Baby Boy's Romper

Is it cheating that I'm sharing all these projects with you now, even though I completed them a LOOOONG time ago (all pre-Bo)?  

I'm hoping that I'll manage to find a little bit of time set aside for crafting soon.....  before I run out of 'old' projects to post show-and-tells about!  Any tips for adding more hours to the day???

Anyway, I wanted to show you this little romper suit that I made for Bo.....

I found the pattern here, on the 'Melly Sews' website.  If you've into sewing, you should definitely take a look - there are LOADS of free patterns and tutorials!

It was a quicker (and easier) make than I'd imagined it would be.  So I'm planning to make a few more of them, in different fabrics.....

Carly

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Rosette Pin Tutorial

I'm making these little pretties all the time!  They’re quick and easy – and brighten up any outfit!  They're also a great way of using up fabric scraps that are too cute to throw away.  So, I thought I'd share a quick how-to with you.....

   

What you’ll need:

- A 7x24cm strip of fabric

- A big-ish button in a contrasting colour (I used a button-covering kit to make this one)

- A brooch pin

- Some thread

- A needle

- Scissors

- A sewing machine (if you’re lazy like me)

    

What to do:

1. Take your strip of fabric and fold it in half, so that the right sides are facing each other (as in the picture).

2. Sew a 1cm seam along the short (raw) edge, to make a tube.  Remember to backstitch at both ends.

3. Press the seam open.

4. Now fold the fabric tube in half, so that the wrong sides are facing each other (see the picture).

5. Press the fold.

6. Take a length of thread (about 80cm) and fold it in half.  Thread your needle.

  

  

7. Starting just to one side of the seam, stitch all around the raw edge.  The stitches should be about 1cm in length, and spaced about 1cm apart. 

8. Pull the two ends of the thread, to tightly close the hole in the centre of the fabric and create the rosette.  Tie a few knots in the thread, but don’t cut it yet.

9. Now use one of the ends of doubled-up thread to sew on your button.  This is a bit fiddly (as you can see in the pictures).

  

10. When the button’s secure, neaten the underside of the rosette by sewing the pleats together.

11. Now sew on your brooch pin...... 

12. ..... and you’re done!  

Now make heaps more, so that you’re got one to suit every mood and liven up every outfit!

If you give this tutorial a try, I’d love to see the results.....

Carly

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Better Late Than Never

Ooopsie!!!  It’s almost the end of January, and I haven’t made my new year’s resolutions yet.  I guess it’s not too late (as it’s still January).  And I’m sure a wise man once said “BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!”

Deciding to ONLY set fun, crafty resolutions last year was a brilliant idea – no worrying, no guilt, no disappointments, no shame, no stress! 

So, there’ll be no dull diet plans or excruciating exercise itineraries for me in 2013.....  just lots of crafty capers and arty adventures - AGAIN!!!

How did I do with last year’s resolutions?  Here’s a quick review:

1.  Learn to crochet. Well, I did!  I’m still just a newbie, but I’ve completed a few crochet projects now – and you can tell what they’re meant to be.  So, tick!

2.  Make more things for myself (including some clothes).  I’ve knitted myself a few bits and bobs to wear, and I’ve made myself some jewellery.  But I haven’t sewn myself any clothes (which was what I intended last January).  So, yes and no to this one.

3.  Make more (and hopefully buy less) greetings cards.  Tick!  I have made more cards (especially Christmas cards) and bought less. I could still do better, though.

4.  Have a go at knitting things that are not just sewn-up rectangles.  Yes!  I’ve knitted a few things using circular needles, and a few things that aren’t rectangles or squares.

5.  Experiment with making more home accessories.  Tick!  Lots of cushions, a few papercrafty things to hang on the wall, baby quilts, different kinds of Christmas decorations.....  I would have liked to have experimented with more new patterns and ideas, though.  

6.  Improve my photography skills.  I think I have.  I feel more confident in using my camera now.

7.  Post more tutorials on my blog.  Sadly, no.  Sorry!  I only posted one last year.  That’s shameful, I know!  Must do better!!! 

