Friday 18 December 2009

You may remember that I organised a Christmas Stocking swap back in Oct/Nov. My partner was Glenda from Tulip Rose. So my parcel went off to Australia and another began its journey to the UK. Above is the lovely stocking that Glenda handmade for me and it is gorgeous! In pinks and creams crazy patchwork with delicate lace, ribbon, white heart buttons and some beading. With a white velvety backing. All hanging on a satin white ribbon, absolutely brilliant, just my style.

Also in the parcel was...
a beautiful calendar of Australia and the photos are stunning!...


This the Great Barrier Reef.

Also there was an Australian oven glove, very useful and I shall come back to the subject of cooking and kitchens after Christmas. Plus a lovely handmade card with a kind message inside.

Glenda made a very thoughtful and kind swap and her research on my blog enabled her to create a stocking that is very 'Me'.

Many thanks Glenda it will be hung up with joy every year and will make me think of a new blog friend from Australia.

I shall post what i sent once I have heard from Glenda that she has received it. I have emailed with no reply so I am getting a little anxious but hopefully my parcel has reached Glenda by now. I shall also feature some of the other entries where pictures have beens ent and I would like to add them to the decoration Flickr site that I started last year.

On another note I am off to Italy tomorrow to celebrate my 40th Birthday on 23rd December and Christmas. I shall take lots of photos and let you know what I got up to when I get back. I shall also be researching in Italy for inspiration for the theme to the Christmas Swap 2010.

Take care everyone

xx

Wednesday 16 December 2009

A change of Luck.....Thank goodness

If you have not read the previous post then you may want to read that first............
Ok? Right after a rather dodgy week where all I touched turned to.............I did not blog for several days, but I did find and email which seemed to stop my run of bad luck. Sarah at Paper and String runs a monthly giveaway and I take part in them every so often.
A bumper red and white theme giveaway was posted and was so generous in the amount and range of the big prize that 297 people entered! Did not think that I stood a chance then everything went pear shaped and the next thing I knew there was an email to take a look at and I had WON!!!!! YIPPEEE!!! I could not believe it (said in Victor Meldrew voice of course). I was a bit stunned considering so many entered and Sarah had used a number generator so it was purely at the mercy of random luck courtesy of the Internet.
So would you like to have a close look at the lovely prize?
Photo by Sarah at Paper and String
In the lovely fabric and felt storage box was just about everything that I like and use. Buttons, cross grain ribbon, velvet ribbon, pompom trim (not used that before), felt, cotton fabric and hours of pure bliss in front of me! Plus a lovely handmade felt mushroom which I might put on my large fabric scissors.

Photo by Paper and String

All packaged up in a very stylish way and it arrived in a box just as it is shown above.Then an additional surprise in a lovely paper bag........................

I had emailed Sarah a couple of days after the announcement and explained why and to help put a smile back on my face she had kindly included the happy Reindeer shown above. Sophie loved it straight away and wanted to put it on the tree.

An absolutely fantastic giveaway win which came at just right time.
Many thanks to Sarah. Do go and take a look at her blog and lovely online shops, I dare you not to spend any money, it will be a tough challenge her items are gorgeous.
A completely different topic tomorrow for you all and again many thanks for visiting.
Take care all and thanks you for your (wise) words concerning the previous post.
Take care
xx

Sunday 6 December 2009

Still here.....just


I am still here......just. Picked up my purchase which I need to photograph tomorrow. Been very busy. Sophie's school Christmas Fair on Friday, a Christmas lunch with the Embroiderers Guild on Saturday, my works Christmas 'do' that evening, Christmas shopping in Plymouth and my new purchase on Sunday. Plus Mock exams and other paperwork! Phew!!
Now, I have to get some beauty sleep for my job interview tomorrow. Boy am I looking forward to a break. More on that tomorrow!
Take care, crafty news will resume tomorrow.
xx

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Softie Monsters...

As part of the new GCSE course recycling is a major aspect. So this term we have been making a series of small projects to introduce this concept. We needed to dispel the idea that recycling is dirty and rubbish. I think we have now gotten past that as the students were really keen to make these softies using the theme of Monsters. The top picture shows how they came up with the pattern (after having designed it) and then developed it into a 3D shape. This was quite a spontaneous project and the students did not have any prior warning of what they would be making.

