Monday 28 June 2010

Patchwork Paper Picture Frames!!!


Hello...it's been beautiful weather here for days and days now...(bit worried it's all the summer we are going to have, so trying to make the most of it), but I currently have tonsillitis, which is rubbish, and I've had a temperature which in 30 degree heat is not ideal. Anyway...this hasn't completely stopped me crafting...
I was looking through a cupboard of odds and ends the other day, (somewhere I put presents, and things that need a make over at some point) and found some plain photo frames, which were nice, I had painted them, but decided I didn't like them once I had. I liked the idea of making them look like a patchwork, (something I had seen on Design Sponge -scroll down to see Lula Aldunate beautiful patchwork effect wallcovering- )


Using this as inspiration I got out some lovely Origami paper I bought when I was in the States and set about covering the frames. I used PVA glue to both stick the paper on and to seal them once stuck. VERY simple and easy to do...


Now they hold 2 lovely but very different birthday cards, one from my lovely friend Lucy from the previous post, she is a brilliant crafter and artist, and makes gorgeous cards and the other by my buddy Obi who was 3 I think when he gave me this card and who LOVES Disney's Stitch. I think they may end up with actual photos in, but I haven't had any developed for ages... defiantly needs to go on the To-Do list!!!

Friday 25 June 2010

Lovely Lucy's Birthday Bag!!!

The Lovely Lucy and her bag on Brighton beach!!! Oh Sunny evenings!!! 

Well it was my Lovely friend Lucy's Birthday this week, and upon racking my brain to think of something to make her, I decided to continue my recent quilted bag theme, and make her a quilted craft bag....
So I set about cutting 3" strips of almost all my favourite fabrics, and then sewed them together, into groups of 4, then I cut them into 3" x 4 square rows. Then arranged them randomly, joined the groups of 4's, then sewed them all together. 

Squares made from all my gorgeous fabric!!!

From there I just did a simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilt, with a very beautiful backing fabric..., then I used white biased binding on the top and bottom, then, folded it in half and sewed the sides.
I made handles from the inside fabric, triple stitched them in place and then used "cover-yourself" buttons to hide my slightly dodgy sewing!!!

Covered buttons...

What do you think? I'm going to make another one as I have enough squares for another one. Hopefully I will maybe get my shop finally up and running...give me a shout if you would like one...:-D
Enjoy the Sun, it's AMAZING weather here!!!

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Busy little Beee!!!

Well, not having a car does seem to make everything take longer and much more time is spent travelling around on slightly dodgy public transport or relying on my ever patient housemate!!! I'll have to come up with a nice gift to thank her for all the lifts and all her driving!!! and for putting up with me when we turn right...(it seems I am going to be VERY slow when it comes to turning right, especially where I had my crash...It will go I am sure - like falling of a horse - you have to get straight back on again!!!)
So, whilst waiting for the new car to be made, I HAVE been busy crafting and making pretty things...2 projects to share with you today...
1st is a new quilt - still in the assembley stage, but getting there...


I used a simple equilateral triangle (it's amazing how Math classes come back to you and words lie Tessellation!!!) I have been wanting to make a quilt which has a large proportion of white in it to really set off the beautiful patchwork fabric I have. Oh I should also add a BIG thank you to Quilt Home for the $20 voucher, I haven't spent it yet, but will defo once I have worked out how to redeem it!!! (see the right side-bar for a link to their site)
Once I had cut out a triangle from almost ALL the fabric I own I then cut LOADS of white ones out and then tried to group the patterned fabric into colour groups...I'm not sure how successful I have been, but I wanted it to look kinda like hexagons, rather than lines of triangles...I guess once it's assembled it might look more clear. So next comes sewing...I am rather hesitant as I'm not sure how best to do this, I guess maybe sewing them into lines and then sewing the lines together...I'll get my thinking cap on!!!
Onto the 2nd project...
My house-mate and I went to our fries local Craft fair last weekend, and are hoping to exhibit at the next one...although it maybe the one after that....soooooooooooooooooo...I was kinda inspired to get going, build up a stock of things which might sell quite well, and here is my 1st batch of bags...I have already shared some of these in earlier posts, but...since them I have given them as gifts and they seemed to go down pretty well and lots of people said they would like them too, so I'm hoping they might sell well...




What do you think? which one do you like the most? I think my favourite is the fuchsia pink is mine...
And whilst making these it seems that I have FINALLY mastered the ZIP!!! it has taken a while, and much unpicking, but I think I have sussed it...not sure if I would be brave enough to attempt it in clothes but I think they have come out OK, some defiantly better than others...
Anyway, onwards I go, more crafting today and tomorrow, I will post more soon,
enjoy the sun!!!

P.S. Just thought I would mention a few local Brighton Links to some of my discoveries for buying crafting goodies...
1 - Just Sew and the Brighton Sewing Centre - come under one website and are over the road from each other...The sewing centre is where I got my machine from and where I go whilst shopping, for little odds and ends, including all the Zips i used to make the bags above...they are always really helpful, smiley and remember you!!! :-D
2 -  Quilty Pleasures - What a brilliant and aptly named shop!!! newly opened in Brighton, I stumbled upon it whilst taking some friends kids to the park the other day...and what a treat, tucked up in a little corner in 7 Dials, a fully functioning Quilt store!!! I am defiantly going back there!!!
3 - Handmade Brighton - this is the group which runs the craft fair bi-monthly at the Komedia in Brighton, please check them out, they also have a co-op shop on St.James street in Brighton!!!
Thanks, sorry this is SUCH a LONG post
XoXo