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Blanket stitch - great for applique and decorative impact

The Old Button Play On The Go © Play Scenes - Safai Zoo What is blanket stitch Blanket stitch is an edging stitch, traditionally used to finish the edges of woollen blankets (or other woven items) to stop them unravelling.  Sewn in a connected row, the stitch forms neat 3 sides boxes, with the effect of "down" side stitches connected by "top" stitches, but they are formed by looping the thread in a continuous stitch.      When used as an edging stitch, it wraps itself around the edge, with down stitches showing at the front and the back, and the top showing across the outside edge.      The Old Button felt flower brooch Securing applique As it can be eased around curves and used on angles of any shape, including internal ones, blanket stitch is also great for securing applique patches.  I use it a lot with felt, but it also works well on cotton or wool fabrics too as where it has the added benefit of catching in any fraying threads. ...
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Stage Costumes


I just love musicals. As a child I loved the old style film musicals such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Oliver, and as a teenager my weekend lie-ins were disturbed by my mum singing opera while vacuuming outside my bedroom.

When I had my own children we sorted of drifted into a more theatrical life. Both my daughters started singing, dancing and acting classes and kept coming home with song scores and scripts from musicals I'd never heard of. Our CD and DVD collection soon expanded to include a wide selection from the Musical Theatre genre. And of course, we just love going to watch live shows, both in London and at the fabulous Wales Millennium Centre just down the road in Cardiff.

Both my children love performing and over the years I have made a number of their costumes for shows, competitions, recitals, plays and, of course, musicals. A few years ago, I was asked to become Wardrobe Mistress for Louise Ryan Vocal School's annual musical and I'm really proud to have created some really diverse and challenging costumes for a very talented group of young people.

Shows from previous years included Suessical, The Sound of Music, We Will Rock You, Les Miserables and Guys and Dolls. You'll find the links below to all the costume blog posts I've written up so far  - why not take a look?   Just click on a link to go to the story behind those costumes.


Les Miserables Costumes Part 1 - Workers and Poor








 









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