It's been the strangest of years and I know that lots of you have found sewing to be a very welcome distraction from all that's been going on. But Christmas is here now and with that in mind I've added some lovely sewing related gift items to our online store and thought I'd share a few of these with you here to give you gift inspiration for the "sewist" or "stitcher" in your life... or perhaps even as a treat for yourself...

The new Label Collector's Tin, pictured below, from Kylie and the Machine makes a great gift either on its own, or you can add 1 or more packs of their fun woven labels to suit your budget.

Another great gift idea, is to pair a sewing pattern with one of the KATM woven label packs for a beautifully bespoke and personal gift.

I have also added a selection of sewing tools and buttons by Arrow Mountain. The handmade sewing tools in particular, are all very giftable. You can view them by clicking here.

Our selection of stitch kits has been extended this season. Miesje Chafer's Embroidery Stitch Kits along with new designs by Nancy Nicholson are proving popular with our customers. These contemporary kits encourage the maker to create their very own unique piece of artwork, view our complete selection by clicking here. 

Another great gift idea for your sewing friend is the Merchant and Mills Jack Tar Bucket Bag Sewing Pattern and Hardware Kit pictured below. 

Sticking with Merchant and Mills, all of their products are packaged beautifully, even the humblest of items, such as a box of sewing pins, is elevated to "must-have" status due to their stylish branding and packaging! If you've a modest budget, then why not select a few of their sewing notions and create your own bespoke gift. 

To finish off your gifts we've these fun Cross Stitch Gift Tags, pictured below. They're available in both kraft and cream. You can stitch your own motif and they're a lovely way of adding a handmade touch to your gift wrapping.  

Finally, if you're not sure what to get then our E-Gift Card, is the perfect solution. Starting at just £5 and available in denominations up to £100, the lucky recipient can then choose their perfect sewing gift at their leisure.

If you're still unsure, please do feel free to email us via the Contact Page and we'll try our best to help you find the perfect gift for the creative in your life!

I think we can all agree that this has been, and continues to be, an unprecedented year! Below are the recommended dates from Royal Mail for posting to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas, however this year I'd strongly recommend that you place your orders asap.

We're aware that there are delays within the postal service due to the on-going coronavirus crisis. This will most likely continue with the increased levels of mail being sent as we get closer to Christmas. With this in mind, we've temporarily suspended our 2nd Class service, you can find more information about this over on our Delivery Page.

For reference, please find below are the Royal Mail recommended dates:

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: Friday 4th December

ASIA & FAR EAST: Wednesday 9th December

USA: Saturday 12th December

EUROPE: Wednesday 16th December

UK 1ST CLASS DELIVERY: Friday 18th December 12PM

UK EXPRESS DELIVERY: Friday 18th December 12PM

Please note that Friday 18th is the last date that we'll be sending out orders... any orders placed after 12PM on Friday 18th will be sent out when we return to work on Tuesday 5th January 2021.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all very much for your custom, and for supporting my small business throughout 2020, particularly in view of the extraordinary year that it's been. 

I know that times are still strange, however I'd like to wish you all a very happy and healthy Christmas and here's to life getting back to some sort of normality in the New Year.

All the very best,

Karen xx

I know that the festive period is a very busy time for everyone so here's some information and a useful guide to let you know the last dates that you'll need to place your orders by to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas!

ASIA & FAR EAST: Monday 9th December

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: Thursday 12th December

 USA: Saturday 14th December

EUROPE: Monday 16th December

UK 2ND CLASS DELIVERY: Wednesday 18th December

UK 1ST CLASS DELIVERY: Friday 20th December 12PM

UK EXPRESS DELIVERY: Friday 20th December 12PM

Please note that Friday 20th is the last date that we'll be sending out orders... any orders placed after 12PM on Friday 20th will be sent out when we return to work on Tuesday 7th January 2020.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all very much for your custom, and for supporting my small business throughout 2019.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year,

Karen x

As if the Shift Dress and Top wasn't already versatile enough, Jenny, the designer and founder of Wiksten has very cleverly altered the silhouette of this very popular style with the addition of a gathered skirt.

As you can see, this gives this style a completely different look and vibe, and it's reasonably easy to do.

Surprisingly, this dress only requires a little more fabric than the longer length version of the Shift Dress so Wiksten advise keeping to the fabric requirement on the chart. Because this dress has a lot of fabric Jenny recommends using  something light and flowing for best results . 

Come and join us at The Knitting and Stitching Show 2019 at Alexandra Palace, London, this Autumn, from Thursday 10th October to Sunday 13th October.

Use the code TRADE12 to get £2.50 OFF advance full priced ticket prices... you can purchase your tickets online by clicking here, or alternatively, you can call 0844 873 7343 and quote the code TRADE12.

The show, which runs from Thursday 10th October to Sunday 13th October 2019, is the definitive event for anyone with a passion for textile based crafts. If you love dressmaking, knitting or textile based crafts then this is THE show for you!

We'll be there with a thoughtfully selected range of our beautiful designer fabrics including Nani Iro, Kokka, Atelier Brunette and Robert Kaufman to name a few, together with indie sewing patterns including brands such as Merchant and Mills, Swedish brand The Assembly Line, as well as new to us brands Wiksten and the Friday Pattern Company.

You'll find us in the West Hall, please do come along and say hello....