Bee Creative Be Bold By Caz

16/08/2026

An unwanted skirt to wearable shorts

15/08/2026

🐝 BEE-HIND THE SEAMS — WEEK 25 🐝
One stitch, splash and very exciting delivery at a time…

What a week it has bee-n!
The hive has been buzzing with towelling, knitting, swimming, secret sewing plans, teaching and the arrival of a very special new bee.

🐝 SATURDAY — A BIRTHDAY BEE

Saturday belonged to my gorgeous granddaughter Ruby, who turned 12.

The little girl who made me a Nana is growing into such a brave, strong, witty and kind young lady. Family celebrations came first, although—as always—there were still sewing ideas buzzing around in the background!

Her and Elsie’s Cornwall towelling sets were sew close to being finished, with only the final little details left to stitch.

🐝 SUNDAY — BEACH SETS COMPLETE

Sunday was all about finishing the girls’ towelling hoodie and shorts sets.

Ruby’s has the beautiful hibiscus print with turquoise details, while Elsie’s has the fun fruit print with pink details. Both have lined hoods, elasticated cuffs and matching shorts.

Four handmade garments completed—and I’m absolutely buzzing with how they turned out!

The three of us haven’t worn our sets together yet, so for now they’re hanging up patiently, waiting for their proper Cornwall beach debut. 🌊

I also finished the mountains on both sleeves of my Lake District cardigan and reached row 86. One stitch closer to adding that beautiful blue sky!

🐝 MONDAY — MY TURN

With the girls’ beach sets finished, it was finally time to work on my own.

I carried on creating my Carbis Bay towelling hoodie and shorts using the navy stripe, pale-blue stripe and white towelling.

Because I made the pattern up myself, there was plenty of measuring, pinning, trying on and tweaking as I went.

The hoodie has side slits, a drawstring hem, elasticated cuffs and a lined hood. I used the original cotton edge of the striped towel as part of the hem because nothing goes to waste in this hive!

🐝 TUESDAY — THREE SETS, ALL SEWN UP & SWIMMING.

The white jersey for my hood arrived earlier than expected, which meant I could finally attach the hood, stay-stitch it, overlock it and topstitch everything into place.

Four pale-blue cords later, my hoodie and shorts were finished!

I also added matching cords to the girls’ shorts and made the final little adjustments to their cuffs and hems.

That means all three towelling sets are officially complete. I can’t wait until we can wear them together and take a proper photograph—although getting them to stand still at the same time may be my biggest challenge yet! 😂

It included a lovely sunny swim—because sometimes even a busy bee needs to leave the sewing room and take the plunge! 🏊‍♀️

🐝 WEDNESDAY —, KNITTING AND SECRET PLANS.

There was also more progress on my Lake District cardigan.
Both sleeves and the left & Right fronts have now reached row 86,
so the mountains are complete and the blue sky is getting closer.

Then the Dream Fabrics Summer Sewing Bee really got my creative antennae twitching!

There will be three very different fabrics and three completely different challenges to plan.
The first brief is Elegance,
and my fabric has now been washed, dried and matched with the right threads and notions.

I’ve designed my own patterns and worked out how to use the fabric to its best advantage.
There are lots of interesting techniques planned—but the actual designs and pattern pieces are staying firmly inside the hive until reveal time! 🤫

It’s all about taking part, challenging myself and creating garments I will genuinely use and wear.

🐝 THURSDAY — A NEW BEE ARRIVES

Thursday brought one very exciting delivery…

My dream sewing machine arrived earlier than expected:
a Juki HZL-DX7, now officially named Juki Josh. 💙

I’ve saved for a long time,
sold machines I had outgrown, cleared fabric and wool I wasn’t using,
and saved birthday and Christmas money to afford him.

Big Jack is wonderful for fast industrial straight stitching,
but he doesn’t make buttonholes or decorative stitches.
Little Jan is my basic everyday machine,
while Juki Josh brings beautiful buttonholes,
lettering,
decorative stitches and lots of clever technology to the hive.

My conservatory sewing room was more greenhouse than hive in the heat,
so Juki Josh was placed safely in the cooler dining room beside the spare teaching overlocker.

I also signed up for The Fabric Godmother Advent Calendar 2026.

I was sew impressed with last year’s calendar.
With two full patterns, fabric, notions and bonus patterns in between,
it was amazing value for money—and now I already have something wonderful to look forward to in December!

Thursday evening was sewing lesson night.
We only had one busy bee, but she certainly made up for it!

She showed me her completed top and shorts,
which looked amazing,
and then carried on with her dress—and finished that too.

Izzy’s dress alteration is also complete,
so that’s another job happily crossed off the list.

