Jan May

Introducing my latest creation - The Pin Master Always trying to grab a pin when you're sewing?  Never got them close to hand when you need one? Grab yourself the latest sewing accessory and never be looking for a pin again! Designed to wear comfortably as a watch, the Pin Master can be customised for each wearer.  With a choice of fabric colours, the dial reads "Time To Sew".  With pins for watch hands, pretty little buttons, and dinky scissors marking the second hand; this is my latest unique Cajame creation. I've designed and printed the fabric for the dial myself.  The dial is backed by 100% wool felt which has been appliqued onto the cotton "watch" body by blanket stitch.  The back of the "watch" features my own Cajame tag-line - "Sewing my way through life one stitch at a time". With a pretty little crystal (okay it's plastic!) button in lieu of the winder - this is a charming little pin cushion, b...

It's getting towards that time of year again! find the tutorial for this bow - HERE As much as I try to pretend it's not happening, the dreaded C word is starting to crop up more and more.  The shops are already stocking cards and chocolates.  I find myself pushing my trolley past those aisles with a certain quickness to my step.  The past few years I've begun to dread Christmas more and more.  The sheer commercialness of it all totally depresses me.  What happened to the Christmas of my childhood?  Carol singers and candle-light.  The nativity play when we could all have a good snigger at the crappy home-made costumes, and the child (usually one of mine) who said something wholly inappropriate half way through.  It's not that long ago - but already things have changed.  Nowadays the costumes are available to purchase from every supermarket.  Where's the fun in that?  Who wants to see a cloned Nativity?   Pe...

Gosh - I didn't realise how long it's been between blog posts.  Doesn't time fly when you're piddling about doing nothing?  All I seem to want to do at the moment is sleep. When I'm awake, all I can think about is going back to bed.  I've even fallen asleep on the sofa a couple of times, which isn't like me at all.  Wouldn't mind so much if I looked better for it....... so much for beauty sleep! In between my slumbering, I have at least managed to make something in the last week.  I've been doodling away in threads to make this cute piece of art.  I started off by sketching a dog outline in pencil onto slubby cotton, and then working it in back stitch using a black Perle 12 thread.  I've added a bit of interest using running stitch, and filled in the eyes with a satin stitch. Once I'd finished the dog itself, I was at a bit of a loss what to do next.  I decided to add a little colour using three threads which complimented each other...

Last night I attended a sewing class run by Liz at the T hreads Haberdashery & Workshops in Hayle, Cornwall.  I hadn't been before, but had seen the classes advertised via Twitter.  I haven't sewn a zip into anything in years, so when an evening class popped up featuring a pillow with invisible zip and piping, I thought it sounded perfect and signed up straight away. Now I don't know about you, but I always feel really nervous going along to somewhere I haven't been before.  I come across as a really outgoing person, but I'm not at all.  I am quite shy, and don't cope with new situations very well.  A lot of the time I more or less force myself to go along to things, otherwise I would end up a hermit and never leave the house. Hayle is about 20 miles from my home, and we set off with plenty of time to spare.  Hubby was driving me as he had things to do to fill up his time whilst the class was on.  An accident on the by-pass had me panicking...

I've had one of those evenings! I know I need to crack on and make a few things in readiness for the Creative Connections  CRAFTfest or my "stall" is going to look mighty bare!  I've been feeling shattered all day, so knew it was no good starting on a big project.  Then I saw this pretty cup-cake fat quarter waving at me - and I thought "Kindle cover".  I gathered together my sewing accouterments and began.  Now - I never follow any patterns, unless it's one I've made myself...... and I've never made a kindle cover before.  So I grabbed my kindle and measured it using my cutting board, and added seam allowances..... or so I thought! I livened up the front by added two vertical stripes in ric-rac and vintage lace, then on the horizontal used another piece of ric-rac and a pretty piece of polka dot ribbon.  For the fastening I adapted a shoulder strap from a pair of baby dungarees (always picking up bits like that in charity shops and car b...

