Cushion

Last night I got to work making a cushion cover for Mr Bee as a Christmas present. After umming and aahing over a pattern to use, I loosely followed the wrap around cushion cover from the Liberty Book of Home Sewing.

Months ago, I collected some fat quarters of fabric to keep especially for making things for Louie. After we bought his chair from Ikea, I wanted to make something to spruce it up (I want to make a quilt to match too).

I cut the fabrics into strips, 12 in total, 3.5 inches by 16 inches, then sewed them all together (with a half inch seam allowance) to make one long strip. I turned the outside strips in on themselves (in half) and hemmed.

Then I wrapped the long strip around the cushion and marked the corners. Folding the strip at the marker, right sides facing, I sewed the long sides leaving only 1 cm to allow for the bulk of the cushion. This makes the cover a nice snug fit over the cushion.

Turning the cover the right way round and pressing it, it was finished.

I am very pleased with how it has turned out, the fabrics look lovely together and I haven't done any basic quilting since I was at school!

I hope Louie likes it as much as I do!

I will make some more of these to sell at my next craft fair which is in December.

Stock

I have been so busy getting prepared for the craft fair I have a stall at next weekend. I seem to be a very busy bunny but still have a long way to go before I have enough to take with me!

I thought I would wet your appetite with what I have prepared so far.

Cards

Various Sized Gadget Case

Felt Gadget Cases

Russian Dollies

Felt Rings (need more of these!)

Utility Apron

Regular Half Apron

Everything so far, all, together

Hopefully I can get everything finished and ready in 9 days! Wish me luck!!

Skirt

For the past few days, I have been working on a skirt for myself.

I ordered this fabric a few weeks ago, just half a yard, and fell in love with it so much that I ordered some more, to make myself a skirt. I also decided to incorporate the ribbon that matches it so well, by adding it around the bottom of the skirt. As I wasn't going to do a hidden zip, I decided to get a nice bright one to match the patterns on the skirt. I wanted an aqua blue but couldn't get one, so I settled for bright orange instead.

I didn't have a pattern, so just drew around a skirt which I already have which is a little bit big, so I figured that would account for the seam allowances.

 I cut the fabric and the lining, pinned it all, tacked it all and tried it on, it fit fine! But then it was bed time

The next day I got it all machined, the bright orange zip went in fine, no problems. That took me most of the evening. 

Then today I spent half an our hemming the bottom by hand and voila!

It isn't the neatest of skirts, and certainly not something I could make for someone else, but for me, I am happy with it! I can't wait to wear it when we go on holiday in September!

Home Alone

This weekend, Grandpa is down from the homeland, and today, Grandpa, Papa and Mr Bee have gone to Duxford for the day, to see the airplanes! 

Which leaves me at home all day, to have a day to myself (the first one since Louie was born!!!) to get a few bits and bobs done.

I had my craft group this afternoon, and Mom made some goodies, jam tarts and a very fresh and crumbly cherry shortcake, yum yum yummy.

So I got to work making some bits for the craft fair which is 12 weeks today! The first thing that I got on with was this bunting, ready to hang around my table when I do the stall. Just so everyone knows who I am ;) 

I used calico and felt letters and hand stitched each letter to the pennant. My luck was in when my cousin dropped round a BIG box of binding tape for me, a reel was unbleached and perfect for this little project. And perfect timing too!

So then I decided to crack on with starting a makeup bag, which I have been pondering over for a while now. I love this Melly and Me fabric and think it would make a lovely washbag/makeup bag set so last week I bought a shower curtain to line it with, otherwise it would get too mucky in there, and that really annoys me! So I set about sewing the shower curtain material. I had thought about doing it by hand as I expect that Percy (the sewing machine) might eat it... but with the help of a bit of parchment paper...

 Voila! One lining all done. You just need to rip the paper from the seam when it is sewn. Easy as pie.
And here is the finished article.

