B is for Beautiful Blue Bag

I used up the rest of the dress fabric and made a matching handbag to go with this dress. I think it will look way over the top but who cares. I hate putting away little bits, they never get used up so while I was clearing the decks I just got rid of all the bits.

 

The bag is from a free online tutorial. If you use my pinterest link and look on the Sewing board you will find loads of lovely bags to have a go at. My wish list is endless as far as these sorts of short easy to handle sewing projects go.

 

 

I have found that if I do a bit of sewing in between the yarn work I don't get muscle aches and pains so much and the

girls love the output.

 

I highly recommend magnet clasps for a really professional finish they look so much better than scrappy buttonholes or industrial looking press studs. You can get them here and they came extra fast. I have used one and have nine more to go so back to pintrest to dream awhile. Jo xx

 

 

Hooray! a funky chair

I saw a brilliant post on Ladybird Diaries go and take a look. She is a regular friendly ladybird who always leaves lovely comments on my blog. Well, talk about inspiration...

 

The chair is covered with decopatch glue and tissue paper. I went and did a girls shoe shop with them today which was ever so slightly trying so I felt I had earned ten minutes in the Hobby Craft store. From memory I remembered that her blog said 8 sheets of paper. This is what I chose:

 

I have had this chair on my to do list for about four years but could never really summon up the enthusiasm to get out paint stripper, sandpaper and a paintbrush, especially with all those knobbly stales.
 

 

Bloke filled the holes for me, I think it was a nursing chair and someone had botched on arms and rockers to make it into a child's armchair. The wood was not original and I whipped them off years ago leaving gaping wounds. The chair sits by Big Sis's bed and I sit on it to read her a story every night.

 

 

So decopatch what is it? It requires little skill, technique or mastery but is really effective. The only thing I will say for it is it was mighty tedious going round all of the grooves but worth it in the end. The glue dries really quickly with a sheen and it doesn't have a nasty smell. The girls helped me at first in excitement which faded after about an hour. That left me time to smooth out the creases and do the fiddly bits. If you would like UK supplies try here there was lots of little projects to choose from.

 

Hooray! a funky chair.

 

I love a ditsy flower print.

I'm thrilled with it and although it took a long time it felt far more friendly than paint stripping conker brown gloss. A very big thank you lovely ladybird, I had never heard of decopatch until I read your blog post - this was real blog inspiration. Love Jo xx

 

 

 

Wouldn't you love to do this?

Wouldn't it be great to just make a little nest and curl up for a snooze when your game/life/knitting pattern gets a bit complicated? I thought Big Sis had gone a bit quiet upstairs this afternoon.

I spent the time on a chair project which I will show you tomorrow when it is finished. Jo x

Small but perfect

Last night after eating, I ran some errands and when I got back the house was jumping with excited children because look .....

An egg! we were expecting one in about three weeks when the hens had developed combs on their heads but we got this little one today sometime. We are not sure which hen it is from but we think it might be the more confident brown one called Poppy but who really knows? - there is a lot of sibling rivalry going on about it.

To avoid any squabbles I mixed it up with some bought ones and made scrambled eggs for breakfast today. If I don't make anything else today, I will still feel like the breakfast was my make of the day!

Jo xx

Quick craft fix

Had real work today. Blah! but when I got in, put our evening meal together and waited for it to cook I had a go at these paper flowers. I saw them on pintrest and was intrigued about their construction. Would they be easy and quick or hard and complicated?

Well, I can tell you they were easy-peasy, made easier by the fact that I had a circle punch but you could easily take a bit more time and cut out the circles with scissors.

The link/tutorial is here along with a few others I would like to try. I think they would be great for decorating boxes or for making cards. I also think that double sided paper in a smaller print would be more effective too but I will be making lots more of these. It took me about 20 mins - enough time to melt away the work of the day and get in touch with home crafting and family life for the weekend.

Happy crafting, whatever you are making at the moment. Jo xx

Lessons to be learnt

I have made a skirt from Sew Serendipity. I made it methodically following the instructions and learning lots on the way about fit, shaping, a hidden zip placement, and top stitching before I attack my Amy Butler fabric.

All of the elements were not right first time - top stitching was really good and I kept it close to the edge and equal distances apart. The zip was OK until I realised I couldn't get the foot around the thick zipper so it had a bit of a blow out at the bottom so I did a little hand stitching to get it closer.

Ahem! Spot the not so deliberate mistake... I have placed the pockets on the wrong way round! they are slanting the wrong way but seeing as I rarely have time to stand around with my hands in my pockets I guess it doesn't matter.

The fabric is a Liberty print and I know you will be jealous but someone gave me a load of it. His wife had passed away and the widower asked if I would like all of the fabric out of her blanket box and this was part of the haul. I made a little sundress last year for Big Sis but I think it will fit the little one this year round. We may look a little twee in matching outfits so we will have to select what we wear carefully this summer.

I am finding that mixing sewing, crochet and knitting is really easing up my shoulder. I think I might be ready for that pastel green next week. Jo xx

 

Crochet with fabric

Anyone entered the world of crocheting with fabric? I really like it after making my willow basket but feel that mine looks a bit shabby.

 

Then I went and found a brilliant tutorial for making t-shirt yarn. Check it out here. The way he 'thumbs' the fabric to curl in the edges is really what this fabric basket is crying out for.

 

Look out wardrobe, more t-shirt yarn is needed for more ideas in my head. Let me know if you make some successfully. Jo xx