The Final Projects

Having found so many beautiful fabrics on Terrys Fabric's I have certainly had to put my thinking cap on as how to use them at their best. My offering in this post for the final lengths includes one for the children.

The Coccy Rouge

The ladybird or ladybug if from across the pond spoke to me of tidy bags and let's face it can never have too many of these. As with all my designs I have to add machine embroidery as my machine is my new BFF. This time a cream cotton square with a cheeky ladybird in the centre,  edged with a fun blue fabric from my stash finished with cream drawstring.

Danseuse Rose

Funky ballerina's a handy bag for after those ballet classes with a washing line full of ballet gear edged with a vintage lace and lace bow



Paris is always a good idea....

Love this fabric in Bird Trail Chintz

So pretty, the centre panel is in an ivory with sparkle of silver, embroidered with the Eiffel Tower, wrought iron fencing, birds, post mark and Audrey's saying of Paris is always a good idea.

Handy Tote

Cushion Cover

That is it have come to the end of my fabric find from Terrys Fabric's, it's been fun.

Pretty Nostalgic and the Pledge

I am introducing you to Pretty Nostalgic.

An independent vintage lifestyle magazine that celebrates the brilliantly British living. For everyone who wants to spend wisely, waste less , appreciate more and buy British.

Beautifully designed and printed, full of original, well researched features and art work and a profusion of genuine vintage illustrations.

Heart felt home and gardens, homemade and foraged food, British made and customised fashion, vintage collectibles, nostalgia.

Pretty Nostalgic magazine contains no advertising, just a useful directory of Brilliantly British makers and suppliers of British made and vintage goods and services.

Available inn WHSmiths and independent stockists worldwide. To find out more, order a copy or subscribe and save please have a look at the website prettynostlagic.co.uk

The Pledge:

Holly Golightly arrives

What a beautiful week we are having, wall to wall sunshine although a trifle too hot at times. I have been getting up at 4am to work in the blissful cool mornings, joined by birdsong and sounds of nature can almost hear the flowers sigh with relief for some cool air.

Continuing using the fantastic fabric from Terrys Fabric's this week a crushed raspberry with white spots, classic staple and appears in fashion every now and then but is really timeless.

As I have been watching the film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's wanted to make that the theme for this weeks makes and maybe next as well, have so many ideas but back to this week, a classic pose of Holly embroidered onto Fairy Frost Pink with a hint of silver, edged with a black and white spot organza ribbon and finished off in the gorgeous pink with white spots. The back not wanting to be left out has the Audrey saying embroidered, along with concelaed zip closure. Would look perfect on a cream leather sofa to add some Hollywood Glamour to a living room.

I Believe in Pink frilled fabric tote bag again with AH's well known saying and a kiss on the back:

Hope you are all enjoying the beautiful summer, that has finally arrived and when too hot to work what is better than to relax in the garden with a Pimms.

Cherry Blossom & Birds all in a Geisha Mist

Following on from my last post. This is one of the other fabrics I found at Terrys Fabrics and Suzie Newton  in colour Mist, I love the look of the birds, blossom and bird cages and in these muted shades talks to me of Country Chic with Japanese elegance can almost hear the sound of bubbling water in a koi carp fish pool.

I wanted  to enhance the images by adding a machine embroidered design made up of cherry blossom with that hint of pink, a tiny bird with tones of blue and aqua, not forgetting the charcoal cage. Edged with cream lace scallop design and vintage lace, had the image and decided to make a boudoir sized cushion cover and a tote bag. The cushion and tote bag along with a book for summer days out under the trees dozing and watching the village cricket team. Nothing like the sound of a ball on willow with the wind rustling the leaves in the trees.

Off to discover some more fabric and hopefully to create something wonderful.

Unleash your Creativity Cushion Challenge

Always up for a challenge and how could I resist when Suzie Newton, Interior Design blogger/writer for Terrys Fabric's, asked if I would like to join in.

I chose 2 completely different fabrics the first one Roosters, I love chooks something so homely about them plus love eggs and yes I do like to be woken by the call of the rooster in the mornings, makes me happy to be alive and in the country, so much better than the roar of cars on a motorway.

 Thinking cap on had this rooster embroidery design and with the country style gingham ribbon am happy with how it turned out, zipper enclosure and fully lined in cream cotton. Ideal for those lazy summer breakfasts in the garden.

The second fabric I chose shells on a blue background, again adding machine embroidery, and an anchor to stabilise the ship. This reminds me of quintessential English summers on the beach with cool ice cream, waves lapping against the shore just bliss.

This challenge has been such fun to do thank you Terrys Fabric's and Suzie Newton and I've another pile of fabric which is just waiting for me to unleash my creativity upon.

Check out Terrys Fabric's for a wonderful fabric collection and Terrys Fabric's blog for some fantastic interior design ideas for your home.

Vive la France

Wow Wednesday

A bespoke order for 3m's of french flag bunting, all made, packed and now posted to my customer.

Often orders come from the unusual places others more normal, the bunting came from a thread on a craft forum, there had already been a reply with a link but apparently the other lead could not do, so with trepidation I tendered to do the task. It was fun to do and different, hope my customer is happy.

Went to my first event of the year on Friday, very hot as in a marquee felt odd for most of the afternoon now realise I was coming down with a stinker of a cold. Whilst busy with loads of entertainment for the kid's buying was very low, this was not a craft fair but a mixed event.

Talking to a friend at the weekend (her husband is a photographer) they too have found craft fairs are not what they were, with less sales. Maybe the time of year and everyone is getting into holiday mode but such a shame if we lose some of the handcrafted talent due to being unable to sustain a living. No easy solution but as I love what I do will continue to plod along and maybe one day the tide will turn.

My fabric arrived from Terry's Fabrics for the cushion challenges and have made a start embroidering a rooster onto plain linen, this will be inserted into the centre of the cover, just waiting for the zips to arrive and to feel better. The second fabric is pale blue/grey with seashells. Have to submit my entries by the end of July but as we all know in a blink of an eye the month has gone already.

I cannot believe we are now half way through the year and must start making for Christmas. I like to do Christmas in July, getting all my Xmas stock made by the end of August, well that is the plan and you know what they say about best laid plans! Off to browse my journals for some inspiration.

Hope the weather is being kind to you apart from Tuesday this week we are due for some wonderful wall to wall sunshine, may just have to get the Pimms out, end of Wimbledon and perfect sitting under the roses chillaxing for a few hours.