They really enjoyed making this latest project and it is one that I shall develop further for next September. As we have gone along this term the students have become so much better using the sewing machine. I often feel sorry for my machines as they are constantly putting up with abuse! So I did point out the improvement ( I know, tempting fate but when praise is due.....) and lots of smiley faces said it all really.

I couldn't help but think of Monsters Inc whilst we were making these. I must confess that I have drawn mine but not yet made it. I shall post it when I do.
The next project is on Thursday, and we shall be recycling part or all of a duvet cover...........can you guess what we will all be making?
(Yes, I have made this one to show the students which is why the monster is still in pieces).
I missed Knitting club tonight as I had to dash off and make an important and costly purchase, all shall be revealed when it is delivered. My TA stood in for me and I left them all talking about making knitted pink pigs!!??
Take care and thank you all for leaving comments, found a couple of new blogs this past week.
xx

Friday 27 November 2009

Knitting Club..the first make.

You all remember a few posts back me mentioning that two of us had set up a small knitting club with the youngest students (by student request) We started off with 4 and it has increased to 6 already. As you know my knitting is not at a particularly high level but my colleague can read patterns etc so together I think we have it covered. I do like small, simple and quick projects so a few little booklets that I have collected as freebies with knitting mags has proven to be very useful.
So here is the first completed item from the knitting group. Ele the knitted finger puppet!! It went smoothly first time and her creator is delighted!


There are other versions which can be tried, including a pig, penguin and dog. All of the other students are in the middle of projects that they started at home and intend to finish with us. Then we shall progress onto bigger items.
Sophie is picked up by Dad and is dropped off at my school so that she can come along as well! She has made a few little bits, but she has also started a much bigger item which is very nearly done and will be featured here too.
It may be a small group, but they are keen.
Have a good weekend xx.

Thursday 26 November 2009

The issue of Skirts..

You may remember a little earlier in the year this skirt. I made it using some lovely fabric from IKEA. I went to the Bristol branch a couple of weeks ago but they did not have any more in stock which was a shame. I am visiting Bristol again in two weeks for a course so I shall try again.

This is a simple wrap around skirt using a NEW LOOK pattern 6637. I wanted something simple that i could make with my GCSE students. We have yet to do this but I have put it to them and they are keen. It can be adapted and the fabric changed to something thinner so that it can be used at the beach. If we ever get any proper summer weather again!

I wanted to have another go as I did not like the a couple of things and I made the skirt for my size but as is often the case my body shape is not the same as a pattern envelope. It was ok and I did wear it that summer.


This time I made it a size bigger so that I could fit it to me better at the darts in particular. I used IKEA fabric again as I like the way it irons and it is a little bit thicker so it is not necessary to wear an under slip. As yet I have not worn this due to the poor weather over the summer!
I have now bought another skirt pattern to try out, a simple skirt with a zip in the back. I ordered it from the NEW LOOK pattern website. It is pattern No. 6843 and if you want to see it made up then pop over to Darling Petunia's blog as she uses this pattern a lot. She has a link in her side bar. There are too many links to put here. So this is next on the list of garments to make and I am also now on the prowl for a tailors dummy!
Completed some more student work today which I shall upload at the weekend and I have a special order to start (yes Pamona I have not forgotten, just need to headaches to go. It took two days, four paracetamol but it was the three soluble aspirin that cured it!).
Back tomorrow, many thanks for the nice comments on the previous post. I would also like to say a big hello to the new visitors who have been commenting lately. I am trying to do a return visit to say hello. I like to find new blog sites and your links via my comment box is a good way to do this.
xx

Wednesday 25 November 2009

AWQB Latest Block 18...

This is my latest quilting block for the Around the World Quilting Bee that I am involved in. When the quilt arrived I was not really sure what to create, all of the other blocks were so good. I did notice that there was not a log cabin block amongst the many lovely blocks that had been made.
So I decided to go back to my favourite faithful Log Cabin block. I tried to include the main colours that had been used by the other quilters and on the outer edge I made use of some more of the Cornish Tartan that I had bought for the last block I made. It seemed to fit in with the world and map theme that some of the other blocks had featured on them. I am quite happy with it and I hope that Anita likes it too.
Take care all, really tired so off to bed early. Yet another blasted headache. Roll on the Christmas holidays.
xx



Sunday 22 November 2009

Giveaway Link

Go on.....click and join in.....you never know you might win.
Organised by Sew take a Hike.
xx
Organised by Sew take a Hike.



