Sneak preview of our fabric collection...coming online soon!

I've been finding it hard recently to keep on top of updating the blog and Facebook and Twitter....this list goes on...my excuse?...I've been busy stocking up my new online shop!

As the renovations of our fantastic bricks and mortar shop trundles on, the online shop is really taking shape! I have been choosing out the best, most beautiful, colourful and exciting fabrics, haberdashery and yarn and all going to plan I'll be ready to go by mid July!

I've been getting deliveries all the time and its been really exciting to open up the boxes like they're big early christmas presents!

I wanted to take lots of pictures to give you guys a sneak preview so here is my first instalment!

I'm sure a lot of you have heard that Amy Butlers first fabric range, Gypsy Caravan, has been reprinted. If you haven't heard then your in for a treat!

It's a totally gorgeous collection of 100% cotton quilting weight fabric. There is a mixture of floral prints - large and small, stripes and dots too meaning lots of amazing colour and pattern combinations. We will be stocking 18 prints from the collection and here they are!.........

The colour palate of the whole range runs into each other really nicely. I think you could easily have all of these together but choosing a selection of either more bluey ones, greeny ones or more pinky ones works really well too!

One of my favourites is the blueish colour way of the large floral print, the one that is focus in the this pic below.

 I think it would look great as an oversized bag or cushion so you could get the full effect of the pattern. You can see form the other fabric blots that there are loads of options of what to combine with this print with. I've got loads of ideas buzzing round...a co-ordinating lining for a hand bag, a contrasting strap using the strips or a use one to make a trim for a cushion cover.

I'll be selling these lovely fabrics by the half meter or in fat quarter bundles of either 4, 6 or 8 and you will be able to choose your own combination for the fat quarter bundle too!

My blog will be moving over to the new site soon so for any subscribers to the blog you might have to re-add our new address to your Google reader or Bloglovin account. All the details will be on this blog anyhoo!

Let me know what you think of the collection....how would you stitch up yours?! I'll be back later in the week to show you some more colourful treats from our new stock!

What to do with crochet granny squares?.......Bunting!!

Before I left to go on my South American adventure last November I got together a crochet project ready to take with me. I had been knitting and sewing so much before I left that going away for 7 weeks without doing anything crafty seemed pretty hard. 


I had bought the gorgeous 'Cute and Easy Crochet' book by Nikki Trench not long before I left and decided to take some supplies with me to make one of her throws (see previous blog post). 

The same throw was recently featured in Mollie Makes Magazine

I knew there would be long plane and bus journeys so thought it might be a good way to pass some time. Unfortunatly my little scissors got confiscated at security at Birmingham Airport (too pointy apparently) so I had to buy a nail clipper to cut my yarn...quite effective once I got the hang of it! 


So I had great intentions...had all my yarn ready....colour scheme decided...copied out the pattern...had my nail clippers and hook...

The yarn I used was Amy Butler belle organic aran for Rowan 

......hmmmmmm, things didn't quite go as planned....I managed to make about 20 squares in total...... 

 So all this yarn had a lovely trip too...being stuffed in my rucksack for 7 weeks....

I think its hard to just have one project on the go at one time. I missed my vintage top I was knitting before I left...but I could't have brought that too!  


So for all of you out there who have more that one project on the go...good for you!! Variety is the key I say.... especially when it come to me and to crochet. 


So instead of making up the throw I decided to so something that had more instant results.....bunting! Everyone loves a bit of bunting and using crochet squares makes for a good alternative to the traditional triangle ones. 

7 weeks without stitching - NEVER!

As my big trip to South America looms closer I've been thinking about what projects I can take that will keep me going during 7 weeks of backpacking.  We have decided to only take 2 smallish rucksacks each. Mine is 33 litres and hubbys is 35 litres. So space is seriously tight.

We've got quite a distance to cover, and even though we will be spending a lot of time trekking and sightseeing there are quite a few long bus and plane journeys in to get through as well. What better way to pass the time than to take some projects to keep me going.

I thought about taking the vintage knitted top that I keep going on about, but I would be beside myself if anything happened to it, its taken me so long to figure out how to do it and I've spent so long working on it.

