... and Making a Rag Rug Brooch

As part of the Make Reading Christmas Fair, we took part in the Make a Rag Rug Brooch workshop. Here's how we got on!

Obsessions & Distractions - Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead (or Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday to remember those who have died. It takes place from October 31st to November 2nd, so in preparation here are some ideas for inspiration!

Obsessions & Distractions - Easter Crafts

Well the Easter hols are halfway through, and Easter is next weekend! Here's some great crafts we've found that you can do - there's something for all ages!!!

... and a Paint Swatch Needle Case

Here is a really quick and easy way to make a needle case using paint swatches... inspired by a fab post by Sew Many Ways

Obsessions & Distractions - Hearts

"Love is in the air, everywhere I look around".... are you humming the song yet?! With Valentine's Day on the horizon, what better time to share a round up of some great heart crafts!

... and some Felt Coasters

I was trying to come up with a clever / witty reason why I made these. But the truth is I saw this post by The Gold Jellybean and I just wanted to! I also read recently that you don't need a long drawn out intro into a post as sometimes people just want to see what you made and how you did it. Any thoughts on this? Anyway, here are my felt coasters:

.... and some Felted Pebbles

Sometimes projects present themselves and you HAVE to try them as soon as possible, even when you weren't planning to... This is one of those projects! As well as the Pincushion Ring project, Issue 5 of Crafty magazine also had this great tutorial for creating felted pebbles. Well, we had the wool roving from our Needle Felting attempts and as for the pebbles, Sian had plenty in her garden so we were ready to go!!!!

... and a Watermelon Coin Purse

I'm not sure how long a project can technically be classed as a 'work in progress'.... weeks, months, years?! Well this definitely can be classed in that last category!! It started way back when Simi and I lived together and is actually made from her old bra push-up pads (strange but true). I had planned to make something with them at the time, but they have sat patiently in a drawer until now... when they have become a watermelon purse!!

Obsessions & Distractions - Beach Hut Crafts

There's nothing like a good old British Seaside - complete with beach huts of course! Here's a few of our favourite crafts incorporating these much loved icons!

Obsessions & Distractions - Hot Air Balloon Crafts

Hot Air Balloons... So pretty and summery... So much potential for colourful crafting!

Here are some of our favourites:

... and a Scrappy Felt Sunglasses Case

Well we've had a glorious few weeks of weather here and dare I say - its felt like a "proper" Summer! What better time to make sure that my sunglasses are out, and that they have a beautiful case! As you can see from this picture, the one I had was perfectly fine - I actually like that it is a hard shell case... It was just soooooo boring! And it gave me the perfect excuse to try something new - making new fabric from scraps!

... and a Make Up Bag

For part of my Mum's birthday present, I decided that I wanted to make her a make up bag. I had it all planned out in my head, chosen the fabric/colours etc.... but then suddenly I realised I only had one day left and I had never tried sewing a zip before... eek!

Luckily all was not lost, as I found this great tutorial by Noodlehead which gives really clear instructions on adding a lining and a zip. I tweaked this slightly for my version, and here's what I did...

... and a Felt Needle Case

June is busy month for family and friend's birthdays, so I have been using it as a good excuse to spend time looking on Pinterest for inspiration! My brother's girlfriend, Alice enjoys crafting so I decided that a little needle case may come in handy, especially for while on the move.

Here's what you'll need if you want to make your own version....

... and some Placemat Clutch Bags

Recently we got asked by Artistry by Amrita (a fabulous London based make up artist) if we could supply some accessories for photo shoots she would be doing. It reminded me that I have been meaning to make these bags for AGES. So here is my take on some placemat clutch bags:

... and a Pincushion Boat (with Trawler Net Thread Catcher!)

Ahoy there! Today's post has a nautical theme.... with a boat pin cushion and thread catcher.

If there was a prize for messiest sewer, I'd definitely be in the running. Despite my best efforts, I always end up with threads all over the floor and pins stuck randomly in cushions, jeans etc. So whilst sorting out my new craft room(!) making a pin cushion and thread catcher seemed like a sensible idea!

... and a 'Stab' at Needle Felting (!)

When we went to the Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts Show recently, we treated ourselves to a great needle felting kit by The Frame Workshop and Molten Designs and used it to create a variety of our own designs!

Needle Felting is basically a way of fusing wools & fibres together onto a backing fabric, usually a felt. The kits we bought came with a selection of felt, threads, wools and foam block along with the all important felting tool.

... and a Handmade Flower Press

Now that all the lovely Spring flowers are (finally!) out in bloom, I felt the urge to press them to use in future projects. I had been using a VERY makeshift version of layers of tissue paper and cardboard underneath a heavy book. Although this does the job, it certainly isn't pretty so it was time to make a new one!

... and a Visit to the Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts Show

The popular Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts Show came to the ExCeL in London for the first time and as it was only a train ride away, we just had to pay a visit! It was a great day out and here are some of things that inspired us...

Stitching a Welcome to Athletes of the World - a tribute by members of the Embroiderers' Guild to welcome athletes to the Olympics. Each country is represented by a series of embroidered postcards.

... and an Easter Felt Chick & Basket

Happy (nearly) Easter!! I don't usually make decorations for Easter festivities... but when I saw these cute felt chicks in a post by Myrtle & Eunice, I couldn't resist giving it a go myself!

... and some Felt Flowers

It's Mother's Day in the UK this coming Sunday. I just found out that in the US its in May and that made me wonder about all of the other countries in the world. Well according to this site, Mother's Day can fall anywhere between February and December, depending on the country! Whenever you are celebrating, why not give your mum some flowers that will last forever?