Crossstitch

 

One of my main craft goals this year was to finally complete this crossstitch which I had started before Joshua was born!

With daily sewing since 1st January, I finally finished it in June and framed and hung it this week.

I'm so happy with it. The colours are so bright and happy and the details are fantastic. It's the biggest crossstitch I've ever done and it will be the last one for a while but I really enjoyed it.

Make it Monday - Beanbag / Teddy Storage

The photo doesn't really do it justice. Today I combined this tutorial and a video I saw online to make Isabella a beanbag chair which is filled with her huge collection of cuddly toys.

I used the left over material from her cushions to help the colours match but I'm not thrilled with the effect. The project was quick and easy though. I enjoyed making this and getting to grips with the sewing machine again.

It's actually very comfy and we did today's bedtime story here tonight.

Make it Monday - Mini Pennant Bunting

Today I found time for another Mollie Makes mini-project. I made this cute pennant bunting - a new one for me and the two tone made it harder the the triangle bunting I usually make.

I love the colours and I used ribbon rather than bias binding which I find fiddly in regular size. This one is going over the fairies' corner in Isabella's room.

Make it Monday - Crossstitch Update

My new year's resolution to crossstitch every day is going really well so far and I am loving how it's coming along. Here are some progress pictures.

Make it Monday - Baby Bunting

As I mentioned last week, I've been making a special gift for the new baby girl of one of my best friends.  I've made similar bunting for her first baby and my nieces.  

This time I was going for a pink theme and while it is a darker shade than I was planning on, I do like the finished product.  New this time, I added some buttons to the ribbon, I think it breaks up the ribbon nicely, while keeping the theme, and with the shortest name I've made bunting for, the little sweetheart deserved a little something extra.

I also added in some simple bunting.  I make the name section double sided, to give it a bit of extra strength.  The extra was single sided with a narrower ribbon, just to tie it in and brighten up her room a little.

Make it Monday: Girls' jeans

I've been making the most of nap times and Nico being off this week to rustle up some gifts for my nieces' birthdays.

This is another one from the mummy's sewing book and my first with pockets!!

I love that you can individualise the contrast material. I chose pink hearts for one twin and lilac hearts for the other. I have the same material in blue to make for Isabella.

Despite taking my time to get started on this project, I really enjoyed the process. I'll be using this pattern again for sure.

Make it Monday - Stylish top

I recently made this top for my Mum's birthday. I found the instructions in Mollie Makes and thought it would be suitable for work or social.

I chose a black and white fabric with a nice pattern as it will go with lots.

And she liked it! It needs a small alteration but that's almost to be expected without fittings in between.

New techniques for me include using bias binding and making teeny tiny hems.

This is the first top I've made for an adult and I really enjoyed it. I'm now working on a dress.

Make it Monday - Potato Print Cushion Covers

 Inspired by the colour scheme of a Mollie Makes project last year, I've been trying to incorporate more pink, turquoise and grey into Isabella's room. Her Ikea furniture is white and pink, she has a grey rug, a turquoise weaving and a painting with all three.

 Following yet another Mollie Makes project, this time from the 2017 calendar, I made three cushion covers for her bedroom too.

I ordered linen in the three colours with enough left over to hopefully make a quilt. I picked up cushions from Ikea. They are fairly large and comfy.

 Adapting an old envelope cushion pattern for the size of the Ikea cushions, I sewed them together yesterday. It's an easy pattern that I have done before.

 To jazz it up I got out a potato and a couple of pastry cutters. I settled on this clover shape as it's not too plain, nor too complicated. I had some white fabric paint to make a nice contrast. Then I got creative! With some help from Nico, I came up with three different patterns.

I'm really pleased with the results. Here's a tutorial if you want to try.

Make it Monday - Barbie Bedding

 Since getting her first Barbie from the Easter Bunny, Isabella has been playing quite sweetly. My Dad brought over some of my old dolls and accessories and she was delighted.

Among the clothes and shoes was a pillow and a nightdress. I offered to make a new pillow and duvet and Isabella jumped at the offer.

I finally got a free evening and knocked this up from some spare material I had. I made it up as I went along for once and really enjoyed the process.

I can imagine a whole range of projects springing from this one!

