Jan May

A vision in Teal - front view Towards the end of February I saw a competition advertised on Twitter by Hillarys Blinds .  I can't remember the exact wording, but it was along the lines of "would you like to receive some material and enter our competition?" Of course I would! After sending an e-mail, I was delighted to hear I'd been chosen to take part.  I was able to pick from 3 fabrics.  I opted for the peacock print as I adore teal.  About a week later I received a packet from Hillarys containing a metre of my chosen material.  I wish I could get the colours to come out properly.  I don't think any of the photos I've taken do the fabric justice.  The background is a light cream, with the branches and blossom in subtle shades of brown and pale yellows.  Sitting on the branches across the fabric are a selection of beautiful peacocks.  In shades of teal, they are quite wonderful. A Vision in Teal - back view My ...

Sometimes I amaze myself!   For my sheer inability to finish things.  I started these gloves two years ago. Dragged them out last year - got sidetracked - threw them back in WIP vat. Yesterday's blog featuring crochet glove patterns got me thinking about them.   Dragged them out again. Finished in 5 minutes!   Good grief - I am a numpty.   Originally the sleeves after picking up the pieces after a fight between a washing machine and a cashmere jumper.  Guess who won? The resultant densely felted loveliness was not about to be wasted.  The body of the sweater became a peg bag - which is now much used and in need of replacement.  A shame as I love it - and must remember another time to line with stiff fabric to retain the shape.  And the sleeves were destined to become fingerless mitts.  So simple to do - I simply cut off just below the shoulder seam, and the resulting diagonal made a lovely shaped cuff when turn...

I have a bit of a thing about buttons.  Memories of childhood and rooting through my Gran's button tin. Sadly I've now used most of the vintage ones that belonged to my mother and grandmother - but the fascination still remains. So I thought today I'd have a button day, and share some of the latest lovely makes I've discovered.   by Amanda Meadon on Folksy How charming is this little picture?  Simple, colourful and quite pretty by Saphire Moon on Crafster  Not sure what these are... cuffs?  Loving the way the colours blend What a fabulous necklace.  The colours!  And some of those buttons are amazing.  Found this on Pinterest, but sadly there is no link. by Mike Smith on Folksy  A fabulous piece of button art.  What a fantastic idea from Homedit.com     A little bit in love with this lampshade - and so easy too! Another pretty piece of button art.  So effective. Yet ...

I can hardly believe a whole month has passed since my last creative post. Doesn't time fly!   I haven't been sat on my backside doing nothing (the whole time).  Aside from moving house, and getting hubby settled into his new work-away apartment - I have done a little bit of sewing. Another bag!  (Like I need one).  I just enjoy making them, and I love the style of this one. If you've been following my blog for a while, you may recognise the shape.  It's yet another version of my Sophie bag (for which I have been meaning to produce the pattern - like - forever).  It's such a nice bag to carry around.  Light, roomy and comfortable, in a slightly squishy, holds it's shape well sort of way. It was supposed to be a quick, run it up in an evening make.  Ha ha ha. I can cut out all the pieces from memory, so that didn't take long.  Putting the fabrics together however, took ages - for the simple reason I have far too much to c...

A darling jumbo button created especially for @Jeeberella from Twitter - after reading a tweety plea for something owly. I had one jumbo button left from my trip to New England last year, and I'm rather pleased with the result.  A pretty candy colour print for the button, the embroidery is done using Perle 12 thread on a piece of calico. 

I have had a Folksy account for quite some time, but after an initial addition of a few items - I rather lost my nerve. I don't know about you, but I could sell sand to the Arabs if it belonged to someone else....... but I am absolutely useless when it comes to promoting my own creations. Well no more - there is no point in me keep making things if I'm not brave enough to sell them.  I don't know what it is that stops me....  Perhaps a real lack of self-confidence, and a fear that no-one will like what I make?  Probably.  However - I've received enough lovely compliments of late, that I'm really going to try hard in the future. I've listed several items today - Bygone Era Needle Case Bless his cottons socks - needle case A Stitch in time Needle Case Buttons with Bows Shabby Chic button Floral embroidered button Loveheart embroidered button And do you know what......... I was absolutely staggered!  I list...

July is upon us - and I've been busy creating some summery makes ... All for sale soon! I'm so pleased with these tiny embroidered buttons - awaiting supplies now before I make some more. This is a definite one-off, created from 2 tea-towels I thought were just too pretty to be relegated to a life of boring old housework. My shabby chic jumbo button - don't you think it would look lovely gracing the front of a bag? Vintage charm needle-cases with wool felt pages. Each one is different, featuring vintage prints and charming text. My "Sophie"" bag. I've had a wonderful response to this make. This is my own - and is my "it" bag of the summer. This one was a vintage curtain in a previous life. I just love it - big and roomy, and very comfortable to carry as a shoulder bag, or crooked elegantly over an arm. Available in two sizes, the smaller version is an ideal evening bag. And finally my little fabric gift box. This was the initial experiment. I...

My own beautiful designer ceramic buttons - crafted by Dottery Pottery   Don't we all love buttons?  Seeing a tin of buttons anywhere transports me straight back to childhood, rooting around in my grans button tin.  It was a rusty old tin, nothing pretty to look at all - but oh.... did it hold treasures within!  I loved to hunt around for favourites, making patterns and pictures with them. I must still have a few of them today, though now they've been added to my own tin - along with the contents of my mum's tin too.  In fact I've got three tins!  Greedy or what?  And they're all very pretty. A large one containing a multitude of vintage finds, many still retaining bits of thread from the garments they were snipped from - a few still attached to their cardboard holders, and priced in shillings and pence. Some are beautiful, and though they may never be used, retain a special fondness.... Others are downright ugly, yet I still haven't the he...