A new top for me!

I had the fantastic opportunity to go to the first day of England's second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's last week. I love cricket, so this was as a wonderful treat for me, and I felt like I needed something new to wear for the occasion. My summer wardrobe is so boring, and I didn't have anything that seemed quite right for such a fantastic event. I didn't really have the cash to go shopping, but a few weeks back I bought a Japanese pattern book - Beginner's Dress and Tunic book - from the fab Etsy seller Pomadour24, and I've been dying to have a go at one of the patterns, so it seemed like a good opportunity. I didn't really have the time to do it either, but the patterns are very straightforward (in spite of being in Japanese of course), so I thought I would give it a go. I wanted something comfy but reasonably flattering, and I also wanted to use this gorgeous Michael Miller fabric called Boho Blossoms, which I had in my stash. So here's a picture of what I came up with. It's actually nothing much like the pattern, which doesn't have the contrasting high waisted panel or the belt, and is considerably longer. But it was great to have the pattern to help me with the fitted bodice, the neckline and the arms. I really enjoyed wearing it, and thought it looked ok - the arms especially have a really flattering kimono-style fit. It's the 1st piece of clothing I have made for myself in years and it was fun to do. I started thinking about getting myself a dressmaker's dummy - a very bad sign!

Whilst I was in London I made my poor friend accompany me on my craft-related shopping activities. I couldn't buy too much because I knew that I would have to take it with me to the cricket, and wouldn't have much space for a picnic and yards of new fabric. But I wanted to get some pink ribbon for drawstring bags I'm making, and so took the opportunity to visit the brilliant VV Rouleaux in Marylebone. What a shop - it has the most fabulous array of trimmings, ribbons, cords, tassels...etc. etc.. I could have spent a fortune. I also happened upon the Button Queen, also in Marylebone Lane, which has a fantastic array of antique and vintage buttons, as well as lots of fashion buttons to buy. I hope I get to London again soon - with more bag room this time. As for the Test match? It was fabulous and, WE WON! Roll on the 3rd Test.

PennyDog's Garden Swap

PennyDog's Garden Swap has been such a great experience - I feel lucky that I got paired with Chrissy - it's been great to get to know her better (she goes dolphin watching! she lives in Aberdeen! she is considerably cooler than me!) and she has been so generous. Her parcel of goodies arrived here yesterday and as you can see I got some fabulous things - a lovely hand-printed tote bag (that I have decided to use for current crochet projects), a fabulous hand made ring and fridge magnets, a very stylish b&w rose picture, a japanese lantern, some chocolate (that didn't last long) and some incredible fabric. I also got a 10% off voucher for her brilliant shop. See, I told you I did well! There's been some other great swap parcels - you can take a look at the Garden Swap Flickr group. A huge THANK YOU to Chrissy for all the lovely thoughtful goodies you sent - can't wait to make something fabulous with that fabric!

While we're on the subject of the swap I thought I'd blog the bag I made to go in to Chrissy's parcel. It's a small bag (about 20cm x 20cm) made with navy cotton twill with a handsewn, wool felt, flower garden applique. I have to say that I am pretty much more proud of this than anything I have ever made, and it was VERY hard to send it off to Aberdeen. Doing the applique was a real challenge (I always like to set myself a bit of a challenge when I'm doing swaps!) but I think it worked well and I got the slightly retro feel I was going for. I'm also very pleased with the colour combination, because I'm never confident about how colours go together. The handles are recycled from an charity shop bag find, and I used that bag as a template for this one. That's my bag making top tip actually... You can find some ace bags in charity shops - I like to use them to make a pattern and reuse all the bits and bobs (handles, zips, buttons, beads, etc), that come with them. I am really hoping Mary Portas' ideas to revamp charity shops don't catch on - I'm worried I wont be able to find bargains any more...

A Fancy Card Wallet

Duelling Crafters' Challenge

The last couple of days, when I haven't been busy in the garden, I've been working hard on my project for Blotted Copy Book's Duelling Crafters' Challenge. I decided to use my dad's old tie to make a wallet to hold my business cards, and the cards I get from other crafters. It will be great to have somewhere to keep the safe and easily findable amongst all the rubbish in my bag! I got it finished four hours before the deadline and managed to upload the photos on to the Duelling Crafters' Flickr Group with a couple of hours to spare.

