JUST PLAYING WITH SCRAPS

OK, I made it a bit too wide and not long enough,

but perfect for those odd sox waiting for a partner to find.

Kx

THE FINAL CURTAIN....

This what Saturday night boredom does for you......

After having dinner and watching X Factor with Hubby, we couldn't find anything we really wanted to watch on TV, so Hubby played PSP and decided to see if I could make a dress in a night....

One Butterick pattern £6.00. Cut to size 14, (and that just fits, think I need to lose an inch or two!).

One pair of curtains from the charity shop £6.00.

The fabric for the these is really heavy and quite thick to work with and where I was to gather the fabric I put pleats that laid flat in instead, on the skirt and on the shoulders. I haven't hemmed it yet, but I can sit and do that in front of the TV tonight.

Think I might be making more, I am going to hunt out a sightly thinner curtain fabric and make the wiggle dress next. So if you a hording old curtains of funky fabric and you are looking for an individual look, look no further.

Kx

MAKE - SCRAPPY BIRD TUTORIAL

SCRAPPY VINTAGE BIRD

Do you want to make one of these really tweet birds?

Follow the instructions below.............Kx

 This paper pattern is A4 so if you can copy and paste to fit an A4 great, if you can't email me @ sewsimple@hotmail.co.uk and i'll email you back with it,

 First cut out your pieces of fabric 2 for the bird, 2 for the wings & 1 bottom strip.

Put a mark on both bird pieces where I have written mark.

I have used unbleached cotton / linen and vintage floral fabric from one of my FQ bundles.

 Place the wings where you thing best, and at this point embellish or do any thing you want to your bird, before we sew it together. Sew the wings on. I want mine to fray.

 Starting with one bird piece place your long bottom strip tip on the mark (as shown on the top picture)
Pin if you want, I have pinned to show you but find it easier to work without pins and the pieces are so small.

 I sew only 1/4 inch from the edge..If you have a bigger seam then the bird will be smaller, otherwise you can just enlarge you bird pattern to size bird you want

 One side sewn and it will look like this

 Next attach the other side in the same way, once sewn your bird should look like this.

Next flatten, line up the beak and tail, sew from where you see the cotton stitches under the beck to the cotton stitches under the tail (leaving 1 to 2 inch gap on its neck/back to turn fabric).

 No need to buy a load of polyfill, plus I wanted these birds to be a bit more organic, so I have stuffed them with fabric scraps.

 One stuffed bird, ready to be hand sewn shut.

Last add some button eyes.

 Scrappy Bird 1

 Scrappy Bird 2

Scrappy Bird 3

I just recieved these!

How Wonderful - Thank-you Jackie!

I never receive flowers, Hubby's idea of flowers is the petrol station variety, he wouldn't know where to start, and walking into a flower shop would be like walking into the ladies underwear department of M&S, like the other guys you see following their wives around looking like rabbits caught in headlights.

Jackie my late fathers cousin came over to the UK from Canada a couple of weeks ago and spent the week with my mum visiting The Eden Project, Que Gardens and other country houses and gardens. They stayed with us (not long enough) over night before Jackie headed off to Gatwick, A few glasses of vino and then they were gone.

I don't feel like I was the hostess with the mostess to deserve such a beautiful bunch of flowers, but all the same they are taking pride of place on the Mantle piece in the lounge.

Thank-you Jackie. Kxxxxxxxx

p.s. Look out for my scrappy bird tutorial later tonight, for the birds you see in the picture.

THE C WORD

I know, I know, I know its not Christmas

But I have an excuse, a couple of these Elf Stockings are going off to a new home at Country Touches along with a few other items. Some of you may already be lucky enough to have your items in the shop, she will soon be launching on NOTHS, but check out their website, I'm in love with the knitted hot water bottle covers, very cosy;

http://www.country-touches.co.uk/

Now off to make mini stockings half the size in the tiny mixed spot fabrics, and I will be putting together a tutorial on them....

Happy Christmas sorry have a happy Wednesday!

TOTE BAG PRINTS

I have been playing with my sketches, turned them into defined line drawings

I scanned into the computer, added colour, I am calling this set my favorite shoes

Now all I need to do is to transfere this prints on to tote bags!

I am also going to do diffent colour combos, wouldn't mind getting them put on little box canvases but they seem to work out expensive so if anybody knows a cheap online shop let me know......Kx

HAPPY POST

Well the postman is keeping busy, A nice pile of post going out to hopefully happy customers.