Today's theme - 2 ingredients you will use in any meal today Why is it - whenever the challenge includes food.... it just happens to be a rare day when I haven't cooked? You're all going to be thinking I live on junk food! Honestly - I don't. I was out for lunch today, nothing fancy - just a cafe lunch at the local supermarket. I can only eat one big meal a day. I ought to be the size of a sparrow, not the ostrich I seem to be turning into. In lieu of an evening meal, I shall be sitting down in front of the television and scoffing this! And due to the bad weather - I also feel a hot chocolate moment coming on later. And just in case you're wondering - on the menu tomorrow is a Sweet Chilli Sausage Casserole, which I shall leave simmering away in the slow cooker. I may well break my record for including a mammoth amount of vegetables. I usually throw in at least 6 portions - but I have loads to use up before my next veg box delivery come...

Just have to share this with you...... For what it's worth - we don't all wear shorts and flip-flops! Too darn cold...... though I've been known to carry on with the f-f's until November.

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 01:20 PM PDT  (subsequently lost by Blogger, and found by Karen via her E-mail feed) If, like me, you're a keen follower of all the crafty sew and sews in Twitterland, you will probably already be aware of the wonderful world of Sis Boom. If so, you will need no introduction - so do skim over to see why I'm feeling a tad special today. If you're a fabric fan and the name means nothing to you; Where have you been? Wait 'til you see what you've been missing! An Introduction to Sis Boom Introducing Jennifer Paganelli - the face and all-round lovely person behind the Sis Boom banner. Click here to go straight to SIS BOOM To quote direct from the fabulous Sis Boom website - As a designer, Jennifer Paganelli finds inspiration in everything. Sis Boom™, her one-of-a-kind vintage products company, is the inspiration distilled from several lives: her youth in the Great Lakes region of the US, her adolescence s...

I'm more than a trifle ticked off with Blogger. My post of yesterday has vanished into thin air during the day - and I haven't been near a computer. It was the first time I'd entered a post using the new interface, and I was liking the way it worked. Shame I didn't try a short post first, but no...... dibble decided to do a long article didn't she! Sniff. Back to the old Blogger me thinks. Anyways... I was thinking that it's been such a dismal few days - why not think of something to brighten the mood. Why not have a little giveaway? Trying to be a little different - I've come up with a little competition. It's quite simple....... How many buttons in the jar? I've no idea myself, so it will be interesting to find out. To give you something on which to base your guess, I can tell you I am able to hold the little jar comfortably in one hand. Also I have used a few of the buttons so the jar isn't quite full. So.... What do y...

Theme for today - Anything beginning with 'B' Introducing........ Bramble the Hedgehog Okay, okay..... I know! It's just that I took this photo last night and it's soooo cute. A considerable amount of effort was involved in taking this picture. Firstly containing the dogs who went berserk when they saw it. I don't suppose I blame them; doubt I'd be too happy if I tried to cock my leg on it either. So there I am, standing motionless for many minutes in the Cornish drizzle, with camera tensed ready for action (almost KungFu like standing on a plinth - only I wasn't standing on one and there's nothing remotely ninja about me). I thought about being clever and inventing a Latin sounding name that just so happened to begin with a B. However, after a half pint of cherry brandy jelly that's not going to happen anytime soon. So....... Bramble it is. I know it's his name, he told me. PS - do you like my bunny pic? This has been my RavingRabbit ...

Yesterday I was delighted to receive my first ever order from Fabric Rehab   I came across the link on Twitter, and you know what it's like - you can't resist taking a quick peek! Well..... that was me lost for quite some time! The site is full of fabric gorgeousness, just screaming "buy me, buy me".   All completely my style - I could have gone mad, but my bank account said no!  Instead I spent ages picking a few choice pieces that I couldn't possibly leave there.  What do you think of the little bird fabric above..... Isn't it darling?  There is such a wide choice of fabric on the site.  Absolutely perfect for me - as it's choc-full of bright, zingy modern and retro prints.  It's not often I find it hard to choose - but believe you me, with enough resources, my shopping basket could easily have turned into a trolley I'm loving the retro look of the leaf print, it reminds me so much of 50's fabric. The background is a wonderful duck-...