I’ve mentioned before how much I use my local library to access sewing, knitting and cookery books. It’s a win-win situation. I get my grubby little mitts on all the latest books for 60p a go. They have another regular customer, which can only help to keep the library open for the whole community. Use it or lose it, no?
I find the fact of my community spirit faintly hilarious. Before I met The Husband I worked in Soho in London and between commuting, working and spending far too much time in bars with colleagues and the odd glass of Jack Daniels or several! I wouldn’t have given two hoots for keeping the library open for the community.
Now…I’m an active member of the PTFA at Button and The Boy’s school and I sit on Adoption Panel every month. So when I was recently by our village library to put together a little display about sewing I was happy to oblige. After much thinking I decided to talk a little bit about how simple it is to start sewing, using the Beachy Boat Neck Tee as an example, and upcycling a t-shirt donated by Ma SIL. Three birds with one stone…or t-shirt!
Of course I left it rather to the last minute. I suspect no one is surprised by this.
Thankfully the Beachy Boat Neck comes together in no time whatsoever.
He looks like he’s about to board a clipper for adventures on the high seas!
I used Photoshop to make a load of speech bubbles which lead the reader through a simple “how to” upcycle a shirt. That was the hardest part as I’m not particularly technically minded and have never done anything remotely graphical. On Monday I pinned everything in place, added a selection of available and relevant library books to complete the display, et voila!
I don’t think it turned out to badly and the ladies at the library were pleased. I suppose if just one person decides to have a go at sewing, or to come back to it, or even to try something new, like upcycling, then I’ll be able to consider this a real achievement.
That The Boy got a new t-shirt is not to be sniffed at, either!
Pendle Stitches 
What a fantastic thing you did. We should be so proud of our libraries in the UK (don’t have one here locally in Spain). One of the very first things I did in Bexhill was to join the library and it seems to be really well used with lots of choice, and DVDs, reading for the children, computers and so much more. So pleased they’ve changed from when I was little when you had to creep around and whisper 🙂 Your display looks amazing and I am sure you’ll be asked by lots of folk for help and advice.
You’re so kind.
Our local library is fabulous…the ladies make you really welcome; they have a bank of computers for those that don’t have it; they run coffee mornings and a knit and natter; and reading and play groups for small children. It’s a real resource for our community and I’m really proud to be able to do one small thing that may help keep it vibrant and alive.
What a lovely display,and the top is a bonus. Wonder what you’ll be doing for the next one
It would be lovely to be asked again. I have been asked to do a talk in December for the coffee morning. I’ve no idea at the moment what the topic will be!
I think you can safely count that as a success – it’s a wonderful display and would get me sewing in a nanosecond if I saw it! How great to be working with your local library – they were my favourite place to be when I was little (closely followed by the Woolworth’s stationery dept!) x
Thank you!
I always loved the library and my local bookshop. There’s a theme, I think! 😉
Fab! Start a sewing course at your library.i teach at mine and so do lots of other people- it’s great (and they pay which doesn’t hurt!)
I did chat to them about that but they don’t have room for machines. I’m considering a EPP workshop and maybe a Beachy Boat Neck Tee course at a local bookshop that has a great separate workspace. Maybe September when the Boy is at school…
Oh, this whole thing is fantastic and you should feel rightly proud of yourself! The display is just brilliant, and the resulting t-shirt too. I have never seen this pattern before.
What a cute cutie, too!
Thank you. It’s a cracking little pattern. Really quick to sew up and you don’t need a serger. I have one and still only use my normal machine to make these.
What a fab pattern (toddler boy patterns are a rare beast!) and a brilliant display! Well done! And I love our library too, boy is a voracious consumer of stories and for pence I can trial,new sewing books!
I really love this pattern. I can’t praise it enough. I’ve also just ordered the Oliver + S t-shirt and cargo trousers pattern. The Boy loves cargos.
I’m really quite passionate about local libraries. They are a treasure.
Oh wow this looks very cool indeed …. Our library is marvelous but there seem to be rather a few sewers about as the best of the stitching books are always on loan. I have EVERYTHING reserved which is probably why I don’t get any sewing done lol.
Thank you kindly…I popped in the other day and was told it’s been really well received. *blush*