Embroidered Tote Bag

Posted on April 23, 2024 by craftycreeky

I’ve managed to do a bit more on my embroidered tote bag over the last couple of weeks, it’s now my in-bag project, the one I work on in dentist waiting rooms etc, it’s a bit bulky to go in my bag ideally but it’s getting it finished.

Last time I shared my progress I was working on the flower at the bottom…

I’ve now finished the pink flower, undid the offending purple line, added orange French knots to the purple flower tips and made a colourful flower on the left. Birdie now has beak and legs too, though I’m still undecided about the eyes. I quite fancy doing an orange/yellow outer ring round the eye like a blackbird but will that look right with say dark blue ‘eyelashes’…decisions!

I love the way this is turning out with all the rich colours, though I am tempted now to make it into a slightly more substantial bag after all the work that is going into it!

I’ve a few long trail journeys visiting friends in the south of England this week, so hopefully I’ll get a fair bit done.

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Northern Quilt Show

Posted on April 21, 2024 by craftycreeky

Yesterday I went with a friend to the Northern Quilt Show, for years this was held at the Great Yorkshire Showground, near Harrogate. I like this show as it’s not too big, there’s some stallholders there who don’t go to the big November show and it’s a reasonable price to get in. This year it’s moved to the Wetherby Racecourse which would prove difficult if not impossible for me to get there on buses, so I was really pleased when a friend asked if I wanted to go.

It’s in two different buildings, three rooms, so it’s not as convenient as the big flower hall in Harrogate but I’m sure we’ll get used to it.

There were some beautiful quilts on display but one really caught my eye, it was by Janet Bevan, called WW1 Centenary and it was stunning. The background is tea-dyed, the flag was torn and distressed and the shadowy figures are in voile which was really effective. The detail in the quilting was just amazing. Quite a moving piece.

Another display I liked was a large group of wall hangings. These were made in 2000 by the Studio Art Quilt Associates. The theme was the Orient Express, the train that runs from Paris to Istanbul, the aim was to bring together the richness, history and culture of Europe and the Middle East. Members were asked to produce a panel to a set size, all had to include a train carriage at the bottom and some sky. There were quite a few on display, here’s just a small selection.

Of course I bought a few bits!! It didn’t bode well when the first stand I went to within 6′ of the door, I bought a kit for a little wall hanging!

I got a dress length, a skirt length, half meters and some fat quarters (at six for £10 they were a bargain!!) some of which are earmarked for potentially finishing my garden book. Also some pretty hand-dyed threads which I hope will be useful for a sea-scape workshop I’m going on next month.

I thought I was quite restrained really 😀

All in all a good day out!

Posted in Fabric shops, Quilting | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Owl and Hare Hollow HQAL

Posted on April 14, 2024 by craftycreeky

I’m just doing a mini happy dance as I’ve just finished the final block for this quilt. The quilt is designed by Natalie Bird and it was published in the Australian Homespun magasine in bi-monthly instalments. The quilt officially has 48 blocks as its arranged in a rectangle, 8 x 6, I wanted a square quilt so I’ve made 49 blocks, I’ll make a 7×7 quilt with some narrowish sashing.

Three weeks ago I’d got the hexies half stitched on the garden themed embroidery and still had a circle to stitch in the middle. I’d just started my extra block which is a sewing themed one which will act as a label too.

I cracked on and finished stitching all those hexies down. I chose a fabric with a soft image of a rose for the centre. I do like this block, it’s very pretty…

I could then concentrate on finishing the sewing block. This is a pattern I found on Etsy by a company called MiNiceStitch. They have a huge range of patterns and one feature I particularly like with them is that they provide each pattern in several different sizes, for different size hoops, so I could just print a 5″ hoop one without having to faff about printing to 130% for example. The deer block I did a few months back was also from them…

Well I stitched most evenings to get it finished, added some wording in the centre, just the name of the quilt and my initials with the date. When I went to stitch the hexies on it wouldn’t quite fit. Luckily after a few minutes head scratching I realised I was one hexie short- I’d made four hexie rings last month for the last four blocks and obviously miscounted for what turned out to be the very last block. Of course I’d used my spare hexies for one of the pages in my garden book so I had to get my glue pen out again and a template to make another one!