Bearing my review of 2012, and thinking of what else I’d like to achieve, I came up with my CRAFTY RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013:

1)  Post more tutorials on my blog!

2)  Make some clothes for myself (sewing).

3)  Learn to follow a proper crochet pattern.

4)  Make more greetings cards – for different occasions.

5)  Expand the range of things I make to sell (including adding more home accessories).

6)  Venture into the kitchen to do some baking.

7)  Try out some crafts that I’ve never tried before.

If you have any suggestions for number 7, I’d love to hear from you!

Let’s see how this year’s resolutions go.....

I’m off to make a start right now.....

Carly

x

P.S.  Who else is IN LOVE with their Mollie calendar?

More Patchwork Cushions

Apart from making button bracelets like a madwoman (how many can one button-lover possibly need?!?!?), I've also been making more patchwork cushions.  I enjoyed making my first 'batch' so much, I thought I rustle up a few more.  

Here they are:

Which one do you like best?  My favourite's the top one.  I'm liking red with purple at the moment!

I'm hoping to re-do our bedroom soon - then I'll have a great excuse to make heaps more patchwork cushions!  I'll keep you posted on that project.....

Would anyone be interested in a tutorial for these? 

See you soon!

Carly

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Button Bracelet Tutorial

I’ve been wanting to make some sort of button bracelet for aaaages.  With no particular plans on Saturday, I decided to try it out.  I had several goes before I managed to make one that looked how I wanted it to look, but I was really pleased with my last attempt!  Here it is:

I took some photos along the way and, when it turned out okay, I decided to use them to share a little tutorial with you.....

What you need:

• Some cute buttons (the most important ingredient)
• Some tiny beads
• Embroidery floss
• Scissors
• A thin sewing needle
• A ruler or tape measure

1.  The first step is the most fun!  Choose a colour-scheme for your bracelet and raid your beloved button tin/jar.  Pick out different sizes and styles of button.  I should just mention that I spent an hour on this step..... Though a more decisive person could probably do it in 2 minutes!

2.  Arrange your buttons in a line (then, if you’re like me, spend half an hour re-arranging and re-arranging and re-arranging them).  Leave tiny gaps between your buttons as you lay them out.  My button-line was about 18cm long.  TIP:  When you’re knotting the floss later on, don’t tie the knots too tightly to begin with.  Then, if you’re bracelet is too long, you can undo them and take off a button or two.  If it’s too short, you can easily add more buttons.

This photo shows my ‘original’ line of buttons.  You’ll see in the photos later on that my final bracelet looks a bit different – I had to take one button out, then rearrange things a bit, to make it fit properly.

2.  Cut a metre-long length of embroidery floss.  Use your needle to thread a few little beads on to the floss. You need to use enough beads to make a loop large enough for your last button to fit through.  When you’ve done this, grab the two ends of the floss (folding it in half), and push the beads along to the middle (where the floss is folded).  Then knot the floss to hold the beads in place.  This loop will be used to close the bracelet.

3.  Now thread one of the dangling lengths of floss through your needle.  Sew up through the first button hole, then down through the other.

4.  Remove the needle, then thread it onto the other length of floss.  This time, take the floss over the top of the button (the front of the bracelet).  Sew down through the first button hole and up through the next.  These two steps are tricky to explain, but relatively easy to do.  I think the photos may be more useful than my rambling here???

5.  Now knot the two lengths of floss together, as close to the button as possible.

6.  Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 to thread all of your buttons (apart from the last one) on to the bracelet.  Adding shank buttons is easy-peasy!  I just used a little bead on each side of mine, to keep my spacing even.

7.  After you’ve knotted on your penultimate button, tie three more knots in the floss (making sure you bunch them all up right next to each other).

8.  Thread your needle with one of the floss lengths.  Sew up through one of the holes in your final button, then down through the other.  Then thread your needle with the other length of floss, and sew up and down through opposite holes.  Now one piece of floss should be sticking out of the bottom of each button hole.  

