Don'ts for Wives

My other little Valentine's gift was this splendid book of advice - Don'ts for Wives (1913).  I quote:

"Don't greet your husband at the door with a catalogue of the dreadful crimes committed by servants during the day"

"Don't think it beneath you to put your husbands slippers ready for him. On a cold evening, especially, it makes all the difference to his comfort if the soles are warmed through"

hee hee - highly unlikely that I obey either of these rules (since we have neither servants or slippers!)

However, I think I can manage this one (for all us crafters)

"Don't 'fuss' your husband....occupy yourself in reading or doing needlework" (yeay!)

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

Crafters indecision

Here's the latest offering by InspiredbyFelix. I think the design is called "Stack of books" ? 

I quite liked it so I'm working on No.2 in the series,  a reverse one, where the "books" are grey and the edges patterned. (sorry about the picture, iPhone snap taken just now!)

As for the next project, I'm torn.  I want to make (in no particular order):

• A baby quilt for Felix
• Fabric shoes - an idea I got from Sunnie Fairy over at Andrea's Garden
• The soft toys in my last post
• More cushions (obviously)
• Something using my own fabric, printed using Spoonflower, which is an amazing website that allows you to do this.  (Something I only discovered after seeing the fabulous design done by Miss Pixie at I drew this)
• Plus a load of things for a craft stall that we've yet to arrange!

Hmmm, instead of doing any one of these things, I'm sitting here writing this, because choosing where to spend my time is too difficult :)  Oh dear.

x

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

One world one heart - my first giveaway!

How exciting! I've decided to join in with the One World One Heart blog event, organised by Lisa at A Whimsical Bohemian.  This is a cool idea whereby bloggers all over the place are encouraged to visit each others sites.  It seems a great way of finding other like minded bloggers and hopefully picking up some new ideas.   The incentive? Each blogger offers up a "Door Prize" draw as a thank you for visiting.

So if you've found your way here through this event, welcome to InspiredbyFelix!.  I am a new mum on maternity leave and am rediscovering my love of crafting (mostly in the evenings!).  I primarily work with fabric, but tend to have a go at anything that catches my eye. 

It's only right that my door prize should be a cushion, since I seem to make so many of them.  This cushion top has been hanging around for a while and I hadn't got round to finishing it, until this week when I picked up some lovely dark grey furnishing fabric super cheaply.  It is perfect for the backing for this cushion so I have now finished it, and would like to offer it as my giveaway.  The cushion top is made from a vintage pinstriped skirt, and I appliqued a simple heart design.  I've done an envelope back which is edged in that fabulous orange polka dot, to zing it up a bit!

The rules are simple, visit my blog, have a look around if you like, and leave a comment on this post.  After the closing date (17th Feb) I will pick at random one entry from all of the comments and mail this cushion to them!  Good luck, and hope you enjoy InspiredbyFelix!
x

PS Click here to see the other participants!

Lovely things!

Two lovely things for you today - first off the bunch of scraps I have sorted out for my cousin Alice who is just venturing into the world of sewing.

What is it about photos taken in the garden that makes simple things look lovely?!

And secondly, a container for lovely things. 

This is my latest make and was an experiment. If you fancy having a go at a cute keepsakes box like this then the abridged version of instructions are as follows (and the learnings are at the end!)

1) I started with a box that was left over from one of James' Christmas presents (he's not a box keeper). 

2) I measured it and cut a cross shaped template, with little flaps at the top and on one edge of each side.(I used white sheeting, but paper would also work)

3) I transferred my template to fabric

4) I used spray glue to stick the fabric to the box, tucking in the flaps to give a neat finish on the edges (note that I'd tried white fabric before the blue, which didn't work because the glue showed through)

5) I then repeated the process for the lid

6) For the label, I used my favourite technique of ironing a piece of cotton to quilters paper and then using my printer to print my chosen words onto the cotton.  This label uses a free font I found online which I think makes the box much more quirky

7) Finally I machine stitched the edges of my label and glued it in place

Ta-dah!!  fabric covered box!  Did I make it look easy?   Here are the bits I missed out:

• Don't use pale fabric for this, I found the spray glue shows through
• Don't forget to cut the flaps when you do your template (doh!)
• Don't cover the box in too thick a fabric - the lid won't fit on afterwards (doh again!)

Anyway, your honest views would be appreciated on this before I embark on making a few more. Do you think these boxes would sell at a craft fair?  or are they just glorified cardboard boxes?

x

Productivity resumed!

I've just finished the next cushion, which is a much belated Christmas present for my lovely friend Emma.   I would normally be horrified at delivering a gift so late, but Emma is routinely at least 3 hours late every time I meet her....therefore I think she will be tolerant of my tardiness!

Emma is quirky and artistic, and just a little bit girly, so I hope this cushion fits the bill.  It's my own design, using "June song" from the Alexander Henry June Bug collection for the central panel and then adding fabrics from my stash to match the colours of the print.  The outer border and the back are a lime green chenille type furnishing fabric (left over from curtains!) and I've done an envelope back, but edged it with the pink print to make it a little more special :)

Hope you like it, Ems!

Oooo and I've also decided to enter this into the Bloggers pillow party that I found when blog surfing.  This is being hosted by Stitched in colour and this month judged by Red Pepper quilts. From browsing January's entrants, I can see that lots of very talented folk enter so competition will be stiff, but I thought it'd be fun to give it a go :)

x