Stitch, Craft, Create

My Faux Crazy Patch Angel has been published.

She features in the holiday issue of Stitch Craft Create magazine out of the US.

I was thrilled with the layout, they made her look so good.

For full instructions grab your copy of Stitch Craft Create and make yourself an angel for this holiday season.

More Faux Crazy Patch

Had a few people message me wanting to see more of the Faux Crazy Patch Angels.

Unfortunately they haven’t earned their wings yet so I can’t show you the finished pieces but I can show more images of the stitching.

The pencil guidelines rinse right out at the end.

I’ll also add a few bead embellishments before I make them up.

I have a few more stitched fronts to complete before I get down to the assembly stage. Sitting here isn’t getting me any closer to being finished, so Bye for now.

New Handbag Sample

I'm posting this blog as a bit of test to see if it automatically links to my Facebook pages, as promised. But I do have some update images.

First of all this is the bracelet I made from my Fabric Charms. Bracelets are really hard to photograph by yourself. I decided it might look better of I wore it.

Bad plan. Not only is it harder to photograph but know that I have it on I can't hold it steady enough to undo the clip. So I'm typing this with this great big statement bracelet jangling around.

I have also finished the Faux Crazy Patch Bag sample. The pattern is from one of M'Liss Rae Hawley's Books. 

I'm not selling the bag, it is for display purposes only. This one sample shows customers my Eco Dyed Fabric, the Hand Printed Fabrics, my Eco Dyed Threads and a Kumihimo Braid.  Off now to see if this posted to Facebook

Embroidery

One of my sewing projects at the moment is to create a bag out of my fabric to have in the shop. Last weekend I prepared the fabric for some faux crazy patchwork.

I decided I may as well incorporate my Eco Dyed Threads in the bag as well as the Eco Dyed Fabric. I Have done the basic herringbone stitch all over and I've just started embellishing these stitches. I love this stage.

I have also started the embroidery on my Sunday Quilt. Slowly but surely this is coming together.

Now as it is Sunday I'm off to do a little more stitching.

Camera Case Finished

I completed the last little fiddly bits of my Faux Crazy Patchwork Camera Case.

I attached the eye glass findings so that I can attached a cord and wear the camera around my neck when at the motor racing.

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Next Step Day

No new projects today. I concentrated on finishing.

I dipped the fabric beads from last week. I've seen in books people using rubber bands to separate the beads but that takes way too much time. Roll a bit of Blutack around the kebab stick and move onto the next bead. Much easier to reuse too.

Alan reckons that it looks a little like a Native American Indian Totem Pole.

I also finished embellishing the Faux Crazy Patchwork Camera Case.

Still haven't found the instructions I wrote to assemble. I might have to wing it.

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What Have You Been Up To?

Asked and Answered.

I've got out this project I designed and cut out over Christmas. It's going to be a Faux Crazy Patch Camera Bag.

The only problem is that I can only find the pattern and the cut out fabric. I haven't yet unearthed the instructions I wrote for making up. I've started stitching with complete faith that the missing instructions WILL appear.

I've also started on my 'Jumpers & Jazz' Tree warmer. I dyed the jeans.

No photos yet of the finished colour. A girl has to keep the suspense building. doesn't she?

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I'm a Quilter!

Okay, the title may be a little bit premature, but, I have started my first ever quilt. And, it's an Art Quilt. I've recently joined our local Art Quilt group, Reddy Art Quilters. Just before joining the group decided on 2 themed quilts with a view to holding their first stand alone exhibition.

The first theme is 'Gayandah'. The Gayandah is the local shipwreck, formerly naval vessel. I've decided to use this photo, in conjunction with the supplied ones, as my inspiration.

I made my debut at a Naval Ball and was escorted by cadets from the T.S. Gayandah. This is what I have done so far. I have an idea of where I want to go but as its my first I'm prepared to be flexible.

We also have a monthly challenge. This month was swapping a found object and using that for inspiration.

I recieved the object in the forefront of the photo. It's the seed pod of one of our native trees (notice all the technical jargon) and some thread from Belgium. Ideas are already forming in my brain but that could be the champagne I've been sipping. We''ll see how this develops.

Faux Crazy Patchwork

I finally finished the 'seams' on the pouch bag.

The photos were taken before I rinsed off the pencil marks.

I'll leave it now for a few days while I decide on the embellishments. I'm toying with the idea of using silver thread. We'll see.

