Memory Bunting

Almost a year ago now we celebrated Knit Natter Stitch and Chatters first birthday, a seven course pudding club made it a night to remember. It doubled as a maternity leaving do from the world of crafting in public too, though I didn't realise that at the time!

Anyway I remembered it again today when I finally got around to putting up the fabulous thankyou present the group made for me. Each member made a flag which reflected projects they had worked on during our meet ups, whether that be by technique, or the materials used.
This strand of Memory Bunting was the outcome, what a lovely idea!

I used these unusual birdy pegs to display the bunting for the photos

Here are some of my favourite bits.......

This piece of smocking was made by Alison at our first sessions. She always wondered what to turn it into.

Sharon crocheted this piece in Mr Bs favourite colours. Burnley!!

This beautiful fabric was used by Frances to make blinds for her new flat. I love the way she has used patchwork and beading to abstract the design.

I love the mini pom poms on this, one of Sharons flags.

The centre piece is Frances' carefully stitched sampler

A fantastic memento from a fantastic group. I'll keep this forever.

Windows of opportunity

So I thought that being at home with Joel would mean I could get lots of creative projects underway and also finish off some old ones. How wrong I was! Each morning I have great plans for that evening, thinking to myself 'as soon as Joel goes to bed I can start on that....' Truth is being a mum really is a full time job (and more!) so when the evening comes I'm reduced to being a brain dead sleep deprived zombie starting into the fridge wondering what on earth I can cobble together and call it 'tea'. So beyond that the evenings pan out with watching films, TV, (Bored To Death and The Mind of the Married Man) perusing blogs and articles whilst always keeping half and eye on the baby monitors flashing lights (perminantly thinking 'please stay asleep!')
However recently I've had more brain power and time so have got a few home projects under my belt, like....

A lovely set of full length silk curtains for the lounge windows. They are a kind of mauve colour and look very vintage. Joel loves playing peepo with them.

A blind for Joels room. It's blackout lined, we live in hope that this will have a positive effect on his wake up time!!!

The fabric I used was some which I bought in France years ago, little people in green with orange hair (perfect for Joels room). Cute or what!

Of course no sewing project would be complete without the 'help' of Joey the wonder cat. Here he is demonstrating a scale reference for the pattern, what would I do without him?

Transformed our bathroom with a new blind (aswell as a mirror and a cupboard, which used to be in the old kitchen, and a bright pink shower curtain, Mr B was gobsmacked) This fabric is a really great heavy weight canvas in sage green with a stunning bright pink screen print of a rambling rose.

Currently I'm on with two blinds for the kitchen windows made from Dandelions by Sanderson (I got at a snip of the price from my favourite factory shop)

I'll show you them when they are done. Best get cracking on them while little man is still sleeping. Nighty night

Bib tutorial.

Spotted bib with mini ric rac trim- worn 'Cowboy style'

Joel is going through an especially druley stage with his teeth, he already has four with another four on their way. Poor little fella doesn't know what to with himself. Now he's sitting up all the time his tops get soaked through, even with a bib on. I found some super absorbant ones in the local baby shop but they were £10 each! So I thought I'd make him one myself, it was so easy and we got so many compliments I've made him a whole selection!

Here's how to do it (it's my first ever craft tutorial so bear with me) This is a really easy project which you can have fun with. It can be stitched by hand or machine as it's only a small project (perfect for stitching and knitting sessions in the pub!)

I managed to find some machine washable super absorbant cloths, just in the cleaning aisle at the supermarket. £1.75 for four. They MUST be machine washable or they will fall apart after just one wear. I pre shrank them by running them through with a wash before using.

I measured round Joels neck (25 cms!!) for a minimum measurement to work from. Then I cut the cloths into quarters, diagonally, so I ended up with four triangles (This was just because of the original size of the cloths, if your cloths are bigger or your babys neck is larger you may wish to adjust) measuring 37cm along the longest edge and 26cm on the two shorter sides.

Cut the fabric (pre shrunk in the wash) 1.5cm bigger than the cloth. You need two pieces the same size but not necessarily the same fabric. Place the aborbant cloth on top of the wrong side of one of the pieces of fabric and fold over the edging and press. Fold and press the turnings in on the other piece too then place them back to back with the absorbant cloth sandwiched inbetween.

I like to decorate Joels bibs with trim, it's a good excuse to make a dent in my lifetimes haberdashery collection, a contrasting colour of stitching would be just as effective if you haven't got trim to hand. It's only needed along the two shorter sides of the bib, pin in place ready to stitch.

Once it's been stitched all the way round you just need to stitch on a snap fastener. I stitched them in the corners so there is a rouched look to the bib ('Cowboy style') but if you prefer a snugger fit use your babys neck measurement as a fitting guide. Remember one half of the fastener can always be moved along as neccessary when baby grows.

Good luck and be warned, they are an addictive thing to make!

A Brit of a 'do'

April 29th was a super day at Oakbank, we hosted an all day and night party in honor of Prince William and Kates wedding.

Guests arrived at 10am, both here and at Westminster Abbey, and we drank cups of tea from the family china whilst watching the guests arrive in all their posh outfits.

This china has been in my family for generations, now it's all mine.

Mum bought me these silver sugar tongs from an antique shop, aren't they fabulous!

This china madame wears a huge yellow knitted skirt which doubles as a tea cosy. Fun stuff eh! Funnier still is that the man who sold it to me in a charity shop thought it was a hat!

We set up a teashop in the kitchen, so we weren't making brews all day.

Buffet (L-R) egg and cress, plain crisps and peanuts (in striped paper bags) coronation chicken, banana and poppy seed cake, bread rolls, Tunnocks mountain, traditional lemonade.

Not eaten this since the 80's

The Tunnocks mountain. With 'very British' red phone box topper.

I used the box illustrations to make a mini bunting

We toasted the Royal kiss(es)

Good old M&S didn't let the side down with their fantastic biscuit tins

All in all we had a right Royal knees up with laughs, tears, fun and more union jack bunting than you could shake a flag at. Congratulations to Will and Kate, for a day we will all remember.

Time flies!

I can't believe its been five whole weeks since I last blogged! I've still been documenting everything that's happened, and at least once a day imagined how the blogs will read. Head blogging, though a crucial part of keeping me sane, isn't the same as getting stuff down on paper (screen) so here is the last few weeks in pictures. * Detailed blogs of the highlights to follow.

It was roasting hot for a whole week, so toes were out for garden naps.

My first Mothers Day. Joel, with the help of his Daddy, got me some wonderful gifts. I cried.

I sorted my cupboard of fine china, my mum handed over the family sets she has kept safe for years *

 

We had a proper dinner party, with wine! In honour of Mr B's birthday.

Joel learnt how to sit up by himself without toppling over, too many times*.

Had a lovely lunch with an old friend (she's even older now :) KEB in a new place in town, they have different tea cosies for each table. We got Piggy.

The tiniest frog I'd ever seen hopped in the house one rainy night after Myrtle had been out for a wee. Here it is next to a 5p (our smallest coin, for international readers)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw the biggest wasps nest. Here it is next to Joel. He could have lived in it!

Aunt Em visited and we went to Holehird Gardens we saw Annie Lennox's house and ate a picnic in the sun whilst doting over Joel :)

Britains coalition governments first year in power.

Friends visited for a play in the sun

Family walks

We also threw a party, made stuff, went places and saw things (too many to mention in just one blog entry) which I can't wait to share with you once Joel hits the hay.
A round of applause please for the fastest typed blog EVER! :)