Accordion Card

Hello, me again!

Today I'd like to show you a card I made using the Accordion Die from Crafters Companion.  

I used the square die and the flower decorative die that goes with the square accordion.  The concept of the accordion die is to cut the main card out of plain card first of all.  Then using a contrasting colour card cut out the decorative die.  You have to cut the decorative die twice to fit  each square and it joins seamlessly in the middle.

I cut two complete squares, which meant cutting the decorative die eight times, front and back.  You can use wet glue or 'Stick It' on the back of the card to stick the decorative diecut on the card.  

I then cut two different sized squares using the dies included in the square die to matt onto the plain square.  I cut a flower using a Crafters Companion die to attach to the front of the card.  I also used a butterfly die cut and a sentiment die.

The beauty of the accordion die is you can make a card with as many accordions as you like.  You could spell out a message, putting a different letter on each square.

The accordion dies come in different shapes and sizes, circles, oblongs, rectangles and squares.  You can also get different patterns but they are not interchangeable, they fit the individual shapes.  I find them very versatile but they do take a long time to make; however I do think they are very effective.

Thank  you for looking.

Liz x

Teddy Bear card

Hi

I thought you might like to see this little card.  

The stamp is from Meadow Cottage Bears - Teddy Bears Picnic - Crafters Companion and the papers are from one of their CDs, but I can't remember which one!!  I think it may be from Makey Bakey Mice. 

I matted the card onto dark blue Bazzil card stock and used the same card stock for die cutting the 'Happy Birthday'.  The die was from Crafters Companion Die'sire range.

I hope you like the card.

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Artisan peg bag

Hello again

Today I would like to share with you another make, pattern and material from the clever Sharon from WhoopsieDaisyDesigns.  This is a design for a peg bag which you can hang round your neck, leaving your hands free to hang up the clothes.

This is the front which has two pockets at the front.  The pink spotted contrast marks the two pockets, one in front and one behind.  

This is the back of the bag.  I do love the cats on the material.  

I made this for my friend's  birthday, who loves cats.  She was very pleased with it, even though I had to explain to her what it was for!

These two pictures show in more detail the two pockets of the bag.  You can see there's plenty of room for pegs.

It doesn't have to be used for pegs, of course.  I think it would be just as useful for gardening or even for crafting.  Everything in one place.

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Changing mats and extra little bag

Hi

My last post showed you the two baby bags I made for my daughter in-law and her friend.

As well as making the bags I also decided to make a changing mat to match the bags and also a little zippered bag for Emma.

As I had enough material left over I thought a little extra bag may come in handy.  It has a zip and I've lined it with the same matching lining as the baby bag.

The changing mat pattern I made up myself.  I bought some clear vinyl/oilcloth so the pattern of the material would show through and just cut it to size and to the amount of fabric I had available!  Again I put both the lining and the main fabric together, sandwiching some wadding in-between for comfort.

The binding was an absolute nightmare to work with and did not come out all that well but it serves it purpose.  I decided to machine sew the binding on one side first and then machine sew again on the other side.  Although I had a walking foot the material kept slipping and eventually I used tissue paper to help.  As you can see it has worked but looks rather creased.  I pulled it as tight as I could but it still moved.

For the straps I used some of the main fabric and cut enough to wind round the mat so it would fold up neatly to fit into the bag and then used sticky velcro to fasten the ends together.  I was quite pleased with the end result considering I made it up as I went along!

Anyway I was pleased enough to make a matching mat for the bag I had made for Charlotte and that seemed to come out a little better.  I decided to quilt the mat before I put the vinyl on and that seemed to make it easier to put the binding on and I hand-sewed the binding  on once I had machined one side and that seemed to work too.

However, needless to say I don't think I shall be working with oil-cloth or vinyl in a hurry again!!

I must say though both Emma and Charlotte seemed pleased with my efforts and I have seen my mats being used on a regular basis, so I must have done something right!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Baby bags

Hello, me again!

