Commissions ... it's all in the name ...

I am finally able to get on here and show you two of the recent commissions I have made.

I was asked back in February if I would make a taggy blanket for a little baby girl named Betsy.  The lady had seen my normal taggy blankets (they're more like the size of a handkerchief with ribbons, ric-rac, etc round the outside as tags for the baby to feel). 

 

She wanted one that was more personal and wanted the name embroidered on it.

 

 

 

I do make taggy blankets but have never personalised one.  So this would be a new one for me!

 

She chose the fabric she liked for the back of it.  I tend to use nice cotton fabric on one side with fleece on the other to make it cosy.

 

 

 

So now to chose which fleece went best with the gorgeous bunny fabric.  I decided on the pale pink as I thought that matched the pale pink in the rabbits and also would be a great background for the embroidery.

 

 

Next choosing the ribbons etc to go with it.  I do like them to match the fabric I use as I think it ties it all together nicely.  So went for navy, white, pale pinks and coral colours.

 

Next the embroidery thread to match - a navy and a coral. 

I thought I'd do an outline in navy and fill it with the coral thread.

 

 

Aaah ... the first letter!  Always the scariest!

 

To make it more stable, as fleece is quite stretchy, I had bondaweb on the back.  This really did help!

 

The outline is done - now the filling in to do with a satin stitch in the pretty coral thread.

 

Finished name!  What do you think?  I thought it stood out really well and looked very effective.

 

 

And the finished taggy - both sides. 

 

The lady was really pleased with it and sent me a text saying it was absolutely beautiful. 

It is so nice to get great feed-back!

 

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Then I had an email from a lady who'd just had a baby boy.  She'd seen The Crafty Phoenix Lady unit and said she loved everything I made!  And that she wondered if I'd make some personalised bunting for her new son.

 

Oh yes!  Of course I would!

 

 

She was really easy-going about what colours.  She wanted animals but said I could decide.  I tried to give her a choice - of bright fabrics or more muted shades of rust, beige and greens.  I then suggested that if she couldn't decide I could always do it double-sided with the brights on one side and the muted on the other - so then she'd have the choice and could change it as and when she fancied.

 

 

And that's what she went for!

 

So I now had to find a typeface and cut out the letters very carefully

(again with the help of bondaweb - I love that stuff!)

 

You may have guessed - his name is Noah!

 

 

I went for a bright orange for the muted shades as I felt it needed to stand out, and for the brights

I chose a black fabric which had white paw prints on as I felt it was quite apt and would go well.

 

 

I had to be extra careful that I laid it out right

so that it would read the right way once it was sewn together. 

 

 

 And there you go - Noah's bunting all finished!

 

His mummy loved it! 

She went for the muted shades to start with and thought she'd change to the brighter side as he grew.  She has also asked me if I would make him a personalised bag for when he goes to nursery! 

I am looking forward to coming up with a great bag for Noah!

 

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It's Lambing Season ....

The lambs have grown in numbers! 

I have now made six in total - and have six odd socks now!!

 

What do you think?  I personally love them and think they're dead cute and sooo fluffy!

 

And here's the first two in situ at The Emporium ...

And not to be outdone I finished the four dolls too.

The one above and one below are the ones that the lady who commissioned me didn't want.  I made four because I wanted to give her a choice. So there were two bigger ones and two smaller.

 

And having asked me to make both dolls both blonde as the baby girls were, she'd discovered in the week that passed that the little girl (who was being christened and whom the bigger doll was for) had grown darker hair - so we changed her doll's hair too!

Hopefully it's now dark enough!

She also wanted their names on ribbons around their waists, so Nat from A Sweet Gift (Canned Candy) printed them off for me - another service they provide as well as yummy sweets. 

Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/CandyASweetGift?fref=ts

 

 

 

And just to add a little extra I made named necklaces with alphabet beads. 

 

I hope she likes them and that the girls do too!

 

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Extra plug for my good friend Nat and her hubby who run A Sweet Gift

(also known as Canned Candy). 

