous Japanese fabrics, that I have found it very hard to share and not hoard all for myself. There are linens, double gauzes and cottons,  it's all enormously lovely and you can find it here.

Looking at the photos, you might ask, 'why the hand?' well someone once said it was useful to gauge an idea of the drape and scale of the print, and perhaps shows a slight reluctance on my part to let the fabric go. But the hand is not included with the fabric, sorry.




New in: the Moneta Dress pattern


Just arrived: the Moneta dress from Colette patterns.


Moneta is your new go-to dress pattern. Built for both elegance and comfort, this simple knit dress works in every season and for any occasion.

Made with knit fabric, this dress can be created in a matter of hours. With minimal pressing and just a few pattern pieces, you'll be whipping up an army of these wardrobe workhorses. Moneta is easy to make, and easy to wear. This dress is versatile, layerable, and above all, comfortable. Because Moneta feels as good as it looks, you will get a lot of wear out of these dresses. 


All three styles of Moneta dresses have a gently curved, wide neckline, a fitted bodice, and a shirred skirt with in-seam pockets. Version 1 is a sleeveless dress with a lined bodice and narrow round collar that laps at the center back. Version 2 has an unlined bodice and short sleeves, while version 3 has an unlined bodice and 3/4-length sleeves. 



Saturday 12 April 2014

Opening hours update




Just to let you know that I will be taking a short break next week and all orders placed from 14th April will be posted from 18th April. Have a happy Easter!

Thursday 3 April 2014

... and M is for make is back!




M is for make is back, and my (virtual) doors are open again for business!

While I was closed, some very lovely fabric has arrived, including:  Meadow by Leah Duncan

Check out all the new arrivals here.


Monday 17 March 2014

Closing hours update



Hi all, just a quick update, I will be moving shortly and will have to close the shop for a week, maybe 2 as I get everything sorted. So the shop will closed (completely, it won't be possible to place orders) from 25th March. So if you need some fabric, please place your order by 5pm on the 24th! Thanks x

Friday 7 February 2014

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Liberty fabrics at M is for make


I am very excited to announce that there is now a small and perfectly formed collection of Liberty Tana Lawns at M is for make.

Incase you are not familiar with Tana Lawn, it is the most exquisite fabric with a high thread count giving it a luxuriously light feel and drape. It is perfect for dressmaking and any other sewing project that you want to feel really special.


It's a bit wider than your average fabric at 137cm and I've made it available to buy by the metre with the dressmaker in mind (I know fat quarters are a pain for dressmakers). But for smaller projects and budgets, you can buy by the fat quarter metre too.

Melly

Summer
Eliza's A

Asaka

Monday 3 February 2014

Happy Camper flannel by Allison Cole



Just arrived all gorgeous, warm and snuggly: Happy Camper flannel by Allison Cole.



Perfect for all things February, I can imagine it in a quilt made just for me, with the sole purpose of sitting under whilst drinking hot chocolate and eating lemon drizzle cake.


Friday 31 January 2014

Colour stories: the blues



So I know how you all love bundles. With this in mind, I've put together a bundle based around some of the lovely new fabrics that have arrived recently. But also I have created a wider selection of fabrics that will match this bundle incase you want to add a little more, tailor the it to your project and preferences.

You can find the main bundle here, and then you can find the wider collection of matching fabrics here. I've tried to include a bit of everything; tones, colours, prices, I hope you like it.


Thursday 30 January 2014

Made: hand sewn star quilt


Finally, over a year and a half in the making, and this quilt is finished. I have a lump in my throat reading back some of my old posts about it here and here. This quilt feels like it has been everywhere with me, and the length of time it has taken to finish means there are so many memories tied up in it.


I've never been in a great hurry to finish this quilt, I love having some hand sewing that I can take around with me, but heading into 2014 if felt like the time was right to make that final push and finish it off. So this weekend, on a rainy Sunday, watching The Goonies with the kids, that's what I did.


And we did a small cheer when I announced it was finished, about time.

This quilt has a decent weight to it, I used Essex Yarn Dyed linen for the hexagons and the Brussels Washer version for the back. It means it is much heavier and warmer than previous quilts which I really like.

The backing wasn't quite wide enough so I added some tiny HST's to make it bigger that were left over from a quilt that didn't happen. I felt guilty every time I saw these sad homeless triangles so it was great to use them up here.


I sewed round alternate hexagons for the quilting, it was a bit stop start, but I found it was easier and I didn't make too many mistakes, I then bound it with this fabric, my favourite for binding.


I had a couple of people ask how to make it, so here is a very brief explanation: it's simple. I found a template online for the diamonds, it's such a long time ago though I can't remember where, Google can help with that, but my diamonds have 6cm long sides.

1.  I sewed them first in groups of 3, alternating colours,
2.  sewed together 2 sets of these groups of 3's to make the stars,
3.  and then held them all together with the hexagons - see, simple!



I did a line of alternating yellow and pink stars and a line of alternating blue and grey stars and then, well, alternated them, this photo shows the pattern best.


In the end the size was determined how by how many diamonds I had cut at the beginning as the fabric was from long sold out collections, but it's a good size to fit one adult, a one squirmy child and a heat seeking Burmese cat.


Thursday 23 January 2014

New from Art Gallery Fabrics ...



Art Gallery Fabrics are definitely one of my favourite manufacturers. Firstly they have the best base cloth, it is finely woven, high quality, really yummy stuff. Then, there's the amazing designers, patterns and colours, I love them. Today a selection of prints from 'Safari Moon' by Frances Newcombe and 'Chromatics' arrived.


 

The 'Safari Moon' prints are gorgeous with warm, but muted colours, these are couple of my favourites...


If I hadn't already committed myself (in my head) to another quilt, I would really like to make one from these. They have an almost vintage feel to them, and not overtly girly, just a glimpse of pink.


And the Chromatics prints will be the basis of some amazing bundles in the future. I'm very excited about them, and the bundles I shall create.


Kona Colour Cards now in stock



I now have a few Kona colour cards in stock. These feature real samples of all the Kona solids (including the new ones from the summer) so if you have ever struggled to match one for a project you are working on, these are indispensable and rather gorgeous, what more could you want?

 

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Folk Modern by Ellen Luckett Baker


These lovely linen/cotton blends arrived from Japan yesterday, they are from Folk Modern by Ellen Luckett Baker. I've been thinking of making some aprons for the kids and my daughter particularly like the horse print for the job, it is brilliant.


I love the grey prints and definitely want to find a space for a cushion in my house made from this, it's so lovely. The fabrics have a great weight, the same as Echino fabrics, what would you make?