It’s the weekend!
Hello everyone, I hope you have had a fab week. We had a great time trading at The Vintage & Makers Market held at The Waterfront Museum, Swansea. It was lovely to catch up with old and new customers and traders. We had a lovely response to our new bamboo silk Japanese Kimono Style Jackets. You will be able to find them on our website from the 21st March. The weather has been awful which means poor light so I haven’t been able to take any good photos. Fingers crossed!
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. This is a day when we can pause and celebrate the amazing women (mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, mother figures and mentors) whose love has shaped our lives in all sorts of ways. We have some lovely Mother’s Day gifts on our website. Claire has made some gorgeous new Japanese knot bags which are fully reversible so you get two bags for the price of one….perfect. Above are two beautiful examples. Claire has also made some fab totes and zippered pouches. Have a look below. If you are a newsletter subscriber, you can use your exclusive 10% discount to get an extra treat for you.
Have a great week x Suzanne & Claire
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone. I hope you have all had a lovely week. We had a lovely time at The Welsh Quilt and Sewing Show last weekend. I have cut out two kimonos in beautiful bamboo silk we bought there. The fabric is gloriously bright and so unique. We couldn’t resist so ended up buying both patterns. Which is your favourite? Claire loves the marble effect silk but I love the floral pattern but I wouldn’t say no to either. I will be sewing them up over the weekend ready for our first fair of the year. Next Saturday and Sunday we will be part of The Vintage and Makers Market at The Swansea Waterfront Museum.
Next Thursday 5th March (I can’t believe we will be in March next week!) is International World Book Day. Both Claire and I are very passionate about reading. I love this charity and what they do to promote a love of books and reading. Do you or your children dress up for the day? What are your favourite characters? Our totes make fabulous book or magazine bags. We have a lovely selection of designs on our website.
Have a great week and Happy St Davids Day to all our lovely Welsh customers. Lots of love Suzanne & Claire x
Welsh Quilt Show
This blog is a little late due to Sue and myself visiting the new Welsh Quilting & Sewing Show that took place in Builth Wells this Friday and Saturday!
We had a lovely time looking at all the lovely fabrics, haberdashery as well as the show quilts on display. We admit there was some fabric purchased - some for us personally and some for Sister Makes ! There will definitely be some new knot bags at our next fair in March with some of the lovely new fabrics purchased.
The photo above shows Sue next to one of the lovely show quilts by Sue Jennings. Her quilts were fantastic and very beautiful. Our Sue got lots of comments about her beautiful coat too!
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone. Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope you have been spoilt by the love of your life. How has your week been? Shrove Tuesday also known as Pancake Day is next week….17th February. Are you team sweet or team savoury. I love traditional flavours like lemon juice and sugar. I love pancakes but I’m not very good at making them or flipping them! We have lovely homeware at Sister Makes that would make your pancakes sing. There are some lovely unique table runners and placemats. Have a look on our website for lots of inspiration.
We’ve got our first market….7th & 8th March at the Swansea Waterfront Museum. It is the Vintage and Makers Market run by the lovely Kevin & John at Cow and Ghost Vintage. We will be there Saturday and Sunday so come and say hello if you are popping in for a nose. It’s free to entry and there will be lots of fabulous stalls full of goodies to tempt you.
Have a fab weekend and I will see you next week x Sue
February is Here!
Well where did January go? February is already here!
Hubby is happy - February means lots of sport! Not just the football but the Winter Olympics and his absolute fav The Six Nations Rugby!
I meanwhile, have still been working on my scrap ‘management’… I would say I am probably only about 1 tenth of the way through… Its amazing what you can make from scraps though - anything from lovely patchwork totes and zipper pouches to clothes. The waistcoat pictured was made from tiny scraps, some as small as a thumbnail, sewn on to a fabric back. This was my part in the making and then Sue made this ‘new’ fabric into the actual waistcoat! A true Sister Makes!
It’s The Weekend!
Hi can you believe it’s 1st February tomorrow! Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. We have some lovely gifts for your loved ones…..from heart rag wreaths to gorgeous Japanese knot bags. There is something for everyone. How will you celebrate the 14th February?
It’s the Weekend!
I love this jacket!
Gold background with blue dragons
Hello everyone. Apologies for the lack of blogs. How has your week been? The weather has been awful this week. So much rain! Claire and I have been busy making stock ready for our up-and-coming markets. Our next market is Saturday 29th November at Founders & Co. This is a pop-up market collaboration between Adelante, Mumbles and Founders & Co. This will be a great chance to buy some unique and quirky gifts for Christmas.
