Feeling Smug: A sunday afternoon sewing session

So you know the camera I use to take the photos for this  blog? I'm ashamed to say until now it didn't have a home. I'd been carrying it around without any case or protection...crazy considering it cost me £150! But alas things have changed and it now has a wee denim drawstring pouch that I made recently at a Sunday Crafternoon session at Smug.

Smug is a lifestyle shop in Islington. 'Lifestyle shop?'

Its sells lots of lovely things for your home including gifts that are very smart, chic and design focused...far more appealing than you'd see in a high street department store.

Having said that, it does have four floors, one of which has just turned into a Christmas shop. Recently the store also enlisted the help of designer A Alicia (who I met at Crafternoon Cabaret a couple of weeks back) to run Sunday crafting workshops. So far they've had wall hangings and Xmas decorations, I was invited to try out the bag making. 
It's a smallish space, enough for a very cosy group of crafters which means you get good one-to-one attention and can talk to everyone.

The most exciting part of the workshop was that I finally got to use one of these mini sewing machines. They're the ones that are sold in John Lewis for £50. They are very cute but I've often wondered if they are just for show...do they really work?

It was the slowest sewing machine in history but it did the job and I was sold in terms of it being a great machine for children, small jobs and public workshops. 

We all managed to do some hand embroidery too - I was totally fixated by this mini hoop. I've seen them but didn't know what they'd be like to use - it turns out they are so much more fun and easier to use than big hoops and are great for adding details on to clothes.

I also got to use my first ever pom pom maker. Again this is an invention I used to think was pointless, not that I'm a cardboard donut person, I like to make my pom poms by wrapping them on my hand..but alas once again I was impressed through the sheer joy of using it. 

And here it is - my new drawstring camera bag. Made in under two hours on a weekend afternoon with help from a very lovely tutor in a nice sociable space. 

Ladies who stitch! A group shot taken by Anna.

If you're passing around the Angel area of Islington, Smug is worth popping into. Expect some drooling and also 'oohs' and 'aaahs' while you're in there.
You can also check out their website for news of future workshops.