Santa Sack Swap is on its Way

I made the first of several trips to the Post Office today with my Santa Sack Swap parcel and it i snow on its way to North Wales.  We know who our partners are and we decide on whether we would like a stocking, sack or tote then add additional handmade items to go with it.

Joanne does visit my blog and she will be opening the main parcel and the sack which I wrapped and then forgot which one it is so someone may have to peek inside for her so make sure.  Here is a little taster.....

I hope you like them all on the Big Day Joanne and thank you for being my Swap Partner.

I am bringing back sketchbook Sunday tomorrow  so please pop back.

Take care all.

Softie- Felt Bear for Flybe

Part of an earlier order was to create one of my felt bears but with a Flybe uniform.  Well this turned out to be quite a challenge and rather fun to do!

The jacket was the really hard bit here, especially the sleeves and I think that I am going to need to alter the pattern slightly to accommodate ideas such as these.

I kept in contact with my customer and made sure that I got the uniform colours right because if you Goggle Fly be uniform there appears to be more than one option.

He is cute and I was rather sorry to see him go. I now have another bear order with a different outfit.  

I did make some girl bears about 2 years ago but it is defiantly male versions that are most popular.  The felt bears are not toys but for much older children or softies collectors.  They are really fun to make and Sophie would now like one with  Hogwarts school uniform!

Any way this little chap is now on Guernsey and I think is going to be given as a Christmas present.

This order also included a mini ipad cover as well.

I made this with double layers of felt with a fleece interfacing to add strength .  It is used as a dust cover and needed to go over an ipad with one of those roller style overs.  My hubby happens to have one so I modelled it on his and then followed my customers specification.  heaps of fun to make this ans it was sent off along with the bear.

As I said, things have picked up gradually and it has been a pleasure to make all of the items that  Ihave shown you over the coming week.

I have now completed my Santa Sack swap items and I intend on sending it on Saturday.  Sorry no photographs until after my partner has opened it!  Drat but those are the rules and it would be awful to ruin the surprise.  I wanted to also do Chookyblues Christmas swap but I do not like spreading myself too thinly so I may do that next year instead.  

Well it has been a very busy and rather mixed week so take care and I hope to have some posts with a different theme later this week.

xx

OPAM October

I can not show everything as some of it is for the Santa Sack Swap but I can reveal these.

 I started off the month

 With my entry for the Mix theme for Le Challenge with my mix of Blues and was meet with lovely comments.  I always have had lots of positive support from the Le Challenge group.  I will have to miss this months due to other swaps etc.  Not enough time for it all sadly.

The above is part of a commission that i have nearly completed.  I shall be offering mini ipad cases made in Felt once I have sent the order off and added a button to my website.  I have nearly finished the other half of the order which has been really quite a challenge but the deadline is Christmas and I shall be sending it off next weekend.

Now here is my latest make which I only just squeezed in to October by completing it on Halloween Night whilst waiting to issue treats.  Is a lovely fluffy loop scarf for my God-daughter.  I asked her Mum of she still liked pink and I thought a loop scarf would be more in fashion.  I have one and it does not slip or move around like conventional scarves do.

I also made an item for the Santa Sack swap but I shall need to keep that a secret for the time being.  I also have a cover cut out for Toffy to have a new bed and my curtains simply must be made in time for Christmas!!

I would like to make a few more presents this year but I can not think about that until after my Performance Management lesson observation on Wednesday.  Hopefully it will go alright, I did get an Outstanding by Ofsted in April but that was then and this is now, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, off to sort out the ironing.

Take care.

xx

Pocket Lockets - Opam

I have used the book above a lot over the past few years with my Textiles Club.  I have chosen projects out of and so have the students. The project shown here is my latest from this book and we made them a couple of years ago so I have I decided that it was time for another go.

So whilst waiting for my commission to go ahead I made the above and it is called a Pocket Locket using felt and ribbon.

The instructions are really clear and there are quite a few examples to get the ideas flowing.

There are templates at the back of the book and it does not take up very much felt at all.  The colour combinations are endless and the odd unwanted button could also be added to include another skill.

So this is my example to show my group and I intend on the students making a couple of these, one for their locker key and one as a present.

There are so many ideas in this book.  This is where the idea for Hoot and Toot came from.  It is available on Amazon and well worth a look if you have a young crafter in your house.

Take care

xx

What a HOOT! -OPAM March

Nearly a week after I tried to re-shape my finger I decided to have a go at finishing a kit that came with a magazine using the sewing machine.  I have been going to work and having to help the students with some of their practical work after all.

I started this little chap months ago but he went on the back branch (burner) as other things took over.

I bought this magazine to see what it was like but not really bothered since.  I do feel that many of the magazines seem very similar at the moment.

He is meant to be a doorstop but I can not bear the idea of him being thrown on the floor by a door.  I have stuffed him with toy stuffing (the most painful part for my hand) and a small bag of rice in his tummy to weigh him down a bit and he now has pride of place in my car!
It took about an hour to finish him and it was painfully slow but not too bad.  My other fingers were glad for the exercise and it felt good to make something so it was a tonic for me.  Finger swelled up but you can not have everything and I was told to move it as pain allowed so I am not damaging anything.
I can certainly see the mis-shapening of my finger and where the cycst is and I suppose that I because I have annoyed it.
So the start of a new week and I wish everyone a good week ahead, the weather is supposed to be improving too.
xx

OPAM 2014 January

I first signed up with OPAM a couple of years ago and I have to say it is one of my favourite blog activities.  It makes me finish items that I have started, visit other blogs, find out about other swaps and basically interact with crafters in other countries.

So I have signed up again and I have a few makes for January to officially submit.

Three crochet head/ear warmers which we used in Austria.

Hand knitted "Bobble".  An on-going project with my Textiles Club.

2 crochet coasters (really pleased with these as they are a big step away from the Granny Squares that I usually make).

So that is 6 makes to start off 2014 and I have my next project ready to finish off.  Regular long time readers may even remember this.............

Back tomorrow with more on this but I have some marking to do..........
Anyone been watching
The Three Musketeers?