Birds and Blooms Book

Posted on May 30, 2025 by craftycreeky

As I mentioned in my last post, my Birds and Blooms book won 3rd prize at Otley Show, last time I wrote about it was at the end of April, I had just begun constructing it…

All the pages are backed with iron-on buckram, this is double sided which makes it slightly tricky to use but it does mean once the pages are slip-stitched together and I iron them, they stick together and make a nice crisp page.

I added another page at the last minute as I found a cross-stitch which I’d done when I was in my teens, it was a wren bell pull to go with the bluetit chick bell pull, I’d been looking for it since I started this book, finally saw it in plain view…hanging behind my quilting rulers on my sewing room peg board! Anyway, I trimmed it down and added a side border. I used a pretty floral quilting cotton for the facing page.

Another cross-stitch I don’t think I’ve shared yet is a song thrush, this is another kit by Fido Stitch Studio on Ebay. These kits take me about a week if I concentrate so I think I did three new ones for this book. We get song thrushes very occasionally in the back garden but there are lots singing their heaerts out on the back lane. I’ve recently discovered the Merlin app, it identifies bird song, so I can walk up the back lane and it tells me which birds are singing. I can now recognise several birds by their song and I never knew there were so many chiff-chaffs along the lane!!

I stitched a contents page for the front page and then started on the cover. I initially tried to use a lovely Laura Ashley curtain fabric which has lots of birds sitting on a long branch – I’ve used a part of it for the facing page of the kingfisher. I just couldn’t get it neat enough, I think it was just a kittle too heavy. I decided instead to use a glorious quilting cotton covered in colourful flowers in a watercolour style. I love it, in fact if ever I see it again I’ll buy enough for a dress, it’s gorgeous! I stitched a title and initially I tried to pin and then machine stitch it on but it looked a right dogs dinner as it obviously moved a little. I carefully unpicked it and restitched it, I used the machine again but this time I drew a line with a Frixion pen to follow. It looks much better.

I stitched my initials and the date for the back page. I used a Lynette Anderson print which I picked up in a sale at a recent quilt show. I used the selvege in the design as I liked the words. I had a spare title stitched so I added it to the inside front cover.

I added a button and ribbon closure and a bookmark which has a little bird charm on the end. I’m well chuffed with it, especially as it has reused so many cross-stitch pieces.

I’ve made a video of my book and uploaded it to Youtube, here’s the link;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTK6MPE9CmE

Posted in cross-stitch, embroidery, Serendipity, Textile Books | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Otley Show

Posted on May 29, 2025 by craftycreeky

It was 214th Otley Show earlier in the month, Otley show is the oldest one day agricultural show in the country, it’s stuck to it’s rural roots with sheep, cows, shire horses etc and of course there’s the handicraft and produce tent where there’s baking, flower arrangements, crafts, art, children’s competitions. The weather does have a reputation of raining on Otley show day, in fact I was convinced the long dry spring we’ve had would break on show day!! Luckily the dry, warm weather stayed with us for a little longer.

I entered ten classes altogether, which might seem a little excessive but I was going for the cup!! The cup is awarded to the person who gains the most points in the handicrafts, so it’s worth entering several classes as you never know the quirks of the judge!! Anyway if you enter six classes you get a free entry to the show! I entered two items in each of the following classes; cross-stitch, needlework, hanging Christmas decoration, toy for young child and cushion. I haven’t managed to show you everything I made yet, I’ll try and catch up over the next couple of weeks.

It was worth it, despite only winning a 1st, a 2nd and two 3rds, I won the cup!

In the needlework class I entered my bee book, which won 1st and also my sea scape which did get a highly commended.

In the cross-stitch class my bird book came third, beaten to my surprise by the vintage sewing machine wall-hanging I made for my sewing room, that came 2nd.

The other 3rd prize was for a Christmas decoration, I entered one I made from a Faby Reilly pattern…

Daisy the sheep didn’t win anything, but she’s now looking pretty sitting next to Luna in my sewing room. We had the usual chunterings about what won and what didn’t win, that’s half the fun of entering 🙂 I can’t complain though seen as I won the cup!