Claire has also been busy putting lots of new stock on to our website. Have a look at our kimono style jackets which can be worn with jeans or looks lovely paired with a little black dress. There are also some great homewares such as table runners and coasters. Don’t forget we do commissions. We love quirky and unique at Sister Makes.
Kimono Style Jacket - playing card design with denim facings
It is time to cosy up in front of the fire with a warming hot chocolate or a cheeky glass of wine. Whatever you choose to do, stay safe and see you soon x Suzanne
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone! How has your week been? Tomorrow, Claire and I are at The Woolly Wool Artisan Market at The National Wool Museum, Drefach Felindre. Come along if you can as it is a great day out with lots of lovely artists and crafters. The museum is amazing as well and definitely worth a visit. We will be showcasing our lovely kits…..cross-stitch as well as the mini rag wreath kits. We will have ready made up kits as well as a choose your own colour way combinations for the Welsh Blanket coaster kits. This option went down really well at the last Woolly Market we did. If you don’t get chance to come to the market, you can always purchase a kit from our website. Our newsletter is due tomorrow and our lovely readers get an exclusive 10% discount to enjoy off anything on our website. Instead of an Easter egg this year, treat someone you love to a kit or one of our beautiful Japanese knot bags. These are gifts that last a lifetime and you don’t have to think about the calories.
I hope you are enjoying the glorious weather we are having. I love seeing all the beautiful blossom whether it be cherry, apple or hawthorn. The colours are fantastic. I was doing a training day at The Botanical Gardens in Singleton Park today for Forget Me Not and just seeing all the tulips and primroses filled my heart with joy. I couldn’t think of a better place to be than there for a day of learning how to become a Health Walk Leader. More of why I was doing this training to follow over the next few weeks.
Have a lovely weekend and I will see you next week x Suzanne
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone. How have you been? I’ve been a bit quiet as I have been away. Claire and I went away to Malaga and then Rod and I went to Devon for a few days. Although the weather wasn’t brilliant, we still had a lovely time. We went to see a Versace Exhibition which followed his amazing fashion career. It was so inspiring to see Gianni Versace’s creativity and his designs close up. He like us loved colour. It was so sad how his life was taken too soon.
Dawlish saw a big improvement on the weather with some sunny days. Spring is truly with us. How fabulous it is to see all this sunshine. Daffodils and primroses are fully out and the blossom is starting to flower. This is a favourite time of year for us as Spring is so full of colour.
This weekend I am busy making a reversible dress for a lucky young lady who is in love with pink. One side is all about the flowers and the other is full of stars. Our reversible dresses are all colourful and unique. You can find them at Adelantes in Mumbles. They generally go up to the age of six or seven.
Claire has been busy making gorgeous patchwork tote bags and zippered pouches. These are all unique as Claire has no pattern in mind when she starts her patchwork panels. Inspiration strikes as she sews. The pouches and totes are great for so many uses from shopping to crafting, from storing jewellery to chargers. You can always find a great gift on our website or on our Etsy shop as well as in Adelantes, Mumbles.
What are you up to this weekend? I hope you get a chance to relax and enjoy the sunshine. I am definitely going to get out for a walk. Have a great week x Suzanne & Claire
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone. How has your week been? We are at The Vintage and Makers Market over the weekend. It’s a great weekend. It’s so lovely to catch up with old friends and meet new traders and customers. We have got lots of new goodies. Our table is bursting with colour. Tomorrow there is also the outdoor pop-up Marina Market. There is a mix of food and drink stalls with some craft stalls as well. If you get chance, come in and say hello. Entry is free. We are in the Ocean Room in The Waterfront Museum, Swansea.
Don’t forget that the stock we don’t sell this weekend will be back at Adelante, Newton Road, Mumbles. Today is International Women’s Day and I want to highlight the fabulous work and achievements of all women especially entrepreneurs like Naomi and of course my lovely sister Claire.
We’ve got our crochet workshop on Friday March 21st at The Dunvant Farm Shop. This is a great chance to learn new skills and have a laugh. Claire is busy making gorgeous patchwork panels which she is turning into quirky quilted zippered pouches and totes. I am busy making fun reversible children’s dresses.
I am off to put on my pyjamas and enjoy a cheeky glass of wine. See you next week x Suzanne
Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day!
