Co-founders:

Carolineboater1 Girly and geeky, technophile and phobe, lover of all things pretty and literary. I’m a relative beginner at sewing but an accomplished crafter in other areas – I’ve been making fairies for going on three years (visit them at Down the Garden Path). My favourite authors include Jasper Fforde, Garth Nix and Angela Carter (although there are many many more!) and my favourite thing to do with a spare half hour is to bake a cake!
Katekatelandscape1 I could spend an entire day in a stationery store, a haberdasher or a bookshop.  When I grow up, I want to be a cross between Martha Stewart and Sydney Bristow.  I love sewing, even though I am  complete novice. I am passionate about literature and the power of words.

Senior Officers:

Lysyalysa I’m a cat-loving, brownie-baking bibliophile who will quilt anything that sits still for long enough. I just learnt to knit and crochet, so the mess in my sewing corner is getting ever bigger. I love reading anything by Sarah Waters, Sebastian Faulkes, John Irving, Rose Tremain and J K Rowling (and I’m not ashamed to admit it :) )
Zoe I love crafts and books and it would be nice to meet some like minded people for real rather than just online. I love sewing and knitting, but experiment with many different things. I enjoy making small items that can be finished quickly, but also take on bigger projects such as clothes and household items. My reading tastes are quite varied and I am always prepared to try something new.
Roisin I love almost anything crafty and have been picking up new skills here and there over the past few years. My main skill is crochet, but I can knit a little as well. I have some pretty basic sewing skills and would love to develop this so I can adapt and make clothes. My major addiction is dresses, so ideally I would like the opportunity to extend my collection. I am an avid reader of almost anything apart from misery-mongering ‘inspiring’ stories, and my favourite authors include Rosamond Lehmann, Barbara Trapido, Anne Dunlop, John Wyndham and Roddy Doyle. I also have a bit of a weakness for true-life crime books and the (pre-crash) work of Stephen King. I joined the group to make new friends and to learn a little. Who could want more than that, really!

Long standing members

Sue I joined sew make believe to try and do something, anything sewing or craft based, to make friends and broaden my reading habits. I’d like to improve my sewing skills, to work out what all the functions on my sewing machine are for and to learn to knit and crochet.  As for books, I tend to read books that are recommended either via The Observer, The Guardian, The Sunday Times or Radio 4 or stuff that I’ve randomly picked up at the library, I’m keen to explore further.
Carolyn I am an avid crafter and have quite basic sewing skills although I can do embroidery bits & bobs! I would love to meet up with like minded people and share my skills and also learn from others around me!  Sewing wise, I love to work with felt, it is easy and versatile! Another passion is vintage fabrics! Another area is recycled art ~ I had a stall at the Peace Festival a few years ago selling things I had made by reusing, refurbishing & recycling!In terms of books, my usual reading list is not to everyones taste! Very much non-fiction! I do love craft based books though.
Amy I enjoy crafting, embroidery and sewing, but am a bit of a novice. The groups looks like a great place to socialise and learn new skills. I love Sublime Stitching’s embroidery patterns and am currently attempting to learn stitches other than the back stitch! I also enjoy making jewellery from vintage components and like making small decorative items from felt. I studied literature at uni & enjoy a wide variety of novels. I particularly like gothic fiction and crime novels.
Carys I’m a bit daft, like making people laugh, love reading, watching films, baking in my new house and desperately want to get the hang of sewing! I have a 50′s fashion fetish and want to indulge it.  I am into hand sewing, pattern making, dress making – and how to use my sewing machine would be nice. I always loved making birthday and christmas cards, but have got out of the habit these days. I’d like to get back into that, along with making decorations for my house – festive or otherwise! Regarding books, I like thought provoking books, romantic, historical, thrillers…anything, to a point, as long as it’s well written. Oh, no, “Please Daddy, No!” books, thankyouverymuch.

Online Members:

Christie (contributor)Christie The short version of my story is that I was born in Texas, spent my teenage years in the San Francisco area, met my Welsh husband at Lancaster University during a year long study abroad programme, and tied the knot twice, once in Arkansas and again in Wales. We’re expecting our first child in November, and my nesting instincts are evidently in high gear, resulting in a renewed interest in sewing projects (and inspiring regret that I didn’t pay more attention to my grandmother’s quilting lessons). I’m mildly eccentric – “mad” according to my British friends – and an avid reader and writer, with a particular interest in feminist literature, historical fiction and sci-fi/fantasy.
Natalie (contributor)nat1 You would have thought growing up with a Mum who made wedding dresses for a living, I would have developed sewing skills at an early age. You would be wrong. Sewing is definitely something I have grown into.  I now own my very own sewing machine and have sold some of my simple wares as nattynicnac on Ebay.  Nothing complicated, a few bags, a few brooches, but I have big ambitions!  I want to quilt, I want to make dolls, I want to embroider!  I have well and truly caught the stitching bug! That’s why I am interested in sew make believe.  Not only does it give me an opportunity to discuss all the books I now have the energy to read, but also with a hope to learn new skills so that one day, maybe, I can make something as pretty as my mum makes.

Jo I love making things and often have projects on the go! It would be great to meet like minded people. I am very into photography, I like sewing and making gifts for people. I make my own curtains and cushions and love interior design.  I like fiction mainly, but would also be interested in reading travel writing or cookery books.
AmyWBavatar Amy is a very accomplished seamstress, running a small business selling handmade clutches, purses and wash bags as well-as custom-designed items from her Etsy shop, Wonderland Boutique. She also blogs here
Claire I am a mum of two girls (4 years and 9 weeks) and am taking the opportunity during my maternity leave to take on some craft based projects. I have always thought that I was not skilled enough to attempt any kind of craft work, but really love homemade items, so decided to have a go. My limited list of achievements so far is a cot blanket, made with VERY basic knitted squares and some button fridge magnets. The projects I currently have on the go are three cross stitch works, and a new knitted square blanket, using more complex knitting skills. I am most interested in cross stitch, embroidery, knitting and quilting.
Caroline There isn’t really much to tell about myself.  I am a 39 year old mother of two, aged 7 and 17, both girls.  I don’t really know when I got into crafting but I do remember when I was little that my Mum always had knitting needles, crochet hooks or a wooden spoon in her hand so something must have rubbed off on me.  I now knit, cross stitch, make cards, occasionally write poetry if the mood takes me and I love to take photos, something I must push myself to do more of. I also am studying Clinical Herbalism and am a Bard (am studying Druidry, this is the first grade). Caroline also has a blog.
Nadianadia I’m a native Australian but a nomad at heart; England has been my nest for the past two years and it has opened so many doors for me in terms of arts and culture and the opportunity to find others who share the same passions as you.  I’m quite a novice on the sewing machine, mostly because i’m terribly disorganised and tend to go with the flow, not very good when following patterns! Mostly I like to revamp vintage clothing and find that half the joy comes from discovering them in the first place.  I also enjoy painting, drawing and writing and although I rarely have patience to get through a novel, I love all works of non-fiction, especially if they include lots of pictures. Give me a DIY book on any creative topic and i’ll be entertained for hours!

2 Comments

  2. Amy W: All the Fun of the Fair « sew make believe
    12 October 2011

    [...] Members [...]

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