the patchwork dress

a new sign

When we moved in to the cottage, there were a few times delivery people couldn't find us, mainly because the sign on an old piece of wood was badly faded.

I'd been waiting until good weather to repaint something - and decided to do it straight onto the stonework of the cottage, no fuss working out where to hang a sign.

I thought I'd share the steps, just incase anyone felt the urge to do the same!

First of all I drew the image to the size I wanted in Illustrator and chose a font. You could also do this in Word or any programme, as it fits on a sheet of A4 paper and can be cut down. I then cut it out, drew round it on the wall and masked off the outside with masking tape. Then filled it in with Weatherseal paint - a grey mixed from black and cream.

Then I reused the template, rubbing on the back of the letters with white pencil. Repositioned on the wall, I just went round the outline with a hard lead pencil so that the white pencil would transfer onto the wall - knew those primary school techniques would come in handy one day!

Then, with cream weatherseal paint and a thin artists paintbrush just fill in the lines... You could use this technique for a sign, just some words or a quotation - or even a smaller version with your name. I quite fancy painting the birdtable with something next! My lines may not be the neatest, and the photos are also a bit blurry! But a friend did remark on the new sign, and I instantly earned a commission to do his!

and a new home card!

...a new home announcement/seasonal card, made using one of my photographs with Adobe Illustrator graphics.

blogarhythms

I've been very aware that over the last few days the patchwork dress was one of those annoying blogs that hasn't changed, even when checking in daily...I kept seeing those tags in my mind's eye, so will wean you off gently with some more photos taken on the same table!! I expect there is a system where you can get notification that someone has updated their blog (is that RSS?), but somehow I feel this is a slippery slope, so until then, I am content to do the daily rounds.

The 'crafternoon tea' on Sunday was a great idea organised by Cheryl to raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness... I'd expected a little gathering in a living room, but we each had a 'pitch' throughout the house like a proper craft fair. I immediately got a bit nervous about how to arrange my 'stall', as still getting the judging when to stop making/start presenting timing right.

...these were a fun little extra made to supplement the cards. Tealights made from secondhand china cups! Each has a tealight candle sitting in some (optional) lavender & rose herbs - so as the candle melts in its tray it will heat up the lavender. The bigger cup/saucer is a Wee Willie Winkie type affair - you hold the saucer as you would an old candlestick, and the cup has been super-glued to it's base.

I loved the autumnal pattern on the cup/saucer, and although it was a minor sacrilege to glue and decommission it's teacup status, this was outweighed by it's second life and reuse as a tealight. I often see lovely bits of china, but know I'll never use them as a teacup, so this gives an excuse for a new purpose.
The labels were made using a photo of the lit tealight to show the warmth & prettiness missed when they're unlit. (I've still got some small ones and the autumn cup left)

I picked up the Christmas mitt stamp a couple of weeks ago at Craftology and could see it in red as an emblem for 'handmade Christmas'. On Saturday I popped into 'Hobby Heaven' in Helensburgh for a red stamp pad, and saw the alphabet kit 50% in the sale.. had a lot of fun stamping up these pricetags and labelling some handmade items. It reminded me of college days when i shared a flat with a graphic student and they still set type by hand. There was one computer they could use once a week to print out their text, and then it had to be cut by hand to space and arrange and be photocopied into an original. I can see how computers revolutionised typeset graphics!

These 'winter' cards were something I tried out at the sale, and proved very popular with only one pack left at the end. I've created them as a set of 4 cards of different designs but matching theme... the labels show the 4 designs. In two themes...

...frosty flowers (hoar-frosted hydrangeas and leaves)...

...and snowy trees...

These trees were so heavy with snow, I thought they looked like a Japanese block print. I may still do more with these photos, or wondering if it is worth putting some packs in to the shop.

been makin'

...some eco xmas tags from 'second use' magazines, for a little charity craft sale at someone's home this weekend.

Here they are, sorting them into piles of 6 before their ties go on..

I really don't know where the time goes, in between my plan for world domination (thinking up suitable careers for myself) I seem to spend too long on some things (like these). But you know what? I really enjoyed making these!

I really like these (my favourite)...

Here they all are, in their packs (which I also named things like 'come all ye faithful' and 'deck the halls'...I really do have too much time on my hands)... but looking kinda patchworky.

In true Blue Peter style, something I made a little earlier...

...more Christmas style recycled cards, which I've done singly as it's harder to get a whole pack together. Some of my Christmas cards already went to Entrading, so I've just used what I had magazine wise from last year. To be honest, I still can't get my head quite into making for Christmas this early. Perhaps I should think of them as winter makes.

