The Old Quilt

FA LA LA, LA LA, LA LA LAA LAAAA!

Three things to tell you.

1) Show and tell craft.

2) Lovely blog I discovered

3) My advent purchase.

1) I have finished present number three! I am completely delighted, as if I hadn't done this, NOBODY would have got a handmade present. I couldn't give to two of the kids and not the other now could I? (This is my made-up tradition since last year. I make something for the kids each Christmas. Technically I only made one of them last year but the other was from ebay and was 2nd hand and a friend knitted the egg cosies. Actually this is my first year really doing it!)

So this is it.

I found this cardigan in a charity shop a few weeks ago and I felted it. (If anyone wants to know more about felting let me know). It is really soft. Just asking to be made into a cushion, and a feather filled one at that.

When I chopped the arms off it I was able to use some of that to make the flower. Felting is so easy and made the flower really easy to cut, no worries about fraying. I threaded the ribbon round it too to pretty it up a bit more.

I hope my eldest girl really likes this. She fell upon the cardigan when she saw it, she loved it but I told her it was for my crafting. So that solves my dilemma about who gets the dolls quilt.

 

2) I have discovered a really nice blog called Little Birdie Secrets whilst I looked for ideas on making flowers. It's now added to my side list of blogs I like, and is really worth a look at. Amazing craft ideas.

3) I wanted to show you my Advent House. I saw this in a magazine belonging to my Mum, and immediately bought it. I have been looking for an advent thing for a while now, and when I saw this from John Lewis I fell for it.

It was £30 and I was amazed to see a similar version, except with fewer doors and pictures in Great Little Trading Company, for £45. So I felt well justified in spending the money. 25 little doors or windows just asking to be opened. I squealed in delight the other night when I saw Jamie Oliver had one in his house. I can just imagine this getting old, chipped and faded over the years, and becoming a family heirloom. The kids do love it. I put three sweets in there and then they have to play a game like; 'okay I've thought of three colours, guess which ones.' And then they guess, until everyone has got one right and they got a sweet. Today it was 3 Christmas animals, which were robin, reindeer and em... another robin! Couldn't think of three after I'd told them, lol!

So 3 things for you. A whole themed post, and so soon after the last. What's going on?

Finishing gifts....and a cute idea for boys.

I finally got round to backing the dolls blanket. It's definitely a dolls blanket now. It changed several times, even during the sewing of the backing. I suddenly realised it would look so much better as a cushion, stuffed it with wadding and realised I had made it a funny length and I would need to find a custom cushion for it.

SO IT'S A  BLANKET. (decision made). Now I don't know which daughter to give it to.

I backed it with a teatowel from Homebase. Since all my fabrics are in storage still, I have to make do with what I can find. I really miss the pondering over and pulling out of fabric. The sheer enjoyment of looking at the patterns or feeling the oldness of the linens, is all waiting for me in several large plastic boxes. I can't wait.

So Homebase came to the rescue again. Quite surprising really, it's not the first place you wold think of, but I used a teatowel from there two years ago to make a little quilt for the dolls cot. Not exactly fat quarters, but you get a couple of materials that co-ordinate and also a teatowel that is not inspiring enough for sewing, so you use it as a tea towel. How novel!

Anyway I really liked the ones that they had in, and since one set were looking quite boyish I suddenly realised that perhaps I could sew something for Philip. I haven't sewn anything for him before. A dolls blanket would be a complete no-no. BUT how about a sleeping bag for his toy.

Meet Cowboy Joe. Yes he looks a bit bedraggled. He certainly has been round a few corners. I received him when I was a child, from an aunt. I absolutely loved him. My childhood teddy didn't survive as I gave him to a new Labrador pup to play with (yes, I'm kicking myself), so Cowboy Joe is my oldest toy.

I gave him to Philip when he was very small and he does love him too. He has a collection of toys that he takes to bed, but of course it suits Cowboy Joe to have a sleeping bag. You need one for all your cowboy adventures don't you?