Saturday 21 November 2009

Christmas hats....HO! HO! HO!.....


I thought that you might like to see some of the Christmas hats that my Year 9's finished this week......
All of the white strips have been stitched on separately. I bought some fur to go around the hat and with the left-overs we made some fur pompoms.

The lettering has been cut out by hand and carefully stitched on. This hat turned out really well indeed and with only verbal assistance from me and having taught her for 3 years on the trot, she had gained the confidence and skill to make this herself.

This hat shows the fur pompoms that we made. This hat also has fabric trees stitched on to the front.

Now, when I saw the final design drawing for this hat I was a little worried that he would get a little bored of cutting all of the squares out. However, he did cut 24+ squares out in a lesson, and started to sew them together. It has turned out brilliantly and I am doubly pleased as he is also in my tutor group.

We also made some blue Christmas hats which turned out very well. I found some snow flake sequins which were carefully stitched on and the fur really has finished these hats off really well. I shall certainly get some more for next year.

Lots of sparkle!!


Just for good measure, a pink one too. With silver sequins hand stitched down the side.

HO HO HO everyone. What do you think?

It is mobile phone cases next.....

xx

Thursday 19 November 2009

Busy, busy, busy, but great.....

I have been working quite late this week and the day job is starting to take over a little. however, I am fighting back and some on-line friends are helping me with that. Etsy, Folksy and my first Artfire orders this week, plus a commission to finalise, some alteration work for another customer, another Quilting Bee block done. My Christmas Stocking swap sent off and I have been knitting project examples for my little Knitting Club like there is no tomorrow. I have two new members joining next Tuesday too.
My students have finished some work this week too which I want to blog about but pictures have yet to be taken because even the flash did not want to know today, far too dark. Plus another job application letter to finish and email tomorrow. I will let you know what happens with that if anything at all.
I also have some items to list in my three shops but it is the time to do this, but I am happy that things to seem to be picking up a little. Can I just plug that I am putting free shipping on my bags featured in Esty. I am gradually adding this but if you see one and I have not included this option, Convo me and I will change it for you. I can custom make pretty much all if the items too so please do ask if you have any questions.
Well best get off and finish this job letter. I hate writing things like that as I seem to lose the power of sentences, spelling and making sense to the reader, oh well, here goes. back tomorrow for Children in Need. Sophie and I will be snuggle up on the sofa to watch Sir Terry Wogan doing his thing. What do you have planned?
Take care
xx

Monday 16 November 2009

Christmas Stocking Swap Update...

So.... the posting deadline was 14th November (approx) so hopefully lovely christmassy parcels will be dropping onto doormats across the world!! I have sent mine to Australia, to Glenda and I really hope that it does not take too long to get there. The felt cover commission arrived safe and sound and considering the post problems that we have had here, it took about the same time as it usually does.
Once I know that my swap partner has received her parcel then I shall blog about it here.
I will now begin to think for next years Christmas challenge and get a sample stitched up while I am in the festive mood.
I may even see if I can get any inspiration when I go the Italy, which would be fun.
Knitting club week three tomorrow and I shall try and get some pictures of work in progress to show you.
Take care all
xx

Sunday 15 November 2009

Lastest Quilt Block..

I have actually had this block made ages ago and I am a little behind in that I have not made the next yet. Work has gone nuts and our building project takes some of my time at the weekends. Sewing during these dark evenings are tricky with matching fabric etc.
Anyway here is the next offering...

This time the owner of the quilt asked if we could create a block that said a little about ourselves and maybe where we came from/live.

So I managed to find some fabric that showed some of the things that are me or that I like.

*My sewing machine

*I love making pincushions (you can never have too many of them!)

*Buttons and ribbons

*Lots of cups of tea with some cupcakes! (I love making cupcakes and icing them with an icing bag and shaped nozzles)

I put a cream edging around these quite highly coloured pictures and then another edging of Cornish Tartan which shows where I live! Quite straight forward this time I thought and I am happy with the way it turned out. I have the next waiting to be done but I know how I am going to tackle it and then it shall be sent off.

Our building project is moving along nicely but I think that now I shall wait until it is finished then show you an album of pictures to show what we did. All I will say is that it is just as well that we are not at home for the start of Christmas this year!!

