Updates on January Monthly Makes

I had a slight panic at the weekend because I have been so busy and felt that I hadn't been crafting with the possessed-glaze that I had at the beginning of the new year. The difference being that I am back at work now and I work full-time. The last couple of week's have been a little full-on at work.

I have managed to finish the Cath Kidston Patch bag though...

             

I am quite please as this is the first thing I have sewn (bar buttons and odd repairs) in a long long time and I have to say that I really enjoyed myself. You may notice that I have substited the suffolk puff that is meant to be in the middle with a large blue button. I wasn't keen on the puff ;)

When I sat down to work on it I was amazed at how quickly it came together. However, when it came to sewing and hemming the actual bag I resided to the fact that I 'needed' a sewing machine.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter or read my blog will know that recently got myself a small sewing machine. I wasn't sure what to expect about it's quality and what I will be able to achieve with it.

I can however say that I have had a little play with it on scraps of material and got a little frustrated to say the least! Not wanted to be defeated, a little browsing and research about using sewing machines followed on the t'internet. I learnt a few key things and attempted another dual. This time I came out the victor.

I have a project lined up and I feel that the Beldray will be a vital asset. With my love of Cath Kidston, I bought a bundle of mixed Cath Kidston fabrics already pre-cut into 4" squares. I am going to endeavour to make a feature for a quilt cover. I fear that I won't have time to complete this Make before the month is out though, so am planning ahead for a February make :)

In the meantime, my make is two-fold. I signed up to Me and My Shadow's - Take One Jumper Challenge and the produce is going to be part of my January Monthly Makes.

Now this was my first time at felting, so off I went and I found myself a 100% lambswool sweater from a local charity shop. I felt a little bad as its by Jaeger but I justified the planned felting of said sweater as ok because it was three sizes to big for me anyway and it only cost £2.99. So I proceeded to whack it in the washer on the highest setting, followed by a hot tumble - as per the instructions that peeps had given me and I have ended up with a sweater that would easily fit a six year old!! (and duly felted of course)

As I said, I am not going to divulge my plans for the sweater but will post them as I go along :)

A new craft

I have had the particular pattern book, Easy Chain Mail, in my mitts for quite some time...

I was passing a Hobbycraft a couple of years ago. I hadn't planned on going in nor buying but that day something made me. Once inside I skipped through the aisles, oooing and ahhing at all the lovely goodies when this book caught my eye. I had never tried chain mail jewellery making before but a particular pattern in here took my fancy. I bought the book, a couple of pairs of pliers and more than enough silver jump-rings to complete the pattern I liked and headed home.

The book and it's friends were placed into my craft box never to be seen again until this week, when with my new-found crafty venom linked with signing up to Monthly Makes, made them re-enter into my mind and mitts.

This was the bracelet that had caught my eye... the Tryzantine Bracelet...

I would say that I am quite confident in the crafts that I have dabbled with but I knew from the instructions that this was going to require some serious concentration and patience. I even had to consult a friend at one point because I just couldn't see what I was doing wrong.

After a quick natter I set off again and my bracelet grew...

And here was the final item.

I love it so much that I made a matching choker necklace too :)

Update on January's Monthly Makes

In my previous post you will have seen my first project for the Monthly Makes 2012 - the Cath Kidston 'Patch' kit.

I was planning on making the cushion but changed my mind and decided on the tote bag instead!

But that was the least of my worries. After stitching all the petals together and laying the petal round on the bag material I discovered a problem… the end of the petals were too close to the edge of the material. It was then that it had dawned on me that I had traced the template wrong!! L

On careful inspection all could be fixed though. There was enough material to use the current petals with the new template. So I literally snipped away, re-tacked and stitched the round back together again at a slightly petite size. I think my error made me stitch quicker as I finished super quick.

Upon laying this ‘new’ petal round on the bag material, it was perfect! Plenty of material for the overlay, the seams and not forgetting the obligatory Cath Kidston badge J

I pinned the round to the bag and delicately stitched away until it was completely attached, then I proceeded to stitch the sides of the bag.

  

Then I was side-tracked…

Be more crafty!

And that's not in a sneaky, coniving kind of way either :)

I have always been the creative craft type of person but it is having the time to fit everything in.

I have been reading some great craft and thrift blogs and they have inspired me to start making things again. Whether its knitting, crochet, painting, felting, sewing, carving (not sure here!?), emblishing, scrapbooking, anything really...

I have come away from some blogs with a few ideas already and to motivate me I have joined up to Monthly Makes 2012 through The Felt Fairy, whereby you have to make something every month. To find out more, click on the picture to the left or here

So being the 1st January and not being able to do much else because of this poxy chest infection, I decided to start my 'January Monthly Make 2012' :) and here it is...

Its from the Cath Kidston (I love her stuff!) Patch! book. The kit was all included and you have the option of making a a tote bag or a cushion. I'm going for the cushion and here is what I have done so far...



 Its going well!! think it might be finished way before the end of January though :)

New Year's Resolutions...

I am not aiming high, just little things that I'd like to do...

1. Keep a fringe
2. Be more thrifty
3. Be more crafty - be more creative and make more things (joined Monthly Makes 2012 on The Felt Fairy's blog as incentive)
4. Get back on the squash court and to match fitness (seeing the Consultant on 12th Jan to find out what can be done)
5. Keep an up-to-date blog :)

Goodbye 2011 x