Bags of Fun

I decided to have a go at making a new handbag. Not a bag for sewing projects or another happy shopper, a real handbag. I thought the cut off tartan from my full length kilt would be great. It was too itchy for a girls pinafore, I don't need another skirt in the same fabric so my mind wandered towards a handbag. Your suggestions might have come into it too.

The pattern is from Pinterest here. I added details. A good handbag is all in the details. I piped the edge in red, added a magnetic claps and used D rings to hold the handle. The final touch was a kilt pin.

I also plundered every bit of stiffening I could find in the house. The base and side piece is strengthened with pelmet stiffener and the back, top and sides has really heavy duty interfacing. 

The lining is the last strip of thick cotton velour, a piece left over from this skirt.

I really love my bag. It is the essence of winter. My flowery Cath Kidston one can have a rest until Spring now and this one will be used with love.

Ever made a handbag?

Jo x

Winter Link Party

Party time! Welcome if you are popping over from Jennifer at Thistlebear for the Winter Link Party. Today I am sharing a block-as-you-go method for blanket squares. All you need is a block of wood, four new unsharpened pencils and a drill.

My squares for my winter blanket vary in size even though they are all done in Stylecraft DK on the same size hook. I have made them over a two year period so the tension varies. It must have been how relaxed I was each time I did one at the cabin. So here's how I am getting them the same size....

Spraying each one as I stretch and layer them up.

I can block loads all at the same time. They can stay there as I join them up.

I left long ends to double crochet them together, I don't want any more ends than is strictly necessary.

If you are making a blanket for your winter project give this a try. I am glad my split chopping board got a new lease of life. 

 I hope that block idea inspires someone out there. Now what border shall I do?

Looking forward to perusing your winter projects. 

Love from Jo xxx

Purple Harvest Berry Shawl

OK, so I got a bit cocky, (exclamation mark alert and chat of money ahead) I decided to make another berry shawl out of my mum's Rowan leftovers but added another repeat of 16 to make it bigger and I ran out of wool!!! Which is really annoying as the project was to use up wool not buy anymore. 

 When I went to buy one ball online I realised what a bargain I had found in the first place. Originally it was in a half price sale and in a 3 for 2 deal from Hobbycraft last year. I spent £16 and had 6 balls. I now realise it is about £8 a BALL!!

I had to purchase one ball, however as it is a Christmas present, I eventually got over it. 

Many of you asked about the shawl pin I showed on my last shawl. I actually bought it from a charity stand at our local craft fair out of a £1 basket. The lady had a basket of free gifts from the front of knitting magazines amongst other bric a brac and I snapped it up.

If you want to search for one, Knitpro do some lovely ones. I really like this one and am so tempted - if only I hadn't just been cleared out from buying one ball of Rowan wool! In the end I bought this Brittany shawl pin because I wanted to make the postage worthwhile on the one-ball-order from Deramores.

Happy days. Another one for the pressie box though.
Happy weekend, I am going to the stitching show at the NEC on Sunday.

Jo x

Joy

Where is the joy in patchwork for you? Is it the shopping for fabrics? The accuracy of the work? The steady preparation? The reveal of the pattern as the blocks come together? For me it is the using up of scraps. To me, that is what patchwork is all about.That is where I get the joy.

How small are your scraps? I sort mine into boxes which I also glean great joy from too. These little ones are a bit longer than my finger and I was contemplating why I was hoarding them.

The plastic box holds large scraps and the cardboard box holds teeny scraps - enough to get say, one hexi on at a time. I started my eight pointed star quilt on the premise that I couldn't get the lids on the boxes anymore. It is going well, I have made 11 blocks and when they are all together they are quite eye popping. I have a long way to go though. I will need to re cut the solid borders and have another measure up before I decide about backing and binding.

This project has come together quickly because I have used a sewline glue pen to insert the papers - a must have patchwork item in my book. They are from simply solids and eliminate the need to tack all the papers in. You just glue them (it's temporary) and get sewing the actual block, so much more fun.

I also bought my diamond papers from Lina Patchwork. I had custom cut diamonds sent to me in the post and she was the most delightful person to spend my money with. She also sent me a little Chysanthemum kit as a thank you. 

