Christmas is almost here...

... well it isn't really, but it already feels too close for me!

I've decided to make everyone's presents this year (something I will no doubt regret later). I always get a bit worried about making gifts; will they turn out OK, will the recipient like them, will I get them done in time? Last year I was up 'til all hours on Christmas Eve, frantically printing out family calenders left, right and centre and I'm determined that this year will be more organised! Haha, yeah right..

Anyways, things have started well; here comes gift number one. Sis, look away NOW! ;)



My Sister loved the fabric that I used for the tote project in Home Ec and I was lucky enough to have some left over. I found this fab bag pattern over at sewingwithme and couldn't wait to get stuck in.



It's a really cute bag, and was fairly easy to put together. I had a mild dilemma when I realised I'd cut the pattern upside down (that'll teach me for doing things late at night), and I didn't quite have enough of the green fabric for the strap (I ended up joining two pieces together).



But, I'm still happy with the end result. Hopefully the sister will agree.



So, the count down to Christmas has begun, anyone else making gifts this year? :)

Orla Lampshade

Finally, I have something new to share with you guys. Work is being pretty demanding of late, so nothing is getting finished around here....

I've had a lampshade kit for sometime now (bought from Duffy London) but just couldn't decide how I wanted it to look... until I found this amazing Orla Kiely print bring sold by the lovely (and very talented) Manda over at Treefall

It was a little tricky getting everything to stick together using the tape provided, but after a little intervention from some very strong glue, everything came together just fine!

I love my new lampshade, and so my Orla obsession continues.... :)

Little Burb would like to know...

is it Halloween yet?

My little Orla Kiely obsession..

Eek, is it bad that I decide to have an obsession with a designer that is SO expensive over here in the UK (although what isn't expensive over here?). We don't have the luxury of her Target range and everything seems to have at least a couple of naughts on the end. Just means I lust after it ever so slightly more...

I've already been buying fat quarters from eBay to make these lovely cushions...



and then I simply HAD to make these canvasses for my room...



Cutting this big piece up seemed such a crime, so I made a canvas out of it also...



Today is payday, so I treated myself to some of this fab orange car print. I have a make your own lampshade kit with its name all over it!

Must stop looking at the Orla section in Heal's... Must do more Home Ec projects....

PS. Sorry about the rubbishy photos, I've been hit with the flu and my camera is at work :(

Project Pot Holder

I cut the fabric out for this project last week, and it has just been sitting and waiting patiently for my sewing machine to get better. I thought that this project was rather fun to do, and not too taxing on the old brain (which is always good). I really like the way that Hannah finished her pot holder off with the tape, so I think I might do that for my next attempts... 




Monkey seemed to enjoy it too...



Talk about posing... anyone would think I'd created it just for him!



Apparently it's the perfect sized mat for a cup of tea.



Although that's Monkey's tea, not mine!

Little Burb

Sorry things have been a bit quiet around here lately. There are lots of things happening in the real world at the moment. Some good, and sadly some not so good. Crafting has taken a back foot somewhat...

I did however manage to finish off my ironing board cover. My sewing machine took pity on me and decided to start working again :)



It's a shame I had all the frustrations with my machine, as it prevented me enjoying what turned out to be a fairly simple project. Ahh well, it's done now! So long as people don't expect me to suddenly become an ironing goddess with the thing ;)

I have also been taking advantage of any free time that comes my way, and drawing where ever possible. Without realising it, most of my doodles seem to resolve around the same little character.

So, from scribble...



To computer...



To fabric (not quite finished yet)...



Little Burb says hello :)

Poorly Sewing Machine :(

Sadly the tension problem that I had on my sewing machine has resurfaced (just as I was making my ironing board cover - boo!). So whilst that goes back to the repair man I'm having to fill my spare time with other things...

Like the fact that I'm a designer with an irrational fear of Illustrator. There is no logic to it. I know I 'can' use it, but I always get scared... Way back at the start of the year I made the resolution to get drawing again... So far all I've done is look at the fab artwork out there from everyone else  ;)

Like these ace pictures from vol25 and Stephanie Fizer

Or this amazing piece by Owaikeo

 

Ok, so enough of the surfing. I have my sketches, I have my graphics tablet. I can use Photoshop, I CAN use Illustrator. This weekend I WILL create an Illustration.

Hmm, anyone for a brew? ;)

Project Dress

Ok, so I might be skipping ahead slightly in Home Ec sewing class terms, but sometimes needs must! :)



I bought this top last week on a bit of a whim (without bothering to try it on). I was already running late for a night out and figured I could just buy something and shove it on quickly. Big mistake! Despite looking lovely on the hanger, this top looked positively awful on me. Bleurgh.



I have a kind of hour glass figure and should really know better by now; anything baggy around the waist does nothing for me! Normally I would have chucked the top to the back of the wardrobe and forgotten about it, but after seeing some of the fab alterations from our class I thought I'd give it a whirl. Plus detail like this is far too nice to be hidden away :)



As I had no one to help me pin the top whilst I was wearing it, I found an old top that fits really well and placed it on top, pinning around the edge. It's a little bit scary having to cut up something you've just bought, but I bit the bullet and did it anyway.



