Mum's Slouchy Knitted Hat

I've completed my Mum's hat!

I love this pretty yarn...

My Mum had it in her stash....

It's the same pattern as my slouchy hat that I showed you in my last post.....

 

But the hat is smoother and more slouchy because of the different yarn, I think!

Or maybe it's just my knitting!

You can find the pattern here.

Just before Christmas I made this crocheted bobble blanket (?) ......

It started life as a blanket for my cat Max but as it progressed I thought the bobbles wouldn't be very comfortable for him to lie on. Trouble is I've made it a cat blanket size and now I don't know what to do with it! Any ideas?!

Oh and this is a new 'watching tv' project I've just started....a rag rug....from the pattern I found here.

Here's my box of strip scraps I'm using.....

It's marmalade making time and today I've been busy making some!....I'll share the recipe next time if it turns out all ok!

Thanks for popping by!

Maggie xx

Scrappy Crafting in Brittany

We had a wonderful time in France ...3 weeks in all...mainly travelling around central Brittany although we did make it to the coast a couple of times for some lovely beach walks. I have some great photos of our holiday but this is a crafty post as I know I haven't written one in a while.

I always like to take some crafts along with me on holiday and this time I took all my fabric scraps! Bags and bags of them! I'm completely mad, I know! I also took my Accuquilt cutter. Madder still. Quite a heavy item to take but we fitted it in. I was pleased we did as I spent quite a few evenings (mainly when it was raining outside) sat at the little table in Harvey J cutting useful squares from my scraps. I returned home with these....I will probably make a scrappy quilt from them......

I also wanted to try to make some fabric string as I thought this would be a good thing to do whilst travelling. As a passenger, I enjoy looking at the French countryside but I like to have something to focus on and break the monotony of a long drive. Chris does all the driving in France so I am free to do stuff!

I had found this great tutorial on how to make fabric string from My Poppet.....

Click on the photo to go to the tutorial.

You use scrap 'strings' of about an inch wide and I have loads of these...

So I had a go at making some string and hey presto....

...before I know it I had created a ball of string!

Note that the glove compartment doubles as a sewing/craft box!

I also made a Windmill block for my Holiday Quilt...see the tab Holiday Quilt Blocks above to see my other blocks.

Towards the end of the holiday, I started a scrappy hexagon patchwork quilt. Actually I didn't know what it was going to be at first but once I'd got into the swing of the English paper piecing, (and the fact I could use up more scraps!) I decided I definitely wanted to make a quilt for the recently decorated spare bedroom. 

Mainly in blues.....

by the time I arrived home I had this!

I decided to break up the blues with random hexie flowers of contrasting colours.

So as you can see it was definitely a 'fun with scraps' holiday!

Maggie xx

The Doll's House Quilt: A Perfect Travelling Project

Hello!

Quite a long time no see.....I hope you're well.

 

We've just spent a couple of weeks touring in France and I just had to show you this quilt that I made whilst on the move :)

It's a little doll's house quilt :) 

I had gone away with several ideas for crafty projects to do on the road. As the weather wasn't brilliant, I found time to make some bunting and, of course, a patchwork block for my holiday quilt.

But this little quilt was by far the most enjoyable.

I loved cutting out the tiny squares and using up the smallest of fabric scraps!

It made the perfect small project to travel with.

 

I sewed it by hand and I particularly enjoyed the hand quilting which I hadn't tried before.

I used the English paper piecing method to make the patchwork top...

 

 

I wasn't sure how the back would look......

but I think all the little stitches look cute....

When I'd completed this little quilt, I decided to make another.....

and another!

As you can see, I haven't quilted these yet (another couple of WIPs on the list!)

Here are the backs....

 

My little projects mingled well with the French dictionary, Kindle and travel sweets in Harvey J's glove box :)

 

So if you like a spot of relaxing hand sewing and you have some fabric scraps, I would thoroughly recommend making a little quilt whilst on holiday.

 

 

For me, there's only one downside. No doll's house to put them in! I have a solution though...... I think I will treat them as mini wall quilts. In fact they will look very cute in Harvey J. They will add a nice homely touch....

