Wearable artwork

I have a penchant for art history, and many of those influences can be found in my bags. The most striking example is probably my needle felted version of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, which took me many, many hours and ended up looking stunning on a bright red canvas bag, custom-made to the proud new owner’s requests.

The finished piece took at least 12 hours

I love how the red canvas frames the design

It's a big bag! There are pockets inside too

I loved the finished result and I’m sure I’ll make similar needle felted scenes in the future, maybe a Monet Water Lily Pond or a Van Gogh Starry Night style picture. The only drawback is that too much needle felting hurts my shoulder so I have to ration the amount of time I spend per week on a project.

A far easier to make artist inspired bag was my own Frida Kahlo bag. A friend bought me a Frida themed cushion for my birthday with the express intention that I made myself a bag with it, so I did! The image itself wasn’t a gaudy modern interpretation (and I’ve seen some really shitty ‘Frida homages’ in recent years…), but instead a photograph taken of Kahlo and used on a Vogue cover in the 1930s. Simple but effective.

A bit smaller than the Scream bag, this is my go-to library bag 

A less obviously inspired bag incorporated tiny needle felted lilies, in an art nouveau style. Inspired by the lilies of Georgia O’Keeffe, and the swirling style of Alphonse Mucha, the central design is less overtly influenced than the Scream bag, but the impact of art history is still there.

The tiny flowers took a few hours to complete 

 All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Twinning is winning

What’s better than a custom-made outfit? Matching custom-made outfits! I made two little adorable Nutcracker themed outfits last winter for two very excited little girls who were watching their first ever ballet at the theatre. It took me ages to decide between dresses or skirts and tops, but in the end I went for the latter, since I thought they might get more wear out of the clothes by making them mix and match separates.

Nutcrackers and dancing mice!

There’s a very small timeframe where children will merrily dress in matching clothes before they rebel and refuse to dress alike. I have no doubt that as the children I know grow I’ll get fewer requests for matching clothes, instead it’ll be a case of making clothes to suit to very specific tastes as each child’s personality blossoms.

Matching needle felt hair grips 

In the meantime, I’ll keep making matching bibs, bags, skirts, dresses and anything else that I can, because twinning is winning and super cute!

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Easy outfit updates – stick a patch on it

The current trend for patches, badges and brooches doesn’t seem to be on the verge of disappearing anytime soon, and why would it. Badges and brooches are an instant way to change the look of an outfit, whereas patches offer a long-term method of updating an item.

Last year, I changed a well-worn smart, slim-fit dress into a loose and comfy casual dress by adding sweatshirt fabric side panels and a large tiger patch across the back. By switching the style and look of the dress I’ve ensured it’ll have a place in my wardrobe for many more years.

Taming the tiger 

I use patches quite often when sewing, and it’s very handy when there’s a particular theme for an item. Last Christmas, a customer wanted a pug-themed bag for their niece, so I sourced some vibrant pug fabric but kept the other side of the bag very plain with denim so the pug and letter patches really stood out. The resulting bag was a huge hit, and the patches added that extra touch I couldn’t have achieved with the patterned fabric alone.

 

Cute personalised patches 

I’ve used patches on clothes, bags and even shoes, and it always surprises me who well they last. My dress has been chucked in the washing machine and tumble drier several times and always comes out looking fabulous (disclaimer: you’re probably not supposed to machine wash and tumble dry patches but never mind!).

Pre-washing machine but it's still looking just as fierce

My next patch project will be with sequin angel wings. I’ve already got a few ideas of how to use them but keep an eye on my Instagram to see the finished results!

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Reversible benefits – going ‘Inside Out’

I’m often asked what ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’ means, especially by those poor souls not fortunate enough to have ever tried a North Staffordshire oatcake. Around Stoke-on-Trent an oatcake is like a fluffy oat-based pancake, and they are heavenly for breakfast! Anyway, as I’m not originally from Stoke my local friends mocked me when they realised I ate mine with the dark side on the outside – a Stokie sin. Sorry guys, I just prefer my oatcakes inside out! 

However, the name means a bit more than that. I don’t like leaving raw or unfinished edges on my sewing projects and try to keep everything I make super neat both on the outside and inside. This attention to detail has meant many of my designs are easily reversible. A well lined bag will not only be strong but also neat enough to flip inside out, perfect for occasions when you might prefer the pockets on the inside or the outside.

