Felt Fruit

I've been making some felt fruit for my little girl, I found an amazing list of patterns so I thought I'd share it, here's a picture of my ones! :)

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-felt-food-free-tutorials-135005

Happy sewing!

Cactus drawing

Quite pleased with this little drawing of a cactus! I went to a super craft fair at the weekend, one lady was selling stuffed felt mini cacti like this one. So very cute! I might have a go at sewing one up!

My Latest Commission

Here's a work in progress, an appliqued and embroidered picture for a wedding gift. The couple love cycling, Holland and the Isle of Wight! :)

My Etsy shop is now OPEN!

Hooray! My shop is now open again. I've added some kids birthday cards that are nice and sparkly. I love sorting through my bits and bobs collection to make these!

What do you think?! :D

Cross Stitch Bird House

I'm having a go at cross stitch! I've already gone horribly wrong a few times, hehe. Following a precise pattern has never been easy for me. Here's my progress. This magazine, Enjoy Cross Stitch, had free floss and lots of pattterns too!

New Greetings Card

Here's my new card design! It's really easy to do.
Get a collection of matching bits and bobs, buttons, beads and sparkly bits.
Draw your number or shape in glue, very sticky hi tack is the best, then pop your bits on top, sprinkle with glitter before the glue dries for extra sparkle.
You could do numbers, hearts, any simple shape!

Chrismouse is coming!

Hi! I've been making Christmas mice!
They are made following the witchy mouse tutorial but have a different outfit!

How to make Paper Beads

I really enjoyed making these paper beads. They're so easy!

You will need:
Exciting multicoloured paper, a magazine page works well.
A pencil.
Some glue, PVA is best.
Some ribbon or string to thread on to.

1. Cut out long thin triangles from your paper, the length of the base of the triangle is how wide your bead will be.

2. Roll the triangle, base first, not too tightly around your pencil like in the picture below and stop half way.

3. Spread glue on to the triangle and continue to roll to the tip.

4. Smear the glue all over the bead to seal the bead, remove it from the pencil and there's your first bead!

Make lots of beads and thread them on to your ribbon. Tie the ends and you have a necklace!

Flag workshop at Treloan Campsite

Here's Tom with his brilliant flag!
First we designed them, then glued and stitched to create the designs on the flag.
They'll look great flying high over the tents later!

Patchwork Fish Workshop at Treloan Campsite

Hi!
It's been such a long time!
I've been busy with my new baby Belle, she's great fun and crawls about playing with things.

Today I ran a workshop at Treloan Campsite in Portscatho near where I live. Here are the patchwork fish the children made! Aren't they fabulous.

We had great fun choosing fabrics and buttons for eyes, they even hang up on a string. Some of the children made little outfits for them too! 

Hope everyone is having a lovely summer. :)

Sewing Tuesday: Very easy Halloween blingy cat ear headband.

Hi!
It's Halloween tomorrow! Woo!
Here's how to make some last minute blingy cat ears if you've forgotten that you need a costume!
They take about 20 mins to make.

 You will need:

Sewing Tuesday: Giant eyeball

Hi!
Did you see in the news that this giant eyeball washed up on a beach in Florida? Imagine finding that thing on your morning walk!

They think it might be from a giant squid!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/19920797

Let's make one! It's nearly Halloween after all.

You will need:

Sewing Tuesday: Glam fish stuffie

Hi!

This week I'm going to show you how to make this glamorous fish.

Strictly Come Dancing has started on TV and so I'm all excited about sequins and sparkles and pink. 

I liked the shape of the fish picture I made last week so I thought I'd use the template again in a different way. :D

Here's how to make your own fish, you can decorate it anyway you want, you don't have to go glam, you could have beads or spots of different coloured felt or anything you like.

You will need: 

Sewing Tuesday: Reverse applique spangly fish picture

Hi! First a quick update from last week's competition, SUSSEXMOUSE won the doodle monster puppet! Well done Marion! She named him Mr Bunting. :)

Now then, back to this week's project.

This week I learned how to reverse applique!

It's where you sew on to layers of fabric then cut the top layer away to show what's underneath.

I made this spangly fishy picture with reverse applique! 

Want to know how to make one? Your shape doesn't have to be a fish it could be any shape you like!

You will need:

Sewing Tuesday: Crazy doodle monster finger puppet

Hi folks!
This week I decided to make a crazy doodle monster finger puppet.
He's got crazy teeth. And a villainous hat.
If you'd like to design and make your own doodle monster puppet, here's how!

Exciting new feature!  Leave a comment on this tutorial telling me your idea for a name for my crazy doodle monster puppet and be in with a chance of winning him for your very own! I will select at random and announce next Sewing Tuesday who the winner is.

 You will need:

Sewing Tuesday: Stranded stuffie starfish.

Hi!
I found a stranded starfish on the beach this morning while I was out walking Hopper. It wasn't alive when we found it, hopefully it died of old age surrounded by grandchildren starfish and then just washed ashore. It was quite a big one.
I thought I'd make a starfish stuffie to remember the stranded starfish by.

 Want to make one too?

You will need:

Sewing Tuesday: Button Greetings Card

I've been getting in to making greetings cards, have a look at this one I made using buttons!

 Want to try making one?

You will need:

Sewing Tuesday: Sniffy hanging heart.

Hello!

My friend Miss Topper is visiting this week and she asked me how to make a lavender heart. We've used rosemary in ours but you could use lavender or any other nice smelling thing.

You will need:

Easy Bag Tutorial by Little Girl Pearl

Hi! I found a great free tutorial for this week on a lovely blog called Little Girl Pearl.
This is what the bag looks like when finished.

Here's the link to it. She calls it a purse as that's what American people call their handbags. :)

You wouldn't have to use a machine if you had lots of patience or made your bag quite small.
The bag is lined and very professional looking when it's finished.
It's very easy to follow her instructions but younger sewers might need adult help as you need to use an iron for making the straps.
I made one for a present for my friend and she loved it. Why not have a go!
Happy Sewing!
Holly.

Sewing Tuesday - Pretty Dress Card inspired by Liz Lynch

Happy Tuesday!

Here's how to make a pretty dress card like the one at the Homespun fair. 

You will need: