Felt Flower Corsages

Thank you, dear blogging friends, for all your encouraging comments on my last post!  The fact that lots of you also feel nervous before craft fairs made me feel much better.  

The fair went really well in the end, and there was absolutely no reason at all for me to have been so nervous beforehand.  Though I know I'll be JUST as worried next time!  ;-)

Annoyingly, I completely forgot to take my camera with me.  So I can't show you any photos of my stall.  

Instead, I thought I'd show you some felt flower corsages that I made for the fair.  Cheery colours on a dreary day..... 

Until next time.....

Carly

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Wrist Keyrings

Next Friday is our school Christmas Fair, and I'm going to have a stall there.  Exciting stuff!  

I thought that, over the next week or so, I could do a bit of a show-and-tell of some of the things I've been making in preparation.  

And, first of all, here's something new that I haven't tried before.....

.....  keyrings that you can wear on your wrist:

What do you think?  Good idea or silly idea?  I'd really like to know (honestly) what you think on this one!

I'll be back soon with some more showing-and-telling.....

Carly

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Sewing for Mom

In my last post, I showed you the birthday cards I made for my mom and my sister.  

I also made my mom some pressies.  Before the summer holidays, I made myself a passport and travel document wallet (you can see it here), and my mom really liked it.  So I decided to make her one for her birthday.  

She likes blue, and she likes stripes.  So here's what I came up with.....

I decided to make a matching rosette pin for her too (you know how awful it is when your passport holder doesn't match your brooch).....

You can find the passport wallet tutorial I used here, and my super-easy rosette pin tutorial here.

Now I guess I'd better set my mind to 'Christmas Crafting' mode!  Have you started yours yet????   

Carly

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Crocheted Choker

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably already know this.  But I LOVE costume jewellery and accessories!!!  If I’m not wearing a brightly-coloured brooch, a string of beads or a set of bracelets when I go out, I feel like I’m not properly dressed.  So, I’m always on the look-out for interesting accessories that I could make, to add to my collection. 

   

And here’s my latest effort – a crocheted choker.....

I found the pattern on Ravelry, here.  It wasn’t too tricky, and didn’t take me too long.  I love the colours, and think it’s really cute and unusual.  The only problem is, it’s a bit TOO choker-ish around my neck.  If I make another (which I’m sure I will), I’ll have to make it a little longer.  And I’m hoping I’ll be able to stretch this one a bit.  I don’t think the choker’s going to enhance my outfit at all if my face is turning blue when I’m wearing it!  ;-)

If you know of any cute (but reasonably quick and simple) accessory or jewellery tutorials out there in blogland, please do share.....

Have a great week!

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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A Birthday Present for a Kniting Friend

Last week, a good friend of ours turned 40.  I'd bought a couple of little gifts to package up for her, but I wanted to MAKE her something too.  While browsing on Ravelry, I found just the the thing to knit for a friend who knits - a teeny, tiny sweater-in-progress brooch.....

..... knitted on a pair of snapped-in-half toothpicks!!!

I found the pattern here.

Of course, I had to make her a card too.  And I couldn't resist making ANOTHER paper and buttons bunting card.....

..... just in a different colour (you can see the red - ruby wedding - version here).

Happy birthday, dear Saffron, happy birthday to you!!!  

Carly

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