Giveaway

Is anyone getting any warmer weather yet? Here at the Fairyglade it just seems to be grey and dark and oh so cold. This was the outside temperature on Friday morning. Nice and warm indoors though.

There are small signs of spring however, the daffodils are slowly coming into flower and here and there are pretty carpets of snowdrops. We have noticed a lot of activity amongst the wild birds and the Fairyglade doves, especially the males who are strutting their stuff and showing off to the females. They in turn are busily collecting twigs and tidying up nest boxes in readiness for egg laying.

I am still waiting for some fabric paint pens to arrive and so cannot give you all a proper Ta Dah moment just yet, but I can't resist giving you a few tantalising glimpses of almost finished fairy dolls. I am so loving these little pretties and am planning on offering one or two for sale in the Fairydell shop at some point if anyone might be interested. This is how they start their journey, outlines on a piece of vintage linen...

After handsewing them together and adding some stuffing they start to take on their individual characters and then the fun beginnings in choosing what they will wear.....

There are so many gorgeous trimmings..what to choose...what to choose!!

Hopefully, soon, all will be revealed......

And, now onto my first ever giveaway. Who has been having withdrawl symptoms since Lark Rise to Candleford finished? Would anyone like to own the the first series on DVD? I have a spare set of free discs that were collected with the Daily Mail.

Just leave me a comment...that's it. I will draw a winner next Sunday 13th March.

Bye for now........Dev x

Hexagons

I have been itching to do a bit of hand sewing which coincided with a neighbour asking me to help her make a simple patchwork quilt. A rummage through the stash revealed loads and loads of pretty fabrics that I have been saving for just such a project. Now, I have to be truthful here...I have several quilts in the making, so I must be mad to start another I hear you yelling over cyber space. However, I have always wanted to make a hexagon quilt using the paper piecing method.

The history of this type of quilt dates back to the 1800's when fabric was costly and every scrap was saved. Small blocks were constructed and several were then sewn together until it was big enough to make into a quilt.

So, the sun was shining and a gentle breeze was blowing and into the washing machine all the pretty fabric went. A few hours later and it was all dry and smelling of spring.





Out with a hot iron and you end up with lovely neat piles of crisp fresh fabric already to use.

However, we are still not ready to begin because a template has to be chosen and the required number of hexagons cut out...in my case 216 in all.
I can hear some of you groaning from here, you are saying that life is too short and just get the sewing machine out and have done with it! Go on, be honest. But, I really, really enjoy this method of quilting. I admit that the sewing is more fun, but this is all part of it. Sat under the dappled shade of the apple tree, a cool glass of elder flower cordial and the waft of wall flowers on the breeze. What could be nicer?

So, now all the papers have been done, it's the turn of all those gorgeous fabrics. I might say at this point that I use old leaflets and magazine pages for my templates. Ordinary paper is just not quite rigid enough and cardboard is too thick. The leaflets at supermarket checkouts are perfect...shhhh, don't tell tham I said that!

Then when all that is done, it's time to begin stitiching. For this quilt I am trying to make no more than 2 or 3 hexagons in the same fabrics, and in some cases like the lilac polka dot above, I only have enough material for for one single hexagon. I use cheap old cotton for the tacking/basting, which you do all the way around each hexagon. Here is what it should look like.

They soon pile up as each one only takes a couple of minutes to do. And soon my little pile becomes a small stack of bright jewels.

I am really enjoying the making of this quilt. I like the repetition of it and above all, I love the yummy fabrics that are finally getting used. All of them are 100 % cotton. I believe that it is important to do this and that you should wash all your fabric before hand, just in case of shrinkage and loose dye colours.

On the subject of yummy fabrics, here are my favourite, favourites at the moment. I still do not have enough material and so ebay will be my next port of call for some more.

I know that it isn't everyones cup of tea, but I love it!

Dev x

Douglas!

I wonder who that is hiding on my garden seat, snuggled up to one of my yummy, crochet, cushiony cushions? Could it be......Douglas by any chance? I think it just might be. Shall we wander over and say hello?

Hi Douglas, come on, don't be shy!

There, that's better isn't it?

Now, don't be silly, of course your bum doesn't look big on my cushion, whatever gave you that idea!

And neither does your nose..you are simply gorgeous.

He was a delight to make and all hand sewn, he is a bit wibbly wobbly in places and some of my seams aren't fantastic, but ssshhh, don't tell him will you. Look at that tail, it is soo cute and my favourite part of him. I got the pattern from the Sew Hip magazine, issue 13 if anyone was wondering.

Of course, Littlest Fairy is not too impressed that he is being given away, and to a BOY at that! Can't be happening apparently, so number two has been commissioned. A trip to the charity shop in town, a pale honey coloured fleece has been paid for, washed and is ready to be cut out.

Do you want to see my other purchase...go on, you may as well, cos I am going to show it to you anyway. How pretty is this?

I handed over £1, yay! One whole pound. Got it home, opened it up and found this cutey inside...bonus!!

Perfect condition, no scuffs or marks and I can't believe that it is mine all mine. Items like this just don't appear for me normally, so it was obviously my lucky day, yipppeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dev XX

Lifted

My spirits have lifted a bit over the past days, the warm sunshine and blue skies have certainly helped. It's amazing how a bit of sunny sun can cheer you up. It has been warm enough to sit in the garden the past few afternoons and watch the birds gathering nest materials and see the gnats dancing in patches of sunlight.

