Busy Bees

Posted on January 10, 2020 by craftycreeky

Last year I made my mum a cross-stitch small with a beautiful bumble bee on it. The pattern is still available on Etsy, I think it’s gorgeous! I found some cheerful quilting fabrics with sunflowers and bees on to titivate it. We used to keep bees when I was young so it seemed appropriate, she loved it…

Bee cross-stitch

The cross-stitch was so beautiful I decided to make myself one too! This time I made it more oblong shaped with a subtle soft green fabric with bees on. I added some mini pompom trim with ric-rac and beads round the edge…

Bee cross-stitch

I posted it on facebook and a good friend asked if I would make her one too! Over Christmas I stitched the bumblebee and later sent her photos of three different options for making it up. She chose the pretty green fabric with bees amongst twines of leaves. It’s one of my favourite fabrics at the moment…

Bee cross-stitch

I rummaged through my trims drawer to see what would work, trying lace, pom-poms, ribbon – someone asked to see my drawer, well here it is!!!

trims

As you can see I still haven’t worked out a way of sorting it! I tend to pick up lengths at shows or just when I see them. At first I found it quite hard as I didn’t know what I would use – I’m getting better!

I stitched the basic oblong, added bee tape and a gorgeous variegated ricrac which co-ordinated perfectly with the blue of the buds on the fabric. I stitched on the backing and stuffed it. I still felt it needed a little more embellishment so I added some tiny soft gold beads next to the ric-rac – it’s just enough.

Bee cross-stitch

I wanted something round the edge, but the ric-rac would have been too much, so I chose three coordinating DMC threads and made some cord. I used two shades of blue and a soft yellow. Now I have a cord maker it’s a two minute job. I stitched it round, forming a loop at the top and a bow behind to finish off the back.

handmade cord

She loves it! I think it’s the first time I’ve stitched a pattern more than once – three times is definitely a record!

Bee cross-stitch
Posted in Crafts, embroidery, Serendipity, Smalls of the Month | Tagged , | 22 Comments

Textiles photo challenge; Playtime!

Posted on January 8, 2020 by craftycreeky

Sandra from Wild Daffodil is organising a monthly photo challenge again (last years theme was windows) this year it’s all about textiles – right up my street! Do follow the link to her post to see lots more textiles.

I’ve been playing today,messing about with paints and paper…

I got a bit behind with the Stitchbook Collective, monthly workshops which are produced by Helen Bellingham of Untangled Threads. They’re great, she sends everything you need to try a new technique and as well as written instructions she provides a really good video too. December’s box was on Joomchi, with Christmas etc I hadn’t got round to doing it, so when January’s box arrived and it was also a messy one I decided to have a messy morning!

Joomchi is an ancient Korean paper-making technique which uses water to mesh several layers of thin mulberry paper together to make one pice, it’s a bit like felting with paper. The traditional mulberry paper is pretty expensive here in the UK but Helen has devised a way of using Thai mulberry paper which is easy to get and much cheaper. Helen sent us half a dozen sheets in the pack of random colours, I also happened to have a sheet of handmade paper which I’ve had for years, it feels like a thicker version of mulberry paper, what I love is the leaves and petals that are caught withing it.

I learnt how to tear mulberry paper accurately – just wet a line – so simple when you know how!! I made four samples altogether, first up is the one with a pink circle. The pink is rubbed gently until it becomes almost threadbare, showing lacy holes. For the second sample I used different colours to make a bit of a collage effect.

joomchi

My favourites are the last two. I’d saved my favourite papers for these – a lovely soft green paper and a blue/grey one with fibres in it, they blended nicely with my leaf paper. I made one by layering strips of paper and putting the leaf one on top, this one is a little fragile really.

joomchi

The last one was made by making a ‘frame’ in the darker green and then felting it t the grey with a leaf on top. I really like these two. I’ve just got to put some stitches on them now and create something.

joomchi

This months workshop was on gel plate printing. Helen had sent a gel plate and a selection of paints together with calico etc. There were three main prints from each ‘painting’, the first is the strongest, a second is softer, then the gel is sprayed with water for the third print which gives a lovely watercolour effect. We could also play around with second prints overlaying prints.