Today I thought I'd show you a couple of baby bags I made a couple of years ago.  My son and daughter-in-law were expecting their first baby and I wanted to make some things for my seventh grandchild!!  So I decided to make a baby bag.  They did not know the sex of the baby and they have a chocolate labrador dog. I thought it would be nice to have something non-babyish and my son probably wouldn't want to be seen walking around with a fussy baby bag.  So when I saw this material I thought it was perfect.  

The pattern I used was an adaptation from a bag pattern my friend Lynn had kindly let me use.  I had made myself a couple of bags previously using this pattern but they never came out exactly as I wanted.  However, this one I was very pleased with.

The dog material was in a thick cotton, which I thought would make a harder-wearing bag and I used beige spotted cotton to line the bag and dark brown bias binding to make a contrast between the pocket and main part of the bag.  I put in plenty of pockets both outside and inside and filled them up with bottles, nappies and baby things.  It looked rather good.

Emma and Nick seemed over the moon with the bag when I gave it to them.  I was so pleased.  Emma showed it to some of her friends and one of them, Charlotte who was also expecting a baby, asked me to make her one!  She didn't know the sex of the baby either and wanted stars on the fabric.  I don't often take commissions so I was a bit wary of agreeing to do it, but hey ho why not?

I searched around everywhere and eventually found some material we both liked - grey with white stars.  I used grey with small dots for the lining.   However when the materials arrived I was a bit disappointed to see they were both cotton, which would not be as hard-wearing.  I put some wadding in between the main fabric and lining to add a bit more weight to the bag.
I used white bias binding as a contrast and to lighten the whole effect, which I think worked very well.

The bag didn't turn out quite as well as Emma's I didn't think, but Charlotte seemed very pleased with it, and I don't think she was being polite!

It's not the same making things for people you don't really know, and I found it a bit stressful, but it was a nice compliment that someone wanted me to make something for them.

I also made some other bits to go with the bags, which I will blog later.

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Little make-up bag

Hello

Today I'd like to show you a make-up bag I made using WhoopsieDaisy Designs at my sewing class near Horam.  I go every Monday morning and we have so much fun.  Sharon Gammon is such a good teacher.

The top of the bag (the pink bit) uses a material called faux leather, which I bought from Debbie Shore on the Crafters' Companion website.  It comes in various colours and I must admit I love using it.  I plan on using it to make some handbags soon, so watch this space.   The bottom part and the lining are made from Tilda fat quarters.  

The faux leather is really soft and feels just like leather.  It is also very easy to sew with as the back is just like normal fabric.  It can be ironed (but only on the wrong side) and treated just like ordinary cotton.

The bag has a zip and Sharon shows how easy it is to insert a zip into a bag.  The pleat in the bag, both inside and outside, allows you to put much more into the bag than you would think as it expands.  

I really enjoyed sewing this bag and I have already made a couple more, one of which my eldest grand-daughter 'snaffled' for her make-up!  

This one I made for my friend Sue and I think she was pleased with it; she certainly said she was!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Sheena Douglass Perfect Partners

Hi there

I don't whether you have seen Sheena Douglass on Create and Craft TV recently but she has brought out some more stamp and die sets - Home Life.

This set is all to do with in the garden, seeds, vegetables and equipment.  I couldn't resist buying them as I love things to do with the garden, although I'm not so keen on doing it nowadays!!

It is a very clever system.  I cut out the different items using the dies on thin card.  I believe you can either then stamp the cut out dies and then colour or colour first and then stamp onto the cut outs.  I did the latter and found it worked very well.

The background I made following ideas from Sheena Douglass which she demonstrated on the television.  I took a piece of 6 x 6 kraft card and painted it, quite thickly, with Adirondack Pearl Acrylic Paint.  Once it had dried I used one of the stamps and stamped them all around the edges of the card, using black Staze-on ink.

Then, using gold Metallic Wax Patina, I rubbed it along the edges gently and then buffed it.  I also used some distressing ink along the edges too.

The trug basket has cuts in it which allow the vegetables to be inserted in the basket making it look more realistic.  The seed packet has been distressed and then painted with a little scene on the front.  

The card is then matted with black card which is then placed onto a card itself.  I thoroughly enjoyed making this card and 'playing' with the presentation.  I shall be making many different variations, I think!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x