Take care and be back tomorrow.

xx

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Parking Fine Victory...

During half-term we visited Lewes whilst staying with my sister-in-law and popped by the Needle Makers. I like to visit the Baltic Trader shop there which has lovely Polish ceramics. A space became available and we parked. We looked around and had some lunch. Visited the antique section where I bought a big box of buttons for £2.50. We then went to the ceramic shop and bought four dinner plates, four side plates, and several other items.
We then went back to the car to find a parking fine. This little car park is for the NeedleMakers and nowhere else, so we were astonished to see that apparently we were parked in a delivery bay!! The sign we were directed to was a simple computer printout without any council logo or anything. In fact any of us could print it off at home. Every car in our row got caught out, a local lady who lived there nearly got caught and we warned those lined up to park in this section! I am quite observant on this sort of thing and I never spotted it. A chap walking his dog spotted what was going on and he jokingly said "welcome to Lewes" this happens all the time.
This car park only serves The Needlmakers, much of what you can buy there may need a car to transport it away, a small place like that does not need 8 delivery bays and it was lunchtime when we arrived. These piddly little signs were not clear and we had spent nearly £200 pounds between the three of us (much of our everyday china is over 10 years old is chipped etc) and we do not feel inclined to visit again. So we paid the fine and sent an email complaining about it and because the idiot who wrote out the ticket did not write my car reg down correctly it did not match my tax disk number with the DVLA so the fine was...........wait for it..........RETURNED!! Justice is possible in this mad world after all.
The local lady said that parking restrictions changed weekly and it was difficult not to fall foul sometimes.
So..if you want to fine me in the future, then I want to see official metal signs with the local council logo on it. I want it in an obvious colour like bright yellow and I want it printed by a sign writer etc rather than printed out on a bog standard computer printer and then laminated and stapled to a bloody post. Plus I want it clear to read and see!!
There seems to be a bit of a problem with this if total strangers are coming up and sympathising for you. So beware folks, Lewes is a lovely place, plenty of history so do go there but take someone tall with you to check high up signs and do check, check the signs in the parking areas.
There go that off my chest and by the way I was not driving but it was my car and I have no blemish on my driving history and I would like to keep it that way.
Phew!
I have been very busy this past week so little crafting done but hopefully more to show you later in the week. Our second knitting group meeting went very well on Tuesday and we have all now established what our individual projects will be.
Take care and many thanks for all the lovely comments about Sophie's birthday!!

Monday 9 November 2009

My Little Sophie is 7 today!!!!!!!!!!

pic from google images
I can not believe that my little Sophie has just turned 7 today. She has just had three friends round for dinner and games and is now fast asleep. Tired, but happy. 7 years old, but I glimpsed today the fast growing young lady that she is becoming. My Mum warned me that she would grow up quickly and that I would wonder where the time had gone and she is right.
It is hard to believe that 7 years ago hubby had quickly popped to see his radio controlled car club to make sure all was ok then come home, I was settling down to an episode of "Friends". Then all of the sudden it was a dash to the bathroom (for some reason I remembered to take my mobile phone ??!!) and from there I rang hubby to find out where he was. Thankfully nearly home again. From the bathroom I rang the hospital who once they looked up my records ordered me in straight away.
There followed a steady drive to Treliske Hospital, strapped to a monitor, drips etc then a wonderful TENS machine from Boots, then brilliant Gas and Air, 15hours of labour, the words "distessed" and "C-section mentioned. I left the epidural until the very last minute because I decided that I did not have to be a heroine that day. The rest they say is.....
During the nine months leading up to this I did keep quite a detailed photo/scrapbook with scan pics, (I had quite a few of these due to complications which could have resulted in me, Sophie or both of us not making it) cards, pics of gifts etc and Sophie loves looking through this book and each time she asks new questions. She is fascinated by the pictures of herself as a newborn and the change she sees in herself as she gets older. I would say that it is one of my favourite books of all time, along with the wedding album of course!!
So another birthday has passed, it only seems like yesterday that she started school and she is now in Year 2 already. I would like to slow the clock down a bit but you can't, so I think that making the most of the time while Sophie is still "my little Sophie" is the key.
Sorry no pics due to dashing back from work etc but there may be some follow up pics as she got one or two making toys.
I think it is now time for my beauty sleep too.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIE
xx

Friday 6 November 2009

Felt commission

I think one of the best things about having online shops is the possibility of being asked to create a special commission or design. I have been lucky enough to carry out several of these special orders and the above is the latest. The order is from a lovely lady in Australia and the fact that she has not said they she has received it is not going to worry me just yet, but I have emailed to ask.

