Crafting Comforts
Edition 2 - Snow & Sew
Hello everyone and welcome to 2025!
All of us here at Family Comforts hope you all had an enjoyable and restful Christmas with family and friends. It was certainly a quiet one for us here and we made the most of some down time after a hectic 2024. We even managed to get out in our campervan 'Morrison' on Christmas morning with a trip to the seaside at Porthcawl, very bracing!
Christmas seems such a distant memory now and as we write this second Newsletter we are expecting an even busier year. So no time to catch our breath as we prepared for our first Sewing Street of 2025 with the return of our popular Boho Bag and Cloud Bag on January 6th, which thanks to you was another success! We've brought it back with new fabrics and kits. Talking of which we would be interested to know when you buy our patterns whether you would like us to supply hardware kits to go with the bag patterns?
If you missed the show then click on the link to watch it here - Click Here.
We also launched the second edition of our 'Handy Guide' series. This time it's on those difficult to sew materials, especially used in bag making. This is now in our shop as a digital or physical leaflet.
Our first travelling adventure this month will be to visit an old school friend in Gloucester and will hopefully have time to visit the magnificent Gloucester Cathedral in this culturally rich area and possibly some of the Harry Potter film locations too!
Every year, Pantone predicts a new colour palette. This year it has unveiled its Colour of the Year for 2025 as 'Mocha Mousse 17-1230', a warm, rich brown inspired by the comforting qualities of chocolate and coffee.
This months 'Bag of the Month' will be the Milano Bag.
This bag has a sturdier structure than some of our other bags as it uses Bosal for the interfacing. Bosal R-Form provides excellent structure without adding excessive weight to your bag. It is ideal for creating bags, like 'The Milano', that need to hold their shape. It is easy to sew and cut and I like using the fusible option for this bag. We enjoy making this bag in velvets and PU's but would love to see what materials you make it in. We think it would look great in denims or suedes. Tell us what you think and send us your photos. Don't forget to tag us on social media with the #milanobag.
For the month of January the pattern will be on Special Offer at £6 (plus P&P) If you haven't used your subscibers discount code yet, why not apply it to this wonderful pattern.
This versatile hue is expected to influence various design fields, including, fashion, beauty and home decor, offering a sophisticated yet unpretentious aesthetic. The colour of the year is all about 'pleasure and deliciousness'.
This colour will blend beautifully with accent colours to create harmony and stylish palettes. For example, deep navy, muted greys (offers a more contemporary look), soft creams and beiges, earthy greens ( bringing a neutral and grounded feel) and lastly, coral or teal accents, gives a 'pop' of warmth.
Our Book of the Month is the wonderful book by Debbie Shore and Melissa Nayler, 'A Year of Quilting'.
This book offers a block for every week and teaches you several techniques that can be used throughout your quilting journey. I will be starting my first block this week, and if you would like to follow my progress, follow me on my Instagram account. If you would like to join along, don't forget to tag me in your posts, post your progress using the #ayearofquilting. To read my full review of this book, click here.
When I'm in my studio I love nothing more than listening to a good audio book. I always find it makes me sew quicker as I get so engrossed in the story. One of my favourite authors at the moment is K. L. Slater, who specialises in writing thrillers, most of which have a fabulous twist at the end. Let me know if you listen to audio books whilst crafting and who do you recommend for my next listen?
We have some very exciting news regarding a collaboration with the Trimming Shop. Those of you who watch me on Sewing Street TV know all about my love for the Green Machine. My Dad, Gordon, purchased it for me over 8 years ago to help me on my bag making journey. So make sure you are watching Dave from the Trimming Shop, on the 18th January where he will reveal all!
Looking ahead to February, (only 3 weeks away now!) we have Valentines Day. Why not commission a bespoke embroidered heart for your 'loved one'. We have just a few diary slots left for this Special Offer. Hearts start from as little as £10 each. Message me via the website or through social media. Orders need to be in by 30th January for us to get them back to you in time for Valentines Day.
As we step into 2025, I am excited to be bringing you more inspiration, creativity and patterns, to make your year the most creative yet. Whether you will be using the rich warm colour of Pantone's Mocha Mousse with your designs or starting out on new projects, I am here to support and inspire you every step of the way. More updates and project launches will be coming soon.
Do you have any questions or ideas for us? We would love to hear from you, email us at sandi@family-comforts.co.uk or join the conversation on our Instagram and Facebook pages.
Until next time,
'Happy Sewing!'
Sandi and the Team X
Lots of New Additions For a New Year!
View our Handy Guide
Introducing ‘A Handy Guide to Sewing with Difficult Materials’ – your trusted companion for navigating the challenges of tricky fabrics with ease and confidence. From taming faux fur to mastering the art of working with velvet and heavyweight materials like denim, this guide is packed with practical tips to help you succeed. Whether you're sewing bags or tackling new projects, consider this a friendly starting point for expanding your skills and embracing new creative possibilities. Let’s turn challenges into triumphs—one stitch at a time!
Book of the Month Review
Welcome to Sandi's Crafter Book Corner! Each month, we feature a specially selected craft book or magazine, reviewed with Sandi’s unique insights and favourite highlights. From the latest guides to inspiring journals, each review offers a peek into what makes each read worth adding to your collection. Click through to explore the full review and discover your next crafting inspiration!
Why not take a look around, we have a few interesting reads already featured on our dedicated page.
Consider this.....
Is it even winter if you’re not covered in threads, glue, and glitter?