The wallet has a very simple design with 2 business card-sized pockets inside, made using turquoise cotton fabric, which is also used for the lining. There is a little bit of fusible fleece between the lining and outer fabric, just to give the whole thing a bit of structure.

I was quite pleased with the result and was going to submit the wallet at that stage, entirely unadorned. However, having slept on it, I decided that, much as I love the tweedy wool fabric, it needing prettying up a bit. So I added a tiny crochet flower, complete with some recycled, bright red beads. The final touch is a little bit of red stitching - just because I think red and turquoise go so well together. I still have some of the tie fabric left so I've just cut out another piece so I can make a needle book for my sister's birthday next week. It's going to be really nice to use something every day that brings back such great memories of my dad.

Bright and Breezy Crochet Tawashi

Whilst browsing a (very useful) list of lovely Japanese craft books the other day, I noticed one for crochet 'tawashi'. I was intrigued and on further investigation realised that I had been using a traditional style Kamenoko Tawashi to scrub my veggies for a while now, although I no idea what it was called! It's extremely effective and has an excellent name which translates as 'tawashi (bundle) like a larva of a turtle'. So, a plan began to form. I like my tawashi, I love to crochet, I have lots of brightly coloured acrylic yarn (the ideal stuff because it's usefully scratchy)... it had to be time to make some eco-tawashi! Although there are, as far as I can tell, lots & lots of patterns available - just Google crochet tawashi or magic scrubber and you will find loads of links and books - I decided to have a go at my own. The pattern I've used on one side (pictured) consists of rows of double crochet interspersed with lovely lumpy bobbles which are very effective in getting the dirt off your pans. Also great fun to see hanging around your kitchen sink too. The other side is just double crochet stripes in the same eye-wateringly bright colours. I crocheted up the 2 sides separately then crocheted them together, creating a loop to hang it with at the same time. It was hugely fun to do and I've already started another one in slightly more subtle colours. I'm hoping to write up the pattern and blog it here very soon. The other thing that I'm working on at the moment (and in fact is finished apart from it's final press!) is my Garden Swap project. It has taken quite a lot of time, but as far as I am concerned the finished product is absolutely worth it. I hope Chrissy (of the brilliant Spoilt Pig) likes it...

Amigurumi Crochet Bunny Pattern

This pattern can now be found here at my new blog - Very Berry Handmade.

Update on the 50 Things Challenge

Originally uploaded by Craft Matters

Thought it was time for an update on how I've been getting on with the 50 Things Challenge as a quarter of the year is all over with (how did that happen...?). Here are some more bunnies (my latest "thing")! Yes, you've seen them before - but they do demonstrate that I can crochet the same thing in lots of different colours.. So - to the list:

1-7) They're all done!

8) Brown and turquoise bag - all done and blogged about here. Not sure what I'm going to do it - wondering about listing it for sale on Etsy in a 'prototypes' section of my shop.
9) Crochet hairband for me to use when gardening. All done but I hate it! Like the pattern and the yarn, but hate the way it looks on me... so it will probably never see the light of day...
10) 1 pair of daisy hairclips for Molly - not done, but there's a birthday coming up..
11) 1 gold slouch bag - almost done, but for some reason haven't got round to finishing the fastening.
12) Pink cupcake needle book - another prototype.
13) Owl needle book for Meridien Ariel's Owl Swap

Originally uploaded by Craft Matters

14) Blue cupcake needle book - for sale on Etsy. Pictured here because I don't think I ever blogged it.
15) Wallet/purse using Kaffe Fassett fabrics for my SIL's birthday
16) Prototype bunny
17) 8 more bunnies...
18) Placemats for our dining table using thrifted fabric
19) Gift for the Time for Tea swap - which I'll blog about as soon as I know that Izabela had got her parcel

Plans
20) Stuffed toy - preferably made with sewing machine, and probably for a present
21) New wallet for me using a pattern of my own design (I hope)
22) Another owl needle book
23) Another cupcake needle book
24) Crochet and fabric coaster for sale in the shop

A Recycled Bag...

I started this soooooo long ago, I think it was just after Christmas when I had a sudden enthusiasm to dust off my sewing machine. It's finally finished and I am dead pleased with it. It's an eminently practical, really simple pattern, which doesn't take too long to run up.

