A Shoe Story

Once upon a time I saw a picture of a colourful leather bag with a toggle fastening in a magazine and I took down the details because it looked interesting. That led to a catalogue being sent to me with leather kits to make a bag or a pair of shoes or boots , or other leather items.
Now soft comfy navy leather shoes are not always so easy to find, so I sent for a shoe kit as an advance birthday present- remember last year I got to go on the silver chain maille bracelet course? Well I thought I'd start a tradition: a creative project each birthday where I learn a new skill.
Here's the first shoe I made with the SIMPLE WAY shoe kit: it took just under 4 hours of stitching in a York Ibis hotel room as I happened to be there on Tuesday night. ( 7 pm to 11 pm)

I'm pretty thrilled with the stitching but alas it wasn't comfortable on my odd shaped feet so I had to take it back today. I had bought a ticket to the embroidery and fashion and sewing show at the NEC in Birmingham as I wanted to see the bags for myself and see all the colours of leather etc, as I really fancy at least 3 if not 4-5 of the bags also. So this kit led me to take a day off to visit the show.
Before this it was a sunny day on Miss Y's birthday and I saw the first green leaves on this tree at Cuttlebrook. It was also the first day for walking without a coat and for driving with the top down into Aylesbury to take Miss E to physiotherapy .
Miss Y chose a WW pork lasagna recipe for her birthday meal and I had to learn to do it, luckily it went well and it got 9.5 out of 10 as an average vote...
Proper birthday coverage for Miss E and Y to follow with piccies of cakes etc etc.

Now for the SHOW!
I was impressed by the postcard exhibition, all from hobby sewers, rather fun.


Costumes from Downton Abbey:

Mnay textile artists were featured, more than I had been expecting in fact. I usually go to the Ally Paly Knitting and Stitching show instead of this one...
There was a fashion show at 13:00 hrs of which this is a peep.
Big skirts from the 50's, circle cut or gathered over big nett petticoats were featured as back ''in''.

And there was a competition for school pupils age 14-17 : 14 models on different themes, some Audrey Hepburn, some 60's icons...
Although there was some knitting going on, there was very little yarn and no crochet nor any book stands but I DID spy a lady making THIS: in rooster almerino from laughing hens we think...
Lovely colours, no? All SEWN together. I was making a new scarf on the train- I had an hour wait in Banbury- which I will show soon..
This was a booth on ''connections'' and I loved these ZIPPER people...
Some amaaaazing machine- but automated- embroidery....
And truly beautiful sewing: There's a course on CHANEL jackets like this one that I'd like to go on! Includes braid making and jewel neck fitted jackets..
Then I found an artist from Oxfordshire with the most lovely pieces including THIS one, which I was hoping to BUY for our redecorated, re incarnated living room but JJ is a bit lukewarm about it?
I watched many demo's : including bust dart changing, fimo cane and flower bead making, monoprinting with thickened manutex textile dye in a squeezee bottle, needle felting, soklusheet puckering, etc etc But I really LOVED THIS ONE: Making RESIN jewellery pieces...!!!
Maybe THIS is the workshop I should claim for my birthday as there's one just 2 days after my real b'day..?
And then all too soon- especially as I arrived at 12 noon due to trains etc- it was 17:30 and the show closed..BYE BYE!

A home-made Christmas

We're in the Christmas mood: ooh yes indeedy! Been wearing this ol' jumper all day now, a wonderfully warm garment made by yours truly some 20 odd years ago....

It's my own design, a patchwork of assorted traditional Scandinavian fair -isle motifs and an exceedingly comfy baggy A-line cut. Purwool mostlyYeoman yarn:4 ply with some chenille which isn't lasting so well: there are quite a few bare patches....
Don't you just LOVE luv luv the dancing reindeer???!!!LOL

This was an early present from my mum: a new sewing machine to use for my course as my old 1471 Pfaff had met with an accident- a running child knocked it onto a concrete floor and the floor won- and was no longer safe or reliable alas.

This is a very basic machine and I miss my needle threader, ''my needle down'' button and the warning light when the bobbin is about to run out but other than that this one sews like a dream!

Bought for free machining of course so there was no need for any fancy stitches.

The anniversary bouquet 5 days later and still not yet sketched!!! Ooops. We haven't celebrated yet as JJ is still very up and mostly VERY DOWN about the business and what we are going to live on in January..... Last proper paypacket as an employee: 28 December 2009.

It is therefor to be a HAND MADE Christmas : starting with these window decorations: part star and part snowflake they come from a post at attic 24 see sidebar for the link. I have made over 24 of these now, I prefer them in the cotton and have been stiffening them with 50/50 PVA/H2O overnight in the airing cuoboard neatly stretched and pinned out on the styrofoam that came in the box of the new sewing machine.... Wrapped in clingfilm of course in case of sticking....oh no that would never do!

