Stitching

It has been a little bit quiet around here lately, but as you can see from these photos I have been whizzing along on my machine creating a wee bird themed item for my sister, amongst other things. I've also been tidying up my creative space so that I can get everything into one handy unit, so things are easy to get to and everything has a place. Well it's got to be done at some point!

My sister has returned from her 6 months in the Gambia and I surprised her with a visit last week to welcome her home. It was lovely to see her and drop of this birdy creation which ended up as a quirky cushion for her wee sofa. Back soon with more bits and pieces as I get ready to re-open my little shop on Etsy too x

Boutique event

As you may or may not know (which all depends on how long you've been reading my blog - I've had a long vacant spell this year from here) as I have been working as one half of a business with another textile bod at Weft A Bit. For many reasons we are not continuing with this venture come the New Year. So I will be back to blogging here (which I am excited about, can't wait to totally finish freshening up the look of my blog) and I'll be posting more regularly here about stitching, doodling, making and more.

But before all that I thought I'd share with you some photos of the Boutique one day event we put on as Weft A Bit in the gallery at Creek Creative in Faversham the other weekend.

scarf walls, with crates

loving the 'crate' shelving

the 'frame' wall displaying a selection of handmade goods

willow hoops wrapped with recycled/vintage fabric, a little fun

panels of pins to wear, flowers, birds

The one day event went really well considering the weather that weekend wasn't particularly great. A greyness that didn't seem to lift all day. However there was a steady trickle of visitors in all day and we met many lovely people and packaged up lots of lovely items for those who were starting their gift shopping for Christmas. So Thank You to all those that came x

And with cake involved, how could it not be a good day?!!

We have a couple more fairs to attend and then that will be it. Moving forward onto ventures new! x

What Katie did next

I wanted to introduce you (if you haven't already stumbled across her website) to the lovely Katie of What Katie did next. She is also a very good friend of the amazing Sue (Sewsister). I have met Katie before but hadn't seen her work so it was nice last month when visiting Farnham Maltings to see her work in all it's splendor!

Gorgeous lavender sachets. Image courtesy of What Katie did next.

Bespoke family trees. Image courtesy of What Katie did next.

Cute Christmas badges. Image courtesy of What Katie did next.

Her stand was bursting full of scrumptious textile goodies which as always is good to see for real. Her website is sooo pretty as well and full of lovely textile goodies for gifts and secret treats to yourself. Be sue to drop by and take a peek!

The 52MMMC Week 12

A fabric 'envelope' clutch style creation
for a very good friend
and all her paperwork
and bits and pieces that she lugs around



don't you just love creating?

The 52MMMC Week 9

Well hello! long time no see so to speak, I am back again with another make for your viewing.

Quite some time back now I took part in a P I F (pay it forward) Giveaway and part of the rules of taking part was that I would go on to host my own P I F Giveaway and send a wee something handmade on to three more people.
As I have now made and sent off these PIF gifts I thought that I would include them in my 'makes' challenge and let you see what flew off in the post recently......

After much doodling, stitching and creating with fabric and thread it was time to put all the pieces together, the easy part really and the part where everything comes together...

zip being put in


sides being stitched



turning


finishing off


and hey presto a wee zip purse!


well two wee zip purses..


make that three wee zip purses for three lovely ladies!


I hope they are loved and well used! ;0 x

The 52MMMC Week 8

Well hello to you all! I'm back again with another 'makes' post.
I have been meaning to make a larger version of my oval pin for a while now and thought it would be one of my 'makes' for the challenge, a good place to 'test' out ideas I feel.
I have also been promising my mum one for a while too.....
So inspired by this photo in a magazine recently I was ready to try my 'make'


I gathered together materials and threads that reflected the gorgeous colours of the heather



My mum likes my wee birds and so a wee bird the pin would have


stitch upon stitch


teeny tiny snippets of fabrics in lovely deep pinks and greens


And voila! a birdy pin has been made




Yes HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!!!!
My mum has received this wee pin and I shall wait for her to visit
with it donning her jacket lapel, before I show a 'finished' photo of it.
And *phew wipes sweat from brow* she loved it! x

The 52MMMC Week 7

Well I am finally back with another make(!) Yay!
I feel that I'm a bit behind but then I was told that there was no pressure to produce something each week so I shall just keep going until I reach my goal of 52!!

