Blogaversery

Hello little birdie,

Today is my blogaversery. It's been 12 months since I started my blog and what an exciting 12 months it has been for me.

I started my blog as a new years resolution last year so I could show my friends and family what craft projects I had completed without carrying them all over the country side.

This year I completed a total of 50 projects, at least one each month. I am proud of my crafting efforts for 2009 . I am looking forward to many more crafting adventures in 2010.

Here are few of my favourite completed projects for 2009.

Knitting,

Sewing,

Crafting,

My crafting new years resolution is to start a regular 'Stitch 'n' Bitch' group with my closest crafty friends.

Happy new year everyone, may it be a safe and crafty one.
Cheers to may more completed craft projects,
Best wishes, Amy.

December Crafting

Hello little birdie,

I have finished several projects this month. With the festive season preparations I have had no time to post the pictures.
I completed my first crotchet project ever. I am only able to do one stitch, but it's a start. I learnt at a workshop with my mum at this years craft show. It's our annual mother / daughter outing.
I made the plain piece of crotchet into a mat with a bound edge (this covers any mistakes i may or may not have made).

I also completed 2 pram rugs with scraps I had left over from previous projects. They turned out pretty cute. Note to self, quilting with corduroy is not fun!

Special Project

Hello Little Birdie,
Please see bellow a special project I completed for this very lovely and talented lady!

Before...
After...It's an earring stand for use at markets. I think it now pops.

Finished Knitted Projects

Hello Little Birdie,

I have recently finished these two knitted projects.

The white jacket is a pattern from this book. The wool was purchased especially for the project and I am currently making a larger one in an orange colour.

The blue vest I adapted from the same pattern as the white jacket. It has no sleeves because I did not have enough of the blue wool left over.

Happy knitting.

Holiday Crafting

Hello Little Birdie,

I was lucky enough to have the second week of the school holidays off.
I spent a lot of my time crafting, my favourite way to relax. I probably should have been catching up on odd jobs around the house. My guilt about this is only fleeting.

I managed to start and finish some projects and complete others that have been in the to do basket for who knows how long.

My projects to show you are...
This hat and booties. Made from beautiful wool left over from previous projects.

This gorgeous little dress with a pocket friend.

And this pair of funky animal pants.
The dress and pants were made from patterns from this book.

I love this book. I am currently recommending it to anyone who will listen to me. The instructions are so clear that I have been able to follow them to the letter instead of improvising as I usually do. The projects are also all so cute and practical. I am looking forward to trying more projects.

Baby Bloomers and More

Hello Little Birdie,

This weekend while I have had a little time I have been indulging in a little sewing from a new addition to my sewing book collection.
This book is fantastic. The projects are cute and the instructions are easy to understand.

A made 2 pairs of baby bloomers out of an old pillow case that was ripped. I also made a pair of the toddler pants out of an old pair of men's pants. They ended up as shorts because the amount of usable material in the pants was minimal. I hope these fit the nephew. I am very happy with the results of both, especially the bloomers. The great thing about using preloved material such as the pillow case and pants is that because they have been washed and washed the fabric is so soft. I will defiantly be tackling more projects from this book. I love it!

Yo Yo Bibs

Hello Little Birdie,

Here is an idea for the use of fabric yo yo's.
Decorate some cheep bibs from the supermarket to make them look very funky.

Long Time, No post!

Hello Little Birdie,

Long time, no post. But not through lack of completed craft projects. Just busy in my life at the moment.

I am still managing to keep up my goal of at least one project per month and have also have got back into knitting and projects are taking longer to complete.

I finished the red stripey jumper and are very happy with the result.

I have also made some kinder art smocks. These are great for painting! The plastic material is very soft and moves easily when the child moves.

Lastly I also completed a cork screw scarf. This was a bit of a challenge as it required wrap and turn in the pattern. I think the colour of this wool is just beautiful.

My aim now is to be a better blogger and post more regularly. I hope everyone has a lovely crafty weekend.

Dog Coat

Hello Little Birdie,

This weekend I made a coat for the old boy.

He is sick, on medication and getting very skinny despite eating like an elephant.
I hope this keeps him a bit warmer.

Weekend Knitting

Hello Little Birdie,

This weekend I finished some knitting projects.

I am always surprised how long it takes to finish off a knitted garment after the knitting has finished.

I completed this 12 month old stripey jumper.

This pattern was quite quick and it is from this book.
I like this jumper so much I have started another one.
I also completed another small vest designed by thrifty knitter.