 

Yes....good idea.....I'll just check with Chris.....on the other hand........maybe I'll just put them up and see if he notices.......;)

 

Happy Crafting!

 

Maggie xx

Fabric Scrap Sorting (again), A Giveaway and George's Cowl

After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I'm enjoying a few days relaxing, watching movies and sorting my fabric scraps!

 

 

We walked into town earlier today to return a game to Blockbusters. We took Spencer, of course, who enjoyed the walk along the canal.

 

 

 

The restoration has really progressed since we last walked that way.

 

 

We had lunch at the Lockkeeper's Cafe.......

 

 

 

I had a Stilton and Mango Chutney Panini - Mmm absolutely delicious!

 

And then home for more fabric scrap sorting!!

 

 

 

Thought you'd like to know there's a fabulous New Year's giveaway going on over at Amanda's blog Crafty in the Med.

 

Especially if you like crochet and yarn :)

 

Look! You can win this crochet book or this gorgeous yarn stash!

 

 

 

Click here to pop over to Crafty in the Med and enter!

 

 

...........And last but not least!

 

You may remember just before Christmas, I showed you a cabled cowl that I had knitted.

 

Here's a little reminder!

 

 

Well, I knitted one for my son, George, for Christmas, in a black and grey fleck yarn. He was really pleased with it so much so he even let me take a photo of him wearing it!

 

 

 

The cowl is really enjoyable to make. I'm halfway through another one for my other son, Will.

 

You can find the pattern here on Amy's lovely blog, Fearless Homemaker.

 

 

That's all for now.

 

Happy Holiday Crafting!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Maggie xx

 

Little Boxes

This week, the knitted gloves have been put down for a while.

 

Earlier in the week, I treated myself to a wonderful quilting book by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison. It's called Sunday Morning Quilts and is all about using up your fabric scraps. As I hate throwing anything away, I couldn't resist it.

Also I follow Amanda's blog Crazy Mom Quilts which I love reading and find it gives me lots of inspiration.

So this bank holiday weekend, I've been sorting my scraps and making little patchwork boxes (from a pattern in the book) to store my scraps in.

 

The boxes are made using scraps of the colour of the scraps they are going to store .....if that makes sense!!

They are great fun to make!

 

So far I've made a purple one....

See all my scraps neatly folded....kind of!

and a pink one....

 

 

......and I'm halfway through making a blue one :)

 

 

All my favourite colours first :)

 

Once I've made enough boxes and sorted all the scraps, I am looking forward to making some of the lovely quilts from the book.

Hope you're enjoying these last few days of August.......it's raining here today......good excuse to make some more boxes!

See you soon,

 

Maggie xx

Spencer's New Quilt

 I've been enjoying Spring and the lovely splashes of colour it brings..

But something just didn't seem right.....

And then I realised what was bothering me.....

I make quilts.....

I love making quilts......

But Spencer the pupster didn't have a quilt......

Don't get me wrong, he has lots of soft blankets and bedding...

But not a patchwork quilt made by me....

Well not until a couple of days ago that is...

I've been wanting to make a crumb quilt for a while.

A quilt that would use up some of the scraps of fabric that I can't bear to throw away...

An ideal way of making a doggy quilt for Spencer without using valuable fabrics from my stash..

I remembered that I had seen a great tutorial by Rose of Ludlow Quilt and Sew.

My Mum had given me lots of lovely Clarke and Clarke fabric scraps that were medium weight fabric plus they were dog, duck, welly, birdy fabrics scraps..

Just right for a doggy quilt...

So here are a couple of the crumb blocks I made....

 I added a few Laura Ashley scraps and some blue and white striped vintage sheeting for the sashing.....

I didn't need to quilt it as I filled it with a spare duvet and so I just sewed around the edges to keep the duvet in place...

When I gave it to Spencer, he was thrilled......

And it fits nicely into his bed....

Making a snug and cosy nest :)

And completely machine washable for those muddy paw marks!!

If you have loads of fabric scraps and want to make a crumb quilt, you can find Rose's tutorial and lots of other free patterns here.

Have a lovely weekend.

Maggie xx