Birthday treats

So since I last posted I've had a birthday. They definitely come quicker as you get older. It was a nice day the sun was out, I went for a meal and then watched a film. Also the postman called with an Ebay purchase. A vintage cantilever seeing box. I have been after one if these since I saw my friends and sadly the lid had fallen off my old sewing box. I love it even its history a present from the kids.

So I sat in the morning sun and sorted the box out. Decided I needed a new pincushion as the one I used wouldnt fit in the box.  Years ago my daughter made me a pin cushion at school it was made from a plastic milk bottle  top.  It had stuffed fabric on the top and a hair elastic to fit on the wrist something like these


I found it incredibly useful it wasn't heavy on the wrist. In time the hair band stretched but also the plastic cap base wasn't quite wide enough for all the pins, sometime I would miss and catch my skin. so I thought I would make one but modify it.
So I found a wide plastic bottle top, mine was from a hot chocolate container about 2 1/2" wide and went from there.
The tape around the side is bias which I glued.
I densly stuffed a ball shape with unwashed sheep wool (which I'd read is good for the pins) using a cotton sheeting.
I then laid an old cashmere jumper over top. I wanted to use natural fibres throughout.  To anchor  it all down so it was compressed and so I could sew it to the tape I wound cotton around the whole thing, imagine winding a ball of wool. Then I could stitch it without any pins in, then  cut away the cotton when finished.
The strap was some velvet like furnishing braid which I glued  to the base then covered the base and anchoring the straps with sitches. Press stud to finish

To finish off isn't this a delightful giftbag from my daughter I love it and want to use it, too nice to be thrown away, but dont know how. Any ideas?

Something to smile about

 Firstly, I feel like Snoopy  as the hospital discharged me.

 What great news. Outcome... I still dont have all the answers because my scans didnt reveal anything. and it could happen again. Well Thats life, and onto something that fills my my heart with happiness.  Creating

This ball of wool, is calling me.  Its saying  "Knit me, Knit me," but I must resist as I still havent quite finished my second sock yet.
Its my own fault, I blame myself entirely   I have been drooling over my wool stash, looking over patterns and now I have made a decision I cant wait to start.  So let me tell you more. I shall be using this lovely sock wool. Such lovely soft colours. Its  Opal Vincent van Gogh  "The Trinquetaille Bridge"  sock wool. A range of yarns based on Van Gogh's paintings

 

I am going to knit a scarf with it.  The pattern is called hitchhiker  on Ravelry. 

It sounds so intriguing and fun. You start with just 2 stitches and you keep increasing to a certain point then stop when you run out of wool or when you have had enough.  How good is that, no panic of running out of wool (unless its not as long as you would have liked) The result being either a cowl or long scarf.  I have a 100gm ball so we shall see how far we get with it, this should be interesting.  
Do you get excited at the prospect of starting a new project be it a pattern or a piece of fabric just waiting to be cut into.  Part of the reason I am always thinking ahead with projects, especially knitting  is to spur me onto finishing whats on the needles, Im a slow knitter, sewing is so much quicker.  
I  only have one knitting project on the go at a time, it would be fatal starting something new.  
I wasnt always like this.  When I first started dressmaking  in my teens I remember having lots of bags of unfinished pieces, probably when I had either gone wrong or couldnt understand the pattern. They used to be stashed away behind my Mums sofa.  She did complain about them. Of course back then in the 70s there was no internet for research, tutorials so I just trundled along.
    
So readers do you knit or sew one piece at a time? Are you forever planning the next project, or do you have lots of projects on the go at once, and if so do they get finished? 
  

Kwik Sew 3267 & sewing organising

Its a while since I blogged, I lost my blogging voice, life's  like that sometimes.  I have however still  been popping in and seeing some great posts with marvellous makes.  

I finally finished hubby's trousers, a recap Kwik Sew 3267 

they are made from vintage wool suiting, a bargain £3.00 buy, the quality shows through as they hang beautifully.