I am not spoiling her surprise as the order was similar to another cover featured in my Etsy shop. I love making these and I do have another 6 different designs cut out ready to stitch together. I did add additional features to this cover as it was to fit an A4 book, which is the largest that I have ever made.


Due to the bigger size I decided to add some interfacing just to prevent the cover from stretching too much. I then added a fabric label, packed it in my lovely blue tissue paper and labels. It has been over a week since it was sent off and I really do hope that it is alright.

It has been an awful day in my part of Cornwall today but we still took Sophie to a bowling party. Hubby and I hired a lane as well but then had to stop as it malfunctioned and then the party food was served. I was pleased to even go as I had been nursing another bad migraine which started Friday evening soon after I started work on my latest knitted scarf. I had no idea that knitting could affect your health like that. Managed to drag myself out of bed at mid day but mainly because I was hungry! Luckily it has subsided a bit by 3.45pm when the party was due to start but I was not exactly the life and sole of the party but I was still there! Hoping tomorrow will be better. Enjoy the rest of the weekend anyway.

xx

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Cupcake Knitted Pincushion Tutorial

During half-term I found this idea in my favourites. I found it on Craftzine and thought it would be a good stash buster and a fun project to do with Sophie. I decided to change the pattern to suit the wool scraps I had and to simplify it for Sophie to follow.

I used 3.5mm knitting needles and some leftovers of DK wool from my Never ending Blanket which I have been knitting for years! From here on I changed the pattern approach and simplified it so that Sophie could follow it and make better use of the stash leftovers.

Method:

You will need to knit three rectangles and each one will be bigger than the previous one knitted.

Centre Ring

Cast on 14 stitches

Knit 28 rows

cast off .

Middle Ring

cast on 14 stitches (Pink wool)

Knit 32 rows

cast off.


Outer Ring

cast on 14 stitches

Knit 40 rows

cast off.

To make the Pincushion:
Fold the rectangle so that the cast off edge meets the cast on edge. Stitch using the wool left after casting off.

You should end up with a tube shape, as shown above.

Then fold the tube back on itself as shown above. This will give quite a firm ring.


Turn it over so that you can see the folded edge, this is the top side of the centre of your pincushion.

Do the same with the other two rectangles and you should end up with three folded rings as shown above.

Now for the really fun bit. Place the rings one inside the other and push down a little bit. I was surprised at just how firm and strong this little pincushion was turning out to be!

The next stage is to add a few discreet stitches here and there to keep the layers together. I did seem to have more of a gap in the centre than the example on Craftzine, not sure why either. You can have the layers quite flat or....

...or quite high. Whatever you decide to do work it out before stitching the layers together.

It did strike me at this point how much it looked like a cupcake so I added a bright red pompom to the top of mine.


This was such fun to make and quite quick. It would an ideal stash buster and stocking fillers too. Let me know if you have a go at this. I shall certainly make some more of these over the coming weeks.

My new Knitting club group starts after school tomorrow, I shall let you know how we get on. Sophie is going to be dropped off at big school so that she can join in as well.

xx

Sunday 1 November 2009

Quilt Block 16 Musical Frogs...

Here is my latest quilt block for the Around the World Quilting Bee which started back in May. This time the owner of the block wanted a house with something inside. This was a bit of a challenge, but I did have some fun frog fabric so I decided to have musical frogs jamming in the house.

It did look a little plain so I added some grass and an appliqued tree. I do have to say that it looks much better in the flesh. The picture has come out rather dull looking. It was fun to look at by the time it was finished and was posted off over a week ago.
I am a little bit behind with my blogging because I have in fact finished the next block and sent that off last Wednesday but more on that another time. We have just come back from visiting my Sister in law in Seaford and we went to London on Friday. I have not yet downloaded the pictures but when I have I shall explain why we went to London. Back to work tomorrow! I have one load of washing on and another to do before I go to bed. Back tomorrow.
xx
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