Another fabulous #Giveaway

The lovely team at the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show have given me another 2 tickets to giveaway

These are 2 one day tickets to attend the event in London Olympia 13th - 16th March. 

You could go with a friend or attend 2 days on your own

I really love these shows, if you haven't been to this show or one of it's sister events in Harrogate, Alexandra Palace or Dublin you are in for a treat! 

I've been going to this show for a couple of years, there are stalls from big retailers and small enterprises; selling fabrics, yarns and accessories, its a crafter's paradise. But, the part of the shows I love the best are the workshops; I sign up for 2 every year, they are an opportunity to learn something new. This year I will be making a table runner in a 2 hour session and learning techniques to make Sumptuous Textiles (the mind boggles!). 

So all you need to do is leave me a comment on this blog post and I will enter you for the competition. 

For an extra chance follow me on Facebook and leave me a comment there. 

Competition closes Midnight Friday 14th February and I will contact the winner by email. 

Good Luck x 

And the Winner is ......

.... Kate Hudson - well done

I've sent you an email please send me your address and I'll put the tickets in the post.

Hope you have an amazing time

xx

Knitting and Stitching Show - October 2013

Yesterday I was at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, London. What a fabulous day.

As always with these shows, preparation is key. 

I booked in for 2 workshops - one on Shrink Plastic and another to make a make up bag

I'd made a list of what I wanted to buy 

had other project ideas in mind. 

I also went with a very good friend...crafting and a good chat...what could have been better. 

This was by far the biggest craft show I have ever been to, taking up 3 halls in Alexandra Palace. There was such a range of things to do and see.  Including an amazing yarnbombed taxi at the entrance!

One hall had a beautiful display of work from experienced and student artists

Whilst another had the opportunity to get involved in upcycling to make woven rugs and flower corsages

The third hall was by far the biggest and full of all types of knitting and stitching products, of course I didn't come home empty handed 

Campervan and Spotty Fabric

Cars Fabric

Elephant Fabric

Liberty Scraps Fabric

I also bought a fabulous quilt fabric which I will use the liberty fabric for...will share this soon

Looks like there will be a lot of stitching in my future!

Shrink Plastic Workshop

I've had a play with Shrink Plastic before, but always useful to learn from someone more experienced. I made these amazing buttons...so incredibly pleased with them and definitely learnt some new tips to help me make better items at home

Shrink Plastic Buttons

Sewing a Zip into a Makeup Bag Workshop

This was the workshop I was most excited about as I thought there was a dark art to inserting zips...turns out they are as easy as pie! 

Within an 1.5 hours I had made the outer bag with a zip inserted and box corners (also new to me!) then I slip stitched in the lining on the train heading home....great skills I will use again and again. 

From this....

...to this

Love it!

If you're crafty and can get to London would completely recommend the show, its on until Sunday so get there if you can.

I was sent the entry tickets to the show for free in exchange for writing a review, however, I paid for all travel, workshops and shopping myself. All words in this blogpost are my own. 

Knitting and Stitching Show tomorrow

I'm off to the Knitting and Stitching Show tomorrow. 

Excited

Me?

Oh, just a little

Shopping list written - check

Classes booked - check

Friday booked off work for some crafting time - check

Follow me on Instagram for photos of the show 

Style in View - a spot of fantasy shopping

Whilst feeling sorry for myself this week I spent a bit of time surfing the net and doing some fantasy shopping. I discovered Style in View, its a fashion search engine, where you can search for clothing from many different sites in one place and also create boards of items you like and search other's boards like on Pinterest. 

I was looking for a new outfit for work and made this selection, what do you think? 

Love how you can select products from multiple shops into one look book and really see how they would work together, now all they need to do is allow me to upload a photo of me and my measurements and then put the outfit on a model so I could see how they look...I'd never need to visit the high street again!

Knitting and Stitching Show October 2013 - Ad

Can't believe it is already 5 months since the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show in Olympia London, I had such a great time there, seeing all the tools and fabric for sale, attending classes and of course splashing some cash on a new sewing machine. Read my show review here. 

