Partridge in a Pear tree

Posted on December 4, 2014 by craftycreeky

One of our ladies in my WI is quite high up in the Christmas Swagflower arranging world and every so often she runs a workshop for charity, they’re brill! Yesterday it was the Christmas workshop, we made a swag for the door in the morning, full of pine cones, cinnamon sticks and lots of different kinds of foliage.

We had a lovely lunch then in the afternoon we made topiary trees, it took ages to put all the cupressus neatly into the ball of oasis! As soon as I saw it I knew what I was going to put on the top, the partridge on the front cover of the December Making magazine! I’ve been eyeing it up since I bought the magazine a couple of weeks ago!

Partridge in a Pear Tree

As soon as I got home I started going through my fabric stash, I decided to use a gorgeous blue/green with a swirly gold pattern for the main body. The wings are from a pattern I’ve nick-named my zazzle fabric,  a bright mix of pink, purple green, blue…in a sort of feathery swirly pattern! The effect was like the feathers on a birds wing, unfortunately I got confused when cutting out so my ‘feathers’ go the wrong way! The underparts are in a cream with a gold feathery pattern, I used the same for the pear.

Partidge

Pear

The instructions were really clear and it went together fairly quickly and easily. The only change I made was to the feet, I extended them to make spikes for sticking in oasis. By the end of the evening I had a partridge in a pear tree!

 

Partrisge in a Pear Tree

I’m linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday and Show off Saturday

 

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Cushions Galore!

Posted on December 2, 2014 by craftycreeky

I’ve just finished my fifth cushion, I was definitely on a roll! I started making two for Christmas presents and then carried on…

Script Cushion

First one was from a remnant of script tapestry fabric, there was quite a lot around a few years ago and I just had an 18″ square left. It was perfect as it includes the initials of my mother in law and also she likes latin!! I found a piece of furnishing fabric to back it with and bought some coordinating cord trim at Samuel Taylors in Leeds.

When I’m making a cushion I tend to cut it out the same size as the cushion pad. By which I mean if it is an 18″ pad then I cut an 18* square, by the time seam allowances are taken off it makes a nice plumped up cushion. I also rarely inset a zip, my defence is that usually I’m making them from tapestries or furnishing fabrics which aren’t washable anyway, if I need to clean it I can always undo the hand-stitching. If I’m attaching a cord to trim it I do find it easier to hand-stitch one on after, rather than using cord on a tape, I don’t find I can stitch as close to the cord as I want, even with a zipper foot. This time I used both methods, the script cushion trim was on tape, the atlas cushion was hand stitched after.

Map Cushion

I am pleased with the map cushion, it’s some fabric I got on Goldhawk Road in October. My father in law was born in Australia but now lives in England, due to the repeat on the pattern I managed to get Australia in the top corner and England in the bottom corner! My main problem with this cushion was the contour lines on the map, I foolishly thought they were straight…they’re not! I decided to go with the slight parallelogram shape rather than a true square. I’m looking out for some tiny heart buttons to stitch on Melbourne and Weston Super Mare.

William Morris Hare

The tapestry hare is a William Morris design I did years ago, it had sat in a cupboard as it had come out parallelogram shape (there’s a pattern forming here!!) despite stretching. I found some green velvet in my stash which matched perfectly. It still looks a bit misshaped, but it may as well be used as stuck in a cupboard, I still love the design.

The last cushion is only 12″ square. It’s a Embroidered cushionDimensions embroidery kit from years ago…actually don’t remember doing this one, I know I did one of a girl with a basket of flowers (waiting to be framed!) I’m beginning  to wonder if my mother stitched this one!! I backed it with the same green velvet. I couldn’t find a cushion pad small enough so in the end I made one from some calico and stuffed it with toy stuffing, it makes a lovely soft cushion!! This one will be rather nice in the summerhouse during the summer.

Five cushions in just over a week is definitely a record for me 🙂

Cushions Galore!

 

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Advent Calender

Posted on December 2, 2014 by craftycreeky

Well the Advent Calendar is up and running, a bit last minute but it’s there! I made this when James was about 2 years old, I used to find a present that would divide into 24 pieces so by Christmas they had a new toy or they had made something, mecano kits worked well, first page of instructions and tools on the first day…playmobile was good too as there are lots of little pieces! It got more difficult once they got older so now I do resort to chocolate!Advent Calendar

The calendar was a pre-printed length of fabric with instructions on stitching all the pockets on. I then hand quilted round the main features such as the door and the children. Loops on the top make it easier to hang.

