my best friends wedding . . . . .

As per usual i was totally disorganised and started on this the night before their wedding,
they had the nicest, low-key and laid back wedding EVER
they wanted no fuss - just their friends to come and enjoy their day
they were not in it for the presents. . . . . .

BUT
Lisa is my very best friend
we met twenty years ago
when we both worked here
http://www.bluegallery.co.uk/
she was there for me through good times and bad
she was like an extra parent to my daughter for her first five years
and if you can't make something to celebrate your BFF's wedding . . . .

^ LOOK LOOK LOOK ^
french knots
i can do them at last!
it's only taken me twenty odd years of trying
and now i know how there is no stopping me!

the photo's aren't great
but i gave it to them now so it's too late to take more

***CONGRATULATIONS***
Lisa and Sam
Mr & Mrs
wow does that mean you're grown ups now?

*******

to make this little sampler i used a vintage embroidered doily,
i drew on a heart with water erasable pen but it was really old so seemed to be fading as i worked!
i worked the hearts outline with chainstitch and filled it with french knots http://stitchschool.blogspot.com/2010/01/french-knot.html
i used the full 6strands of cotton so i got a very raised heart
then i added the date and names
i would've prefered to have marked them out too as there was no room
for correction as the floss marked the fabric if i unpicked a stitch
so i had to embrace freehand
i actually really like the more hand written effect
i finished the hoop using my tutorial
i used black cotton velvet and some sweet little heart buttons.
{the doily had a cotton lace edging which i was going
to leave showing but it was a bit too kitsch tbh}

pincushion swap - what i sent

talk about great timing
the two parcels arrived on the same day
so now i know Jenny's has arrived too
i can show you what i made for her

i bought a set of plain cardboard boxes from Ikea last time we went and thought that one would be perfect to house the pincushion,
i decorated it with my button stamps and embossing powder

I made the pincushion from vintage embroidered linen.
I made a large suffolk puff - stuffed it - added a button - bound it tightly into four sections and then made a large covered button to cover the hole at the bottom.

i think i will be making more of these covered buttons
i don't get on with the metal buttons with little teeth i just can't get them right so i found a cheaper and easier and upcycle-ier way
i will blog what i did soon :o)

the brief was to make and send a pincushion and a few crafty supplies
so i picked out a few vintage bits and bobs
added a button stamp kit
and of course some new pins!

i really enjoyed this swap
:o)

see what everyone else made/received
here
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1371627@N21/

and thanks again to the lovely Claire Payne
for organising the swap and letting me play
:o)
http://clairesblog.paynedesign.co.uk/

the tenth Doctor - gone but not forgotten.

so i'm still in the stitching addiction phase
i decided i'd make a picture for my
Doctor Who crazy son

my first attempt
my son recognised who it was but i felt it looked
a bit flat at the back of the head
so i added a bit more "BUMP" !!!!

i like him better now

thought i'd better add a shirt and tie!

and yet again i cut the fabric a little bit too small
it was plenty big enough for the original design
BUT i kept adding to it!

my son's response
"oooh yes i like it - can you do me a Sontaran next?"

"ice my biscuit"

ice my biscuit

trinket box

dirty biscuit designs

So i was designing some cross stitch
for another project which included some biscuits
and i innocently said
"i'm not sure if i should ice my biscuit"
oh my that sounds filthy i thought . . . .
so i stitched it and remembered
i had this trinket box to recycle . . . .
happy valentines!

lickety split

i did a little bit of sewing today,
years and years ago i used to do
counted cross-stitch,
i was quite addicted to it for awhile
so had a lot of aida fabric left over
and today i had an uncontrollable urge
to stitch this phrase!
i like it BUT i find the fabric very restrictive
if you see what i mean?
i think need to be more free flowing with my embroidery.

{SOLD}
i've been continuing on my mission
to card up and list my button mountain

these blue buckles are from the buckle porn post
from months ago - that's how long it takes me
to get my act together!

http://www.folksy.com/items/256437-blue-buckles-vintage-mother-of-pearl-

*******

i got my puff collar#2 all sewn up, i'm really pleased with it but unfortunately it takes way to long to produce to be viable for me to make and sell :0(
i've bought some more fabric to make another as my daughter wants one, so i'm going to time myself very strictly to see how long it actually takes.
no photo's yet i'm afraid as i've been busy
and today it was too sunny to take photo's
when i had the time!