Something Crafty - at last!

At long last my crafting mojo has returned. It deserted me the moment I got pregnant and nauseous and has been a long time returning. I am making a fabric picture to frame and hang in Little Baby Sister's room and as I have a thing for little cottages and cottage gardens that's what I'm making. I am of course inspired by the wonderful Amanda and her son Ezra as well. I have never done anything like this before so it's all experimental but it's also great fun getting stuck into a new project I can do by hand. (My Mum and I share the sewing machine and she has it at the moment.) Will show a pic when it is finished - I promise. Actually now I am finishing work for the year maybe I will have more time to start some new craft projects before the baby arrives...... here's hoping! (On that note: Amazon UK have told me I have to wait another 3 weeks until Amanda's book arrives - argh!)

WIP

I have a new WIP at long last.


The creative vibe has just deserted me completely since I became pregnant. I seem to be concentrating on nurturing rather than creating. Plus I am completely worn out by the end of the day. But I have managed to pick up some knitting. I am terrible at knitting and I really need to learn how to do it properly but I do enjoy the basic clicking of needles and the end result and that's enough for me. This is a scarf for Alex then I will do one for Chris but with better wool and bigger needles. I also still have Alex's crochet stripey blanket to finish but that's still languishing in a heap at the bottom of my wardrobe as it's only about 4 inches long so far. It's knowing I have another 3 feet to do that puts me off!

Vroom Vroom

Alex is just crazy about cars - to the point where he takes one to bed at night and kisses it tenderly good night. My brother warned me about the joys of having a car crazy son as one of my nephews is also car crazy. He now knows more about tractors and fire engines than most farmers and firemen! I have lots of nice wooden farms and villages and blocks and they all end up populated by fire engines and trucks rather than animals or people! So finally I decided since he isn't keen on dolls or stuffed animals I would make him a cuddly car to snuggle up to in bed. I did a bit of a rush job on it (whilst Alex napped one lunch hour) so it's not great. I do kind of like its homespun look even though I really do have to work on my embroidery skills. It's made from a thrifted flannel sheet which is so soft and so far it's not been flung out of his bed yet.

Another baby block

This one is for my nephew Edward who is due any day now.

Baby Block

My first attempt at a handmade baby gift. Made with a mix of kiddy fabrics and hand embroidered with her name. I hope baby Neve likes it. I enjoyed making it for her.

Handmade sleepy cat

I made this little fellow for my friend's 9 month old baby boy inspired by a library book about a tabby cat that Alex and I have been reading. Cotton flowery fabric, polyfill stuffing and an embroidered felt face. I like this as very simple and easy to handsew in front of the tv or in bed. You can add the expression to give it character. I was going to make one for Alex but my next project for him is to make a stuffed toy car as he loves his wheels!

A Handmade Home

I recently caught the crafting bug. Or at least regained the crafting bug.

I think it's mainly due to the fact that I am at home more and being a nesting mother I feel like surrounding myself with cosy, comfy homemade things. I want to create a relaxed family home full of kids paintings, handmade blankets and cushions. Mismatched crockery, jars full of shells, flowers from the garden. Full of life and colour and meaning.

Crafting is a much maligned artform. It really doesn't get nearly enough respect. I think of it as an old tradition of frugal living, of making things from scaps in order to save money. It is also about love and the pleasure of making things for other people . It is about family and traditions and passing on heirlooms. About using your hands and brain to make things rather than simply running down to the shop. It's about expressing yourself and being creative.

I enjoyed art when I was a kid and I was always making paper houses and miniature gardens and painting. Then as a working adult I forgot the simple pleasure of making things. I was too busy working and commuting and trying to keep up with friends and family. The one thing I have kept up is photography although I only have a cheap digital compact. Taking photos for this blog has been a great exercise in improving my eye and technique. There is such beauty in every day things and the memories of such ordinary happy stuff fade away unless they are snapped to preserve them.

I am also inspired on a daily basis by the fabulous craft blogs there are floating around the internet. It seems to me to be a wondeful kind, sharing, beautiful, inspirational and supportive community. I will link to the ones I find most inspiring as I go along.

And now I have also got back into making things. Especially with fabric. I treated myself to some superbuzzy fabric at the beginning but now I try to use thrifted and recycled fabric instead. I started making tote bags to put the groceries in so I could stop using plastic bags. Then I progressed to some lavender hearts as presents for my Mum and mother -in-law. NextI made some baby toys (blocks and stuffed cats). WIPs are a stuffed car (he likes things with wheels on them!) for Alex and some more complex animals such as a stuffed dog for my sister-in-laws new baby. I like making stuff for people. It is far more satisfying than buying it and I hope that they enjoy receiving it. Finding the time to do it - now that is another matter altogether. The odd nap time and the odd late night are about it. I am going to challenge myself to make one thing a week and take it from there.