It's a bought pattern (this one by Kwik Sew) that I've tweaked quite a bit with a slightly different shape and different handles. It's nice to feel confident enough to fiddle with a pattern, although I wouldn't feel half as confident if I was making something to wear!

I've also added a long crochet band to snazz it up a bit and so that you can tie the bag shut. There's nothing worse than putting your bag down for a second only to have it gape open and reveal everything you have in there!

I describe it as recycled because the fabrics used have had earlier lives. The lining consists of 2 pillowcases and the outer fabric is an ex-display curtain from John Lewis (the only way I can afford JL fabrics!!). Actually this pattern would make a brilliant one for making bags from charity shop pillowcases - you would need 4 in all, or 2 plus some other lining fabric. I definitely need to go on another charity shop scouting trip soon.

50 Things Challenge Update

*I've just realised that I missed out the brooches I've made from this updated list. Doh! It's now accurate.*

Another break from blogging - this time because my entire family has been struck by a horrid lurgy over the last few days... The boys both have terrible coughs, I was in bed with flu for a couple of days and now Mr Seasonal Matters has taken to HIS bed. I haven't done any crafting at all since last weekend when I finished the little purple booties - I just haven't had the energy, even since I started to feel a little bit better.

So I thought that now might be a good time to update my 50 Things list with what I've done and add some more projects to it. I think it will be good to have the motivation!


Update on progress:
1) Blue floral hairclips . Completed and sold.
2) Neckwarmer/scaflet in RYC soft tweed. Completed and listed on Etsy.
3)Pink wild rose hairclips. Completed and sold.
4) Tweed corsage. Completed and listed on Etsy.
5) Present for friend's new baby. Done - must post!
6) Crochet flower brooch made using Colinette Prism in Cezanne. Completed and listed on Etsy.
7) Crochet flower brooch made using Noro Silk Garden. Completed and listed on Etsy.

8) Brown and turquoise slouch bag. All cut out and ready to be sewn.
9) Crochet hairband for me to use when gardening. Started - about 1/3 crocheted.

10) 1 pair daisy hairclips for Molly
11) 1 gold slouch bag
12) Lily pad needle book.

New Stuff:
13) Owl related item for Meridian Ariel's Owl Swap. I think I have decided what to do - now I just have 2 weeks to make it!
14) 1 pair of merino wool booties to sell on Etsy. Inspired by my 1st booties, but in slightly chunkier yarn so should be nice and quick to crochet up. I really want to do a pattern to sell too, but I am not sure about my pattern writing skills yet..
15) A birthday present for my SIL. Not quite sure what I'm going to do yet and wouldn't give the game away on here anyway..
16) Another slouch bag using some of the gorgous Kaffe Fasset fabrics that I picked up in the Cottonpatch sale.
17) A bag commissioned by a friend in the style of this pink spotty one that I made and sold last year.

I think that will do for now. Instead of feeling inspiring this post is now making me feel positively overwhelmed so I think it's time to take a break...

I'm still here...

I am so ashamed to see how long it is since I have blogged. I had such good intentions too! I put the blame almost entirely down to the arrival in our house of Mario Kart. I thought I would find it dull, but, erm, I don't... It's great fun to sit down and play racing with the boys!

So it has taken me a while to get these little crochet booties finished. I guess they also took longer than crochet projects usually do because I designed them from scratch and they really are the most complicated thing I've ever done. I am hoping to write up the pattern for my blog, but that's a skill I'm still learning, and I suspect that there are one or two bits that could do with a bit of polishing up. I also need to learn to write things down as I do them!!

These boots are also one of my 50 Things so that's another one to cross off my list - hurrah! I have also got a slouch bag almost done and a commission to make another bag for a friend. And I sold the 2 sets of hairclips I have made since Christmas, so all in all things are looking very positive at the moment. I just have to learn to switch of the Wii now and again.

All I need was a little motivation...

Getting Back to Crochet
This year feels like it's got off to a very creative start. Perhaps it's being set free of the constraints of working on all the Christmas orders but I suddenly seem to have more ideas and a lot more enthusiasm for working on new projects.

