CK Union Jack Tapestry

I've been miniature knitting again, this time at the request of the lovely Jackie of Sew Special Bears, these little 'knitting in progress' accessories will accompany some of Jackie's future bears ~ how exciting ~ have you seen Jackies bears they are beautiful!

In addition to these I recently started the Union Jack tapestry from the CK Stitch book that I mentioned a little while back. It was years since I had done any tapestry therefore it took me forever. The hours that went into it seem far too many for the small result and I was more grateful that it was finished than overjoyed with it. I gently washed and blocked it and set too straight away.

I have lots of 'half finished' and 'nearly there' projects about the house and I didn't want all these hours to be thrown in the bottom of a drawer.

Despite feeling shattered I got the machine out on Saturday and turned the little tapestry into a Patriotic Recycled Denim and Cath Kidston Cotton Duck Tie Top Cushion ~ quite the mouthful!
As I am not sure what delights this month may bring (work wise) so I am hedging my bets and submitting my cushion as my Monthly Make too :)

Made with recycled denim, from my friend's boyfriend's Jeans (thanks again Ryan!), and backed with Cath Kidston Spray Flowers Cotton Duck.

My slowly growing pile of homemade cushions;


I had a little sliver of tapestry canvas left so I made a couple of badges to add to my shabby old canvas cross body bag:

I'm a little more inclined to use it now.


~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Cath Kidston Hearts

As I have still not fulfilled my crazy Union Jack Obsession (I think I may need therapy) I came up with some more (albeit tenuous) Union Jack Cushions using some CK cotton duck in spray flowers.

They started life as this:

The idea was to make a little coin purse but I cut the cloth too small, so it morphed into a little cushion instead.

I found some little buttons to self cover in my stash so I used some of my CK off cuts and made them up.

I’m hoping to recover from this obsession soon if I don’t I will have to open the world’s first: ‘The shabby union jack soft furnishings and makeup bags store’ ~ would you come visit it?

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Shabby Union Jack Coin Purses

I think I have become obsessed. I have a thing for union jack stuff at the minute.

I recently made some union jack makeup bags with fabric that started life as a pillowcase. Following this I made some union jack coin purses with some denim that started life as a skirt. Well this week I noticed one of my husband’s work shirts was looking a little frayed at the neck so I confiscated it, cut all the buttons off and used the light blue fabric to make some pastel union jack coin purses.

Amanda ~ recognise the spotty ribbon you kindly sent me?

After making these I made a little lavender heart to match because... well just because.

p.s. thanks for all the kind words regarding my Mum, I brought her home from hospital on Wednesday and she is healing really well and is looking much brighter already.

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65th Anniversary of VE Day

I can't let today pass without mention that today is the 65th Anniversary of VE Day (8th May 1945). VE Day celebrated the end of the Second World War in Europe (Victory in Europe) when Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces. This was a day for celebration and contemplation for the whole of Britain, the war was over but so many of our men and women never came home.

So today in honour of this auspicious occasion I present my VE day commemorative purse:

Whilst looking for some blue fabric for the base I came across this monsoon skirt that had made its way into my fabric stash. I bought it a while ago and it was too big for me so I altered it to fit and had only worn it twice when it got splashed with bleach (don’t ask)! So yesterday I took the scissors to it.
Now I have a pile of lovely denim and a zip and little button.

So I used this denim as a base to make my new little purses. Embellished of course with patriotic beads as a zip pull.

♥ LEST WE FORGET ♥

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Poorly Tums and Patriotism

Well Monday was not a good day in some ways. I woke up feeling rubbish, I had been up most of the night with a poorly tum (say no more) and sickness so I was shattered! Due to the desperate need for sleep I rang in sick at work ~ something that I hate doing. So, I went back to bed and slept the morning away pretty much and after lunch started to feel a little better, so I got my fabric out and started pottering.

I keep meaning to publish a list of things I want to make at the side of my blog but have never found the time to do it (perhaps tomorrow), but one of the things that I have really wanted to do was a Union Jack Cushion or Makeup Bag.

As I battled through my illness (don't snigger) in true British fashion, stiff upper lip and all that, I decided that I would have a go today with what I could find in my stash.

Here is what I came up with:

A navy blue pillowcase, some ribbons, some old lace (from girls vintage dress), and some spotty red fabric from a fat quarter I bought a while ago.

Then I just followed my picture and made a flag:

If you are Scottish (my second favourite country) stop here ~ you are done! :)

While I had all the stuff out I made two at the same time.

My zips were ladies skirt zips and were a touch too short so I added to them.

The finished article:

The back is the red spotty fabric and the lining is the blue pillowcase:

My little bags just needed a little something extra so I added some 'crown jewels', in red white and blue of course:

I can see myself brandishing this at the last night of the proms singing along to Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D major (I have never actually been but it's one of my ambitions!).

Rule Britannia!

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