I started this to use up some wool (the green) from the stash of leftovers and I ran out before the vest was completed. I used a contrasting wool from my stash leftovers to complete it and wove some in to the body to link the two colours. It turned out ok, however I would have preferred it to be all the same colour.

Happy knitting.

Retro Basket

Hello Little Birdie,

As you know I am a lover of all things cane, especially baskets.

Today I completed a new top for a lovely round basket with a lid. I have had this basket for as long as I can remember, I think that it was my mum's. It had some old plastic embroidered flowers on top that were falling to pieces. I took these off, used the existing orange trim and added a padded fabric top.

I am quite pleased with the results. Now I just have to decide what to store in it.

Dolls Clothes

Hello Little Birdie,

Last weekend I completed some dolls clothes. I did not make all the clothes in the bellow picture only the pink hat, pink scarf and pink pants. These are the most beautiful dolls for children. They are from Windmill. I was most pleased with how the pants turned out. I made them by making two rectangles and then sewing them up like pants with some elastic woven into the waist to keep them on.

Thank-you for the advice about taking photos for the blog, I am now going to attempt to take the photos in natural light.

Debbi Bliss Cardie

Hello little birdie,

I have been so busy this month, so alas not much time for crafting or blogging.

My poor neglected blog!

I have kept my one project a month quota. Just! I was not sure that I was going to be able to. I have completed a Debbi Bliss knitted cardie from "Very Special Knits." Its hard to see the colour, but it is a light green.

I don't seem to be able to take very good photos of my work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could improve this?

Teenie, Weenie, Tiny Shoes!

Hello Little Birdie,

I am the proud owner of a new and fabulous book, "Meet Me At Mikes."

Today I had a go at my first project from the book. Tiny shoes!
For a sewer who has a lot of difficulty following patterns and instructions I found the instructions for these tiny shoes easy to follow and I am quite proud of the results.

I would be interested to know what you think of the fabric, its baby faces.

I like how it looks on the shoes, but when I opened up the pack of fabric squares that it came in I was not so sure and I thought it was weird.

I highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to making more projects from it.

Pink Size One Overalls

Hello Little Birdie,

Yesterday I finished a bright pink pair or cord overalls. They are a little rough but have come together fairly well. My mum requested these for a little girl she met last Christmas. I was worried that I would not get any projects finished this month as we are moving house and I have had to pack up all my sewing stuff. I should not have worried.

I also had a helper with this project. Funny how Miss Fluffy always places herself right where I am working. (I would not change this).

Happy sewing!

Hand Made Gift

Hello Little Birdie,

I am moving Jobs after 4 years. For one of my colleagues/friends I made the below hand made gifts as a thank-you. A quilters hold all bag, a coin purse, a yo yo badge and some fabric covered button hair ties. The bag and coin purse fabric is some I found at spotlight recently. I love the fabrics vintage look. I had a lovely lunch and afternoon tea organised for me as my going away function. My colleagues also gave me a very generous going away present of a spotlight and a lincraft voucher. I am looking forward to spending them!

Pin Cushion Obsession!

Hello Little Birdie,

The pin cushion obsession continues.

I will let the picture tell the tale!

A Pink and Red Theme

Hello Little Birdie,
I don't know why but I seem to have a bit of a pink and red theme going on at the moment.
I brought some lovely new fabric for my stash. My stash is starting to build up so much now I really must ration my purchases until a have finished a few projects.
I have just finished a coin purse and a strawberry skirt for a friends daughter as a thank-you. I am really getting in to making my gifts for people instead of buying something. I think the presents are more personal and nicer this way.

I have also completed a present for a new baby girl due to be born to friends at the end of next month. I made a pink and red knitted hat. I did this on double pointed needles. I am loving this method as there is no purling for a stocking stitch look and no seam.

I also made a owl softy for the baby. I used a pattern (slightly modified with my own twist) from the book "More Softies."
I hope to that you to had a productive crafting weekend!

Pin Cushions With A Twist!

Hello Little Birdie,

I have been making a lot of pin cushions recently. I find them a quick and rewarding small project. I also love having a basket full of them so I can give them away to my guests. I let them choose their favourite. I like to guess which one I think they will chose, I am usually wrong. I made these three small pin cushions into Christmas decorations. I think that they look really cute.

A Tiny Knitted Vest

Hello Little Birdie,

I also completed a tiny knitted vest this month. It took one 50g ball of wool. I think it is too small for a baby, but it might look nice on a teddy or a doll some time. The pattern I found on this blog soelmamma, one of my favourites. The link to the pattern is here.