Posted in cross-stitch, embroidery, Yorkshire | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Tuesday’s Totter Round the Garden

Posted on May 20, 2025 by craftycreeky

Part of my plan to make our garden lower maintenance is to plant more flowering shrubs, they take up a decent amount of room, often flower for a few weeks and still look reasonable for the rest of the year. So far I’ve planted a new buddleia, a hebe, a very pretty rhododendron as well as replanting quite a few which were moved for the redevelopment of the top garden.

Some of the established shrubs are putting on a good show at the moment, this pink one in the deep border is a deutzia I think, it’s been covered in flowers for a couple of weeks now. Once it’s finished flowering I really need to prune it, tidy it up a bit. You can just see the creamy white flowers of a philadelphus behind it, that one will smell gorgeous.

The smattering of alliums are looking good at the moment, I did have to dig a lot up as they were just getting to be invasive. In the photo above there’s also a pale pink aquilegia and a blue perennial cornflower.

Just above the patio on the raised bed is a large choisya, it’s covered in flowers but unfortunately doesn’t smell so nice, it’s reminiscent of cat pee!!

In the front garden is a beautiful rose, every year it’s smothered in blossom at this time of year, it’s scent is gorgeous. I’m pretty sure this is a Scottish rose, or  Rosa spinosissima, it is pretty prickly so it’s well named! I’m going to have to trim it a little after flowering as it’s quite a sqeeze to pass it on the path…and there’s a tall sucker that needs to come out.

I’ve room for a few more flowering shrubs so I’ll keep my eye open for them when we go to the RHS show in July.

Posted in Garden | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Guess How Much I Love You

Posted on May 19, 2025 by craftycreeky

One of my favourite books from when my kids were little is Guess How Much I love You, I just love the last line of ‘I love you all the way to the moon and back’ so when I found out I would have another grandson, I knew which range of fabrics I would be using, especially as I’d recently seen a baby quilt panel with scenes from the book.

Baby Frankie arrived during the Spring Solstice (my son seems to go for solstice babies as Hugo was born during the summer solstice!) I already had the quilt half made, I just wanted to add his name and quilt it.

I had the usual frustrations with the panel which just included the six pictures, separated by a ‘sashing’. Of course the sashing strip at the side of the panel wasn’t wide enough to match the rest so I ended up buying more fabric, cutting up the panel and stitching sashing strips all round. I then add the side borders.

I measured the side border and worked out the size of letters I needed to spell his name, Frankie. I then drew out the letters on graph paper, traced it to bondaweb, remembering just in time that some of the letters would need reversing before cutting out the individual letters.

Once I was happy with the placement I could iron it all in place. I used the blanket stitch option on my sewing machine, it double stitches it all so it does make a nice neat edge.

I decided to try a different wadding to my usual Hobbs and bought Matildas Own which is an Australian brand. It feels a little thinner but it has made a lovely soft, cuddly quilt. I pieced the back with left over fabric and once it was sandwiched I quilted it with a simple meandering stitch. I still don’t get a perfect meander but I am getting better.

Once quilted I used a narrow stripe in white and taupe for the binding. I think I first used a striped binding on Hugo’s baby quilt and I do like the effect. I machine stitched it down using the quilting in the ditch foot which I’ve only just discovered in my sewing box!

As usual I hand stitched the name of the quilt using the shapes of the quilting as a guide. I called the quilt ‘Sew Much Love’

Posted in Books, embroidery, grandchildren, Quilting, Sewing for Grandchildren | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Owl and Hare Hollow HQAL

Posted on May 18, 2025 by craftycreeky

Apologies for missing the update three weeks ago, we were in London as my OH was running the London marathon, I visited friends on the south coast on Friday/Saturday and mooched round London (26,000 steps worth of mooching!!) before finding a good spot to cheer him on near to St Pauls. He managed it in 6 hours which he was happy with after illness and injury left him wondering if he would finish at all.

