Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Sewing case

Patchwork

Today I decided to make a sewing case just like my mums. It's an old fashioned thing really but I really like it so here I am rummaging through the scrap bag, trying to dig out my favourite materials I have kept all the ickle bits of. It seems like a good holiday project. I thought I might make two at the same time. The pattern is from an old magazine that my mum bought me when I first started out.

Patchwork

I had forgotten how rubbish I am at flying geese though. I just keep trimming them, then I trim them again. I swear they are now an inch smaller than the pattern. I am not sure about using templates either. They seem less accurate than cutting them straight from the measurements.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Amazing gift #1 - A woolwinder!

Wool winder

I mean I really don't deserve one as I am hardly what you would call a hardcore knitter, but it seems that the posher the wool, the more often it is twisted in a skein which I have to hand wind. It was really starting to get on my nerves. So I was kindly given a woolwinder which I am inordinately excited about. I plan to try and up my knitting skills next year. They do make more attractive wooden ones but you need more space for them and to be honest I don't think I will have it out all the time as I don't knit THAT much. It will be great for crochet though as I often spend lots of time winding small balls of wool to take on the move with me. When I went on the crochet course I could see they wound their balls with a machine as they had this lovely pattern to them. Now mine do too!

Wool

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Xmas wrap

Xmas wrap

Xmas wrap
This year, my xmas wrap was based on gold and yellow. Not as flamboyant as some years.

Pin cushion

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I'm quite up for the idea of some cross after seeing some lovely examples at knit and stitch

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I thought these were lovely.

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I asked for this book for Christmas. It's full of fancy alphabets.

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Xmas Presents

So this year it was let's make a cushion year! So me and Rachel spent a snowy day in the workshop making cushions out of scraps.

Cushion
I did a bit of prep work.

Cushion
The set up in the workshop.

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My bunting has found a great new home!

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The front with mum's friend's scraps of furnishing material.

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The other side, using my £1 pillowcase from the second-hand shop. I didn't make the flap quite deep enough.

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A detail.