Next week everyone will bee making a top,
and we’ve already gathered lots of ideas to keep the group stitching from September right through to Christmas.

🐝 FRIDAY — JUKI JOSH, LITTLE MAN AND WELLYBOOTS

I picked up our little man and popped in for a cuppa with my niece before we took him to Welly Boot Land.

We were first in the queue because we’re early birds—quite literally, as it’s at a Wildfowl Trust! 😂 🦆 🪿

He splashed to his heart’s content and certainly kept me on my toes. Bless him, it wasn’t even him who got me wet…it was all the other children!

Late Friday afternoon, I managed to squeeze in a very quick unboxing of Juki Josh before we went out.

He is absolutely sew-per duper!

The alphabet stitches are brilliant, and he even has built-in words including “handmade,” “by me,” “happy” and “sewing.”

There are also lovely little sewing icons, including a cotton reel. I haven’t properly worked through the instructions yet, but I’m already stitch over heels and convinced he’s the bee’s knees! 🧵

Friday evening means pub night with our favourites, so the proper Juki Josh sewing session will have to wait.

🐝 NEXT IN THE HIVE…

Tomorrow I’m planning a full sewing marathon!

The fabric is prepared, the notions are ready, my secret idea is mapped out and Juki Josh is waiting to be put through his stitches.

Sew far, sew good—and I’m buzzing to see what happens next! 🐝🪡

Like, follow, share and comment to keep up with all the buzz from the hive.

13/08/2026

🐝 THREE THINGS “SEWING ME” IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT! 🐝

First, after saving long and hard and selling the machines and supplies I’d outgrown, I’ve finally upgraded to my dream machine: a Juki HZL-DX7 — JUKI Josh! 💙🧵

I’ll have professional sensor-controlled buttonholes, 287 stitches, 16 different buttonholes and four lettering fonts—so I can add names, words and decorative details without getting my embroidery machine out every time.

It also has Juki’s box-feed system, a clever float function, automatic thread cutting, automatic presser-foot lift, pivot function, needle up/down, adjustable speed and foot pressure, a straight-stitch slide plate, free-motion sewing, knee lift and a large extension table. What a machine!

JUKI Josh will complement my sewing studio perfectly. Big Jack will remain my speedy industrial workhorse, my overlocker and coverstitch will create those professional seam and stretch finishes, and Big Ben can concentrate on larger embroidery designs. JUKI Josh will be my versatile dressmaking machine for beautiful buttonholes, decorative details and precise everyday sewing.

Secondly, I’ve signed up for the Fabric Godmother Advent Calendar 2026! 🌙✨

Fabric Godmother is such a well-established and reputable sewing brand, and I was sew impressed with last year’s box. It included two complete patterns, the fabrics and notions for the projects, plus lovely sewing gifts and bonus surprises along the way. It felt like a complete sewing experience and was amazing value for money.

And thirdly, I’m currently taking part in the Dream Fabrics Summer Sewing Bee! 🐝✂️

For me, the excitement is in the challenge: being given a fabric, understanding its qualities and working out how to use it to its very best advantage. It’s pushing me creatively while still designing things that feel like me.

I don’t want to make something simply for the sake of a competition. I want to create beautifully finished garments that suit my style and that I’ll genuinely wear afterwards.

The fabrics and my ideas are staying firmly under wraps for now—no clues! 🤫🐝

I know I must Bee Sew Boring to you lot… but these are the things that make sewing me ridiculously happy! 😂🧵💛

Bee Creative • Bee Bold • By Caz

11/08/2026

If I were on tonight’s Great British Sewing Bee, this is what I would make for Sports Week! 🧵🐝

Bee-print swimming shorts, a sporty outfit made from recycled windsurf sails, and a bold black-and-yellow bowling shirt with bee appliqué and honeycomb embroidery.

Of course, it all has bees on it… would you expect anything less from Bee Creative Bee Bold? 😂🐝🖤💛

08/08/2026

🐝 Bee-Hind the Seams Week 24 🧵

By 🐝Bee Creative 🐝Bee Bold 🍯By Caz

Another week has absolutely flown by in The Hive —
nursing, sewing, knitting, swimming, family time and a fair few jobs finally being crossed off the list.

Basically, this busy 🐝bee has been buzzing! 🐝

Saturday – Pockets, Sunshine & Putting the World to Rights

After finishing work, a friend came to stay and very kindly made tea while I disappeared into sewing mode and altered some of her clothes.

First up was a striped dress, which received that all-important addition — POCKETS!

Because quite frankly, every dress needs pockets. 👗

I then shortened the shoulder straps on her chestnut dress with the large white spots, added pockets and took the hem up.