A few weeks ago now I was at the Knitting and Stitching show in London and the lovely people there taught me how to crochet. I had tried once before but made the mistake of not practising regularly enough and quickly forgot how to do it.

Since then I've been practicing granny squares and I am defiantly getting more of a hang of it...although still not mastered what to do with all the loose ends.

So I thought something like this might be good to squeeze in my rucksack. Only one hook needed...I can take just a few balls of wool...no biggie if my rucksack gets nicked or anything. Maybe by the time I get back I'll have enough squares to stitch me up a blanket!

I bought this gorgeous crochet book by Nicki Trench recently. 

It has a few blanket projects in it but I'm going for the beginner one...this 'Springtime Throw'. Its bloomin' massive (finished size 162cm x 2223cm)...so I'm just going to work with the few yarn balls that I have and see how many squares I get to. 

House of Fraser have a sale on the Amy Butler Belle Organic aran and DK at the moment...I think they are selling of there end of line stock and I managed to top up some of the yarn that I already had for just £2.50 per ball (usually over £5 so a bit of a bargain). Only problem was you had to buy it in packs of 10 balls...which seemed excessive....so I managed to find a few smaller packs and I'm planning on using the cream and the two shades of blue to make up a smaller blanket. Will probably end up being a baby sized blanket...now I just need a baby...maybe not just yet! 

Getting projects finished - eventually!

I've been a bit of a stranger to my blog recently and have been finding it hard to get time to keep things up to date. Having said that I have been busy, as always stitching, sewing, knitting and the like. I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London a few weekends ago for the first time. I had a great time and even managed to get someone to teach me how to crochet!


On the business side of things (please see this post for summary) I went to a free workshop run by the Business Link people last week about finding and keeping customers. I wasn't sure about it before hand but actually ended up having a really good time and got a chance to talk a lot about my new business and how to give my customers a 5 star experience! All very exciting...so please keep an eye on how I'm getting on so you can be involved once I'm up and running (fingers crossed opening spring 2012!).


I've written a few posts recently about trying to complete all the various craft type projects I have on the go around the house. And continuing on my mission I've managed to get a few more things finished off over the last few weeks.


This is an Amy Butler  design for an afghan bolster cushion cover that I adapted a bit and decided to do a stripy design for the back. When we had the heat wave at the beginning of the month I had a lovely relaxing time sitting out in the sun finishing it off. 

 This is a Cath Kidson design from her new "Sew" book that my friend Amy gave for my birthday. It turned out really well, and I love that it is lined as well, makes it feel much more sturdy. Using it a a knitting bag at the moment but its solid enough to carry heavy things too so very versatile!

 A while back now I posted about the screen printed roman blind that I got finished and hung up in my studio/spare room. I had quite a few scraps and practice prints left over and it seemed a shame not to do anything with them so I made some cushions to match. I just appliquéd them onto a neutral background colour and made an envelope type fastening on the back and secured with self cover buttons. I also made a few of the practice prints into tote bags as well (not that I actually needed any more of them!)

 Some of you may recognise the design below from the Cross Stitcher July issue. I spotted it in Mollie Makes Magazine and thought they looked lovely. Its taken a while but managed to get to finished over the weekend. I used Japanese fabric that I bought from The Eternal Maker at the Knitting and Stitching Show to make the back and sides of the cushion. Its got parrots and peacocks on it - still loving' all the bird related stuff that out there at the moment!

I also eventually finished the dining chair that I've been hammering away at for what seams like ages! I'm really pleased with how it has turned out, even if I don't really have anywhere to put it at the moment. My little house is just about bursting at the seams with various bits of furniture that I've re-vamped or given a make over too. I've also seem to have made up so many different cushion covers over the last few months theres hardly any room for me left on the sofa!

So whats next?!?!? I've started making up the vintage knitting pattern that I found in the deepest darkest depths of my mum and dads garage......

Its meant to be made up in 3ply (which I've discovered doesn't really exist anymore unfortunately) so I'm using 4 ply instead and altered the needle size. I did a tension square to check so just going for it and I'll see what happens. If it ends up not fitting I'll use it as part of a display in my new shop! Just got the back panel rib done so far so watch this space for how I get on with it!