It’s rather nice to think this has been coming out every Christmas for the last 18 years! I love Advent traditions and the gradual build up to Christmas, we also have a little wooden tree that happens to have 24 decorations, we usually have an Advent candle, I did buy one, I’m sure I did, several weeks ago…I put it somewhere safe….Advent Calendar

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Advent Sunday Candles and Stitching

Posted on November 30, 2014 by craftycreeky

Asvent ringI’ve been busy making my Advent ring today as it’s the first Sunday in Advent. It’s a tradition that goes back to my childhood which I’ve chosen to carry on with my family. When the children were little it marked the beginning of Christmas celebrations. We have a collection of Christmas books that would come out of storage, we’d light a candle, read some stories, sing some carols round the piano, and finish with the story of the Nativity. Of course there was the year when we got to the bit in the story and I said ‘What’s the baby called?’ James replied ‘Jesus’ to which Helen said ‘But I want to call it Rachel’ and she insisted it was Rachel for the rest of that Christmas!!Basket of foliage

Now the children are 17 and 19, they’re clearly not interested in such traditions, so I’ve changed it slightly! I tried lighting the candles during Sunday tea but it seemed rushed, so this year I’m making it into a bit of me time!, I’m lighting it at 5pm when I like to sit down with a glass of sherry, maybe do a bit of hand-sewing…a quiet time!

Oasis trimmed to fitMy candlestick was a bargain on Otley market, I got the idea of sitting a wreath on it from a flower arranging class one of our WI ladies ran. I couldn’t get one small enough so I trimmed it a bit. I gathered the foliage from the garden, I like to use lots of different foliage, so there’s box, ivy, cupressus, eucalyptus, osmanthus (instead of holly) plus Foliageothers whose names escape me! I usually try to put some herbs in such as rosemary and sage, to add a subtle scent, but my plants aren’t big enough this year. I remembered not to put choisya in as it smells like cats pee! I’ve added sedum and astrantia flowers for a bit of colour. As this arrangement has to last til Christmas, I don’t usually put decorations in yet, as leaves die off they can be replaced by pinecones, poppy heads and wired baubles. I spotted the lights in a florists in Otley yesterday, they give an extra bit of sparkle.Advent Ring

This afternoon I thought I’d start some Christmas sewing, RudolfI fell for the design on Candyfloss Ramparts, it just made me smile! I had my first attempt with a transfer pen, my test on some cotton worked beautifully, not so successful on felt! I resorted to the air-erasable pen to try and show the letters. I’m really pleased with Rudolf, the top letters aren’t bad, but the bottom ones are a bit wobbly! It’s all back stitch with two or three strands of embroidery thread so it didn’t take long at all, just got to get another frame to hang it in now 🙂Rudolf

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Friendship Poem

Posted on November 25, 2014 by craftycreeky

As I’ve just completed an embroidery about friendship I thought this poem would follow on nicely for ‘Poem of the Month’

It was written by Susan Polis Schutz. I first came across it in 1978, it was written on a card given to me by my sister on the occasion of my confirmation. I kept the card for years and eventually got it framed, it still hangs in my hallway. My sister lives about 3 miles away, close enough to be there when we need each other, but not in each others pockets!

Someone –

to talk with

to dance with

to sing with

to eat with

to laugh with

to cry with

to think with

to understand

Someone –

to be my friend

My sister, me and Wags the dog on Catbells

My sister, me and Wags the dog on Catbells

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Tapestry Cushion

Posted on November 24, 2014 by craftycreeky

I’m on a bit of a roll with cushions at the moment, I made two as Christmas presents yesterday, I’ll show you those once I get pads in them both. I then started looking at tapestries I did years ago, and I mean years ago, like 20!! These are ones  (I hope I’m not the only one like this) which ended up somewhat parallelogram shape, despite the use of a frame and several attempts to stretch them after. They’ve sat in my sewing room ever since.

Yes it's seriously wonky!

Yes it’s seriously wonky!

