This week was our book club meeting, we were discussing One Day by David Nicholls. Our discussion was based on the questions posted on Monday. We were more or less in agreement that we liked the writing style and how focusing on one day a year meant some things were covered in a lot of detail whereas other events, including important ones, were only mentioned in passing. The structure of the book helped to make the characters seem more real. You saw them grow up, decide who they wanted to be and witness the mistakes they made on the way. Nicholls is very good at writing moments with good descriptions and feelings.

We agreed that Dexter and Emma would not have been happier if they had got together earlier. They had to grow up and discover who they were first. Also we didn’t think the Dexter actually loved Emma  in a romantic way until later. Some felt that his love for her started as late as Paris. Lysy mentioned she felt it happened at the friend’s wedding – and other agreed – and many felt that the moment between the two in the maze was truly touching.

We didn’t think that Dexter ever really meant to send the letter he wrote in India and left in a book. It was a big gesture, perhaps what he felt he should be feeling rather than his actual feelings. He wrote it when he was confused.

Most of us were surprised by Emma’s death especially those of us that were not expecting something bad to happen. Those who knew there was a sad ending were surprised it came quite a way from the end of the book. It had seemed that it was more likely that something would happen to Dexter, given the way he was depicted in the book.

We thought that Emma should have left Ian sooner, and many of us felt that she was rather spineless. However some thought that she did love Ian, just not with any great passion.

We discussed the recent film adaptation of the book. Only one person had seen it, those who found the book a bit frustrating at times wondered if the film might be more enjoyable for them. We were unsure about the casting of the main characters. I think many of us will be watching the film soon to find out how it compares to the book – perhaps we might have a sew make believe film night!

On the whole, we didn’t really like Dexter and had mixed feelings about Emma, quite a few of us could see some of ourselves in Emma, others really did not like her. Again we have read a book that most of us have enjoyed despite not really liking the main characters.

Here are some of our comments:

“It wasn’t as compelling or engaging as I was expecting and I felt it dragged halfway through.”

“Very true to life dialogue…”

“I could relate to the characters and remember having similar feelings when growing up through those post-university, sometimes awkward, years.”

“I couldn’t put it down, even though I really disliked both Emma and Dexter.”

“Some really good observational passages”

“I wonder if part of my enjoyment/the amount I got out of the book was because I could relate to quite a few of the different situations covered?”

“Enjoyed it but found it frustrating, a bit too long.”

“I loved the description of the period and the concept.”

We agreed that the next book for our March Book Club is  The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue, which is helpfully out in paperback next week. Here is the synopsis:

After a separation of many years, Emily ‘Fido’ Faithfull bumps into her old friend Helen Codrington on the streets of Victorian London. Much has changed: Helen is more and more unhappy in her marriage to the older Vice-Admiral Codrington, while Fido has become a successful woman of business and a pioneer in the British Women’s Movement. But, for all her independence of mind, Fido is too trusting of her once-dear companion and finds herself drawn into aiding Helen’s obsessive affair with a young army officer.  …Based on blow-by-blow newspaper reports of the 1864 Codrington Divorce, THE SEALED LETTER, full of sparkling characters and wicked dialogue, is a thought-provoking mystery and gripping drama of friends, lovers and marriage.

The meetup will be on 21 March 2012.

We have also decided to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins for our May Book Club. This is the first in a trilogy and we thought we could try and read all three especially as they are on offer in The Works at the moment!

For the last couple of years I have been collecting up old shirts of mine, and those of various family members as well. I had in mind some kind of quilt project inspired by some I had seen at the Festival of Quilts, however I never got any further than storing all the shirts in a box.

When I saw this book, The Shirt Off His Back, in Mollie Makes I added it to my wish list, it seemed to be the answer to my shirt mountain! I was very excited to receive it as a Christmas present from my sister, it was mentioned that she rather liked the Button Down Shirt apron (p.52) so I decided this was a good place to start.

I did not have a button down shirt so the collar doesn’t sit as well as I would like, but apart from that it has turned out really well. The instructions could have been a little clearer and a picture of the back would really have helped, but it was quick to make and I enjoyed doing it.

Trying the apron out on some pancakes

The book starts with a very interesting introduction looking at the history of shirts and how to deconstruct a shirt ready to make into something else. There are so many different projects that most people would find something to make, from small projects like a night shirt for your teddy bear to large projects like a patchwork duvet cover. The Floppy Rabbit (p.74) pattern can also be found in the current issue of Sew Hip. I particularly like the projects that utilise the buttons, such as cushion covers and, of course, the apron.

The variety of projects means this book caters for all levels of sewing ability. Using unwanted shirts is a good way for a novice to learn as they wont have wasted any new fabric if something goes a bit wrong!

I am going to make quite a few of these projects and think this book will help get my creative juices flowing so I can come up with my own projects to re-use the shirts and other unwanted clothes I have waiting for a new lease of life. The only downside I can see with this book is that I end up adding to my shirt mountain when I find cheap shirts in charity shops!

