New Bag

Everyone always need new bags and I have had my eye on this pattern by Elizabeth Hartman.  It was a completely new technique for me and I have learnt a lot about bags from this project.

I should 'label' my fabrics so I can recall what colour and type they are, but I'm quite sure this is Essex Cotton/Linen in 'pewter'.  I only had half a yard and the pattern called for 3/4 yard, but I was able to cut it out of what I had with 1" WOF to spare.  The main print in the patchwork section is 'Velocity' by Jessica Hogarth.  I have picked out colours from it for the surrounds, then repeated a similar layout on the other side.

I used Kona in 'pear' for the lining and it doesn't perfectly match but I had quite a bit of it to use up.  I also used some text message text fabric for the bottom right of the patchwork part, and in the pockets.  The instructions helped me place this directional fabric as best as I could but I would recommend using something that is not so.

The pattern was very thorough - and I would recommend having a good read of it in colour before you print it off in B&W like I did.  I made a few mistakes but I think some of them could have been prevented by the pattern itself.  I cut the canvas backing for the sides a set size and then quilted the project.  When finished I was told to trim it back to the original size of the canvas - unfortunately the project had shrunk slightly because of the intensive quilting - a 'to be expected' event.   So my bag is slightly smaller than the pattern says.  Also my pockets are slightly off centre as the pocket side of the lining needed a large amount of trimming and I didn't centre this part very well.  The pocket sides should be equal distances from the straps and mine aren't.  Overall: a good pattern with new techniques.  The pattern does step you through every part, but if you are a new sewer, start with the tall tote rather than the wide one, that's just the way the pattern is set out.

I lined up my facing and re-folded the inside so that I could sew it down on a previously stitched row.  This makes my bag neater inside and out. 

I took three part afternoons to make this bag - including some unpicking - and would make another one for myself or as a generous gift!

Linking up with 'Finish It Up Friday' on 'Crazy Mom Quilts' again.  :-)

Granny Stripe Cushion

I rarely do any crochet - but when I do I really enjoy it.  The rhythm of the hook has an appeal when I've been busy knitting or sewing.  Recently I saw this pattern and wanted to have a go - but I didn't want to commit to a large project like a blanket. 
So I decided to make a cushion/pillow.  I had six 50g balls of (wool) yarn and have only got a little left over.  The cushion finished at about 18" x 19" (45 x 48cm).  I used a 3.5mm hook and started with about 90 chain.  There are five repeats of each colour which makes 30 double rows.

I backed the crochet in a plain white woven cotton, and used a mid pink fine wale cord for the back.  I used my favourite zipped cushion back tutorial again (see links).

The only flaw in my project is that I sewed the front to the back with one being upside down.  Ooops!

I made this cushion for K and she absolutely loves it.  She has been using it as her sleeping pillow and it has been involved a doll/toy games already.  A very snuggly/cuddly pillow!

Spring Fair Finds

On Saturday I went to one of the local churches' spring fair.  I love looking through the second hand treasures while K loves the bouncy castle and stall selling homemade candies.

I was delighted to find this wool winder to replace the one I had borrowed but need to give back to my mother.  It is in almost un-used condition.

I also found this fabric; the floral already has a proposed use while the large amount of cream cotton will be useful for making pillow (cushion) inners.

I also found these large reels of thread that will be used on my overlocker (serger).  I know old thread can disintegrate easily so I will have to be wary.

I couldn't pass up some cotton ric-rac, random covered buttons (easily to find when thrifting - but expensive to buy new) and these small applique doilies.

 

I also found a roasting rack and a tiny doll's tea-set for K, but forgot to take pictures of those!

 

My Favourite Craft Book

I've always loved books and I've always loved craft - and now it is easier than ever to indulge both with the amazing array of craft books that are readily available.

Here are some of my favourites...

Today I saw that Craft Buds were having a 'Craft Book Month' and had a competition to submit an item you had made in 2013 from a favourite craft book. 

So, despite it being the last day for entries I would like to share my favourite book...

 
This book is fantastic because it is a delight to use and I have made many things from it - probably more than any other book I own.  I've made several bucket hats, a cape, a hood and a backpack.  I've also cut out a painting apron and have promised to make a puppet theatre for K's Playcentre.  Oh, and I have definite plans to make the tutu, explorer vest and the mittens.  Everyone I show the book too loves it as well - it garnered many 'oohhs' and 'ahhhs' among some friends recently.

