New Year, New Look, New Resolutions

I am sure no one remembers, but it has been a whopping 15 months since my last blog post!!!!! I know, that's really slacking isn't it?
Life has been odd, tiresome and difficult. I will not bore anyone with details, but things are looking positive now.

My little grandson is growing up fast and just enjoyed his second Christmas and this morning I woke up with some renewed resolve to get both my etsy shop up and running at a level that we all enjoyed with Cutey Critters (more on that at some point), and blog with some actual repetition!!!! Kick me if I do not lovely readers...please.

So, I have sifted, tested and trawled to gift the blog a facelift and changed the title to match the shop. What do you think. I just love it. Not only does the vintage sewing pattern design tone beautifully with my header, but actually says what I am all about.

I have lots of ideas up my sleeve for new items and look forward to getting those to fruition and sharing with you on here.

All the delicate embellished hearts are on sale at £2 each. They look so sweet on a door handle or as I saw at a friends house hanging from a curtain hold back. Some are festive but many would work all year around. Ideal for the children to buy for mothers day at pocket money prices. Have a look and start thinking what dull little areas of your home you can adorn. Don't forget to browse the rest of the shop. I have dusted and hoovered in there so you should not find any cobwebs.

Update

Well, I haven't blogged have I? 

Time to make up for it now. What's happened?

I am a Nanna! My gorgeous adorable grandson is 9 weeks old. I am not sure if I am allowed to show you so I have to check. I know I am biased but he really is a cutie. Well done to my wonderful daughter and fabulous son in law.

The house we are buying is going through. We changed to a different one and there is room for the sewing machine! Happy days. Not long now. We will be in for Christmas, yay!

Speaking of which, I have been stocking the shop a bit. I made one of these tea cosies for a gift and that inspired a tea cosy mania for a little while. I think they would make a lovely gift, maybe with a teapot for that person who likes the nice homey things. My friend adored hers.

That`s only half of them, get ready, here is yet more. I am not sure how I got so excited by tea cosies, but I do.

Right, the sight of all those tea and biccies has made we want a cuppa. 

Next time baby blankets!

Will I be allowed a model, I wonder?

xXx

So what have I been Doing?

Well, I have moved house. We sold quite fast and are currently happily nestled in a rental house that suits just fine for now. I still have a sewing room but maybe not for long. We may have found the right house to suit our needing less money lifestyle (read as less pressure and stress lifestyle). Just waiting to see if it goes through. It will not have a room to dedicate to sewing, but I will manage. I did before and I will again. I actually love finding clever and innovative ways to store stuff and use my space. Keep you posted.

I have been doing some making in all this time but not sharing. How mean!

I have my first grandchild imminent any minute......literally. My daughter was due on Thursday so it really will not be long. She doesn't believe me, poor thing. I rustled up a cot quilt and bumper set for the nursery and a matching fleecy pillow. Hope you like. The beautiful knitted shawl was made by my very talented Mum who has been knitting some just lovely things for baby.

She also asked me to make some fabric buckets with some of her fabric. I love this colour combo.

There have been some crocheted blankets too but I quite forgot to photograph them. I will next time I am there.

Until next time folks. I have so enjoyed writing this blog again. Now that a lot of life's hiatus has calmed, maybe I can get back to it. Next time I shall share my non baby crochet.

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Some New Quilts in the Shop

I have been finishing things up this past week. I don't know about you guys, I start off guns blazing on things and then nearing the end I get bored/distracted by new ideas and then end up in the infamous UFO section. My UFO's where getting silly so I made it my mission to get some if not all of them sorted. I am not done by any means but some progress has been made. I have finished 2 bunnies (no pics yet but the sun holds promise today). That means actually sewn them up! They were knitted ages ago but as usual, I shied away from the finishing. I use all sorts of excuses to my myself. The stuffing bag will make too much noise whilst the family are watching telly, the ends will go all over the floor and I hoovered, I need to start that idea I had or I will forget! These are ridiculous reasons, but I have a feeling there are folks reading this will empathise quietly if not admit to it. There is one more rather large quilt and I don't think I have a backing piece  large enough so that one will have to wait.

For now, I sorted these 2 and the first pic of each will take them miraculously to my shop where I have actually managed to list them too! Don't fall off your chairs people!

Zig zag quilt (started about 18months ago) finished and laundered on Tuesday

Also this purple pink crochet lap blanket which I made last winter I think but never quite got around to weaving in the ends (still have a few to do TBH but they will get done before someone receives it. I am getting the crochet urge again now. Mind you, I have all manner of creative urges and not enough time to do them all. This is how the UFO's occur isn't it.

I also updated this patchwork blanket's pictures as the old ones were not really doing it much justice. These fleece backed blankets are a joy to make and to own. You may remember this one I made some time ago. I never listed it. I loved it so much it became mine. It comes out as soon as the weather gets cold and I snuggle under it whilst I knit in front of the TV. Really cosy. The buttons look so cute too. I have thought it would be quicker than quilting. Its not you know. 70 buttons take a while to sew on I can tell you.

Now, that sun is breaking through so I off to find my camera and get those bunnies ready for their publicity shots.

