Nearly Alton Towers

My Cadet had his fourteenth birthday this week and for a treat we went to Alton Towers.  

We stood in the queue to get in for an hour, gave up and went and bought a trampoline instead.

Some fab military plane fabric from Frumble made a last minute pressie.

I've made friends with my overlocker - 

it was being very temperamental so I gave it a complete overhaul and it's in a much better mood.

It's been in overdrive whizzing through chunky needlepoint.

These are backed with the massive green cow hide that I got a while back.

A reclaimed bright green wool blanket overlaid with a hand dyed lace.

Always a winner, my favourite Welsh tapestry.

Shetland Hap

It's been a long time coming!

Off the needles and blocked at last.

Up on Etsy.

Super light super scrummy.

Back to the sewing.

Birmingham Rag Market

My porter doing what he does best.

The Rag Market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

 and it's a very good source of fabric, but you do have to search.

When we were walking up for lunch we saw a man erecting this, 

 just a tiny pair of legs under the paint brush.

Much Binding

Pure wool blankets,

warm and cosy,

and pretty darn cute.

When Good Blankets Go Bad

Blankets this week, lots of laundering, pressing, cutting and binding.

Lots of lovely Liberty which means the insect pins have to come out.

Must have got distracted with this one!

 I like sewing and knitting because when you mess up big style 

you can just chop it off/rip it back and start again.

If only life was so easy.

Hello Kitty Secret Message Lunch Bag

I've put a couple of the new and improved lunch bags on etsy,

 they are bigger with super cute pinked edge and a tiny pocket for secret messages!

Adventures with Harris Tweed

I've been looking for a Harris tweed jacket for myself for ages and I found one the other day but it was a bit worse for wear, I think this is what you might call moth damage!

I bought it anyway

and gave it a good soak for about 8 hours

and changed the water every time I walked through the kitchen.

Proper wool is a miracle fibre, it came up like new - apart from the moth holes.

Watch this space for it's next adventure.

Squares...

1,258 Squares

from a lot of ironing and a major scrap box sort out.

Project Bags Galore

A production line once again, boring but it works.

Kimono silk that never became a baby dress and vintage linen curtains.

We used to be a Fair Isle tank top.

50's, barkcloth and cotton apron.

My best beloved Welsh Tapestry and a vintage Liberty wool scarf.

All loading onto etsy.

Pearl Strivers

The Production Line Works

Henry Ford had something,

the production line works,

I made 50 bags in a couple of days,

different types,

not all shown here,

but all using vintage textiles

and up cycled fabrics.

Now to play with my new tools

and crack on with the zipped pouches.

Plenty of seventies florals going on

and a little bit of Christmas prep.

My favourites from a vintage French tablecloth.