a tale of two quilts

Last September I started to plan a quilt each for my girls. I asked them separately to choose one fabric from my stash and I would plan a quilt around their choice. Remarkably they each chose the same fabric in different colourways, this Kaffe Fasset design Tile Flower. 

I decided on a simple square design and I used colours to complement their fabric choice. I wanted to include lots of fabric I had printed and slowly built up enough in a range of colours to make two single bed sized quilts. 

I gave the girls three blank squares each and some fabric pens and let them draw or write whatever they wanted to capture their 6 and 8 year old selves in these quilts. 

Missy Big did a self portrait, a drawing of her sister, her favourite teddy and doll and a heart.

Little Missy put all her favourites in one square, bunnies, a rainbow, butterflies and all our ages, in another a heart and the other one is a crazy ramble of jumbled words and numbers, which sums up her active mind and jump before looking attitude perfectly.

These squares make my heart ship a beat when I look at them.

I'm hand quilting these, so it's slow but happy progress. I'm using perle thread in a bunch of cheery colours and wiggling lines across the quilt.

I am loving making these, but I can hardly wait to see them being snuggled under, used to make dens and dragged across the floor like I didn't spend a gazillion hours making them.

Throughout the process of making these I made a new friend in the school playground. She was so inspired by all my quilt talk she made her first quilt for her Mum, a double sized quilt, in about a month and took it to her in South Africa over Christmas. 
We had lots of frantic "how do I do..." chats at pick up time and somehow she got this finished in time, I'm so impressed! There are two embroidered hand shapes and a drawing by each of her children in this. Needless to say her parents were thrilled.  

Stunning isn't it! I love her almost 3 year olds contribution. She most definitely has the quilting bug now and is planning her next quilt(s). 

Linking in with My Creative Space, so glad to see this back again, I missed it so!

a new old list

Last January I wrote a list of all the crafty things I wanted to make during the year. Here it is, with it's updated status in green

a quilt each for the girls (gulp) 

both in progress, both tops and backs are done, the hand quilting is slooooow

a couple more cushions

done

a dress or two for me

I managed one

a skirt for me

done, a denim one with liberty facing

2 sets of curtains (which I loathe doing)

one pair done, other pair still to be done, soon!

clothes for these ever growing children

ooops, none made

make more progress on the bullseye

I have done more, though this is clearly a long term project

develop some new designs for screen printing

I've made some progress, not enough though

have a go at an embroidery collage for the wall

forgot all about this one

make a magic potion that doubles the number of hours in a day

an impossible dream

There were of course lots of things made throughout the year that weren't on the list, I'm easily sidetracked.

see, there is some progress!

So, my 2014 version.

finish the quilts for my girls

make another cushion or two

1 pair of curtains

clothes for the children

continue with the bullseye

more screen printing, get those ideas actually onto screens

lots and lots of clothes for me, spurred on by the handmade365 challenge

Not a huge list, but managable I hope. There will of course be lots of new projects that arise and distract me I'm sure.

Have you got a crazy list of things you'd like to make / finish?

wearing handmade everyday

I'm a lover of handmade.

I like to wear natural fabrics; cotton, linen, silk.

I'm tall, so shop bought clothes don't fit me very well.

I'm picky about the colours I wear.

I can sew, and trained in fashion and pattern cutting so I have the neccessary skills.

So why the heck don't I make many clothes for myself? 

Partly because all I see in the finished garment are the mistakes and how I could have done something differently. The fit can always be improved, the fabric / lining choice could have been better, I should have faced / hemmed it differently... the list could go on. Secondly the time it takes to make / alter a pattern (the tall issue again), it seems very indulgent to spend all that time on something just for me. 

All that aside, this is going to be the year I get on with it, and actually make more garments for myself.

sale time at Liberty = a couple of tops for summer 

To spur myself on, I am joining in with Ted and Agnes's Handmade 365 challenge. I came across this a few weeks ago and I decided to take the plunge in the new year. Admittedly I am currently only wearing handmade accessories and the odd skirt as most of the clothing I have made is summer wear. I have a stack of corduroy begging to be used and I'm raring to go, so watch this space.

If you're on Instagram search #handmade365 to see daily updates of other peoples handmade wardrobes, it's inspiring!

goodbye 2013 hello 2014

Goodbye to a crafty and happy 2013, I know I haven't shared a whole lot on this blog, I discovered the super speedy Instagram and have neglected this space somewhat. 
Anyhow here's a little look at some of the Christmas presents I recently made for the family. 

A jumbo sized zipped project pouch for my Mum, using fabrics I have printed mixed up with some of Blueberry Park's handprinted fabrics. I used the noodlehead tutorial for a wide open pouch - it's so handy, you can see right inside!

A bow tie for my Step Dad, he wears them all the time, and Liberty fabric seemed like the perfect choice. I love how this turned out! I used this free Burda pattern, but made it a whole piece to the overall size required.

He wore it immediately.

And these two sisters, Miss Poppy and Miss Maggie Rabbit for my girls. I was inspired by Gillian and Charlotte's beautiful creations, I only wish I'd started sooner, these were finished off on Christmas Eve with my Mum knitting the capes as I can't knit and was cutting it a bit fine to learn.