My first attempt was just a sort of moorland scene. I then tried a proper scene. Regular readers may recognise the shape of my favourite fell, catbells. I had to concentrate painting it as everything comes out in reverse!

gel printing

For my final set I felt I really needed to try some different colours, I decided to do a sort of poppy field, overlaying with extra splodges of red. I was pretty pleased with these but when I popped them on the radiator to dry they immediately marked from the metal lines, I’m hoping I can do something arty-farty with these!!

Now I have to do something creative with them, embroider them, embellish them,, even tear them up and rearrange them!!

Watch this space…

Posted in Crafts, Serendipity, Textile Books, The Stitchbook Collective | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

2020 Vision

Posted on January 7, 2020 by craftycreeky

Over the last couple of years I’ve set a challenge over the year of things I wanted to make or do, I started to compile ideas for Twenty for 2020, but the numbers were just getting too big – it also makes for a long post each month! I enjoyed having the challenge, trying to meet targets without fretting if one wasn’t going to get started, never mind finished, but it needed a new framework…

I’m trying to reduce my stash somewhat – I have to admit (don’t tell anyone!!) but it’s getting a bit out of hand!! Not helped by lots of people passing stuff on to me! I’ve made a list of twenty projects I want to complete over the year. Several of these are projects which I know will stretch me a bit, but I’ve had the fabric and the pattern for ages, prevaricating as I know it’s not going to be a quick and easy make. I’m also hoping that having made one and remembered it’s not so difficult, I’ll go on and make more!

There are also kits which have been in my stash for far too long, quilts I’ve got all the fabric for, unfinished projects..

So here’s my list, five quilts, five clothes, five projects and five items or kits;

Clothes;

  • Jeans; I’ve got two patterns, all the buttons and zips etc, lots of denim, and I need some new jeans!
  • Trousers; I’ve two trouser lengths in my stash and a wardrobe lacking in trousers!
  • Tailored jacket; I’ve a Vogue pattern for a beautiful tailored jacket and several lengths of wool to choose from.
  • Tailored coat; I bought a coat length form a local mill in the autumn. I’m just waiting for Vogue patterns to have a half price sale so I get the pattern I want.
  • Sheer blouse; I’ve about three sheer fabric lengths which will make very pretty shirts, it’s just having the courage to start!

Quilts;

  • Coming Home quilt; This is my Sarah Fielke BOM from last year, I’m a bit behind but I’m not doing her final deep border. I still need to applique the corners and then add a final smaller border.
  • The Cottage Garden quilt; this is in a book by Kathryn Whittingham. The quilt is gorgeous, lots of embroidered and appliqued blocks, I collected all the fabrics last year, just trying to get a few finishes before I start this one.
  • Baby quilt; we’ve got a new baby due in the family in the spring, so I’ll make a quilt for the new arrival.
  • Scrappy quilt; I’ve joined a new facebook page on scrap quilts and it’s quite inspiring!
  • Charity Quilts; I’m planning to make some more quilts for careleavers, and maybe one to be auctioned too.

Projects;

  • Stitchbook Collective; I’m really enjoying this and it’s certainly stretching me, there’s another nine boxes for me to do.
  • Mum’s book; I started this last year – just!! I’ve collected all her crafty things together, finished and unfinished and I’m putting them together in a textile book. I hope she’ll like it.
  • Anthea SAL; this is a year long stitch-a-long by Faby Reilly, the first pattern came out yesterday and it’s gorgeous – a beautiful snowdrops design for January.
  • Workshop finishes; I’ve two projects left from workshops which I want to finish, an embroidery of a hare and a Bethlehem style embroidery.
  • The Finery of Nature; I’m three-quarters of the way through this, but that’s probably still three months work!! I started this way back in 2018!!

Things!

