Monthly Challenge, Dressmaking and Upcycling

Sunday was reveal day for the Needlecraft Haven Monthly Ornament Challenge. This month we did these fairisle style heart designs from Luli.
Here is mine, stitched in my favourite variegated red (Crescent Colours - Ruby Slippers), and white, and finished off with a teeny tiny pom pom trim.

The rest of the gallery is here
I've also been doing a spot of dressmaking. This is my version of the Lisette Traveller dress, done in a white broderie anglais for the bodice and a Lewis and Irene print cotton for the skirt, and finished with vintage buttons. I think it has a nice mid-century modern vibe.

I just hope we get enough good weather for me to be able to wear it!
And finally the upcycling. I'm sure you've seen the fancy marble coasters in the high end shops (eg John Lewis have a set of four for £20).
I picked up these ex-display samples of composite stone worktops for 10p each at a local DIY place.

All I needed to do was stick some self adhesive felt on the backs of them. Bargain!

Gifted Gorgeousness for February

Gifted Gorgeousness, for those who haven't come across it before, is a blog hop organised by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching, where we show off anything even remotely gift related that we think we can lever into the post stitching and crafting gifts we have sent or received.
To kick off this month we have the Valentines Exchange at Needlecraft Haven. . The idea was to exchange Valentine themed sock and matching thread.
Here are the wonderful snuggly and oh so pink socks I received from Justine.

Thank you Justine, I love them!
I sent to Julie, but forgot to get a picture before I sent them out.
In other gift related news, I made a little something for Kerry who won my imaginatively titled "Guess how many finishes I'll have this year" competition for 2016.

Yes, you can cross stitch on a tea strainer. Who knew? Anyway, I'm pleased to say that Kerry loved it.
And for dear Barb's birthday I made and sent this quilted patchwork zippered pouch, incorporating various vintage and contemporary fabric scraps including a piece with a lovely metallic sheep print, because as we know, Barb is rather fond of sheep.

Well, that's it for this month. Off to hop the blogs and see what everyone else has been up to now.

Secret Stitching Sweethearts Blog Hop

Happy Valentine's Day

This is my post for Jo's Secret Stitching Sweethearts Blog Hop  

Here is the picture I was sent by my secret stitcher. Isn't it lovely?

Say hello and identify yourself secret stitcher!

I'm off to see who got mine now (link to the master post above)

Braiding and Beading

Just a couple of little makes this week.

I finished this braided cowl for Naomi (yarn and pattern from Deramores here)

It's done with two variegated wools (red/pink and black/grey) worked together in a tweeded stitch. Not too tricky once I got the hang of which stitches to slip on which row. The same cannot be said for the combination of navy/blue and black/grey which I'm currently knitting up for myself, as I can't tell the two colours apart under electric light!
And here are some little Swarowski crystal heart pendants, which as you can see were so much fun that I couldn't stop at just one, so one each for the girls, one for me and one that didn't work out quite so well because the black beading thread showed through the crystals

Hard to get the colours of these to photograph well but we have (clockwise from top right) Metallic Silver, Turquoise AB, Rose Alabaster, and Lavender ABx2

Completely Forgot!

It was reveal day last Sunday for the Needlecraft Haven Monthly Challenge. This month we all stitched our own versions of this New Year design from Aliolka.
Yes It's a Penguin. No I'm not sorry.
I stitched mine using Gloriana silks, and finished him into a little pillow

The other finishes can be seen in the gallery here. It's always fun seeing how different people interpret the same design.

Year of the Rooster

I couldn't find a Year of the Rooster design I liked so I adapted one I found at La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix, adding a small chinese lantern to make this New Year decoration.

And here I am wearing the snuggly new jacket I made at the weekend, using a sherpa backed faux suede fabric and a free pattern from Simply Sewing magazine. Just the thing as the weather has turned cold and damp.

QAYG and First Shoes of 2017

Contrary to what I may have previously believed, QAYG is not in fact the back-up computer aboard Red Dwarf.

That would be Queeg

QAYG, on the other hand, stands for quilt as you go, and I found a really good tutorial for making a zippered pouch using the technique at SOTAK Handmade.
Here is the pouch I made, incorporating, amongst other scraps, some vintage Liberty and Laura Ashley fabrics, an old pillowcase, and one of David's old shirts

I also upcycled a rescued section of one of my vintage embroidered cloths which somebody had managed to get tomato sauce on. This is why we can't have nice things. (Yes dear, I am writing about you on my blog).
I made some new quilted table mats as well. So far they are tomato free...

"And the shoes?" I hear you cry.
Check them out. Gotham City Sirens Converse. I am in Shoe Heaven