Having pondered for a while I decided to just go with the shape and hope the cushion pad sorted it out! The design I’ve finished today was in a tapestry book, the tassels were embroidered in after the damask part had been stitched. The pink shading on the ball of the tassel is due to one of my attempts to straighten it, I dampened it and the felt tip I used for marking came through!! I wondered about trying to square it up using braid overlaid, but as you can see it is very out!

I found some jelly roll lengths that matchedTassels colour wise and I decided to do a log cabin round it. I briefly wondered about doing one of the skewed log cabins, almost to go with the unevenness.

I went for a traditional log cabin design with three strips. It came out bigger than I thought..I know, I really should plan things better! I had a 20″ cushion pad, but this measured about 22″ To rectify this I stitched through front and back round the outer strip to create a border a bit like an Oxford pillowcase! I put the pad in, pushed it out of the way and then stitched up the gap, I just had to hand stitch the border edge then. It does mean that I can’t get the pad out again but realistically I’m not going to wash it so it really doesn’t matter!

I’m amazed how well this has come out, looking at it I wouldn’t guess how out of shape the tapestry is, so if you’ve got one lurking in a cupboard too, just go for it 🙂

Tassels cushion

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Friends Embroidery completed

Posted on November 23, 2014 by craftycreeky

I’ve just finished a Christmas present for my friend, it’s a little embroidery mounted in a bound embroidery hoop. The design is from Bustle and Sew, the pattern has a fox in the centre but as my friend is a cat person I changed the head and narrowed down the tail.

It’s a long time since I’ve done “proper embroidery”! I had a few problems with transferring the pattern onto the fabric, mainly because the air fade pen faded too darn fast, like I didn’t even have chance to choose my thread the first time…I think I need a new pen!Friends Embroidery

I bondawebbed the appliqued part first, then stitched the letters, with hindsight I would have been better to do the applique last as the changes I made did affect the ‘weight’ of the design, I would have centred it differently.

Due to the issues with my pen, I traced and embroidered the letters first, then went back to trace the flowers, I just marked the stems as I felt that would be sufficient.   I’m really pleased with the flowers, heart and stems, it came out much neater than I thought it would.Flowers

I found that the flowers weren’t quite lined up correctly with the writing, making the circle unbalanced, so I’ve added a little extra embroidery (her stylised initials -hope she doesn’t read this post!) and some extra French knots to fill in gaps between the flowers which I seem to have gained!

I stitched round the cat with blanket stitch and added whiskers etc, he’s a little more cheesy than I hoped but all in all I’m pleased with the result. I added a few extra flowers around the cat to try to balance out the design

I bound the embroidery hoop with a Debbie Munn check which happened to incorporate the main colours. I used my glue gun for the first time…and fell out with it! The instructions suggested I had 60 seconds before it dried, no I think I had about 5! I tried again but it then wouldn’t work so I resorted to PVA glue, it did bring back primary school memories as I peeled it off my fingers!

Despite the issues I had, I’m really pleased with the present and hopefully she will appreciate it too 🙂

Friends Embroidery

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Rowandean Embroidery at the show

Posted on November 23, 2014 by craftycreeky

Just had a great day meandering round the stalls at the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show, getting inspired by the fabrics and crafts on display, it’s nice to see an increasing amount of dress fabrics there too.Embroidery Kits

I fell for two kits, one is a textile embroidery by Stef Francis, the lady assured me it wasn’t as complicated as it looks, I hope so! The other is a hardanger embroidery kit by Jane Greenoff which I thought I might take on holiday for the occasional quiet time.

Fabric? Of course I bought some fabric! Fat Fabricquarters and batiks tempted me. I bought some pretty buttons, the purse frames were a bargain and couldn’t be left behind, a book which I hope will help me make one of those embroidered quilts.buttons

 

 

I then had a lovely hour or so sat at the Rowandean stall, they had a mini workshop set up so for £5 you got all the materials and tuition to make a flower embroidery. It was great to just sit and embroider for a while in a little haven of peace amongst the bustle of the show! The embroidery was just straight stitch, French knots, a few lazy daisies and feather stitch, nothing complicated but with all the organza underneath it was very effective.