  • Slippers! I’ve a kit to make a pair of quilted slippers and my current ones are getting to be a bit of an embarrassment!!
  • Lampshade; I’ve two kits at least from Raggedy Ruff designs to make a lampshade, similar style to my Woodland Wreath quilt.
  • Jelly Roll Rug; I’ve the fabric and lots of spare batting to make a rug, I want a little one for the bathroom as a practise and then a bigger one for the dining room.
  • Wallet; Having finally made myself a new handbag, I now need a new wallet!
  • Luna Lapin; I want to make myself a Luna, I’m also wondering about making one for my mum for her birthday. I made an Archie Lapin for my great-nephew last year.

So that’s my challenge for the year, I did wonder about adding 20 walks, 20 books and 20 smalls, but it just makes for very long lists and I’ll tell you about them anyway as the year progresses!

You never know, I might actually have a smaller stash by the end of the year!!

Posted in Crafts | 21 Comments

Monday’s Meander Round the Garden

Posted on January 6, 2020 by craftycreeky

It’s a few weeks since I last posted a mooch round the garden, mainly because the weather was inclement to say the least, cold, wet and miserable, day light opportunities are limited too as winter days are so short. I’m a fair weather gardener! A few people have commented how they missed the posts, so I thought I’d share a few photos again.

Having gone out to take some photos I probably spent about an hour outside, weeding, cutting back dead wood, generally starting to tidy up. I have to say I did feel a lot better for a bit of fresh air and physical work. I often find at this time of year that from inside the weather looks pretty uninviting, but once I’m out there, all wrapped up, I can happily stay out for quite a while.

winter garden

I cut down the big clematis which goes over the arch on the patio, It’s meant to be cut back late winter, I usually wait until it starts to bud, so it could be early January or it might not be until mid February if it’s a cold winter. Cutting it all back has also revealed just how rickety the old arch has become, I’ve got a couple of weeks off in March and I’m tempted to make a new one, this one was bought probably about 12 years ago, so it’s not done badly, but having made an arbour last year for the Amber & Amethyst garden which was really just a wide arch, I feel I could tackle this arch without risk of it falling on someone!

The evergreens form the backbone of the garden in winter, I have box, choisya, several osmanthus, camillia, rhodendrons, pierris…

winter garden

… as well as little ones such as hebes and eunonymous or this one which used to have the pretty name of sennecio, but now has the somewhat ugly name of brachyglottis!!

You can just see the bird feeders in the photo above, we’ve had a lot more birds than usual this year, they’re emptying some of the feeders within days! As well as the usual bluetits, great tits and coal tits, we’ve also had bull finches, goldfinches , a pair of nuthatches, we’ve even had the woodpecker back who we haven’t seen for a few years! The long-tailed tits are doing well this year, they’re tiny birds so a bad winter can decimate them,but there’s about a dozen visit our feeders each day.

brachglottis

I noticed today that the buds on the hellebores are starting to swell, I have quite a few different colours now so they make a great early spring show.

hellebores

The magnolia buds are also forming, they’re quite a way off flowering but it does give you a feeling that spring isn’t that far away.

magnolia buds

Bulbs are starting to shoot too, these ones are early daffodils.

daffodil

I’ve an awful lot of tidying up to do before spring arrives, but at least I’ve made a start.

Posted in Garden | Tagged | 12 Comments

The Finery of Nature SAL

Posted on January 5, 2020 by craftycreeky

It’s time for a mini happy dance again as I’ve just finished another quarter of my Finery of Nature Dimensions kit. I think I’m getting a bit quicker the nearer to the end I get, this quarter took just over three months. Hopefully I might have it finished by Easter, that would be nice.

Three weeks ago I was here…

The Finery of Nature

I haven’t done a huge amount as Christmas and other projects got in the way but I finished the border and added the french knots to the flowers. I’ve made smaller french knots this time and I think they look much better. The pattern uses three threads for the knots, I think I just used two threads for the first half. This time I just used one thread and two loops and I think they look about right…

The Finery of Nature

Of course this does mean I’m going to have to pull out the others and re-stitch them!

