2010 - The year of domestic projects

That is what I have decided this year will be. I have so many things around the house that would benefit from a little crafty touch. I don't think I made anything last year for our house. My hubby and son gave me a book for Christmas, the Crafty Minx by Kelly Doust, this is what started it all off. There are so many little handy projects for around the house in there.

When I moved out of home I bought one of those plastic peg baskets you can buy at the super market. Well, 12 years later, the thing has finally decided to fall apart and disintegrate. So the crafty minx came in handy straight away. All I did was use a tea towel that already had binding so I didn't do that bit, and I couldn't decide on an applique so I didn't do that either. Doesn't matter, it's doing it's job!! But I did add a button because the tea towel already had a loop on it, and I think the tea towel may have been a bit shorter than the one in the book so it gapped heaps when the pegs are all in. This was actually my first project for 2010 but I only just got around to photographing it!!

Keeping the little one entertained over the school holidays has been a bit of a challenge. There are only so many play-dates you can go on!! And with the anticipation of a big one tomorrow we made muffins to keep him entertained. Now I'm not that known for my kitchen skills so the old packet mix was the go. Also, that is all the bench space we have in our kitchen so co-cooking isn't usually practiced. Need a kitchen reno, then I'll become the domestic goddess!!

Of course licking the bowl is the best bit.

Now on my to do list, make an apron for little A, he gets so grumpy when he has to use the painting one!!

I'm child free tonight so my next domestic project is a shopping bag dispenser. I've found two great tutorials on the net, I now just have to decide on which one, this or this? Or do you know of another?

TTFN

Sewing Calendar 2010

Sewing Calendar 2010, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

I bought this calendar just after new year. I wasn't going to buy a calendar this year, just use the computer ones. I buy one every year then never use it, so I thought I'd stick a nice picture on a wall with the computer print out underneath. Then I came across this calendar. It has a new project to make every couple of days, and flicking through it, I decided there was more in there that I would make than not, more than books usually, so I bought it.



Being in the southern hemisphere all of the projects are kind of out of sync for us, so I started with one in June. I made these head bands for a friends little girl who turned 3 this month. For one I stuck with how it told you to make it, I found it really tricky to do and ended up with it being bulky where the elastic gets sewn in. So for the second I sewed them together with the seam allowance then turned them, ironed, topped stitched and sewed the elastic in. Much better result for me, I'm too much of a perfectionist to handle the way it told me to do it!!



I then made this mini oven mitt for another friends son's 4th birthday this month. It was the first time I quilted this way. I just picked a spot to start then let the machine sew the line it wanted. It was small enough to do it this way, complete accident that the lines joined in the middle like that, gotta love that walking foot. I stuck to the pattern this time, the only difference being how I attched the wrist cuff, which wasn't too far off from the pattern.

I have started making the pin cushion pear, more on that another time.

TTFN

Back from holidays

I'm back from holidays and have no crafting to show for it!! Well I did do a little bit, the applique on Little A's library bag was coming off so I added some blanket stitch, which I didn't do at first cos I didn't want it to look too country craft!! But in the end I had to do it, doesn't look too bad. I don't recommend this retro adding though, did my fingers in.

I was going to do some hand stitching but I didn't get my act together before I left (I wanted to do the Melly and Me stitchery from their book). I took a heap of material with me but I didn't want to start something just for the sake of it, I don't seem to finish them if started that way. So I had a nice relax anyway. Missed the sewing machine though!!

When I got home, switched on the computer (which I didn't miss) only to find 420 blog entries to read in Google Reader, wow you people have been busy while I was lazing about, that also teaches me to have so many blogs to read. Now do I skim through them all, mark them as read or spend the next few weeks reading??!!

TTFN

Chrissy pressy for Mum

Chrissy pressy for Mum
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Ok this is the last post that should have been done last year!!