And now it's time to think about the Autumn show in Alexandra Palace. Tickets are already on sale for The Knitting and Stitching Show - 10th-13th October.

I'm looking forward to attending the event and will be booking myself into some classes again, think it's the best way to get the most of the day - learning something new and meeting new people. There is an amazing range of classes again at this event including 3D Applique, Making Felt Lace, Knitting Baby Booties, Stitch Portraits, Freeform Crochet. My biggest challenge is trying to decide which day to go on and which classes to attend. 

Are you planning on attending? Would love to meet up with you there 

The Knitting and Stitching Show

Twisted Thread offered my 2 free tickets to the show in exchange for writing this post and a review post. All the words are my own and any classes or show purchases are made with my own money

To Christmas Craft Fair or Not To Christmas Craft Fair

Dear Lovely readers I have a dilemma. I've just heard that my village hall is holding a Christmas Craft Fair this year. They've only ever had a summer fair before but decided this is the year to burst into the Christmas market

I went to the summer fair in June this year and it was great, I was thinking that I would love to have a stall there one day, day dreaming of sitting there next year surrounded by a table of my lovely creations, so with the advertisement of a Christmas Fair I'm left wondering if I should sign up?

I don't really have a range of goodies to sell

but I have a lot of ideas

I don't really have the time

but I'm so excited at the prospect

So, what to do? 

It's only a one day fair and I think it will only be an afternoon event (at least the summer fair was only on in the afternoon). So half of me is thinking 

"well its hardly worth the effort if it is only 1/2 a day!"

but the other half is saying 

"half a day is a great way to give craft fairs a trial without too much investment in stock or time" 

oh gosh I really don't know what to do. 

Have you sold at any craft fairs? what are the things I should be thinking of? is it a good idea? 

I'm at the moment scared, anxious and excited in equal measure! 

PLEASE HELP! 

Embroidered Sampler Shopping Bag

Like most people I try to recycle as much of our household waste as possible and remember to take my own bags shopping about 90% of the time. Whilst sorting out my craft desk this week I found this bag folded in with some quilting material - I made this last year its a sampler / shopping bag, took me quite a while to do as embroidery always does.

The problem is I'm way to scared to actually use it. It's been sat on my craft desk for over a year and I've been using the hardy plastic bags you can get at the supermarket, I really need to get this out.

Think it will look really cute with a french baguette sticking out of the top....right that is my mission to get a photo of my using it to share with you 

Trip to Ikea completed....

....without a tea candle, packet of napkins or set of glasses gracing my basket and I got no where near the usual £100 spend, I am one chuffed little crafter right now.

I did decimate the fabric department.

There were just so many lovely fabrics.

As previously mentioned we don't know if I'm carrying a she-bump or a he-bump so strictly unisex colours and patterns. Here's a little sample of what I picked up

Let the sewing begin.....

The cutest crochet toys

On a recent trip to Amsterdam with the girlies for a dear friend's hen-party I spied this fabulous crocheted toys by Anne-Claire Petit





Arent they just adorable...Think the elephant is my favourite, or the sausage dog. I absolutely loved them and managed to get out of the store without purchasing one (partly because I'd left my wallet in the apartment by accident, doh!)

Think I'd like to have a go making one, it will be a good reason to force me to pick up a crochet hook again.

I haven't had any hook-ey time for a few months now, I honestly haven't been able to face the yarn running through my fingers, its kind of like a reverse craving I guess. Not sure why I couldn't do it, the thought of the yarn just didn't appeal, I've been the same with hot drinks. I was a girl who would have a couple of coffees a day and I've just not fancied one for a while. Well I'm back on hot drinks now (strictly de-caf) so its time to pick up the hook again.

Fingers crossed I can create something which looks as good as these professional toys

Iceland

Well what a lot of chaos we are experiencing around the world, who would have thought that a volcano in Iceland would have grounded planes around the world and caused hundreds of thousands of people to be stranded. Well I'm one of them...yes I am currently stranded and ironically I'm stranded in Iceland.....

