Sunday, March 18, 2012

Cross-stitch crazy...

Cross stitching is one of those "not-so-cool" crafts I've done since I was about 14! I make no pretence that I don't love it! Sometimes I don't do it for months at a time but it's like my fall-back craft... I always pick it up again in the end! I know it's kind of daggy but I find it relaxing. At the moment I'm trying to finish 3 cross-stitches that I've been working on for ages and ages... so why don't I show you those... and also a few I've finished over the years!
 I love Lizzie Kate! So simple yet effective!

 Bought this one years and years ago and was always disappointed at the difference between the warm tones of the picture and the cool tones in reality. Determined to finish it this month!

Yes, I relate to this... totally!!! Almost done! Just a bit more back stitching on the chair and it's finished! I often frame my own cross stitches to save money. I buy a suitable read made frame, get the framer to cut a mount to size (much cheaper!), then press my aida and spray glue it to the backing. It's only when cross-stitches are so "out" like this one is that I get them professionally stretched and framed.

 I did this cross stitch a while back when I lived near the coast... it has about a million 1/2 and 1/4 stitches and about 2 million colours! It's very pretty and delicate and is no bigger than 5 x 7".

 I love the red hat society! It's so much fun! This is one of the two cross-stitches that I have in the theme!

 Sometimes the simple is sweet! I made this to match my house colours a few houses back! Done in no time!

Bit addicted to Country Cottage Needleworks designs. Like Lizzie Kate they are quick and simple!

 Margaret Sherry does some lovely work... always with a lot of detail! I love the quirkiness of this design!

I've always been a bit of a royal fan and I loved the colours and kitsch of this design! It works well in my newly revamped studio which I must show you photos of one of these days!

As you can tell my style is very ecclectic! I like what I like! Generally I'm attracted to colour or quirkiness but sometimes I will surprise with something altogether different!

Some of my favourite designers areCountry Cottage Needleworks http://countrycottageneedleworks.com/
Weelittlestitches  http://www.etsy.com/people/weelittlestitches
Lizzie Kate  http://www.lizziekate.com/


These days I much prefer to buy PDFs. Check out http://www.creativepoppypatterns.com/

There's plenty more cross-stitch finishes I could show you but I'll save them for another day!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Woolly Wednesday

A little summer weight vest using a Sirdar pattern... very soft and comfy... I realised I need a white t-shirt for Little Miss to wear with it!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Cushions by the dozen...


 Last year I went to my daughter's Grade 3 class and made footprints with the girls at lunchtime... we mixed paint and textile medium... they picked the colours they wanted...  got quite a production line going with paint, fabric, water... let them dry for a few days...


...then the girls hand-sewed around their feet with cotton (quite amusing when you watch them sew themselves to their school dresses!)... and I took them home and added ribbon for thong straps... 


 It's taken me the better part of a year to manage to raid my fabric stash and turn them into cushions... and sew buttons on to the "thongs" for decoration... but they did all look good when they were finished... and hopefully the girls will have a lovely momento of their feet in grade 3!


It was quite interesting to watch the girls that had patience to finish their sewing... and the ones who pleaded with me to finish theirs!A couple of the teachers asked to have their feet done so I ended up with a couple of extras!


 Allyson wins the prize for the longest feet... can you pick hers? Can you find the flattest feets? The highest arches?  This project came from a delightful book by Marcia Layton with loads of fun and creative projects involving hand and foot-prints in it.


 I'd highly recommend this as a simple activity which gives the kids a very special memory! Having said that... I'm really glad the cushions are finally done and heading to their owners with my daughter today!