Take an old pair of jeans....

..... and this is what can happen to them

The jeans were part of a pile of clothes discarded and not very worn. I liked the pockets and decided to try my hand at making yet another bag by cutting the legs off just above the crutch, seaming the opening, making handles out of the remains and giving it a lining from a piece of cotton that should have been the rabbit's (see earlier) nightdress. The flower decoration comes from a workshop I attended in September. The hole thing took probably less than 2 hours to make. I just wish all my projects were that easy..

Finished at last

Well, the little rabbit has been mentioned once or twice, but now it is not only finished, but should arrive at it's new home shortly after raising a phantastic £30 for the RNLI in the October YDC (your donation counts) charity auctions on ebid. net. I think I have mentioned before that I like to do the cutting out bit for any sewing in bulk because it gets so messy. So when we moved a year ago (is it really that long?) I had several carrier bags with different projects ready to sew. The rabbit was one of them. The last mishap with this creature was that I lost  the front bodice piece for the nightgown. I always hoped I'd come across it eventually (and I might still do), but in the end I decided to cut a whole new nightdress and as the listing deadline for this YDC was fast approaching I spent a day doing little else apart from sewing. I am pleased with the result and hope the winner of the little grey rabbit will be too

YDC knitting project

well, I have been home for a couple of weeks now. The poor rabbit is still as unfinished as ever. BUT I have completed a piece of knitting that was auctioned off for charity a few months ago. The auction was for me to knit something the winner chose. Of course I had in mind something like a jumper - nice and easy to follow a pattern. Well, I was given a challenge: to knit a blanket. Size anything from a lap blanket upwards in autumn colours, but not really with pictures. A lap blanket it turned out to be. I had a stylised landscape in mind and even if I say so myself I think it has turned out well. Let's hope the winner thinks so too. I did have to leave it from time to time when the weather got too hot. It is not much fun knitting with sweaty hands.

Anyway, here is a picture of the finished item, so you can judge for yourself. And don't be shy in commenting: I can take it

teaching lace making

Well, I am currently on holiday and my sister has requested that I show here how to use some lace bobbins she was given. Here I have to say that 1st: I am a lousy teacher, and 2nd: I haven't touched my lacemaking stuff for ages. It didn't start very well, because I had forgotten how to start. We wound the bobbins (that was the easy bit) and then I had to think. In the end I tried a couple of ways and my sister grasped the basic technique very quickly. But looking at the work after a bit I could see that I had forgotten something. So everything was ripped apart and I slept on it. And just before dropping off, I remembered what I was doing wrong. (Does anyone else have such illuminating thoughts before going to sleep?) So I could show her the next day what we had been missing and things progressed nicely. I can now say that I am very pleased she has bought herself a beginners book, which will be of far greater benefit than my so called tuition.
Next week I am going home and I will do my best to complete the rabbit. I might try and offer it in the September YDC auctions. And of course there is my heirloom lace waiting to be completed. It's been waiting a few years....

Still no rabbit

I can't believe that I haven't been near the sewing machine, so the poor rabbit is still armless, unstuffed and undressed. Maybe this month will prove to be a more successful one in that area. The card making really is adictive and I keep going back to it. I decided to experiment with gold and silver card, using that cardstock as the base for the card, rather than just on a small area. Well, I will not rpeat it, although the end product looks ok after covering a large part of the shiny surface with paper etc. So that was a waste of the fairly expensive card.

Above are the results. The silver, black and white ones are actually quite striking, but it is really quite difficult to get the balance between shiny card and decoration right

Bits of card and what to do with it

Well, I had good intentions to get back to my sewing. alas the rabbit is still only half done. There is a German saying: Der Weg zur Hölle ist mit guten Vorsätzen gepflastert. (The path to hell is paved with good intensions) But I am digressing...
Having made all these lovely cards (you can see them all here ) I found that I had bits of card left, too good to just throw away. So what to do? I pondered and played a bit and then I realised they were just the right size for BOOKMARKS. So that is what I did the last few days. Today I laminated them and added a few to my charity auctions on ebid.net. The rest will make a nice present for when I sell a book. So problem solved.
Just must share this funny incident with the world. I decided to add a little glitter to one of the cards I finished today. I got the glitter pot out, put the glue on the appropriate areas and then dipped the card into the glitter. I shook of all the excess back into the pot and then I took a deep breath and blew to remove a few stray bits of glitter................totally forgetting that the lid was still off the glitter pot. My t-shirt still sparkles and I expect so does my hair.
Here is THE card and a bookmark ore two

