Sew simple?

    My husband and I got married this summer and we had the most amazing wedding....

 We had a vintage style wedding with a village fete/afternoon tea for the entertainment (with money raised going to Great Ormond St Hospital)

        I asked my sister-in-law if she would decorate the venue as I knew she would do a far better job than I would ever be able to do. I think she would say that it was one of the most stressful things she has ever done.....it put a lot of responsibility on her and with hindsight we shouldn't have loaded so much on her poor shoulders. If you would like to see what she did and how she did it then check out this link -handmade wedding     

      I decided that I wanted bunting to decorate the wedding and this was really the only thing that I stated to Alison was a must have and she was totally happy for me to do that on my own. Husband-to-be measured up the grounds and hall and estimated we would need about 100m of bunting. 3 triangles per metre seemed about right -  Wow!!! 300 triangles....I could make it easier and just cut single triangles.......but I really wanted proper double sided bunting.....600 triangles....shudder.....Is this too much work seeing as I have never done this before?

      Quick internet research showed me what to do to and how to make bunting the way I wanted  - which was 'properly'!

1. Pin on paper template - or draw round card template onto material
2. Cut out triangles - 600?!!!! I'll be making this bunting forever!
3. Pin two pieces of material right side in 
4. Sew - I don't own a sewing machine and don't know how to work one....sew by hand? Noooooo!
5. Turn back out - Oh, that is monotonous!
6. Tops trimmed - Fun, fun, fun - I don't think!
7. Iron - I never iron! I wear no-need-to-iron clothes
8. Pinned onto 100m of bias binding - I'm going to need more pins!
9. Sew binding - Well, at least at this point it will nearly be over

    My mother-in-law saw problems ahead and she did try to warn me that perhaps I was biting off more than I could chew, which is usually the case with me anyway! I just stuck to my plan and said I would do bunting...I was going to learn to make it....I would find a way

     My mother-in-law, as always, did her best to solve the problems I was facing - First needing a sewing machine, because let's face facts, I was NOT going to ever be able to sew 100m of bunting by hand! One of her very dear friends came to the rescue with the offer of a sewing machine for me to have and a pile of vintage Laura Ashley material. WOW!!! So the sewing issue was sorted (I just had to learn to use it) and the material was sorted.

     One of my close friends, who was my bridesmaid, came to the rescue as well. I can't remember if she offered to help make the bunting, or if I approached her begging for help.... probably the latter. All I remember is that suddenly we had organised a bunting making day.

     Amy and Carol came over to make the bunting - Carol taught me how to set up the sewing machine and after a few goes I gained confidence (now I have no trouble setting it up and have done a bit of sewing since including making a mermaid costume out of an old top of mine for my daughters birthday)

     Making the bunting was sometimes a tedious job, but it was two days spent with wonderful friends and we talked, joked and laughed......The first day we cut out about 300 triangles and made 150 double sided triangles....then on the next day, Carol pinned the triangles to the bunting, while Amy and I continued to cut and sew triangles. Carol began to sew the triangles onto the binding....then disaster happened. Carol had been sewing for a while when she realised the bobbin had run out and all the sewing she had done fell apart in her hands.....it was an awful moment turned to humour as she laughed at mine and Amy's shocked faces. .

     I then managed to break the sewing machine and needed to take it to be mended. Once that was done  I cut out the other 300 triangles (using two sets of floral curtains from Oxfam) and over several days of pinning, sewing, ironing, more pinning and more sewing , the vintage style, handmade bunting was finally complete and ready to hand over to Alison.

 

It was hard work, but I was so glad that I had done it and I am sure you will agree that it was worth all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears!!! 

I really couldn't have done it without the help and support of two wonderful friends - Thank you Amy and Carol! x