getting crafty...

oh I do love magazines...they offer such inspiration when you live in a rural place where the only things passing the door are chickens and sheep...I love where I live but it is great to connect with the world out there...

this Prima special really appealed to me on the newstand as I browsed...somehow the colours and the ideas of spring led me astray...but it has some great ideas inside for all sorts of tastes and abilities...

 

mmm... all round yumminess! 

this weekend I had a small local craft fair...and despite the pouring rain we had a lovely day...here's a peek at my new needlecases which I loved making, the upcycled felted blankets were so soft and tactile to work with...and I was pleased with the finished stitchy result...
 

 
Sunday was a BIG day out with a friend and fellow artist travelling to Yorkshire and back, leaving home at a very uncivilised hour...to go on an inspiring course where I learnt about how to present your work at a show, and how to define and refine what you do...I met some other wonderful artists and it was led by Victoria and Emily from The Art Market... fantastic art and craft shows in Holmfirth, Yorkshire...do take a look here... and go if you can! 

and isn't life amazing...I sat next to a lady and we chatted and it turned out she writes Hippystitch...a lovely crafty blog you can take a peek at here...the latset post is some fantastic community yarnbombing!

so back at home now with a poorly daughter exhausted after walking in pouring rain with a heavy rucksack for hours on her weekend DofE expedition practice...

it's pottering for me too after a mega busy week...perhaps a little house loving wouldn't come amiss after several weeks,ahem, months of neglect...

wishing you a lovely week...hope it's really crafty!Emmaxx

how to make a bird brooch....

...or ten...

it is soo feeling a bit more springlike out in the world of nature...lighter nights...birds twittering more...little signs of bulbs and green shoots and buds..and of course snowdrops...aren't they incredible, coming up whatever the weather is doing...little signs of hope!

it's all made me feel more creative and much more like getting to my mahcine and getting sewing and embroidering...and using some gorgeous new fabrics such as this delicious daisy design and dotty spotty (can't beat a good spot!)in fab colours...feeling springlike and ready for fresh new shades...

so if you're feeling like joining me in some making...

first draw or trace your birdshape on paper..keep it simple...cut out a pattern and use to draw onto, or just pin onto, a piece of craft felt and cut out...(do try and use a wool type felt as they are just so much nicer to handle and sew with) Please note:I make a lot so I cut a lot! 

then for some tiny hearts..iron Bondaweb or similar to the back of your chosen fabric...and draw on your heart shape...note the nice sharp pencil...a miracle in this house to a) find a pencil, b) find a sharp pencil or c) find any pencil and a pencil sharpener within a mile of each other...

I then spend a relaxing time with Radio 4 or some nice music playing and cut out all my little hearts...bless them! Don't forget to take the PAPER backing off before you try to iron them on...



aren't they cute?

so with care iron on the heart to the bird shape...take care not to iron the felt as it won't like it!

next cut out a little beak in a different coulour of craft felt...and then pin the bird shapes and beaks to a bigger piece of felt...this make it soo much easier to sew (here I've used a piece of felted wool jumper) WARNING!! do not try to sew a small bird on it's own as it'll drive you nuts!

sew carefully round the bird shape close to the edge... make sure you include the beak...(not shown here cos I forgot!)

I then free machine round the heart but you can do it with a normal foot if you prefer...

and ta da..a row of little birds appears ...

it is a lovely moment when you cut them out and they become proper little birds...

just something missing...look away if you don't like operations as the next bit looks painful... but I'm sure they don't mind!

mm and they must look real as Basil is showing a great deal of interest...



or maybe it's just that it's cold out there and warm and snug in here...

To finish... sew a nice brooch pin onto the back and wear with pride at your craftyness...celebrate the handmade and welcome in the spring!

and talking of handmade...check out UK Handmade's magazine...bright new spring issue here

Have a great week...and I hope, fingers crossed, to be in opening Etsy mode soonest...I will keep you posted (I'm still doing photos and writing the blurb trying to make sure it's all perfect and looking lovely for you!)xx

PS and I'me feeling a Giveaway for spring coming on...

studio tidying and a little knitting project...

it's such a joy after what seems forever to be back in my studio...my lovely WARM studio...out of the cold and icy weather which is so welcome as it bring sunshine...and beautiful wintry shapes...full of inspiration...

it may be a total mess in here...a creeative mess but it's all a pleasure to sort out...so much nicer than tidying the house somehow as I can play with fabrics as I go... and hatch plots of such great creativity and craftyness...designing here...artwork there...the only thing is not to get so diverted no tidying actually happens!