I made Little Miss Millicent for my mum for Christmas. It was from a Christmas homespun issue from the year before. I wanted to make it then but had a long list before it. Even though there is a lot of tiny detail in it, it was easy to make and didn't take too long. I had to make it in-between other commitments so it seemed to take longer than it should have!! I love working with felt and hope to be making more like this, even though I have made this year, year of the practical projects, I still want to squeeze a few decorative in here and there!!

TTFN

Little Miss Millicent, pattern from Homespun Mag 9.11, design by Louise Hatchard, handmade by MandyMade.

Girl Robot

Girl Robot
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made this Girl Robot for my niece for Christmas. You may remember the one I made for my son for his birthday. They are very nice and quick to make. I added buttons this time instead of cutting out felt and sewing them on, it looked like it needed buttons. Other than that I made it in the same way as I did my sons, except I drew the seam allowance onto the fabric for the arms, I think it gave a better result for the claws.

TTFN

Girl Robot design by Audrey and Maude, handmade by MandyMade

Thank you pot holders

Thank you pot holders
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made six of these pot holders for Kinder and Childcare teaches and my work KK. My design, fabric from spotlight and my stash.

Very simple, just sewed a few strips together and made 2 at a time, so twice the width of one. Quilted by just sewing straight lines across the red fabric, cut it in half to create 2 10inch (yuck hate saying inches!!) blocks. Binding sewn by machine on front the and sewn by hand to the back. I wrote a special message on the back of each.

I'm slowly getting through my last year posts i should have written, I have so much to share already for what I'm doing this year. There may be a very long post tonight!!

Check out my flickr if you would like to see what I've been doing.

TTFN

First Friendship star table runner

First Friendship star table runner
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This was a Christmas gift for my MIL. You may remember this in a wip a while ago, here. Well, I ended up making 3 friendship stars from the Block Party pattern then made it into a table runner.
I had no pattern to go by after I made the stars so here is what I ended up doing:
I sewed strips to join up the stars and on the ends. Then made a long strip for the border. I used the basting spray I bought a little while ago to sandwich the batting and backing. It stank, but did the job really well. I was after a stiff finish so this worked well, not sure how it would end up if you wanted a very soft quilt finish. I machine quilted straight lines around the stars. I wasn't happy with how they turned out on the back so I then added material to the back, then added the binding with the same material.
I really liked how it turned out. I want to make another but we'll see what block comes up next in the Block Party Quilt Along.

TTFN

First friendship star table runner made from the pattern used on Block Party Quilt Along

Tickle the Turtle 2

Tickle the Turtle 2
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Yes you have seen this turtle before but this is it's twin. I made this turtle at the same time as the last one but didn't want to blog about it until I had give in it to it's very precious owner. One of my girlfriends had a very premy baby back in September, she has now reached 100 days so it's very exciting, Tickle the Turtle (or what ever baby Gaby will call her) is now with her new owner.

If you want to read more about the making etc of the turtles go here

TTFN

Tickle the Turtle, Design by Audrey and Maude, in Australian Homespun Vol 10.9, handmade by MandyMade

A Year in Review 2009

A Year in Review 2009, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Happy New Year everyone. Wow what a year craft wise. I started 36 projects and finished 34, not bad a percentage if you ask me. Previously I haven't been that good at finishing what I start so here's to me!!

I have heaps to blog about seeing as it's been a month since my last post but I wont write it all now, think I might pace myself!!

The one thing that I am really excited about for this year is that I am participating in Sew it Together. I stumbled upon it in one of the blogs I read and one of my bloggy friends gave me the push I needed to sign up, thanks Leah.

For me this year I think will be practical projects, so less of the softies unless they are gifts. I also want to make a great dent in my stash which grew exponentially last year!!

On my wish to make list so far:
- a quilt for Little A - Homespun mag
- a quilt for us - Denyse Schmidt Quilts
- some baskets from Seams to Me
- pincushion organiser from Oh Fransson
- charging basket from Oh Fransson
Just to name a few!!

What's on your make wish list?

Well here is to a crafty year ahead and hopefully more designing on my part :-).

TTFN