teachers presents

my little O has broken up from pre-school & will be making the big leap to school in September, my emotions are a little all over the place about this, but for now i'm just looking forward to sharing the next seven weeks with her, i wanted to make a farewell gift for all her pre-school teachers {not including myself that's seven in all!} so it really needed to be a quick easy gift, 

these lined drawstring bags were just ideal, little O helped me to choose which fabrics were to be for which teacher {all from fabrics i've got stashed away - so not too sure what some of them are} she also insisted we had to put something in the bags, her idea being chocolates, they were fun to make & i think {fingers crossed} they were appreciated by all, i used the great tutorial from here

another quilt

this is the quilt i finished off last week, if there hadn't been a delay in the {right size!} wadding arriving i would have probably finished it off last year, well when the right size did arrive i got stuck right in & finished it off within about 24 hours! {it's really rather a small sized quilt}

i tried out making the binding following a tutorial i'd found on pintrest, it really did work, although i did find it a little tricky at first, i'm sure after a few attempts you'd get the hang of it, the vintage sheets i used to make the quilt top were from 'little tea wagon' & had already been cut into squares for me, as was the fq of vintage flannel used to make the binding, then the dotty flannel on the back & the wadding both came from 'prints to polka dots' - which always seem to have lovely fabric at great prices {i am so in love with flannel, i'd really love to get my hands on some more Anna Maria Horner flannels - please message me if you know of any good uk sources}

i did some simple lines of quilting & machined the binding on & then added one of the sweet labels Laura had sent me, which i think finished it off perfectly!

Storyboek baby quilt

a while back i won a giveaway over at 'm is for make', some of the sweet storyboek fabric from birch fabrics, i set it aside not quite sure what to use it for at the time, then when a friend very recently had a little baby boy i knew i wanted to make him something using these fabrics, they are just perfect for a mini baby quilt, 

i set about making this quilt in my usual way, having a vague idea of how i wanted it to turn out, then letting it evolve along the way, i added some blue striped fabric i had in my stash & used some blue checked fabric for the backing, i very luckily had some wadding in just the right size, the so they whole thing came together quite quickly, the binding was made from some natural linen left over from a past project {i also discovered that i really need to get myself a bias making tool - something else to add to the christmas list!}

mini make

i'm juggling a few projects right now, knitting & sewing, & there are a whole heap of ideas i want to get started on if i can find the time & motivation, the weekend was far to busy to get much done, friends visiting, girls night out, then an emergency trip to the vets for a cut on Barney's leg {which resulted in stitches, a sulking dog & a very light purse}

i did finish this last week though, a quick little commission for a car crazy toddler, i hear it went down very well with the recipient!

  

the dots are Amy Butler, teamed with some brown gingham & i really can't remember what the car print is called but think it's from 'prints charming', i know it came from fabric rehab quite a while ago, 

doubt i'm going to get much done with this sorrowful dog following me round, but at least he'll get some peace as the kids go back to school today!

september - really?

i knew it was coming but really - here already? we've spent the last week of our holidays over with my folks, enjoying lovely walks, a farm trip, a short shopping trip into brighton {without the little folks!} & a little visit to the village funfair, all good fun

i have a weekend of getting organised ahead of me, it will feel good to get back into a routine next week & maybe find some time to spend with the sewing machine, having returned home to find a parcel of this goodness on my door step, after winning a little giveaway over at m is for make

sweet dreams

when i found myself home alone on friday night {well as alone as one can be with two sleeping children in their beds & one faithful puppy following my every move}i took the opportunity to spend a little time with my sewing machine {& said faithful puppy at my feet} i've been planning to make this pattern for a while, & had it in my mind to make it as a nightie, now i'm normally a pj's kinda gal, but there are occasions when a nightie would be nice, so i used the tunic pattern from this Japanese sewing book {pattern D} & used some lovely light cotton i'd brought on a trip to ikea, which i'd never really known what to use for 

it came together quite easily & quicker than i'd thought {i'd already cut the paper pattern pieces out a while ago}i still find the whole process quite magical, how it all comes together & from a flat piece of  fabric i can make some thing to wear, which actually fits me! the fit is good, although i would only ever use this pattern to make a nightie {as it does rather look like maternity wear, great on the comfort front but not so great for the being seen in public when you're not actually pregnant front!} it's long, finishing past the knees, which is another thing i like, i added a couple of pockets, as i'm a big lover of pockets, i would however make these bigger next time, i think i'd also make the top bodice part longer & i might change where the pleats fall maybe, i'll wear this one for a while to see how it goes

*i'll close the comments on the give-away tonight, then pick a winner in the morning - good luck*

it's friday - let's have a give-away!