  

outside today is bright and sunny so a chance to sit out in a deck chair...swathed in hats, gloves and many fleeces...just bathing in the golden rays and feelng happy in the moment...Basil sleek and handsome cat that he is... joins me for a while... 

I take the opportunity for some playing in my sketchbook... I so want to just play around and see what comes, so I'm trying to do a little something each day... 

and here comes Emilia the cheeky chicken...my favourite but don't tell the others...

and here's a little knitting project you might like...I love to knit simple bags...bung them in the washing machine and ta da!

these are so simple to knit, choose a nice 100% wool and knit a biggish oblong, I cast on about 38-42 stitches with a nice thickish yarn say a chunky or Icelandic, and make about 30cm of i-cord for handles which I sew on...you can look on u-tube here if you don't know how to do that... I cast on 6 or 7 stitches and keep the tail ends for sewing on...knit the i-cord first and use the rest of the ball to knit the bag...just remember the knitting will shrink so make everything bigger than you think!

why not have a go...

I love felting in the washing machine as you never quite know how things will turn out...here's a lovely cardi all felted up and ready to turn into a bag...seem a shame somethime to cut them up but often they are sad and neglected and I can give one jumper a new life as bags, brooches, maybe put in a picture...ooh I do love it!

hope this inspires you to get making and playing...or just enjoying the moment you're in, have a great week...
love Emmax

celebrate...handmade

whether it's willow baskets or cupcakes...or bags or dresses...there's a whole lot of making going on round here...today it's the turn of husband of patience to be in the limelight...he's often to be found behind the scenes...but here his making takes centre stage...

since doing a weekend workshop he has just loved setting to and making a basket...which is a whole process... first soak the willow...the right amount and size...it all has to be planned a week ahead...to be carefully cut and then woven in precise mathematical patterns... here is one he made earlier...a special chair for sitting in to willow weave ...or just drink tea...home grown...so no air miles at all...and very much SLOW and patient making...I love the colour and shape...

and now he has the proper tools in a lovely wooden holder he made in his tool shed...he can be found outside in all weathers making handmade woven willow creations...some a trifle wobbly but some just amazingly strong and beautiful and round and woven with love and passion...

 

it starts with a base...and magically several hours of weaving and Radio 4 later... a two tone basket appears...of great interest to Emilia chicken...checking it for quality control?

how pleasing to grow and harvest something with which you then create a useful and beautiful object...here's another in use by daughter mine...plotting some creativity and craftyness in a corner of the studio...

here's my favourite inspirational Mollie Makes...with a fab free gift...cleverly on a handmade theme...and of course wonderful craft ideas inside to make or just drool over...

so let's celebrate handmade... and all craft and art and writing and sewing and gardening and...whatever you love to do! xx

forget me not...and physio...

came across my Mum's stash of wool last time I was home...bits and bobs...mm...how to make good use of the oddments of wool and make a little something to remind me of my Mum...perhaps to keep in my studio... she must have spent many hours patiently teaching me to sew and to knit and to crochet...she was the one who fired up my passion for making...thanks Mum, miss you but think of you each time I use my beloved sewing machine you and Dad bought me for my 21st birthday...we finally got round to choosing it when I was 31...and it's now my best friend...

thinking crochet...thinking good activity for my wrist and hand... I love Granny squares...this is a recent goodie I found in a charity shop...love the colours...turquoisey and creamy...yummy!

and here in this month's Mollie Makes is the answer...

gorgeous crochet from Ilaria Chiaratti - so beautiful with the chair and rug and lampshade and cup and table...and little mat and....

think I will focus on making maybe a square a day and that will be good therapy...and hopefully I'll end up with a lovely cushion...crochet is just soo addictive...

mm...thinking I may do a more random version as I'm not sure about all the white in our house...and I have got a very interesting collection of yarns...but I rather like them...

and my other physiotherapy...and mind therapy...is getting creative...it's a bit of a challenge but I seem to be able to do most things...slowly...

loving having piles of gorgeous felted wool fabrics to make into lovely bags and brooches for my next craft fair...love this soft green for spring...add some pretty cottons and a little free machine embroidery...a stitch here and a stitch there...

got soo much to do...really musn't hang about so much on these enticing blogs and facebooks and websites and etsy shops and flickrs and pinterests and lord know what else...so many tempting beautiful makes and makers and deliciousness to look at...I have decided I shall have a 'no computer' day on a Sunday...and a day off from everything...started yesterday...missed it in a strange way but had a restful day...read my book...sat in the sun and crocheted away...bliss!

happy monday to all my lovely readers, have a great week...xx