Yes, I'm in Iceland. It was R's birthday on Wednesday last week and as a treat I thought I'd take us somewhere a little different for a long weekend rather than doing the usual present and nice restaurant. So I booked flights to leave London on Wednesday evening and back on Sunday evening. I even managed to keep the whole thing a secret and only told R where we were off to on the train to the airport on Wednesday evening. The special treat of the holiday was the hotel I had booked for 3 nights from Thursday. Hotel Ranga advertises itself as a luxury hotel in the south of Iceland overlooking a salmon river and a volcano.

Yes you've guessed it the volcano the hotel over looks was the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano which has been spewing ash across Europe since Wednesday morning and closed airspace since Thursday morning. Thankfully the hotel is NE of the volcano so we werent evaculated or covered in ash.

We had an amazing volcano, and I simply cant convey the how strange it was to be enjoying the out door hot tub watching this powerful mountain erupt. Fascinating really.

Here is one of my shots of the volcano, surreal really to be right there and then to see the news reports of the chaos.

Unfortunately the volcano watching is now over and we are back in Reykjavik waiting for a flight home. Anyone who has been here will know that whilst this is a lovely city, there isnt too much to do. So I was very excited to discover some rather fabulous yarn and fabric shops right on the equivalent of London's Oxford St / Manhattan's 5th Ave.

Look how beautifully their goods are displayed...I simply dont see this range of colours, textures and patterns at home....I felt like a kid in a sweet shop

I havent quite got to grips with the exchange rate just yet (185KR = 1GBP is a tricky calculation) but I've worked out enough to understand that the beautifully displayed yarn is quite pricey so I'm hoping to get home before I spend any more time and money in the lovely shops. Fingers crossed for a flight tomorrow

Funky Shrug

Hope you have all had a great Easter break, filled with lots of yummy chocolate and family time. I’ve had a lovely break from work and as it typically me I get very excited about all the chocolate and then never actually eat it, think I just like to anticipate it and look at the boxes on the mantel piece. I’ve broken into one but still have 3 more to go I expect I’ll crack (!!) this weekend and have a big chocolate covered smile

The major activity this weekend was shopping….as the sun continues to peak out from the cold winter clouds the time has come to ditch the winter woollies and update the wardrobe for spring so off to the shopping centre we went. Not a particularly successful shopping trip, mainly due to the number of people who seemed to have the same idea, urgh….

But I did stumble upon this rather interesting shrug….remind you of anything???

This is made from cotton crocheted granny-squares and I couldn’t help but see the similarity between this and my cross-stitch pictures….freaky resemblance actually.

I could have been tempted purely for entertainment value but the price-tag of £115 put me off slightly … I appreciate the work that will have gone into producing this but seriously £115 for a cotton shrug in a highstreet store you have to be kidding…. if I'm still tempted in a couple of weeks I'm sure I could figure out the pattern

The Stitch and Craft Show

Well I can honestly say that the Stitch and Craft Show was a fabulous way to spend a Saturday. Becki and I had a great time, we arrived at 10am when it opened and were practically ushered out by the stewards at 5pm as it closed, and I have absolutely no idea where the time went in-between.

It was definitely a certain type of lady who attended the event, not entirely sure we fitted into the demographic but definitely made some friends. I love how crafty people can just chit-chat, something we are not used to here in London where we are well trained to have our heads down and not make eye-contact at all costs.

The deomgraphic extended to gender too and It's probably for the best that R did make up an excuse not to join me, I think I counted only a handful of loyal husbands at the event and they didnt exactly look like they were having the time of their life if you know what I'm saying. Bless them, I hope they got to watch the England rugby match yesterdy evening as part of the deal.
Workshops and Classes
In the morning we treated ourselves to a couple of classes. There was alsorts to choose from; crocheted beasties (Becki made a cute caterpillar in this class with crochet and beads), card making, jewellery, embroidery ... something for everyone really.
We both did a quick jewellery workshop and made a braclet with magnetic beads which is really fun to play with
And I had a go at Blackwork or Hardanger embroidery and here is the result. I do need to finish the final 4th daffodill and then I will make this into a pin cushion. Not bad really, but as this is only backstitch I think anyone who had nevery picked up a needle could have done this really easily


