On a roll...

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article all about crafting with fabric for 'Craft Business' magazine, a UK based trade publication. It was actually quite interesting to write and a project I would be happy to do again. It occurred to me while I was researching, that so many of the craft magazines available have specialized in paper crafts for a long time now. I would really like to see more fabric and sewing based projects and ideas returning to their content.

If you would like to read the article in full, here is the web site. You would need to register in order to download the latest issue, number 45, but it is a very interesting read, covering latest developments and news in the craft industry and is available online bi-monthly.

Edit to post - I've realised, that if you click on the above page images, they should pop up large enough to read, thus avoiding registering on the Craft Business web site. That makes it easier!

Fun with felt and the last 2 interesting facts!

There are lots of birthdays coming up plus it is almost the end of term and I decided to make the teacher and assistant something rather than buy. So the evenings have turned into a little production line, this is the result so far. The brooches work really well attached to the front of a card, they can be removed after the event and hey presto, you have your gift! This lot is using some more of the printed felt I got from Coats Crafts UK and also 1 solitary felted ball made from their 'Filz' fiber range. I have yet to perfect my wet felting technique and this is the only ball that stayed in one piece, so any tips or advice on how to do it is welcome!.



This lot are made using felt from my ever increasing stash and some patchwork and Rowan fabric. The green, brown and orange one is for a friend, who wears a lot of brown and orange, I just hope she likes it.





The pink and brown one is actually for ....... me!. Which leads me to intesting facts no's 6 & 7,

Today is my birthday, I am 37 and the brooch is my present to myself. We even have a babysitter tonight and are going out for a meal without the children for the first time in ages.

And, yesterday evening, I became an aunty again. My youngest brother and his partner had a little baby girl, Pollyanna, weighing in at 6lbs 10ozs so congratulations to them all.

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit...

This is an idea that had been simmering for a while. When I worked for Coats, we had a lot of Beatrix Potter cross stitch designs in the range which were consistently popular. I had seen animals made out of toweling in a book by Tone Finnanager and thought it would be great to try a rabbit using an old towel and mixing it with some of the Beatrix Potter printed fabric.


The fabric has a lovely vintage look to it as it is from the original illustrations. To dress the rabbit, I made a little apron out of felt, and a carrot to go in the pocket. I'm not sure I can actually do anything with the rabbit, as it does say on the fabric, 'not to be used commercially'. After my time in the industry, I am very aware of copyright issues, as we spent a huge amount of time going through lengthy approval processes with all the character licensed designs. A very tedious process which I do not miss and one of the reasons I wanted to work for myself so much. I count my blessings every day, as that is now what I am able to do!

Meet Rosie...

Inspired by this, by the rather wonderful Molly Chicken, Rosie was born after two evenings fiddling around with felt. She is going to need some friends I think, but they will be on hold while I do some rabbit creating with an old towel, to be revealed shortly. Rosie is photographed on a charity shop pillow case bought for 50p, shame there was only one as I love the colour and pattern on it.