9.  Tie the floss off tightly with a couple more knots, then cut off the ends.

10.  Your button bracelet is ready to wear!!!

Give it a try!  Picking out and arranging the buttons genuinely DID take me an hour and a half (and what a fun hour and a half it was)!!!  But, the actual making of the bracelet was really quick and easy.  I think they’d make great little Christmas or birthday presents – especially for your crafty, button-loving pals!!!

If you do give it go, I’d love to see some photos.....

Carly

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Kindle Case

I know I’ve already done a ‘show and tell’ of my crafty Christmas gifts.  But I didn’t mention my ‘main’ pressie – a Kindle! 

I have to admit that I felt a bit guilty for coveting one, as I’m a real book lover, and hate the thought of books being replaced one day by computer-type-things.  But, still, I wanted one.  I was mainly thinking of how it would save me from having to pack 4 or 5 books in my suitcase every time we go away anywhere (freeing up more space for bags, beads and brooches).  So, I wrote a little letter to Santa – and he granted me my wish! 

And......  I LOVE my Kindle!!!  It’s small, and it’s light, and it’s super-easy to use (even for me)!

But, in order to be dragged around everywhere with me, my Kindle needed a case!  And I wasn't too keen on the standard leather/plastic/rubber ones I found on Amazon.  So, I decided to make my own.  It didn’t take very long to make, and I was really pleased with how it turned out.

Now my Kindle can accompany me on all my adventures!  The colours are very nautical, don't you think?  Maybe, then, we should book up another cruise.....  

In fact, I might make another Kindle case (a girl can never have too many different Kindle cases, you know) and take some photos as I go.  Then I can post a tutorial on here.  I’ll get on to it.....

Until next time.....

Carly

x

P.S.  In case you were wondering, my first Kindle read is 'Laura's Handmade Life' (by Amanda Addison).  I know it could be deemed 'chick lit', but I don't care - I think it's fab!  I think there may be a review coming up..... 

Small-Scale Crafty Projects

I’m enjoying my 3-week-long Christmas holidays IMMENSELY!  Who wouldn’t want to be a teacher?!?  We’ve been back in the UK for the whole time, visiting our families in Staffordshire (mine) and Devon (the in-laws), and celebrating New Year at a hotel in Cheltenham.  We’ve had a wonderful time over here, and it’s going to be pretty hard to get back into the routines of ‘real life’ when we go back to Düsseldorf tomorrow.

I have to say, though, it will be nice to get back into my crafting room!  Being away from home for so long, I haven’t achieved very much crafty-wise.  I only brought some knitting needles and a little bit of yarn with me.  So, my crafting has been on a very small scale (hence the title of this post).

I found a fantastic tutorial for little knitted knot brooches on the Cornflower Blue blog.  I’d tried lots of different ways of making knitted ‘BOWS’ prior to finding this tutorial, but they all turned out looking not-quite-right after I’d tied them (even my mom, who’s the world’s best bow-tier, couldn’t get them to look good).  But these ‘KNOTS’ tie up easily, and sit really neatly when they’re attached to a pin and then to a cardie!  So, I've been making lots and lots of bow brooches while we’ve been away.  My favourite (of course) is a red one!  And here it is (looking christmassy) on my favourite green cardie.....

My other mini-project has been making up the freebie gift that came with the latest issue of ‘Mollie Makes’ – a Belle & Boo needle case.  

It took about 10 minutes to make, and is cute, Cute, CUTE!!!  Definitely my favourite magazine freebie to date!  I fell in love with the orangey-red cotton I found in my mom’s sewing basket (and it looked great against the turquoise felt), so I decided to add a little something extra with it, and embroidered a little ‘C’ for ‘Carly’ in the corner.  Here’s my finished needle case.....

If you haven’t seen Belle & Boo stuff before, by the way, you should check it out.  I think you might like it!

Although it’s not actually a ‘crafty project’, I also wanted to show you these.....

I had a mooch through my nan’s button tin, and picked out these beauties!  Every time I visit her, there seem (magically) to be more buttons in her collection.  This time, these red, brown and creamy-coloured ones caught my eye.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this show-and-tell.  Until next time.....

Carly

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