The show had a few main themes;
1. Paper crafting and Card making - I haven't tried this and whilst it does look like it would be fun I've got enough trouble fitting in the crafts I'm already passionate about so passed these stands by, maybe next year???
2. Jewellery Making with Beads - oh these are very dangerous stalls. You get drawn in by the thought that these are only small beads and look they are 30p each....hmmm I know all too well how those 30pences add up and all of a sudden you are handing £20 over to the cashier. Well I stayed away this time. I had a small jewellery business as a teenager and made quite a bit of cash selling at craft fairs in Northumberland...I really must tell you all about this at some point.
3. Yarn and Knitting - there were literally mountains of yarn, some very strange multicoloured items and other very expensive rare skeins which were lovely to look through and touch but I think R might give me a cheeky remark if I returned home with yarn, something along the lines of "So, when are we opening the yarn shop?" I would imagine. So no yarn for me
4. Sewing - oh yes this is where I spent the majority of my time (and money). There were peices from across the entire spectrum from sewing machines and rolls of silk to books to cross stitch charts and of course threads.
You've probably noticed that I've moved away from my crochet hook for a little while now, I cant really explain why, I've just been really loving my embroidery so have been focusing on this. I guess my preferences might be changing with the seasons, but this did mean that I focused all my spending in one area....embroidery ...
Sooooo Cute....
I found this wonderful stall with lovely enthusiastic people who were selling really adorable iron on embroidery designs. The company is called Lazy May and I had a really hard job deciding which to buy as I honestly could have come home with all the designs. I bought 3 packs and have found their website so might be indulging a little more



Stocking up on the basics...
I also bought a couple of cross stitch charts for a sampler and for a Christmas cushion, some funky coloured cross-stich material and a large handful of threads

Oh and a few bits I'm not telling you about .... you will have to wait and see how they turn out...will show you the finished article

Stitch and Craft Show

Well I'm buzzing like a child on Christmas Eve.....as tomorrow I'm off to the Stitch and Craft Show at London Olympia.

suitable walking shoes - CHECK
list of the things I need - CHECK (my attempt to stop panic buying)
bag big enough to carry all my goodies - CHECK
tickets - CHECK
registration to embroidery class - CHECK

Will tell you all about it over the weekend

It's very very strange but R had a mystery prior appointment in his diary which meant he was obviously upset but wouldn't be able to come to the show with me....ha ha....so I'm looking forward to some lovely girlie time with my great craftie friend Becki....

Hope you have a great weekend too

I'm back

I'm clearly well on the road to recovery after my little illness, or at least I'm sure that this is what my Dad and husband will say when they read this... as I managed to sneak in a cheeky shopping trip between meetings today.

Well, I was in London's shopping district with a bonus 30 minutes as my meeting finished early, and what is a girl to do with this rare time bonus...yes shop, it would be rude not to.

I just about managed to avoid the tourist laidend high street stores and made a bee-line for John Lewis's haberdashery department.

2 embroidery hoops and some cross stitch fabric were in craft starved hands in no time and I was merrily making my way back to the office.

Count down to the weekend - 1 day :)

Busy busy tidying

Just had to show you this...my yarn has been in carrier bags and piles in the corner of my living room...have just tidied it all up and I now have a small box with all my lovey cotton and the larger one with all my new wool....yippee...I love being organised.

Calling all Woolly Jumpers

Yes, you've guessed it, I've failed once more to find any potentially feltable jumpers in the raft of charity shops which fill one end of my high street. Following my previous attempts at this seemingly simple craft I have a better idea of what I'm looking for, I just can't find anything suitable....there just isn't any of this type of stock, it's all.....well how do I say this??? poor quality....never mind the woolly jumpers, where are the Jimmy Choo sandals and Hermes handbags you always see on tv when someone enters a charity shop? I'm seriously looking and I haven't seen anyone leaving the shops with a large bag and a smug grin....So either
a) the public aren't giving this stuff away, or
b) we just don't own pure wool jumpers any more

We've all seen the news reports and documentaries stating that The Devil Wears Primark i.e. Instead of investing in clothing which will last, we are all buying quick fashion fixes which either don't last, or we see as disposable due to the incredibly low prices (there are additional issues relating to the production of these items which I won't even consider mentioning for fear of being sued...)

