Sunday, July 1, 2012

Loopy flowers

Here's a step by step way of making the flower brooch I showed in my last post as requested:

What you'll need:
A square of felt
Scissors
Needle and thread to match
Brooch back
Pins

Step 1:
Cut strips of felt about 1cm thick, or as desired but be aware the thicker the strips the thicker the 'petals', I use nine strips for each flower.
Unlike me, use large scissors so that your lines are a bit straighter, but I don't mind wobbly petals.

Step 2:
Loop all of the strips four times and pin to secure




Step 3:
Stitch each pinned piece to keep the loops from slipping and then stitch all of the groups of petals together to make your flower shape.  Try grouping them together before stitching to get an idea of what works where as it needs to be a general roundish shape to look most flower-like.

Step 4:
Once all the loops have been stitched together, cut a circle of felt big enough to cover all of the raw edges and to make a flat base to stitch the brooch pin to
I've used a different colour here for it to show up better on the photo but it's probably best to use the same colour felt so it all blends in.

Step 5:
Attach your brooch pin and if you're lucky enough to have read this post and have received your order, you can also attach your labels too!


Step 6:
Stand back and admire your handiwork.  All you need to do now is find something gorgeous you want to accessorize your new flower with and await lovely compliments!

Lavender ladies tutorial

Wow, look at all these great handmade gifts already! I thought I would share with you a simple, quick gift to make.


These sweet little lavender ladies are a modern take on the old fashioned lavender bags that go into your underwear drawer or under your pillow. They make perfect gifts for friends, teachers, colleagues or ‘secret santa’ (Kris Kringle) gifts.

To make a lavender lady, you will need:
Fabric of your choice (approx 2 x 20cm square)
Felt to make the face
Embroidery thread
Needle for embroidery
Sewing machine or needle and thread
Pins
Dried lavender (you will find it in craft shops or health food shops)
Stuffing




To begin, fold your fabric over with the wrong side showing. You don’t need a pattern, just draw two overlapping circles straight onto the fabric (use chalk or pencil though, I used a marker so that you could see it in the photo). For my lavender lady the big circle’s diameter is 12cm and the smaller circle’s diameter is 8cm. It doesn’t need to be perfect though! Cut out your little lady and put aside.


Next, cut out a little round face from the felt. Again, just draw the circle straight onto the felt and cut it out. Mine is 4.5cm in diameter. Stitch on some little eyes and a mouth using embroidery thread. If you are making a few lavender ladies, try stitching different expressions on them.


Stitch the face straight onto the head of the body.




Now, lie the two body pieces right sides together and pin them securely. See those two pins at the bottom? They are very important! This is the gap you are going to leave so that you can stuff the body. Stitch the two body pieces together using a sewing machine or hand sewing. Don’t stitch across the gap.




Turn your lavender lady inside out. Looking cute, isn’t she? Start to stuff your lavender lady, alternating between stuffing and spoonfuls of lavender. All up, I put about 5 tablespoons of lavender in mine.


Once she is all stuffed, hand sew the opening at the bottom together.


And there you have it – a very sweet little lavender lady. I tied a little ribbon around her neck to make her look a bit more festive.

Oh my this is exciting!

I've recently started a blog called Magpie Mimi as I'm trying to teach myself how to sew.  So far I find making clothes too scary most of the time to even attempt, but am trying my hand at everything else that can be sewn together into something useful or beautiful (hopefully) I aspire to William Morris' philosophy.  In an effort to improve my sewing skills and to give something that I'd really thought about and put time and effort into I decided to have a handmade Christmas, or as much of one as possible.  I'd been inspired by Kirsty Allsop and her Christmas series last year on Channel 4 on how she tried her hand at making a handmade gifts.

My sanity is slowly slipping away though, as I have three nieces and two nephews all of which I'm trying to make a dressing up box for as they're all under 6 years of age and then trying to make handbags and other pretty things for my three sisters, mother and mother-in-law and girlfriend of boyfriend's brother.  Not to mention the men, who I think will all get edible treats.  And on top of that I thought at some point it would be a wonderful idea to make my own crackers and fill them with hand made chocolates....  I need some help!