Finally, I found some of this lovely lace (Mum's stash again!) and added it to the bottom. It's still a tad too short to wear as a dress, but works perfectly with a pair of leggings!

Now, I just need to find an excuse to wear it...

Project roll-up

Well it's been a busy day here in the Burb household (anyone would think that I was home alone or something). I decided to make the most of what leave I have left and get cracking on another project from my Home Ec sewing class.

 

I found this fab bit of oilcloth in my local Hobby Craft store. I love it! Which is lucky really as I have enough left to make at least another two or three rolls... You may recognise the red tape from my bunting project, I had so much leftover that it seemed silly not to use it up! 



The inside of the roll-up was created using yet another old table cloth retrieved from Mum's vast fabric stash. It's a little bit boring I know, but I didn't have any coloured fabric that matched the circles and I'm far too fussy to settle on something that doesn't go.





The downside is I have no excuses left for not tidying up after myself anymore... ;)

Project Bag

I really wasn't sure about this fabric before I started. I buy most of my stash online from Esty (it's just way too expensive in the UK), and well, you can never really tell how it'll look until it arrives! Still, I'm not one to waste anything, so I put it to good use for this project!



Personally, I'm not sure what I was worried about! It might be the fact that the sun has come out to play, but I think it looks pretty good :)



Perfect to take to my Uncle's allotment to stock up on these marrows! :)

Project Bunting

Woah, how busy have these past two weeks been? I've barely been home, so sadly the sewing has been neglected. I intend to make up for it this weekend! There is Formula 1 on the telly, and this makes for the perfect excuse to sit down and sew (at least this is the reason I've given to my Dad as I hog his new TV)!



In my absence some fab new Christmas fabric arrived through the door, perfect in my mind for the Home Ec bunting project! I really wanted to spell out something festive like Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday, but was a bit limited by the size of the fireplace... Hopefully Noel will work just as well!



All the felt came courtesy of Mum's vast craft stash. I was lucky enough to find a big wadge of the red to match my red tape, and then added the smaller green and blue circles to break things up a bit.



The letters were handsketched on paper first, and cut out to make templates.



I used a zigzag stitch to go round them as I find it a bit easier to control. Overall I'm very happy with the results. Roll on Christmas! :)

A little help..

I don't usually like posting a project until it's finished, but I'm in need of a bit of help...

A while ago, in a moment of madness, I offered to make my friend a wall canvas for her new home. I say mad, because we have completely different tastes, likes, well everything! Eek.



I thought ahead and got her to make me a mood board of things she liked, colours that would work in her house etc. and this is what she came up with. In hindsight I think that copying one of the above would have been the safer option, but I didn't. Ho hum.



Here is what I have so far. I got a bit impatient waiting for the fabric paint to dry, so have started pinning a few bits into place. I intend to applique them all on in a bright pink thread. I also need to actually sew the two pieces of fabric together (I didn't want to get paint on the stitching).

I might also stitch a few more details to the branches on the blue side (in blue so they provide a bit of texture), and I'm debating whether or not to add a bit of padding to the bird.

The thing is, I'm not sure if I like it or not...

I'm also not sure if it needs something top left, or if the white space works. I know I've been staring at it all day, so am probably drained of all creativity, but it's missing something right?

Ugh. Why couldn't I just buy flowers like everyone else?

Project Gift Pouch

I really enjoyed project two, and was surprised how easy it was. I had to slightly alter the pattern so my flowers didn't end up upside down on one side, but even that was easy enough.



Now I've made this lovely pouch I'm really not sure that I want to give it away. It's just the right size for my shower bits that I use at the gym, so I may just keep it for myself ;)



I was thinking that a smaller version of this, plus a folded up version of project three, would make a great 'bag for life'... here's hoping the shopping tote is also nice and easy to make. I won't be using any left over ricrac on it for sure ;)

Speaking of ricrac... I've finally finished all my table mats!!



Each took several attempts to get the darn ricrac right (oh, how I HATE ricrac), I don't know where I would have been without my unpicker! :)



Roll on project three! :)

Project Napin Table Mat

So, the start of my sewing course has finally arrived. My sewing machine has been fixed, and my fabric has been washed. You could say I was all ready to go!

Project one is some funky looking napkins... now here we have a wee problem. Despite being uber keen and raring to go, I just wasn't sure about these napkins. I don't use them, or know anyone who uses them, and I so wanted my first project to be used.

After much agonising (about 30mins or so) I happened across a pattern in a sewing book for some table mats and realised that they were just the solution I was looking for. Everyone uses table mats :)



I think it turned out quite well in the end, the ric rac proved a little taxing to start with. Me and my unpicker came to a good understanding after the third attempt (I tacked it in place and then used those stitches as my guide). I even attempted a wee bit of machine quilting over the top!

One down, three to go! :)