During the COVID-19 pandemic I’ve been unable to work at my business and I’ve used a lot of the extra free time I’ve had to work through my 2020 Sewing List. I got Stitched Sewing Organisers by Aneela Hoey last year and I used one of the patterns to make…
I made these teabag pouches using the pattern from Ayumi Mills book Patchwork, Please! I used scraps of fabric from saris and cholis that my best friend gave me. I made them to give my Mum so that she could give them to her friends for gifts. All filled up…
After a five year break I am back in the textile studio. I am taking a creative development course at Studio Eleven in Eastbourne. The course is on one Friday per month which fits in well with my day job. During my first session I dyed fabric in Opal Fruit…
I am in charge of the cake rota now at Mosaic Church Eastbourne which makes me Cake Monitor! Might get myself a badge. Here are some of the bakes I've made. Every Sunday afternoon we meet together for coffee, tea and cake at the start of our service, you would…
Tea pouches have been my go-to small gift to make for friends for a while. Ayumi Takahashi's pattern is ingenious and fun to sew. I made a parliament of owl tea pouches (love a collective noun me!). [caption id="attachment_714" align="aligncenter" width="3024"] Festive tea pouches.[/caption] I recently visited Eternal Maker in Chichester,…
On Friday 20th July I went to a talk by Sarah Corbett of the Craftivist Collective at Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft entitled How to be a Craftivist in the Art of Gentle Protest. Ditchling Museum is a beautiful venue. There was an exhibition of the work of Sister…
There is something nostalgic about American diner pies, even though I grew up in East Sussex. I think it comes from the films I watched when I was growing up. I remember when a broke Kenickie asks Rizzo if she's got a couple of quarters so that they can split…
Here at Melanie Makes Meringues I was eagerly awaiting the release of The Meringue Girls Cookbook. I wasn't disappointed when my copy arrived, it's a beautifully put together, bright book filled with gorgeous photos, tips and recipes. Here is my review, I tried three of the recipes.I bought myself a…
The Secret Breakers series of books is written by my friend Helen. We met at Noah's Ark baby group where Helen led the singing (brilliantly!). Our babies are now almost seventeen years old and the stories Helen wanted to tell are now available to all as with much hard work,…
I am a huge fan of The Hummingbird Bakery and their cookbooks. When their latest book, Home Sweet Home, was released on Valentine's Day this year I was itching to get a copy. Their cakes and bakes are big and bold and American in style and very doable at home.…
Melanie Makes Meringues