Hopefully I can learn some more things from everyone and maybe give some ideas to a few.  I do feel like the dunce of this class as can see I have the least sewing and making experience...I'll be the one in the corner with the pointy hat with a D on it! As the old saying goes though, practice makes perfect!  I know I've got one fan though as my cat Fizz keeps running away with the things I've made lately, especially the bunnies!

Here's some pictures of the stuff I've made so far, most I've got from tutorials from other bloggers, but have a few things I've made up myself and things I've tweaked from other blogger's patterns that I will be posting about soon.

Bunnies made from Betz White pattern
Fascinator using Prudent Baby feather hair clip tutorial as inspiration

Bias tape bag from Prudent Baby pattern with adjustments
American Indian feather headband - my own design

Large clown hats - my own design

Handmade Jane

Hi, I’m Jane and I’ve been sewing with a passion for just over a year.  I recently started my blog Handmade Jane where I talk about things I’ve made (frocks and craft items).

Here I am with one of my elves
I’d love to make some handmade gifts this year, because I think they’ll be really appreciated and I’ll get a lot of pleasure from making them.  I tested the water by making birthday presents for my mum and my mother in law this year, and they both went down a storm.  Even if it’s just a small lavender bag, to me handmade means much more than yet another gift set from Boots.

I’ll be trying my hand at making little purses, make-up brush rolls, 50's style half pinnies and lavender bags. I’m more than happy to share links to any on-line tutorials I’ve found (all easy ones!) and any suppliers I’ve found useful. Mostly though, I’m looking forward to seeing what everybody else has been making.  That’s basically what I spend way too much of my time doing anyway, reading sewing blogs! Can’t wait!  x

Tilly's crafty crafting plans

I guess the first thing for each of us to do (still just me at the moment!) is to introduce ourselves and our Christmas crafting intentions.

I'm Tilly, and I blog about sewing (particularly vintage style) over at Tilly and the Buttons. I started sewing at the beginning of the year and absolutely love it.


I want to make at least some of my own Christmas prezzies this year for various reasons. Firstly, because it injects an element of love and care into the gifts, making them a little bit more special. Secondly, because rampant consumerism (of which I have been a perpetrator) has started to make me feel nauseous, so I'd like to cut down on the shopping this year. Thirdly, because I'm trying (not very well) to save up for a trip so could do with cutting down the cost of the festive season. And finally, because it'll be fun!

I'm thinking about making all or some of the following:

Handbags - maybe this one on Sew Mama Sew?
Make up bags - one I made earlier below
Necklaces - there's a lovely fabric-covered necklace pattern that you can download for free from Amy Butler
Crafty food hampers
Baby quilted blanket - maybe a mini version of this Cloud 9 one
Pyjamas - very easy
Cards - maybe fabric collage ones
Wrapping paper / pretty wrapping accessories


Gosh, I'm exhausted just looking at that list! If I make at least one thing, I'll be happy I guess!

Cedar Cove Movie - Hallmark Channel

MOVIE REVIEW



Cedar Cove

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: Early, 2013

*The Cedar Cove Movie and TV Series are based on the Cedar Cove Book Series by author, Debbie Macomber.



CAST:

Andie MacDowell ... Judge Olivia Lockhart
Dylan Neal ... Jack Griffith


PLOT:

from Hallmark Press Release:

Based on the popular series of books by best-selling author Debbie Macomber, "Cedar Cove

Heaven's Rain - GMC Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

Heaven's Rain

Network: GMC

Original Air Date: April 22, 2012

*NOTE: THIS MOVIE IS NOT FOR CHILDREN OR FAMILY VIEWING. THIS MOVIE IS BASED ON A REAL STORY. CONTAINS VIOLENCE THAT WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOUNG VIEWERS.

*THIS MOVIE IS - The Bold, True Story about Former Oklahoma Senator and Victim Rights Advocate Brooks Douglass and His Family. (See plot below)





CAST:

Mike Vogel