Even better, the fabric I removed from the dresses was reused to make the new pockets.

A little bit of make do, mend and make something new from something old — exactly how I like it.

Once the sewing machines went quiet, we sat outside in the evening sunshine and put the world to rights.

A lovely end to a busy day.

Sunday – Swim, Sew & Upcycle

Sunday started with a morning swim at the quarry, followed by lunch at my Son’s.

Then came the important business of fitting the girls’ towelling hoodies and shorts.

The shorts were a perfect fit — hurrah! 🎉

The hoodies, however, needed a little tweaking.

Luckily, I always say it’s much easier to make something smaller than try to magically find fabric that isn’t there. A little extra wriggle room when sewing for growing girls is never a bad thing!

Back home, I altered the hoodies, sewed the hoods and drawstring channels, overlocked the bottoms and pinned the hoods into the necklines.

Sew far, sew good!

I also took on this week’s Great British Sewing Bee challenge and made my first pair of knickers from an old T-shirt.

And not just any old T-shirt.

I found the perfect yellow one with Bee Kind printed on it and carefully positioned the wording across the bottom.

Well… it would have been rude not to. 🐝😂

A bit of fun, a bit of upcycling and another garment rescued from the wardrobe.

I also listed more bits on Vinted, with every penny heading towards the Juki sewing machine fund.

Slowly but surely, I’m stitching my way towards it!

Monday – A Quiet Little Knit Before Work

Monday was an afternoon shift after a truly terrible night’s sleep.

Rob had been away all weekend at his festival, proudly wearing the shirts I made for him and Steve — so at least my sewing had been out having more fun than I had! 😂

After catching up on some life admin, I decided to keep things calm and fit in a little knitting before work.

I brought the back section of my Lake District cardigan up to row 16 of the mountain base, finally putting it at exactly the same stage as the other four pieces.

Five pieces.
Five mountain bases.
All together at last!

I also wrote down all my outstanding sewing jobs and put them into priority order.

Sometimes writing the list really is half the battle.

The other half is trying not to start another project before you finish it. 😇🧵

Tuesday – Alteration Station

Tuesday began with work in the morning followed by a very necessary nap.

Once my batteries were recharged, it was back into The Hive for an evening at the Alteration Station.

First, I tackled a green floral dress with a dipped back hem. I removed the dip, overlocked the edge and gave it a lovely new straight hem.

Next came a lime-green dress, which was shortened, overlocked and hemmed.

Two more jobs off the list. ✔️✔️

Then the scissors came out for my Zara dress.

It started life as a long, shapeless and, if I’m honest, rather matronly dress.

Not very Caz at all!

It has now been well and truly deconstructed and is ready to be rebuilt as something much more me — shorter, with a curved hem and short puff sleeves.

There’s still plenty of reconstruction to do, but I can already see the potential.

Sometimes you just have to be brave enough to make that first cut.

Bee bold indeed! ✂️🐝

Wednesday – Climbing Mountains

Wednesday brought a very satisfying milestone with my Lake District cardigan.

All five pieces have now reached the 16th row of the mountain base, which means every piece is now 66 rows long.

Next stop: the mountain peaks and blue sky.

I am quite literally knitting my way up a mountain. 🏔️🧶

There was also a little more progress on the Juki fund.

I sold my mini iron and the Joules mug and sock set, dropped off and collected Vinted parcels and put my birthday money into the bank.

Every little sale is another stitch in the Juki plan.

Then it was off to work for the afternoon.

No rest for this busy bee!

Thursday – Something in the Water… or the Moon!

Thursday was another day at work and there was definitely something in the water.

Or perhaps the moon was doing something strange.

Whatever it was, everyone seemed slightly out of sorts!

Back home, however, I managed to get into a proper sewing groove and tick off quite a few jobs.

I hemmed the lime green dress, hemmed a the green floral dress and added a discreet security popper where the front crosses over.

I also finally altered trousers for my son.

Another job that has been quietly staring at me from the sewing pile — DONE! ✔️

The girls’ towelling hoodies also moved another step closer to the finish line.

I joined the hoods to the necklines, sewed in the sleeves and overlocked the seams.

I just need to measure the sleeve lengths on the girls before finishing them.

Their shorts still need waistbands and elastic, and the bottoms of the hoodies need hemming, but we’re nearly there.

Then it was time for sewing group with my fabulous ladies.

We checked the co-ord shorts they started last week and started on their next project.

I absolutely love watching their confidence grow from week to week.

Once my lovely sewing bees had flown home, everything was tidied away, The Hive was calm again and I settled down with my knitting.

And then…

the mountain climb began! 🏔️

I started shaping the mountains on one sleeve of my Lake District cardigan.

