T2 Baby Quilt

Quilting:

This week I started AND finished a quilt - always a great achievement in my books. This quilt is for a colleague at work who has recently had a little boy named Thomas - hence its name T2. It's a very simple pattern of blue, green and white squares and I was lucky enough to be able to use more of the left overs from my zig-zag/chevron quilt I made back here.

I did have to add a couple more blues, but this quilt was still made completely from my existing stash of fabrics. Oh - I lie - I did have to buy some blue gingham for the binding....

This makes a great little baby present and all up took about 5 hours to complete over a couple days which is pretty good for me.

To quilt it I just did simple straight line quilting across the squares. I don't bother marking these on the quilt - I just it by using my eye to guide me from point to point of each square. 

I also pinned this quilt before quilting this time - it seemed to work a lot better for me than hand tacking or even spray basting (which I do love but is so messy) and took a lot less time.


Caity x

Simple Bunting Made out of Paint Sample-Colour Cards

Craft:

This little project was really quick and easy and looks so good! I still love the look of bunting and have made quite a few before! See my Christmas Wrapping Paper Bunting and my No-Sew Bunting for a Party or Child's Room. Caity's Bunting Cards are lovely too.

For this project, however, I firstly collected about 10 paint sample cards from Bunnings. I used different whites for this project, as I wanted something plain, but you could use any colours and any combination.

The only other things you'll need are: some cardboard for tracing, scissors, a pencil, some good sticky tape and some jute string (or whatever material you want to use).

Then I made a template for the flag - I always find it easier to do this and it makes it quicker for tracing. I just drew a flag by hand roughly the size I wanted on an old bit of cardboard and then cut it out.

Make sure you trace your flag onto the back of your paint sample colour sample card. That way there won't be any pencil marks on the front!

Then line up your cards and string, and sticky tape them all together.

And then your paint sample-colour card bunting is finished!

I find that an easy and temporary way to tie your bunting up is by using good old pegs and blu-tac.  

And there are so many places that you can put your bunting! Outside (undercover of course!)... in your kitchen above your sink... over your bed... mine is currently above my nice old kitchen hutch.

Happy Making!

Emma

Vintage Dresden Cushion

Sewing:

About 3 years ago I was browsing in the old Material Obsession shop in Hunters Hill and I found a lovely vintage Dresden plate block.

Not sure what I would do with it, but knowing I had to have it I bought it and subsequently filed it away with all my other sewing bits and bobs. 

Well I found it again recently and decided it was best made into a cushion so I could enjoy it every day.

I appliqued it by hand onto this lovely simple blue and white stripe background.

I made up the cushion this weekend and I'm really pleased with how it turned out - I used a cute pink multi-spot I've had in my stash for years  - it looks so cute!


Caity x

Decorating and Storage Ideas for a Little Girl’s Room

Home Decorating:

I recently refreshed the decorating in my daughter Poppy’s room to reflect the age she’s at and the interests she has at the moment. It was so much fun! Luckily Poppy is pretty casual and let me change lots of things around!

We needed some more storage in her room for things like soft toys, dolls’ clothes, lego etc, so I purchased some large white baskets from Freedom and put them under her bed.  I did have a builder custom fit some floor to ceiling shelving in a corner, so that also gives me lots of room for storage and display.

I wanted to do a picture display of a few things too: embroidery that was given to Poppy, an old longstitch (remember that!) of mine from when I was little, some Brambly Hedge pictures I had bought years ago, and some other nice pictures I had made from material and Kath Kidston writing paper. In her room I have also used a cross stitch that my mother made for me.

I hung them above her bed and barbie house, which doubles as a bedside table. In the photo below you can also see the little travel doll and bed that I made for Poppy.

Poppy likes to also put her own pictures up on the wall (i.e. the pictures that she particularly likes), so I made a corner where she can do that. We just use a bit of blu-tak and some pegs to hang her things. It's also her dolly corner... and you can see the doll's cradle that I made for her in this photo below.

Some of the things that have a tendency to be messy and fiddly, hair stuff, jewellery etc, I put into IKEA jars. I also put up an elf hanger that I bought years ago for her to hang some jewellery on.

I also painted an old chair and a decorative bird for the large shelf in the same pink that her barbie house is painted so that everything is linked colour-wise.

This chair gets moved around quite a bit but is mostly used for us to sit on when we're reading stories to Poppy at night. I also made some pictures to go above the chair - they are IKEA frames and I've put wrapping paper inside them.

I've used two quilts on Poppy's bed and their patterns work together very nicely. I didn't make either of the quilts! One was made as a wedding present for us by the mother of a very good friend, and the other was made by another friend for Poppy’s birthday last year.

We are very happy with how nice it all looks! Poppy loves her room too.

... And this is what Poppy’s room usually looks like when I haven’t tidied it up for photos!!

Happy decorating!

Emma

Simple Personalised 'Sleepie' Blanket

Sewing:

The weather is only just starting to get cooler here in Queensland and with the change in weather comes the need for a warmer blanket for kindy.

Over summer Thom has been using a cute little appliquéd blanket his Nana made him but come these colder days he needs something a little more.

So a few weeks ago I thought I might make him his own personalised blanket. Apologises in advance as I didn't take any photos while i made it. It was late one night and it just completely slipped my mind!

But I have included my basic instructions here and if you need any further instructions or help please let me know! 