All that worrying about the pockets are hardly noticeable

  I had been waiting patiently for him to try them on for a fitting (did I just type patiently).  Anyway I decided I would just make them up as it was holding me up. I'm one of those people that cannot start a new project unless the  current one is finished.  So I completed them, he finally tried them,  loved them, but they were far too baggy in the leg for him. So I slimmed the leg,  re-hemmed, and now we are both happy with them. He would like me to sew the welts down, something I omitted, wasn't reading the pattern there!!  He was so pleased he asked for a 'from No.23' logo to be sewn on the front.
I bought on Ebay a lucky dip bag of  bankrupt stock Coats sewing cotton threads  50 threads for £5.00 plus delivery (no longer available)

I haven't had a Lucky Bag since I was a child,  I have to say I was just as excited as back then.  I wasn't disappointed, there were 100% cottons, general sewing threads, strong threads  and also embroidery threads, only 2 duplicates,  52 threads in all. prices ranging from £1.60 - £3.00 per reel estimated value £85.00 This prompted me to sort my sewing notions out, with the help of  my pattern review book  for those interested

Here is what I did:-

my actual pattern are stored numerically in a box under the bed (I dont know why I havent sorted them numerically before, maybe because I only have about 30 patterns, this is great for putting straggler pattern pieces away) at the moment this system works well for me.

The  pattern sleeve I have put into a file sorted into catagories dresses, seperates etc

 My cotton reels I keep in boxes and vintage tins, these were all sorted and labelled, my spools I keep in purpose made boxes but I have numbered them with sticky backed paper so matching them up is now a lot easier.

 I also did a rough inventory of my uncut fabrics. I keep

 this in a sleeve with my patterns folder. This I have found the most beneficial for me. My memory is appalling so its great having this with my patterns so I can easily put A with B. 

 My trims, I have wound onto cardboard which is tons better, no more tangled messes  and space saving.

I really enjoyed this, I would love to be able to catalogue them on the computer, but we don't have windows and I have yet to find a suitable compatible programme for our computer.

My next project, I recently I bought  this piece of fabric

 the colours drew me instantly to it, though on hindsight it is a little busy.  I am going to cut it up today to make a skirt for summer (I believe summer has finally arrived, even though the spring bulbs are just blooming.)

Im not sure yet  how I will make it up yet, I'm thinking a straight skirt but I would like to add this blue grosgrain which matches up beautifully, I may just take a skirt from one of my existing dress patterns maybe this one, Vogue 8667. 

Last week I helped my friend organise a Cake Break Fund Raising event, in our local town, proceeds in aid of MS Society, there was cakes and a few craft stalls. One of the stall holders was Sally whose blog I follow.  It is quite bizarre actually meeting a fellow blogger for the first time. Sally had some great pieces of work on her table, a very clever lady, I came away with a lovely pincushion and badge she had made.  It was nice to meet her.  

Lastly I am road testing my sons camera, more advanced than my own, I'm thinking of upgrading.  Has anyone noticed an improvement in the picture quality. 

Happy Crafting





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Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all.  Yes there has been a miracle this Christmas at No.23,   The computer has decided it is not quite ready to be replaced (but for how long, who knows)

We had a lovely Christmas, the usual pressies, nice walks between the downpours,  played new and old games, and drank and ate far too much.

Looking back on last year, a quick recap of the better parts.

Best Buys of the Year are ...In no particular order, Ive been wanting to share these for a while now.

This vintage Sole Mio blanket (which are still available to buy, but now made in  Belgium  not Britain .  They now retail from  Euros 265. This blanket feels like new with a texture like a scourer,  springy but extremely soft,light and Soo warm.  I had intended to keep in downstairs but it is so bulky, that it now sits and the foot of our bed,  a much better place for it. What a find, and it only cost my £3.00.