I think it is very pretty. It is interfaced and lined with white cotton, then lined again with the PVC shower curtain for added protection. There is ribbon detail on the side, and there is hand stitching around the zip in a contrasting yellow to please the eye.
I am really pleased with this little bag, however it does look a little bit wonky. This is only my second ever zip, and bearing in mind that I made this bag without using a pattern, I think I have done pretty well. The problem is that one end of the zip is sort of sewn in, and the other pokes out slightly.
I don't really need it for myself (although I love the fabric...) and would like to sell it. Ordinarily, I would like to get about £10 for this, as it did take a lot of time and effort to make, however if anyone wants to barter I would be more than happy to drop it down :)

It is nearly 7 o clock and my boys still aren't home! I wonder if they have gotten lost or just having too much fun :)

Sneaky Peek; Matryoshka

Mummy Makes...!

When I was out shopping a few weeks ago, I stumbled across a new magazine called 'Mollie Makes'. It struck me instantly, and it ended up in the trolley.
It is a truly beautiful magazine, with lots of inspiration and great ideas.

With the first issue, came a little kit to make a lovely little phone case. Although, there wasn't enough felt provided to make the exact cover, so it did require a bit of imagination (not a bad thing!).

Here is my finished article!

The second issue is in shops tomorrow, I know I can't wait to get my hands on it! I have subscribed already, but it is effective from the 3rd issue :( I can't wait that long!

If you can't wait that long either, check out the blog here.

Half Apron

Yesterday I was a very busy bee at my sewing machine. I managed to snatch some me time to make myself a rather beautiful pinny.
I have been pining over a half apron for some time now, with some pockets to put necessary items when pottering, cleaning and crafting. It has taken me months to get round to cracking on with it so I seized the opportunity with both hands, and managed to get it finished in one afternoon/evening.

The pattern is kind of my own, I just laid it all out and cut it as required. Being quite short, I was worried that most pinnys would have drowned me, as most skirts do!
I finished the edges with Ric Rac and pretty buttons on the pockets. I think it is adorable.

A brilliant find!

Whilst I was away at the in-laws, I made a visit to the little town of Clitheroe. It was absolutely tipping it down, and Louie and I were snuggled in Grandma Jojo's biiiiiig raincoat, but we really were going in any shops just to shelter from the rain.

I stumbled across a haven! A haberdashers called Patches and Buttons. I think I died and went to heaven. She has the most stunning array of fabrics I have ever seen, so I picked up a few fat quarters of my favourite patterns!

 Also, on a trip to Ikea a few weeks previous, I found these fabrics and got them all for less than a tenner! Get in!

 So now I have too much fabric and nowhere to put it, my box was over flowing! So I paid a visit to the Fairtrade shop in St Martins Square and picked up another whicker basket. Just the job :)

Got the bug...

Again...! Whilst I was away in Burnley, I got the sewing bug again! Once I start, I become addicted and find it hard to stop. This evening, I have been making some bunting for Anna's baby, Splodge. Well for his bedroom! I thought it would be a nice little thing to brighten up a wall or something. Bunting is very much in fashion at the moment, so it is something he can keep to remind him of his Auntie H at the very least.

I did steal the idea from the new magazine Mollie Makes, which I must admit, I am a little bit in love with already, from the first installment! I have crafted together the attached project but it is in need of a little TLC (already, obviously didn't spend enough time on it). 

It took me a little while to work out what size I needed to do the triangles, but after a lot of working out and help from Mom and Louie, see scribbles, we managed to come up with something, and I managed to get 10 triangles out of one A4 sheet, so economically, we have done well. If any of you would like the pattern, let me know and I will put one together for you.

Much thinking required

Then I needed to get all my fabric strips together. The magazine said to use off cut strips but I don't have  things like that so I just cut them as required, at about 2cm a piece.

Then they need gluing to the card one at a time, then sewing on.

It works really well, as you get a nice sturdy triangle afterwards, so it isn't flimsy. And the patterns look amazing. I had planned to accessorize the bunting with buttons and ric rac but to be honest, I don't think it needs it. I think it is rather lovely as it is. 