So here it is. God, I really had to think about this one. How in God's name do I make something reversible? I managed it in the end, but it took a while to figure it out. Proudly only one seam was ripped out, and my machine behaved impeccably (I'm ashamed to admit I think it's because I changed my needle). There is a little built in pillow, and a turned down section so Joe can see out (he likes to look at the stars, and keep an ear for bears).

It didn't have to be reversible but since I liked the co-ordinating fabric I decided it had to be. Instead of completely sewing up the turned down section I left it open as I know Philip loves small spaces for storing things. Secret notes and little toys can be kept in there (or perhaps Cowboy Joes gun, remember the bears).

Much better than the CD storage box I had planned to decorate for him.

Crafting Again

Well the urge has hit me again. I rummaged in my bag of 'things' to find something. The choice was hampered by a) capability, and b) mmmm what do I fancy doing?

I found a piece I had started months ago. My grandmother had given me a load of old linens, and I liked a plain white traycloth. It was made up from linen squares all crocheted together. I took it all apart and took the crochet out, and added my own squares too. Basically I wanted to try a bit of handsewn patchwork since a neighbouring lady had shown me how to do it. The linen squares were fine as they were as they had the edges all sewn, but my coloured squares needed paper templates, pinning and tacking etc. The multicoloured floral is from a shirt (Boden I think)which I thrifted nearly 2 years ago, and even put on this blog. The red squares came from ebay almost as long ago.

  The whole thing was a bit daunting as I discovered that the linen squares were not all the same size, whilst my squares were, so I had to just compensate with my linen squares, and turn them around each time to find what fitted best. I enjoyed doing the tiny stitches, it was so therapeutic.

You can see what look like pinholes on the white squares. This is where the crochet type joining was done.

I now have my 'piece' finished and have to iron it and decide what to do with it. My first thought is to back it with something old and give it to one of my girls as a doll blanket (how Caroline Zoobish of me!). Or it could be made into a cushion cover. Please tell me if you have any suggestions.

Next I have a tea-cosy urge. I found a great Boden shirt in a charity shop here the other day (somebody in Omagh is throwing out their Boden shirts and I am liking it a lot). It's hanging drying here; still thinking it's a shirt. Little does it know I can see it lining a fab tea cosy.

I have also been trying to felt a few woolly jumpers to make a patchwork blanket.

Or something.

It's very busy here. We now have windows and insulation in our house. Ceilings are going up and rooms are being plastered. We are choosing doors, tiles, paint colours and bathrooms. I am hoping I can source material for curtains at a good price. I will be able to reuse a good bit but I want a bit of new stuff too. Does anyone know where is good for a bit of floral fabric? Obviously I know Cath Kidston, Laura Ashley, but if I could get some more recommendations. I am hoping to get some from Vanessa Arbuthnott. There's a nice red and white fabric I love.

We really needed (read...we didn't need this at all) one of our dogs to have pups, but she has. Six cute sheepdog puppies. So that's 11 dogs now! All sheep dogs, my husband has an addiction. We are 3 miles from the farm at the moment so it's not ideal.We had one at our house overnight as it was a bit poorly. He rallied for one day but alas this morning he had gone to the big sheepdog trial in the sky. I took these pictures the other night when we were nursing him.

Hence we had a 'natural selection' talk with the 3 distraught kids this evening.

And a visit to the farm to see the remaining five puppies. It is sad, but part of the farming life.

How are your weeks going? Any crafting going on? I think people don't blog about their crafts as much at this time of year as they are working on secret Christmas presents. I'd love to know what people are working on.

Use your loaf (tin).

It takes me an age to work my way towards baking. Now that I have temporarily inherited a lovely 'Nigella' cakedome, I meant to get round to it for weeks. You can just about see the dome in the photo below. To be honest, the real owner told me that it needed banana bread in it. Finally, I had a free morning, and the fact that my husband was outside working made the thought of it all the sweeter. Undoubtedly I never bake for myself, it has to be appreciated. I inwardly glow if someone just happens to call in, and I have a homemade cake to hand. It happens so rarely you see.

