Easter Crafting

Happy Easter everyone! 

Or for me happily getting on with things that make me happy weekend. 

Although that was intermingled with quite a bit of things that didn't...such as re-caulking around window and door frames, filling in holes in the wall, doing my laundry and food shopping. Still I now have two windows looking a lot tidier, a hallway that's now prepped for painting and most of my household chores are complete. Really haven't been one to sit still, runs in the family! 

My idea of resting is getting out the sewing and I've thus far managed a lot this weekend so I suppose I have been resting :)

I've finally gotten around to giving Calico the Flying Pig a bit of a holiday makeover, and is now sporting bunny ear headband and a new pink ribbon. This pig his getting quite the wardrobe. Those ears were fiddly as heck to make and made from scratch, I now feel I could probably make myself a pair but I'll leave that for another lifetime. 

When I wasn't working on Calico's fashion fix, I was cracking on with my friend's monogram, with the trailing complete I moved onto stitching the padding. Lots and lots of rows of chain stitch using several strands of cotton. You might note it's a different colour to the other blue used to stitch the outline. That's because I don't like to waste the thread I am going to use for the satin stitch in case I run out, and because I have loads of anchor thread I don't particularly like to use in odd colours. If you stitch the satin (top layer) correctly you shouldn't see the padding stitches anyway, not that I would recommend using a red thread with blue, unless your looking for an interesting effect. 

The satin stitch is now under way and you'll note it's slanted so that it follows the flow of the shape, rather than straight satin stitch (going straight across). I do have to stop myself from stroking the stitching. 

When I found myself going a little blind from tiny stitches I returned to piecing my quilt. One of things I am determined not to happen is to totally forget about it, cosigning it to the pile of unfinished projects. I want it finished this year, ready for when I come to decorate my bedroom next year. So I have until the end of the year!

Which given we are not far away from heading into May I had better start getting a wriggle on again. With the fabric cut for the 3rd and 4th row done the other week, I've been setting about piecing them together, only one more another four blocks to go then that target is complete. After that it will be cutting and piecing one more row, then sorting out the sashing. It will be a little while before I get to that stage, which is fine because I keep changing my mind about how I want to quilt it. 

Going back to the monogram for a minute, when it is complete I'll be sorting out the sample for the next season embroidery pattern, you might recall the free embroidery spring pattern I released the other month. I also want to stitch my own monogram in a similar style to the one I'm stitching for my friend. With two then complete it will mean I can perhaps look to release it as a custom order option, depending on the level of interest. 

For now though, it's time to chill out with a film and another cup of tea.

I hope everyone is having a relaxed and happy Easter xx

2014 - Welcome and Winter Projects

*Gives the blog a good dust down*

Hello folks and a very Happy New Year to you all! 

I hope you all made it in good health and spirits. Owing to my extended winter holiday I am very much still in high spirits and I find myself at long last in the mood to get cracking on with things again, whilst at the same time taking it easy. Part of this comes in the form of working on things that are for the flat. Projects that allow me to play with absolutely no pressure to get them done quickly. Perfecto.

So what have I been making whilst curled up on the sofa over Christmas whilst ignoring the bad weather, watching old flicks and generally eating my body weight in chocolate (still eating it now)....

I didn't actually make the Deer head over Christmas it was for a gift, but I couldn't show it off because it was for my mum and she reads my blog posts... She had her eye on the one I made for myself for quite sometime, and has had to be prevented from walking off with it on more than one occasion. So I finally got round to making one for her, and I have another to make now for my sister. You might recognise it to be a Tilda design for a deer version of a hobby horse, you can find it in Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle book. 

I also made this sleepy mouse over a course of three evenings, for my best friends first baby, I've called it Sweet Little William Mouse and it's yes another Tilda creation. 

Projects I have been working on whilst on holiday are as follows, the patchwork quilt for the bedroom, using Petite Street fabric and the Ruby, Opal and Pearl pattern. I've machined two of the twenty blocks I need to make, and I have two more pending. Currently awaiting another stash of the fabric before I start cutting out the rest (underestimated...typical). It comes together quite quickly, which is great as I really want to get on with the hand quilting the layers together.

It's not by any means the only quilting project I have on the go. I've started to make up the design I doodled in my sketchbook for a little while now, a small paper piecing art quilt. I even did samples for it, which for me isn't something I normally do for projects for myself but I wanted to try out the new thread and work out how I was going to quilt it. I eventually settled on the version below, which uses small running stitching and a thin wadding layer. The thread if your wondering is a rather snazzy Aurifil quilting thread, 100% cotton and made in Italy, colour number 4648. It's so lovely to use. It's prompted me to call this the Sunrise Quilt.