Rownaden embroidery

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Chiffon Gabriola Skirt

Posted on November 22, 2014 by craftycreeky

Gabriola skirt in chiffonWell I’ve finally finished my Gabriola skirt in chiffon, I’m so pleased with it, it’s taken about a week on and off. I’ve also finally got the sizing right with the pattern! This is the 3rd skirt I’ve made from this pattern and each time I’ve made it smaller to try and get it to fit first time without having to take 2″ off the back seam. This time I measured my waist, added a bit for seam allowances and overlap, then checked the length against the waistband measurements. The result was I made a size 6 and it fits me perfectly, now as I’ve had two kids, I’m the wrong side of 10 stone and only just the right side of 50, it’s a long time since I made a size 6 pattern!!!!John Kaldor chiffon

I bought the chiffon years ago, it’s made by John Kaldor and judging by the amount I bought, it must have been in  a sale! It’s sat there for years as I was almost too scared to sew it as I love it that much I didn’t want to ruin it!

I finally plucked up the courage to make the Gabriola skirt in it. I changed my machine needle (a rare occurrence!)I even opened a new box of Merchant and Mills pins for the occasion, I have to say it was awful to cut out, it moved if you so much as looked at it! Once that bit was past it was actually fine to sew!  I chose a blue cotton to interline it, I  tried a light green first which did match perfectly, but when I put the blue under it it just seemed to sing! I had to alter the way I made the skirt to allow for the chiffon, so these are the changes I made…Insides of Gabriola skirt

I hand basted each yoke chiffon piece with the matching cotton piece, then stitched as one according to pattern instructions, however I then stitched the yoke front to the back at the sides. Next I stitched all the cotton skirt pieces together, I flat-felled the seams to get a neat finish. With some trepidation I then stitched all the chiffon skirt pieces together using French seams. I had to concentrate hard  as I couldn’t tell which was the right side of the material and I didn’t want to find I’d stitched the seam on the outside!

I laid the chiffon skirt over the cotton skirt and tacked the Hemming chiffontwo together, folding the centre back seam allowance under on the chiffon skirt.  I then attached it to the yoke, the side seams were a little awkward to get  neat but I got there in the end. I hand stitched the zip onto the cotton skirt and then slip stitched the chiffon skirt to the edges of the zip, this meant that at the bottom of the zip the chiffon skirt wasn’t folded in with the cotton skirt.

Yesterday was Friday Night Sew In, a virtual get together organised by Sugar Lane FNSIButtonDesigns, I spent the evening hemming my Gabriola Skirt! I hemmed the cotton skirt first about 2″ shorter than I wanted the final length. I found some instructions on how to sew a narrow hem on chiffon on Sew Country Chick (http://www.sewcountrychick.com/make-a-tiny-18-inch-couture-hem-for-sheer-fabrics/) I was a bit concerned that it was a curved hem but I have to say it worked a treat!

I’m really pleased with my skirt, it swishes beautifully, I can’t wait to wear it!

Swishing

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Friends Embroidery

Posted on November 17, 2014 by craftycreeky

I’ve just started some ‘proper’ embroidery! I’m always a bit nervous about embroidery as I feel it’s got to be perfect, cross-stitch is fairly easy to keep neat as there are holes to guide you, ‘proper embroidery’ is a bit more scary!!

I’ve been sewing another Gabriola skirt (this time in chiffon) but I need some kind soul to pin the hem. Whilst waiting for such a person to appear I decided to make a Christmas present for a special friend. Cat Embroidery

The design is from Bustle and Sew, I get the on-line magazine and the design was in the July issue. Helen has some really pretty designs on the website. The original design includes a fox, a very cute fox, but as my friend is very much a cat person I decided to swop heads and thin the tail out a bit, hey presto its a cat!!

I’ve appliqued the image with bondaweb, I’ve just to embroider it now. I traced the design using a fabric pen that disappears after a while, only I did hope I would have more than five minutes!! I traced it, chose the colour for the writing, and the pen markings had already faded!! Maybe my pen is a little old!! My second attempt was slightly more successful, I only traced the writing and wrote a little heavier. I then stitched very quickly!! The dogs nearly didn’t get a walk as light was falling fast as I tried to stitch it before it faded.Thread box

Despite having a large selection of embroidery threads of my own and also a large box of my mothers, I haven’t got the specified colours, isn’t that always the way! Anyway I think with this design I can choose my own colours, just hope I have more success with tracing 🙂

Friends Embroidery

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