Hexies

I have made a start with my little hexies, I think I will attempt a hexie bag as a quilt would just be too much effort at this stage. I sat and carefully sorted the hexies into similar colours and then thought bu*%er it I will just mix it up and that way I get to see all of my lovely fabrics in one place, we have bits of Alexender Henry, Michael Miller, Cath Kidston, old bed sheet and random vintage scraps from all over the house!

I am hoping it will be ok once it's all clagged* together (is the word clagged known outside the North East?).

I have really enjoyed sewing these into little flowers by hand; it's a lovely thing to be able to do when it's not appropriate to get the machine out. As you read this if all went to plan I should be on holiday in a lovely house in the lakes with a tin of hexies in my lap!

Here you go, my pile so far:

I had an idea once I saw the little flowers and set to making a padded coaster:

I cut a back for it from a vintage pillowcase.

I trimmed and ironed it to fit the shape of my flower.

I interfaced each side,

then added some fleece as padding and blanket stitched all round the edges.

And it now makes a lovely coaster for a lovely cup which is part of a gift for my best friend, who is moving jobs 40 miles away from me! I will miss you so much xoxo

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

* Clagged - meaning to stick together.

Little Hexies

I have been drooling over quilting and thought I might start small.
I have had my eye on a little bag from the Cath Kidston Sew book made up with lots of hexies.

The Hexies in this bag are quite large but I thought I would prefer to make the smaller 1” hexies as you can use smaller scraps of fabric. These are very addictive and rather calming to make and as they are very portable I can sew anywhere!

This is my little pile so far, I was asked the other day by my husband if I am in the process of making a girlie football?!? :

I carry them about in my little tin, this was full of biscuits from Past Times many moons ago!

I am quite naughty and have been eyeing up clothes in the wardrobe to cut up for hexies, I should really wait until they are ready to be re-cycled!

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Strawberry Data Store

I decided last week to buy an external hard drive to backup all my photos and information. I worry about losing my memory sticks as my entire life is on there, kids photos, financial info, old uni stuff and work stuff. So I was advised to get this 250g Seagate portable drive ( http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.205-5486.aspx ) if you are interested it was only £27 in store (which I was really pleased with so I bought my hubbie one too!).

So down to the crafty bit, it needs a case and I just can’t bring myself to buy something that I can make myself so this was what I came up with:, its quite a bit more girly than the ones you can buy:

I added iron in interfacing and lined the bag with snuggly fleece to protect the data store. I had to take the zip around the bag to make it easier to get the unit in and out:

I added a little zip pull that I made from a millefiori bead I think it kind of looks like a strawberry!

The only zip that I had in my stash that was long enough was a red one so the fabric was chosen based on that, I cut out some felt strawberries and attached little beads for the pips.

It reminds me of summer, strawberries and cream, wimbledon and pimms!

Back Soon ♥

Cath Kidston Sew Bag ~ Amended

Remember the bag I made a couple of weeks ago from the Sew Cath Kidston Book? Well, I was really pleased with it, but I was not particularly happy with the strap.

I can’t really put my finger on why, it just kind of felt like it didn’t go somehow and I am more comfortable with handbags than shoulder bags. Each time I used it I felt a bit like a child playing dressing up and I was contemplating using it as a storage bag inside my wardrobe.

So, on Saturday morning I was thumbing thorough the latest Summer 2010 Cath Kidston Magazine and came across this picture of a bag that I loved:

… and thought that I could alter my bag to be a bit more like that one. So I got out the scissors, took the strap off, snipped the buttons off and changed it.

This is what it was after I made it originally:

And this is it with it’s new handles:


Here is me sporting it (the shape of it is a bit distorted as I had it stuffed full of heavy stuff, camera, makeup purse etc), I will actually use this much more now and I love it:

This also means that I have some spare CK fabric left over from the original strap - it is quite narrow though, I wonder what I can use it for...

Back Soon

Another Charity Shop Haul

No makes to report, but I have had another little charity shop haul on a lunchtime trip this week with my lovely friend. Came away with a new bag, it’s quite huge and super soft:

This lovely skirt – it’s a size 10-12 and I am not (he he) but it was spotted by my eagle eyed friend as something I might want to cut up ~ and I do! This might make a nice tote bag or two:

And last but not least these little stoneware cat buttons:


... apparently a huge stash of these were donated, I am guessing by the person that made them and these were only one of a few they had left.

Back Soon ♥

Sewing, beads and bits and bobs..

As mentioned yesterday, here are a few bits and bobs I have been making recently. I don't really have a plan for any of it, I simply enjoy making it. Some of it has already been given away as gifts to friends and family I guess at the end of the year when I have a stash of stuff I will have to do a craft fair or sell online.

Most of my beads and fabrics were previously something else, or were bargains. I am unable to pay full price for anything and I am always on the lookout for bargains. Now and again however, something comes along that I just have to have at any price, but I think my general thriftyness makes up for it somewhere along the way (is there such a thing as thrifty karma?)

Some of my fabric makes:

Some of my jewellery / beading makes:

Be back soon

Kandi

x