No daffodils as yet, they are sat sitting, buds tightly closed, waiting. Man person planned hundreds of new bulbs last autumn, and when they do eventually open to reveal their glorious golden goodness, such a sight it will be.

My hooky blanket is coming on a treat as you can see. Originally, I had intended to use lots of different stitches for the squares as mentioned in an earlier post. However, I was having difficulty making them all the same size. The different stitch counts became too complicated. The pattern that started me off on this project was from the Art of Crochet. I really like the design, and more so from the back view as opposed to the front. So I frogged all the others out and re-worked them all the same. By the way, why do we call it "frogging" when we unravel crochet work, I have always wondered?

Of course , I have to have more than one project on the go. With that in mind, I saw this little fellow and fell in love with him straight away. He is perfect for a little boy that I know.

I ummed and aahed over my choice of fabric because, if I am honest, I rarely have anything that isn't pink! So a trip to the local charity shops was called for. I eventually settled on a wool skirt which is very soft and the right colour. I just hope it looks like the picture when it is finished. I am sewing it by hand rather than use my machine. I just prefer it.

Another little project was inspired by this lady. I can't make sense of the headband part of it unfortunately, so have just made a long chain of trebles and used a button to close. The trebles make it easy to adjust the size to fit either a child or adult. I think the red bow is a tad too big, but that is easily altered.

These are actually prototypes, but I am thinking beads and sequins might pretty them up even more. They are so easy to make and perfect for little gifts. I wish that I had seen them when I made the party bags up for Littlest Fairy's birthday. Maybe for next year instead.

I have a question that I am hoping someone can help me with, especially my American readers perhaps. I have come across a lot of patterns that call for "worsted" weight yarn. Can you tell me what the equivalent wool in the UK is please? I take it that it is thicker than our DK...or is that what it means? Then we go up to chunky, could it be that perhaps? I am a bit lost. Can someone recommend a brand that I can look at online maybe so that I can see some?

I want to thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. It means a lot to me that you have taken the time out of your day to leave me a message. Thank you.

Dev x

Writers Block

I am struggling to find anything interesting to say at the moment, I suppose it is my turn for writer's block! It has been a rather mundane sort of week, you know the sort I mean, where you just drift along living your life with nothing in particular happening. Perhaps that's not such a bad thing, just plodding along, minding your own business and getting on with things without worrying or having to think too hard about things.

I have been crafting a bit here and there and have been asked to sell some of my things at another coffee morning at the beginning of November. Not really sure what to do, the last one knocked my confidence a bit. I have that age old problem of setting prices that reflect the work that I have put into something against what people are prepared to pay for it. The two never seem achievable to me. I am usually out of pocket or I take it all home with me! Decisions, decisions!

So what have I been up to I hear you ask? Well I bought this pretty panel last year but unfortunately didn't have time to do anything with it. I draped it over the sofa anyway.

This year I decided to dig it out and, get stuck in, and hopefully get it done for this Christmas instead.

I love it, and the snowmen are just so cute! I am using a variety of coloured threads for the outlining and then sequins, buttons and beads for embellishing certain elements like their hats, scarves, shoes etc. A really "jolly" project.

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without angels and so I have begun making my pretties out of old linens and lace. I have made so many of these as presents over the years, all hand sewn too, no machines here. Each one is totally unique.

And finally, I couldn't possibly leave this post without a picture of gorgeous, rippley, woolly goodness.............my mystery project, which I am guessing, that you are guessing, what it is going to be when it is finished.

There are no words to describe how much I am loving this piece, the look, the feel, the warmth. I just can't stop looking at it. The design is just so addictive and lends itself so well to whatever colour scheme you choose.

On that note, I will away and maybe do a couple of rows before bedtime. Hope this post hasn't bored you all to sleep!

Dev x

Quilts Galore

The weekend saw me in a tiny hamlet of houses not far from our village at their Quilt Festival. It is held in the church of St Laurence every three years. The words stunning, beautiful, inspiring, breath taking, vibrant all spring to mind as I review the photographs. I am truly in awe of the women who can produce such wonders! This was one of my favourites, though there were so many to drool over.

This is a stunning version of the Cathedral Window and was draped over the choir stalls. I love this design but have never tried it, but would love to have a go.

The angle of these was a bit awkward to photograph as they had been suspended from the beams in the church roof. This quilt was entitled "Freya's Quilt" and the one below is Xander's Quilt. Both are grandchildren of the main organiser of the event. She is a prolific quilter and craftswomen, and hold classes at her house. Sadly, although I would love to attend these lessons, they are held during the working day...deep sigh! Maybe one day when I am retired!

I loved these little girly quilts, as did the littlest fairy.

A gorgeous nursery rhyme quilt and one for a first grandchild...so cute!

I particularly loved this one as well, made from satin, silk and old fashioned lace and part of the makers wedding dress. I love the crazy patchwork style of the squares.

Just so many beautiful quilts....... a pity it is a triennial event!

So, what else did I get up to this weekend...well I finished a couple of projects myself, not on the same scale I have to admit, but I am pleased with them all the same.

This Stanley fabric from CK is just so darn cute, don't you think? I made this pretty crochet roll and needlecase

Both these items are available in my shop.

Back to the ripple tomorrow me thinks, has been a while since I got all hooky.

Dev x