SOFA REFOUND...

I have been yearning for a new sofa for my dining room for a while now & I had got a particular type of chesterfield into my head but alas after much searching one had still not been found... Now not being known for my patient manner & the levels of tetchiness that rise when there is an unsolved corner nagging me every time I walk past, or it silently whispers as I munch my porridge...quite honestly a solution had to be found before the rest of the household considered moving out...

Ha now on stealing shelves for my kitchen shift about I had forgotten about my lovely turquoise sofa & chairs that had been languishing in the attic, cast out as it possibly is the most uncomfortable thing I have EVER sat on.

Now being turquoise I really couldn't have it outshining my lovely table & there needed to be some direct action regarding comfort....so a new outfit was indeed on the cards...

I tried out several different looks & decided on a netural linen & I was off to see the lovely Kristy so I popped into IKEA to see what fabricy goodness they had to offer.

Well after spotting this great print plain was out the window & it goes so well with the lovely ditsy liberty print do you think??

Just right for a spot of hooking with my lovely care package of wool that has made it's way across the pond from a certain Mossy Shed along with a very lovely string of happy

I did take lots of 'along the way'  photo's & was toying with writing a tutorial what do you folks think...would my scatty ways of doing things be of help to anyone??

@91 MAGAZINE....ANOTHER TRIUMPH

If you remember I recently wrote about the wonders of ISSUU & some of the great reads that were being published...well here is another great one...

@91 Magazine is a brand new interiors/style/vintage/craft online magazine which has just launched its 1st issue & its published by Patchwork Harmony.

http://www.91magazine.co.uk

It's an elcetic mix of fantastic inspiration with lots of exciting new interiors, tutorials & interesting articles rather than the same old faithfuls which seem to be making the rounds of lots of the popular magazines at the moment.

Good to see some of Tiff's fabby photo's too, always a pleasure and an interesting new spin...all in all I am very much looking forward to the new edition

SEWING DROP IN....@ BIRDCAGE VINTAGE

Birdcage Vintage has its' soft opening on Monday.....machines are raring to go & my

first Sewing Drop In is this Friday....so if you fancy it pop along & say hello

Don't forget 5th November is the official opening do come along if you can...

A QUICK PEAK OF HOOKY PROGRESS

A while back I purchased some wool from the lovely Yvonne @ Yvestown and instead of it sitting in my yarn pile whislt I pondered what to make I got to work straight away and am still beavering...Due the scale of the project it could in fact take me some time so I thought I would post a little update.

I have been itching to have a go at some projects from Jane Brockets The Gentle Art of Knitting and I finally decided upon the Crochet Starburst Flower Square...then the Ripple Blanket....then back to the Flower Square!

So I have been hooking away at every opportunity mostly in the car driving to the airport but its coming along only another 126 squares to go......

Meanwhile there's a little stash of my number 1 favourite yarn Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice getting ready to wing its way across the pond.....this makes me very happy & I am planning a rather lovely Ripple Blanket....

NIGHT ATTIRE FIT FOR A PRINCESS

There has been a stack of liberty tana lawn residing in my stash for sometime now...earmarked for pretty night attire for a certain young lady.

So as the time of giving creeps ever closer I thought I had better get a shift on & whizz up said items.

Gone are my days of draughting all my patterns, I just don't have the time anymore especially when it comes to wee ones...I'd be making a new block for Violet every week as she seems to be growing overnight at the moment.

I much prefer to use ready made patterns & alter them if I need to,
a far quicker process.

When Violet was born I picked up a couple of lovely books which I would highly recommend if you fancy making some clothes for your small ones

Making Children's Clothes by Emma Hardy

Vintage Style for Kids by Fiona Bell

I am using the simple night dress pattern from Emma Hardy's book, there are full size patterns included so a quick whizz round with the tracing wheel & all set for cutting & stitchery....

For comfort & neat finish I am using french seams, they take a little more time
but are well worth the effort.

Stitched, hemmed, pressed & a sneaky fitting....all ready to go
I am planning on making several more including a lovely brushed cotton number for the chilly nights that are winging towards us...

RISE...

Hands up who like P.I.L

From the days of teenage dyed pillar box red hair....

Then you will understand why I have to have this print!

Its on my Christmas list....Check out Amy Rice on Etsy

LETS HERE IT FOR THE GIRLS...

You may remember I wrote about the exciting new adventure - Birdcage Vintage a litttle while ago well today I am off to see a man about some pfaff's & deliver so stock for the opening shortly.

As well as selling some of my wares in the shop I will be running a friday morning 'SEWING DROP IN' which is a really exciting initiative to get people sewing & have access to some great equipment that most of us could only ever dream of having including Pfaff's top of the range Expression machine which I have here at my abode to use all week.....

Stay tuned folks its going to a a stitchy week

MAKING CHRISTMAS....

Its getting close to that time again when things turn a

 bit hectic with 3 birthday's to fit in between now &

Christmas present buying gets a bit stressful

so I do try to make presents each year....

what boys do I hear groaning....well at least

Violet & various other folks appreciate my thoughtful ways!

So this year I thought I would blog my makes

& a few how to's including a few of the following

Pretty Liberty night attire

Vanilla Vodka

Dollies every girl would love

Tree decorations

A rather Smart crochet Garland

Mincepie muffins

Fleecy Warm dressing Gown...

PONDERING THE SHELF....

There has been much pondering about kitchen shelves for a while now....

I am not the (cheap) fitted kitchens biggest fan especially not in a house with damp wonky walls but there is nothing I can do about it as I am a mere tennant so I will just  have to get on with it!

I do however like to see my various collections out on display, just hanging around, chatting about the weather & looking rather nifty....therefore I needed more shelves

I have considered various options, a value pine cube unit from B&Q painted in a shade of my favoiurite Farrow & Ball...what I really wanted were some old crates but most I could find were £40 +, what for a manky old crate....no chance

So somewhere else in the house had to suffer,

 surely I must have something that would do nicely

Ahh yes but now there is a room with piles of homeless stuff just hanging around.....

Good job I'm collecting a wardrobe & tallboy on Friday but heavens knows how I am going to get both of them in the car....maybe I'll just send Keith ;)

ALL GOING ON AT ISSUU

Open publication - Free publishing - More collecting

Just lately I have been wandering into the world of issuu a wonderful virtual magazine collection where some amazing little gems can be found Gatherings Magazine is one of my favourites at the moment & has a lovely piece on Emma Lamb as well as a whole host of inspirational goodies....

why don't you pop over to issuu & take a look for yourselves here are a few more wonderful inspiring reads to feast you eyes on......

FRYD
HEART HOME MAGAZINE
COVERT GARDEN

SOFA NEEDED

Source: paisleycurtain.blogspot.com via Brenda on Pinterest

If there should be such a thing as a sofa god I should like to send a plea....for there is a space in my dining room with its newly painted grey floor & the most lovely of turquoise table for a rather dashing chesterfield sofa.....

I don't mind what condition, in fact I should like one that could do with a new lease of life, i have a few yards of velvet just right for the job....so dear sofa god if you could see to it that one comes my way I would be extremely happy....