Monday 28 February 2011

Flowers and things

It's been a flowery week - not just in my crafting world - i've also had a snowdrop in my garden, just the one, the others I planted back in October refused to produce flowers. Spring is finally on it's way.
Felted flower brooches.
Made using a variety of felted woolen jumpers and scarves.
Put your woolens on a hot wash and hey presto they've shrunk and felted.
Tumble drying can add to the effect, as can a second wash.

Cast on, Cast off Knitted flower brooches.
Read on for how to make them. Really easy.
I even intended to try out a ribbon one like these,
but didn't quite get there.
See 
'I'm SEW Cheap' for how to make one yourself.


Cast on, Cast off Knitted Flower
It's really as easy at that. I've used 15mm needles and Sirdar Bigga Wool.
First cast on 10 stitches, then cast off those 10 stitches keeping the final loop on the needle.
Using that loop cast on 9 stitches so there are 10 on the needle, then cast off again.
Repeat this process 5 times, once for each petal of the flower. 
Leave a 5 inch tail for stitching up when casting off the final stitch.
You should be left with something that looks like this.
I pinned this out to make it easier to see

Tie the two tails together and then use them to tie in the petals to make a flower shape.
Add a brooch pin or alternative fastening.
If you can't be bothered with all that, take a look in my shop and buy one.


Striped Star with yellow button
Blue Rosette
Circle Star with blue beads
Striped Flower  with pink beads

Pink Star with polymer clay
pink sparkle button



Hope you've enjoyed my flowery day.

Do come again.

Julia




Friday 18 February 2011

From skirts to bags

Own me £21.50
A selection of bags I have made this week. All these bags have been recycled from skirts. Read on for a how to on the bottom bag.
Own me £14.50


Own me £14.50




Firstly find an old Telegraph Magazine (well any magazine will do, someone just happened to leave this one lying around) and take off the cover. Cut 2 pieces of fabric the size of the cover, One for the outside of the bag, the other for the lining. 

Next, taking each piece of fabric separately,  fold in half, keeping the outside of the fabric on the inside, and sew up both sides.
This step can be a little tricky. Cut a triangle of paper to help. (take a piece of paper and measure 1.5 inches from the corner in both directions and join to make triangle). Flatten the corner you have just stitched so the the seam you have sewn is directly on top of the fold line, pin paper in place and stitch across corner.

Placement of paper triangle



Right side of fabric after stitching corner

Once you have stitched the corners, place lining and outer corners together and stitch to hold in place. See photo below.

 Next you need to think about how to finish the bag with a top handles. As this bag is from a skirt I have used the waistband. Firstly I shortened it. Then I used a strip of fabric to make the handles. As the waistband was already stitched at the top I had to unstitch a little section for each handle to slot into.

Once the handles were in place I attached the magnetic clasp.
For a good demo on fitting magnetic clasps look here.
Now time to sew up the bag.
Take time to ensure that it all lines up correctly and use plenty of pins to hold it in place whilst stitching.
I stitched the top to the bag, and then stitched around the top of the top to fix handles into place.

Now if all that is too much like hard work - take a look in my shop and buy yourself a bag.

Enjoy.

Julia

Thursday 3 February 2011

From 17 squares

It's amazing what can be done with seventeen 3"squares. This pattern came from a friend of my mothers and can be turned into any sized bag you like, just change the size of the squares.










Don't forget to add lining and handles, I used some more of the camouflage to make the handles and some plain lining. This one is quite small so I don't think it need a catch/clasp.

















I think i'll have a bit more of a play with this design and see what sizes I can come up with. It lends itself well to becoming a reversible bag, and could have several inner and outer pockets on a slightly larger sized one.

 On a completely different note - I discovered my first snowdrop of the year today, and it was in my garden.

JD