I also picked up on my travels this lovely patchwork blanket.  However can such a lovely piece of work end up in a Charity Shop is beyond me.  Such time and effort making this hand stitched blanket,  I truly appreciate this (excuse drab picture) I would never have the patience to make one of these, so lucky to come across it. 

I am so looking forward to getting back into dressmaking after knitting Christmas pressies, I am definately a season sewer, thinking about Spring and not having to wear coats etc.  I purchased the above pattern V8355 last year. We have been invited to a wedding in August this pattern would be ideal.  I love the line of this outfit.  When I went to The Shuttle in Shipley in September I bought these fabulous fabrics.



The silver grey with the net overlay is patterned at both ends, but it has a slight pull.  You could probably  get a cocktail dress at a push out of it, or maybe the skirt.  The pink is a linen/cotton  mix, dress weight. Im not sure if they are too much of a contract.  I have plenty of the pink for a suit, but would it be too much.  Come on ladies inspire me. Of course being the thrifty Yorkshire lady I am, these two fabrics only cost £16.00,  But also a step on the bathroom scales tells me I have over indulged this Christmas and will need to loose some 1lbs first....

Toward the end of the year, my own personal achievement was the sale of my bears which I have previously mentioned.  Selling my work at a proper price  was a  fantastic result.  It has given me such a boost.   I hope to continue making and selling.  Any advice would be appreciated.  After 2 hours with a careers adviser just before Christmas  they only conclusion I came to, was my crafting urge was much too strong for me to be in a 9-5 job.

Anyway, I have been a busy bee creating something new and exciting , and Im pleased to say I have already sold one even though they are not  finished yet,.  I promise to show you them when they are completed. Here's a little peak inspired by this lovely picture of 1920's fashion that I came across on the internet, such an elegant era.

Having a great day.

Today is my birthday, as the weather is so unpredictable, Ive delayed my day out. Instead just pottering about, and enjoying my pressies 



A David Austin "Geoff Hamilton" rose bush.  I know just the spot for it. I used to love watching Geoff on BBC2.



   This delightful mug. 



What more could I ask for 
1. l love my cuppa, 
2.  Its green, my favourite colour and 
3. its in a shape of a campervan 
three favourite things rolled into one.  My daughter knows me well.


A bottle of Baileys, which always goes down well.  The card on the right my friend made, even the rose, very clever. 

Sometime ago last year,  a friend of ours got a pet lamb for his girls, and I asked that when it was shorn if I could have the wool.  Well last night I had a visit and a present of a large sack of smelly lambswool. 



Today,  I took a bucket full of lambswool and and pair of rubber gloves and rinsed the smelly wool 6 times till the water was clear.  Now Im not sure what to do next. 


 I need to wash it, to get the lanolin out, and when Ive washed Im not sure what Im going to do with it.  It seems a shame to use it for stuffing, though it would make wonderful stuffing.  It would be lovely if I could felt it or have it spun and knit something, maybe a present for his girls.  Any ideas out there. please.  I.ve also been busy creating, it started with a sketch and 3 days later, I have created this lovely Yorkshire Lady, she seems abit like Marmite.  You either love or hate her!!   

Fun between the Rain Showers

On Friday we had a small visitor to No. 23.  He is only seven years ond and he came to bake bread, something my husband had been promising him for a while.   He thoroughly loved the experience (he wants to be a chef), baked 6 bread rolls, walked Millie while the bread rose.  He was so excited when he peeped at the bread and it had doubled in size MAGIC.  We also printed off some special bread labels,  It was lovely have small children in the house again.

 In between the most horrendous weather we are having I have been really enjoying rearranging the garden with the hubbie.  First we bought some new veg boxes, replacing the mish mash wooden ones,  I am so pleased with them, and all but one veg bed so far has been successful.

Next we moved the sheds, we wanted to create a storage area in between to store and cut wood.   We started clearing the rubble planning to lay a base and to our surprise  we discovered old block paving. We believe it must have been when they used to keep pigs at the back of the outhouses.  What luck a good sound surface to work on.

