Take time out to be creative!
Welcome to Hello! Hooray! - a blog about the things I love to make and do. My name is Clare Albans, and I am a mama, maker and author living in Newcastle upon Tyne. I am passionate about living a creative life, and hope that through my website you will find lots of ideas of how to bring creativity into your own life too.
IMPORTANT POSTAL INFO
All items are dispatched 2nd class from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Postage upgrade for 1st class delivery and signed for is available.
Current dispatch time is 3-5 business days.
Please note that from April 2025 I will no longer be posting outside the UK - sorry!
(Updated 10th May 2025.)
Buy my new book!
The Modern Embroidery Handbook features step-by-step instructions for over 70 hand embroidery stitches plus 20 modern projects.
Treat yourself or a pal and order your copy today.
You'll also find my first book, Colourful Fun Embroidery, in my shop too!
Shop now!
Embroidery kit fabric panels
Original price was: £12.00.£8.00Current price is: £8.00.
The Modern Embroidery Handbook
Original price was: £18.99.£15.00Current price is: £15.00.
First attempt at buttonholes
Tonight I started work on something that I’ve been worrying about – buttonholes! I put together a piece of practice ‘waistcoat’ with some scraps that were left over. I started sewing them by hand, but this proved more difficult than I imagined! I thought I’d be able to control it much more easily than on…
Right on track
I’ve been doing some more sewing for our wedding today, and am pleased that I’ve finished waistcoat number four out of six (minus the buttons and buttonholes…still not been brave enough to start those yet!). I’ve set myself a target for the end of June to have them all done, so I’m right on track…
If at first you don’t succeed…
Today was one of those days where I spent more time undoing mistakes than anything else! I’ve been working on Tom’s waistcoat for our wedding and eventually managed to get it put together after forgetting to leave an opening to turn it inside out and forgetting to sew the neck together (only realising having turned…
Have you ever wanted to learn hand embroidery?
Then you've come to the right place! Start with my book and sign up my free course #TheHappyStitchProject!
#colourfulfunembroidery
You'll find everything you need to stitch your own #colourfulfunembroidery in my online haberdashery!
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me @hellohoorayblog on Instagram for behind the scenes photos and more!