I will now have a new little project to use up all those teeny strips. I wonder if I can find 16 different fabrics in my box for the petals. Now there's a challenge and a whole heap of joy to be had!

Thanks for stopping by. Jo xxxx

Making two syndrome

I am not good at making a pair of anything: mitts, sleeves, ankle warmers. I sort of lose the motivation on the second one and I can never quite get them the same with my penchant for going off piste with patterns. Anyway, this leads to the making of a second blanket for my second daughter.

I made a scrappy tape. I can't say bias binding because it was not cut on the bias but an edging tape nonetheless.

I machine sewed it to a recycled blanket which my dad gave me when he moved house in Spring. I have cut it in half. Half for one sister, half for the other.

Then I appliqued her name on it in an awful rush. Not happy with that 'G' but she won't mind. I just wanted to get it finished. It was taking up the whole of one drawer under the spare bed and it is time it went to it's home at the cabin to join the other one belonging to her sister.

They are warm, have used up long thin off cuts, as well as saving a blanket that would have gone to the tip. The girls love them but if the truth be told, me... I didn't enjoy making them very much. All that heaving and shoving under the machine with the weight of it pulling and sliding off the table. Ugh! However, I enjoyed thinking up the overall idea and showing my girls some love.

That photo didn't quite come out as my creative mind intended!

 

We sat outside and savored the sunset, watched for bats and snuggled under our huge pink recycled blankets.

Little M took lots of photos to show you.

We feasted on our campfire evening meal - jacket potatoes, prawns and salad followed by bananas cooked with chocolate but they ate those before I got chance to photograph them of course!

So all's well that ends well. 
Hope you have had a good week, here's to another.
Jo xxx

First Socks

My Minerva sponsored materials this month come in the shape of sock yarn. I know folks, I have embarked on my first pair of socks. I don't know if I particularly want to wear hand knitted socks but I wanted to master Double Pointed Needle knitting. It was one of my new years resolutions.

It is a bit fiddly to get started but it soon gets easier when the knitting gets longer. 

I have gone from crocheting a thick wool project to 4ply so it feels very dainty but I enjoyed it.

I am using the beginner sock pattern from Ravelry. So many people have done it and said it is a good pattern for beginners but then I hit some problems and switched to this rather super blog post tutorial by Susan Anderson.

I knit one way back in late July when we were staying with my Aunt and Uncle in their caravan. My aunt started a pair too but she has been hooked and got way ahead of me.

So here is a tah dah! from both of us.

My Aunt sent these little stunners in the post for Little M for her birthday.

The colours of Autumn, I think. I even managed to match up the yarn pattern quite well too.

They are a bit of a tight fit on me but Big Sis loves them so she has put them under her pillow to wear in bed. Would I make some more? Yes I think so but I need to be a bit more generous with my foot length measurement next time. 

Here we are playing cozy toes before bedtime.

Thanks for the Autumn inspired yarn Minerva there are so many shades I want to try in this yarn.

Any Tips or pattern recommendations? 

There are a lot of beautiful sock knitters out there.

Jo xxxx

Bettine Dress #2

So after the surprise that the Bettine dress, by Tilly and the Buttons, does look fine on a larger person other than the ones she uses to model her patterns, I decided to make another one in cotton this time.

The fabric is a fabulous quality, 100% cotton, which I purchased while on holiday in Whitby in May. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, I just fell in love with it. It has been languishing in my stash this year because when I got it home I couldn't workout what to do with something that had such a large, strong, repeating pattern on it. A blouse would have too many seam lines and darts, trousers seemed a bit outrageous and I really don't need another skirt.

I made this carefully, following the instructions properly. I do that sometimes. It makes me feel like I am good at sewing. I love the pockets but left off the sleeve tabs. I have enough of a reputation for being a bit of a task master in this house without the need for epaulettes!

The pattern does suggest that large prints work well because you don't cut into them for darts or shoulder/arm seams and I will definitely second that. The only pattern matching I did was to have the pattern symmetrical on the neckline and follow that through onto the skirt.

A final photo with a smug grin for a woman feeling pretty happy with her new dress.

Thanks for stopping by. Jo x