Work in progress #1 - Patchwork Quilt

Like a lot of crafty people (I assume) I have a couple of projects that are ongoing. Big ones that I can put down when I get a bit bored but then pick up again with renewed enthusiasm a couple of months later. One that I expect to take me the best part of a year (or three) is my patchwork quilt.

I've always wanted to have a handmade patchwork quilt and since I was given a sewing machine for Christmas last year I thought I'd better get on with it! I had some leftover scraps of material and so started in traditional thrifty quilting fashion.

Projects like this seem intimating but if you boil them down to the step by step they're actually really easy and - in my opinion - quite therapeutic. Having never quilted before I bought this bargain template book from Amazon for the princely sum of £1 and some shrapnel. It comes with patterns and plastic templates which is perfect for my with my stop-start approach 'cause it means I won't forget measurements.

Picking a pattern that doesn't look even vaguely goose-like

Cut out all the pieces taking care not to cut your own clothes in the process (lesson learned)

Once you cut out all the pieces you need, you need to sew them all together. You can do this by hand or with a sewing machine. I think if I did it by hand each patchwork square would take me a year! With a little electrically help however it only takes about an hour so I can squeeze making a new section whenever I'm a bit bored.

The finished patchwork. Still not looking much like a brown goose

It's so satisfying making each patchwork square that I immediately want to start another one, which is lucky as I have loads to plough through before I will have a finished quilt. So far I have done eight but the book says I need 42 for a full-size quilt. 42!! This is based on a quilt that's seven squares long by six wide, but I may shave that down to six by five for a nice round 30 squares.

Better get cracking on the next squares then if I want to ever have the joy of using my lovingly homemade quilt. Stay tuned for more updates....

Phili xxx

Mini-skirt to makeup bag

I'm something of a hoarder when it comes to unusual items of clothing.

Whether it looks like the best fancy dress costume I've ever seen or simply some amazing fabric, I can't resist.

A couple of weeks ago I went to a free clothes drive where I came across a bag full of oddities, including a traditional Jamaican woman's outfit, complete with head scarf and matching orange and black jacket! Among my 'finds' was a green silk mini skirt circa 1968, and while its size and shape meant it was unlikely to be a fashion hit, the silky, ruffled fabric had definite upcycling potential!

I've just finished making it into a handy makeup bag, using the textured green material on the outside and a blue and white polka dot cotton fabric as the lining.

The clashing fabrics go surprisingly well together, and paired with a matching blue zip I think it makes quite a pretty bag for holding makeup or hair accessories in. Leaving the blue peeking out next to the zip makes the bag a little more unusual, and is quite a nice homemade touch even if I do say so myself!

I've got plenty of scraps left over so I might make a couple of matching purses.But it just shows that you might have all the ingredients to make a quick homemade bag or other items from your wardrobe. Anyone guilty of harbouring silk mini-skirts needn't make a dash to the charity shop just yet!

Bethany

x x x

Boycie the Knitted Bunny

The nephew and dog in question

I wanted to create something that my young nephew could keep, but would hold up to being dribbled on, chewed (occasionally by the dog) and thrown around. I settled on a cuddly bunny.


As I have been honing my knitting skills recently - producing delights such as a cardigan, some booties and the obligatory scarf - I decided to 'off-plan' and create a design entirely out of my head. I used a cornflower blue Baby DK, a cream DK and 3.75mm needles.

Boycie Bunny 

My first attempt was, by all accounts, a disaster. It was like a squashed bowling pin. After five minutes or so trying to convince myself it was fine (I didn't want to waste three day's worth of effort) my boyfriend's barely disguised amusement convinced me to go back to the drawing board. I kept the body to use as my head and then created a body and arms by knitting a big cross.

The legs were, essentially, long hats. I used the blue wool to knit tubes and started to decrease to create the rounded look, then swapped to a chunky cream to finish decreasing and sew up the edges. I used the same wool to add 'paws' to my arms (the rabbit's, not my own). Now my bunny was starting to come together and had a nice 'homemade' quality to it (read: uneven with wonky legs).

Ears and a fluffy tail were the finishing touches. I made the bunny ears by double layering oblongs of cream on blue and the tail was - obviously - a pom-pom. Stitched eyes and nose made a lovely baby-friendly face. Luckily after by week-long effort my nephew loved his bunny and my sister named him Boycie. Now for the next project!

Philippa

xxx

Candles

Candles make awesome presents and they're pretty easy to make with a tiny bit of practice and all the right ingredients.

What you'll need:

Wax beads

Candle wick

Candle wick holders

Colouring

Scent (optional)

Saucepan

Glass bowl

Vintage teacups and saucers (these can be found cheaply in charity shops)

- I bought most of the candle-making bits and pieces from http://www.4candles.co.uk/ which has a great selection of gorgeous smells and vibrant colours. I chose a light pink colour and a jasmine smell and I'd highly recommend them both as the results were fantastic!

- First off melt the wax beads in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water.

-Stir slowly and wait until the wax is liquid and completely clear.

- Now break up a tiny bit of your coloured block, the more you use the darker and more intense the shade will be.

- Drop in a little scent and get ready to pour.

- Thread the wicks through the wick holders and rest them on the bottom of your cups (to keep them in the centre you could try tying the top to a pencil and balancing it across the rim).

- Pour the liquid wax in slowly till they're three-quarters full.

- Leave the wax at room temperature to cool overnight and snip the wick so that there's a couple of centimetres poking through.

- And that's it you're all finished!

Enjoy!

Bethany

x x x