Reversible Christmas skirt

Children’s clothes often lend themselves to being reversible too, especially since children have a handy habit of growing very fast! Getting two looks from a reversible skirt means you get a bit more for your money, especially on seasonable purchases, like Christmas themed skirts.

Flip it and reverse it 

Going forward, I’m aiming to try and make a wider variety of items that look just as good on the inside as the outside, and wherever possible can be flipped inside out to get even more use from an item.

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Why my custom orders are on the rise

When I started Inside Out Oatcakes I expected that the majority of what I made would go in the Etsy shop and be sold there. Naïvely, I assumed people would prefer to see the finished item before buying it. Instead, my shop sales have been minimal and custom direct orders have been steaming ahead! Looking back, it should have been obvious that would happen.

Custom made toddler skirts 

Buying ready-made, off-the-peg items will pretty much always be cheaper and more convenient from a high street shop, whereas small makers and sellers like myself offer something unique. My lovely customers don’t mind waiting a bit longer for delivery if I make something to measure or spend time sourcing the perfect fabric and patches for them. Presents for children are the number one request I receive, with bibs, bags, and skirts all proving popular. Again, this shouldn’t be surprising: personalised gifts to children become treasured keepsakes that are passed down through generations, and when engaging a small maker, you know they have been made with love right from the start.

Drawing design ideas from scratch 

I still keep the Etsy shop open, but more as an online shop window these days. Customers like to see what I’ve made and then use that as inspiration to request their own custom orders. Most importantly, I really love the whole process from getting a customer brief, helping to source materials, finalising patterns and designs, and then making and delivering the items. Nothing beats the feeling of good customer feedback – you can’t mass produce that.

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Supporting small businesses

As a small business owner, I love supporting other small or local businesses. Most of the people I know who work for themselves are women, which means I’m lucky enough to have a team of smart, caring and compassionate women to turn to when I need some business (or general life) advice. 

My view most days 

With Valentine’s Day approaching I’m going to make the effort to find some small designers to buy my cards from. There’s something much nicer about a card that’s been crafted with care rather than compiled to hit a bunch of key market messages a team of pompous market researchers has decided people want to see. There’s also the massive benefit that stark gender divides don’t seem as prevalent in the craft market, thankfully.

The personal touches can make all the difference

I quite enjoy making sentimental pieces as I imagine the person who will eventually go on to own the item really cherishing the meaning behind the product. Crafting has never really gone away as a hobby, but it does seem to have exploded into the mainstream in recent years, spawning a whole host of small and micro businesses. The internet has helped give people a platform and a shopfront in a way that would never have been possible before: and long may this creative diversity continue.

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

New year, new plans needed for days out

I really love exploring the UK and going for days out. Last year I had National Trust membership and enjoyed many happy afternoons discovering old buildings before retiring to the obligatory café for a coffee and cake. Membership was quite reasonable when I consider just how many days out I managed to cram in.

Little Moreton Hall

Another seminal day out was Legoland. I’d wanted to go for years, having heard so many lovely reviews, but I must admit I was not very impressed when I went. It was a Christmas special so there was a slightly reduced entry cost as many attractions were shut, but everything seemed a bit…tired I suppose. The Santa we visited was amazing but there wasn’t a cohesive level of attention to detail across the park. Some places seemed exceptionally well kept, while others looked positively ropey. I won’t be heading back there anytime soon, unfortunately.

At least the Star Wars stuff was cool! 

One day out I definitely did enjoy was the Eden Project, which inspired me to undertake some microbe themed crafting! The relaxing café bar in the Mediterranean terrace might have been as contrived as Legoland’s mini cities but it felt more authentic, and the nearby olive groves really set the scene. If I squinted I was in Italy, or at least Portmeirion on a sunny day. 

Closer to home, I have only just started to uncover Manchester’s many charms. The Manchester Arena is a fantastic venue. We saw Gorillaz and found the venue extremely well managed, clean and tidy without silly sized queues. The one drawback was that it was slightly too loud for me, but that might say more about my delicate ears than the venue, and luckily I’d been tipped off about a magical invention called musician’s earplugs, so I didn’t suffer for long.

Noodle! 

I’m not sure where my next day of adventure will take me. In my experience, sometimes the best places are right in your doorstep, waiting to be discovered.

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!