Pushing myself to make things that I haven't got a clue how to!

Hello again! Yes three mini posts in one day!  I'm a like a bus! 

Last week I set about making an owl doorstop for a friends daughter.  I googled and looked on pinterest for a relatively easy tutorial.  I couldn't find one that I liked so I set about making my own pattern.  

I'm sure that there is proper pattern paper you can buy, but I got out my trusty greaseproof baking paper and started sketching!  

The front, back, wings and feet were easy, it was the side panel that was the trickiest bit to do.  I wanted the sides to taper in to a point near the top where the ears are located.  

It took me a while to get my head around this bit....and because I had to REALLY CONCENTRATE (!!) I didn't take a single photo of ANY of the steps I took.  All I have is one pic of the finished product!

So here she is!  Pretty isn't she?

I made the wings separately and attached them with a button.  

I almost didn't want to give her to my friend as I was so bloomin pleased with myself!

Reluctantly I did.

I have also designed and made two adorable appliquéd faces!  

I started by cutting out the hairdo's, 

 Gave her some cheeks and bows to keep her hair tidy, 

I then sewed on her hair, 

bows and cheeks...

...and finally hand sewed her eyes and mouth.

I think they are sweet!  I have yet to actually make them into cushion covers... I will show you all the final products when I get around to it.  

I also have a design for a little boy too, but he is still in my head...not yet a reality!

Once again I do love it that you faithfully read my blog, thank you and I wish you all a wonderful Friday.

Kids break up from school today!!!!!!!!!! No more early morning alarms for me for a while...well until Christmas day!

Have a good one.

Claire x

Finding my feet

Hello my dears

The past two weeks have been about finding my feet.  I stumbled across a knit and natter evening in a lovely teeny weeny pub in Ramsgate.  

John plays his 78s whist we knit, or in my case, crochet away over a glass of wine.

That is a dog buried between my legs...not mine, he came along whilst his owner sat knitting him a wolly coat for the winter!  He decided that the sofa and my legs were where he would wait it out!

As you can see my ENORMOUS blanket is coming along.  I just chained along until I couldn't face doing any more and as a result, the blanket is ridiculously wide!  Should be finished by next winter!

All the ladies there were so welcoming, and so talented!  My one stitch won't cut the mustard for long!

I have actually run out of wool and in the absence of any crochet to do this evening I'm bringing along my diamond patchwork quilt that I'm also working on...sporadically, and slowly.

I have been also been deciding on wallpapers, you can see a strip in the living room photo that I have chosen.  Very pretty - even Mr J has given his seal of approval.  

I have chosen this wallpaper for the dining room...and then found an adorable clock to match! What are the chances?!  I have a big strip of it washi taped to my dining room wall at the moment with the clock in the centre of it.  Looks a bit bonkers; this particular wall is turning into a bit of mood board/try it out wall/see how I feel about it a week later wall.   

A friendly neighbour invited me to her MacMillan coffee morning last week so I popped along to that with my mum and sister...she had a beautiful garden.  I love the use of the ladder as a prop.  

I found this biscuit tin in TKMAXX...had to have it...

...and finally I have been enjoying having a mantel piece to decorate!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the unfriendly hens we have adopted have been named... Barbara and Chocolate.

Barbara is still chasing me around the garden and chocolate still looks as though she may die of 'her nervous' at any moment.

I don't think we'll ever be friends... they tolerate me because they feed me... sometimes I get the same vibes off my children!

Til next time...

...Claire x

Diamonds are a girls best friend

Hello all

I recently sat down to look and admire some quilts on Pinterest, I gazed at many, and thought about how wonderful they were and what skill and time must have gone into making them.  

I have blogged before about my love of quilts and in particular this beauty that I snapped up, well I say snapped up, I practically dived on the item when I saw it at a car boot sale one Sunday morning last year.  I could not believe my eyes.

Why would anyone NOT WANT THIS?

How could you bear to part with it?

How could you let it go for £6.  

Obviously I'm delighted that said owner did not want it, did not care for it or appreciate its beauty as it is now in my, full to the brim, linen cupboard.  Actually its in the hot press (as Mr J would say) as there is no more room in my floor to ceiling linen cupboard.  That cupboard makes me happy. It makes me go all gooey inside.  

 My favourite part of the quilt - I love the blue flower, so delicate. 

Anyway, back to the point - sitting at computer, lusting over quilts, when I decide that I am going to make one.  Yes I know I haven't finished Big G's one...

and I have still to finish this one...

 Its too plain...

there is something missing...

cannot decide if buttons are the answer...

...I'll let you know...

but the urge to make one was overwhelming.  I googled how to make a hexagon quilt, found a brill tutorial on you tube and then set about looking for a hexagon shaped object about the house.

A stressful, near tearful hour later, NO HEXAGON shaped objects to be found.  Quite unbelievable considering the amount of stuff I own!  Anyway I was not to be dissuaded or put off, so I changed shape.  

Ummmm...yes!  

A diamond.

That'll do.

I have a diamond shaped thingy, it is a regular shape, it can tessellate, and it only has four corners to grapple with.  

One dismantled and cut up cereal box later, I had tacked some material to several diamonds and sewn them together - ta DAH!  

A star is born.  Ooooh how pretty I thought, so I kept going, and this is the quilt, thus far!

As usual I didn't actually think the project through.  I should not have made a star (but how could you not) because I now have to keep adding to it, I cannot start another star and add it to what I have put together already as it doesn't fit!  

It was at this point that I thought - maybe I'll turn this particular project into a cushion!  

Making these little diamonds is so easy, quick (once you've cut out the templates) and a super duper way to use up scraps, I knew this of course, but I'm amazed at how little material you need for a diamond.  

I ordered a hexi paper punch last night as I am going to make a hexagon quilt in the not too distant future.  Cutting the shapes out is the dodgy bit, I'm sure my diamonds are getting bigger...must keep an eye on that!

And so a new found love for hand sewing has been born.

xxx