My Creative Space

Last week after Val showed me how to do these squares for my Babette blanket again I have been averaging around 2 a day and have built up quite a collection........

I am finding the monotony quite therapeutic and it is very exciting pulling all the colours (18 in all!) out of the bag to discover which will be used in each square. I have decided to replace the original Koigu colours with those from the Collinette Jitterbug range so I am not at all sure how it will turn out but I am sure it will be a riot of colour! These are my 2 faves so far........

The colours are just so yummy - the picture doesn't do them justice but take it from me they are intense!
See what everyone else is up to this week over here - I defy you not to be inspired!

My Creative Space.

I have almost finished my Penguin - still need to bind the feet with fabric and get him stable! I rushed to get this done last night and it wasn't until I was taking pictures of him that I realised that I had put the beak in the wrong position...................


and the wings on the wrong way round!

However I don't really mind as I did what I thought looked best rather than referring to the book. He has a character all of his own.........

and that is what it is all about really isn't it? Although this is a pattern from a book I have made him my own. I think I will have to keep him and make another for my friends' wee girl - perhaps one in lilac tweed!
For more fun projects and WIP's take a look over here.

This Dog's Life.

When I first got Fly 10 months ago I was adamant that I would not let her do certain things...........

For example there was NO WAY she would be allowed on the furniture........................................

You can see how that worked out! Truth is the pup is the apple of my eye and I can deny her nothing - either that or she has me mesmorised with her doggy stare.

I have recently returned from Southampton where I was visiting my Dad. I was out walking there one day when I met a woman with a dog that was the image of Fly.
"Oh, you have a Saluki cross too!" she exclaimed. I said I wasn't sure. "Doe's she have webbed feet?" I confirmed that she did. "Definately a Saluki cross then" she said.
Saluki's are historically the hunting dogs of Arabian kings and I have to say that explains a lot when it comes to Fly's character and behaviour - she certainly has a regal bearing............................

Princess Fly of Mount Florida.

I have decided to rename her to reflect her royal ancestry - it rather suits her!

My Creative Space

One of the highlights of blogging is being inspired by the work of all the other crafty individuals from all over the world so I am delighted to be able to start contributing to Our Creative Spaces once again. So much talent and crafty goodness gathered together in one place!
My current WIP is a penguin for my friends' wee girl. The pattern calls for black and white cotton fabric but I thought it would be nice to try one in Harris Tweed..............

as that is the fabric closest to my heart! I think it will turn out quite well - hopefully be able to show the finished product next week. I am planning to make quite a few of the projects in this book.........

substituting tweed for any other fabrics used (of course a few other favourites might sneak in too!) I love this book - the projects are fun and the patterns seem pretty straightforward to follow. Highly recommended!
For more crafting ideas and inspiration pop over to here right now!

Tweedmongering Apron.

Before Xmas I had a lovely visitor called Marie who bought me (along with lots of other goodies) a tweed cape that she had got from a charity shop in Aberdeenshire. The cape itself was horrid but it was a simple circle shape with lots of fabric in it. Although not Harris Tweed I thought it might be a nice idea to make myself an apron based on the shape of the Fog Linenwork type that I had seen that I could wear when Mongering my Tweed at craft events - a sort of 'uniform' to make it easy for customers to identify who I am.
It was very simple as I worked with as many finished edges as I could and with a few judicious nips, tucks and pleats I had something that I liked............

I have still to add a couple of patch pockets for change etc...............

It has a tweed covered button on the back and I also wear one of my tweed rosette corsages with it. Looks great over a simple white blouse and jeans and puts me in the right frame of mind to go a-mongering. There is also still plenty left for me to make a winter coat for Fly!
If you are in need a little cheering up today follow this link - it made me smile!

Dusting the Cobwebs....

off my poor neglected blog! I am going to try to get back into the swing of it but I know that it is going to be a struggle as I am out of the habit....and I am very much a creature of habit!
I thought I would ease my way back in with an old project I completed in November 2011. It is a curtain for the door of my friends' beautiful, old but very draughty cottage! They actually commissioned it in 2010 but I am such a slacker it took me a whole year to do it.
My brief was to make a padded patchwork curtain 1500 x 2000 in blues and greens with a leather hem to stop wear and tear.
Firstly I did 3 different designs in miniature and sent them off for approval. This was the one they decided upon...

The actual making only took 2 days - it was the procrastinating that took nearly 12 months!
This is the finished product.........

One very cosy and stylish door curtain. I used a pre-bonded padded fabric that acted as padding and lining as I didn't want it to be too bulky.......

and a very plain but deep tape at the top to gather it to the right width for the rail. I am assured that it has performed admirably in the cold weather and my friends are delighted with it.
Well that wasn't so hard! Hopefully this is the start of a renewed and invigorated blog? Here's hoping!