 A stack of plain cotton totes received, for sale in blondesbackyard for people to print, embellish, draw on, sew buttons and bits on.....now available on natural unbleached, green, black, white, red and blue.

And the biggest confession of the week and the most fabric I have managed to accumulate in one week is the stack above (I keep staring at it...).

Starting at the bottom:

2 full reclaimed fabric curtains (approx 6m worth for £6!!), my mum picked these up and I am thinking of making a 50's dress in some of it....

Brown furnishing fabric for a 1m sq boys quilted cushion custom order (really 1m SQ HUGE)

Black furnishing fabric for a POW cushion order

Natural linen from Fabric Rehab for various projects

Small pink spot for bias binding

Pink, green gingham and pink large spot for Laura Ashley hearts and to finish a quilt I am making

Large red spot & check for large Christmas stockings

All the small spots for small stockings and hopefully a couple of other projects

And a couple of freebie Japanese pieces which I may just make girls pincushions 'my first pincushion!)

THE FQ BUNDLE WINNER IS....

 THE WINNER IS AUDREY'S CAT - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Hope you show your finished item (s) on your blog, I'll keep an eye out!

If you email me at kg_blondedesigns@hotmail.com I'll get your fabric in the post for you tomorrow.

PIN ADDICTION

On another note, i think I have a pin addiction (ok confession time), I brought these cute heart long pins from NoodleBubble www.noodlebubble.folksy.com a bargin £1.25, I may get more......I also got free beautiful buttons to add to my stash and use, in the photo above.

But as you can see by my extra large pin cushion, I have just a few pins, do you think I have enough?, or do you think I can squeeze a few more on it. I wouldn't mind but I also have a small strawberry pincushion hanging from the sewing machine, with pins in, A LARGE strawberry in the kitchen with a couple more pins and the baby round one on the sofa.

I think another pack of heart pins might just do.....Kx

NEXT WEEKS GIVEAWAY!!

No not another one, oh yes this time it may not suit all but it will be 4 FQ of 'proper'  100% wool tweeds (the fabric of the moment - just in time for winter sewing). These fabrics I have from my Father who worked in uniform and clothing and these wonderful tweeds can be used as cushion fronts, patchwork, purses, handbags, mini sew on bits,brooches -  anything.......

You will have to wait till later in the week for photos without rain!

Kx

LATEST PROJECTS

Scandi cushions using the cute vintage collection Clarke & Clarke furnishing fabrics, a UK company.

Folk hearts - I have made a few for a custom order in the Laura Ashley fabrics and have added these and the reclaimed fabric ones (as in my FQ fabric giveaway) to my blondedesign shops.

Hope you had a great weekend, and see you here tonight for the Fabric FQ giveaway.

Kxxx

FQ RECLAIMED BUNDLE GIVEAWAY

As promised last week I am doing a FQ giveaway. This is for one of my 6 x FQ reclaimed fabric bundles I put together.

All fabric is prewashed, checked for holes, marks etc before I bundle them up.

I have made bunting, tote bags, laverder hearts, binding, buttons, and I am makinga quilt with them as well, so let your imagination take over.

As before just be a follower, leave a quick message underneath, and I will pick the winner on Monday Night.

Kx

HOT POT

Log Cabin Hot Pot

My latest project, using scraps of my favorite fabrics, use as a hot pot for pans, in the middle of the dinner table and at 10 x 10 inches and double thickness of quilt wadding you can safely sit your winter stew bowl on it.

I have been meaning to add new things to my blondedesign shops where I sell kitchen aprons, tea, coffee cosies and thought these would fit right in. I'm pleased with this first one, and now I am catching the train in the mornings, I get a chance to hand sew the binding on the back.

Kx

AND THE WINNERS ARE..........

AND THE WINNER OF

1m x 25mm sunshine gingam

1m x 25mm gubblegum gingham binding

1m x 25mm London Bus binding

1m x 12mm sunshine binding

1m 12mm bubblegum binding

1m 12mm london bus binding

2 x cupcake buttons

IS JOY

well done Joy

AND THE RUNNER UP WINNER OF

2m x 25mm or 12mm colour of choice gingham binding

IS KITSCHY COO

well done Kitschy Coo

I'll do another giveaway next week of my 6 FQ reclaimed fabrics that I am selling in blondesbackyard, so keep an eye out.

Kischy Coo & Joy if I don't get to you first, email me at kg_blondedesigns@hotmail.com with your addresses, and Kitschy Coo the colour(s) of choice.

Thank you all for entering and dont forget next week's giveaway.

Kx