The pieces are 1-2" in size. So was a little fiddly!

I did have to unpick some of my stitching as I found I was going a little wobbly.

I will of course be posting little updates on the two projects over the coming weeks and months (in case of the large quilt). Quilting really is becoming very much my hobby of choice. Its both practical as I get to make things for the flat and keeps me stitching when I don't feel like embroidery. I also like it because it gives me a chance to learn new techniques. Techniques I am sure I will start to use in projects for Mason Bee a bit more, though don't expect to see a full blown bed spread any time soon. It took a long time to finish the last one and that was a hand-me down from my Aunt!  

Plus it gives me even more of an excuse to buy more fabric....*whistles*

Aside from the stitching and the quilting, I have also started working on Mason Bee related bits and pieces too, such as updating the website and even tided up the blog as I am sure you've noticed. I've gone for a much simpler design and deleted a lot of unnecessary pages and content. On the website I updated my about me page, removed quite a lot of the gallery and did a bit of tweeking. Main reasons behind this was that I realised how quickly everything was getting out of date because I either forgot to update or it was time consuming to do it. Sometimes pretty designs and layouts can be a headache.

Now enough about what I've been up too, what about you guys? Did you get a chance to work on any projects for you? Purchased or been given any lovely new craft related items? 

I've been spending most of my money on new clothes a necessary evil (hate clothes shopping!), but I did buy a new lamp for the workroom/guest room and as I said more fabric for the quilt and I've heard that Mulberry Silks has a sale on...

Halloween Crafting: Make a Felt Broom Tutorial

This is a mini Halloween Tutorial in which I will show you how you can make a mini Halloween broomstick, with substance, for your flying pig (other flying creatures or plushies will also do). I should point out Calico, the pig, doesn't really need the broom to fly he just thinks it's cool and adds to his outfit.

You will need:

• A pencil, a nice short one will do nicely
• 3 colours of felt - Black, brown and yellow or use whatever you have to hand
• Thread to match the felt being used
• Pair of Sharp Scissors
• A small bit of toy stuffing (not shown)
• A Needle

Step 1

First you will need to cut the felt that will cover the pencil like a tube, the pencil keeps the broom nice and straight). My pencil was 12 cm in length, add a 1 cm of allowance to this and cut out a piece that is 2.5 cm wide by 13 cm in length. My pencil was a standard HB, if you use a thicker pencil you will need to adjust the width.

Step 2 - Making the Handle

Thread up your needle, and take your piece of felt and wrap it slightly round the pencil, it might take you a minute to get a hold a hold of it all. Your pencil needs to be slightly down from the end of the felt, so that later you can cover it over. Your going to over-sew the edges of the felt so that it wraps snuggly round the pencil. Work you way down to the end of the felt, and then do a couple of slip knots near to the end to gather around the pointy end.

Head back to the other end and over-sew the top so you now have a covered pencil, exciting times!

Step 3 - Brush Time

Your now going to cut the felt out for the brush end of the broom. Get two squares that about 8 x 8 cms, you can adjust this so you can have a fat or skinny brush (to suit your mood). Your going to then cut out two identical shapes that  look like pig ears or candle flame, depending on your point of view. Place them together, and then like with the broom handle over-sew the edge, except for the straight bit which will be your opening for the handle. Make the stitches small and neat, and use a thread colour that matches the felt.

Then stuff it. Make it semi-firm, too hard and you'll find it hard to stuff the broom handle into the open end and gather it round neatly.

Step 5

With it stuffed, do a small gathering stitch around the opening, don't pull it yet. Stuff the broom handle (pointy end) into the opening, about 2 cm's will be sufficient. Now pull the gathering thread, so it's tight round the handle. Then using the gathering thread, the bit left over, stitch the brush to the handle, till your sure it's not going to come off.

Step 6 - Final bit

Just for a spot of decorating and to hide the gathering, cut a small strip of felt about 0.5-1 cm in width by 3.5 cm in length. Wrap this round the top of the brush, and then over-sew the narrow end of the strip together. 

Hey presto! You have a broom.

Tea, Royal Pig and Stitching

There is nothing quite like progressing a project, and by jove this one seems to be moving along rather quickly, I think that may be down to having completely settled on the stitches, normally I tend to change my mind. So not wanting to leave it another day to show you where I have gotten to I thought I would talk you through the following shots...

I do love a bit of metal work and on the beak I have introduced a thin layer of padding, and began to couch silver passing using a coloured thread to give it a different feel and drew in the deep purple of the silk used for the bird's head.

To help with the sharp bends in the beak I used a trusty pair of tweezers to help force the passing into the shape I wanted before stitching it down. 