okay let's get to the good stuff

one winner will get their hands on this Amy Butler 'field bag & tote' pattern, along with a metre of some fabric from her 'love collection'

don't worry if you're not a sewer, there is something for the knitters too! another winner will get two balls of  freedom sincere 'organic cotton dk' in a lovely muted shade of purple & a small collection of vintage knitting needles 

having had a sort out of my knitting needles i also have a few 'odds', so if anyone is interested in these vintage needles for a collection or think they might have a partner they could reunite them with, please let me know & i'll do a separate 'lucky dip' for  them

the give-away is open to all {although not sure if there are any rules on sending knitting needles overseas?} all you have to do is let me know which you are, a sewer or a knitter {or a bit of both - therefore not really minding which goodies you get your mitts on!} then also please let me know if you're interested in the odd knitting needles too, i'll leave the give-away open over the weekend, then pick a winner on monday {or maybe tuesday if i forget what day it is}

stash watch part five

& lastly some rather bright floral cotton, which i thought would make a great girls dress, also from fabric land in brighton {it's rather a good job i don't live in brighton anymore isn't it}

stash watch part four

some 'dotty' cottons, also from fabric land in brighton & also at the great price of about £3 pm

stash watch part three

some alexander henry 'willow grove' in red from here and some fine red 'dobby' cotton, brought from fabric land in brighton {at the great price of £3.30 pm}

stash watch part two

amy butler 'full moon' dots on cherry red & some alexander henry 'farmdale delicious apples' from here again {but don't think they have anymore of the apples!}

stash watch

Erin McMorris fabric from her 'weekends' collection, flower cut-outs in lime, flower power in green & flower lollipops in grass, on sale from over here 

KCWC day one

i've been at work today, so haven't got much done on day one, i did pick up some fabrics a few weeks back & managed to cut out a dress pattern around cooking the kids their tea, so plan on cutting out the fabric tonight & get sewing tomorrow - we'll see, i did have some plans for other things, but have luckily remembered i need to come up with a fancy dress outfit for little O to wear to the village fete on sunday, so it's likely that will be my other project for the week, if i can come up with an idea that is!  {main theme is the 'four seasons' our pre-school is just sticking to summer/seaside, she'd like to be a 'crab', i'm thinking more along the lines of a mermaid!}

{the little golfers fabric is going to be made into something for me i think}

hoilday

this easter has really felt like a holiday, mostly down to all the lovely weather we've been having, i've been rather busy & having too much fun getting out & doing things too spend much time on the computer, but heh thats okay with me & i'm sure everyone has been doing the same, 

the seeds the children & i planted at the start of the easter holidays {just two weeks ago} have also been enjoying the warm weather & have been growing like crazy on the window sill, they will need to be planted out very soon at this rate but i'm a little worried that this weather won't hold!

i did treat myself to some new fabric, i'd been loving these for a while, so once Kate over at misformake had popped them into her sale i couldn't resist, 

& thank you to Laura i had the perfect recipe to use up some rhubarb, these went down a treat at an afternoon play at the park with my group of friends, i will be asking my mum to bring over more rhubarb with her asap as these just didn't last long enough

i've found it far too hot to be knitting but i have been planning a few sewing projects, when i get round to putting them into action who knows, but the thought is there, {i have done a little sewing but that's a secret right now so keep it shhh}

happy

a great kick off to half term (apart from the rain) new fabrics from a little swap set up with Rachel

& a punch & judy show

now that's the way to do it! (sorry, couldn't resist)

today i have

been washing new fabric (from here, on sale, i'm thinking the blue may become the backing for the pin-wheel quilt )

, 

hanging said washing out to line dry (washing done & all dry before school pick up!)

loosing the battle against the bug doing the rounds (pesky children & their germ sharing tendencies!)

sitting on the back step, drinking lemsip, soaking up some sun,  watching little O & her friend do some digging (generally involving getting a little muddy!)

searching out the new shoots & spring flowers

sunday stash / new fabric

having read this post over here (sorry Jenny)

i was far too tempted & made the mistake of taking a look, as tempted as i was by the lovely Westfalenstoffe fabrics, there were lots of others to lure me in, the 'little folks' flannel i have wanted so long, (i had actually ordered some of this last winter but it was part of the parcel that went missing at the time) it was also at a great price, so i couldn't resist, i plan to use this to make some bedding for little O, as she will be moving into a bed (as soon as i can face the trip to Ikea!)

i also got some of this Kokka 'sewing thread' fabric & some Heather Bailey fabric (which were on sale)

all from Celtic Fusion fabrics, a great quick service (the parcel made it to me despite all the snow) they even sent me a few little freebie pieces of fabric, which is always a treat,

feeling lucky

i have been enjoying the weekend & feel like i squeezed quite a lot in, i've pressed the blocks i had stared for my next quilt project

 found out i had won a little give-away over on kate's blog, she popped them in the post so quickly that they arrived on saturday!

didn't manage to see too many fireworks from the attic window but did catch a rainbow

enjoyed the sunshine on a family day-trip down to portsmouth

& visit to the aquarium (& then watching 'finding nemo' on our return home)

having cooked, eaten (a yummy butter-nut squash recipe) & tided up as much as is necessary, i'm now looking forward to a spot of knitting in front of the telly, after the little people are tucked up in their beds, 

(& defiantly not thinking about the fact it is monday tomorrow & we're already into the second week of november!!!!!) 

mmmmmmmm

hot buttered toasted tea bread (am happy to share the recipe if anyone's interested?)

with a cup of tea (my back from the school run / no work today treat)

& with the anticipation of some sewing at little O's nap time later

having finally cut into my lovely 30's reproduction fabric at the weekend

oh happy tuesday