Finally it was finished…

I now have to make a decision on the sashing. The blocks are only 8″ finished, so I’m only thinking of a 1″ or 1.5″ sashing. I’m wondering about the William Morris fabrics I’ve used in some of the blocks, maybe with a darker cornerstone. I need to sit down and have a play. I’ve got a very busy couple of weeks coming up so I might not have made a decision by next time, but here’s what I’m playing with at the moment…

I think I’ll trim the blocks to size, cut a couple of strips of the potential sashing fabrics and see what everything looks like.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and Connie

I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, so please follow the links to see what everyone has been stitching.

Posted in embroidery, Owl and Hare Hollow BOM, Quilt-a-long, Quilting | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Stitching my Garden SAL

Posted on April 7, 2024 by craftycreeky

I’ve just finished what I hope is the last page for my embroidered garden book. I say ‘hope’ as I haven’t arranged the pages in order yet and there’s one more page that might be needed.

I decided last month that I really needed a facing page for my three garden embroideries, as they’re pretty densely embroidered and it would be easy for anything opposite it to be a bit lost or even compete with it. Here’s the first one…

Three weeks ago I was just starting the one for the summerhouse and pond area, using up all the leftover hexies from my Owl and Hare Hollow quilt, still trying to decide on the background fabric…

I decided on the flowery background, it was a little softer than the white one. I was pleased I didn’t have to remove all the papers behind the hexies, that’s a fiddly job..

The final facing page was for the Amber and Amethyst garden embroidery,,,

I decided to use another mini embroidery I stitched at the beginning of this project, It was from a mixed selection of mini embroidery designs I got from Sookie Soo on Instagram, they were all on vintage metis, which is a bit like linen, lovely to stitch on. As you can see this is a fir tree. I decided to make it into a Korean Abies, we do have one but it is in the front garden, however it has gorgeous violet/purple cones so it fits in with the orange and purple theme. The little butterfly prints came from Maggie Tuite on facebook.

I’m hoping that might be the last page, but I need to organise the pages into a working order, I might need another one for the front, a title page. Then I need to start stitching them together, still mulling that one over!

This SAL is organised by Avis from Stitching by the Sea, we share our progress on our chosen project every three weeks, please follow the links to see what everyone else has been stitching.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Jackie, 

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie, 

Linda, Helen, MaryMargaret, Cindy

Posted in cross-stitch, embroidery, Serendipity, Stitch-a-long, Stitching my Garden, Textile Books | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Strawberry Sampler

Posted on April 6, 2024 by craftycreeky

Last weekend I decided to have a change with my stitching projects, I’ve been working hard for the last few months on either the Owl and Hare Hollow or the Garden in Stitch book and I just fancied a change. I decided to do a bit more of my strawberry sampler book.

This is a kit I started whilst on holiday over Christmas. It’s a kit by Jane Greenoff for the Cross-stitch Guild. I’ve done a couple of pages already…

The next set of pages were darning stitch, which is basically just running stitch in neat patterns. It turns out it requires very accurate counting and it’s very easy to miscount judging by the number of mistakes I made!! Many were spotted early enough to undo, others were adapted into the pattern!

These double pages will be pressed and then folded in half and the edges whip-stitched together, I’m still wondering about putting a little interfacing or stiffener of some kind just to give a bit more body to the pages. I’ll probably stitch two sides together and see how it feels.

The next block is hardanger with some scary cutting of threads! I’d better concentrate for these pages!

Posted in cross-stitch, embroidery, Textile Books | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Doubting Thomas

Posted on April 5, 2024 by craftycreeky

I’ve turned into a bit of a doubting Thomas with some of my fabric decisions recently, I do find it hard choosing fabric for someone else, especially when they have very different taste to mine, I made a pair of dungarees a couple of weeks back from denim-look needlecord, for my grandson…

The needlecord is lovely, it feels soft whilst looking like denim. The bit I wasn’t sure about was those pockets. It was all I had that was vaguely suitable colour and age wise and I didn’t really want to go and buy yet another fat quarter just for the pockets so I persuaded myself that they looked fine.