The final quarter is of two butterflies, hopefully they won’t take too long to stitch.

The Finery of Nature

This stitch-a-long is organised by Avis, we share our progress every three weeks, it’s a great motivator! If you would like to join us please send a message to Avis, in the meantime please follow the links to see what everyone else has been stitching over Christmas.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ

I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, please follow the link to see more hand-stitching inspiration.

Posted in embroidery, Stitch-a-long | Tagged , | 25 Comments

Zen Time

Posted on January 4, 2020 by craftycreeky

I got a bit behind with my zen cross-stitch, it’s actually called Enlightenment and it’s a mystery SAL which publishes the next section every two weeks. Last time I showed you I’d just finished part 7, but I then neglected it whilst I concentrated on finishing my gorgeous Zoe box…

Enlightenment SAL

Gosh, I just checked and this was six weeks ago!

Anyway, over the last week I dug it put again and cracked on with the next two sections, plus a little more…

Enlightenment SAL

I like the colour scheme of this sampler, especially the border, but I’m still a bit disappointed that as a mystery SAL it has been so predictable – I’m pretty sure I could finish it now if I wanted to, but I’ll be good and wait for the instructions to come out! I’m going to make it into a cushion when it’s finished to go in our guest room.

I’ll be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts tomorrow for Slow Stitching Sunday, please follow the link to see lots more hand-stitching.

Posted in embroidery, Stitch-a-long | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Final Nineteen for 19

Posted on January 1, 2020 by craftycreeky

Happy new year! Hope you had a good one, I managed to stay up til midnight but I think we were in bed by quarter past!Anyway, I decided to try and write my last nineteen for 19 post a bit more promptly. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s gone, it’s given me something to focus on whilst not fretting if one challenge wasn’t going to get done (or even started!!). So here goes, hope you’re sitting comfortably…

  • 1 scrap quilt; this is one I haven’t even started, but I’ve got plans for this year and lots of inspiration from a new facebook page!
  • 2 tutorials; another non-starter!
  • 3 sessions a week in the garden; This works really well, it got me outside much earlier in the year than I would have otherwise and with a garden like mine an early start makes a huge difference.We had the open garden in July, which although we chose the wettest weekend of the year it still managed to raise a good amount for charity.
  • hellebores
  • 4 workshops; I’ve attended three embroidery ones at Fabbadashery, though I still have to complete two of the projects, I’ve also been on a stained glass workshop and a gardening one. I also ran a quilting workshop!
  • 5 presents; I made three bags for Christmas presents, they had pretty robins on them, I also made a small out of a leftover scrap of robin fabric. I embellished a cardigan for my mum too.

6 quilts; I finally finished my Down the Rabbit Hole quilt in December, three years in the making! I think that puts my tally at seven!!

  • 7 new patterns; I’ve just made a Skye Wrap, so that’s 8 new patterns;
  • 8 kits; I think I’ve made seven so far this year, unfortunately I’ve bought more than that so mt stash hasn’t gone down!
  • 9 mini embroideries; in December I made another two pages for my Stitchbook collective and I also embroidered a robin for a card, bringing my total to 13 I also stitched 16 mini embroideries for Advent SAL…!
  • Chickadee embroidery
  • 10 things; I haven’t got any photos yet, but I made my son two sets of curtains in December- I decided I really don’t like making curtains – especially heavy woolen ones! This brings my total to fourteen with the three bags I made too.
  • Sewing room cushion; www.thecraftycreek.com
  • Tall Year Square Etui

11 cross-stitch smalls; I went a bit mad with smalls this year, I made another one last month which brings my total to about 15!

  • 12 pages in my book; I finally started this project in November, I didn’t get any made during the Christmas rush but it’s one of my priorities for next year.

13 clothes made; I made another dress last month and also a wrap, which pushes my total over the target to 14! After a slow start with this one I finally got there!