So here for you to view is something I was asked to make by a friend of mine for her mum's birthday.
She gave me an idea of:
colours she would like - creams, pinks and blues
subject matter - beach huts, seaside
and even some of her little girls outgrown old clothes
with a fab pattern on that she wanted included if possible.

So I set too and here is what I made


wee little fishes


can't go without a bird and bunting!




(check out the pier and beach huts to the top right,
I cut these out from the fabric of her little girls outgrown outfit!)


And voila! finished cushion


My friend was more than happy with the finished item (whew!),
so let's hope her mum likes it too ;0

Oops....

Well *cough* first I want to apologise for not having posted my Week6 52MMMC, oops!

It's just that I'm now manically (after getting my sewing machine back after a week without it) making the last bits to complete an order that I'd hoped to have completed by now. I did not add in the factor that my machine would become temperamental and need it's service asap! stroppy thing....

Anyhow please take my apology as I will be posting by the end of the week a bumper post of makes for week 6 and 7 to make up for it, phew!

Thought I would share this beautiful dawn with you that I had the pleasure to see Sunday morning. I was up v early as a certain person (not me!) could not breath properly through ones nose and was keeping me awake with various breathing noises so I thought I might as well get up and get on with completing items for my order.

*sigh* sunrise and sunsets are all so lovely


and just to show you that I have really been working and not shirking! my threads in use


one bag complete


and another


and fabric bases and colours getting ready to be transformed into purses


yes the creative clutter and turmoil ensues whilst one creates don't you know!! :) x

Berry colours..

I'm loving these berry colours at the moment. So rich and fruity!
I'm off to work on rather a windy grey day today, back later putting items as well as the above wee oval pin in my shop ;0 x

The 52MMMC Week 4

Well folks it's that time of week again! so I am here all ready with another post about my next make for the challenge.
Over the course of this challenge my posts will include 'makes' that I'm testing out to see whether they might be items I will want to make more of and sell, as well as things that I want to make because I never have and things that I have a go at making just because I WANT too!

This 'make' is one which I may well make more of to sell in my shop and also on my stall (by the way the next Makers Market that I'm at will be the September one, see my side bar to the left for dates!).

Having gathered bits together, fabric was cut, interlining fused and snaps inserted ready to start the stitching
(the sweet little pattern for this clutch is by Ali Foster, she also allows you to make items from her patterns to sell)


using up my hand screen printed birdy fabric (hope you like it!) I screen printed my design onto a large remnant of bright pink fabric I was given, it certainly stands out!


stitching parts


and so the end result!


a peek inside


resting in the sun........


As well as designing patterns for items myself it's always nice to follow someone else's guidelines too, it gives you new ideas and tips you can apply when making other things as well.
Let me know your verdict on this make.
Hope you've all been enjoying your weekends! ;0 x

Escape to create - Whitstable 2010

Just a small post to let you know about the Escape to Create workshops happening during the Oyster Festival in Whitstable in a few weeks time.
All the workshops are run by local arts and crafts people, taking place at or near the Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable.

My workshop this time is for people to come and 'stitch and decorate' a purse with fabric beach huts and embellish with hand stitching.

So you can go home at the end of the workshop with a seaside inspired purse!
Beach hut purse workshop running Wednesday 28th July 2-4.30pm.
For further details of all the workshops taking place go to the Escape to Create site and have a browse and perhaps book yourself a taster on something new.
Enjoy ;0

Frame or no?

I was advised recently from a buyer at a fair I was at, that I would benefit from using purse frames instead of zips on my purses. That my stitched and printed pieces would work well with them and that they would be liable to move a lot quicker i.e. sell more!

So my question is this - what do you think? frame or zip?
All comments, thoughts and opinions welcome!