Herts Belles Clothes Swap

It's all go here at Oh Sew Vintage. I'm working on my last 2 weddings for the year plus a few other Christmas Party outfits.

I'm also in the process of organising a Swishing Evening (clothes swap) with my Womens Institiute Group Herts Belles St. Albans WI. I helped set up the group about 18 months ago and since then we've run several fundraising events. The latest being a Clothes Swap to raise funds for the St Albans Open Door Homeless Charity. I've included a bit more information for you below. It would be great to see you if you can make it.

Herts Belles Presents an Evening of Swishing. Join us for your chance to shop without spending!

Everyone has something in their wardrobe that they just never wear! Bring it along to our swishing event and swap it for something you ARE going to wear!!

Every item you bring with you will earn you one ticket, each item you fall in love with will 'cost' you one ticket - simple!

The cost to attend this event is just £5 with a percentage of proceeds going to the St Albans Open Door Charity.

In addition to a fabulous event the rest of the Hertfordshire Craft Collective will be open for browsing and buying too!

Please spread the word and bring along your friends and family...the more people who attend the more amazing 'new' things you can go home with! There are no age or size restrictions and items that can be swapped include jewellery, shoes, handbags as well as clothes. (5 items of Jewellery = 1 ticket)

You can find the Facebook event here so please share with your friends Xx

Felt Rose Tutorial

Things have been so busy with wedding season that I've completely neglected my blog. Today I've made up a little tutorial for creating your own vintage inspired felt rose brooch. With the colder weather now here is perfect for pinning onto your coat or favorite cardigan.

I've used 2 different coloured pieces of felt and black thread to make it easier to show how it’s put together. This is a really basic tutorial which you can adapt very easily. Bigger circles = bigger roses. Add more petals to make it fuller or even embellish it with a green leaf or beads.

Eeeek.... so here goes my first tutorial.!

You Will Need:

- 1 sheet of felt
- matching thread
- needle
- sharp scissors
- 5cm paper template
- pins
- 1 brooch back (available and all good craft stores)

Step 1
First make your template. Find something aprox 5cm across to draw round. I find 5cm is a good size to make a brooch however you can make the circles larger/smaller depending on what you would like to use them for.

Step 2

Cut out 9 circles using your template. They don’t have to be perfect but pinning the template in place will stop it from slipping and your cutting will be more accurate  

Step 3

Cut 8 of your circles in half leaving one whole (This will become the back)

Step 4

Thread about 1.5 meters of thread through your needle. Tie the ends together so that the thread is doubled

Step 5

Sew a running stitch along the bottom of one half circles. Stop when you come to the middle.

Step 6

Take another half circle and lay it over the first. Making sure that it starts in the centre of the first. Continue the running stitch along the bottom until you get to the centre of the second petal.

Step 7

Over lay a third petal and continue the running stitch.

Step 8

Repeat this until you have used up all of your petals. When you get to the last petal stitch all the way to the end.

Step 9

With the needle and thread still attached – hold onto the end petal and gently pull the thread. This should start to gather the petals. Ease the gathers down until the petals begin to curl up

Step 10

Next you will begin to form the rose. Starting at the end (where your needle and thread is) roll the rose up tightly to create a curl and secure with several stitches.

Step 11

Keep coiling the rose up securing it with little stitches as you go. The tighter you roll the less open your rose will be.

Step 12

Once all the petals are wound and stitched in place tie off with several stitches and cut off loose thread.

Step 13

Next take your final circle. Place over the back of your rose. Trim down to size and carefully stitch round the edge. This will hide the back.

Step 14

Next take your brooch back. Secure in place with several stitches through each of the holes and voila! One pretty rose.