But they niggled at me, eventually I had an idea, (one of my middle of the night ones!) I knew I couldn’t machine stitch the leg pockets and I really didn’t fancy unpicking them all…so I patched them! I hand stitched a pocket over the top of the chicken one. I deliberately stitched to the cotton pocket rather than just over the seam to the corduroy as I rather like the effect of the ‘lining’ peeping through. Of course at the top of the pockets you have the folded edge of cotton on the inside so it looks quite cute there. I blanket-stitched the bib pocket but with the leg ones I decided it would be much quicker and easier if I just slip-stitched them.

I’m much happier with them now, I can see them being worn now 🙂

Posted in Dressmaking, grandchildren, Sewing, Sewing for Grandchildren | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Emilia Dress 2!

Posted on April 4, 2024 by craftycreeky

As I wasn’t happy with the ditsy dress, I decided to make a simpler version (and therefore quicker!) in some fabric in my stash. It’s a very pretty hearts fabric in soft pinks and reds. I actually made a dress for her a couple of years back in the same fabric but she will have outgrown that one by now.

I used the same Emilia pattern from Little Lizard King but I just did the simple version, strappy shoulders, no ruffle round the hem or on the straps.

I did add the pretty rounded pockets on the side seams though – every girl likes a dress to have pockets! There was an optional ruffle round the pocket but I added a little broderie Anglaise lace instead. I do like the scoop back neckline. I had two pink heart buttons in my stash, different shades but on this fabric I think they’re OK.

I’m happier with this one and hopefully they will like it too.

Posted in Dressmaking, grandchildren, Sewing, Sewing for Grandchildren | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Too Ditsy?

Posted on April 3, 2024 by craftycreeky

I managed to finish the Easter sewing for the grandchildren, although they’re away this week so they’ll have them on their return.

Youngest granddaughter is still into pretty dresses, I spotted a pattern on Little Lizard King called Emilia which had a lovely deep scooped back and some pretty sleeve and hem variations. I do like the Little Lizard King patterns, they’re a bit different, they usually have several variations and they cover a lot of sizes.

Mum suggested a pretty ditsy flower fabric. She sent me a photo of a purple ditsy print. I went along to The Remnant Shop in Harrogate which does have a huge range of pretty flowery prints. Of course there was nothing quite like the one she sent me, there was a purple one but it somehow looked a bit drab. It looked much prettier in the pink. I know granddaughter is still into pink as she wants a Barbie pink quilt, so pink wasn’t a problem. What caused problems was that I wanted another print that would contrast with it for frills, pockets, sleeve ruffles etc. Eventually we found a very pretty rosebud print, like a larger version of the ditsy, that would work I thought!

I hesitated a bit at home as the backgrounds were different colours but I persuaded myself it would work. I made the dress with the larger flower print and used the ditsy for the ruffles etc.

It took me quite a while to make, but I’m just not happy with it. I think it’s too much ditsy!! I haven’t quite finished it but I’ve stopped to see what mum and granddaughter think.

I have several options as I see it;

  • I have enough rosebud fabric left to remove the skirt and just put a simple skirt round
  • Cut the ruffle off and replace with rosebud ruffle
  • Cut the skirt right back to make a top with a bit of a frill
  • Scrap the lot and add it to my quilt fabric scraps

I shall see what mum and granddaughter think, in the meantime I made another dress!

