One listed - three to go!

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post.

This blanket has been finished and listed.

We spent a lovely week end staying in Bridgenorth and visiting the beautiful Bewdley and Stourport.

The above is the riverside at Bewdley. We still have much of the River Severn to explore, so many more week ends to look forward to.

I have made some progress on three throws/blankets - two crocheted/knitted and one stitched. This pastel one is turning out to be very pretty - I particularly like the aqua edging:

These knitted squares with crocheted edging are working out very well - I have many more crocheted flowers to make though!

There has only been a little progress on this patchwork throw - I need to find time for more stitching!

Not a Patch ......

...... on my plan for today!! (Apart from some further additions to my crocheted blanket!)

I have a stitching schedule and I'm trying to stick to it! I have been quite good. Some new bookmarks were listed as planned and I am continuing to crochet squares for my next blanket.

This morning I was feeling a little sorry for myself after a trip to the dentist. I had some phone calls I should make but no one would have been able to understand my half-frozen speech and I just felt like spoiling myself with some creative fabric therapy! In truth, my dental discomfort only persisted for a very short time, but I recovered TOO LATE!! The fabric boxes and drawers were open and chaos had ensued - happily!

I think I showed you this photo a few days ago.

The central 'patch' is from a tray cloth and the other patches from a tablecloth. Very, very similar stitching, design and colours. I am not sure if there is a correct way to design a patchwork. This is the way I'm going about it - this time at least!

I have expanded the design by moving the 'North', 'South', 'East' and 'West' patches outwards by one column/row. I now have a basic design of 5x5 patches, as shown on this rough outline:

The patches with a yellow squiggle need to be stitched from scratch and I intend to incorporate a small central motif, with embroidered blue daisies stitched to match, in each (OOps! I ought to have highlighted the four corners of the design which also need to be embroidered by me).

The central patch will be used as it is but with a border of simple squares, patched by machine stitching. It will be about 10 inches square when finished, so this has set the dimensions for the rest of the quilt.

The patches which have been moved outwards in the design will incorporate the embroidery as a 'diamond' shape. They will be made into squares with the addition of corner triangles, and the patch will then be made up to 10 inches with a squared border.

The patches which will be embroidered by me will be hand-stitched using the traditional technique of folding fabric over paper templates, using traditional block patterns. I have started to collect together the fabrics which I might use - including these vintage Laura Ashley scraps:

These other fabrics are also possibilities:

I am aiming to produce a decorative coverlet or throw. The vintage embroidered panels will be supported by backing fabric and the stitching will be carefully checked and repaired if necessary - but they will, inevitably, be more delicate than new panels. Rather than quilt through a thick wool or polyester batting to produce a warm quilt, I think I shall provide 'body' for the throw by backing it with a layer of brushed flanelette sheeting.

I shall report on progress - although it will now be slotted in between other items on my schedule - I'm beginning to feel as though I'm playing truant. 'Creating' and 'Producing' are definitely not entirely the same thing I find!

Tying up loose ends....

.... literally!

Having a schedule is all very well but keeping to it is rather a different matter. At least I have finished the loose ends on two items today.

Firstly this bowl from recycled T shirts. Posing first of all with a small crochet project - perfect for this - a work basket would be too large:

It is a generous size for trinkets or keys:

The base of the bowl is decorated, and neatened by a crocheted flower! The bowl will shortly be listed in my Folksy shop. 

I have made a little more progress with my latest crocheted blanket - although I've not made as many squares as my schedule requires. 

I  am supposed to be focusing on re-stocking my embroidered items - with just a little crochet in between. At least I've finished this meadow bookmark, which will shortly be listed in my Etsy shop:

I almost forgot to mention that this pincushion has now been sold and is being packaged for posting:

New bookmarks and more!

I am still enjoying the exploration of the possibilities of crochet motifs. The latest batch are worked in brightly coloured crochet cottons and will be used to decorate a number of items.

The first few have been used to embellish these bright felt bookmarks ( now listed in my Folksy and Etsy shops):

I love the bright colours and the finished items have an almost retro feel. I have enjoyed looking through the items recently listed by the Craftyfolk team at Etsy in order make a selection of other bright and retro finds to show you - I hope you like them (each photo is a clickable link!):

  Beautifulfelts JustKJewellery WittyDawnUK CandanLampworkBeads Patsparaphernalia My BuddyBling

Purses and more

I am enjoying crochet so much that I thought I would explore the possibilities of producing some different items. What do you think of these purses?

I've really enjoyed making these. The shape is based on a pattern I made for some embroidered purses which I listed some while ago. It is a practical shape and seems to compliment the shape of the folded mandala design on the purse flap.

The small rosette in the centre of the first photo is worked in finer crochet cottons. I love the bright colours. This is a hint of things to come - perhaps key fobs, scissor fobs ....

Completed blanket

..... and the next one has been started.

Just click on the photo to see the blanket in my shop. I tend to think of this one as sun, sea and 'ice-cream' colours. I love it!

I have now started another - the same design but entirely different colours which give a totally different effect. Bright rosettes, surrounded by natural cream wool and completed by a merino blend yarn in two shades of brown (rust). In my mind, this one is in autumn colours with many bright splashes of colour.