The banana bread is a recipe that my friend gave me. I fiddled with it, took out cherries and added more walnuts. It really is good. The other loaf (much fewer calories when you bake a cake in a loaf tin!) is a lemon syrup loaf from 'How to be a domestic goddess'. If you have this book, and normally just pass on by this; please rewind and give this a go, so simple and zingy. It is now top of my list.

I like loaf tin cakes. They look harmless, almost wholesome. I cut slabs; much nicer than cake wedges. The kids were beside themselves choosing which one to go for, mean mother that I am. Don't worry, there are so many loaf eating opportunities in one day, that they got several chances!

Thank-you so much for all the ideas re the giveaway. I will pick out a winner in a few days. I would encourage anyone else to leave their names too.

Keeping Busy.

I have fallen in love with The Killers album (Day and Age).  I am nearly sick of 'human' but if I go a few days without hearing it, it has me bopping about again. The rest of the album is just brilliant too. I would love to see them in concert. Hmmm, must investigate.

After all the busyness of the last few months, there is a little more time to draw breath now, and I am not so sure what that will bring. Sometimes it is a bit scary to stand still. We hurtle along, and that becomes the norm. Anyhow, I have a lot of projects to get stuck into, that have been waiting a long time. I want to tell you about these but also to show you my latest photos of craft.

I have already said aboutwanting to give craft items to the children this Christmas. A friend who runs the craft night, knitted egg cosies for my wee man, but seem to have deleted the photo as I did this today. Perhaps another time!

I sourced the sewing box on ebay and intended to make my eldest a pin cushion and needle case to go along with it. However since a friend bought me CK ones for my birthday, I will give my daughter my old ones (and they are made out of her baby gymboree leggings!).

Finally the lamp was made in one night. I cut out pieces of material from my stash, using my pinking shears, and stuck them onto a plain lampshade. I do mean to paint the base white, but that is for a different night. My youngest loves the fact she has a lamp now. Her night light just wasn't allowing her to wind down and look at books.

I wanted to make something for my Australia-bound friend. This time a hot water bottle cover just wouldn't do.  Eventually I decided to use a crocheted doile, handsew gauze behind it, and sew vintage buttons, beads etc around the edge as weights. So now it is a 'fly keeper off-er'. I was very tempted to sew corks to it, but being Australian herself, she insists nobody does that in Australia!

And so she is away. we are all very sad, a bit in shock to be honest at the quiet realisation that it has all happened. New projects to get stuck in to are very important.

I have finished knitting my shawl and just need to put tassels on it. With my wool voucher i am hoping to go to the local shop soon and find something else to just break me in a bit more to the world of knitting. Something with needles that look normal would be good!

We have had the lovely news that planning permission has been granted for our house extension. I already have a box file and lever arch file at the ready (half full), and my magazine pile has been beckoning. We will probably start in the Spring after the lambing, as we will need to move out for a while. We will be taking the roof off you see, to build our house upwards. Basically we will add an 8 foot extension on one end of the house, and we will lift the roof from 1 1/2 storey to nearly 2 storeys. By doing this we will transform the usable space upstairs from 2 bedrooms small toilet and a hall/landing (now) to 3 bedrooms, games room, a proper bathroom, and most importantly a craft room for me and my books! I am very excited about this. You might wonder at how raising the roof gives that extra space but when you see how at the moment the low sloping roof leaves us with only room to live in the middle of upstairs, and the lower bits are just storage voids.

Most of downstairs will be the same except the extension will make our bedroom bigger, and we will get a laundry room. So the craft room and laundry room are the things I am homing in on. In my head they will be all old cupboards, wood panelling, painted furniture. Iis never that straightforward, I know but planning and dreaming about them are my favourite bits. I just need to see lots of inspirational pictures of laundry rooms to help me along. Where do I start?

Information overload

Well, I think all the emotional upheaval of recent months has been playing havoc with my blogging. I have loads to tell so I will get stuck in.