So, a six week update! I haven’t managed much as my usual time for quilting (after 9pm) was taken up with Otley show entries. Six weeks ago I had completed 35 blocks…

I’m trying to tidy up round the edges a bit as I’d done it ‘properly’ and started in the middle, so I’ve a few edge blocks to do which I find a bit more fiddly as they’re not so easy to put in the hoop. It is nice to think how many whole rows are complete too, I’ve now quilted five whole rows of seven, but I’ve just started the 39th block, so just eleven to do as there are 49 blocks in the quilt.

I’m just working on the ‘forget-me-not’ block at the moment, the one with six blue hexagon flowers on.

The end is getting closer!

Hand Quilt-a-long

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Please visit the rest of our group and see what they are up to:

 Kathy, Deb, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, Connie and Laura

Posted in Owl and Hare Hollow BOM, Quilt-a-long, Quilting | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Dressing Miss Daisy

Posted on May 15, 2025 by craftycreeky

Daisy was stitched, but she could hardly go to the show with nothing on, she’s quite a shy little sheep!

Daisy needed some clothes for the show, I decide to make her a dress and apron. The dress is called ‘Daisy’s Twirling Dress’ in the book. It has a simple pinafore bodice with buttons (in theory) at the shoulders and a full trimmed skirt.

I chose a pretty floral cotton from my stash. It’s made a very pretty dress, the skirt is so full it will sit in a big circle, so it would be very twirly. The pattern used broderie Anglais trim just stitched on flat. I didn’t think it would lie neatly on the curved hem so I decided to pleat the trim. I used some pretty lace I’ve had for ages and pleated using the design of the lace. This made it easy to pleat as there was no measuring involved and also meant all the flowers were on top.

I stitched the shoulders down, I might add buttons after the show.

For ages I’ve wanted to make the ‘Apple Picking Apron’ which is shown on ‘Dora the Pig’. I purchased the pdf pattern from the Coolcrafting website, printed it off and chose some cream broderie Anglais fabric I’ve bought for a skirt, it has a border at each side, hopefully I still have enough left for myself!

It was a little fiddly but doable with a bit of patience. The skirt section is pleated into the bodice with ten pleats either side, I did briefly consider just gathering it up but the pleats do lie nice and flat. It’s meant to have buttons down the back bodice but of course it’s for a young child, so no buttons allowed.

What I didn’t realise before I made it is that Dora is a wee bit slimmer than Daisy, so it is somewhat snug. In true modelling style, she is stitched into her clothes, there’s no overlap at the back, I could just manage to ladder stitch the edges together!! I just about managed to tie the straps into bows.

I think Dora is ready for the show.

Posted in kits, Luna Lapin, Sewing | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Daisy the Sheep

Posted on May 14, 2025 by craftycreeky

It’s our local show on Saturday and I rashly entered ten items, many of which hadn’t been started, never mind finished! One such class was a toy suitable for a young child, in other words it had to be small child safe, so no button etc.

I decided to use a kit I bought on a facebook destash site a few years back. It was a kit by Cool Crafting to make Daisy the sheep. I was pretty impressed with the kit as it includes everything from felt, buttons, cotton, needles, everything apart from the stuffing.

I’ve made a few of the ‘Luna Lapin’ characters over the years, several rabbits, a mouse, but I’d not made a sheep. Here’s a selection of the creatures I’ve made over the years…

The sheep’s head was a little more complicated this time, I remembered to put the toy safety eyes in first, then it was ears, horns head and then frilly bit. Apart from the ears it’s all hand sewn with mainly blanket stitch. I got myself organised before a train trip to London and the south coast and managed to get a fair bit done, although I was nearly scuppered in the first half hour when I dropped my needle 🙂

The legs and arms are usually stitched on with buttons, obviously I couldn’t use buttons for the show(I might add them later) so the arms are just stitched on with a sort of cross-stitch which goes right through the body, basically I stitched it as if there was a button there so there is still movement in the arm.

The legs on this pattern are a bit different. A plain button with a shank is stitched into the top of the leg with the shank sticking out, a safety pin temporarily holds it in place whilst the legs are stuffed. Elastic thread is then passed through the button shank. through the body to the other leg and then back again, I think I might have done it twice, before pulling tight and tying a knot.

