Being Mrs C

Canvas work

After doing cross stitch for years it seems strange that I hadn't actually tried my hand at canvas work. All that changed whilst we were away though as I'd randomly pulled out of a box a couple of small kits to do in the evening and one of them turned out to be a canvas work one that I'd picked up at an old Cross-Stitch Guild Make & Take session. It was the first time that I'd tried many of these stitches, but also gave me a good excuse to use the books I'd picked up whilst up in Northumberland.

I really enjoyed doing something a bit different though and it certainly made me think that I should try my hand at similar again in the future. Certainly it was nice trying new stitches out and doing them on canvas like this made them somewhat easier than they could have been. Using crewel wool to do the work though was a bit of a pain as it was a bit too "rough" to use with the canvas size if you know what I mean. At the same time as me doing this my mum was doing canvas work with embroidery threads and I could certainly see how this worked a bit easier.

So now I'm on the look out for some new canvas work projects, so if you know of any online then please point me in the right direction.

Crafting books

Things are finally getting a bit more organised following our move and it felt great to today get all my craft books in one place on some new (to me) shelves in my study. Over the last few years I've been picking up various books either when I've seen them in sales, or in charity or secondhand book shops. Getting them altogether made me realise what a collection I've been building up covering knitting, crochet, embroidery, dress making and patchwork.

Although new books are always lovely and very inspirational, there's something about finding ones secondhand that give me a real thrill. Knowing that other people have learnt from them over the years and probably cherished them into their old age as well. My recent trip to Barter Books provided me with some such treasure. 

 

I first heard of Mary Thomas when I joined my mum at an Embroiders' Guild event last year. Someone was talking about how it's a shame that books like her's are so difficult to get hold of these days as they were fantastic at teaching people all the embroidery basics. As soon as I saw Mary's name on the shelf in the craft section I therefore jumped on these two volumes. 

Mary Thomas's Embroidery Book covers all the different embroidery types in detail, including some of the history and examples of its use. Some instructions are included, but it often references out to the second book in the pair: Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches or as it seems to be commonly known, The Dictionary. This really does as it says on the cover, all stitches, in alphabetical order are included, with instructions and diagrams to have a go yourself. Looking at the Embroidery Book it seems that it was first published in 1936, with the Dictionary preceding it by a couple of years. My copies are 1980s re-issues and looking on Amazon I believe that later versions have been released, although not within the last 10 years or so. 

 

Whilst Mary Thomas concentrated on embroidery in her books, Agnes M. Miall was much broader in her writings. Complete Needlecraft, originally published in 1943, covers a wider remit of all needle based crafts. 

 

It's lovely to see all of these things covered in one book, and although the styles of some of projects in the gift-making section had me laughing out loud. I think some of my friends and family would thing I'd totally lost the plot if I turned up with something made following these instructions - shampoo cape anyone? How times change!

A start on Jemima

Not much to show so far, but I've made a start on Jemima and I'm hoping that now I've cut out everything for the doll itself I should be able to complete that this week. The clothes may take a while longer though. Fingers crossed.  

Nostalgic Clothkits

One of my strongest childhood memories is my doll called Jemima. Made lovingly by my mum from a Clothkits kit I have no idea what happened to her in the end, but things like the detail on her dress still seem crystal clear in my memory. I was a child born in the 70s. I think all of us had something from Clothkits at the time. It was just the way things were back then.

I was therefore completely thrilled when I passed by the relaunched Clothkits stand at the Knitting and Stitching a week or so back and spotted Jemima smiling out at me. 

 

Jemima's now called Kitty. Or maybe she was called Kitty all along, I can't remember. Clothkits have reprinted the original Clothkitty rag doll kit, complete with her pretty dress. I can't wait to get the sewing machine out and recreate her - I feel like I'm regressing to childhood already!

Missing mojo

Since we moved house I seem to have lost all sewing and knitting mojo. I'm not really sure why as I keep wanting to do things, but have just not been motivated to do so for the last couple of months.

I'm hoping that this is going to change as I am missing not having something on the go. A trip round the shops on Saturday resulted in one purchase that may help and to make things even better a parcel waiting on the doorstep upon my return.

 

In the last couple of years I haven't actually made myself anything to wear on my sewing machine. Plenty of bags and household items, but not clothing at all. I'm hoping this is going to change though. I've always liked Amy Butler's fabric and recently spotted some of her sewing patterns in my local John Lewis and I'm afraid I couldn't hold back any longer! The fabric is Sweet Jasmine and the pattern is barcelona skirts. I think a couple of Amy's books may make it onto my Christmas wish-list this year!

The package from the postman contained this year's Rowan International members gift. I've received a couple of these before, but I have to say that this one look very nice, and possibly may get a bit more use eventually than the denim bag that I started last year. 

 

This time round there are a couple of patterns - a unisex scarf or a pretty lace one. I've not really done much lace knitting before, so I'm looking forward to making a start, the only problem being that the pattern requires 3 1/4 mm knitting needles, which to my utmost horror I don't seem to have a pair of! The yarn included in the kit is Rowan's Pure Wool 4ply (which strangely doesn't seem to appear anywhere on their website!) in a lovely shade called Eau de Nil, which, as an aside, reminds me very much of the colour of new kitchen walls.

This week I've also got a day out planned at the Knitting and Stitching show in London. It may turn out to be expensive but I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to come away from there without inspiration (and hopefully a new pair of knitting needles!)

Needlecraft is sew last year?

I was quite intrigued to come across this post on the BBC news website earlier today. 

