tote bag

Merry Christmas everyone! I can reveal a couple of things I made as presents now that they've been given. I got this lovely fabric from The Sewing Shop in Canterbury with an idea to make a few gifts. Always less guilt felt buying yet more fabric when altruism is involved!

I made two reversible tote bags with some linen on the other side. A made up pattern heavily influenced by the lovely makesomething blog and flickr site, and by Hiroko's beautiful embroidered bags.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody. Hope you have a wonderful festive season. 

Windy Winterland

Windy Winterland is this Friday. If you are in the Whitstable area, come along to Windy Corner for a festive Christams Market. It was so much fun last year!

Pop-up Christmas shop

I'm just finishing off some work for this Pop-up Shop I'm taking part in. If you are in Whitstable over the next couple of days, please pop in for lovely handmade gifts... ceramics, jewellery, paintings, vintage textiles, embroidery, knitting, baubles, mulled wine and mince pies!

timber for knits

My friend's son Adam is about to become a dad for the first time. He's a landscape designer and is always off loading leftover materials at his mum's place. I was eyeing up some timber planks and we struck a deal... a car load in exchange for some baby knits.

This is another sprinkle... such a lovely pattern. It's from the Juju's Loops knitting book. I made another one a while back.

I have in mind to build a wendy house up at the allotment for Betty. It should keep her occupied, giving me a little more time for digging. 

liberty babycord dress

We headed to the beach this morning for a chilly photo shoot... a little dress hot off the sewing machine.

It's Burda 9503, and the fabric is some beautiful Liberty babycord I got from the Fabrics Galore stand at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Their stand (or stands, as they had two this year) was amazing! The most exciting fabrics at discount prices. They have a shop in South London too.

There aren't really that many long sleeved dress patterns around. I hadn't used a Burda Pattern before and found it a little unclear at times... I ad-libbed a bit on the button placket and I messed up the sleeve cuffs, but hey, I don't think it looks too bad! I've already cut out another version in some different fabric.

(Don't worry, we headed indoors for hot chocolate straight after).

workshop!

I have a new workshop! Or just the shell really. Before I can move in and get making it needs insulating, lining, wiring up, painting and equipping.

It takes up a considerable chunk of the garden but it will mean that my current workshop which is the conservatory, will become part of the house again. 

I'm planning on installing a 'living roof' on the section facing the house. It's the only bit of the garden you can see from upstairs. Wouldn't it look lovely planted up with sedums and thrifts?