...and the backs...the envelopes.

A Quilt of Christmas Winter Cards.

autumn colours

Fuelled by cutting up Country Living magazines, or possibly by the recent arrival of Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Road (which I have been asking for, for years and eventually bought myself) where all the quilts are photographed outdoors,...

...I thought I would photo my latest makes in a friend's garden while the weather was good, as the light has been poor for indoor photography lately.

they are 2 little belts made as a gift for a 2-3 year old girl from recycled and reclaimed fabrics.

They were quite difficult and unusual to photograph. I tried a few different things... which attracted some attention...

Can you see what she's doing in there?...

...just about, if I stand on my hoof-tips...

...I'm not sure what it is, but I don't think it's something to eat...

By the way, is is slightly obsessive to lurk daily and ask if the new copy of 'Country Living' is in yet? N said he overheard an older lady sighing to her husband as she leaned on her stick - "it's not in yet".

Don't worry, I know the answer to that question... but there are some lovely photographs of autumnal colours in the November issue...

the spirit of whitedog

I bought this beautiful sketchbook this summer as an encouragement to draw. I love the different papers and tones in there, just inviting me to make a mark.

I drew all the time as a child, but now I tend to see it as luxury of time - one day I'll get back into it, just for it's own sake. Rather than take baby steps I dreamed of a studio, a week painting in the Highlands - it only takes a spare 5 minutes to scribble.

Yesterday we were talking about whitedog and how he/she had been seen hanging out at the back of the local corner shop... Perhaps also sparked by talking to my friend Susan who was telling me about drawing just for the sake of it... when I heard a dog barking and suddenly got the urge to draw whitedog.

this was from memory.. I remembered the feel of whitedog and just drew what I felt.. a lumpy sort of irregular hound with pig's ears and a funny way of sitting on the pavement!

I liked doing this line drawing and thought it would be fun to do something like this as a print, or even as a little handstitching exercise.

spot of blogkeeping...

Sun(!)day, it's been raining since yesterday afternoon..

...sleeves rolled up, time to do a little blogkeeping... you know, those things you mean to get round to...

First of all a big thank you again to Sally Anne at quiteahandful for this wonderful package she sent me...

I'd hope to wait until we had a better light to photograph them in, but really wanted to show these bright colours to contrast the day!

I love all of these fabrics, and colourful bits - and Sally also included 2 little embroidery kits and a great booklet to teach yourself embroidery. I think I will be needing it to work through some of the kowabunga hoard. I feel as if someone somewhere is giving me (and mum!) the nudge to do some needlework - Grandma probably! They are such lovely kits and much nicer than some of the slightly 'twee' ones that are about. I was just admiring some red/whitework on someone else's blog - so just the thing. I look forward to doing these, Sally, on days like this to come!

I've been busy putting together mini packages for the autumn giveaway, now all ready to post - and preparing for a scrap swap with Alisa that was organised by redheadedsnipet. Check out Alisa's quilts.. her industriousness puts me to shame. I'm really enjoying doing this swap, and sometimes I think I get more out of playing with the fabric than actually making something out of it..

On that note I thought I'd catch up with a couple of simple ideas for when you have little energy to create. A couple of people have asked about the photo printing onto t-shirts from a couple of posts back... but before that fortify yourself with some simple autumnal coloured soup...

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simple soup:

I've had a bit of an upset stomach this week, and not feeling like anything too fancy..

simple soup:
3 large carrots
1 potato
1 apple
1 pint water
salt & pepper
splash of olive oil
dash soy sauce
(chopped parsley)

Put all in a pot and simmer for 40 mins add the parsley and blend. Adjust seasoning to taste. Simple.

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T-Shirt "tutorial"

I feel a bit of a cheat calling it a tutorial and was surprised people wanted to know how to do this, as it really is crafting for the lazy! I then thought some folks don't feel so comfortable with image sizing and computers/printers, so I'll focus on that. But it makes a great simple and personal gift - good for men you don't know what to buy for. So many possibilities, you could add a photo, some text, or a drawing... photo/scan of a kid's drawing etc.

So this is more 'tips' than tutorial!

You need:
•1 teeshirt - preferable white, then you can experiment with other shades..
•a pack of iron-on tshirt transfer paper (you can buy this anywhere - good stationers, computer shop etc - you get about 10 sheets) I recommend if you can buy one from a company whose range you know works best with your printer - ie Epson, HP etc
• an iron
• a pillow case
• flat hard surface to iron on (you could use an old flat board on a tabletop.. or table top if you dare!)
•oh yes, a computer and printer!

