The May Magazine was published last Thursday, so if you’re a subscriber I very much hope you’ve received your copy! If you haven’t then something must have gone a bit wonky – please do let me know and I’ll sort out any problems. Rosie and I were particularly delighted to welcome Wendi Gratz of Shiny Happy World to this month’s issue with her pattern for Daisy the Felt Bird …
I adore Wendi’s site – it’s just so cheerful – I guess it does exactly what it says on the box – it really is a Shiny Happy World! Before starting Shiny Happy World, Wendi spent over twenty years working in the children’s book industry. Now she lives in the mountains of
North Carolina where she spends her time designing sewing, quilting and embroidery patterns especially for beginners.
These kitty cats are lovely – and a great project for beginners – exactly as Wendi plans. She told us that “I’m on a mission to teach people that anyone can sew! Or quilt! Or embroider! All my patterns are designed especially for beginners and I never release a pattern until I have videos teaching every single skill needed for the project. It’s the whole foundation of what I do and it’s all because of my experience as a learner and as a teacher. I’m a self-taught sewist, and I learned before there was an internet. I still have such vivid memories of struggling with the instructions in patterns and sewing books!”
Whether you’re a beginner or not, you’re sure to find something to enjoy in Wendi’s site – so please do pop across and have a browse through the pages of Shiny Happy World. Thanks so much Wendi for contributing to the May Bustle & Sew Magazine
As a former teacher of knitting, lace making, crocheting, and embroidery to not only beginners, but to people who had never thought about learning these crafts before watching other beginners and thinking, “I wonder if I could do that?”
I am an old lady now, but often am a fellow beginner in something I’ve never tried before
I haven’t yet managed to read the article about Wendi in the magazine – too much interference from other of life’s issues! I have watched many of her videos though and she is a splendid teacher. Thank you for bringing Wendi into the magazine and her beautiful felt bird.