Well this morning Claire, Hannah and I had planned to pop to Wollaton Park for a bit of fresh air and get away from work and the city. The past few days have been lovely, sunny and positively spring-like.

And then this happened outside my window…

Which makes it less of a Wollaton Park day and more of a hot tea and muffins, soup and catching up with your blog day!

So, 2010 has brought craftiness into my family. Last month I had a lovely day with my 3 nieces showing them how to crochet, embroider and do a spot of French knitting too! I wish I had some photos of the things they made. I was so proud to see them crocheting colourful granny squares and stitch pretty embroideries. They picked it up much quicker than I did and they tell me they’re now completely addicted!

I made some handmade family gifts too. A Frankenstein’s Monster cushion for my nephew, just to show him we didn’t forget about him on our girlie crafting day, and a felt brooch for my mum. For some reason I didn’t take photos of those either. What was I thinking?

I do, however, have photos of the gifts I made for my big sister for her birthday. Patchwork cushions to match her bedroom with dragonfly embroideries. Dragonflies are her favourite.

Bedroom slippers to match

And a case to keep them in

There’s nothing nicer than sharing your craft love. Who do you share yours with?

It’s almost a year to the day since I first set up this little blog. Back then it looked quite different and has undergone a few makeovers. If I tried to think about all of the other things that have happened in my life since then, I’m sure it would make my head spin! Although it’s been a roller coaster year going at full speed right up until the last minute I’m happy and thankful to say it seems to be drawing to an end peacefully.

I still have lots of good intentions for 2010, to keep learning techniques and finding out about textiles, colours and tools of the trade. Despite my hectic life this blog has been quiet recently, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t found time for some creativity.

Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show

Back in November the Textile Workshop organised a trip to the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show. Of course the Stitched Up ladies were there and we had a great time admiring the stunning artwork.

I bought a few lovely things too, including some 1970s braid, vintage embroidery transfers, a few pieces of beautiful fabric (hopefully) destined to become skirts and not forgetting the amazing giant ric rac!

I’d never been to the Harrogate International Centre before so it was a surprise to stumble across its Royal Hall. A beautiful theatre built in 1903, still shining and glittering from floor to ceiling.

Discovering BurdaStyle

This was quite a biggie! The first thing I thought when I visited the BurdaStyle website was “why on earth haven’t I been here before?”. If like me you’re a bit slow off the mark and haven’t enjoyed BurdaStyle yet then go (www.burdastyle.com).

As they say, its ‘for people who sew‘. This site is for dressmakers and crafters of all abilities, where patterns are labelled from ‘novice’ to ‘amateur’. There’s way too much to say about BurdaStyle here so all I am going to say is that if you want to be inspired and whipped up into a sewing frenzy then that’s the place to go!

The Great Craft Room Clear Out

OK, so a clear out might not be strictly creative but it is absolutely necessary for me to have a clear brain. The craft room clear out was part of a bigger wave which started with us emptying the loft for new insulation and has carried on with a major tidy up of every room in the house. For me it’s better than therapy and along the way I found some things I’ll treasure for many more years to come.

My first (and very tiny) ballet slippers.

Birthday cards from when I was little and my very first ‘aunty’ card from my baby nephew.

Christmas Crafts

I have to admit I’m usually a bit grumpy at Christmas, this tends to be because I just don’t have the extra time it requires to fit everything in – but then who does?! This year though I decided I was going to make the effort to enjoy the build up, rather than treat it as a chore, by incorporating a little craft along the way.

For my close family I made little felt tree decoration Christmas cards. I was too rushed to take photos before I sent them but they were snowmen, gingerbread men and baby deer, a bit like this one.

A few prezzies were hand made too, including a cotton apron for my great aunty, a crochet scarf for the lovely Hannah and a zip up purse for a welcomed home friend. I even did a bit of baking, which is unheard of, for my Dad and Norman (a very special fella). Plus this giant granny square blanket for my husband’s Nana. I never knew I could crochet so fast!

I have to say that making these things didn’t ease the pressure of Christmas preparations at all but it did make it much mure fun.

Having lovely, thoughtful friends and family I was lucky enough to receive some truly beautiful handmade and crafty gifts:

This absolutely gorgeous patchwork quilt made from vintage 1970s fabric by the very talented Claire was such a fantastic surprise! Claire is one very busy lady and so I’m even more grateful that she found the time to make this for me.

Hannah knows me very well, spoiling me with more wonderful vintage goodies, including crafty books, the cutest bunny jelly mould and this adorable hand mirror which I love (I’ve been drooling over vintage hand mirrors for ages). It’s a bit like she read my mind too with the vintage Christmas card holders!

My youngest neice gave me the sweetest sewing box which will be ideal for taking to sewing class and craft group and my in-laws treated me to books on dress making techniques and patterns, exactly what I need.

I know I’m a very fortunate girl indeed and I don’t take that lightly! Thank you everyone!!!!

How about you? What have you been doing these past couple of snowy months?

That’s what I’ve been learning to do lately and will be doing through until February.

I’m sitting Claire’s weekly evening course ‘Making Things from Vintage Patterns’ at the Textile Workshop. The first thing we made was this 1950’s domestic goddess apron. The fabric for mine came from a really pretty duvet cover I bought in a charity shop ages ago.

Then yesterday Claire and I sat Hannah’s one day vintage slippers class. How sweet are these? They’re from a 1940s pattern and will make a great gift so I can’t wait to get on with my next pair.

I really want to do some dressmaking for the next few weeks of the course so I have bought two dress patterns and one smock top one, 1970s of course. I’ll let you know how they go.

Finally, yesterday we made this Halloween lantern from a home grown pumpkin. We liked the way that he looks too happy to be evil…

Back at the beginning of August I had a lovely weekend getting to know my sewing machine on the beginners sewing machine course at the Textile Workshop.

Although I’m not a complete beginner I thought this course would be useful to make sure I have the basics down before I move forward. Indeed it was useful. Continue Reading »

“Our actions have an effect”

In my last post I talked about the patchwork quilt project for the Fourth Plinth living monument. Well, here’s my patchwork square and a little explanation for my message from the plinth… Continue Reading »

I have books full of patterns for bags and clothes, magazines with jewellery ideas and a million plans for furniture that needs to be restored… So what craft project do turn my hand to this weekend? A rabbit bed.

Don’t ask why. I had planned to alter some clothes after the great wardrobe cull last weekend but all I wanted to do was make a bed for Murphy, our house rabbit. Continue Reading »

Today was such a beautiful sunny day I couldn’t help but be inspired to make something lovely. I had a million ideas going around my head but decided on doing something with the pretty vintage fabric I bought from eBay the other day.

My dressmaking was interrupted with a very welcome interlude of a stroll to the park with my husband and then a mosey down the pub for lunch and a beer or two. Continue Reading »

Anyone who has made something with a zip and a lining will know exactly what I mean here. Linings on their own? Easy. Zips on their own? Not bad. Linings and zips together? Hmmm.

Before I was made aware of a fantastic way to tackle this puzzle I literally used to dream about how to solve it (yeah, I do sweat the small stuff). I just couldn’t picture how I could have both zips and linings using the ways that I knew to add them separately. Well there is, in fact, a very nifty way to do it. Continue Reading »

Ta da! Here we go, completed skirt ready to be worn….

Excuse the pose. I didn’t think it would look the same hung on a coat hanger.