Last Christmas cake complete

Have just finished icing my last Christmas cake had fun with the food colouring it goes everywhere but the finished item looks ok the proof is in the eating mmmmm

Christmas cakes

Christmas cakes

Mmmmm a little bit of festive cheer two cakes iced and decorated one for a friend and one for parents

Another stocking

Ginger bread stocking sooooo cute

Second one down

One down

One Christmas stocking made

Christmas home made stocking

Cutting and sticking

This fine cold evening finds me tracing sticking and cutting out Christmas icons with the idea of making a stocking and sewing them on it

Christmas

The Christmas puddings are done, the first Christmas cake is cooked, have brought some lovely Christmas fabric, felt and thread now what shall I make ?

Perhaps some stockings for my nieces and nephew, a Christmas stocking bag for mum and sister

Any other ideas greatly received

Tilly and the Buttons: Stitcher's Dream Christmas Giveaway!!!

Tilly and the Buttons: Stitcher's Dream Christmas Giveaway!!!

Christmassy

Hello Readers

How are you finding getting into the Christmas spirit?

Me, still not motivated or feeling festive. I made a start on my Christmas puddings and cake this weekend with the hope that they would inspire me however it hasn't had the desired affect as yet.
I would like to make some stockings for the little people i know so that is on my to do list

Would love to hear what you are up to

Not feeling festive yet

For me it is a bit early to be feeling festive I don't like to start thinking about gifts until December and my tree doesn't go up until perhaps two weekends before the big day. The Christmas adverts make me sad as its not all about how much we spend . But the thought bout into it and what the day is actually all about.

Another little bag for Sabrina

Better late than never ran out of time to make bags for all the little people in my life managed two on time but one is a little late

Halloween

I have made another Halloween bag for sweeties

They have arrived

Oh my ! I came home from a long day at work to find a parcel had been delivered. Like a child at Christmas I couldn't wait to open it and this is what it contained so beautifully colour coded tissue paper.
I am so lucky I only made one and I didn't even send any Pins how bad is that !

I got three gorgeous pincushions and pins in return

Little bag for sweets

I finished the little bag however am not entirely happy with the finish if where the ribbon comes out as its on the inside so I drawled the World Wide Web for a solutions and found one so tested it on a scrap of fabric

Wet windy afternoon

It's Sunday afternoon it's grey wet and windy outside and I'm busy making Sunday roast and seeing a Halloween sweetie bag how fab is that

Excited

I have taken a peak at the creation of my swapping pin cushion partner and I feel like a child on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa Claus to delivery his gift. I can't wait am excited with anticipation.

Pincushion swap

I have finished my pincushion for the swap with Threadbias.com I hope the lady that is going to receive it likes it. I have found the I am crap at closing up stitches need some guidance me thinks

Autumn is here

The leaves have stated to fall on the magnolia tree a sure sign autumn is well on its way. It makes me think of lovely heavy fabrics in dark browns and burnt reds. It's amazing how seasons change the way we feel about colours and translate that into the colour of the clothes we wear.

Busy doing other things

Can't believe where the time has gone woke up this morning to a very wet and cold autumnal day. My holiday in the sun feels like a lifetime ago. Haven't gotten around to any sewing at the moment life seems to be getting in the way. Hope to get some done one evening this week.

Preparation

I brought myself a hard back note book so I can write down some of my projects and how I can understand the instructions through idiot proof trial and error, so should I try them again I will sort of know what I did

Time to get creative

Home from holiday yesterday evening and we brought the sun with us. Today has been lovely if a bit brisk. Have been flicking through some pin cushion patterns as the one I decided on I feel isn't fab enough so I am still hunting for ideas.also am stumped by how to cut accurate and even squares any suggestions ?

Holiday drinkies

Still on my holiday only one more day then all over for another year. Sat by the pool drinking a blue lagoon

On my hols

In cloudy Tenerife

In need of

I am in need if some in expensive colourful fat quarters maybe floral ranging from light shades to dark any recommendations as at present am trawling the Internet

Practice

Pincushion from scraps


Finally decided on a style of pincushion to try. First problem i encountered was how to make my sure my hand drawn squares are square (not sure how to over come this as yet). Second error was not quite understanding the instructions and as a consequence stitched the wrong size triangles to the main square I then had to unpick and start again.

I managed to sew the correct size triangles on to the square and press them as instructed however my seams were not very good as it didn't create a straight line for me to see the next size triangles on to so it was a bit of make do with what I had.

The next step was to stitch to the larger square leaving an opening of two inches to turn it the right side out and stuff. I hand stitched opening shut however I haven't mastered the art of slip stitches I'm afraid. Finally to attach a pretty button to the middle of the square.
The fabric I used was cotton scraps so all in all my first effort was that bad.

Ready, steady.........

Table cleared, fabric and sewing machine in place ready to make a start tomorrow on a new sewing project

A little package

How wonderful to get home from work yesterday to find the delivery of the Halloween bundle from The Sewing Boutique had arrived. Its great now what to make with it that is the next questions.

I think I may have an addiction for buying fabric and sewing bits but lacking in luster and confidence to make things.

