FO Friday

I haven't done a FO Friday for ages!!  Thought I'd do one today as I have a few FO's and I have the time this week (it being the half term break).
First up is a large tote bag to carry all of our (me and the boys) stuff around in.  I have been planning it for weeks (since I got into sewing) and have made a couple of trial project bags.  This week I finally finished it.  It is made from fat quarters that I sewed together.  It has 3 pockets and I coated the outside with Lamifix, to make it wipe clean.  Here it is in action!!

 We went to the zoo today.  I have been busy this week trying to get the products for my craft stall ready and feel like I haven't done much with the boys (just some swimming and some soft play!), so decided to treat them to the zoo.  We went to Port Lymphe.  This is part of the Aspinall Foundation and does a lot of work for endangered species.  It is set out like a safari and you take a truck ride through the park (which is huge) spotting animals as you go.

We had a fabulous time as you can see - this is the boys in the truck looking out for giraffes.

The second FO is also sewing related and I am particularly pleased with this as it is completely designed by me, made by me and I added a zip.  Considering I have only been sewing a couple of months, I feel very pleased with myself!!  Anyway it is a small lined purse that has a long strap that I can use to hold my money at the craft fair.  I have pictured it together with my new business cards and postcards!!  I like to be organised (although considering I have yet to sell 1 thing this may be overkill!)

I have several knitted items for the stall finished, but no items for me - I'm making good progress on my cardigan and hope to get that done for next week - we'll see!!
Lastly, I am reading something again that is not knitting related.  Apparently there will be a film out soon based on it (I don't really do films so I shall assume this is correct and if I blog about it I will not reveal too much!).  This is not a FO but thought I'd include it anyway.

I shall be linking up with Tami - if you want to see some more see the link on the right.

Works In Progress!

Thought I would join in for WIP Wednesday this week as it is half term and I have a little time and I have LOADS of WIP's all of a sudden!!

First up and nearly finished is my cardigan - a http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lucybowen/featherweight-wrap-to-knit - I am onto the arms and I hope to have it finished at the weekend.

Secondly, I am all set to embark on the Outfit-a-long with Andi Satterlund.  The idea is that you knit a garment and sew a garment that are designed to wear together.  I have decided on Myrna by Andi that I will knit in Malabrigo worsted in Fuscia.  I have also decided not to sew a dress, as I don't think I would wear it.  So I have settled on Delphine - a skirt by Tilly Walnes in her new book 'Love at First Stitch' and some fabric I had in stash.

It all starts on the 1st, so technically, it is not a WIP at the moment - just an idea in progress!!  If you fancy it, please join us - there are links at the side to Andi's blog or look up the untangled knots group on Ravelry.

Thirdly, and again only just a WIP (have only done a couple of rows and so have not even taken a photo!) is my Christmas jumper along again with Andi.  This time the idea is to knit a jumper for Christmas, and to start now doing it bit by bit to a timetable. My project page has my progress and a copy of this timetable:
Rib on body - July 1st
M1 pattern on body - July 1st
Bulk of body - August 1st
Start of M2 - August 1st
Sleeve 1 - September 1st
Sleeve 2 - September 1st
Yoke finish M2 - October 1st
Neck - November 1st

I think I may try to blog once a month about my progress - I will try to keep to the 1st of each month.
Lastly, I still have my tunic top all cut out waiting for sewing together.  Maybe, just maybe, I will have it done for Friday!!

I have finished some items and will post about those on Friday, when hopefully, I will have some more!

It is fairly dismal weather here in the South East of England - so hopefully, lots of crafting time.  The boys are playing nicely at the moment, so I shall make the most of it.

I will link up with Tami and visit everyone - if you want to join in the link is on the side!  Also linking with KCCO.

How to...sew a simple fabric flower brooch

These are really the easiest ever flower brooches to make!!
 You will need:

• Scraps of fabric (I used some from a free gift in a magazine to make these)
• Cotton thread
• needle
• brooch back
• button 
• 6cm diameter round piece of cardboard (to act as a template - you can use bigger if you want)
• optional tiny piece of felt and fabric glue
• fabric scissors

1. Using the template, draw 5 circles onto your fabric and cut them out.

 2.  Fold the circles in half

 3.  And fold a second time - like so!

4.  Tie a knot in one end of the cotton and sew a simple running stitch along the round edge about 3mm in from the edge

 5.  Continue with the running stitch through all of your folded circles until you have a tiny piece of bunting!

 6.  Then start to carefully pull the cotton through so that the circles start to gather.  Keep going until they bunch up together in a circle.

 7.  Stitch a couple of stitches between the first and last 'petals' to hold them in place.

8.   You should have something that looks like a flower now.
Now attach the button.  Spend a bit of time doing this and making sure that each piece of fabric is stitched through to hold it all securely in place.

 9.  At this point you can simply attach the flower if you want it permanently attached, or you can attach a brooch back.  The felt back is optional - I have done some with and some without.

 10.  You can add a small piece of felt to cover your stitching.  Use a drop of fabric glue and place on.










And there you go!!

Year of Projects Update

Most of my progress this week has been in the planning and purchasing department!  I have received my yarn to start the OAL, so now I am all set.  I am making Myrna by Andi Satterlund and Delphine by Tilly Walnes.  My fabric was taken from stash and I love the colour of the Malabrigo fuchsia.

Here is my project and I will blog about the inspiration and preparation later in the week.

I haven't done much sewing this week, but again I hope to, and will include that later in the week.
My original year of projects, however, were all knitting related, so what have I done on that front?
I have made steady progress with my cardigan and am now on the arms.

I haven't made any more products, but I trialled my table for the stall yesterday.  As you can see it is a little sparce in places (although it wasn't all out this time) and so shall be knitting more products this week.

I also set up my Etsy shop yesterday!!  All of this I will blog about in another post so as not to bore you!!
I have also been thinking lots about my new list!!  I have been busy accumulating SQ's of yarn for future sweater projects and sorting my stash into bags for projects to be assigned.

Year of Projects Update

I'm all excited today!!  Not only have I made some progress, I have signed myself up for a new project starting 1st June - more on that in a minute.
Progress:
I have made progress on my cardigan and the stripes are looking good if I say so myself!  I can't get my camera to show the true warm colour of the gingerbread, but hopefully, you get the idea.

I'm more than half way through the body, but as the rows are getting longer, it's obviously taking me longer.  I am hopeful to finish this week if possible, with a view to doing the arms in the half term break - that's the plan anyway!

I have made some progress on the products for my stall - I hope to do a couple more this week and then do a mock up of the table in half term - it all looks like this currently!!  My mum has made the beautiful bears and scarecrow doll - bless her.

I have started cutting the fabric for my tote bag, but sewing together will have to wait until next week.  I have also purchased some lamifix, to make it wipe clean (hopefully!)

And finally, the bit I'm really excited about!!  I have signed myself up for an outfit-a-long! The OAL is being run by Andi Satterlund at Untangling knots.com.  - there is a link from the button on the right.  She and lladybird are running it and it starts on the 1st June.  You have to knit a garment and sew another garment that are designed to go together.  There are 2 suggested patterns - the top is designed by Andi and is on offer through Ravelry until the 1st.  At the same time, lladybird is going to be doing tutorials to take everyone through making the dress on her blog http://lladybird.com/.  I have decided to do the top (a lovely cropped cardi with short sleeves) but knit it a little longer than suggested since I am a bit larger than Andi!!  I have ordered my yarn - Malabrigo worsted merino in fushia.  I have also decided to go for a skirt as opposed to the dress as I know I won't wear it, whereas a skirt, I might!  I have settled on the  by Tilly Walnes - it is from her new book 'Love at First Stitch'.  If you fancy a go at sewing and are just started out, then this is the book for you - it is very nicely written for the novice in mind and moves on to quite complex projects.  I have the fabric for this in my stash, so am nearly all set!  It all starts on the 1st and I have high hopes of finishing in time for the new YOP year!!

I will leave you as I have to go and join the boys in the garden.  As you can see it is a lovely day here in West Sussex and we are spending it in the garden - hope you all have a great week.

So there you have it - it's all go as usual!!

Year of Projects Update - Some Finishes, Progress and Inspiration

Despite having a busy week at work, I have made quite a bit of progress.

I made another project bag yesterday as a prototype for a larger tote bag for the summer.

I also made my first pj's.  They were going to be for Thomas (my elder son), but I thought I didn't have enough fabric, so was making them for Daniel.  However, it quickly became clear that they were far too big for Daniel (they reached his neck!), so they are now Thomas's again!

I have made progress on my featherweight wrap to knit, the stripes are coming on nicely.  the Mellifera yarn is gorgeous and a much warmer brown than in the picture

It is Daniel's birthday on Tuesday, so we had a little party yesterday and went bowling - he even wanted a bowling cake!!

The weather has not been good today, but I did manage these lovely photos in the garden - they are going to be the basis of my next pinterest inspiration

Year of Projects/May Day

Thought I would do a joint year of projects and May day bank holiday update.  We went to the third meeting of the British Touring cars this weekend and combined it with a flying visit to my parents in the west country!!
Sunday's racing was great as you can see here!!

Then we had Monday at home - the only exciting thing we did was visit Tulleys Farm to see the craft fair, as I am running my first stall there at the end of June.

The rest of the day was spent crafting:
I was going to cut the material for Thomas's pj's, but learnt a big lesson about the amount of fabric needed for garments!!  So, I cut the material for Daniel's pj's here

Cut the material for my tunic top here

Was going to do a practice run of a tote bag - am going to use this one as a project bag, but want to make a larger one (in weatherproof material) to carry mine and the boys stuff around in over the summer.  However, I ran out of time!!  Did get as far as cutting the pieces and pinning - will have a sew-in next Sunday!!

Did some more of my featherweight wrap

Over the weekend I have been also adding to my stash (yes - I do need to!) and have added these.  I have been looking for some great dotty material for a while and the stripey called to me!!  I got them from a lovely little store where my mum and dad live - they also had the lovely buttons you can see!  I'm also adding to my yarn to make sweater quantities of some yarns as I am now into sweaters (I think they will be a big feature of my next list).

Back to work again tomorrow - hope you all have a good week :-)