ReDesign

With most of our stock still in boxes I decided that today would be a wonderful opportunity to rearrange the shop. I wish somebody had stopped me. Move one thing and you need to move everything else.









I started with the fabric.












Then I decided to move the Thread Platters over under the Stitcheries.











They were looking a bit bare after the Expo so I just grabbed a extra handful of each and threw them on. I'll tidy them tomorrow. One side of the shop is completely finished, the other is, shall we say, a work in progress.

Craft Website Update

After finishing todays dyeing schedule I decided it was time to add to our new shopping website

We now have a Needlework section with our exclusive designs.

Of course as is usual when time is of the essence nothing in the computer world was going easy. So we only have 3 items listed for now. Lots more tomorrow.

Google Maps

While I was on holidays I planned to add a couple of extra features to our website. The only thing was that I also wanted to have a break fom the computer. Today is the second last dayof our break so I got stuck in and added the features.

We now have the bare bones of a Google Map, a Gallery and some Links. Now that I have the basics up, I can add more product items. That can wait until we go back to work.

But for now I'm still on holidays. I have finished all the embellishing on the slippers and have now painted the insides.

I've also started embellishing the 'patches' of the Faux Crazy Patch Angel. Didn't take long before I had finished 4 patches. Might even get it done before Wednesday.

Just a Little Bit

Back into the shop today for the first time in a week. Very Busy. Only got a little bit done on my Faux Crazy Patchwork Angel.

These sorts of projects are ideal for the times in between customers. Great promotion for the Hand Dyed Fabric and Hand Dyed Threads.

Small sections to stitch, easy to pick up. While the customer traffic was constant throughout the day I still managed to complete3/4 of the project.

I bet it takes me much longer to finish off once I get home though, lots more there to distract me.

Fat Quarter Bags

I'm on a mission. I want to make some bags from 1-2 Fat Quarters. I've been drawing patterns and cutting out fabric.

The blue floral fabric is hopefully going to be one of the Japanese Knot Bags. I don't have a pattern except the sketch I did while in Japan. The exact measurements are going to be a bit of a guess.

The blue hand dyed fabric is going to be a small pouch bag. A little while a go I tried to make one similar to sweet bag from Stitches mag. I used some left over sampler fabric. I could never get the drawstring to work. The bag has been pinned to my cork board ever since.

I really like the shape so I've drafted off a pattern from the bag and I'm going to have another go. This one will have handles.

The pink/brown hand dyed fabric is to be a small shoulderbag, I'm going to some embellishing before stitching together.

And lastly I'm going to attempt to make a bag for my camera. I got the instructions from Sew-Mad I'll also be embellishing this before assembling.

Should be enough to keep me busy for a while.

Holiday Creations

I often have customers ask me if they can make the 'chemo caps' from a fat quarter. I have a another customer who has made quite a few for her daughter who says a fat quarter is plenty. Until recently I have been quite happy to state this anecdote. This changed when I was wandering through blogs and stumbled across quite a few patterns. Not one could you only use a Fat Quarter.

I was a bit miffed and thought I was going to spend my break making these patterns to double check for myself. On Sunday I spotted a stallholder wearing a cap/bandana. I followed her back and bought one which I have now unpicked. The pattern pieces fit quite comfortably on the fat quarter.

While I was on a roll I prepped the fat quarters for my faux crazy patch angels.

Then I spray dyed 4 different types of silk. These will get used in 2 different projects.

All this before 10.30am. I've spent the rest of the afternoon sewing the suffolk puffs together to form the square. Now that was the last WIP I hadn't finished. Now I can start on the new ones.

Craft Addiction

This is truly pathetic. We are closed for the next 2 weeks, except Sundays. Saturday afternoon I began to panic. Do I have enough 'stuff' at home to keep me occupied. I created a list of all the things I wanted to at least start. Then another list of what I would need to do this. All very methodical.

I brought home 2 bags.

Sunday after lunch was when the panic set in.

But what if I wanted to do this. What about this idea that has been floating around for a couple of weeks?

These supplies have been spread out on my large corner lounge. I've tried to make tidy piles for the photos but you just know that it going to spread out all over the place. I have now prioritised the projects but I can see that going out the window the first time I have another whim.

The stuff can't stay in the lounge, better go and make room for it in the studio... with the rest of my stuff.