I did manage to make a few Christmas gifts. I made two draft excluders for my mother-in-law. Yes, I did check if she needed any and she said she did, (Just in case you are imagining a crestfallen MIL who was expecting a Crabtree and Evelyn giftpack). She had pleaded for very little as we had all got her a laptop with wireless broadband for her november birthday. I wanted to make sure she could take the covers off to wash them, so I made a lining, and in the lining I made a sausage shaped 'thing' filled with dried peas to weigh it all down. Then this was wrapped in wadding stuff used to upholster chairs etc (please excuse all this technical language, I'm sure if you check any comprehensive draft excluder handbook you will be able to look up 'sausage shaped thing' and 'wadding stuff'). They turned out alright, and were received well.

Doesn't it look like I was preparing to do some strange type of colonic irrigation! This is the middle bit and became the middle of the wadded excluder. then the cover went on top. I forgot to take a photo of the finished product!

I also made a hot water bottle cover for my friend who hosts the craft night, and runs the nursery my youngest attends. She has given me so many pieces of material, and knitted two jumper egg cosies for for me to give to my middle child. I wanted to give her something handmade to say thanks.

Finally I am mid way through a project for my friend who leaves for Australia in 10 days. I will perhaps blog about that another day.

This really made me laugh. I told my son I loved the paper chain he made, and later when I went to my bedroom, he had stuck it about six inches above my pillow. I have kept it there all Christmas, and miraculously it is still intact. It looks quite pitiful in many ways but the thought that went into him decorating my side of the bed, the place where he comes every morning for his cuddles. I should add, he is five.

Christmas was nice. As good as we could have expected given the year that we have had and the impending year without a dear friend (nearby). In fact I would say Christmas was better than expected, just tinged with anticipated sadness.

I did make a suggestions list, and since my birthday is two days after Christmas; I got most of it and some more. I am delighted with my Cath Kidston sewing box, and a friend bought me the needle case and pin cushion. I got a voucher for a lovely wool shop nearby, so I can buy some more wool when I finish my shawl.I love Aromatherapy Associates products, so I got a host of those. I also had fun at the sales, had two whole childless days and spent a wonderful evening out with my husband. There actually was more, but it feels far too materialistic to go into it all. The craft stuff just made me happiest!

Today was an important day. My friend and I had been planning a day out, before she goes. Two became four when two other friends head we were going in search of Troll beads. So off we went. Now Troll beads for those who haven't heard are a bit of an additive thing. Don't be put off by the name, this is not a gothic thing. They are like a charm bracelet but you put beads onto your chain. The beads are just stunning, and seemingly endless in choice (well not quite but there are loads).You choose a bracelet, then the clasp you fancy, then pick a bead for it. As they are expensive, one bead is a bone fide birthday gift from someone who thinks alot of you. We had bought my friend a Troll bracelet for her leaving gift, but as there was money left over we all got to traipse off for her to choose more. Because there are so many to choose from your bracelet becomes a really personal statement, that you add to over time. I ended up buying one with my Christmas money, and it is just lovely. I have no photos, but they are well worth googling for a wee look. Anyway, it was just such a lovely day. We had a good laugh, enjoyed lunch, pottering about, coffee and cake etc. Precious time.

Tomorrow night I will be bringing in the New Year with my family, my dear friend and her family. I do not generally like the new Year and I am ambivalent about this one . It takes us away from the loss of my Father-in-law (but that also takes us further away from when we last saw him), and it brings me closer to my pal leaving. I am just so glad to have the kids, my family, and my husband who makes everything  seem better. I am so thankful for all the friendships that surround me, near or far. And I also appreciate the creative community here that inspires me and makes me laugh.

I wish you all a very happy new year.

A Question....

Sometimes I would prefer a more fluid dialogue than there is in a blog (yes I know it is called having real friends who you see regularly and live near). I catch myself at times thinking, I must ask my fellow bloggers what they do in this circumstance......

Do you know what I mean?

That isn't the question by the way. I was wondering what way you work it re Christmas gifts, do you craft as many of them as you can? Do you only craft for those who will appreciate it, and how do you even fathom that? Does Santa bring crafted gifts, or would that be too obvious to the kids?

This is how I am doing it this year.