Hello everyone. How have you been? I can’t believe where the time is going. Happy St David’s Day. The sun is shining and the daffodils are out in bloom. Rod and I went for a lovely walk today along the promenade. We had lovely coffee and cake at Coast Cafe looking out over the barrage lock on the River Tawe which flows out into Swansea Bay. It is so good for the soul to get out and enjoy a lovely walk.
Claire and I have been busy making stock ready for our first market of 2025. We will be at the Waterfront Museum, Swansea on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th March for the Vintage and Makers Market run by the lovely Kevin and John of Cow and Ghost Events. We have some lovely new patchwork tote bags and zippered pouches. There will be a new tunic in a gorgeous vintage floral print and also a longer dress version which will be debuting at the market. If you want to see photos then subscribe to our newsletter…details below. Don’t forget we are also in Adelantes, Newton Road, Mumbles. Check out our website here for lots of quirky, colourful goodies which are great for Spring and Summer.
We are very excited as we have our first workshop of 2025 which will be all about crochet. This is always popular so make sure to book a place. You can do this by popping on our booking page on our website. It’s excellent value at £25.00 per person as not only do you learn a new skill but everything is included. There is also a free hot or cold drink as well.
We were so proud to see our quilt and wall-hanging in the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. If you haven’t been to the exhibition yet, it is well worth a visit as it was so inspiring to see the crafts and hobbies that bring people joy. The exhibition is called ‘come as you really are’ and is free to get in. Lots going on over the next few weeks. March 8th is International Women’s Day so to you fabulous ladies ‘You are amazing!’. Our newsletter will be out soon so if you haven’t already subscribed it is easy….just click here. Lots of love Suzanne x
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone. How are you all? I hope you have had a great week. I have managed to get out in this very cold but lovely and dry weather. Rod and I had a great walk around Mumbles. We met Claire and our friend Julia for lunch in ‘Love a Latte’ on Newton Road and went to take some new stock to Adelante. It was great to see our children’s reversible dresses and skirts out on display. Naomi has bought in some fab coloured tights to match them. This leads me on nicely to the new reversible dresses I have just finished. What do you think of them? I love the quirkiness and fun of the fabrics. I apologise that I haven’t ironed the dresses but I wanted to get them on my blog for you to see. If you want to buy them then head to Adelante. They will be there from next Wednesday. There are three sizes….small, medium and large. Don’t forget if you have a particular idea you fancy for your little one, then get in touch with us and we can make a bespoke dress or skirt for you. You can email us on our website or send a DM via Facebook or Instagram.
Next Friday it’s Valentines Day. Do you celebrate? If you fancy buying a gift for your loved one have a look at our website or pop into Adelante. We have some gorgeous knot bags and tote bags or what about a kimono style jacket. Claire has also made some fabulous quilted zippered pouches. Prices start from just £10.00.
Don’t forget ‘Come as you really are” exhibition is opening on the 15th February at The Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. Claire and I both have items that are in the exhibition. It runs until the 27th February. We will both be there on the opening day. Pop in if you can and let us know what you think. See you next week x Suzanne
It’s the Weekend!
Hello everyone. How has your week been? Claire & I have been busy making and sewing. Claire is busy making patchwork fabric that will become anything from a bright tote bag to a tunic dress. I am in the middle of making a tunic in a gorgeous Japanese print of cherry blossom and Koi Carp. The colours are so rich and vibrant. Have a look at the photos below which show a bit of the process. I have also made a roomy tote bag out of Japanese prints in reds and blacks which is shown at the beginning of our blog. It would make a great Valentines gift for someone you love.
We have some exciting news to share. This February there is an exhibition at The Glynn Vivian Art Gallery called ‘Come as you really are’ and included in the exhibits are pieces by both Claire and myself. We are thrilled as this is new territory for us. Claire’s piece is a gorgeous, unique handmade wall-hanging and mine is my ‘Ginger Jars’ quilt. The exhibition opens on the 15th February 13.00-16.00 and runs to the 27th February. It’s free to get in. For more information head to their website.
Also coming out today is our February newsletter. If you haven’t subscribed then head over to our website and click on our subscribe button. It’s so easy to do plus you get access to a lovely 10% discount only open to subscribers. Have a lovely week x Suzanne
It’s the weekend!
Hello everyone. Hope you are well. It’s all go at Sister Makes. Did you see the photos I put on the last blog as a little teaser of something new we were making at Sister Makes HQ. Well I can reveal we are starting to make children’s clothing. We are making beautiful reversible dresses and quirky patchwork skirts. We want everyone to enjoy our love of colour. This week I have put some teasers of the dresses on the blog. All will be revealed in our newsletter or if you want to see them sooner, pop down to Adelantes in Mumbles. Naomi is celebrating The Chinese New Year this weekend. The window is full of our lovely makes including jackets and bags.
