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I am thrilled to have Diane on the blog to talk about starting a blog, BurdaStyle advice, favourite quote and so much more. I have been following Diane on her blog DreamCutSew.com and Instagram for over a year and it’s easy to fall in love with her blog – she is a woman who radiates ease in her being and fabulous style. I had the pleasure of meeting her in real life at The STitchRoom Sewcial earlier this year. What struck me the most about Diane is how she exudes an inner radiance that makes the world shine just that little bit brighter. So I reached out and asked her if she’d like to do a Q&A guest blog post and here we are. Grab a cuppa and settle in.

You will love this guys. Enjoy! Enjoy!

What was your lightbulb moment for starting your blog Dream Cut Sew?

Hmm, I wouldn’t say it was a lightbulb moment as such, but I had been on Instagram for just over a year in Sept ‘16 and whilst on holiday in Greece, I started to get a thought that I couldn’t get rid of. At the back of my mind I kept thinking…why not start a blog?… I think I have a point of view that I could share…

At the time I hadn’t a clue how to do it and wasn’t a bit technical. A lot of Googling of how to start a blog ensued! I started my blog in January 2017

What has been your proudest moment so far on this journey?

Well, I was thrilled to be chosen to be one of the BurdaStyle Influencer team, so I guess that would be it. But also learning a whole load of technical behind-the-scenes blogging stuff that I didn’t know I was capable of doing.

You recently became a BurdaStyle Influencer, can you advise anyone who wants to sew with Burdastyle?

Always add seam allowances! And read all of the instructions through thoroughly before you even start. And then read again as you sew. I would suggest sewing one of the simpler silhouettes up as a starter project and get a feel for how things are described by Burda within instructions. Oh, and if you don’t want to trace from a magazine all of the patterns can be downloaded as PDF’s on The BurdaStyle.com website.

What is the one piece of advice you’d give to anyone wanting to start a blog?

Well, this could vary depending on what you’re aiming to achieve. If you’re happy with just starting on a free blogging platform then you couldn’t go wrong with using Blogger or WordPress free sites. However, I wanted full control and my own domain name right from the start. I would say find a good hosting platform and be self-hosted as you have total control over your website. I would also suggest taking time choosing your blog name as it could be a right faff to change it down the line.  Also, take time to connect with comments that people leave on your blog.

How do you balance sewing with your life pursuits?

Hah! Sewing IS my life! I’m not very good at balance and get into ruts easily.

How do you switch off and relax?

I really struggle with switching off or relaxing, but I guess I like to go for a walk, or out to dinner, or maybe watch a good movie.

What does the future hold for Dream Cut Sew?

Ooh, well I want to keep sharing my love of unique designs and my sewing projects. I would also like to build my readership maybe to work with more brands.

What are your other interests/hobbies?

Photography is something that interests me a lot and since earlier this year I’ve been getting to grips with using Lightroom and shooting RAW photos.

I’m also really interested in Fashion and style generally, which goes hand in hand with my sewing.

I also dabble in a bit of gardening occasionally (I’m a bit of a fair-weather gardener though!)

What is your most used swear word when sewing?

I’m not one that swears that much but if I  accidentally chopped a hole in something when I’m sewing then I’m likely to shout  ‘shit’ or’ bugger’ 🙂 I have a strong dislike of  the ‘F’ word so I never use it

Dogs or Cats?……….

Easy to answer this one. It’s cats! I have a gorgeous dark tabby and white cat called Bilbo and we have cat conversations. I even know the word he uses for food 🙂 It sounds like “nang”

Scary movie or happy endings?

This one is a bit tricky because I do like both, but I tend to watch an awful lot of sci-fi and thrillers. I love ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Walking Dead’ for instance, but I adore the film ‘Meet Joe Black’

Can you share your favourite quote with us?

This one is easy. It’s a quote by Coco Chanel

 “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different”

Thank you Diane, for sharing your answers. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better.

Meanwhile, you can check out Diane’s blog DreamCutSew and her Instagram @Dream.Cut.Sew for fabulous inspiration.

Thanks so much for stopping by and until next time Happy Sewing!

Peace and love,

Hila