Sewchet

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Tag Archives: craft


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Stitching Santa Part One

A belated Happy Christmas to everyone!

I didn’t get chance to sit down with my iPad in the two weeks running up to Christmas as things were so hectic here, what with hosting for two separate lots of people and with present-making continuing right up to the wire. I also made the decision to wait until the last guests had gone home before opening my two Stitching Santa parcels, which meant resisting the temptation to have ‘just a little peek’ until the 28th December.

The 28th – can you imagine the willpower needed!

Anyway, when the time came, I put on a Christmas film for The Boys to ensure no interruptions, poured myself a large glass of Bailey’s and recovered the last two presents from underneath the Christmas tree.

(Well, last-but-one, as the niece’s boyfriend appeared to have gone home without my noticing that he hadn’t opened our gift.)

At this point in the proceedings, the obligatory festive red dress and sparkly cardigan had been discarded in favour of ‘lounge wear’. But not just any lounge wear, oh no – hubby bought me some Cashmere trousers to go with the waterfall jacket bought previously. So I’m sitting smug, head-to-toe in ridiculously soft Cashmere. And drinking Bailey’s.

I had already put one of my presents in the fridge as per Bekki’s instructions, so I opened her parcel first – a Yarny one from The Dartmoor Yarn Company.

Beautifully wrapped in snowflake paper and stripy cord, I had already had a quick look when I put the first gift in the fridge a week earlier.

This was the first to be opened and turned out to be fudge made by Bekki herself, which was a godsend as the fudge I had made turned out more like toffee. (I re-named it ‘Fudge Brittle’ and I think I got away with it!).

In true DYC style, Bekki had chosen a fab card and letter in with the parcel.

The very next present I unwrapped was my favourite of all – a hand dyed skein of yarn from a company local to me with which I am already familiar; Rosie’s Moments. A self-striping yarn in my favourite shade of fuchsia in what I think is a DK weight.

I have already cast on a pair of socks and it is knitting up beautifully!

One of Bekki’s famous Christmas puddings was next out of the box – isn’t it sweet?

Some wool tops in Christmassy red, green and white will turn into a felted creation or two, when I’ve got my creative head back on.

Bekki even included one of her handmade lavender scented candles – one of my favourite scents! That is going straight on my bedside table as it helps induce sleep. Not that I ever have a problem sleeping (I do love my bed; it’s currently 12.35pm!), but it will smell lovely just before lights out.

Yes Bekki, I did guess it was an egg cosy!

Three gorgeous handknit sacks each contained a tiny handmade gift.

Bell-shaped flowers crochet stitch markers…..

….knitting stitch markers, already in use on the socks……

…..and the dearest little pearl-drop angel.

Now I’d unwittingly given my input on the design of this hat, as Bekki had craftily canvassed for opinion on pom poms on her blog, which she dislikes and I love – so the pom poms won out!

Despite concerns about exploding pom poms, mine are perfectly intact, as you can see.

Even The Dogs had a gift each of identical bandanas. Fifi wears hers holly side out…..

…and Tess wears hers tree side out. They both posed obligingly for the photos:)

And here it is all together!

Thanks SO much Bekki – I love everything and you got me spot-on. The thought that has obviously gone into my parcel is immense and all those handmade extras are a joy which I will treasure.

Now to get back to those socks…….


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Sunday Sevens #66

Sunday Sevens is here again – seven-ish photos of your week to show what you get up to between those bigger blog posts. Check out this article over at Threads & Bobbins to find out how YOU can join in.

  1. We made a grand total of £609 profit from the Christmas Supper in the Village Hall – and leftover veg meant bubble ‘n’ squeak for breakfast on Sunday!

Bubble and squeak

2. Whipped up a couple of very basic Angel costumes for The Boy’s school Nativity (that’s another bedsheet gone). Don’t they look sweet?

Angels

3. As part of their interactive advent calendar, this week The Boys donated some of their old toys to charity….

Toys for charity

……we had a family “Top Trumps’ night….

Games night

….and we bought a bagful of shopping to add to the box in church for The Lord’s Larder, a charity that helps the poor and homeless.

Donate to the lord larder

4. On Friday, H-R and I went on our annual Christmas shopping trip to Bath while the Christmas market was still in full swing. We’ve been going every year since she was four, so this is our twentieth anniversary!

Eggs Royale for breakfast

We usually have Eggs Royale for breakfast as soon as we arrive and this year was no exception.

Eggs Royale

5. I bought the latest Big Issue from a lovely chap who dressed his companion up for the festive season.

Homeless dog

6. A local school was fundraising for a new piano by carol singing in the high street.

Carol singing

7. Mulled wine and mince pies outside is a great way to rest your feet in between all that shopping.

Mulled wine and mince pies

8. A day of Christmas Craft Workshops on Saturday resulted in these colourful stockings….

Christmas Stocking Workshop

….and Christmas Bunting.

Christmas Bunting Workshop

9. Finally, to round off a brilliant week, last night hubby and I went to a party dressed up as Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones in ‘The Mask Of Zorro’.

It took an ENTIRE king size duvet cover to make his outfit!!

Zorro fancy dress

 

Hope you didn’t choke on your croissants:)


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Handmade Recycled Greetings Cards For School Fair Or Summer Fête

Blimey I’ve been a busy bee creating all manner of loveliness for the School Fair tomorrow!

Earlier in the week I made some fudge and then I designed a summer fête inspired box in which to display them.  I was trying to think of some quick, easy and cheap ideas for making something which would sell at the fair, when I remembered the forty-or-so sheets of recycled brown card left over from making our wedding invitations last year.  Bingo!  Greetings Cards would be all those things and should make a good profit for the school.

I sketched and cut out some card templates of several different designs, then cut the shapes out of scraps of wrapping paper.  Keeping in mind the necessity to appeal to all ages and both sexes, I chose a mixture of colours and cut out the following; bunting, balloons, kites and ties.

I stitched the shapes with a basic straight stitch on the sewing machine and embellished some of them with glued-on paper clouds.  The cards were left blank to make them suitable for any occasion, apart from a few that were printed with ‘Father’s Day’ as it is the day after the fair.  I wrote my website on the reverse so that, if they don’t sell, I can put them in my shop for sale:)

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So far forty cards have cost nothing, so I bought 50 manilla envelopes for £1.29 and 50 see-through bags for £2.75.  They look MUCH more professional presented this way and each card has still only cost 8p! (Not including my time, obviously).  This serves another purpose though, as it protects the cards from damage and dirt as they get handled.

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Now, what to do about a box?

Knowing that people like to rummage through everything easily, I decided to customize a shoe box to make a long, thin “shelf” type display box.  This is what they look like….

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I’m secretly quite chuffed with the whole thing!  Hopefully that’s given you an idea of a quick and easy craft make for your school fair or summer fête – handmade greetings cards for just a few pence each.