Custom Order With a Twist

So my mum very kindly took some of my stuff along to sell at a craft fair last month and I got an order for personalised bunting from her. However instead of the fabrics that I offer for the bunting, this order came in for all different kinds of fabrics, mainly pinks, but nothing solid. So after raiding the stash here's what I came up with!


I actually think it might be my favourite so far (yeah I think I say that about every order I make but it's true!) and I might eventually add a different selection of fabrics to the listing. But for now feel free to ask what I have in my stash if you'd like something a bit different!


p.s. Somehow over the weekend I made it to 100 blog followers. Yay! Thank you everybody. Doing a little celebratory dance and glad there's no one watching :)

Weekend Antics

Remember that post I wrote on Friday? The talk of open fires and cups of tea? Well it would seem that as soon as you're planning a slow sleepy weekend just the opposite happens. On Friday evening I found out that Derry's very own Undertones were playing in Brooke park on Saturday afternoon - not only was it a free gig, but also there was a whole host of local musical talent to keep us entertained all day long.

So off I go, with some sandwiches and some hand sewing, and had a thoroughly lovely afternoon. Most of my day was spent doing a lot of this:

Blanket stitching the hours away with a beautiful view and the sounds of choirs, blues bands and orchestras wafting through the air. Then we moved closer to the stage to see the main event - the Undertones in all their hip wiggling glory!

What a treat to see them play in their hometown, sounding as great as they did the day they began (I assume as I don't think I was born then!). Well I'll have to reserve next weekend for soup and tea under blankets, especially if the weather stays this miserable. Bye bye summer - you were fun!

A New Friend

Do you ever get those cravings to create for no good reason? After making and making for the craft fair last week I just wanted to make something meaningless and fun. So yesterday I got out the craft books and decided to make us a new little friend:

Meet Coco the bear! I got the pattern from Tone Finnanger's Sew Pretty Homestyle. I've had that book for a year now and have been dying to make one of the projects ever since. The pattern is meant to be machine stitched but I just wanted to sit in front of the TV with a cuppa and busy my hands for a while. It was incredibly easy to make and I was done in a few hours - great for quenching that urge to make and leaves you with a lovely sense of accomplishment!
There's a pattern for a jumper and shorts for the bear to wear but I think I'll try and work out a dress pattern for her instead. I'm actually working on my own bear pattern too as I'd like to make one that's not as tall and gangly, and a bit smaller. I'll let you know how I get on!

Three Things

Three things that have made me smile on this beautiful day are:

this beautiful postcard and personalized thankyou note that came with my order from Sepia Smiles this morning;

my new breakfast of choice - blueberries, strawberries and yogurt - nom nom;

and these blue brooches that I've been working on. Love how they turned out.

Crafty Projects

Well things are finally back to normal after being away then having visitors to stay. So now I have time to show you the going away presents I made for my sister before she left for Canada.

A wee square makeup pouch (tutorial found here), and a passport cover, both made from Russian doll fabric.

Also a brooch that I embroidered onto fulled wool that Jane from Snapdragon was kind enough to give me. It's a triskell design that matches my sister's tattoo.

I've also been knitting like crazy over the past couple of weeks trying to finish off presents for BFs nieces 2nd birthday.

Today is 8 days past their birthday but due to my OCD I had to start one of them over. Oops! But I should have them done today - yay! Can you tell what they are yet?

I have really caught the knitting bug again recently - I love it. So after these are done I think I'm gonna start with some Jean Greenhowe Christmas knitting. First up is this wee man:

Yes yes I know Christmas is months and months away but if I wait until it's closer to the time I'll be too busy making Christmas stock and presents to make anything for myself! That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

Lazy Sunday

Don't you just love a good old lazy Sunday? Nothing to get up for, nowhere to be. Now this Sunday wasn't a full blown stay in your pajamas and hide from the world day - curtains were drawn, bodies were dressed, friends were visited. We even managed an impromptu trip to the cinema to see Robin Hood (which was really rather good I might add).

But no lazy Sunday is complete without the compulsory comfort food. This week's nibbles of choice were:

Chocolate chip cookies for the chocolate loving fruit hating BF; and

Stewed apples and blueberries all for me! I'm fascinated with the way blueberries transform when they're heated and turn everything a deep pink. I think they taste nicer warm too.

I even managed to do a bit of selfish sewing too. I started to make the bag that came free with Kath Kidson's Sew!, until visions of Russel Crowe riding horseback through Sherwood Forest tempted me away from the machine. I am only human after all! And after all that excitement I came home and curled up on the sofa with some hexagons to keep my hands entertained. So how about you? Did anyone else have a rather enjoyable Sunday?

New Quilt

I love every process of making quilts. From choosing the fabrics:


To sewing them together into strips:

To pressing and sewing the strips into something more substantial:


And ending up with the finished quilt top:

Well, I'm almost finished. I still need to sew on the border but that shouldn't take more than a few minutes. And maybe the use of the word love is a bit excessive when it comes to pressing the seams. Ironing isn't one of my favourite past times, but as ironing goes, pressing seams is the best kind.

Now I'm not too confident on the actual quilting part, so I'm gonna spend the rest of the day practicing. I would absolutely love to hand quilt all of my quilts but it would take too long for it to be profitable. I'll save hand quilting for gifts and special occasions! Anyway it's back to the sewing machine to finish off this border.

New Listing and New Project.

