The cure for crafters indecision

If in doubt, buy fabric!  Yes, yes I know I don't need it, but when faced with a half decent selection of patchwork cottons (at C+H fabrics in Eastbourne on Saturday), I just cave.   James and Felix gave me 10 minutes (they both seem to find fabric shopping rather torturous) and I came out with the following:

A lovely selection of purples for a baby quilt. I'm planning on a sliced coins design (click here for gorgeous examples from Don't call me Betsy's quilt along ) in graduated pinks, purples and maybe the odd green.

A metre of this delicious lightweight cotton lawn for a summer dress for Felix

My "of the moment" favourite grey flecked cotton

and for no particular reason this Amy Butler print - the green got to me.

It hasn't been all shopping and no making.  I hemmed a curtain on Saturday night, and then unpicked it because it wasn't straight  :( grrrrrr

Oh, and I did attempt one of those vintage soft toys from my earlier post.  My favourite is the tortoise, but it turns out she is supposed to be a pouffe and is 14 inches high.  She's still on my list (don't worry Nic!) but I thought I'd start with something simpler, and I went for this owl pattern.

Only my version was going to be cotton, smaller and hopefully a little more modern (!).  In the end I sketched my version of the pattern and winged it.  Here is the result:

Almost unrecognisable? Cute or creepy? I can't decide!

Anyway, I'm on a roll now, so expect some more stitchings in the next couple of days...
x

PS Happy Valentine's Day - and big thank yous to James for my gorgeous "Felix proof" bracelet xxx

Fabulous vintage

You may be expecting a cushion, and of course there is another cushion on the way (there's ALWAYS a cushion underway!), but more about that tomorrow when I've had a chance to take a picture in daylight.

In the meantime, I've been talking handmade soft toys with lovely friend Nikki.  Nikki has rediscovered her sewing machine (the knitting phase is over, apparently) and has been making velvet elephants - very cute. 

We think a few vintage style animals in gorgeous fabrics might go well on the craft stall so I went searching in our basement for the old craft books I know I own.  Twenty minutes later and with that grimy feel to my hands I emerge with a couple of gems to give Nikki and I some inspiration.

They are:

•  "Design your own stuffed toys" - Anne Dyer 1971
• "The complete book of handicrafts" Ed. Jill Blake and Joan Fisher 1976

Here a just few images from these fabulous tomes (as is the fetching picture at the top of the page) to get your creative juices flowing!





If anyone would like patterns or instructions for these then leave a comment and I'll scan them in for you, I think these cuties should be admired by many!

Will let you know if we have success (with the animals, not the hats!)

x