Packing!

Teaching a workshop tomorrow,  

it's a distance away so can't pop back home if I forget anything!

 So much to remember too!

buttons, sequins, beads and glue

shelves looking a bit empty

fabrics, scraps and stamps, all packed up and ready ...

..even my trusty old singer might come in handy!

Frames, ribbons, threads paper and card ....

tools of the trade and another set of Inchies half made

 .....all set !

..looking forward to it :)

More motives

Been working on more motives for my crochet curtain. 

completed another 3  ....these ones haven't been blocked yet.....

 two of these are from the book,  'Beyond The Square Crochet Motives' by Ramona Leeuw

(Motives nos 4&5) 

 The third and largest one is from a book called 'Simply Stylish Crochet'

 and is from a pattern for a Lacy motive long cardigan.

by Melody Griffiths.  

I'm thinking the more open the pattern is the better it will look when these are all joined together.

I wish I could work a bit faster on these, but I get a a pain and numbness in my little finger which graduates to my 2nd finger of my yarn holding hand, I'm sure it's to do with the way I'm holding the yarn, when this happens I need to leave the fine work alone and work one something a bit more chunky, I am working on something else and will show some pictures soon.

Crochet Curtain

I've started a little curtain for my hall window with the cream coloured crochet cotton I found at the boot sale in East Fortune, 

its probably going to be a long term project, but as I enjoy the change from DK & Aran yarn to fine crochet cotton Im sure it will just get done eventually. I dont have a pattern as such just an idea that if I make enough flowers and join them all together it will make an nice interesting piece. 

The two full looking ones were the first pieces I did with this cotton. They are my own pattern, just made it up as I went along on the car journey home, just wanted to try out the yarn.

not sure I will use them in the final piece.

The top 3 flower, leaf and star shaped ones and the one on the bottom right, 

I found on diagram patterns on Pinterest .

 The largest one, bottom centre is from the book 'Hook Yarn & Crochet' by Ros badger.

This one is my favourite so far and I think probably the most complicated one to date that I have managed to do.

Inchies Complete

Inchies ...another 2 sets complete 

Nautical

Christmas

Now for sale in my Boxoftrix Etsy shop 

More Inchies

I have been working on more Inchies and looking forward to two forthcoming workshops where I will be teaching my method of making these little 1x1 inch embellished squares.

These are another two sets I made recently ...

Birthday Gifts 

For my sister Claire .... 

  Greys

  and for her daughter Lucy

Pink & Peppermint

Happy to say both are delighted with what I did with their chosen colour themes!

These are the latest ones I have been working on .....

nautical 

Christmas

They are quite addictive, the possibilities endless and fun.

Three little pincushions ...

 & a mouse! ..

Now in my shop ~ Boxoftrix on Etsy

Shirt Quilt number 2

Still had lots of pieces of shirt fabric left from quilt number 1 

So I decided to make another, this time to save on time I cut all the pieces the same size 15 cm square but made it up in 3x3 block squares, the same as quilt number 1, adding the fleece backing and quilting as I went along before joining up all the pieces.

I was aiming to have this complete to take with us on out summer caravan holiday to North Wales but the backing fabric I had bought in haste a few days before our departure proved to be unsuitable and the project had to be set aside until the right fabric for the job had been found.

On a trip to the local Sunday market in Pewhelli the day after we arrived in Wales we cam across a fab fabric stall with a lovely selection of designer prints on offer and there was the perfect fabric. 

it was a perfect weight and thickness to do the job. 

We take quilts away in the caravan as they are great for snuggling under and for padding out the seat cushions under the sheets when making up the beds.

This one is for my husband Kevin.

so now I must get back to finishing Charlottes memory quilt.

Embroidered Teal Mirror

Started this so long ago ....pulled it from the UFO drawer determined it would get done!

I started the cover for this mirror you may remember this post

It began life as an ugly flower cut from fabric which I used at random just to play around with machine embroidery and sheer layers.

I kinda lost interest in it and a couple of times it spoke to me with the suggestion that I should cut it and weave it, which I eventually did...nothing to loose ...not precious in any way just experimental

Not too impressed with the cut and weave thing, after stitching it onto this crushed teal fabric deciding it would be the base of a mirror cover and set it aside again.....

Embellishment seemed to be the next course, perhaps some heavy layered stitching, I'm just not sure where to go with this one, I don't even like it much at the moment, but that's just another step in the process, I've been there before with other projects.....I just haven't worked out where to go with it next :?

a few months down the line and here it is!

Finished and embellished ....

with a mix of glass,
 handmade paper and handmade metal beads

cords and yarn

and another UFO complete,  now SOLD

Crochet Rucksack Bag

With all this lovely yarn that my Mother in Law Pat gave me sitting in my workshop I have been looking for just the right projects to do it all justice. 

 I just love this purple Aran by Sirdar 30% wool it has a lovely 'soft washed' look to it that appealed to me and so I was drawn to it for my next project. 

A rucksack bag. I set off on a search through Pinterest,  Raveley and Craftsy for a pattern but couldn't quite find what I had in mind. After a lot of thought I decided to do my own.  

I teamed the aran up with some James C Brett Monsoon shade S8

beautiful colours but difficult to photograph

I started with rounds of Double crochet then went into the Close Shell stitch to highlight all those lovely colours.

I haven't written the pattern down but I'm pleased with how it turned out ! 

Just need to line it with fabric now.

Courgette and Feta pastries

Still having a tidy up here and came across this draft post...seems a shame not to publish 

This is a great wee recipe, ideal for parties gatherings and picnics

2 Grated courgettes, 3 Eggs, 2 oz melted butter, 

150g Feta cheese, salt and pepper. 

That's it!

 1 sheet of puff pastry cut into 12

 line a lightly oiled muffin tray with the pastry squares

mix and divide between the pastry cases

Bake at 190c 20mins Fan oven or longer if needed

Yum!

Great served with homemade Tzatziki Enjoy!
These don't last long .... 

Star Throw

My first ever throw .... 

 using a selection of beautiful Falcon yarn from the huge stash of wool 

Kevin's mum sent me.

32% wool the rest courtelle

the white and lilac have a lovely light sparkle through them

I got the free pattern from Ravelry,  it's for a baby blanket 

but I kept going with it to make a bigger sized throw

It measures 27 inches (70cm) from centre to point and roughly 50 inches accross

just the right size for snuggling up with my little one on the sofa ;)

she loves it and stole the first snuggle for a bedtime story ....

.......... so pleased with it :)