Sunday 1 September 2013

During the holidays, my children have been going to bed much later than normal - what fun for them! What a nightmare for me! I cannot relax in the evening until they have gone upstairs because no sooner do I do something "for me" than someone needs something, hits someone or asks a question to which I know they already have the answer. Consequently, I needed projects that could be broken up into small pieces so that if I was disturbed it wouldn't interrupt my flow. Into the breach stepped a cushion I have been working on for......well, lets just say the magazine the pattern was in is dated November 2011 and I think I started it almost immediately. But, Rome wasn't built in a day and I am thrilled with the result.


Ta da! Typically, I picked a much brighter red, green and blue than the pattern suggested (theirs was more muted, autumnal colours) but I'm really pleased with the result. The back is made of 2 halves and I picked co-ordinated buttons to finish it off.


Because it is made in several small stages, I also made myself a Quilters Trug .



You may remember that I made two of these before and that I found them quite tricky. Well, because I made every possible mistake on those two I found this one quick and easy, and would now make another if anyone wanted one (I had previously said that after getting around to making my own I would NEVER make another one). Just proves that practise makes (nearly) perfect after all.

And for BFF's birthday, I made her a hanging heart decoration:



Because of the rain last weekend, I didn't feel too guilty about staying in and working on a new project. I had noticed at the beginning of the summer that a friend was using a carrier bag to hold her pegs so I thought that called for a homemade gift. I had found a few "patterns" for peg bags and tried to get the appropriate hangers but nothing seemed straightforward, not least of all the fact that to buy hangers was going to be quite expensive.  I managed to acquire some (hundred's!) of hangers by asking friends on facebook if they had any baby size ones. I then set to work combining two of the patterns I had found to end up with the sort of bag that I wanted to make. I even made a practise one first with some old curtain lining in case it didn't work! Which it didn't, so I had to do some tweaking. But the end result is not bad:


I would like to point out that I did iron the fabric before I started working on the bag, but my ironing skills are obviously about as good as my measuring ones.


My friend was delighted with it when I gave it to her on Monday, wrinkles* and all.

Where does the time go? It's time for Handmade Monday again!
Have a great week,
Love Natalie

*I am of course referring to wrinkles on the pegbag, not on my friend......

12 comments:

  1. That trug looks amazing! Well done for going back and perfecting the technique! not surprised the friend was pleased - your peg bag beats a carrier bag any day!!

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  2. Oh I know that feeling of bedtime slipping back and back. mine have gone to bed early tonight to give me a bit more time. I love the colours you have used on your cushion and the buttons are just perfect. A great week all around :)

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  3. Love the colours and textures of the cushion. It's nice to have small projects you can pick up and down at a seconds notice.

    Well done on mastering the trug. Like the others it's lovely. The little clothes on the washing line are so cute...

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  4. Very cute cushion. I tend to knit because it is so easy to pick up and put down.

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  5. Fabulous bag I love the little washing link on the front. I wish I had friends who made me things just because they thought I needed it.

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  6. What a thoughtful gift for your friend. As for the cushion - crafters are nothing if not tenacious with projects!

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  7. I really love the colours you've used on your cushion - it makes it so bright and cheery. I really like your peg bag too - definitely more exciting than a carrier bag!

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  8. I'm at the stage where I say goodnight to my children and I go to bed!
    Love the peg bag :)

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  9. The trug is lovely, it has so many uses and looks great too. I love the dotty fabric.

    Jan x

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  10. It's not so much bedtime that's been the trouble with mine but getting them out of the house while it's still morning! How satisfying to finally finish the cushion (I think I have project somewhere that has been lurking unfinished since 2006, ooops). x

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  11. so many lovely things this week, i can't believe you've got so much done with the littlies in tow!

    Your cushion is so cute, i love the bright colours and it looks really cosy and cuddly too :) Your trug is fab, you've definitely mastered them now! It takes a few goes to get the hang of something new doesn't it, then once you've got it you wonder how it was ever difficult!

    Both your gifts are gorgeous, you have some very lucky friends :) x

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  12. What a lovely projects, I've taken to breaking down projects into bitesize chunks. Definitely easier to keep the crafting going at the beginning of term. x

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