  • 14 drawers organised; I’ve had a huge sort out in my sewing room over the last couple of weeks, I’ve sorted patterns, buttons, threads, fabric- I’ve definitely reached this target, though unfortunately my sewing room doesn’t look any tidier for it!
  • 15 minutes tidy-up after each session; mmm, ditto last comment!
  • 16 books; this has been my most successful target this year, not just because I smashed the target with over 30 books, but more because it changed my habits, I found a space for reading in my routine and stuck to it.
  • 17 blog posts per month; December was the only month I didn’t make this one, usually I exceeded it, I also realised over Christmas that I had just written my 1000th post!!
  • 18 walks; my walking buddy and I walked the Cleveland Way last year, together with practise walks we managed 21 walks, which is nearly 2 a month so not bad!
  • 19 Splendid Sampler blocks; I made these and lots more so I could finish the quilt.

So quite a productive year! I’m a little bit crafty with these challenges, making sure that quite a few overlap, so a new pattern is also clothing, a thing is also a present, lots of quilt blocks make a quilt…I’ve just added things up and altogether I’ve made about fifty different things, which sounds a lot, but it’s actually only one a week, OK some take an awful lot longer, but others were just an evening or two.

I still haven’t finalised my Twenty for 2020, but I think this will be my last year as the numbers are just getting too big, even for me, I’ll have to think of a different challenge after that!

Posted in Nineteen for 19 | Tagged | 24 Comments

Skye Wrap

Posted on December 31, 2019 by craftycreeky

I’ve admired Skye Wraps for a while, they’re a pattern from Cool Crafting, (the home of Luna Lapin!!) and they keep appearing on my facebook feed. I finally bought the pattern at the Harrogate Show in November. Whilst sorting out my sewing room I found a length of light-weight blue and purple wool which I felt would be pretty good as a wrap, it had plenty of drape and it was the sort of weight which would work as an extra layer indoors. Even better I found a leftover length of Liberty lawn which matches pretty well.

It was also a nice simple sewing project to sew on my new sewing machine!! My 20 odd year old Janome was starting to make funny noises and I wanted to get one whilst it still worked, rather than waiting til it goes bang with a puff of smoke (like the last one did!!) So I spent the last few months looking at different models, deciding what features I wanted. I went to the Harrogate show with an open mind but pretty much set on a Janome…and came home with a Brother Innovis 1800, it was a good deal anyway and then I got an extra £100 off as I bought the show demo! It’s a bit scary though!!

I’m having to learn from scratch – it threads up different to my old one, everything is different, so the instruction manual has been out quite a few times – I have now managed to get it to thread the needle after three failed attempts!

So, back to the wrap! It’s basically just a lined rectangle with buttons down the side. One useful feature is that the lining is cut slightly shorter so it makes like a one inch facing strip. What this means is that when turning the wrap the right way round it’s much easier to get the corners neat as there’s not so much bulk.

Skye wrap

The pattern calls for three large feature button, and by large it means about 1.5″. I had a rummage in my button box, there were some smaller blue buttons, but nothing so big. Then I noticed a pack of three large wooden buttons, I’ve no idea where they came from – I’m pretty sure I didn’t buy them! I decided colourwise they looked OK, I would have preferred blue or purple, but actually the brown wood worked. I also noticed they were very light, buttons of this size can be pretty heavy and that could change the drape of the wrap.

Buttons chosen, I just had to make the buttonholes. I found the buttonhole attachment, found the right page in the instruction manual. The first thing I read was maximum size 1.1″!!!

I pulled out my old Readers Digest Complete Sewing Guide – it’s a gem is this book, worth getting if you spot one in a charity shop as it goes through all the different techniques you need when sewing – different seams, collar styles, zip insertion…and buttonholes! This was written before machines had automatic buttonhole feet. I was thinking of just refreshing my memory on how to do a machine buttonhole, but the first type described was a bound buttonhole (three different methods were given – I chose the easiest!!). I decided that would be rather nice in the Liberty lawn. I had a practice first with a scrap and it looked OK.

