Christmas in August

I recently posted that this year I'm preparing early for Christmas, no my tree isn't up and I certainly haven't started thinking about cards or gifts, I just started a Christmas crafts.

I bought this Christmas tapestry kit early last year. I didn't start it straight away as felt it premature to start in Spring / Summer, but then as Christmas did approach I didn't start as I knew there was too much work to complete before Christmas and didn't want to be doing Christmas crafts in January. I realised I was potentially stuck in a loop of never finding the right time or enough time to complete this.

I took the leap and accepted I was starting Christmas work in July....and thank goodness I did because I certainly hadn't budgeted for the amount of time it finally took to complete this project. Even once I had finished the body of the work there were 10 lines of edging to complete which was no small task in itself, but I'm proud of the outcome. I love the rich bold colours and the thick carpeted texture.

I'm not exactly sure what I am going to do with this piece, maybe a cushion? it would also make a good picture. I will have to make my mind up soon or there is a danger I still wont have a completed item before Christmas.

Metal Clay Play

I treated myself to a spot of metal clay play recently. This is the first time I've had a good play with the materials since my day-course last year.

I bought a few bits straight after the course full of motivation and enthusiasm, well life happened and I never quite got round to it. Whilst the metal clay material is pliable and relatively easy to manipulate into a design its flaw is that it can be over handled and can start to dry and crack quickly.

So I locked the men (big and small) out of the vicinity I set out to play. Having created my ideas in blue-tac I opened the Silver Clay and made a couple of charms for necklaces or charm bracelets, I'm pretty happy with the results. So simple but so effective.

I really love the clean sharp lines on the surface of the metal and how the pattern is given more depth as light is shined on it.

I made some other bits and pieces which I'm still firing and soldering...so watch this space for another metal clay update soon.

If you would like to work with metal clay I set out a little information in a previous post. Do let me know if you have a go and how you get on.

A little Stay-Cation

Sorry for the lack of blogging recently, its holiday season and like the rest of the country / world we packed our bags and headed for the coast for a week of family-time.

This year we had a stay-cation, we holidayed in Suffolk which is on the east coast of England, north east of London. Its only about a 2.5hr drive from home but it felt like another world, exactly what you need for a holiday.

We packed up practically our entire house (the benefit of driving to your holiday location) and tootled off to the coast for a week of uninterrupted family-time, pure bliss.

(The beach huts on Southwold beach, taken from the pier)

A traditional British summer holiday was had - ice-cream, fish and chips, crazy golf, cider and of course drizzly rain (but this couldn't dampen our spirits....I was as prepared as a girl guide!)

I did manage to find a little time for crafting so will be sharing this work with you very soon.

x

Crafting: A World Domination

As I continue my search into how crafting is striving for World Domination I have looked into the use of crochet into today's fashion. Conclusion: It's everywhere

Crochet shorts (or really crochet hot pants)

There were crochet shorts on asos.com. I'm absolutely certain that I could not wear a pair of granny square crochet shorts, well lets be honest these are more crochet hot pants, but good luck to anyone with fabulous enough legs and bottom to wear these.

Having looked at the photos of these shorts they look quite simple to complete, 4 Granny Square corners sown together with a draw string around the top....maybe one day.....hmmm


Crochet Hairbands

There are crochet headbands in beautiful ivory in a delicate design. There are a large number of similar items on etsy.com too

So pretty, wouldnt this make a wonderful wedding garland fpr a casual garden wedding?


Crochet Decorated Handbags
I'm always a little nervous about crochet handbags, or in fact knitted handbags for that matter either. I think this nervousness is about the potential for the yarn to become mis-shaped with use and I like to keep my bags immaculate. When it comes to bags I'm a leather girl.


However, I think that this basket bag from Julien MacDonald might be the perfect solution. It has a base of straw with crochet detail






I love how the light textured straw of the basket base shows through between the crochet loops. Would be a perfect bag for the summer.



So whether you like the idea of strutting your stuff by the beach in crochet hot pants, adorning your glossy locks with a crochet head band or going to the local farmer's market with your crochet shopping bag it looks like there is something for everyone as crochet continues to strive for world domination.

Crafting: A World Domination

I didn’t realise when I wrote the recent post on the patchwork Glastonbury sign under the title “Crafting: A World Domination” that this would turn into a little feature on my blog, but I have found more and more areas of everyday life where Crafting is making an appearance. I really do think that it is slowly taking over the world.

I don’t know if this is just a current trend linked to the recession and a need to make rather than buy (however, anyone who enters crafting for a “cheap” hobby would be bitterly disappointed, so far I’ve found it anything but cheap but then I do enjoy buying kit so I am my own worse enemy!) or, if there is a natural cycle of common activities, for example handmade and crafting were very popular in the Seventies (I have some fabulous crochet and knitting pattern books I really must share with you soon) so it could be a natural cycle that it has come back into popularity only to die again in a year or so to be resurected in another 30-40 years.

Well, whatever the reason it would appear that Crafting is bidding for world domination.


Today, I want to share with you an unusual embroidery community I recently discovered -

Fine Cell Work

Fine Cell Work is a social enterprise which has brought tapestry and needlework into the UK prison system allowing prisoners to learn new skills and earn money during their rehabilitation. 29 prisons are now running the scheme, and in 2010 there were over 400 stitchers who collectively earned over £70,000*.

Their work is stunning. It ranges from greetings cards to rugs and cushions to quilts. Tapestry kits of their original designs are even available so you can make these yourself.

Its great to see that an activity so traditional as embroidery is able to give some of societies most challenged individuals the focus to work through their demons.

If you are really interested in helping out it would appear that Fine Cell Work are looking for more volunteers across the UK.

* Source: http://www.finecellwork.co.uk/aboutus/

Quilted Play Mat

I gave you a sneak peak of this play mat last week just as I was off to the post office to send it on to my dear friend for her beautiful new baby.

Now that the present has all been received I want to share it with you in full.

I hope that the little man has many a happy hour playing on this play mat.

I'm rather superstitious when it comes to baby gifts, I never like to start them until the little one has made an appearance, this generally means that its "all stations go" once I receive that happy call / text to let me know that they are with us. I chose the simple design for this play mat so that it was relatively quick to run together on the sewing machine with limited complicated cutting and piecing together. I think it took me a day in total to complete, so quite reasonable really.

It took just part of a jelly roll so I have a plan for the other blue strips, watch out for another quilt coming soon.

Sneak Peak

Just a quick Sneak Peak of a quilting project I've just finished and popped in the post.

A dear friend of mine has just had a baby boy, I wanted to make him a little present....

I will reveal the whole project in a little while, I don't want to spoil the whole surprise.