Tag Archives: Knitting and Stitching Show

Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally

I’m not really sure how old this knitting bag is but I couldn’t resist its wooden handle or vintage fabric. I’m not a big knitter but it’s perfect for holding my latest sewing project.

vintage knitting bag

It’s currently holding my purchases from my rather extravagant trip to the Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally. It’s my favourite sewing event of the year and I had the joy of visiting last week without children (thanks hubby!).

Anyway, I admit I was excessive but living in London I just find it impossible to go searching for lovely sewing supplies. Faced with 200 sellers in one room I challenge anyone not to go mad with their cash.

For the grand price of £15  I visited The Great Hall where 200 companies were selling great supplies; The Resource Centre which housed many of the Guilds and Associations; and The Textile Gallery where all the major gallery exhibitions were located. My time was limited so I was sad to miss Mr X Stitch, but to be honest, 2 hours in the mad scrum of knitters and stitchers was enough for me!

As well as a whole heap of magazines I bought beautiful Japanese Fat Quarters from The Eternal Maker, pretty polka dot fabrics and bias binding from Favourite Fabrics, Christmassy fabrics from Moda bought from The Village Haberdashery and more Moda fabrics from Ray Stitch. I was as happy buying fabric as I was meeting the people behind some of my favourite fabric shops. Now I just need to find time to get sewing.

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Filed under crafts, days out, sewing

Some crafty inspiration and pretty pictures

I’ve recently bought three lovely new craft books and have ear-marked a couple of projects to get me through the autumn and winter. You may know I love English Paper Piecing and have been carrying around a little hexagon project for a while. One it’s finished I’m going to start on my own version of the Union Jack Quilt which is one of the projects in Tacha Breucher’s hexa go-go. I thought I might make a cot-sized version for Little Sis’ first birthday in November. Her brother received a dinosaur blanket for his first birthday so I would love to make her something special too. I love this book which is bursting with inspirational quilts.

union jack quilt

 

 

cross stitch cushion

You may remember I’ve already been inspired by Eline Pellinkhof to stencil a cross stitched heart on Little Sis’ cot bed. I recently bought a copy of her book Stitch and Sew House and I think I’m going to cross stitch the embroidered cushion and make a new cover for the wooden footstool I bought at a car boot sale.

vintage fabric quiltMy last purchase was a copy of Love Patchwork (Simple projects and ideas for having fun with fabric!). Disappointingly I didn’t realise until I had bought it that the 18 projects from Cath Kidston, Anna Maria Horner, Tula Pink, Poppy Treffry and Jane Brocket had already been published in their respective books so there are not many projects which haven’t been published elsewhere. This is a great book if you don’t already own craft books by any of these authors but is a little disappointing if you do.

There is a great article on re-using old fabric scraps and a lovely quilt made using vintage tea towels and tablecloths which just might inspire me to finally get round to using some of my vintage stash.

Right, must make a list of supplies needed as it’s not long until the Knitting and Stitching Show comes to Ally Pally!

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Filed under book review, crafts, handmade, sewing

Draw string bag

Not much to show this week. I am trying to finish some little projects and have brought a bag on them on holiday in the hope there will be some sewing time.

At last years’ Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally I bought a fat quarter of a fab print by Echino Ni-Co called Camera in turquoise. It features a vintage 35mm camera in repeat and I thought I might make something for my husband who loves taking photographs. That never happened when I realised a fat quarter wouldn’t be enough to wrap around a lens, let alone his digital SLR. So I kept it for myself and made a little drawstring bag for my camera.

drawstring bag

The trouble was I’d never made a draw-string bag before. I thought it would be easy but it wasn’t!

I tentatively cut the beautiful fabric as I wanted the print to be the same way up on both sides of the bag. I pinned a small hem and sewed along the two sides and bottom of the bag. Then I was stuck as I had no idea how to finish the draw string part. It’s a little bit bodged but it does work (just don’t look too closely). Luckily the print is eye-catching enough that you don’t really need to be examining my stitching :)

sewing bag

Currently appropriated as a sewing bag for my mini hexagons!

 Linking up with handmade monday

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Filed under crafts, handmade, sewing