Once-spinning plates .....

..... are crashing to the floor all around me. My 'work schedule' is in total disarray as I come to the end of a hectic family summer. My son is about to return to university, and, although we still have several open days and university visits to go to with his sister, it should now be easier to set aside a reasonable amount of time to stitch.

I must return to embroidery and felting - stocks are low. I am planning some other items in the same style as this bag - pin cushion, needle case, purse ....

My stocks of bookmarks are also very low, so more like these will be on my list:

I have  very few needle cases like this:

Presently, zipped purses are only available in my garden design:

There are only one or two moorland items like this still available:

All in all, I need to be more disciplined. Replacing this stock will form the focus of my work. A few items based on re-purposing linens and other textiles will be fitted in. I have enjoyed making my crocheted blanket and I love the result. I have worked out how many squares I should aim to make in a day to allow me to complete one blanket per month, taking into the account the time needed for the border and finishing. Talking of the border, I think this simple scallop works really well:

Great Grandmother's Ring

I never met my Great Grandmother, who had, by all accounts, a strong personality. She had six sons and, desperate for a daughter, dressed the youngest in a girl's bonnet - until my Great Grandfather put his foot down! Despite this, she must have been proud of her family who all did well. Three of the brothers continued their father's business - the village bakery and general store - one training as a baker and confectioner, my grandfather running the grocery side and his youngest brother organising the delivery round. Sadly my grandfather died, at the age of 40, before I was born and his youngest brother also died early in adult life. Lawrence continued the business until his retirement. The other three brothers were a bank manager, personnel manger for the UK division of a large chemical company and a journalist for the Daily Mirror, who had one or two of his poems published in a collection of World War II poetry.

My mother and aunt referred to their Grandmother with some awe. I think she was a hard-working lady, who was used to getting things done and had something of a fiery temperament. She was small in stature, the men in the family were all very tall - but there was no doubt who was in charge of the household.

My Great Grandmother's engagement ring was handed down to my mother and I now have custody of it, before it passes on to my daughter. It was too small for my mother. Despite being taller than my Great Grandmother, and in spite of all the craftwork which my hands do, my ring size is small and it fits me perfectly! The last few weeks have been difficult, with a lot of issues in my immediate and wider family (not all of them easy or pleasurable to cope with). I love this ring and draw strength from the image of the lady who didn't let life's ups and downs get in her way - it is my constant companion at present.

I have crammed more into the last few weeks than I thought possible and, true to my Great Grandmother's spirit, have resolved that there will always be time for my work in and amongst everything else that life requires of me.

I thought I would show you a collection of items echoing the blue and gold of the ring. The first two are from my Etsy shop (all photos are 'clickable links'):


These lovely items are from the Craftyfolk Team leaders, in recognition of all their hard work on members' behalf.
Katie Bug Creations4U jcudesigns TJBDesigns AuntyLoanCrafts Squintessential missbohemia
If you would like to see other items from these shops and other Craftyfolk sellers click here .

Blankets and throws

This blanket is progressing nicely I think!

Since taking this photo, I have worked two rounds of the edging with one or two more to go. I like this pattern and my yarn stash should enable me to make one or two more in different colour ways. A day or two to go before this is listed though!

I have always loved all forms of patchwork, from 'paper-piecing' ( hexagons and beyond to more complex patterns) to machine stitched strip patchwork, with all sorts of other techniques in between. I have 'harvested' several sets of focal squares from the vintage linens which I have been collecting. I am hoping, by backing them with new fabric, to make them robust enough to feature in patchwork quilts, alternating with patchworked squares in pretty prints in coordinating colours and featuring some traditional patchwork block patterns.

I used to be a shirt ......

...... now I'm a very lovely trinket bowl - what do you think?

I'm very taken with this bowl - crocheted from recycled shirting with a lovely crocheted motif from a recycled, vintage tablecloth to neaten the centre. It would hold your favourite jewellery, your keys, a small project - perhaps lace crochet, tatting or similar, or if you can't find any practical excuse to have it, just display it for its own sake.

It has taken me a few hours to make, but has been a complete pleasure - not least because I have saved more textiles from landfill to such beautiful effect. It will be listed in one of my shops soon!

(Now listed here)

A New Basket

..... which will shortly be listed in my Etsy shop. The body of the basket is crocheted from strips of recycled fabric cut from two kids Tshirts (the base), one shirt (the cream stripes in the 'wall' of the basket) and a new fabric remnant, originally bought for fancy dress (the rust colour in the basket wall). The lining and handles are stitched from a new, pure cotton, light weight, furnishing fabric. A small circle of felt neatens the centre of the lining.

Pictured here with a current project of mine ( I use mine as work baskets), this basket has a diameter of about 32 cm and a depth of about 18 cm, and it could have a variety of uses.

The blanket pictured as work in progress will be completed and offered for sale too! Whilst trying to sleep last night, I was planning many other items, including trinket bowls for jewellery/keys etc, storage canisters with drawstring tops, larger bowls - possibly for fruit etc ............