Draw String Bag

I came across a gorgeous project by Jeni (incolour.com) on Threadbias.com for draw string bags. They are great, very handy and think I am going to give her tutorial a go. 

Fabric

Purchased some fabric and stuffing chosen maybe

Gathering

Visited my favourite fabric shop today to get some fat quarters and stuffing for my first attempt at a pin cushion. However the starting of it has been slightly thwarted by my indecision to the firm that the pin cushion will take. I am still hunting through the hundreds of great ideas on other peoples blogs.

Searching for pincushion inspiration

OH MY..... there are so many gorgeous pincushions out there on the world wide web I am dumbstruck by them. Take a look at this teacup pincushion WOW!! So clever

Threadbias - Pincushion Swap





I have signed up to an interesting website called Threadbias and they are holding a pincushion swap this autumn and I have been daring to sign up and give it a go.



Bloggers are mentioning Christmas already

With summer not even finished yet stores are preparing for their Christmas trading scary or what. While reading through some of my favourite bloggers on twitter I notice that they too are preparing for the Christmas Season.

Take a look at the gorgeous Christmas looking fabrics  http://backstitchblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/its-c-word-again.html

Follow me on twitter

http://twitter.com/purplemoouk

How to get interest in my blog

Good afternoon all, is there anyone there........ Hello to my friends that have signed up to receive updates by email.
How do I get people to follow my blog? I know it may not appeal to the greater masses , but how do I get fellow stitchers interested in reading what I am up to? If anyone has any suggestions please share. After all I created a blog in the hope of learning more from those Sewing and Crafting community.

Looking forward to receiving some feedback

Liz aka Easystitcher

Where has the time gone

So the Olympic has come to an end so I should find time to stitch rather than cheering GB on shouting at the tv. I have received my SEW magazine however no free book ! Disapointed
Can't beleive that sonny of the shops are starting Christmas selling . I have started to projects one is a mini scrap book of family photos for their tale people in my family to flick through. The other is to make a draw string bag. It's all a work in progress

Where did the weekend go?

Good afternoon readers, where did the weekend go? For me it kicked off with the opening ceremony of the Olympics. I must say the start of it was rather underwhelming, then it picked up. But I have to say that it was a very late finish. No sewing done this weekend but have continuted to read my new sewing book and am starting to worry that I shall never get the hang of understanding a printed pattern let alone cutting it and adjusting it to fit me. The more I read the more daunted I become.

Sew magazine

I have just subscribed to my first magazine ever, "Sew" - how exciting I can't wait for the first addition to arrive. Also as a bonus for UK residents you get a free book and two patterns. I already have the book but I am going to give it to my friendie Christine as I think she will love it!!!

More on the new book

I have started well with The Colette Sewing Handbook and my goodness so much to learn. There are a few things that I can't get my head around and I think that I am dumb for not understanding them, so I may have to bite the bullet and email the writter to ask for beginners clarrification. As for the second on zips oh my gosh !!!!!!

I shall keep you posted........

My fav shop



Tatters

Haberdashers
106 High Street, Town Centre, Staines, TW18 4DP



Let me introduce to to Tatters. It is small and intimate local habershery shop - full of wonderful fabrics, ribbons, threads along with other arts and craft supplies. The ladies are cheerful and patient with beginners questions (that is the ones that I ask) and very helpful, willing to offer advise and recommendations.

Its arrived !!!



http://www.coletterie.com/

 After reading other peoples inspiring blogs, including Coleeterie.com, many have recommend the Colette Sewing Handbook - So I purchased it last week and it has finally arrived (I wished that it had been instantly delivered upon placement of my order) and I have already started to read it.

Little vegetable patch

Its Monday again already, where did the weekend go. I haven't managed to stitch anything new or old for that matter.

I did manage to dig up my potatoes from my little vegetable patch at the bottom of my garden, my tomoatoes have failed got some disease and turned turned brown and rotted to pull them up. Still have high hopes for a good harvest of runner beans (fingers crossed). The nice man down stairs (as I live in an upstairs massionette) kindly gave me some cauliflower and parsnips to plant so lets hope we have success with them also.

Behaviour bag

This project started out as an alternative to a wall chart which I think traditionally uses star stickers for recognising and rewarding good behaviour for children.

I made a simple bag out of blue cotton fabric. Cut out different coloured letters to make up the days of the week.

Pinned three on one side and four on the other along with the childs name at the top.

I stitched them on with a running stitch down the middle of each letter leaving the edges free. 

I then embleshed the letters with

butteflies (which i made by drawing

around the outside of biscuit cutter

for the larger and the inside of the cutter

for the small), buttons, handmade bows,

flowers and a wiggly eye to identify that

the letter is and "i" not and "l".

I cut out felt ladybirds and stuck them on to small pegs to use as the alternative to star stickers.

   The Front and Back of the      Finished Bag

So how does it work. Well the parents (adult) picks three or four behaviours or tasks that they would like to encourage and if the child does them on particular day they get to peg a lady bird onto a letter. Then at the end of the week they count them up and get a reward (not sweets) like an activity they don't normally do.