Sew, tis the season to make cards. I’m not talking Christmas Cards, I’m talking family cards. I have 8 to make between mid-October and the beginning of January. And as usual, I wait until the last minute. Will I ever learn, ha, nope?
Below was actually the 3rd card I made and done in super quick time, 2 hours. It was for the OH Dad. Very pleased with it.
Happy birthdayHappy Birthday
Before this one I had my Nephews and the OH Mum to do. They had to be ready on the same day. As before her card took about 3 hours. The Nephews took about 6 hours over a few days but very happy with the results.
Used my quilling comb for this.. LOVE IT!Sending you hugs stamping used here
My piece da la resistance… I’ve picture edited the sun in over his name
He likes the stage
If you’d like more details about how I made these… Just ask.
Sew, The boy and I decided to have a Braai BQ. It was originally supposed to be our moving in Barbeque, but was changed to an end of the summer one, as we realised that we would not be moving beforehand 😥
The boy got LOADS of meat,far too much in my opinion, but what would I know, I’m only a woman and a vegetarian. We had also bought some plates and platters about 2 months ago that had cactusus on them and also colourful bowls that would go with the Mexican theme which we decided upon.
I had wanted to make bunting for sometime now and this was the perfect time to do a project.
The beautiful fabric, from my stash. I didn’t use the small flower fabric at the end!
This is fabric that I already had in my stash. It was actually a Christmas bundle that I bought from Elephant In My handbag. I was going to use it to make a baby cushion, but couldn’t part with it…my bad!
Sew, I bought 2 yards of bias binding in a gorgeous orange colour.
FlagsMy triangle
I cut out 22 flags (11 flags in total) that were 23cm on both sides and 10cm across the top.
Each fabric was a fat quarter so it was plenty.
Now usually you can measure exactly where each flag was going to go but I lay the bias binding down, taking a bit off the ends to allow a loop for hanging. So the first flag was 23cm from the end and each flag was approx 16-26 cm apart. That seems like a lot but the first one is 16cm the next 26 so it varied. I did kinda do them so they were about the same, by sight first then with my ruler.Crawling around the floor.
It was good to have bias binding as I only had to sew the flags to the bunting rather than all the way along. Also I wanted them to last so I sewed them together rather than leave a raw (pinking shears) edge
PinningBias binding open
So the flags were all pinned together, sewn, leaving the top open, turned and pressed so there was a clean crisp edge.
I then pinned each flag to the pre determined point on the bunting and used a decorative stitch to attach
Pressed seamDecorative stitch
My bunting x
Sew that was that! I guess you could applique letters on a plain flag for a child or event and next time who knows what my bunting will look like xx
I have been so busy making cards that I have lost a nights sleep worrying about it 😥 BUT, as things turned out I managed to cancel the Table top sale fair and have managed to get onto the Christmas one instead. It is much better suited to me and has enable me to go crazy overdrive with the cards and I have a much more impressive stock. I had also managed to make 3 cushions at eh same time but my serger has decided to do the dirty on me and I have a messy seam. I put the cushion down, packed the serger away and went back to the cards. I really don’t need that negativity in my life right now and I would get more annoyed rather than finsh the cushion on a good note, so for now another 3 UFO’s! You see the state of the crating space, although I clear up every few cards when I can’t find things. It is so hard to do them after work each day but I am managing about 3 and evening which I think is pretty good going, So until next time, probably after the event I shall leave you with a picture of my tidy(ish)…(WHO AM I KIDDING), work space
xx
Desk
My paper in a kinda order!
My card drawer, contains small card stock, sticky stuff and odds and sods!
The first cushion that I made and what made me want to keep making stuff. This is where it all started. It took about 4 weeks with a little bit that we had to do as homework..
I cannot remember how I done the Russian Doll cushion as this the second one I made. I done this in my soft furnishing course with help from the tutor. It took about 4 weeks to do and I added some embroidery to make it even nicer so yeah.
The cupcake cushion was made for a friend of mines birthday. I was on a roll and was making them for everybody. I have other pictures that I have to find.
Butterfly cushion
Babushka Cushion
Back of Babushka Cushion
Cupcake Cushion
Back of Cupcake Cushion
2 Cushions and a bed runner that I made too
This is the first item of clothing that I made for myself. I (and millions of others it seemed) had purchased Love to Sew magazine and go the very popular Ruth Dress pattern. I made it after umming and ahhing at it for AGES. This is before I sewed the zip in and was made up that I actually got this far.
I’ve yet to wear it 😳 but now that it is winter, I shall be taking Dawn O Porters advice and putting on a black polo neck under my dresses for more wearability during the colder months.
And one another post I do have my Chinese Top.
I have also got a skirt I made a the beginning of the year which I have yet to wear and of course the dress worn to my Sis-In-Laws Mums birthday in June.
Due to me not wearing my creations I have decided next year to take part in The Me-Made May challenge next year. Read about it HERE and see you soon
As this blog has been started almost 3 years into my crafting life, I have made stuff and not documented them properly. Below are a few things that I have made for friends (Cushions) and myself. You know when you need some twinkly music like on the generation game, like a catwalk type setting with all my crafts coming out one by one. I haven’t got any of that sorry!! I think each deserves a little story with it too! Yes!!
Cushion for Mel and Pete
Back of cushion
Sew, There were a couple of friends moving to Germany permanently and as leaving present I decided to make them a cushion. I had just finished my butterfly cushion and thought this was the perfect time to check out my skills without my tutor. I started in plenty of time and travelled far to find the right fabric, It’s got little houses on it. So I cut the squares, Some were wonky so I had to cut them ALL smaller. I was still making the cushion on the day of the leaving do. I arrived late which is a given with me and it was received with tears from Mel.
Sew, there have been a few birthdays recently and much to my disappointment, I have not been my usual crafty self and made the cards myself 😥 I always mean to, then it comes to a few days beforehand and I think, it’s easier to buy them than make them. I sometimes feel guilty and then not thought more on it. Below are some cards that I have made and am very proud of. Sew, I’ve really gotta get back into it. I might have to buy some stuff for it, which the boy will think unnecessary. If I hide the stuff… he’ll never know!!
A couple of cards have been quick makes (with goodies coming with magazines) and a couple of cards have been done with more planning. Knowing what I wanted and achieving it. It does help when I don’t have 6 things that I want to make going on in the head, and with Christmas 3 months away, I should start making some. Come, Xmas Eve, I don’t want to be making any, as I have done the past 2 years!!
Sew…I decided to make some storage tins to give as birthday pressies to friends.
Last year I gave cushions, this year it HAD to be something different.
As I said, I work in a school so I use tins a lot. Baked Beans, Kidney beans, tomato puree all sorts, so, only when I had the car, I took tins home accumulated over a few days.
I have progress pictures, as always but if you want instructions just tell me…xx
We had Chinese New Year coming to school and I had 4 days to make a top. We had to do it a week before as we would have been on half term.
The Fabric Has Arrived For My Hand Made Chinese Style Top
I found the pattern and the fabric at the same store. I had been eyeing this fabric for a while so hoped it was still there.
The Beautiful Fabric For My Oriental Inspired Dress
It certainly wasn’t the easiest pattern to work with. New Look not easy…Simplicity, I’ll tell you when I’ve done one…I’ve not got instructions from the pattern sheet obviously but I have pictures of the stages. I worked on the top (not including the cutting of the pieces) from 4pm until about 10pm for four days. I’ve yet to wear it out, but I will when I finish off the dodgy edging that is on the top now. This was before I got my overlocker!
All in all, it wasn’t too bad but next time I would definitely not add Frog closures as It hid the piping which took me soooo long to do.
When I tidy up the seams and wear it I’ll post a picture…
Bye