Posted in Dressmaking, grandchildren, Sewing, Sewing for Grandchildren | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Tuesday’s Totter Round the Garden

Posted on April 2, 2024 by craftycreeky

I’ve finally managed to have a few good sessions in the garden – it’s been so wet up to recently that I’m way behind on the spring tidy up, over Easter I managed two good days in the garden…

I spent Saturday tidying up round the pond, there’s still a lot to do as it really needs a good clear as a few plants are taking over. It’s probably over ten years since I really did any big work on this bed so I think it’s due for a sort out…

The pond is full of duck weed as you can see but as we do have a resident frog, a few toads and quite a lot of newts, I don’t want to clear it just yet in case there’s some frog or toad spawn in there. I also want to remove all the edging stones, clear any weeds that are hiding underneath the plastic membrane, then relay the stones neatly so they hide the plastic again. It would be nice to have plant’s growing in there again and I have a catalogue of a nursery which does collections for small ponds, I’m tempted – once I’ve cleaned it out.

The Solomon’s Seal is starting to push it’s tall stems up, that’s one that really needs clearing as it’s encroaching in quite a large area, I’ll probably move a bit to where it’s got room to spread. There’s also a crocosmia Lucifer that’s just getting too big, the problem I have there is that it’s intermingled a bit with some irises which I want to keep and the strappy leaves all look very similar!

The log roll edging is finally rotting away. On Sunday afternoon we dug out the straight section next to the path, I had to clear lots of snowdrops, at the moment I’ve a big bag ready to transplant or give my daughter, luckily ‘in the green’ is the best way to move snowdrops. These are a bit precious to us as they came from my mum’s garden. We replaced the log roll with a straight plank of wood which will hopefully weather fairly quickly. I’ve replanted lots of snowdrops in a strip along the edge of the path so they can gradually spread inwards a bit whilst leaving me room to plant other things.

Over in the Amber and Amethyst garden there’s a lovely little area just by the path as you walk up to the back lane. This is my favourite hellebore, it’s a beautiful wine red colour. It just seems to pick out the soft shade of the hebe next to it and contrasts nicely with the golden leaves of the berberis behind. The perennial wall flower is just starting to flower too.

Down by the patio I had a good tidy-up last week, the pottery still need a a bit of refreshing, but it’s looking a lot better than it did. The pink camellia has been lovely this year, adding a much needed bit of early colour. There’s a little blue clematis just starting to flower next to the arbour too. I’ve a few gaps in the borders here as I moved a couple of shrubs which were getting a bit big. They’re at the side of the house now and looking very happy there, I’ll show you them another week as Bella decided to pose on the patio…

As I said to my friend the other day, the garden looks nice,,,from a distance, so you can’t see the weeds and the jobs that need doing! The magnolia stellata is still looking glorious, at dusk it almost seems to glow, it’s one of my favourite trees in the garden.

Hopefully we’ll now have some decent gardening weather and I can catch up a bit.

Posted in Garden | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Owl and Hare Hollow HQAL

Posted on March 24, 2024 by craftycreeky

I’m so nearly there, but not quite! I’ve a few sewing projects on at the moment which are vying for my attention, some of which have deadlines, like Easter sewing for the grandkids, so they have to take priority. Added to this Bella the dog needs walking and the garden is desperate for a tidy. However I have made some progress, three weeks ago I’d just finished off several blocks, like these two embroidered ones…

Over the last three weeks I’ve embroidered the final block of the pattern. It’s a very pretty block with a gardening theme. I just need to finish stitching the ring of hexie on (I’ve stitched round the outside edges and just started on the inside) then I have to choose a circle of fabric to go in the middle.

That’s all the official pattern blocks done, however I’m doing one extra so I have 49 blocks so I can make it a 7×7 block quilt, rather than an 8×6.

I found an embroidery pattern on Etsy, it’s a company called MiNiceStitch, they do all sorts of little embroidery designs and what is particularly good is that they provide several different sizes for different sized embroidery hoops.

I chose a sewing thremed wreath which my plan is to then embroider the name of the quilt , year and my initials in the middle, like a label on the front. Here’s what I’ve done so far…not a lot!

Hopefully during the Easter break I can start to square up my blocks and work out the sashing. I have some thoughts on the sashing but I need a play.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and Connie

I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, so please follow the lnks to see what everyone has been stitching.

Posted in embroidery, Owl and Hare Hollow BOM, Quilt-a-long, Quilting | Tagged , , , , | 21 Comments