Activity Mat

As I have vowed to myself that I would try and give as many handmade gifts this year as possible, I jumped at the chance of making a lovely baby gift for my wonderful friend Anna. Her little bundle, known as 'Splodge' is due mid June, so I have had plenty of time to think up things to make for them, and collect bits and pieces to make them with.

So far I have made a drawstring bag, which is holding all the goodies that I have been collecting for them. She has also thought up a wonderful idea of knitting a blanket where all her friends and family donate squares to contribute! You can find out more about the blanket here :)

After Christmas, I bought a lovely bundle of gorgeous kiddy fabrics in anticipation of a big project, but I had no idea what to make. Some thinking drew me to the conclusion of putting together a play mat for the baby! I thought it would be a challenge for me, but a beautiful gift to give to a new baby. Something that no other baby will have too!

However, I have never quilted before, and have absolutely no idea what I am doing, so it is very much trial and error. I have already had to scrap two panels which have just gone completely pear shaped and aren't salvageable, which is unfortunate. 

So third time lucky, I have hand appliqued the bits on to the backing panel and it has gone well! I have used cross stitch thread to applique, as I thought this would give a nice texture and nice bright colours!

 Clearly, it is a hit with the kids, as Louie absolutely adores it! He wouldn't let me take a picture of it and kept running away with it!

So this is the first panel so far! The clouds are felt and lightly padded, and the airplane is made from two different fabrics, and is stuffed with a crinkly sounding material!

Hopefully the other panels will turn out as nice and it will come together to be a lovely gift for baby Splodge!

Two Exciting Projects!

So this is my first item made on my shiny new sewing machine. It is a bag from the Cath Kidston 'Sew' book, the bag that I was eyeing up for months! I couldn't get any Cath Kidston fabric but saw this in John Lewis and fell in love. Although the pattern suggests using duck (canvas), this is just normal haberdashery cotton. I lined it with some quite thick fabric that we found in our attic which is just perfect because it gives the bag a little bit of structure without it being rigid. I altered the pattern quite a lot, giving it a lining, and sewing the straps straight on to the bag as opposed to making a button hole and stitching a button, it seemed like too much work for a feature I wouldn't accommodate anyway. Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome, as it is very tidy for something I have made! I wouldn't shy away from making it again :)

The reinforced straps

The lining

Today Dan and Louie accompanied me to Lollipops again, this time to make a commemorative plate for Louie's first birthday.

Mama hard at work!

Louie playing with the tile

The finished plate

I was a bit disappointed with the writing as it curved, I worked out that it would fit but in practice it didn't, which is a shame. But I am so pleased with the VHC spots around the edge, and the hand prints are lovely. The little caterpillar crawling up his hand was my favourite little finishing touch that turned out really well! I will post a picture when it has been fired and the colours will be in all their bright and lovely glory!

Thankyous, Balloons and Lazy days!

To thank everyone for all their Christmas gifts (and there were a lot!) we decided to make our own 'Thank You' cards. We hadn't done any foot print painting before because I couldn't find any paint that was suitable. But having found some, and an extra pair of hands (Thanks Anna!) we finally got some done! Louie looks so chunky sat on that chair. He was such a good boy and sat the whole time and only got bored on the last one or two.

The finished articles!

 Yesterday, we went to Emmanuel's FIRST birthday party. It is unreal that he is a whole one year old now. It is scary because it means that Louie is NEARLY one year old! It was a lovely little party, and Nade gave Louie a balloon which is giving Louie endless fun!

 And he got some bubbles in his party bag! He was fascinated by them and stood there and stared at them!

Saturdays, rest and relaxation!

 I built Louie a little den! He loved it! I gave him some books and he was happy for ages!

 This is all I have planned for the day;
Playing in the den with my little man, reading my new magazines, doing some sewing!

This is my 'on the go' project, the cross stitch purse that came with the Cath Kidston 'Stitch' book. It is going well so far, despite the fact I have gone majorly wrong and I am making some of it up as I go along, but it looks okay! I have done loads more than in the bottom photo and most of the middle bloom of flowers is complete.