Brooches...

I've been busy today making some brooches using lots of my favourite vintage fabrics and some of the lovely American vintage buttons given to me in a swap with a lovely american lady called Kathy....These were a lot of fun to make and it was very relaxing sewing on the tiny beads (you can just about see them on 2 of the brooches), fiddly but strangely relaxing....

Like anything, when you make multiples it is lovely to put them all together for the picture and see all the colours....
Very satisfying! x

Feeling decidedly vintage!!!

Had a lovely day on Saturday at the market - met some really friendly, lovely customers who made my day. So thank you - you know who you are!!

Since then, it has been a definite shock to realise I have only 3 days to get ready for the first Vintage market which is on Wednesday!!

I sewed some lavender sachets last night with vintage fabric and lace from my Grandma's collection which was really therapeutic. I do so enjoy putting the fabrics and lace together. I will take some pics when I have time.

In the meantime, here are some new cafetiere cosies I made on Friday - in a bright cheery red polka dot and a gorgeous paisley:

Can't decide which I like the best, I used bright candy pink felt for the lining and I love the shock of the contrast, especially with the red-

Maybe I'll make some out of vintage fabrics? Then again, I have to make vintage cushions, vintage hearts, vintage bunting to make, not forgetting the table cloth needs edging, the vintage embroidered cloths need ironing.....suddenly I am feeling a bit vintage myself!

Might just call it a day and get up bright and early tomorrow! x

A little bit of shopping..

Before it gets too late, I wanted to share with you some of the goodies I bought at the Festival of Quilts. There was so much yumminess on show that it was all exceedingly tempting but I tried to restrain myself!!

I only bought four ribbons:-

2 patterns, one skirt and one dress with some fabric ready to make it:-

some gorgeous polka dot flannelette fabric:-a bit more fabric.....oooh, and some more.....er......fabric....and a book about....er.....fabric.....with a title which says it all really. x

Festival of Quilts - or A Grand Day Out!

On Sunday I persuaded my eldest, (A.) that he really would like to accompany me on a train expedition to Birmingham.

He's a good boy though and without much persuasion, he made the very early start and we set off to the NEC, travelling from Manchester Piccadilly. I had never attended a big event like the Festival of Quilts and I really wasn't sure what to expect.

I have to say - it was FANTASTIC!

Amy Butler was there, she seemed lovely - very relaxed and friendly. I did spend quite a bit on Ms Butler's fabric and a lovely pattern for a handbag that I can't wait to try.

There were just so many lovely fabric stalls - wonderful fabric shops are rare enough, and here under one roof there were hundreds!! All together, all next to each other - it's fair to say I was in Fabric Heaven!

I did buy quite a lot of fabric I'm afraid. It was all just too inspirational.

Sustained by plenty of cups of tea, my son sat reading for much of the day, guarding the bags that I kept returning to him, whilst I shopped like a lunatic!!

There were ribbons, and some buttons, but most of all there was fabric, fabric fabric!

Of course, there were lots and lots of gorgeous, inspiring quilts and some of the lovely people who made them. I loved this windmill quilt:

this one was called 'One for the Boys' - very funny!this was more like a painting - absolutely beautiful - would have liked it on my wall at home:-apologies for the dodgy photo but had to include this as it was A's favourite:-

This was my favourite:-

and we were lucky enough to meet the artist who told us it had taken her 500 hours work!

there were of course so many more...

If you're thinking of going next time, I can highly recommend it - although as a novice I didn't have the wheelie-bag that many regulars had - a necessity if you're buying any fabric. It was sooo heavy! At least A. was still smiling at the end!