But today I can share the bear carrier from it that I made for my daughter K earlier this year...  Except today it is being used as a lion carrier... it still works well.

This pattern (like all Oliver + S) is fantastic to follow and actually great fun to sew.  The bear carrier gets used frequently in our house and would also make a great (and not too fabric hungry = not expensive) gift.

Note:  the skirt K is wearing is the O+S Swingset Skirt made in a light denim with pink ric-rac.  I only lined the waistband and it is a very popular skirt with K!

I love seeing all the other craft books that people have shared projects from and it shows we all have very similar tastes in good books - we just make our creations from them slightly differently.

Swooning

I was really keen to try my hand at Camille Roskelley's 'Swoon' block and have recently bought a copy of the pattern.  But it is a very big block - each measuring 24" (60cm) square.  So I had a go at scaling it down and managed to do so very succesfully.  I ended up with a block that measured 16" (18" with border). 

I made this all up a few weeks ago with some Lynette Anderson mushrooms, co-ordinating Kona in tan and snow. I started quilting it, then needed some thinking time to ponder how I was going to quilt the whole thing and what I was going to do with the finished project.  So it stayed like this for a month and a bit....

 Finally yesterday I finished it into a cushion...

This is a slightly closer photo so you can see the quilting...  Most of it was done using my walking foot and involved a lot of corner turning.

And a picture of the back....  I quilted a chevron design so that it would continuous over the two pieces. I made the parallel lines probably too close - it took ages to do and would have been less stiff with larger gaps.

I used the fantastic Sew Mama Sew Pillow Backing tutorial again.

The pillow/cushion also has piping around it - I had never done this before and it looks really good, but was tricky with all the layers.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts 'Finish it up Friday' for the third week in a row.  Can't keep this up for much longer.

A Work in Progress: Lots of Crosses

I should be doing dozens of other things but last weekend I started a new quilt - I felt like piecing and I had just finished three other quilts!

I'm using the pattern 'Dream Big' by Camille Roskelley from her book 'Simplify with Camille Roskelley'.  It is a quilt with crosses as I have noticed that they are particularly popular at the moment.

The fabric is 'Flats' by Angela Yosten and I have used a jelly roll.  I've got some of the reds for the border... but still need to do some thinking first.

It is going together really well.  I cut it all out and planned then sewed all the single rows in just over a day (less helping on the farm), with K helping me place out the pieces.  But my quarter inch seam allowance must be a fraction out as now that I am on to sewing the rows together the crosses were not lining up quite perfectly.

I have fixed that as I have gone to pinning from the left.  This enables me to leave the removal of pins to the very last moment - my quarter inch foot has a guide on the right side so the pins need to be out of the way by then.  I think I'll have to re-do the first few rows as I plan to quilt it with simple lines later.

My magnetic pin holder is twenty years old but fantastic.  I got it from Bernina when I purchased an overlocker.

I've pinned all the rows on to a piece of flannel and can therefore sneak a few rows in my schedule without worrying about them getting out of order.

Now trying to link up with 'WIP Wednesday' at 'Freshly Pieced'.

Garden Plans

After lots of dropped hints I got some tractor work done in my garden.  Not by my H, but by his fantastic mother and father who are sublime at rescuing me from garden frustration!

I had a shrub I wanted gone.  I'd attacked it with my hand-held clippers but it was far too big to disappear that way.  Our telehandler had it gone in less than 5 minutes, then the 'Little Suzue' Tractor came along and tidied up the leftover area in record time!

This...

Sorry - not a great photo!

It was all done in such a rush I had to use my cell phone camera

Became this...

Can you see which trees and shrubs I would like pulled out next time? - I'm happy to wait though!

Then yesterday my dear H remembered I was owed a birthday present (from six months ago) and he made me three raised garden beds from some macrocarpa timber.  They're all 2" x 8" pieces of wood.  The faraway bed is 4 foot x 6.5 foot and the other two are 4 foot by 8.5 foot.  We didn't need to make the beds very high as the soil underneath is quite good.

Today K and I have been busy layering newspaper, pea vine straw and chicken poo into the beds and hopefully H will bring in some telehandler bucket loads of soil from a worked up paddock to put on top.  I'm very lucky to have access to so many wonderful resources and a fantastic family!

 K helping me plant more rhubarb.