From my stash of white craft cotton and red 4 ply or chenille and using PVA from my course materials stash: these have cost us nothing, nada, NJET nad YET..... they are so PRETTY!!!

AND FESTIVE!

i like them best against the green hedges and ivy... Against a grey sky is not so goood.

Then the last 2 days I have been crocheting a scarf/shawl for one miss and making a bag for the other....

Here's a peek at the progress:

Applique fishes on one side: I loved doing the bubbles!

and CUPCAKES on the other side!!! YUMMY, I just want to pluck a cherry and EAT it!!!

Talking of eating: I personally do not care so much for mince pies... BUT give me some STOLLEN and I'm in HEAVEN!!!

Thus far I have tried and tested a small one OELEN STOLLEN from W'rose and it was sooo DELISH it lasted less than an hour!!! Rum soaked and just the right amount of marzipan......

And then there were these ''stollen bites'' : 12 I thought would last a wee while but no!

All gone same day: both JJ and Miss E helped on that though.

I even made a proper lining !!! With a zippered pocket and a tab/ring for keys AND a sunglasses/ mobile phone pocket too. Never did that before so although it was a bit stressy and a bit boooring ( unlike applique which is FUN) i PERSISTED and it's turned out OK!

Got to do the tah dah tomorrow as the camera battery is flat again.

Oh deary me past midnight again, must go! Will turn into pumpkin very shortly.

Miss E missed bus Monday and almost missed it Tuesday as both days JJ said he's take her, so I set my alarm a bit later than usual: turns out I'm the only one who can HEAR an alarm.

Everyone else needs to be woken up by ME!!!

Back to waking at 6.30 am then, roll on Christmas holidays!! Only 2 sleeps to go.


Hope your Christmas/ Festive Season preparations and decorations are going well? Come see me tomorrow and I'll show the bag and the stocking I'm making?

Knitting and Stitching Show 10.10.09

The day arrived quite suddenly and although I had ordered an entrance ticket I had not made any other plans when a very kind friend from the Thame S&B asked if I would like to join the coach organised by the Sydenham knitters and stitchers and so I did. And on this very roomy, very comfortable coach I crocheted little granny squares.

At the show I had a FABULOUS demo on screenprinting for just over an hour! And now I can't wait to have a go- but I still have a few things to get ready for this so it may be a little while before I blog my screenprinting efforts!

I also LOVED LOVED LOVED the CINDY HICKOK exhibition: her work is so clever and witty!!!

If you click on her name above you should be able to see some of her work?

She was there in person from the USA and really lovely to talk to!!!

Then the PFAFF exhibition took my breath away with my favourites being Cindy's car, the train/balloon and car with mountains and a viaduct- all in 3D!!! and the footprints in the snow.

The Theme was travel and the interpretations were very varied and absolutely fascinating.

I almost like the interpretation and words written by the artist more than the execution or the actual piece sometimes!

My sorrow was that so very many exhibitors and artists forbade any cameras at all even for private use only so unlike previous years I do NOT have 40 or more inspirational snapshots to keep me going until next year.

The knitting awards section had 2 CROCHET dresses in it by Pandora Bahrami from Nottingham Trent Umiversity and they were stunning.

Met my friends for lunch and then shopped a little- so much choice but not many bargains alas.

Then at 4.30 pm I was feeling jaded and had an urge to take some photos so these were all taken outside in the entrance hall....
A knitted sail.
A knitted boat

There it is!

In honour of all those anatomy lessons....I had to admire this EMBROIDERY of arteries and veins of the human body. Not quite anatomically correct but fairly close.

The famous window: to inspire many quilts? It's more colourful from the inside, I have a printed photo of many years ago... Have been coming here since at least 2003 or even earlier?!

Ah I do like a bit of architecture or grids/checks and stripes...

The curly silver ''barrier'' really caught my eye: I like it! Crochet this in a furry angora or mohair and it's a curly scarf! OK yes I maybe just a little insane, mad, crrrazy?!

Lovely views across London at 5.15 pm. one could see for miles and miles and.....

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? What is that person with the green rubbish shute on their house having done to their house/roof/attic? They must have the builders in!

Bye bye London!

Then on the way home: NO crocheting got done as there was this MOST MAGNIFICENT SUNSET!!! oooooooh the golds, oranges, purples, greys, soft blues,reds and even yellows were to die for! I tried to capture some of it, but of course the coach drove so fast and my dear little camera could hardly cope. This is a tiny indication of what it was like, BUT the naked eye could see 100's more colours and in focus of course!

7.30 pm HOME SWEET HOME.