Dont Faint, I finished something!

I do have some beautiful bunnies to share but I want to wait until I have enough to open the new shop. They are coming on so well I cant wait to show you guys!
So this weekend, I decided to actually finish this zig zag quilt that I must have started this time last year. I did the machine quilting a month or 2 ago and just had the binding to do. So i stayed up last night and finished it finally.  The quilting is a bit puckery still. I need more practise. Also the band on the backing ended up a bit wonky but nonetheless I rather love it. I have to trim some threads and spotted a few pins I missed last night. But here it is whilst the sun makes a brief appearance. It was of those not really planned quilts. The majority of the fabric, was one of those 'oh i love that, I will buy it' moments and stashed away. I then saw how to make it on another blog (I cant remember who's and will add it if I do - yell if its yours!) and thought this would be the time to get out that impetuous fat quarter purchase. Its just because I wanted to make it so it doesn't matter that its a bit off perfect does it?

Rag Dollies!!!

Its been a while since I mentioned my rag dolls. I love making these and would like to make a few more. The dresses and aprons are just a delight to create.  I cant make any more until there is some space so these girls have been reduced from £49 down to £35. Now, these lovely ladies are not teeny dolls but a whopping 27 inches tall.    I want to make some boy ones too. What do you think?

Here is each one on their own. Click on the pic to take you to the listing. Don't forget either that these are completely unique in their design and come with the unique hang tag with their name and date of birth which is the day they were finished, but can be changed to a specific date, such as a birthday for gifts. What doll collector wouldn't love one of these?

Maisie

Jessica

Peggy

Lucy

Shop of The Week, Katiedidonline

This weeks craftbritannia shop of the week is Katiedidonline.  The strapline is 'upcycled kitchen and home goods.  This exciting shop is full of delightful non granny aprons, coasters, baby bibs and bunting.  I also found some cutely packaged scrap packs. What a fabulous gift idea for sewing friends.
This shop is actually full of things that would make great gifts.  Here are my picks but do pop along to The Craftbritannia Blog for an in depth interview with the lady herself and please go have a browse of her Etsy shop as there is so much more than I have shown you here.

Stash Building

I have some new designs in my head and now partially on paper. These will be for a new shiny shop which will specialise in some really elegant collectors bunnies and bears .  More on this shop when I get the details finalised and have finished some yummy scrummy items for you to look at and hopefully add to your bear and bunny collections. As a result, I have been swelling my stash with some delectable supplies, and finding a new fabric shop called Dots and Stripes, I feel sure I shall return to. I got some printed cords which I have to tell you I spent SO LONG searching for a nice supply here in the UK for before I found this shop. Was really pleased with the speed they arrived too. I hate to wait, don't you?

Mohair yarn with a subtle shot of silver

Gorgeous Donegal Tweed from Wharfedale Woolworks

Aforementioned corduroys from Dots and Stripes

Hmmmm, decisions decisions, which fabric shall I put with this one?

These I have firm plans for.

If you are curious, why not add my new shop to your etsy favourites to be the first to see what I have been creating with these and other scrumptious goodies.

Upcycling!

So last weekend I did a bit of non toy sewing.  I have been meaning to get around to this for a week or two.  I bought my self a gorgeous blouse from Boden.  I thought I would probably wear it with jeans. I did then spot this lightweight needlecord skirt in my wardrobe. Now this skirt has been a bit of a pain to me. Unless I wear it with boots, it does nothing for me at all. The length is all wrong for my leg shape (I don't seem to have the slenderest ankles to my dismay).

 It is quite a lightweight fabric so not ideal for winter wear really and I never wear it in the summer as you might imagine, yet I still couldn't bring myself to ditch it. This made me think.  Nothing to lose other than a wee bit of time and maybe a couple of quid on the right trim. I actually spent longer looking for the fabric than I did doing the work I think. I was about to give up when I found this one under another in John Lewis.
So, I shortened it to just the right length for my stupidly proportioned legs and made some bias from the floral fabric to cover the selvedge. I saw no point in hemming when I could make it beautiful in this way. Then, added a thinner strip over some purple ready made bias further up.  I had intended to add some flowers in the style of this one which I loved. Although, once I reached this point, I thought it was probably just right in the less is more category

 I couldn't get a shot of me in them, but trust me, the length is now the perfect length for me and I realised that these Birkenstocks I have will make it look like I have spent a fortune! Will have to paint those toenails before the sun comes back out though.

A Quilt for Mum

It was my Mums birthday last week, and I was a bit stumped as to what to give her this year. Its getting a little tricky as she seems to have most of the things she wants/needs.  So I decided to make her a quilt. A gift from the heart if you see what I mean. Its not a large quilt (I forgot to measure it, oops) and took around 20 hours to make.  It was my first attempt at free motion quilting. Not perfect at all, but I did enjoy it and will definitely be finishing my other quilts in my cupboard very soon, now I have gained my confidence a bit with my new sewing machine. Please excuse my display material, I was in a wee bit of a rush.



Obviously, there had to be a card too. I have really scaled down my card making supplies so was quite chuffed with this.