Oh brother....

Ignore the mess look at my birthday present! a new Brother sewing machine! It hasn't got a name yet, and I'm pretty sure it will have to be a boy name as its a Brother sewing machine and that just doesn't lend well to being called a girl's name. Anyway I think I may be rambling here, too much coca-cola and twizzlers, but I had some awesome presents for my birthday but I'm happiest about having a new sewing machine that isn't a tinker toy.

the very first project I sewed with the machine was this super simple tshirt bag (tutorial here) made from one of H's too small shirts. He stole it not long after I finished sewing it and said we would use it for a picnic (despite the weather being uniformly grim over the last few days)

I just finished sewing this little needle book with some scraps of Cath Kidston fabric and red felt but the light is so terrible that I gave up trying to get a picture of the inside of the needle book. As I already have 3 needle books I don't really need another one but its really too wonky to sell (and re opening my etsy shop for one item seems like a bit of a pain in the ass). I really enjoyed sewing the needle book, the new machine works beautifully and I cant wait to dream up the next project to sew on it.

vintage buttons.

I'm off to walk to the store now to get some tortilla chips and sour cream, its Cinco de Mayo today so dinner will have a Mexican theme, shredded chicken Enchilades, refried beans, cinamon crisps etc.

Go Ask Alice...

everything I sent.. ignore the books.. they are everywhere

Things I made for the Alice in Wonderland Craft Swap...aka how I'm a totally crap photographer and have no skills with image editors and blogger hates me

Ok perhaps things aren't quite that bad but blogger isn't liking me this morning and my photography skills appear to be greatly lacking... next time I will have Matt take photos for me. He can be easily bribed with baked goods and chocolate.

I did really enjoy crafting for the Alice Swap, I felt really inspired to craft and create and just doodle things in my journal and sketchbook. I was really happy with the needle book, the bookmark (made with Anna's fabulous Alice Tape) and the primitive style Cheshire cat in fact a friend of mine asked me to make her one as well so that's not too bad for my lack of sewing skills. :o)

Say Cheese...er Cheshire Cat

Mad Hatter looks like a Mentat

bookmark made with lilla lotta Alice Tape tape

teacup needle book

Vintage Doily Needlebook II

why is this picture so big? it shouldn't be it wasn't meant to be. why why why

Needle book made for Annax to replace the one that the evil postmaster ate... seriously he at my parcel to Anna, its the only explanation. As with all my sewing this needlebook is wonky.. I shall call it "primitive" in style to get away with being a bad seamstress/sewer/person what sews stuff.

The bottom mother of pearl button was sew on five minutes later when the light went so I couldn't' take any more photos. It hides a tiny stain on the vintage doilie. It was made with love and care and I think it turned out nicer than the original vintage doily needlebook Anna bought from my now defunct etsy shop... the one that the postmaster ate... I hope he choked on it (especially the little jade bracelet and other goodies that I had packed as a surprise).

spotty fabric on the inside, but the picture has gone wierdy on me and
my eyes keep going doolally when I look at the felty bit.

blue needlebook

little blue needle book

A little blue needle book made for no particular reason at all, inspired by a scrap of blue Laura Ashley fabric that was just big enough to make the needle book. The button is a vintage one from my little jam jar of vintage buttons. I had meant to do a lovely long post about the swap goodies I received but H has come home early from school with a tummy ache and I must go tend my poorly little man.

the 50's B Movie Swap (what I sent)

vampire kit needle book

My partner for the 50's B Movie Craft Swap was Juanita who is utterly fabulous and I was in a terrible tizzy over what to make her for the swap. I was full of ideas and inspiration, and the swap was my idea in the first place so I wanted to make something that was fantastic. OK maybe not fantastic but something that Juanita would be happy to own and not hide away in a dark corner with only a 5 legged spider, a dead fly, and a dustbunny for company.

inside the needle book

Ok I probably made up that last bit about the dustbunny. I doodled in my sketchbook, and decided to make a needle book with a vampire theme, I sat down and figured out what I wanted to do and then I made the needle book, its a bit wonky (mostly the stamped words are too far to the left to be perfect) but I loved the wonky black lines and the gingham drop of blood. I really wanted to keep it for myself, and I may just have to make another one for my etsy shop (do you think you might be interested in that dear readers?) The next thing I made was a painted page of a B-Movie Scream Queen, the illustration turned out better than I dreamed it would.

B- Movie Scream Queen

And because I'm a dunce I forgot to photograph the the third thing I sent, a little felt alien head pin that I stuck on a headband/alice band. That little alien was a complete bugger to get made as I had never really used felt before and it is rather small, but the hairband was simple to make, its really just a piece of ribbon sewn together with a hair tie. I may have to make another one or at least a little tutorial, but I'm all out of ribbon at the moment.

everything I sent Juanita
(I forgot to take pictures so snagged this from her blog)

I'll show you what Juanita sent me tomorrow as the pictures I took don't do it justice, but if you can't wait you can have a snoop on the flickr group for the swap.

needlebook for Vintage Violet

needle book for Vintage Violet

I made this little needle book yesterday while H watched X-Men Evolution. I was really inspired to get this done as Megan was mooning over the fabric on her blog the other day. I left a comment on her blog saying I make her something with the fabric in exchange for some of her hoard of vintage buttons. She agreed to the swap even after my dire warnings of my wonky sewing abilities.

The button is a vintage red button from a previous order from Megan's haberdashery shop (go on you know you want to visit), so knew the button would be perfect for the needle book. I love the wonky lines of the black thread on the needle book, I think it looks fab, and I really like creating needle books, its been fun and is a small item to craft that leaves me inspired and not frustrated. I have a few ideas for a few more when I receive the fabulous Alice Wonderful fabric tape I ordered from Lilla lotta, and the cute fabric I ordered from Matatabi.


I wish I had ordered more from each shop but I promised M I would be careful with my ordering and not spend more than what I sell in my etsy shop. So in that case I will be adding a few more items to my etsy shop very soon!

Vintage Doily Needlebook

vintage doily needle book

I admit its probably a scrap of lace, not specifically a doily but I'm still over the moon with how this little needle book turned out. This is by far the neatest sewing I have done so far, which isn't to say its very neat but its getting there. The fabric is the same linen and cotton blend that I have been using for my warm bags, the inside of the needle book has beige felt and a blue with white polka-dot cotton fabric. The red button is from Megan, and I may need to hit her up for some more vintage buttony goodness very soon.

inside the needle book