I try to give some handmade things to the kids. Something crafted that will last. Not all the time, but I want them to have something that they take with them when they eventually leave, or come back for when they have kids. In August I found a lovely old cot for Emily's 4th birthday, and made the bedding for it.

I am hoping to make a few presents for Christmas for friends and family. As my sewing experience is limited, I am keeping to hot water bottle covers, draft excluders, and a pin cushion (unless more inspiration or time manifests itself). They will just be a little extra for the lucky few(!) who will get another present too. I will buy, and have bought a few crafty items for a few people, and that will be all they get as they are superb items, beautifully made and cost money.

In addition to the Santa presents, we give the kids something small from us every year, as it doesn't make sense if Santa only brings presents. This year I have decided that it will be all craft related. I'll show them another time, but I am excited to be adding something hand made to Christmas. There will be lots of things that beep and need plugged in, but at least this year I will be giving them something else too.

I feel that giving something hand-made shows that you care for someone, especially when you make it yourself. There is nothing more reflective of the gift of giving than knowing that time, effort and thought went into the present.

I know you will be nodding in agreement, just fancied hearing what you are all doing, and what your theory is behind it.

 

In bed with 'The Old Quilt'

Since I have called my blog after this tatty old thing I thought I would show you my progress. It is slow. I am really only managing a patch a week if I go to my craft class. strangely enough I don't feel a sense of urgency. I presume I'll plod a long. I just wish I had the time to run another project along-side. However, with work, the 3 kids, cooking, tidying blah, blah, blah...you know the score.  The pale stripe running vertically is a line of patchwork also (original). The bright blue with red stripes is the Ian Mankin sale fabric I am using to cover the disentegrating patches. All the big ones are done and now I am doing the small triangles. It's all by hand which is much easier as it is fiddly.

I am using this small photo, as I am finding that some close-ups I take are looking blurred if I make them bigger. Perhaps someone knows a way round this.

I have a stash I can use for the small patches, but to my joy I have discovered that my new fabric (yes the 28metres of new fabric) blends beautifully, and I have decided it shall be for some patches AND the backing fabric.

I am also mulling over the possibility that the new fabric will be perfect for the roman blinds in our bedroom. It matches the paint.

What do you think?

The next time I am in Donegal I will take a host of pictures (as requested)to give you a sense of what it is like. I am trying to get organised to go away to Scotland for four days. I'm sometimes quite ashamed to admit that I run out the door away from the kids at the drop of a hat. It doesn't happen very often, but I'm likely to forget shoes or underwear, so thrilled am I to be free. I have watched friends and family turn into the opposite versions of motherhood and whilst I really miss the kids, I really enjoy being away. To me it feels healthy but I know I'm not in the majority!

Anyway I am skidding off to Perthshire on Thursday to a lovely country house, as a great friend is having a small wedding there. Hopefully I'll show you the dress and shoes etc.......mine of course...not hers lol!

We are going to visit other friends too, so we aren't coming back until Sunday night. Getting it all organised for school, lifts, where the kids are staying is tricky. It is compounded by the fact that both Gerard and I's fathers are having operations on Sunday and Monday. One is a routine hip replacement, the other is more serious. Of course both carry risks. So next week will be tough on everyone. seeing a loved one in pain. This has all come about since we booked and we do want to go, so we have farmed the kids out a little further afield. Fingers crossed all goes well.

I feel a bit frivolous talking about such serious things amongst swatches of material. But as you can imagine it is ups and downs, and distractions are good.

I will leave you with two pictures of my collection of jugs. Stephanie from Curlew Country had a picture of her Caroline Zoob piece the other day, and it just reminded me of my own collection.

I'm not sure what the windmills are doing there! The willowy stick is destined for a shell mobile in Donegal (in theory!).

Have a good week, and I'll speak to you soon. I'm hoping to get round a few blogs tonight also.

