Uncommon Crochet

I saw a post last week about a crochet string bag which I really fancied having a go at. The pattern was from the Uncommon Crochet Book by Julie Armstrong Holetz. Well I managed to get my hands on this book and here are some of the lovely ideas in there; I do like the idea of crochet with different materials Jute, String, Wire etc.

This is the string bag I set my heart on. I have the string ready 3 balls for a quid (B&M Bargains), just need to decipher the instructions:

I remember my Mum had a bag like this back in the 70's, I can see it with a Cath Kidston cotton inside:

I could fancy one of these too I have a mountain of yarn stuffed in ugly carrier bags:

I really like this felted bag, it's called the Hong Kong Bag:

This is something I could manage, I like the mix of materials, now where can I buy those handles?

These are quite sweet and look really simple to make:

On the whole I like this book, I am glad I came across it. The only fault with it is that over 1/3 of the book was showing the basics of crochet.

This does annoy me a little, I think that with the millions of books out there dedicated to showing the basics the book could just crack on and show lots of lovely patterns, but nevertheless it is a welcome addition to my craft book selection.

Any good craft book recommendations?

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Bag Books

I love blogging and reading blogs and I get loads of lovely ideas from here but I have a love affair with books, something tangible I can touch and carry about the house and read whenever I fancy, you just cant do that with a link on the laptop!

I have been after these books for a while and found them both in my little local library recently. I swiftly borrowed them and have been pawing through them over and over.

This first one The Perfect Handmade Bag by Claire Youngs is stuffed full of lovely ideas, I had to restrict myself as to how many photos I took, I wanted to show you them all!

Owls again...

Isn't this fabric just beautiful?

I added a little piece of paper to each page that I was interested in and in the end found that I wanted them all. There is nothing for it, I will definitely be buying this one.


The next one is Sew Many Bags Sew Little Time by Sally Southern (a local girl).
Again there are lots of lovely bags in here:



This is a lovely bag and really versatile.

I really like this one I have a thing for wool and tweed fabrics, I would love to attempt this one.

I am glad I got the chance to paw through these before buying them as sometimes you can be a bit let down, but I have both of these on my wishlist now, I just hope Santa thinks I have been a good girl this year!
Oh talking of Christmas (sorry I know it's August!!) I must put my mind to some Christmas makes I am amazed at how many people are already making bits and bobs, metioning no names (*coughs* Lynda & Hazel *coughs*) and I am feeling left behind, anyone seen any good Christmas inspiration fabric makes recently?

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Reading about Sewing

There are times through the week when I have come in from work shattered and it is just too much effort to get the sewing machine out. These times I usually sit and prepare stuff, cut fabrics ready for sewing but some nights even that is too much effort ~ well it means I need to vacuum with all the threads, sewing is a messy hobby!

So when I want to sew but don’t have the energy or inclination I usually read about it instead. This is generally on blogs, swooning over other peoples makes and pawing through tutorials and websites for ideas and inspiration, but sometimes only a book will do.

This book is one I have been contemplating buying for some time and this week I found it in my local library, Home Sweet Sewn by Alice Butcher and Ginny Farquhar (it’s about £8 on Amazon at the minute).

There are some nice things in there and the book itself is well put together and the paper is really nice. I have taken some photos of some of the things in there that I really did like, and at the back of the book there are templates for all of the featured makes.

She would look so good on my bed!

See all the beautiful buttons at the bottom?

I am not sure if I am ready to part with hard earned cash for this though, I will keep it on my wish list for now.

Well better stop thinking and reading about it and start doing it…

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Sew! Cath Kidston

Well, we are at the end of another week ~ how did that happen? At least we get a long weekend, and for you guys who work normal(ish) hours and get the three days off, enjoy it; for those that have to work it, my commiserations. Thanks to all you lovely ladies who have entered my giveaway, keep spreading the word and we will have the draw on the 13th May!

On a similar note, I have been allocated my partner for the Fabric Swap organised by Crafty Helen @ Home and it is the lovely Vanilla from Sew.Vanilla. I will be gathering my stuff together this weekend to send on to her, she has totally different tastes to mine so this will be quite interesting for me to put myself in someone elses shoes when choosing what to send. I hope she likes it as it's my first ever swap.

Well, a while ago I had my eye on this little book and a few people who already had it kind of put me off it, so I left well alone. Recently though, I was reliably informed that it was half price on amazon (£7.48) so I thought why not just go for it, if it is rubbish I can (palm if off on some poor soul) kindly pass it on to someone.

Well, it's brill! I am really pleased with it, when I opened it I went 'Mweeppp' (that is my excited squeak) and I smiled for a good while, how often does that happen in a day?
I was not expecting what I got to be honest, I am not sure what I expected but this wasn't it. If I had actually picked it up and looked through it before now I would have bought it at full price (well, probably ~ I'm a bit tight and hate to pay full price for anything).
There is a range of ideas of things to make in there, loads and loads of them in a similar vein to the Tilda books. I have the Sew Pretty Homestyle Tilda book which I really do love, but there are not too many practical things to make in there in my opinion, there are only so many spooky angels one girl needs. This Sew Book however is more up my street.

I have taken a few quick snaps in my excitement of the things that immediately popped onto my to do list:

Ain't the birdies cute?
Desperately need one of these oven gloves as mine is rotten!

More cute birdies :)

All of the patterns are given with the book on a huge gridded A1 sheet of paper, which is brill!

I set myself away and made the bag, I added some lining and a little inside pocket. To be honest the instructions were not brilliant, I just set myself away and did it how I thought it should be, for example their method of making the button loop was a bit like passing a camel through the eye of a needle!

So, here it is all made up, its been through the washer already trying to 'shabby' it up a bit, but I am pleased with it and might give it an outing later today. Be warned though it is quite dinky (about 8inches high by about 12 inches wide), I think the photos are deceiving.

Anyone else made the bag from this book?

Back Soon