Make it Monday - Girl's Headband

This week's little sewing project was a headband for my niece's birthday. I used this tutorial. It was quick and easy but effective. I love the contrast fabrics.

I'm hoping to make some more for the other little girls in my life.

Make it Monday - Purse

This week I adapted a Mollie Makes project to make a little birthday gift for my aunt.

The French script didn't really appeal so I embroidered a flower instead. It's not perfect but it's cute. You could embroider initials or anything on there.

It was an easy and quick project to follow. It might be an idea for Christmas stocking fillers.

Make it Monday: Lavender Pouches

Last week I made these lavender pouches as a gift for my aunt's birthday.

I made something similar but heart shaped for Valentine's day a few years ago. This was even simpler.

I cut two rectangles, folded them in half, right sides together and pinned. I sewed around the open edges, leaving a four centimetre gap.

I turned them the right side out and used a rolled piece of card to funnel lavender into the pouch.

Finally I sewed up the gap on the machine. (Don't overfill the pouch or this won't work.)

Make it Monday: Drawstring Bag

Continuing my efforts to make as many birthday presents as possible myself this year, I made this drawstring bag for a little girl we know last week.

It came from my Fun with Fat Quarters book and I think it's great for a little girl, especially in the colours I found in my stash.

Lately, I've been struggling to find time to sew and a half hour project like this took me a week! I'm glad I'm sticking with it though.

Make it Monday - Baby Top Knot Hat

Yesterday I finally got around to a new sewing project. I bookmarked this tutorial a while ago and had the materials lying around from previous baby projects.

It was easy and fast (under half an hour). My only negative was that the finished project is tiny although the pattern did print as recommended. Joshua is big for his three months but this would not have fit him at birth! I've donated this one to Isabella's large doll collection and I'll be enlarging the pattern for future attempts.

Make it Monday - Embroidered flowers

This week's quick project was this embroidery kit from Mollie Makes. It fits perfectly to Valentine's Day and I love the colours.

The designer described it as being like colouring in with embroidery threads and it really was! It was fun and simple and I got to practise my French knots again.

Make it Monday - Infinity Scarf

As part of my year of 'create', I'd like to make as many gifts as possible instead of buying. (Anyone who thinks that's cheap ought to check out the cost of fabrics and materials!)

Kicking this off in January is my best friend's birthday tomorrow. I sewed her this infinity scarf using this tutorial and two meters of this black and white woolen check material.

I figured it's warm and the colours are neutral - I hope she likes it!

Make it Monday - Nursing pads

I recently stumbled across this tutorial for nursing pads and thought 'what a great, eco-friendly alternative to the disposable ones that I use.

The project was quick and easy (as it needs to be with a nursing six-week old) and I'm looking forward to trying them out. They're not perfect or pretty but they are practical, which is what you want in a nursing pad.

As well as being washable I recycled some old material so they didn't cost anything either. I'd recommend them to all nursing mum sewers.

Make it Monday - Constellation Embroidery

Here's my latest Mollie Makes project. It's embroidery which is still quite new to me but as with my knitting magazine, I love that they provide clear tutorials both through the magazine and on their website.

I finally feel confident with French knots - you can see how many there are in the pattern above.

The white on a dark background was new for me and I love the effect it has too.

It's inspired me to crack out the embroidery books soon.

Make it Monday - Mini Owl

This is the little decorative project Nico got me at the Handmade craft fair back in October. It was a fun little one to do.

It's really tiny so most of it was done by hand which was fiddly but fun and I think it's so cute! I would definitely do more - they had a variety of these mini figures which could be tree decorations, keyrings or stand alone decorations.

Make it Monday - Meditation Cushion

In the October holidays Nico and I finished our first joint project - meditation cushions.

We've both been getting into spiritual hobbies; yoga for me and tai chi and meditation for Nico. The cushions really help to make things more comfortable.

We found this tutorial online and altered it a bit as we want to make seperate covers so that they're easier to wash. These are filled with chaff (the by product of wheat) and zip up. I think it took two days but was easily possible in one. I broke a needle on the zip but I was being rather gunho - slow and steady is a better idea.

Isabella loves them so I'm looking for a child friendly version - a beanbag seat maybe? - to make for her.