It feels especially good to have my crochet hook on the go again! I started on 2 new crochet brooches last night (must update my 50 Things list). These have always been good sellers, and I thought I'd try a slightly different pattern to extend my range. Really enjoyed doing them and should have them in the shop by the end of the week.

What I have learned since Christmas is that I can no longer casually keep my wool basket downstairs & within reach of 2 little boys... Their obsession with Wallace and Gromit means that there have been several attempts to recreate the Wool Shop scenes from 'A Close Shave', i.e., wool in a big mess everywhere! What fun I have had sorting out the resulting tangled disaster! My wool basket now lives on top of my wardrobe which is a little less convenient but far less time-consuming!

Another Project Completed

For ages now I have wanted to make some fabric corsages to sell in the shop... I like the idea of using up some of the 1000s of smaller bits of fabric that I can't use for bags or clothes. It helps that I really like them myself, so I get lots of creative ideas about what I would like to make, and I don't mind keeping all the prototypes that went a bit wrong for myself!!

This tweedy fabric seemed to really lend itself to being made into a corsage because it's quite thick, has an interesting texture & some sparkly threads. Also I only had a small piece of the fabric and couldn't think what else to do with it!

The petals are semi-circles cut out individually and then sewn with a gathering stitch, overlapped slightly, onto one piece of thread. The thread is then pulled tight to gather up all the petals and sewn onto a piece of backing fabric to secure it. The centre part consists of some looped shiny black and silver fabric and 3 grey faceted buttons. I think it looks great, but it is pretty big so makes quite a statement.

The other great thing is that it is another item off my 50 Things list. As the title says, I just needed a bit of motivation really!

Two more projects completed...

Well, I didn't expect it to be going this well at this early stage, but I have another couple of projects finished from my 50 Things Challenge list.

I've been wanting to create a slightly larger hairclip (& something other than the Daisy clips I sell on Etsy already) for a while now. I love wild roses, so I thought I might have a go at making something reminiscent of a dog rose (isn't that a terrible name?!). I've used some pink and white wool-rich felt to call to mind the petals and yellow and orange embroidery thread for the stamens in the centre. The stitching is put on pretty randomly - it's not very tidy in nature after all (it's a good excuse)... I like them a lot - although they look a bit foolish on me, and I don't really do pink, so I might well make myself some red poppy clips at some stage. More stuff for me!

When it comes to size however, the clips don't come anywhere close to the tweedy corsage I've also finished. It's grey & black and therefore much more my kind of thing. It's also pretty huge and certainly a statement. I think it would look fantastic on a big winter coat. Anyhow, I wont go into too much detail now because I want to blog on it tomorrow - the photos really don't go with the pretty pink wild roses.

50 Things Challenge - my first 10

I've decided to take part in the 50 Things Challenge that I've read about in the excellent Eat, Drink and Be Crafty blog. The Challenge is to list and make 50 things during the year - it doesn't sound that much I guess, but then you realise it's a project a week!!! And as I've got rotten back ache at the moment as a result of picking up a large child yesterday so it doesn't feel like I'm ever going to do any crafting again... hopefully it isn't too ambitious a plan. I'm going to include the things I've already finished or started this year to give me a bit of a head start. I am also just going to do 10 at a time because what I need to make and feel inspired to make can change so much over the months. So here goes with my 1st 10:

1) 1 pair blue fabric hairclips for sale on Etsy. Done and dusted, listed on Etsy and pictured left. They are very pretty!
2) 1 neckwarmer/scarflet in RYC soft tweed, see post below & listed for sale on Etsy
3) 1 pair pink dog rose hairclips for sale on Etsy. Done!
4) 1 large black tweed corsage. Now for sale on Etsy
5) 1 baby gift for my friend's new baby Elsie (but not going to say what it is until it's done!)
6) 1 pair of daisy hairclips for my friend's daughter Molly
7) 1 slouch bag with huge floral pattern in brown & turquoise for sale on Etsy
8) 1 slouch bag in gorgeous rich gold fabric for sale on Etsy
9) 1 fabric/crochet/knitted (haven't decided yet) hair band to keep my hair out of the way when gardening (what, something for me?!)
10) 1 lily pad felt needle book for sale on Etsy

There's also a Flickr Group for the 50 Things Challenge so take a look and see what people have been up to.