Blog Archives

Red and Pink Sminkepung

31/10/2014

I've been busy making more of these cosmetic bags, and have finally used up ALL of my stash of red fabrics from the Flower Sugar III collection (this gorgeous fabric is by Lecien) and as you can see I've added some other contrasting fabrics to make it go just that little bit further! I've added this bright pink spot for the binding and the Prarie Points as it goes perfectly with this bright pink zipper and lace trimming. I've had several enquiries about these bags, and the pattern is available from quilt shops in Scandinavia - "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. There are links to some of these shops on the sidebar of my blog. I bought my copy of this pattern a few years ago from a Swedish quilt shop, Lapp-Elisa. Although the instructions are in Norwegian, the diagrams are well detailed.

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Ohhhh La-La Sminkepung!

30/10/2014

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Here's the same pattern AGAIN - "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. I've got a HUGE box full of lace trimmings, and love mixing them with vintage fabrics and photographs of rather saucy ladies. (These were printed onto a sheet of EQ printables that I'd bought from my local quilt shop, Quilters Haven). The picture was appliqued onto the front of the bag. Some lace trimming was used to embellish this one.

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Small Knitting Bag

29/10/2014

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Same pattern - "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, different fabrics - "Do Ewe Knit" by Timeless Treasures, and trimmed with some tape measure ribbon - and here's the perfect bag for a knitter to keep their smaller knitting bits and bobs in, bodkins, darning needles, stitch counters, etc.

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A Nautical Quilt For Oliver

28/10/2014

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One of my favourite patterns for baby quilts is this one, Charm Squares Baby Quilt, designed by Elizabeth Hartman, which I have made several times before. The fabric range I've used this time is "The Hamptons", by Minick and Simpson for Moda. I'd been asked to make a baby quilt with a nautical theme, and this fabric range fitted the bill perfectly, as blueprints and anchors and sailing boats are scattered across these fabrics, which I have teamed with a white tone-on-tone fabric for the sashing and top and bottom borders.

...rows of straight quilting half an inch apart give a soft ribbed effect to the quilt, which was bound with this navy/white spot. The backing is another spotty fabric, this time I used a white background with blue spots. One of my labels was machined into the top corner, then the binding is machined into place then secured onto the back of the quilt by hand...

...I used the same navy/white spot that I'd used for the binding for the appliqued letters, which were taken from the book "Winsome Baby" by Nancy Halvorsen. I traced them onto steam-a-seam lite, peeled off the backing paper...

...and pressed them into position. (I've been desperate to get some steam-a-seam-lite, and thankfully Barnyarns has just managed to get some). When I was pleased with the placement of the letters, I fused them onto the quilt with a warm iron. The letters were then finally secured using machine applique in a matching coloured Mettler quilting thread...

...and here is the finished quilt, blowing on my washing line on a VERY blustery but sunny afternoon, ready to be wrapped and delivered to baby Oliver.

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Sewing Bag

27/10/2014

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While I've been in a bag-making frenzy, I pulled out these fabrics and some tape-measure ribbon for embellishment. Black and white fabrics were also used for the lining, and one of my labels was neatly sewn into the side seam...

...amazing how different it looks! Same pattern (Anna's Sminkepung by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa) but different fabrics (sewing themed, in black and white, from my stash) - and there's the perfect bag for keeping my small sewing bits and bobs in.

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Flower Sugar III Aqua

26/10/2014

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Another couple of bags made with some aqua fabric from the Flower Sugar III collection, and a pattern by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, called "Anna's Sminkepung". I've used fabric from the same range for the lining too. These little bags are great for using up smaller pieces of fabric and trimmings...

...I really like this aqua and pink together, trimmed with some white lace. I've been busy over the weekend making tote bags too, so I'll share some more pictures later in the week of those. For those of you who have been contacting me about the pattern, I bought my copy a few years ago, from a Swedish online store, Lapp-Elisa - the link will take you to the "English" page on the website, and you can pay with Euros! The instructions for the pattern are in Norwegian, but the diagrams are very good!

