A teensy bit of sewing and some vintage loveliness...

We've had guests this week, first Mum and Dad and then my since-school friend Sian and her two boys, ages 6 and nearly 1.  It's been brilliant, think walks on the beach, yummy Italian ice-creams and garlic prawns with bread and salad for tea...perfect summer activities..

As a result, sewing productivity has suffered somewhat and I haven't even touched the bounty from last week's Festival of Quilts...  I did however, manage to put together a couple of cushion tops, destined for the two shops I am now supplying around here (woohoo!)  Sorry about the creases and loose threads, these are definitely works in progress!

I'm trying out this new colour scheme of red, lime green and grey...

This second one is quilted and I played around with a teeny bit of free motion applique on one of the apples.

 I was quite chuffed until I showed James and he said "Oh no!" ..he thought I'd accidentally sewn inside the apple instead of around the edge...I told him it was intentional detail and huffed (for about a minute!)

Having guests has, however, meant time for a little vintage bargain hunting...here are my most recent finds which have restored my belief that there are still bargains to be found!

In this little bundle is:

• A roll of Wonderweb from a charity shop (£1)
• 150m (so it says!) of white piping (50p), I've no idea what I'm going to use this for, but couldn't turn that bargain down!
• Vintage bias binding (20p)
• A 3m roll of heavyweight cotton webbing for bag handles (50p)
• Some beads and sequins from the most amazing stall at a car boot (£1). The chap had lost his aunt whose business had been making wedding dresses and he was selling off her stock.  This lady must have been amazing, there was apparently only a fraction of it left and it still filled three six foot trestle tables with bags and bags of beads, ribbons, sequins etc

This black and almost white print in a soft weave, no idea whether it's cotton, but I'm hoping so (£3 x for 37" x 71" )

These two skier prints, in two shades of blue (£1.50 for both, 31" x 45" and 45" x 76")

This tablecloth (50p - 50" x 60") that I thought I'd cut up and use, until I got it home and looked at the label and it's Mary Quant! A sarong I think, and not that vintage, rather 1980s cotton and polyester mix, but still...sell it on Ebay or cut it up, what's your view?!

And finally, This rather fabulous tablecloth from my local antiques place (£5 35" x 35") and yes, it does pain me to cut it up, but I'm still going to!

If anyone would like a slice of any of these, (or some of that piping, I think I've got enough!) please let me know.  I'm unlikely to use the whole lot, and since you can't order this stuff from a shop I think vintage is there to be shared.. :)

x

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