Fluffy, comforting flannel

I know it's not just me who loves the comforting warmth of flannel. Just like there are times when the crispness of old linen pillowcases or sheets is beautifully fresh and clean; I love the way that flannel is warm and reassuring. I bought a few metres of stripey flannel material more than 10 years ago in a charity shop and I started collecting flannelette baby sheets when I was pregnant with my first child. I soon realised how fantastic these little bunny patterned sheets were. I was finding them in charity shops for 20p mostly. I found that they were great to wrap around the mattress of the moses basket or cot, to whisk away if my baby was sick (as they invariably were), or if they had a leaked nappy (which also was common). Many times I lay and warmed the sheets with my motherly aroma (yuk) and then put it under one of the kids, to 'fool' them into thinking they were still in the bed! Yes I'm sure a few of you will remember doing insane yet incredibly purposeful things like this; 'this time I'll do it this way, and they will feel all snuggly and go to SLEEP!!!!!' Rarely did it work. This photo is from September 2004; Emily was sleeping soundly as it was daytime and it is important to do that if you are a baby! It's a hazy photo but you can see the jaundice. I had her right beside the window to get her as much natural light as possible. She had terrible reflux too so those sheets were very useful. I should add that they wash up so beautifully also!

So my point is, I love these sheets and they have a history. But now they are too small for the children to use in this way. I thought about making a patchwork blanket, but feel that the colours just aren't right, but I may still try this at some time. 

What I did decide to do was make a few hot water bottle covers. The children love them, they are easier washed than those cuddly toy covers, and that little bit of history and comfort still goes into the bed with them.

You can see that I got a little brave and tried applique, okay for a beginner and sure the kids don't notice.

I had 'won' some vintage fire engine fabric on ebay, so my little boys cover got that on it, to make the yellow less girly.

Then last week I got out my stripey ticking flannel and thought I'd make a pillow case. I have quite a few old linen cases with the lace on the ends that I use all the time.

I thought the functional blue ticking and some lace would be a nice contrast. I seem to have lots of this lace and I don't know where that came from.

The picture looks like it is all finished, but there is one more hidden seam still to go. My bobbin ran out of thread, and I was in a rush to go to craft class. I'll get it finished and try it out this week.

Hopefully I'll be like the perfect baby.....as soon as my face hits the flannel, I'll be fast asleep!

Craft?

As I have said before, I am creative, not artistic. I have ideas....urges....a love for things.....but my hands don't always connect to those creative braincells (or heart cells) in a way I  would like. As a consequence my little hand sewn stocking (very cute) resembled a ski boot; my first needle case was abismal (where is there a straightforward pattern for one of those? I don't want a hexagonal patchwork one.) but the second one is at least functional.

So, in September i joined a craft night. It is very informal, you just bring whatever you are working on, drink coffee, eat good chocolate, sometimes laugh until you cry.....and yes; work on your piece. As I was new to the whole thing I brought an empty biscuit tin, covered it in a patchwork of little pieces of paper (pictures of my favourite fabrics), and varnished it up. It is now my sewing box. I have been doing that for a while, decoupage without the 3d images. It is very therapeutic and now a few others have started to make them. I plan to do a few memory boxes also. I use my old Country Living magazines, as I adore a lot of the fabrics they put in there. I do admit that this craft is borne out of my love for patchwork but inability to do it (yet). Now that I have a machine that works, I may teach myself. I love Caroline Zoob.

The other items I am showing is my pincushion and needle case. I made them because I needed them, simple as that.

The needle case looks uneven, however I am pleased to say this is simply because it is very soft. I did not stiffen it with anything. It just looks that way as I have it leaning on the cushion. I find that creating something is the best way to see what you should have done, yes experiential learning. I would next time put some kind of interface in the cushion to stop pins coming through, I would put some lavendar and rose in the middle, and I would sew a ribbon into the seam to hang it up. The red front fabric you can see is  a pair of gymboree leggings I had for my 2 girl babies. I kept them as I like the fabric! No not the babies..the fabric! Each item also has backing/lining of a deep blue velvety type fabric (the items are sitting on a big piece of this). I do like these items, but admit I am not terribly proud, I just like their functional prettiness, and I am pleased to have made them myself! I would appreciate any comments, or helpful tips.