I love the horns, Daisy is meant to be a Herdwick sheep and the ewes don’t have horns, so she’s going to have to be a different breed instead as I want to make a pretty dress for her.

With Daisy made, I then had to make some clothes, but that will wait for another post. If you fancy making Daisy the kits are available from Cool Crafting or the pattern is in one of their books. She’s very cute!

Posted in Luna Lapin, Serendipity, Sewing | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mondays Meander Round the Garden

Posted on May 12, 2025 by craftycreeky

It’s been a while since I meandered round the garden, I spent several hours gardening today and I finally feel like it’s starting to look like a garden again instead of a building site.

Last weekend I was working on the pond area, we had the path made wider here and therefore the beds narrower. Nearly all the plants were dug up and moved to safety for the building work. Late winter was the perfect time for moving everything as it was all still dormant, the problem being that I didn’t label everything and one clump of roots looks much like another clump of roots!! Some of the plants have just been planted not really knowing what they are, there may be a few moves before the end of the year.

I went a bit mad on hostas at the local nursey, I do like hostas but I didn’t quite realise how may I already had, though some are from another part of the garden so I might move them back later, I’ll see how the bed looks later in the season. That huge hosta on the left is one I’ve had for years and it rarely gets eaten by slugs so it looks good for months.

As you can see I’ve still not done anything about the duckweed problem in the pond!

Today I’ve been working on the ‘pottery’, my collection of pots down by the patio. I cleared out things that hadn’t survived the winter or were really past there best, ones that needed transplanting out to a border. I weeded, repotted and generally tidied. I put all the spare pots in the dead space at the back, there’s a small ledge there which has now got smaller pots on and then the big pots in front. I’ve tried growing stuff here but it’s in complete shade and very dry too, so I’m pleased with the new use for the area.

The top of the garden is gradually coming together though there’s still a lot of gaps, there’s no point filling it up straight away or there wouldn’t be anywhere to put future impulse buys!!

There weather here in the UK has been unseasonably warm and dry so we’ve had plenty of occasions to sit and enjoy the garden with a cup of tea or a glass of wine.

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Butterfly Alphabet SAL

Posted on May 11, 2025 by craftycreeky

Apologies for being so quiet on here, our building work still isn’t finished, though yesterday we had our first bath and cooked a roast dinner in the new oven…so things are moving forward! Any spare time I have had has been spent stitching entries for the Otley Show next week – I rashly entered ten different classes, I’ve just one left to make which may or may not get made!

So, my butterfly alphabet, I have made a little progress, just a little, but as I always say, progress is progress!

Three weeks ago I had just finished the first row, letters A to G…

I’ve started the letter H, just not quite finished it! My satin stitch doesn’t seem to be improving much, it’s a good job this isn’t for a competition! I’m enjoying stitching it and that’s what matters.

Hopefully next time I’ll have made a bit more progress, and I’ll have told you what I have been making over the last month.

Avis organises this stitch-a-long, we post our progress every three weeks, hopefully everyone else has made better progress than me, please follow the links to see what everyone has been stitching.


Avis, Claire, Christina, Kathy, Margaret,  

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie, 

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

Posted in embroidery, kits, Stitch-a-long | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Butterfly Alphabet SAL

Posted on April 20, 2025 by craftycreeky

Happy Easter everyone! We had a family meal yesterday, so today was spent undercoating and gloss painting in the kitchen before the units go in. I hate gloss painting, probably because I don’t think I’m very good at it, but it needed doing.

I’ve made a little progress on my butterfly alphabet kit. Three weeks ago I was half way through ‘F’…

I worked on it for a few evenings and finished F and G, I’ve just started H. More importantly I’ve just finished the first row. Hopefully I’ll have done a couple more letters by the next post, then I’ll be over a quarter of the way.

This SAL is organised by Avis from Stitching by the Sea, please follow the links to see what everyone else has been stitching.

Avis, Claire, Christina, Kathy, Margaret,

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie,

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

Posted in embroidery, kits, Serendipity, Stitch-a-long | Tagged , | 9 Comments