Back to cards

I am beginning to get addicted to card making and at this rate I will either have to start writing to lots of people using snail mail or look at the possibility of selling them. I started again with the last of my mistakes (using wrong type of card) Well, I am quite pleased with the result and it is strong enough to stand up now

and here is the reverse strengthened by some printed card

I had so much fun that I didn't do much else apart from producing cards (too many to show them all here) but this is one I am particularly proud of. And it is earmarked for a very good friend of mine.

Just a couple more and then it's back to do some sewing - there is a half finished rabbit on my sewing table

Sewing - the sequel

Ok, the bags are done and are doing very well in the charity auctions. I then found some carrier bags that had cut out items in them, ready to sew. (I do cutting out en masse, as it is so messy) I started with a teddy bear, and to begin with the sewing machine behaved itself, but alas, it didn't last long. I got so frustrated again, that I followed the sensible advice from another ebid seller and dug out my old machine and used that instead. Oh how I wish I had done that earlier. It runs like a dream. When ted was finished, I made a cockerel - both are now listed in the YDC charity auctions on ebid.net. I am proud to present them both

Blood, Sweat, and almost tears

Right, this is about sewing 2 bags to be sold on ebid.net. One was made from two cushion panaels

and the other is a patchwork one (I believe it's called a log cabin pattern) 
There is a bit of a story attached to the patchwork. I saw and purchased an unfinished patchwork quilt. (why I buy other peoples unfinished work, I don't know, as I have several of my own) The panels were made and some were joined together with what I think was the wrong fabric - far too light. Also the blocks weren't always caught with the sewing. I got rid of the joining fabric and stitched the seams that were missed by hand. And then they sat there. Last month someone requested a laundry bag to be listed in the monthly YDC charity auctions on ebid (more on that another day) so I thought about these squares and an afternoon's sewing produced this

but I was left with 2 squares. So the idea of a bag came into my head. Use the 2 suqares, a strip of plain for the sides and handles, plain lining - done. Well, this is where the blood and sweat come in. I pricked myself on numerous occasion and got a scratch from the sewing machine needle (blood) The sweat was from the frustration as the thread kept on breaking and there were moments when I felt like throwing it all into the bin. A job that could have been done in an afternoon took the best part of two days. If I had shed any tears, they would have been due to frustration. As my friends on the ebid forums were very helpful and supportive, I will list this bag in the YDC starting on the 24.4.11 in aid of Save the children. The other will hopefully raise some money for St. Raphael's hospice.

The scanner

Last night I thought that I better make an effort and do something with at least one of the cards that are made of not thick enough cardstock. I opted for the long rather than tall one as that was less likely to topple over. And I am quite pleased with the result. But then I thought that I would try scanning it rather than using the camera. And somehow the settings got changed (must be me, as nobody else uses it) so the scanner didn't respond to the usual commands. It did get it done in a roundabout way, but I prefer the old way - it's easier and quicker. But that is for another day. So here is the result of last nights efforts

Card making is being put on hold. I must finish some sewing that has been sitting on the sewing table for weeks.
So watch this space

The photo

I haven't been able to edit the previous post (maybe it's not possible) but I now found the card and I can show it to you

My card making efforts

Recently I started making cards. Nothing complicated, but it's fun. And of course there is all this equipment which is sooooo enssential! Well, yesterday I received a CD with templates for less boring cards and I printed a couple. Bearing in mind the PC and I still have our differences, I thought I did quite well. I was really pleased with the result, but then the snag: I should have used thicker card! With all the decoration on it the thing was prone to collapsing. Now what? I stuck some heavier card on the back, and although it's not good enough to sell (not that I want to) it has now enough weight to support the embellishments and I can use it. My friends are far to kind to make rude remarks about my mistakes. If I can work out how to add a photo I will and any constructive critisism will be appreciated.