Eimear Hutchinson: Learning to sew... I've made so many useful things for around the house

I DON’T know if many of you sew, I do and I absolutely love it. I got my first sewing machine when I was a teenager and I have lugged one around with me ever since.

I got my current machine, a pretty basic Singer one, in Lidl a good few years ago now but they often come back into stock there for good value so keep an eye out.

I am self-taught thanks to the likes of YouTube, step by step tutorials on blogs, and more recently Instagram, the world of technology has done a lot to bring this somewhat old-fashioned skill to the masses if we just chose to look.

For many years, I could only do a straight stitch with a universal needle and that served me well on many a project. I was able to alter and fix clothes, which is thoroughly satisfying, and cuts down on discarding or returning clothes. 

Some clothes that have reached their end of life I have taken and turned into Barbie clothes, which is brilliant because they are not only cheaper than the ones you can buy, they are also slightly more demure!

I have made countless useful things for around the house using my sewing machine. I have made lots of different styles of baskets and bags for organising things around the house; muslin cloths, bibs, cloths, pegs, and shopping bags are all perfectly stored in fabric bags that hang where needed. I made a blast of scrunchies for all of the hair that needs taming in this house. I have decorated the girls’ bedrooms with banners and bunting. We had a somewhat odd-sized duvet for a cot when one of the girls was a toddler, we had no duvet cover and rather than ordering new ones online and waiting for them to arrive, I simply sewed a single duvet down to size.

I made a lot of face masks over the last two years. When the girls were small, I made patchwork blankets for them and small teddies which they still use. I created crayon rolls which were great for keeping crayons from ruining the inside of your handbag and so useful to have if you are out and about and small kids need occupying.

I made a large playmat that is great when the girls are playing with things like Lego, Barbies or Playmobil, and the beauty is the whole thing closes like a drawstring bag, making tidying up and storing a very simple affair.

I have taken on some bigger projects too when time and energy levels are on my side. 

We bought our outdoor furniture a few years ago and it’s perfect, but the cushion covers were fairly poor quality, they weren’t fully waterproof and tended to slip off the furniture just as you were getting comfortable. I decided to make new covers for all the outdoor cushions, which is still a work in progress, but incredibly satisfying. I picked a lovely waterproof olive green fabric, I learned how to put in zips and the whole project cost me, not only a fraction of the price it would have cost to purchase new covers, but also a good few pricks from pins.

I was over with a friend recently and our kids were playing in a little stream so she pulled out some inflatables that she had in the house. One of them was completely burst but instead of letting her throw it away I took it off her hands. A few hours later and I had four small waterproof bags sewn up that are perfect for storing the girls’ wet togs and hats after swimming lessons. One inflatable diverted from landfill, and I got myself three useful little bags.

We had a tablecloth on our dining room table for years while the girls were smaller and late last year we took it off. We had put some heat- proof fabric underneath the oilcloth and rather than let it go to waste, I cut it down to size, sewed up some covers for them in festive patterns, and I had eight lovely place mats that we used over the Christmas, because tablescapes are where it’s at apparently.

In the long run, I really want to have a go at making some clothes for myself. I have never made anything major using a pattern so that is next on my list to upskill.

I have a few smaller projects on the go at the moment – I got some beautiful fabric recently so I am making the girls pencil cases for school.

I also want to upcycle a few old towels, so I have been transforming them into mitts for the shower and smaller pads for when I wash my face.

I saw a lovely pattern for a pair of oven gloves and for a bucket hat, so those are also on my long list of to do’s. And I suppose I’d better finish all the outdoor cushions!