Upcycled Zipper Pouch

Here’s a short video of one of the up-cycled zip pouches that are currently on sale on my etsy shop right now. I wish etsy would consider plugging in a new video tool for sellers, so that buyers could see a listing in action.

The ‘Solar infusion’ zipper pouch is made up of cotton and silk that would have otherwise been thrown away. These salvaged materials, have then been hand dyed and silk screen printed by myself. Then I’ve introduced my other love… some digital embroidery, to the outer fabric.

Over the last few months I have been thinking hard about my impact on the environment. Mainly through my impulse purchases of desirable beads and sequins that I’ve accumulated but not yet used. This year might just be the start of me just using everything I have already, and only paying out for absolute essentials in order to create new pieces,

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a very happy new year!

After some much needed time off over the Christmas Holidays I have reopened Sonia B Textiles’s Etsy shop!

Throughout the month of January you can enjoy 20% off selected zip bags and 10% off all our embroidery patches! Discounts have already been applied so no promo code necessary.

As I am writing this post I’m sitting in my home studio thinking about the direction that Sonia B Textiles is about to take. I’d love to do some more markets this year but also thinking about putting some more energy into the Youtube channel and developing some more useful content on there.

As they say, watch this space. I can’t wait to see how this year unfolds.

 

Vegan Yarn Haul – Wool and the Gang

I was so excited when I received my order from Wool and The Gang.

As soon as the box arrived I knew I was in for something special!

So I wasn’t completely anti Black Friday this year as I expected to be. Instead I shopped carefully. Meaning, I chose a company I believed in and that I believe operates consciously.

 I first stumbled across Wool and the Gang’s kits in John Lewis over a month ago and fell in love with the idea of knitting my own jumper!

The first kit that grabbed my attention was the ‘PIAZZA SHOULDER BAG’.

I chose this bag in particular because it reminded me of the bags my granny used to go to markets with! The kit includes mix taped yarn that is a blend of cotton and polyester (aka Vegan friendly!). From the outset it looks super strong too, everything you need to carry a bag full of bananas back home in!

I have to say that the clean packaging is perfect! Zero plastic!

I decided on ‘indigo ink’ as the colour of choice! Although I love bright colours in my design work I’m no longer brave enough to wear them too close to my skin! So I thought this dark grey hue would compliment the navy and black I tend to wear more often.

 

So this is what the kit contains:

X4 Mix Tape

X1 #madeuniquebyme label

X1 Chunky needle

X1 Piazza Shoulder Bag Pattern booklet

You can also add a wooden crochet hook to your order if you don’t own one already or are buying this for somebody as a gift.

Honestly, I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to crochet. I can do the basics but do struggle with following patterns! I’m excited to get stuck into tangliatelli of yarn!

 I even bought extra yarn to make a second bag as a gift!

  I splashed out on some Shiny Happy Cotton in Red Ochre and purple haze. I’m planning on knitting myself a winter beanie in the red!

I was expecting the cotton to be very stiff but the texture is so soft! You can feel the extraordinary quality! And the sheen you get from it is formidable, I feel like I have just picked an apple! ‘ It’s silky soft hand-picked cotton from the north coast of Peru’. The product description does not lie!

Vegan Yarn Haul - Wool and the Gang

I plan to start knitting and crocheting over the Christmas holidays and I can’t wait to show you my progress or what might become a disaster!
Vegan Yarn Haul - Wool and the Gang

I will be in need some motivation! Please show me what you have knitted or crocheted by leaving a link in the comments below!

* Photographs are shot using a Canon EOS 700D

Dairy is Scary – World Vegan Month

 

Happy World Vegan month!
I’ve been wanting to share my view on wearing gentle activism and why it is important to me.
We should not wear anything that scares people away from the message you want them to consider thinking deeply about.
We must wear our cause with the understanding that: the older you get the more conditioned you are to the  years of background programming within us that determines how we individually connected with this world. Deep set ideologies are not simply undone from one conversation or interaction. It’s a slow process, and it requires individuals to do their own research and make their own realisations.  This isn’t easy for most, it might mean letting go of friendships that do not serve them well or being the odd one out for a little while. Change is inevitable, and if we don’t embrace it we will become victims of a harbouring traditions that do nothing to serve our wellbeing. Meanwhile destroying the lives of sentient beings that this world has chosen to exploit for nothing but money.

Doodle to An All Over Print. Print Artworking Tutorial using Photoshop CS6

In this video I will show you how you can turn a scanned in doodle into an all over repeat print. Using Photoshop Cs6. Suitable for beginners or those looking for some extra design inspiration.

This video is in real time, it is a bit long so you can fast forward through the boring bits. (Apologies also for the low-ish resolution! I’m working on this!)

This tutorial touches on re-sizing, Re-Colouring, using Colour Range tool, Hue and Saturation. Working with Layers. Resolution, Using the Offset tool to create a repeatable tile.