Rod and I have enjoyed some lovely walks this week. We are so lucky with where we live. Our walk today was along the promenade and it was in sunshine! So nice to feel the sun on our faces. It was home then for coffee and cake. Bliss. Claire is making some great patchwork tote bags. Keep an eye on our Facebook page but you’ve got to be quick. Claire put a gorgeous red one on Wednesday and it was sold within an hour. There will be more to follow I promise.
Have a lovely week x Suzanne
It’s the weekend!
Hello everyone. How are you all. Happy 2025 from Claire and myself. We have had a well-deserved break but are back ready to sew. We are looking forward to sharing lots of new ideas with you and what we get up to at Sister Makes HQs. I’ve put a teaser on here of fabrics that will become one of our new ideas.
Claire is sewing up a storm making lots of patchwork which will be turned into lots of goodies such as clothes, bags and pouches. I am pursuing my love of dressmaking. I have just had a go at making my first fitted garment…..a tailored waistcoat. It’s not perfect but then I’m not perfect either but I have learnt new techniques and can’t wait to make another one.
Rod & I made the most of a sunny but cold Thursday morning and went for a lovely walk around Brynmill Park popping into Brynmill Coffee House for a cuppa and of course a slice of cake. We had lime and passionfruit cake. It was yummy. We are very lucky in Swansea as we have some great green spaces and you don’t have to drive far to go for a relaxing walk.
Have a great week. Lots of love Suzanne & Claire x
Festive Shopping and Discounts - Happy Friday!
Hello everyone. How has your week been? Are you ready for Christmas? There’s still time to do some festive shopping with us. Our last posting date is Tuesday 17th December and if you live in Swansea we can deliver to you. Have a look at our website shop for some great gift ideas. We are offering a great 20% discount on our infinity scarves. Just use the code scarf2024 when you checkout. Our kits make great stocking stuffers for all ages. Our Japanese Kimonos are a great addition to your Christmas outfit. They are unique and stylish yet super comfy. If you need a bag then look no further than a Japanese knot bag. They are fully reversible so you have two bags for the price of one. They are self-closing so nothing can fall out or nobody can take anything out and the best thing is you are hands free. Great for holding a drink and a plate of goodies. We also have a few Christmas full size rag wreaths left in stock which are great as part of your festive decorations. Happy shopping. See you next Friday x Suzanne
Keep safe…Happy Friday!
Hello everyone. How has your week been? I hope you are all in the warm this wet and windy Friday evening. I have never experienced a red weather warning before. Both Rod and I jumped a mile when my mobile phone sounded an alarm telling us about the severe red weather warning. I am hoping that the storm will bypass us with minimal damage. We’ve been round the garden checking for anything that could blow away.
Claire has been designing a bag for a fabulous customer. I can’t wait to show you photos but it is under wraps until the lovely Domino has seen it first. Claire has also been getting all our Welsh Blanket cross stitch coaster kits ready for the market this weekend. Just to let you know that the Saturday has been cancelled due to the weather warning. The Waterfront Museum has closed its doors until at least midday tomorrow so it was decided that it would not be viable to hold the market in the afternoon in case the weather does not improve. The Vintage and Makers Market will be open on the Sunday fingers crossed. The outside Marina Market won’t be running on Sunday. Keep an eye on the news and your local government’s social pages and websites. I have been busy making some unique kimonos which would make great Christmas gifts. Don’t forget to look at our website. We have lovely items which are quirky and one-off designs great for the special people in your lives.
Next week we will be finishing our commissions and then we will be concentrating on some quilting makes ready for our Swansea Quilters Christmas Party next Saturday. Have a great week x Suzanne
Advent…ageous! Happy Friday!
Happy Friday everyone. How has your week been? Well I can’t believe where November has gone. It’s the first of December on Sunday. Are you all set for Christmas? Hands up who is putting their decorations up this weekend or already have their tree up? Do you like an advent calendar? I do but I don’t like the packaging they often come in. I can see more companies are trying to use less plastic and more cardboard but I have one that I made myself. I can use it year after year and best of all I can put what I like in the pockets. It is usually chocolate which is no surprise to many of you who know me.
