Keeping Time

Earlier in the year I bought a couple of cheap wall clocks from Ikea, with the plan to jazz them up with some embroidery, I had seen some designs on the web site I get my machine embroidery designs from.

I think the clocks were about £1.80 each 

First I had to take it all apart

They come apart really easy, there is three little plastic tabs that you push in and then the front cover comes off the hands just unclip from the mechanism that then just comes out. 

I measured up the face of the clock so I could get the right design size. 

I decided to embroider onto some denim, I had an old pair of hubby's jeans to hand so cut a piece from the leg big enough for the design and fit into the hoop, 

Once I had the fabric hooped up and the thread colours sorted I made a start

I never tire of watching the machine work away 

Once the design was done I took it out of the hoop

 and marked the middle on the back of the design

I then used the original clock face as a template

Cut round it and made a little hole in the middle for the mechanism to go through

There one new clock face, I used a spray adhesive to fasten it to the original cardboard clock face 

Then assembled it all back together 

There a nice clock for my work room. 

After finishing this project I thought I should give the machine a good clean, its something I usually do fairly frequent, I am glad I did.

When I was sewing the other day a needle broke and I couldn't find the bit that broke off, here it was under the bobbin housing along with loads of fluff. 

Its all nice and clean now ready to go again.

I did get the Basic Cable Block finished for the shop last night 

Just needs a press.

I have to get some crochet ghost coasters done tonight then I am up to date with samples.

TTFN.

Make and Takes For the Shop

Yesterday I got stuck into making some of the samples for the make and take sessions we run at the shop 

 Autumn pumpkin decorations, with stalks made from twigs and leaves made of felt

 A Biscornu pincushion with a decorative wooden button

The Crochet block of the month is a Back Loops block 

Last week end I got some of the other make and take samples done 

A gold painted money box

Painted and embellished wooden photo frame

And the shoe bag I did originally. 

I haven't finished the knitted cable block yet and I still have some halloween ghost coasters to make and a screen printed tea towel as well. 

Then that will be the October make and take things done, then its time to start Novembers. 

A Change In Footwear Slippers

When I wander down to the cabin at the bottom of the garden I am inevitable wearing wellies, not the best footwear for using with a sewing machine and I didn't have another suitable pair of slippers I could leave in the cabin, there was nothing else for it but to make myself a pair.

 I found a pattern chose some material and got cutting out the fabric and wadding

 next step was to quilt the two layers of fabric and the wadding, I started by drawing a line down the middle of the sole and stitching through all the layers on this line 

I was doing the quilting detail with a walking foot and stitch guide on the machine, you can move the the stitch guide to set the distance between rows of stitching and the walking foot raises and walks across the fabric therefore the fabric doesn't stretch and the less chance of the layers mislaying

once you have the first row of stitching you line up the stitch guide on the stitching having first determined the distance between rows, I had it set at half an inch 

I quilted the soles and tops in both directions 

Next I needed to add something to the soles to stop them slipping on the floor, I had a roll of woven rubber non slip shelf lining, it was ideal for the job, from the pound shop

I cut a bit bigger than the sole and machined it all the way round 

then trimmed to the shape, it sewed really easy

Next was bias binding not my favourite of things, I cut the strips 2 inches wide on the bias of the fabric and joined the various lengths

Then I run the long joined strip through my bias maker with a 1 inch tip

Its a great little machine that folds and presses the fabric into perfect bias tape 

The machine is made by simplicity and it means I can have bias tape in any fabric and any size.

I added the tape to the inside edge of the top

then it was time to join the top and the sole together

starting to take shape now and looks like a slipper

with the bias tape around the sole the slippers are now finished.

Unfortunately as good as they have turned out they are not suitable for my size, I now need to make a larger pair to accommodate the socks on my feet.

Welcome to My Craft Cabin

I have just moved into the log cabin that hubby built down the bottom of the garden for me.

The purpose of the log cabin is to hold all my crating stash and give me a place to craft.

The far end is where I am setting up my sewing textile area, I have set my Brother Innovis up on the horn cabinet under the end window, which gives me a lovely view down the fields.

The other end of the cabin houses my bookcases with a vast collection of craft books

and on the opposite side 

Is units full of stamps and lots and lots of inks, paints, embellishments and my art materials.

I need to get storage units yet but will add them over time after I have spent some time in there and can decide exactly what I want.

I have plenty of electric sockets 18 in total and I have had daylight fluorescent strips put in for lighting.

I did have a bit of a sewing session yesterday 

A set of little coasters for my work space, they are a cotton reel block design, they were made from a little kit that came free with a quilting magazine.

I also did an applique design shoe bag, the design is made from a vinyl fabric with a funky shoelace.

My last bit of crafting of the day was this quilt block

Its called a magic square, the magic is in the method used for making it, it is so simple to do, I plan to do more of these to make a lap quilt, this one was just a practise one,

 I will post in more detail when I do the lap quilt.

I plan to post lots of details about the crafting I like to do and also include some videos. 

That's all from me today. 

TTFN