Bee Creative Be Bold By Caz

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.

03/08/2026

I took on the sewing bee challenge and made a pair of knickers.

03/08/2026

2 Shirts made from upcycled duvet covers for Rob and Steve to wear at at Festival.

02/08/2026

🐝 Bee-Hind the Seams – Week 23

Bee-ing Busy, One Stitch at a Time

Well, what a week it’s been! If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that life is a bit like sewing—
sometimes you have to piece lots of different things together to create something beautiful.

This week has seen me buzzing between nursing, sewing, knitting, swimming, family, teaching and even a little moonlight magic.
So, pop the kettle on, pull up a chair and let me take you behind the seams…

🩷 Saturday – Bee-ginning a New Project

The week started with a wash… not mine, the towels!

Every towel destined to become part of my “Meet Me by the Sea” collection had a trip through the washing machine before becoming something completely different.

I also enjoyed a lovely day with Elsie, making memories together, before catching up with my in laws.
It’s always lovely to spend time with family—it really does fill your cup.

🏊 Sunday – A Breath of Fresh Air

Sunday started with one of my favourite things—an open water swim at Cromhall Quarry.

There’s something incredibly calming about being in the water.
Whatever is swimming around in your mind seems to drift away with every stroke,
leaving you refreshed and ready for the week ahead.

Later, I drafted Ruby’s and Elsie’s Cornwall hoodie patterns,
ordered the hoodie drawstrings and started planning every detail of my little beach collection.

I also spent time with June and visited Mum, making Sunday a lovely balance of creativity and family.

👩‍⚕️ Monday – From Uniform to Sewing Machine

Monday saw me back on the ward before swapping my uniform for an apron.

The rotary cutter came out and the sewing room quickly disappeared under a blanket of fluffy towelling.

I cut out Ruby’s beautiful hibiscus hoodie and Elsie’s fruity hoodie, carefully arranging every pattern piece like a giant jigsaw puzzle to make the very best use of every towel.

I also prepared the contrast bands and rethreaded the overlocker to white.

As every sewist knows… measure twice, cut once… and expect fluff to appear in places you never knew existed!

✂️ Tuesday – Every Stitch Counts

After another day at work, I continued preparing the collection.

I embroidered “Meet Me by the Sea” onto both girls’ hoodie sleeves and down the side of their matching shorts.

It’s amazing how a little embroidery can stitch a whole collection together.

I also designed my own Carbis Bay Hoodie, which will match the navy striped towel shorts I made recently. Every hoodie will have its own contrasting cotton hood lining while sharing the same seaside theme.

Slowly but surely, the collection is taking shape.

🌊 Wednesday – Making the Most of Every Hour

After another busy shift on the ward, I met Stacey for an evening swim at Cromhall Quarry.

Fresh air, open water and good company… exactly what I needed before another evening in the sewing room.

Back home, the hoodies continued to grow as more pieces came together.

Sometimes all you need is a needle, thread and a little determination to patch together a busy day.

Later sleep and I weren’t the best of friends rather than counting sheep,
I decided to count completed training modules instead! All of my mandatory e-learning was complete, and I was back to 100% compliance. A rather satisfying way to end the day and then sleep.

🧵 Thursday – Stitch Happens!

Thursday was a proper making day.

The girls’ hoodies continued to come together beautifully, and I also finished adding the final personalised touches to Rob’s and Steve’s Marvel festival shirts.

Each shirt now has its own embroidered initial alongside my signature little bee.

They’re all packed and ready for a weekend of music, camping and making memories.

A tiny bee… but a big smile every time I stitch one.

🧶 Knitting – Climbing New Heights

My Lake District Cardigan has continued to grow beautifully this week.

All five pieces are now on the second row of the mountain section, and the words “THE LAKE DISTRICT” are all knitted in across the back using the intarsia technique.

It’s certainly keeping me on my toes, but every row brings the landscape a little more to life.

Just like walking in the Lakes, sometimes the climb is the best part.

🌕 Moonlight Magic

One of the most unexpected highlights of my week wasn’t something I made at all.

The beautiful Buck Moon was so incredibly bright that it actually woke me during the night, flooding the room with silvery moonlight.

For a few sleepy moments I genuinely thought someone had left a light on outside!

Of course, I couldn’t resist getting up to admire it—and take a few photographs.

Sometimes nature reminds us to slow down, look up and appreciate the beauty that’s quietly shining above us.

📺 The Great British Sewing Bee

Another week means another episode of The Great British Sewing Bee.
I watch and get ideas, proud of the things I’ve made similar and ready to have a go at a challenge or two.

My “must make” list definitely grows faster than my fabric stash disappears!

👵 Friday – Nana Day

Friday is always one of my favourite days because it’s Nana Day.

I spent the day with little Ari, enjoying cuddles, playtime and plenty of smiles.

We also visited June and Mum, and I managed to catch up with Julie & Jett too.

Family really is the thread that holds everything together.

👩‍🏫 Teaching & Nursing

This week I worked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nursing , while also enjoying time teaching sewing.

I love helping people discover new skills and watching their confidence grow.
We make shorts with pockets in 2 hours. Seeing someone complete a project they’ve made themselves is every bit as rewarding as finishing one of my own.

🚗 Errands & Little Wins

In between everything else there were parcels to post, errands to run and sewing bits to sell as I continue saving for my dream sewing machine.

Every little sale brings me one stitch closer.

Looking Ahead

Next week I’m hoping to finish Ruby’s and Elsie’s matching beach outfits, begin sewing my own Carbis Bay Hoodie, and keep climbing those knitted mountains on my Lake District Cardigan.

Life may sometimes feel like a tangled bobbin, but with a little patience, a good cup of black coffee and a positive attitude, everything has a way of coming together in the end.

Until next week…

Bee Creative. Bee Bold. Bee Kind.
And remember… life’s too short not to make something that makes you smile. 🐝💛

28/07/2026

The Buck Moon 🌕✨photo taken at 22.00

Tonights night’s sky put on quite a show.
The July full moon, known as the Buck Moon, takes its name from the time of year when male deer begin growing their new antlers.

As it rose through the clouds, the golden light created an incredible display,
with silver linings and dramatic colours that only nature can paint. Moments like these remind us to slow down, look up, and appreciate the beauty that’s right above us.

Did anyone else manage to catch the Buck Moon?
I’d love to see your photos! 📸🌕