Padded coat-hangers

Posted on May 17, 2015 by craftycreeky

Padded coat-hangersThe last few days before Otley Show were spent stitching padded coat-hangers. I used to make quite a few as Christmas presents during my years as an impoverished student nurse but I confess I haven’t made one for years!

I was amazed how difficult it is to buy a simple wooden coat-hanger, I used to buy them in Woolworths but now I can only find them on line! I had lots of material to choose from as I used to make ball gowns for friends for the nurses balls, later on it was wedding dresses and bridesmaids, my rule on whether to keep a scrap of material was whether it was big enough to cover a coat-hanger, so I had various silks and satins to choose from. Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts, Sewing | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Celebration time!

Posted on May 16, 2015 by craftycreeky

After 20 years of entering the handicraft secti0n of Otley Show, I’ve finally done it!…I’ve won the cup! I’m chuffed to bits:-)

Otley Show

Continue reading →

Posted in Serendipity | 5 Comments

The eleventh hour!

Posted on May 15, 2015 by craftycreeky

Pick-a-Pocket PurseTalk about leaving it to the last minute, it’s nearly 10pm here, the night before the local show and I have just finished the last entry!!! I’ve overdone it a bit this year, put myself under a fair bit of pressure and my poor OH has quietly put up with the household standards going down the pan (and they weren’t that high to start with!!)

These are my entries, I’ll be telling you about new items over the next week, so this is like a preview! Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts, Serendipity, Sewing | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Monday’s meander around the garden

Posted on May 11, 2015 by craftycreeky

GeumThe garden is starting to look really colourful now, not in a brash sort of way, but flowers are quietly starting to appear. I’ve planted quite a few geums over the years and I’m sure I’ve pulled lots up the following spring thinking they were weeds, but at least two plants have survived and their orange flowers are brightening up the Amber and Amethyst garden. Continue reading →

Posted in Garden, Serendipity | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Me Made May

Posted on May 11, 2015 by craftycreeky

Simplicity 2917Last week I decided to take part in the Me-Made-May challenge, it’s organised by Zoe on So, Zo, What do you know? The idea is to challenge yourself to wear your own creations throughout the month of May. This was my challenge;

‘I, Margaret of the Crafty Creek sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May ’15. I endeavour to wear at least one garment or accessory made by me each day for the duration of May 2015’

Mmm, if the first week is anything to go by, it’s going to be quite a challenge. For a start, I’ve realised most of the clothes I’ve made are summery, so I’m hoping it’s going to warm up a bit. A lot of my clothes are more suited to going out, rather than walking the dogs, sorting out the chickens…I also don’t actually have that many clothes…it could prove interesting!

Shirt front

I have to confess that the ‘accessory’ bit is a bit of a get out clause, I promise not to use it too often, as my handbag and purse are all made by me! I had to use it yesterday as I went walking near Bolton Abbey so I had my proper walking gear on, my made be me was therefore my purse and my tissue holder!

At the moment I’m rotating three winter skirts, a shirt and a top, so it could get somewhat monotonous, I need a bit of sunshine and warmth, it is mid May after all!

So if you see me in a strange outfit, just remember it’s Me Made May time!

Fabric from Goldhawk Road

Fabric from Goldhawk Road

 

Posted in Serendipity, Sewing | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Bee Pincushion is finished!

Posted on May 10, 2015 by craftycreeky

Bee PincushionI’ve just finished my bee pincushion, I started it about a month ago but I had a bit of a hiatus whilst I cracked on with the Indian Mosaic. I’m  really pleased with it, though I’m not sure it will ever have pins stuck in it, it’s far too pretty!

The design is  by Nathalie at Jardin Prive, she has some gorgeous designs on her website, I’ve already got two samplers downloaded to stitch next! The instructions were really clear and easy to follow, I stitched it on 32 count evenweave linen so the stitches weren’t too small as my eyesight is not what it was! Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

Mini Miranda Bag

Posted on May 9, 2015 by craftycreeky

Mini Miranda BagI’ve been so busy sewing and working this week that I haven’t had chance to tell you about it! It’s my own fault, I entered too many classes in the local show and the deadline is looming, like it’s next Saturday and I’ve still to finish a scarf and a soft toy and I’ve to make three coat-hangers…no pressure then!! I have reassured my very patient OH that usual domestic standards will resume after the show!!

I’ve entered three  bags, one is definitely going to be the embroidered bag I made earlier in the year, last month I made a chicken bag and earlier this week I made a mini Miranda bag. I wanted a bag pattern that had a darker base as I found a remnant on Ebay of furnishing weight fabric with a gorgeous magnolia design. I love magnolias and this was particularly nice. However I decided the light colour wasn’t that practical for the base of a bag. I went to The Fent Shop in Skipton, a bit of a treasure trove of fabrics and found a fent of brown fabric that matched perfectly. Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts, Sewing | Tagged | 4 Comments

Monday’s meander around the garden

Posted on May 4, 2015 by craftycreeky

TulipsIt’s amazing the difference a week makes! We were away for 5 days last weekend and everything seems to have shot up at least 6″, including the weeds of course! It’s starting to look like a garden now, with perennials filling out, trees and shrubs coming into leaf and flowers appearing. Continue reading →

Posted in Garden | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Indian Mosiac finished!

Posted on May 3, 2015 by craftycreeky

Indian MosiacI’ve finished the Indian Mosiac and yesterday I took it down to the framers! Dipping my toe out of my comfort zone definitely paid off, I’m really pleased with the result!

I bought the kit at the Knitting and Stitching show last year, completely on impulse as the sample on display was stunning and they had a kit in ‘my colours’ I was also reassured by the assistant that it wasn’t difficult, which I suppose it wasn’t, you can make it as hard or easy as you please depending on the type of embroidery you embellish it with. I just like a bit more instruction, but she is trying to make us more creative, there wasn’t even a photo of a finished one on the front!! Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts, Sewing | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Indian Mosiac

Posted on April 30, 2015 by craftycreeky

We’ve just had a long weekend away in Istanbul, it’s an amazing city, I loved it, I don’t usually like city breaks as so many are just full of the same shops, and I’m not really into shopping! Istanbul was different, full of wonderful historic buildings and of course the bazaars! I knew I would have two days on my own in the city whilst my OH went to Gallipoli, so apart from booking a fantastic two day walking tour (which I can highly recommend!) I needed to take some  sewing with me for the evenings.

Indian MosiacI decided to put my bee pincushion on one side for a short while as it really wasn’t practical to take, I decided to concentrate on my Indian Mosaic, time is pressing for this project too as I want to enter it in the local show in mid May, and it will need framing…

I showed you the start of the mosaic here, making the fabric mosaic, now came the scary bit, well out of my comfort zone, to embroider it as I wish! The kit provided some embroidery ribbon, hemp threads, variegated  thread and beads, I took a few extra bits to titivate and a book with embroidery stitches. Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts, Sewing | Tagged , , | 4 Comments