There has been so much going on and the lead up to Christmas is well and truly on. Although I am no where ready for Christmas, I do love this time of year as it is often a chance to catch up and spend some quality time with friends. I went out last Tuesday to Pennard Golf Club with my Forget me Not gang for our Christmas dinner. It was very tasty and wow the portions were huge. We were all ready for a nap afterwards. The views of Three Cliffs Bay were gorgeous as well. You don’t have to be a member to eat there and we were given a warm welcome by everyone. We had a great time.
Claire and I have been busy making. We have got our final market next weekend. It’s the Vintage and Makers Market at The Waterfront Museum. This is our favourite as everyone is like a family and a great plus is that we do lots of our Christmas shopping as you can always be guaranteed to find gifts that are quirky and unique just like our designs at Sister Makes. We will have some lovely Kimono style jackets and I have also designed a new jacket that is cropped and has a lovely flared sleeve. Claire has been busy making some lovely new Japanese knot bags. We will also have a table with our welsh blanket coaster kits and will be offering you kits that you can put together yourself by choosing different colours and patterns. We did this at The Woolly Artisan Market and it worked well. They make great stocking stuffers at only £9.50.
Have a great week and I will see you next Friday x Suzanne
Relax & Chill - Happy Friday!
Hello everyone. How has your week been? As our title suggests I have had a lovely relaxed week away with Rhod, staying near Bath in Somerset. I did some relaxing hand sewing. I finished a Sashiko project from a recent workshop that I did with the Swansea Quilters. I am now addicted to Sashiko. I find something soothing about concentrating on keeping the simple running stitches consistent in size and spacing. It’s not as easy as I thought. I love the history behind Sashiko and the fact that the Japanese started this stitching as far back as the 17th century as a practical way to repair and reuse precious fabrics and everyday clothing.
We enjoyed visiting some great towns and villages from Frome to Bath and searching out some quirky independent shops. In Frome I found a great fabric shop - Millie Moon. They had a great choice of unusual fabrics and indie patterns. I must confess I did buy some lovely Sevenberry linen that I hadn’t seen before. In Bath, I visited the Museum of East Asian Art and what a fabulous place that was. I could have stayed there all day. There was a Kimono exhibition and a dragon exhibition as well as art and ceramics that are permanently on display. I also loved the gift shop. I may have purchased some Christmas presents here. We also visited The American Museum and Garden near Bath. We first went with Claire and Simon in 2019 to see a Kaffe Fassett Quilt Exhibition and unfortunately due to really bad weather we couldn’t go round the gardens. This time Rhod and I got to visit the gardens which were works of art in themselves. There was loads to see…the wildlife photography exhibition was a delight, the shop and cafe were great (I had the best pecan pie) and the textile room was amazing. All in all we had a fab week away.
Back to normal next week. I have got some commissions to finish and Claire is busy putting her kits together and making mini rag wreaths. We are also prepping ready for our next workshop on Friday 29th November which is all about making Christmas decorations. Come and join us for a morning of fun and chat. You can book via our website booking page. Have a lovely week x Suzanne
A Stitch In Time - Happy Friday!
Hello everyone. Hope you have had a good week. There was no blog last Friday as we were busy getting ready for the inaugural Woolly Wool Artisan Market. The drive up to the museum was lovely as the scenery is amazing. The National Wool Museum is a fab building with such a lot of history. It was a great way to celebrate National Wool Month and although we don’t make anything using wool we do design and make Welsh Blanket cross stitch kits which we launched at the market. It was lovely seeing them displayed alongside actual Welsh blankets. The stall next to us was demonstrating wool from fleece to finished products. It was fascinating to see her and her husband using the spinning wheel.
We were so pleased with staff and customers responses to the kits. We have six designs all named after Gower beaches. They make lovely gifts for all ages. Claire will be putting them on our website this weekend. She and Simon have been away this week to meet their new grandson and catch up with family. Have you had a good half-term? I can’t believe it is the first of November! I caught up with my friend Caroline and her three children Imogen, Nerys and Alice. We had a great day exploring Mewslade Bay and Fall Bay. It was like summer. The weather co-operated and the sun shone all day. We are so lucky where we live with these beaches only a short drive away. These two beaches take a bit of strenuous walking to get to so they were really quiet. We found a lot of caves and fossils. The limestone rock was fascinating as it looked like dinosaur bones. Caroline made us a little fire and we toasted marshmallows and had bananas with chocolate in them. These were wrapped in foil and put on the edge of the fire for the chocolate to melt. Lots of lovely chocolatey goodness. All in all a lovely day out in the fresh air, making the most of the sunshine.
I hope you all have a lovely week and I will see you next Friday x Suzanne