So my personalized bunting has been added to the folksy shop. These are the first things I started to make as gifts.
They're available in 7 different colours,

in polka dot or plain cotton,

And can feature any name you want! I've also started work on a new project: Babushka Passport Covers:

I thought I should complete one first before sewing them all then finding out I'd made a mistake. I should have it done soon so I can spend the day blanket stitching. Oh how I love to blanket stitch!

A Productive Day

Well the blog has had a makeover. Do you like it?? I do! A massive thanks to Dionne over at The Ink Studio for her amazing work. All the graphics are completed and uploaded so it's time to get this show on the road! I spent my morning doing all of that and ordering stationary etc. and I've even found time this afternoon to get my squares finished for the new quilt.

Back to the sewing machine:

And voila, a completed pinwheel square!


Would you believe me if I told you all of my seam are this perfect? How about if I smile innocently and flutter my eyelashes?? Thought not. Although if the seams were all perfect then it would lose the handmade touch, look too manufactured. Keep telling yourself that Nerys!


Anyways I'm off to the ironing board to give these a quick run over before trimming them and sewing them together. But before I go I just want to say that the lovely Jessica from Imagination in Flight has given me The Circle of Friends Award. A perfect end to this gorgeous day! Basically you blog about 5 things you absolutely love and pass the Award on to 5 deserving blog friends of your choice. I'll be doing that tomorrow then!

New Quilt

Yesterday I started making a new quilt out of the prettiest fabric ever. I've had this fabric for quite a while now, I absolutely love it cause it reminds me of pajamas. I cut it into strips,

sewed two together,

then added a third.

Stacks of spotty loveliness!

Here's where I've reached so far.

I even started making some hexagons to applique out of the same fabric.

As a rare treat I'll have the car this afternoon so I'm planning a trip to the out of town fabric warehouse to pick up some thread and plain cottons. Until then it's back to the sewing machine for me!

Rediscovered

I've recently rediscovered this beading project I started for GCSE Art. I can hardly believe that it's been sitting in a box somewhere unfinished for 8 years! Gosh how time flies.


I had completely forgotten that I'd done this, but thinking back I remember that it was meant to be the hairband of a Celtic goddess I was painting on fabric. I can vividly remember raiding my mums sewing box for a needle and thread, and buying the beads at hobbycraft! I didn't talk to anyone about the design, had never attempted to sew before, I just locked myself up in my bedroom one night and gave it a go! I even found the reminder of the beads in a matchbox too.


I gave up Art as a subject after GCSE but thinking back I remember that most of my projects involved working with fabric. For about five years I lost the creative bug somewhere but it's lovely to know that it's always been there just waiting for a little inspiration. And it's back with a vengeance now!

First Feltie - Norris the Gnome!

Well first off I'd like to say a very Happy Birthday to my lovely Dad. Being in his 60s and not too computer savvy I think it's safe to show you the prezzie I made for him.

I give you Norris the singing Garden Gnome!


My Dad is a gardener and has recently put up a new greenhouse to grow veggies in. As everyone knows that veggies taste much better if a garden gnome sings to them whilst they grow, Norris here will spend his days crooning amongst the tomatoes.

My Mum said she was excited to hear little Norris belting the tunes out, but I had to inform her that Norris is a very shy gnome, and only sings when he is completely alone with the plants. Disappointing, but yummy veggies shall be had none the less!

Give us a twirl Norris!


Norris and I shall be making our way across the Irish sea to sunny Wales tomorrow where he shall sit amongst the seedlings in his glassy new home. BF is not best pleased that he's leaving us though so I've promised to make Norris a sibling for us to keep in out little plastic grow tunnel thingy.

Norris is my first attempt at a feltie / softie and I'm very please with how he turned out. Maybe as I become more confident in making them, they in turn won't be so shy. In the mean time, Norris is waving you all goodbye (or at least he would be if I'd given him arms or hands) and packing his bags. Pack mine whilst you're at it Norris!

Quilt Top

So I woke up today and just had the urge to sew. I hopped out of bed and popped next door to the "sewing room" and was there for an hour before my belly started to grumble for blueberry porridge (which by the way does not taste too fantastic when made with water instead of milk!) and a cup of tea.

After breakfast I was back up for round 2 and I eventually finished my quilt top! Now I didn't start it from scratch - I had already cut the squares and sewn a little bit of it but it's been sitting waiting for me to get going for about two weeks.


I decided to go for a trip around the world pattern this time as I absolutely love symmetry (sometimes to the point of obsession) but I think next time I might add in a few plain colours .Now it is quite busy and it reminds me of one of those optical illusions where if I get closer to it I'm gonna see an elephant pop out or something. But it's so pretty and overall I'm very pleased with it.

And before I go I'll share with you one of my recently discovered favourite things:

Freesias smell absolutely divine. I can't get enough of them. Every time I walk past the vase (which is a lot) I can't help but stick my nose in the bouquet and take a sniff. BF gives me weird looks but I don't care!

Lovely New Sewing Books!

Look at all the sewing lovelieness I got for Christmas:

Free and Easy Stitch Style - Poppy Treffry

Seams to Me - Anna Maria Horner

Sew! - Cath Kidson

Last-minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts - Joelle Hoverson and Anna Williams

Pretty Little Patchwork - Lark Books

Sew and Stow - Betty Oppenheimer

Aren't I a lucky duck?  I can't wait to start sewing now.  They have joined the rest of my crafty books in my tiny craft room.  Look at my shiney new bookcase - Ikea's finest.  It's very orange and has quotes about love doodled all over it.  Lovely!