Monday 29 September 2014

WIP - baby quilt update


 
Just a quick post to update you on the progress of the baby quilt.
I haven't quite finished the quilting yet and the binding that I had intended to use isn't quite long enough so I need to get some more or make some.
 

Sunday 28 September 2014

I hate alterations!
Sometimes they can't be avoided though.
 I made a red linen dress some time ago now
and used the same combined pattern that I used for this dress.
 
The two patterns are from the Japanese pattern book "Stylish Dress Book" by Yoshiko Tsukiori.
 I combined the pattern pieces for dress I and dress S, because I wanted the V neck and sleeveless top with and ungathered skirt.
 
Unfortunately, whatever I did the second time was slightly different
and the dress never felt quite right.
 It was just too tight across the top and it sat in the cupboard.
 
The black one has been worn a lot this summer and I love it, so I decided that it was time to grasp the nettle and UNPICK the red bodice.
 
I managed to get another half meter of the linen and set to work.
 


I think it took twice as long as making the dress in the first place but it worked.
Hooray.
 


So now I can enjoy the last of this lovely warm weather in a red dress as well as the black one.

And also I can move on to the dark grey needle cord and royal blue linen that I bought yesterday without feeling guilty!
 


And this is what you get when you ask a thirteen year old boy to please include your feet on the photo of the dress!!!!
 

Sunday 21 September 2014

WIP


 
 
A few years ago I made a baby quilt for someone
who has now asked me to make one for her to give to a friend.
 
I love making baby quilts because they are usually quite small quilts but fun to do.
 

 
I am making it very similar to the original quilt which was my own design but using some animal templates from another quilt pattern I bought a long time ago, by The Chook Shed.
 
I have based it on four nursery rhymes.
I'll show you some more as it comes together. 
 

 
I'm also still experimenting with crochet flowers and will update you on that this week.
I haven't had so much crochet time sitting by the side of sports pitches this week
 as the boy has broken his leg!

Monday 15 September 2014


 
Just a quick update as I have been playing with flower patterns from a new book lent to me by Mum.
 
"100 flowers to knot and crochet" by Lesley Stanfield.
 
I did actually get this book out of the library a while back after reading about it over at Attic 24,
but I think my limited crochet skills have improved slightly since then.
Nevertheless I am starting with the 'Basic Designs'.
 
These are two Hellebores, a small meconopsis and a sprig of mistletoe.
They are all made from some wool I had in, old embroidery wool I think,
but I am going to have to get more.
 
It's the colour that is important to me so I may need to hunt around a bit but will let you know.
 
 

 
The Asters are coming out fairly early and the colours are gorgeous. 
 

 
I love the purple and yellow combination with the Rudbeckia.

Saturday 13 September 2014

Home grown and foraged


 
As usual there have been some successes and some disasters in the garden this year.
 
The runner beans got off to a poor start as the first lot were eaten by rabbits but we managed to get a second lot going and keep the bunnies off with an old fire guard.
 
 

 
The Dahlias have been good and are still providing flowers to bring inside as are the sweet peas.
 
 

 
Blackberries in the fields round us have been brilliant this year
 and I have already made two batches of jelly.
 
This time I was aiming for something for the grownups..
 

 
Blackberry vodka and sloe gin!
I have made sloe gin before but the blackberry vodka is a new one for me so I will let you know how it turns out. After a bit of reading on the internet, I have opted for the
 "alcohol and fruit only to start with"
method.
Supposedly this gets more flavour from the fruit before adding the sugar later on.
We'll see.
 

 
And if I pan out you can see this fab table made from a recycled pallet
 that all the produce is sitting on.
Child number two made it and it kept him busy for a whole afternoon.
I just love it!

If you haven't already,
 it is worth looking at recycled pallet furniture on the net as it is amazing I think.
Here's just some.
 

 
And finally, a little quilted table mat which I made for the top of a wooden box.
It stops all the mug marks and the other mat needs a wash.
Any excuse to make a quick and easy quilt!
 

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Using some recycled fabric and scraps

 
You may remember the pile of fabric for recycling that I showed you in my last post,
well some of it has been put to use so I thought I would share the results.




The first project is a shoulder bag made as a present.
This was made from a pair of trousers combined with a strip of this gorgeous Brandon Mably fabric called Lazy Daisy Charcoal and a scrap of spotty brown for the pocket.



The lining was a recycled pyjama top with a Lazy Daisy Charcoal pocket and the handles some cotton webbing.


 
I decided to reinforce the top edge with some grosgrain ribbon that I picked up in a charity shop.
I am hoping this will help the bag to hold it's shape a bit. 
 

 
Next is a very simple shower bag to take swimming.
This was made from a piece of leftover oilcloth fabric which Mum made a table cloth out of.
I'm not sure of the make, sorry.



 
And finally, a recycled curtain.
I just folded it in half and sewed up two sides before adding some simple ties.

It is filled with half an old single duvet folded in half..
 


and is well used already.
 
In fact it probably needs a wash
 but I am determined to ignore all housework that needs doing today and sew instead!!