When I first saw the article I thought it was all old news. I've written on here before about how more and more people are trying to follow the wartime ethos of make do and mend. I've certainly seen the republished Government guides from the time and have heard about how much sales of sewing machines have increased. What I hadn't realised though is just how "hip" it seems to be becoming. It seems that Topshop of all places are regularly selling out of the Make Do and Mend reissue! I have to admit that it wasn't somewhere that I would have expected selling it at all.

It seems that Mary Jane Baxter is planning to travel the length of the UK to see how people are making do and mending in these credit crunch times and Newsnight is following her as she goes. I'm not normally someone who stays up late enough to watch Newsnight, but for this I may have to make an exception - or at least find it on the BBC iPlayer!

Planned excitement

Still feeling rough from a cold that I seem to have picked up, but to cheer myself up I've this morning booked tickets for a couple of things that I'm planning to do over the next couple of months.

Firstly I'm going along to the annual Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace. This is an event that I've been along to many times over the last few years. I normally spend most of my time going round the stalls, but this year their theme is make do and mend, something that I'm always interested in. The demonstration parts of the day may therefore be of more interest to me than they sometimes are. Although the show is only a couple of weeks away it still counts as an advance ticket booking so I should receive a "savings book" with some vouchers in to help me save some money on the day as I know I won't be able to not buy anything!

The second outing is to the Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair. I've not been along to this before (or to the Spring fair) but having recently discovered the magazine, fallen in love with it and started subscribing, I thought it may be the kind of thing that I enjoy - and it might also give me some good ideas for decorating our new house for Christmas (I'm already getting excited about now having the space to have a real Christmas tree!)

Two lovely days out to look forward to!

Button bounty

From reading this blog, my mother in law, S, has realised my button addition. Therefore, when I saw her over the weekend she very kindly handed over a tin of buttons! Yippee! Thank you S!

There's a fantastic mix of styles, sizes and colours in there and I've had a great time so far sorting through them all and arranging them into little piles. Only for them to then all go back into the tin. I'm hopeful for a nice set of glass jars soon so that I can have them separated out into different coloured jars arranged nicely on a shelf. I just have to hope that I can find such a shelf in our new house, and a selection of nice jars in the charity shop.

Missing needles

After a long day in the office I was quite pleased to be getting my sewing machine out this evening, even if it was initially to mend a T-shirt of Mr C's. 

Once that task was complete I moved on to the fun stuff and my attempt to turn an old pair of jeans (again Mr C's) into a bag that I've got an idea from. All was fine with the cutting out and some initial sewing on a single thickness of the demin. 

Then it all started to go a bit wrong. I wanted to over sew a seam of the original jeans, meaning that it was about a triple thickness section.  It was too thick for the standard needle I was using, so I rummaged in my sewing box to find the alternative packets of needles that I know I have. I was also pretty sure I recently picked up some demin needles in a random bargain bin somewhere. I searched the main box I use for all my fabric and machine sewing bits. I searched the box I use for all my hand sewing goodies. I even searched through my ribbon box and the tin with all my embroidery thread in it. No sign of the needles. 

After searching everywhere twice, I gave up, convinced that I must have completely imagined every owning any such needles. As I pulled the cover onto my machine, after putting everything else away, I suddenly remembered that carefully disguised storage section in the machine itself. The one that is so well hidden that I didn't realise it existed at first. In there, in that safe place where I stored them, were said needles. Damn.

Still, it gives me a plan for what to do tomorrow evening!

Embroidery goodies

I've spent most of this weekend up north with my Mum as her guest at the Embroiders' Guild East Midland Region's Regional Day in Lincoln.

The format of the day was that there were various demonstrators showing a variety of embroidery and textile based crafts, along with stalls selling goodies (always important), exhibitions of work and a lecture in the afternoon.

I've not had much experience of the EG before, so it was nice to see what they all get up to. I do get the impression that they are much more geared towards people who are professionals within the embroidery and textiles field (or retired members that have so much free time that they may as well be doing it as a job) rather than hobbyists like myself, but still it was a nice day where I learnt quite a bit and came away feeling inspired.

Bearing in mind that we're going to hopefully be furnishing a new house soon I purposefully went out with the aim of not spending too much money. I'm pleased to say that luck seemed to be with me on the tombolla though as after buying five tickets (for the grand total of £2) I managed to come away with three prizes!

The prizes were all "inspiration packs" put together by Lincolnshire branch members. With three of them to use I"m hoping that quite a bit of inspiration will come my way!

For a while now I've been harbouring a yearning to try my hand at making a patchwork quilt. Living in such a small flat it's always been pretty impossible due to lack of space, so now that we are moving I am hopeful that I will no longer have that excuse not to. There was a lovely stall from Cotton Dreams where they had a lovely array of fabric fat quarters in some wonderful rich colours. I was (naturally) drawn towards the discount basket and found the following two.

The blue background (which is actually slightly darker than shown in this photo) was what initially drew me to this fabric. The details then made it a must have. The butterflies and ladybirds are just incredibly cute.

The Liberty-style design on this second fabric attracted me as I've recently felt a real fondness for this sort of thing. I'm also a huge tulip fan so that delicate tulips in the design also had a certain pulling power.

I'm hoping that I can pick up many more bits of fabric in a similar (cheap fashion) so that my first attempt at quilt making doesn't break the bank. I just have to cross my fingers that I manage to get a good colour scheme going as well. Time to go and dig out my charity shop purchased quilting book so that I can start dreaming!