At this stage I had begun to plunge the passing to the back, it's both a satisfying bit of the job but bloody infurating at the same time. Anyone who thinks embroiderers are patient folk I assure we are not. Or at least I am not. It takes time to do this bit, it's fiddly and can drive you to distraction....and yet it looks bloody good when done. 

The job isn't over when you plunge the thread to the back, you have to sew the threads down so they don't shift or pop back up. I've done this bit now since coming to write this post. If I remember to I'll take a shot of that too so you can see what I have done, though I slightly cheated...but hey its a perk of being shown how to do it properly you can find the loop holes.

Of course, I didn't just sew over this lovely bank holiday (yeah despite the rain!) I had a wee tea party with a couple of good friends, watched the pageant and the concert (bitched about the crap bits and whooped with delight at the cracking bits).  I have to say this was the best jubilee ever and long may her Majesty reign that's all I say. Though I do hope the DoE gets better real soon..perhaps he wanted to get out of watching the concert.

Calico got the Royal treatment, a little wee felt crown and Union Jack Ribbon (thank's to my best mate's mum)

Can't beat a Victoria...Elizabeth Sponge (by the way not bad for a 22p sponge mix from Sainsbury's basics! The Fortumn jam and fresh buttercream helped too)

I hope everyone else had a thoroughly good time, even the non-Brits! 

Right on with the tea drinking and the stitching!

Speeding onwards

This year is really starting to fly by. My holiday has been and gone in a blink of an eye, a year in my job has felt like only a month, and my best friend's wedding which was only last week already feels like a distant memory. And yet it's not over yet, I still have two craft shows to do. It is my plan, my intention, to get some new bits ready for it though how I am going to get it all done before the 26th is anyone's guess. I can but hope!


On top of this I have been making more Tilda bits, I know I should be concentrating on shop stock but sometimes I like to break and really I am making gifts for cherished friends and family. Oh and for the flat.....


This lovely Princess Angel is a second in a pair, you might recognise the style Tilda again, her sister went to my best mate and this one is for my little flat. 

I've made an angel goose which is going to my mum which will hopefully stop her trying to nick Calico the Angel Pig. Hopefully she will like it I wasn't too sure about the Liberty print I chose for the feet and wings?


The next gift is for my other best mate's mum  (the one that got married - Mrs M), who has been making me a tea cosy from a pattern on Raverly and in return I am making her a Tilda figure, but she doesn't know what. I shan't be saying here! It's a surprise. 


I also have a wee decoration that I want to make for my part of the stall at the craft show that utilises a wee metal bucket (got to stop saying wee) that made up the wedding favours for my friend's wedding. It's perfect for me to make a tiny Christmas tree, Tilda has a design which I think would work perfectly, just need to decide on my fabrics, Liberty it is but not sure on the colour yet. 


In this mess somewhere is the gift for my friend, and bits I am making for the show! What you crafty folks up to? And are you coming to Guildford Craftacular? 

Blogging?

What is this word?


Man it really does feel as though I haven't done a proper blog post in so long, and whilst it wasn't that long ago I did a post, but that was more of a service announcement rather than a post to say hey I've been stitching. So this is a post to say I have been stitching! Honest. Just nothing for my stores. It's not a bad thing I know but with work and everything I do feel a little detached from it all. I'm sure I am not the only one who feels like that when your tied to a job.


Anyway, my stitching has got me relaxing, and thinking about Christmas. I've finally finished my Tilda Santa kit, and now getting on with some commissions from my sister and a good friend of mine. My tree is up, and looking rather smashing if I do say so myself. 


Here is Noel.. I really enjoyed making him, and I've learnt a lot from doing so, everything is hand stitched I didn't resort to any form of maching with him, and I enjoyed that a lot because it meant I could do bits of it anywhere I wanted without the need of lugging out the sewing machine. Sure I've got it out to make the dozen of stuffed heart hanging decorations, but that's because it's saving me time and I need to get them done pretty sharpish, but with Noel I loved the process, and look forward to doing some more.

Look he's so tall <3

I call him Noel

Picture Sunday

To make up for the lack of pictures in my last blog allow me to fill this post with pictures:

These images are all from the mini quilt art piece I am working on and when it's complete will be available to purchase. It's been an utter freestyle joy to work on.

This is the lush new Tilda book I purchased and one of the things I really want to make from it, squee a Christmas Piggy. And below is the kit I am currently working on, I have just sewn the legs, and the arms, then it's the body to stitch. 

Some point soon I hope to create more things for my store, thinking for stocking fillers its a mass batch of needlecases, and maybe a few tissue holders, tis the season to be snotty....