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Flower Sugar III and a Favourite Pattern

25/10/2014

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I've been busy making some more of these toiletry bags, using some of my favourite fabrics, Flower Sugar III by Lecien, and a favourite pattern, Anna's Sminkepung, by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. These are trimmed with an assortment of lace and ric-rac...

...when adding the lace trimming, I always use a longer than usual stitch length so the lace and the fabric doesn't pucker. I also use a longer stitch for the top stitching too. The pattern has instructions for 2 sizes of toiletry bag, and these are the larger ones...

...these are quite quick to make, and are really useful to make as gifts for birthdays and Christmas presents...

...I'm going to make some more of these using some sewing themed fabrics too, that would be perfect for keeping a sewing kit in. These ones below are ready for my stall at a Christmas Craft Fair in Orford at then end of November.

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Scandinavian Rose - Block 2 Stitchery

18/10/2014

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Well I have been busy hand stitching the next block of Scandinavian Rose (designed by Rosalie Quinlan and bought last year from The Fat Quarters). There are 14 blocks altogether, and came in 6 packs. My plan is to stitch a pack per month, so hopefully will have this finished by the end of March 2015. The design is screen printed onto handkerchief linen and I've used weaveline for the stabiliser on the back (also bought from The Fat Quarters). I've used a combination of plain embroidery thread (Cosmo shade 346) and a beautiful hand dyed thread by Cottage Garden Threads (shade 1007 "Hugs and Kisses")...

... and block 2 is now completed - well, the stitchery part is anyway - I just need to collect together a selection of red/white fabrics for the pieced blocks to sew around the stitchery designs. I've got some in my stash already, but maybe a shopping trip can be arranged while I'm on holiday at the end of the month to get one or two more!

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Scandinavian Rose - Block One Stitchery

16/10/2014

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Last year I bought a complete BOM from The Fat Quarters, called Scandinavian Rose, which is designed by Rosalie Quinlan. I had so many other projects to sew, this was put away, and then this summer at the Festival Of Quilts I bought several skeins of Cottage Garden Threads in a variegated red (this shade is called Hugs and Kisses) that I thought would be perfect for this project, so decided to get it started at long last!...

...the design was already printed onto handkerchief linen, so once a stabilizer was fused to the back, I was ready to start stitching. This design uses 3 embroidery stitches - back stitch, chain stitch and satin stitch. Plain red Cosmo embroidery thread shade 346 was used in the block too. I've completed the stitchery for block 1, and the next part of the project will be to collect together an assortment of red/white fabrics for the small squares (these will be strip-pieced together). Then I can make a start on the stitchery for block 2!

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Knitting And Stitching Show - 2014

12/10/2014

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I spent a great day out at the Knitting And Stitching Show at Alexandra Park, in London, on Saturday. I travelled there with my daughter, and we has a wonderful day getting lots of inspiration from all the crafty stalls...

...my friend Pam introduced me to Lesley, Faeries In My Garden, who was there with her beautiful work and yes, I was tempted to buy one of her beautiful kits! However I wasn't tempted this year at the Bernina stand as I'd already done my "Bernina" shopping a few weeks ago online (a new straight stitch needle plate and an open toed embroidery foot as recommended by Philippa Naylor)...

...I don't knit or crochet, but my daughter Alice does, and she really enjoyed looking at the beautiful woo that was on display. I rather liked some of these crocheted projects, and we went home with some wool for her to make me a scarf for my birthday...

...there were lots of gorgeous projects on display, and lots of things to inspire us! I saw Hilary Beattie again, she was really busy on the Art van Go stand, and was as full of enthusiasm as always - oh, and she has a new book out, too...

...and then of course there was the shopping! I bought a bundle of "Eclectic Elements" fat quarters (designed by Tim Holtz) from Lady Sew and Sew, and a beautiful cushion kit called "Wartime Sweethearts" from Faeries In My Garden...

...I couldn't resist some skeins of hand dyed embroidery threads by Cottage Garden Threads from The Thread Studio, these colours are simply gorgeous, and finally this is the Stylecraft Alpaca wool and pattern that Alice is going to use to crochet a scarf for my birthday. We really did have a great day out, and we will definitely go again together next year!