Just loving Shabby Roses

 

It's been a while folks.....

I have been sewing and I will upload some photos of a few of my creations when I get more time....but for now...

It occurred to me that I should share the process of making these lovely shabby rose bedside and dresser runners.Tonight's blog is a work in pictures. A picture says a blah blah blah xxx

 

 

I selected some gorgeous shabby rose fabrics and cut them into 5 inch squares.

9 for each bedside and 30 for the dresser.

 

 

Next, after laying them all out and swapping them around until I was satisfied I had a good mix, I started sewing. I firstly made rows of 3.

 

 

Then I joined them into 2 x 9 patch squares for the bedsides.

For the big runner, 10 rows of 3 squares.

 

 

Make sure to line up the squares as best you can, to make quilting neater.

 

 

 

 

 

I backed the runners with soft cream coloured flannelette and placed a layer od calico in the middle, just to give it a bit more weight.

 

back

 

quilting

 

 

For the bedsides, I used ready made bias binding, only because I happened to have some in cream, otherwise, I would prefer to make my own.

I pinned the binding in place, then topstitched...too easy!

 

 

 

The binding on the big runner

 

 

Finished!

 

Another Christmas present finished! Now to wrap it...

 

cheers till next time xx



 





 

 



in the groove....

I had a birthday this week. Not unremarkable news, however, the Husband gave me a wonderful new sewing machine!



I am now the proud owner of a Singer Quantum Stylist 9960

and let me tell you, I have been inspired to hook into some projects that had otherwise been too daunting!

This baby has 600 (yep, count 'em) embroidery stitches, along with 5 different alphabet scripts, 12 buttonholes, a huge extension table....etc etc

He bought me a good Singer machine last year, but this one is purpose made for quilting, so now I have two great machines all set up and ready to go!

Today, I whipped up a table runner from a scrap of fabric that I really liked and apart from threading the machine incorrectly, which had nothing to do with the machine, and everything to do with the dodgy operator... the Singer sews like a charm...

 

My next post will feature my latest project, a quilt for me! I have decided that considering I don't have a garden for the time being, I am going to make a quilt featuring flower patterned fabrics, so at least I can carry a garden with me wherever I go....

all things country....

Hello everyone !
For the past two weeks, the husband and I have been renovating our shop - which hasn't been easy considering we have continued to trade during the various sawing, drilling, hammering, painting, shifting...that goes on during any reno...
Added to which, my health has been anything but good this week, so as today was Saturday, total rest was the order of the day!
 I want to share with you the little projects I have been working on- what does this have to do with renovating your business??? - I hear you ask....
Well, the new theme of our shop is country style, so I have made lots of things to sell in our shop!

Pot trivets



matching trivet and quilted pot holder





camo beanies





wooly scarves

the shop will have a country feel, with lots of 'home made' style jams, sauces and marinades. We will also have pies, quiches, frittatas and pastas.
plenty of timber shelves and cupboards so we can display the stock with a homely feel.
Some of the pieces I put in the shop last week started selling and the response from our customers is fantastic! They love the warm ambience and some even to want to hang around for a chat and a cuppa....
hopefully I will be back up to scratch next week and feeling better, but in the meantime at least I can work on some lovely craft to keep my spirits up!

all over a pot of tea....

My cousin Kath loves nothing better than a good cup of tea...well, who doesn't?
We aren't talking teabags here folks, but the kind made with real tealeaves, 'take the pot to the kettle..not the kettle to the pot' type of tea.
During one of our gossips over a steaming brew, I noticed her tea cosy was looking a little shabby (no offence intended), but very well loved I must say!
It was then, during a lull between sewing a new top and knitting up a couple of very thick scarves for a dear friend who is heading off on a holiday, that I decided to come up with a new tea cosy for Kath.
Being a collector of very delicate and divine china, this cosy had to reflect, not only the quality tips being brewed within the pot, but also the importance of the whole 'tea' ritual....
Perhaps even a bit of a reflection on times gone by when our mothers, Betty and Lucy, sat together and mulled over family hardships, illnesses and more pressing subjects like how to fix the country, cause the politicians certainly can't....
I thought about the things Kath loves...Art Deco, fine china and of course, the garden...here is what I came up with...

I knitted it using 8 ply and 5.5mm needles.

The main body of the cosy is a basket weave stitch. I also knitted 24 flowers and 12 leaves as well as a handle to make the cosy look like a basket. I painstakingly arranged and sewed on each leaf and flower to look like a basket full of flowers.

Well, Kath loved the cosy and it immediately took it's place on the serving tray, warming the teapot.

So as we sat, bone china cup and saucer in hand, accompanied by a slice of delicious home made cake, we solved the world's problems, enjoyed the midwinter sunshine and everything felt just fine...

it's nice, different, unusual...

Have been dying to post pictures of a couple of projects that I completed this week!
Firstly, remember I told you about a new project involving size 25mm needles?
Well, it's finished.... and I love it!

Mavis is seen here modelling my new top...
I am going to wear it over a purple skivvy with jeans, or maybe over leggings, depending on how cold it gets! I just love the colours and the pics really don't do it justice.

The loose knit means it will drop and that is a good thing as I am always keen to cover my butt!
I am also thinking of putting a wide belt around it, just for something different!

I will try to get a piccy of me wearing it over the next couple of days!
The second project that I finished is this gorgeous little handbag...

I am so pleased with how this bag turned out!
I used 1 ball of 'big wool' by Lincraft for the bag and about 1/3 ball of some 12 ply leftover I had lying around, for the handle. It only took me a couple of hours.
Love it!
Let me know if you would like the pattern...
Have a lovely weekend xx



pretty in pink

Being caught in the midst of a very rainy long weekend, gave me the perfect opportunity to get stuck in to some projects I have been putting off through lack of time and also to finish off a few things that had been giving me the beady eye...

 My niece Melanie lives in the Blue Mountains and has two beautiful little girls aged 2 and 3 months. These days you can buy childrens clothes so cheaply at places like kmart, big W target, best and less...to name a few, but they don't last like home made things and as I have said before, little kids love to get a mysterious parcel in the mail!
Remember last week's post about the pretty little silky scarves I sent down to my little great-nieces in Canberra?
Well, I am happy to report that they haven't taken them off and my niece tells me they are writing me a letter to thank me! I can't wait to read it...


I picked up some lovely 8 ply pure wool on sale about a month ago. On the back of the label was an interesting pattern for a child's beanie which incorporated a turned up brim and featured a simple fisherman's rib pattern (by who's standard...).... so yesterday I hooked into it...
It looked easier that it actually was and at one point the Husband became quite concerned as I fiercely fossicked through my basket of knitting needles, looking for a very fine needle to pick up the stitches 8 rows down and when I was knitting with 3 needles, even Saffy the cat took off....

Now being the stubborn person that I am, I was not about to let it beat me, so I persisted with it and finished it!

You just can't beat pure wool! The beanie is very stretchy and thick, so when little Emily has outgrown it, it should still be good for her little sister Clare to wear.

Meanwhile, I am almost finished another project that I mentioned in an earlier post, using huge 25mm needles....

I should have some pics later today if my eyesight holds out...

have a beautiful day xxx

crafty girl: better than watching tv!

crafty girl: better than watching tv!: "Well, rather than sprawling out on the lounge today with the knitting, I thought I might have a go at making a top with some knitted fabric..."