Ive been so loving this little corner of our garden So colour

co-ordinated

but today this appeareed

 This beautiful red poppy amongst my pastel arrangement. 



I love this plant, when its rained the droplets look like diamonds on the leaves when the sun catches them, if only!

I am also still making bears, here is a WIP.  I had a new idea in my head, and this little pig came together so quickly, but the ears and facial expression, was another thing. Sometimes it pays to put things down for a while and come back and have a fresh look. Today I looked at it and now I know what I need to do.  On a bonus the ears have settled down, which I am so pleased about.
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I LOVE ♥ pigs.  Do you?

Recycled Plastic Wallet

Dont you just love it when you get something for nothing, recycling and creating something new and exciting, makes me happy.  Im a thrifty girl after all.  My sister laughs at me, she thinks Im slightly bonkers.   
I loved making my recycled plastic pannier for my bike.  So I thought I would make a wallet for my son.  I used a very strong carrier bag that came from his favourite gaming shop.  He is so chuffed with it that I thought Id try and create a free Tutorial for you all.   Hope you like, and sorry if there are any errors. Any notes to consider are in red

the back showing the outer pocket

The original I made, inpsired loosly from my pocket filofax. Having 3 card flaps on the left, a purse section on the right.  
An outer pocket and a large pocket for notes.

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You will need recycled plastic bags & velcro
More  deatils on my original post about recycled plastic and my method of fusing.

The wallet is constructed by folding in half then a quarter. Please take note of this when positioning main piece on plastic especially if it has a pattern or logo, as the bottom half of the main piece will become upside down when folded. If you know what I mean!

The plastic is so springy and shiny, making it difficult to photograph.



As there is no binding on the edges I recommend topstitching to strengthen, I used red so it was more visable for you.
Machine    Main - top and bottom edge
 Pocket flap - 3 edges
                                  card flap - top and bottom (shorter edges)
             outer pocket - one long edge
              inner pocket - one long edge

Attach the velcro, see pattern and pics for positioning.  On hindsight I would attach the velcro on the fastener last of all ensuring you get a good fit.

Attach the fastener to the outer pocket, If placing it in the centre, remember that the outer pocket is half an inch longer, so you will need to place it  11/4" from the bottom of lower edge of the outer pocket.  Machine along 3 sides, then machine across the middle of the fastener to secure.
Ignore my logo as I put it upside down. Im only human

Next fold in half, then again and make some sharp creases of how the finished piece will look, also use creases as guidelines.

Attach the outer pocket to the main piece. Positioning it in the bottom right hand corner of the main piece lining it up to the centre vertical crease.
The pocket will overlap the centre horizontal crease.  Machine the 3 outer edges
NB YOU MAY NOW HAVE NOTICED THAT THE BOTTOM HALF MAKES THE OUTER WALLET AND THE
TOP HALF IS THE INSIDE OF THE WALLET



Fold the card flap as stated on pattern.  Attach to the inner pocket, placing on the left side.  Machine in place ,down the 2 vertical sides to secure.



then place the  inner pocket  onto the main piece.  See picture below.  Machine all around the outer edge of the pocket inner . Machine up the middle to secure purse section, this is not shown on pic below. 

Fold in half. two smooth sides together. 

Machine around the 3 outer edges, making sure not to catch in the fastener that is underneath.

*FINISHED*

I hope that you like it, and, more important that you can follow my instructions.  It would be interesting to hear your comments if you use it. 

Edited 8.8.12

The wallets are still going strong, but the print has gradually worn off the red wallet.  The black one looks as good as the day it was created, its as soft as leather. It also got left in a pair of trousers that I washed!!  The contents managed to only get damp, unlike the leather wallet he previously owned, where everything was ruined..
louise 


And how about this wonderful idea for recycled lights, all made from coloured plastic bottles. I personally thinks this is SOoo fun.