1. read the instructions pertinent to your transfer pack and follow them!

2. if you have the technical ability to print out a photo onto paper, you can do this. If you want to size the photo, you can scale against your self in the mirror with a ruler what size the final image should be. You can adjust the picture under 'image size'. You probably want to keep the dpi quite high - so images off the internet blown up probably won't work very well (you might be lucky) but you could lose a lot of sharpness.

if you can, start with an original photo - or scan of a drawing, or computer art file. Add text if you like.

3. once you've got the image sorted, print it out onto A4 paper and just check it against the shirt, or hold up in the mirror until you are happy with the scale - make the adjustments now before you use the expensive transfer paper!

4. before printing onto the paper, you'll need to mirror the image so it reads backwards. You'll either be able to do this with your photo software, or in the print options that come up when you ask your printer to print.

5. take your sheet of transfer paper, which may have a notch cut off the corner to show which side to print on... (if you have a confusing upside down printer, mark a piece of paper with the words 'right side' and cut notch off in same place. If you print the image and it comes out on that side, then that's the right way!!)

6. follow the instructions for the print paper setting - mine says 360dpi ink jet paper

7. and print! cut the image down (if required) - leaving a small border about 6mm around it. You need this to help peel away the corner of the image otherwise you might damage the printed image.

8. make sure the iron is hot... lay the pillowcase flat on the flat hard surface (don't use an ironing board)..
use an even and heavy pressure (putting weight on it is the secret I have found) - iron as per the time and number as per your pack instructions. A slow and even movement.

9. let the image cool for a minute, but not completely, it's easier to do when still warm... gently peel back the backing paper. If the image is coming away you haven't done it for long enough/iron too cool/you weren't pressing hard enough - so if you can, just lay it back down and go over it a bit more.

10. all being well - hey presto! you've done it.

11. told you it was cheating.

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What's it like outside?

Hm, time for a coffee methinks.

Kowabunga!

** first things first, if you haven't already seen the mini autumn giveaway of the last post, please do leave a comment at the end of that day's post...

...still time til Friday to enter!! **

All I can think of is the word Kowabunga with reference to what happened today! I notice it is/was used as an expression of exhilaration when riding the waves by surfers... all part of being (in) the flow!
Did I tell you there was a little patchwork type shop, actually on the corner opposite my house strangely enough - I don't go in that often, but today I needed some elastic to make something for a friend, and I noticed some books on sale, cheap, donation to charity...

The shop lady pointed out that there was also a box of "stuff" which I could help myself to in return for a donation.. Well, since I received the idea of doing the mini autumn giveaway, I have stumbled across some odds and ends I thought may be fun to put in a parcelette, so decided to have a rake in the box.

There were two ringbinders full of embroidery threads (the lady pointed out it was a sample of nearly the whole Anchor thread range) and bags and bags of thread. I pulled out some other bags too. I discovered at home some of the threads have hand written tags of the natural dyes they have been coloured with!

This is one of the folders' contents... I worked out afterwards (from what the lady told me) there is nearly £170 ($340) of thread just in these folders!... and it's all going to my Mum. (well, most of it!)

I seem to keep coming across embroidery things - which I don't do so much, and as my mum has been thinking of taking this up again I pulled out some things for her - there was even little bits of blank canvas and an embroidery hoop.

I'd already selected these books and patterns - the Brazilian Bracelet book is for me - I don't know why but I feel strangely drawn to weaving and plaiting something! I didn't read it too closely in the shop, later discovered that you need cotton thread to do it (I think I know where I can get some now!).

All I can say is I'm having a lot of fun!

cycling tees

At the moment N is pedalling his little heart out at this event in Aviemore. Hope the weather is nice and the midges too slow to keep up!

A while ago I made him this "share the road" t-shirt from a photo taken on the US trip of 2004 from yesterday.
excuse the poor photo and my lack of ironing skills... it's quite a washed out looking tee now - but I still like it.

I decided to make him a light-hearted good luck tee for his trip North...

...so he could bond with other curmudgeonly singlespeed mountainbiking types! (yes, that's no gears - just bring it on!)

I enjoyed making them, although I have to get over the extended ironing required (not my favourite). This one still shows a bit of the border from the iron-on paper, but it does wash out. Good fun for an instant make and it just so happened Hawkshead are having a sale and you can pick up a good quality tee or two.

** blogflash ** tune in tomorrow for my autumn mini giveaway!