They are now based at Molly's Den, Bridport. 

They will deliver locally around Yeovil .... so please check out their facebook page.

 

https://www.facebook.com/MollysDenInBridport/photos/a.1575365116036757.1073741868.1548808838692385/1575365179370084/?type=1&theatre

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I am really excited and feel like a big kid ... we're off on a trip tomorrow. 

 

The boys don't know that we're going or where we're going.  

 

We are all going up to visit Harry Potter World!!!  http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/ 

 

Can't wait!!!

 

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Fluffy Sock Flock

I saw the cutest sheep on a site the other day and knew that I would just have to make them!

 

They are in the same concept as Sock Monkeys in that they're made out of socks - but these use those fluffy socks!  Literally one normal sock and one fluffy sock - so two fluffy sheep out of two pairs of socks!

So I raided Primark for their fluffy socks and bought some new plain white, and also plain black.  I've had the socks for a couple of weeks and to be honest haven't felt like making them.

However I have had a kind-of commission for a couple of dolls for a customer in The Emporium.  So I thought whilst I had the sewing machine out for the dolls I would make use of it and make my sheep as well. 

So firstly I had all this laid out ....

 

I've sewn round them and turned them the right way - I just want to pain their faces on now.  Oh and instead of just making two - I've gone for four!  Thought I'd have a little production line going!

 

Anyway, then the fun started with the fluffy Sock Flock ...

 

I've just made two to start with.  I thought I'd try the really fluffy sock - the pink one; and also the bobbly not so fluffy sock - the blue one to see what they came out like.

 

They both have different shaped faces which was entirely accidental but I do think it adds personality to them.  Just got to name them now .... hmmmm ... Larissa Lamb?  Larry Lamb?  What do you reckon?

Oh and here they are with their final touches - a nice ribbon and bell each.

And here's the original post http://www.craftpassion.com/2015/02/sew-sock-sheep.html.  Go and check it out and also all the other fab projects on there!

 

 

 

Now onto something entirely different - a little cardigan I've finished for my brother and his girlfriend.  They are expecting their first baby at the beginning of April. It is very exciting as we never thought we'd see the day when he became a dad - and here we are eagerly awaiting his baby!

 

This pattern is called "Beyond-Puerperium" 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beyond-puerperium

 

(a hat to match!)

 

It is a beautiful pattern.  I've already made the Puerperium version which is newborn size.  I thought I'd make the next size up as I loved the pattern so much.  It is knitted from the neck down and has no sewing other than a tiny stitch under the arms and for the buttons.  Fantastic!  And it knits up ever so quickly.  I never knew I would knit so fast! 

 

Now the quandary is which buttons to choose ....

 

Which ones do you think look best?

 

 

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February's Fibromyalgia Fog

February was not a particularly good month for me.

I have fibromyalgia and to the most part I have it under control.  I still get very tired and I know I have limits.  Usually I know how far I can push myself and if there is a possibility that I will suffer for what I'm doing.

Not a fantastic way to lead a life - but the way it has to be done.  I still live with pain almost every day - but now it's got to a sort of (if you can say it) bearable pain.

However February was not bearable at all.  For some reason the fibromyalgia took over with a vengeance.  The worst of the pains were my hands and wrists as this meant everything - and I mean everything - was so painful to do.  It also meant I had to rest up from crafting as the pain just made me want to cry.  This was the hardest part to take as if crafting goes then an enormous part of what makes me goes too. 

I admit I started looking very much on the black side of things and scared myself silly that this would be it from now on - and I'd lose that very vital part of ME.  It was really hard to deal with and to move beyond that mind set.

However I have managed it with love and care and slowly building myself up again - and with being medicated to the hilt with painkillers.  Thankfully now I'm just taking my regular drugs (that sounds bad, doesn't it?!!) and - touch wood - all seems under control again.

So - that explains my absence on here too.  I do have a few things to show you that I have made before and after the fibro episode - and will endeavour to post them on here very soon.

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