It’s finally starting to look like the picture I’ve had in my head.

Friday – Nanny & Dennis the Menace

Friday was spent with my little boy.

Or, as he is currently known…

Dennis the Menace. 😂

In the nicest possible way, of course!

He is into absolutely EVERYTHING at the moment and certainly keeps Nanny Bee buzzing from one thing to another.

We popped into Wotton and visited Nicola’s Fabrics, where I gave him the very important responsibility of choosing between the pink and blue colourways for my next outfit.

He chose blue.

Although it is actually more of a gorgeous teal.

Good choice, 💙

I bought two metres of 100% viscose, and the drape is absolutely beautiful.

The plan is a pair of trousers with a curved side seam and a shell-style top with an apron back.

Whether the finished outfit looks anything like the picture currently living in my head remains to be seen…

But that’s half the fun!

After a day of toddler chaos, it was pub night with my favourites, making the most of Half Price August.

Then home, feet up and, naturally…

a little more knitting.

Because apparently I don’t know how to sit still without making something. 😂🧶

🐝 Next Week in The Hive

The sewing list is already buzzing with jobs:

🧵 Make my own Cornwall towelling hoodie
🧵 Put a zip into a skirt
🧵 Take a dress in
🧵 Make a towelling all-in-one with shorts and a boob-tube-style top

And knowing me, at least three completely unrelated projects will probably try to sneak onto the list as well. 😂

Another busy week ahead in The Hive — but honestly?

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Until next week…

🐝 Bee Creative. Bee Bold. Make something new from something old. 🧵💛

04/08/2026

I have no idea what they are going to make on this weeks Great British Sewing Bee.
But it is Mexican week.

These would be my ideas.

A pattern challenge
a peasant style blouse, with colour and Ric RAC.

A transformation Challenge
Upcycled jacket made from Mexican inspired embroidered textiles.

A made to measure challenge
A beautiful big skirt, with lots of swing and flounce.
Tassels and embroidery.

I love Frida kahlo, so I hope she gets a mention.

03/08/2026

03/08/2026

🐝 Bee-Hind the Seams | Sewing Bee Week 3 Review 🐝

This week’s theme on The Great British Sewing Bee was Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.

As always, I’ve set myself the challenge of making what I would have created if I’d been in the Sewing Bee workroom, using only materials I already own.

🩲 Pattern Challenge – Completed!

I made my first pair of handmade knickers from a yellow T-shirt that had been sitting in my wardrobe. I kept the original “Bee Kind” design on the back, giving the T-shirt a completely new purpose while preserving its lovely message.

I’d also planned to cut up my black and white Mountain Warehouse bee T-shirt, but I changed my mind. I still love wearing it, and sometimes the most sustainable choice is deciding not to upcycle something that still has a place in your wardrobe.

🩶 Transformation Challenge

I’d transform a pair of silver faux silk curtains that once hung in my own home into a short cocktail dress, featuring the original curtain eyelets as a dramatic lace-up back, curtain cord, oversized tie-back bow and a hint of reclaimed vintage lace.

The finishing touch would be a handcrafted bee brooch.

The bee brooch would be made entirely from scraps and bits and bobs found in my sewing room. Old buttons, broken jewellery, wire, beads and lace would all be given a new purpose, proving that even the smallest forgotten pieces can become something beautiful.

🌼 Made to Measure – Save the Bees

For my made-to-measure, I’d create a tailored Meadow Collection co-ord from upcycled tea towels that had never actually been used and had been sitting at the bottom of my tea towel drawer waiting for the perfect project.

The tea towels already celebrate pollinators, with bees, butterflies, ladybirds, dragonflies and wildflowers woven into the design, making them the perfect fabric to tell the story.

The outfit would feature a square-neck top with frill sleeves and beautifully tailored trousers with a proper front zip fly, waistband and button fastening, curved front pockets and back pockets. No drawstrings, no embroidery—just careful tailoring and letting the original print be the hero.

To complete the look, I’d make a matching beekeeper’s hat, built over a reclaimed bag-for-life for strength, covered in the same meadow fabric and finished with a veil made from an upcycled white net curtain.

Everything in my Week 3 collection comes from materials I already owned:

🖤 Clothes from my wardrobe.
🩶 Curtains from my home.
🌼 Tea towels from my drawer.
🐝 Scraps and treasures from my sewing room.

Because sustainability doesn’t always mean buying something new. Sometimes it simply means looking at what you already have… and imagining what it could become.

🐝 Bee Creative. Bee Bold. Make something new from something old. 🐝

03/08/2026

Knickers made from last weeks sewing Bee Challenge
From a yellow T-shirt, the Bee Kind is on the Bottom.