Anyway... The point I was attempting to make (in a rather round-a-bout way) is that charity shops seem to be bursting at their poorly stitched seams with acrylic, polyester and any other man-made fabric you care to think of. This surely can't be good for the charity shop either...why buy Primark (or any other cheaper high street brand) which has been worn, stretched, shrunk and mis-shapen for £2-£3 when you can buy a similar brand new item from the other end of the high street for £5-£6...

Oops there I go again..rant over back on topic...

So basically what I'm trying to tell you is that I'm going to give up on my search for pure wool jumpers to felt and undertake Plan B

Yes I actually have a Plan B...

...I'm going to crochet or knit a square in pure wool and pop that in the washing machine in the hope that it felts and shrinks. The only problem is I have no idea how much shrinkage to expect...if I make a square 6" square will this come out 4" square or the size of a postage stamp??? I will have a go and report back

Watch this space...

A very successful lunch break

Well like I promised, I popped to the shops at lunch today to get supplies for the project idea which kept me up 'till the early hours this morning. I was pleased to see that the majority of the January sales madness had subsided and I was looking forward to a quick snatch-n-pay visit, I wasn't expecting to join the rugby-scrub surrounding what can only be described as a rather dingy bin marked 'Clearance'. But as soon as I spotted the contents it was elbows sharpened and take no prisoners.....rowan dk cotton and wool was reduced. Not all colours, but I've been wanting to start another granny square pile and I really like the pictures I've seen of mixed colours.

So here is a peak at what I got

What I acually went for is right at the bottom and will be revealled in good time....

Messenger Bag

It is no secret amongst friends and family that I am quite a shoe and handbag addict.

I can actually remember my very first proper handbag, I was about 6 years old and it was a red leather envelope clutch bag from Miss Selfridge I think (I really must see if I still have that although I would imagine it is somewhat smaller than I remember). I have vivid memories of taking this beautiful red bag on Saturday morning shopping trips although I have absolutely no recollection what I was carrying in it…no doubt change I had dubiously acquired from my parents. I have continued to grow my collection over the years and am lucky lady to own beautiful individual pieces from all over the globe. As if this wasn’t enough for one lady - bags are not my only weakness…I believe I have a slight glitch in my DNA which means I am physically incapable of passing a shoe shop without popping in for a quick look, my Dad actually warned R in his speech at our wedding that this is a genetic illness from which my Mum has also been suffering for many years.

I live by the moto that - a girl can never have all the shoes and handbags she needs for every outfit and occasion!

My love of big bags and towering heels has seen me totter through my twenties always well dressed and stylish, however, since reaching 30 my body has started to battle back. I can no longer do marathon days and nights in my 4” stilettos and my back and neck are physically rejecting my beautiful large leather handbags, however I understand I am not alone in this pain, the American Chiropractic Association has done a study which proves my experience is not isolated, as if we couldn’t have predicted apparently carrying an additional 10% of your body weight on one shoulder and changing your centre of gravity in heels wont do your back any favours. Things need to change…..

I’ve been carefully monitoring the handbag industry for about 20 years as a customer and I believe we are about to see a big movement from…

impractical, and frankly comical, oversized bag

...to the sleek cross-body messenger bag

... infinitely more practical - I am ready to embrace and lead this change, although I’m not about to give up my heels just yet ….

I challenged myself to make a summery messenger bag to brighten up the grey winter and have come up with this rather funky design……I’m loving the bright colours and asymmetrical design….come on sun so I can break this out…

This isn't quite a Mulberry Messenger, but I'm sure it will see me through many summer BBQs all the same

Shop window art

I was taking a walk through the shopping centre in Epsom yesterday, as the snow stopped me from getting to work again, when I spotted this in a shop window




It really caught my eye, I love the colour, shapes and symmetry. It just really appealled to me and I wanted to share this little peice of inspiration with you.

Hope you are having a great day