I made three bound button holes on the wrap – one useful tip in the book was to do all the buttonholes at the same time – each stage stitch all three, it makes it easier to get an even finish, rather than completing one buttonhole and then moving on to the next one.

The only bit I changed on the buttonholes was the finish on the back, the book just suggested trimming the edges neatly. I wasn’t keen on the raw edge and as Liberty lawn is so fine I decided to slip-stitch it under.

I can see me making a few of these, they’re an ideal make from short lengths left over from skirt or dress making.

Skye wrap

This is definitely the final finish for 2019, so I wish you all a very happy 2020!

Posted in Dressmaking, Serendipity, Sewing | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Unseasonably Small

Posted on December 29, 2019 by craftycreeky

I started this little cross-stitch back at the start of November, it was a kit I bought at Bonds in Farsley – three for £5, I found two pretty blue designs and was struggling to find a third kit for my bargain price. The assistant pointed this one out, it’s got a sort of old-fashioned quaintness about it. I also thought that as the flowers are more peach/orange, it will spread from summer to autumn for my smalls display! I think it was a Lanarte kit, I saved the pack for this moment, but having just totally reorganised my sewing room I’ve mislaid it!

I changed the aida provided for some evenweave linen, not sure what colour this is officially, it’s an off white, light stone sort of colour. It would have been fairly quick to stitch if I didn’t have so many other projects on the go, as it was it was December before it was finished and it had to wait til last night to be made into a small.

I found some green quilting cotton in my stash and played around a bit with trims before I finally decided on the narrow ivory lace and the beige tape. Having stitched it together and stuffed it I felt it needed something else. I tried some buttons in the corners but that didn’t work, so they got unpicked.

This morning I decided to try beads, I fished out my bead box, had a rummage and found these lovely amber coloured beads, they’re from a mixed colour set from Hobbycraft and they’ve proved very useful over time. I found some tiny green ones which were a similar shade to the cotton as well as the flower bead. Ideas began to formulate…

I stitched an amber bead in each corner, using a tiny green bead to help secure it. For one top corner I went through the amber bead, then picked up just over an inch of the tiny green ones, the flower and finally a peach mini bead, I then threaded the needle back down the line of green beads as far as the amber one. I then picked up another good inch of green beads, finishing with a bright blue one which had escaped into the green bead pot, it just happened to be the same shade as the flower jug. I added a bird charm before returning back through the line of beads and securing the thread back in the small.

Job done! It’s just enough to finish it without overwhelming the design, the beads aren’t quite so bright as they look with camera flash! I think this will be the last cross-stitch finish of 2019, it will be all ready when summer and autumn 2020 arrive!

Posted in embroidery, Serendipity, Smalls of the Month | Tagged | 17 Comments

Christmas Stitching

Posted on December 24, 2019 by craftycreeky

Towards the end of November I saw a mystery Christmas stitch-a-long advertised. It was a freebie by Hugs and kisses, it was only for Advent, so I wouldn’t be committing myself to a long project, and a little bit of stitching for Christmas would be fun! I signed up!

I have to admit that I thought it would be a mixture of embroidery and quilting, sort of stitch an embroidery, make a block, so by Christmas we would have something made and I would have used up some of my Christmas fabric stash. It turned out it was just little embroidery blocks and as yet no instructions on what to do with them, having said that, they are very sweet and I have enjoyed stitching them.

Advent stitching

They’re all designed to fit in a 2″ circle. I stitched them all in DMC 115 which as you can see is a variegated red. As you can see I’m a bit behind, I’ve got 16 stitched. I also managed to stitch one on the wrong side of the fabric, so my logic said stitch another one on the wrong side, it won’t be as noticeable if there’s more than one!! Hence there are two stitched on the wrong side!

I think these are my favourites so far…

I quite fancy making a table runner from them, but I’m open to suggestions and ideas – I am planning to make the other eight.

In the meantime, hope you have a lovely Christmas and a very happy New Year x

Posted in Christmas, embroidery | Tagged , | 15 Comments