I have a whole wardrobe planned for these two, they are going to be well dressed rabbits!

2013 was not a very bloggy year for me. I lost the flow, the connection and quite frankly wondered, shouldn't I be 'doing' something instead of reading about what other people were actually doing?! 

But lately I have been missing it, missing seeing what online friends have been up to and I've missed discovering other people's stories and adventures. 

So the new year is full of promise and new beginnings, plans and dreams. I have a long list of things to start / finish / try out. 

I hope I'll be better at sharing them with you!

Happy New Year everyone!

A winner...

Thanks to everyone who entered the SewMamaSew giveaway, I loved reading all your comments. Lots of you out there love blue and green, and orange was mentioned several times too I was thrilled to see!

I won't keep you hanging, if you're anything like me at the moment you're knee deep in Christmas gifts that still aren't finished...  or maybe you're more organised and started ages ago, have finished all your making and are now sitting back and scoffing mince pies? 

So anyway, there were 260 entires before the deadline, and the winner is....

Danbury Quilter, who blogs at Modern Cozy - congratulations! 

I'll be emailing you soon.

To say Happy Christmas and thank you for entering, you can get 15% off my handprinted fabric in my Etsy Shop with the code HAPPY15 which is valid until the end of 2013, happy shopping! 

Now, I'd better get back to those unfinished projects... x

GIVEAWAY DAY!

Here's a late entry into the SewMamaSew Giveaway extravaganza. 

So let gets straight to the point, the prize!

The lucky winner will recieve a bundle of samples of my Handprinted Fabric, an assortment of colours and designs in various sizes. 

These are perfect for patchwork and small handmade projects - purses, book covers, coasters etc or mix them up with other fabrics and create an original quilt.

In order to win, leave a comment telling me what colours you like to work with the most in your craft projects. 

For a second chance follow me on Facebook or Instagram and leave a second comment telling me you do so.

If you are a no reply blogger please include your email address.

I will post internationally and the giveaway is open until 11pm Friday 13th December UK time, I'll announce a winner over the weekend.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways at SewMamaSew.

Good luck!!

Black Friday

Hello, this is just a quicky to let you know there is 20% off in both of my Etsy shops for Black Fiday, running until the end of Monday. Use the code Black20 at the checkout.

buy hand screen printed fabric here

scrarves, handbags, party wear and brooches here

Happy shopping folks, and please spread the word!

handmade happiness

A couple of weekends ago Missy Big and I had a girls day out, just the two of us. We went to Spitalfields, had a wander around the market and after a fancy burger popped to the Renegade Craft Fair. What a treat! 

We picked up lots of handmade goodies, some for us and a bunch of Christmas presents too, which will have to remain a secret. 

But the best bit for Missy Big was that she got to meet Jane Bull and take part in a workshop with her. If you craft with your children you've probably used a Jane Bull book, we have several and regularly borrow them from the library. She has a new book out - Crafty Creatures, from which we each made a sweet bird.

Aren't they lovely! We will be making plenty more new friends from this book I'm sure.

The only trouble with Christmas shopping is that I see so many things I want for me! I'm very fond of a brooch, and there were many to choose from. I did very well and just came home with one for me.

Mine is by Louise Dawson

and brooches for the girls, from Lady Snail

coasters from Ketchup on Everything

There were so many talented makers and gorgeous products. I came away completely inspired and plan to make this Christmas as handmade as possible, either by making for people or buying handmade. 

I think I'd better get a move on! 

in print

It's here! I'm in a magazine! Patchwork Tsushin the beautiful Japanese magazine to be precise.

You may remember back in the summer I mentioned my meeting with editor Naomi, well I have been beside myself with excitement waiting to see this in print and I am so thrilled with the result!

There is a feature on Modern Quilers in London, England, which includes interviews with Kaffe Fassett, Cassandra Ellis, Janet Bolton and fellow LMQG member Judith. I feel completely honoured to be in such good company.

There are plenty of adorable projects in here for me to have a go at too. 

Now, does anyone read Japanese...?

a little sewing time

Over the summer between picnics and day trips I managed to squeeze in a little sewing.

Travel: we celebrated my Mum's birthday in Paris, and the bon voyage passport cover was for her. The family organiser worked a treat, I had tickets, passports and info all neatly tucked inside.

Friends: the needlebook I made for the LMQG / Vancouver MQG christmas needlebook swap. A wonky house and tree for Amy's wonky Village, which I am in love with!

Quilts: Fabrics and prints I'm using in a quilt each for the girls. They both used fabric pens and drew on fabric which will be included in their quilt. Little Missy drew  her favourites - rainbow, bunnies, butterflies and sunshine. She kindly shared our ages too, I like hers, 6 (almost) but actually 5. I imagine this will be a wonderful reminder of being 5 when we look back in years to come.

I'm busy working on a new website and some new fabric designs at the moment. It's high time I took myself seriously and believed in myself a little more, it's very exciting to be working again though! I will be sharing some tutorials very soon, I have so many ideas, time to get on with them!