I really like the idea of re-using the fabric from clothes for your craft projects and this book shows how good those projects can be, many of them aren’t obviously made from shirts.

For a quick project follow the Pouch tutorial to make these cute little brooches. I love these purple ones as the fabric is one of my favourite vintage designs.

The February issue of Cross Stitcher features some romantic designs from one of my favourite designers, Felicity Hall. I received this issue as the first of a subscription that I was given for Christmas. I think I am going to make the little hanging heart, it is small enough that I might finish it.

I saw these cute crochet hearts in the new issue of Mollie Makes (Issue 10), the pattern is available from Bella Dia for free!

If you are like me, you pick up which ever needle is handy, and it somehow manages to do the job. However there are many different needles out there, in as many shapes and sizes as there are projects to sew them with! It really does make a difference if you have the correct needle, both when hand sewing and using a machine. Here are some helpful online guides to different needles and what to use them for.

Coats Crafts  for hand sewing

Sew, Mama Sew guide to machine needles

It is our book club meeting this week so here are some questions to get you thinking about the book and points of discussion. This time we are discussing One Day by David Nicholls. These questions do contain spoilers so don’t read on if you haven’t finished the book yet!

• Do you think Dexter and Emma would have been happy had they admitted their love and devotion to each other much earlier in their lives? Is their love a product of their long, off and on friendship through the years, or could it have been realized even if they’d gotten together earlier? Do you know people who have had a similar relationship?
• Why do you think Dexter came so close to telling Emma his true feelings (for example, in the candid letter to her that he stuck in a book and promptly forgot) but then decided against it?
• Do you know people who make wrong choices repeatedly and almost seem determined to be unhappy? Do you think this is a good description of Emma? Dexter? Neither?
• Did Emma’s sudden accident and death take you by surprise? If not, how did you see it coming?
• Did Emma ever really love Ian or was she just trying to, hoping to? How did you feel when their relationship ended?
• Do you have a favorite character? A least favorite?
• The When Harry Met Sally question: What do you think – can a single man and a single woman ever truly be “just friends,” or does one of them always want more?
• Rate One Day by David Nicholls on a scale of 1 to 5.

These questions were found here, if you have any other points to discuss add them as a comment or bring them along to the meeting.

The dog template is based on Cath Kidston’s recurrent ‘Stanley’ design, which I found in her ‘Sew’ book. I added a little bone (since my grandma’s dog has no interest in balls or toys!), and sewed both on to some tweedy wool left from making some trousers. A linen border and backing turned it into a nice cushion.

I love looking at the pictures in the Cath Kidston books and Patch! is as good as the previous titles. I like making the items you get the materials for with the book, this time you get everything to make the patchwork panel on the cover. You also get backing fabric to make it into a bag or cushion. The patterned fabrics are provided as squares rather than pre cut shapes so could use them for any project.

I have made the hexagon pincushion (p.130) although it felt like cheating as I used some hexagons leftover from another project! The instructions were really clear and easy to follow.

This is a good book for beginners as it has lots of instructions for the techniques you will need. The wide range of projects for different skill levels makes this a useful guide to patchwork. For me this is another pretty Cath Kidston book that I will enjoy even if I don’t make many of the projects exactly as they are in the book.

1. They are nice and quick compared with making clothing, and you don’t have fit issues

2. They are nice and methodical to put together, which I love

3. They use small bits of fabric and so are great for stash-busting

4. They look impressive and so get you lots of crafter kudos points

Keykalou bracelet bag

I’ve made quite a few bag projects over the last few months which I really truly intend to take photographs of some day soon. Here are a couple of smaller ones which I gave my mum. Both are designs by keykalou (for sale as downloads here). I really recommend her designs: they are fun and easy, and the instructions are really clear. I had quite a hard time deciding which to buy

Ooh – cute lining!

The  bracelet bag is the slightly harder one of the two as you have to sew around the circular opening quite carefully. The pocket clutch on the other hand, is a delight for a new sewer. However I think with a bit of care a beginner could make either with no problems. I’ve actually made three of the pocket clutches (which I could swear I photographed but apparently not). They really play to my love of cute lining fabrics

Keykalou pocket clutch

Ooh…yes, you get the idea

If you sewing machine is playing up and your stitches are coming out all bunched or aren’t being sewn straight, then it might just need a simple fix: re-thread your machine. I know this sounds so simple, but by taking your thread off and threading it so that it is nice and taut again, this can resolve some bunching issues! Another thing to try before you drag your machine off for a service is the bobbin holder area. This might have got fluffed up so remove your bobbin, use a small brush to remove any lint and then re-insert your bobbin. Good luck!

Zoe W passed on the details of this blog, Fun with Sewing and Maths, her friend is attempting to make 40 items in 2012. The two ladies undertaking this challenge are Sarah and Suze. Check out their blog to see how much progress has been made so far and read the rules for the challenge over the months ahead.

I don’t think I am going to set myself a challenge like this one, but it has inspired me to keep a closer eye on how many things I actually make this year. How do you keep track of the things that you make?