To make my blanket I used a large piece of soft wool blanketing I had been hoarding for a few years - it really is amazing what you can find in your cupboards when you clean then!!!

You will need:

• 1 piece of wool blanketing (or polar fleece would work well too)
• 1 fat quarter of contrasting fabric 
• vliesofix
• Light weight flannel same size as wool blanketing

Instructions:
1. Cut the wool blanketing and flannel to the desired 'blanket' size you want. As a guide mine is 43" x 53" (110cm x 135cm).

2. Iron the vliesofix onto the back of the contrasting fabric and trace out your letters. Remember from my post here that you need to ensure you trace them out on a mirror image for them to sew on the right way!!!! 

My previous post also has some good links to sites where you can download free fonts to use.

3. Now cut out all your letters and arrange them on the front of your wool blanketing. A good reference is to place the lettering about 1/4 - 2/3 of the way down the blanket.

4. Iron each letter in place with a hot iron.

5. For this next steep you could either hand sew or machine sew - depending how much time you have.... I chose machine sewing as this blanket will be going to kindy and will most likely need to be washed pretty often!

Machine/hand sew around each letter. I used a smallish zig-zag stitch.

Also note in my blanket I added an additional panel across the front of my blanket in flannel(this is simple to do and if you want to do this make sure you add it at this step before you assemble the blanket).

6. Once you have sewn all the letters on you can pin together the backing flannel.

To do this lay the wool blanketing down face up and make sure its nice and flat. Next lay the flannel down (face down) so the right sides of the fabric are together. Pin all around and leave a little gap approximately 8" (20cm) wide so you can turn through the blanket.

7. Sew around the blanket, using a 1/2" seam allowance and clip the corners. Then turn through tot he right side. Press the seams with a hot iron so they sit nice and flat and pin down the opening. 

8. Stitch all around the blanket (about 1/2" from the edge) to finish off the blanket including the opening and you are finished!

Have a great week and I hope you get time for plenty of sewing!


Caity x

Fabric Covered Formula Tins for Children’s Craft Things

Craft:

I know this idea of reusing tins for storage has been around for ages and it works well. They can be used to store just about anything…. but I just decided recently to cover some of my leftover formula tins in material to store my children’s craft things and to help keep their craft shelf a bit tidy!

This project is really quick and easy. All you’ll need is some spray glue, tins, scissors and some nice material.

Firstly, lay the tin on its side and roughly cut the width of the material. Roughly cut the length as well – a little bit longer than needed is better as it’s easier to handle the material when you’re sticking it on. 

Don’t worry if there are a few stray threads. It all adds to the look!

Then you simply spray your material with spray glue, give it a minute to get tacky, then slowly wind it around your formula tin.

I usually put the tin on its side again, stick a portion of it on in the right spot, then roll the tin and stick as I go.  

Doesn’t it look nice? The tins look even better when they’re all together on the craft shelf!

Happy making!

Emma

Easy to Make Covered Notebook

Sewing:

Mother's Day is only a few days away now - if you are looking for a simple and personal gift to give your mum this project might just be for you.

     

It's so cute and I'm really pleased with the end result.

      

Wishing all the mums out there a lovely Mother's Day and I hope you get pampered as you will most definitely deserve!

Caity x

An Easy Bird and Nest Picture to Make for Mother’s Day

Craft/Artwork:

This project was really easy and fun! I wanted to make a nice, simple bird-type canvas using craft for Mother’s Day, and I also wanted the picture to be a bit “mother-y” too.

So I decided to make a picture of a mother birdie looking after her eggs!

First I painted the background colour onto the fairly small canvas. I used a Dulux colour called ‘Classic Touch’.

Then I attached my string line using my staple gun. I put the line about one third of the way up the canvas. This line then formed the anchor for the rest of my design.

Then I just went through some of my scraps of materials, and I found a really nice outdoor material sample that I had purchased ages ago. I used that for my bird, which I traced from another bird I had used in my Simple White Christmas Bird Mobile last year.

I then just fiddled around with the design for the nest and actually ended up using a paint sample card for it (Dulux Red Alert). Then I cut out two small eggs – one from cardboard and one from plain old white paper. I glued all my things onto the canvas with standard craft glue.

Then I finished off the design by naming it – I simply typed up my words and printed them on normal paper.

You could use any combination of colours and materials for this type of picture. Even three canvases together with slightly varying birdie designs would look great too.

Happy making (and Happy Mother's Day for Sunday)!

Emma

Children's 'Paper Quilt' Art Project

Artwork/Creative Ideas:

I have done no sewing this week. Just couldn't get motivated....bit of a cold and small child fighting bedtime has left me a little....BLUGH.

But Thom and I did manage to have some fun over the weekend making some art for his bedroom wall. It's just a simple little project, but i hope you and your children enjoy trying it out!

I started with my box of scrap fabrics - as you can see - it's overflowing at the moment!

Then I cut a collection of bright colours and prints into small random shapes.

Thom then sat down at his table with some craft glue and art paper and enjoyed making a 'paper quilt'.

Then we pegged our art up to dry outside for a while......and it now hangs proudly in his bedroom on his art wall!

Note: To make this project a bit more of a challenge for older children you could cut out all the one shape (say triangles) and get them to build a more complicated paper quilt - or draft up a background pattern of shapes they have to fill in with fabric scraps. 


Caity x