Taking leftover fabric to the next level…#6

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Artist and crafter, Buttons, Cotton and Felt, Crafting with leftever fabrics, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Cute creations, Fabric creations, Fun with fabrics, Mounted Fabric Art, Original, Quirky Collage, Sheep in boots, Unique

Okay!! Finally getting towards to end of the snippet pile of fabrics!

Just a little quickie of a make! A patchwork landscape with a little felt sheep in boots 😉 A couple of wooden flower buttons and some stitched flying birds in the sky. All felt backed and trimmed before being placed behind a little mount. Apart from the one small fabric ‘rogue bit’ for the sky, all using the same leftover fabrics, still on my mini quest! Mounted ready for framing as a quirky fabric collage ! NOW…I need to catch up with what everyone else has been up to ;-)!!!!

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Christmas Runners ~ Patchwork and Applique

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Artist and crafter, Artistic moment, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Christmas Runners and Mats, Crafty creations, Creative craft, Creative crafting, Cute and Quirky Crafted Creations, Felt Christmas Creations, Fun with fabrics, GingerBread Runner, Hand applique and quilting, Handmade, Hessian at Christmas, Patchwork and quilting, Poinsettia Runner/Patchwork Mat, Snowman Runner, Unique

”….Just look Cute, Okay ?!” ….”I’m doing my best!!!…. whilst trying to count how many million stitches are going on around us…!”….”Yeah, Me Too!! You know, 36 hours of hand stitching, is….a LOT of cotton!!!!”…..”Hope we get out of here before Christmas??’

After weeks working with traditional red/green and cream colours for my Christmas patchwork creations, I went scurrying through my stash to see what else I could use, before….my next trip to the fabric shop ;-)?! Finding some spotty fabric and enough blue to bind, a bit of hessian thrown in too, seemed just the right combination 🙂 As most of my Christmas table mats have been aimed at adults, I thought it about time I started balancing it, with more young at heart, cute and quirky creations…What better way, than adding some felt applique 😉 Still All completely machine washable and iron able too (Just not the little beads with a hot iron)!

After first drawing some simple designs, I made myself some card templates, then drew round them onto a sheet of Bondaweb, ironed it to the correct coloured felt for each different shaped piece to create my little snowmen, then patiently cut everything out ( The holly leaves were definitely the fiddliest bit ~ but well worth the effort, non the less) Once I had all 56 pieces cut out, and  28 beads set aside, I started assembling a very simple hessian centred panel to which I could blanket stitch all the pieces to (You’ll have noticed, the colours of the snowmen are inspired by the printed spots of the cotton fabric)

….”You know what??” …”What??”… ”She spent so much time straightening us beautifully, then, decided the table cloth wasn’t straight! So straightening IT, caused us to wiggle about lol!!”…”Never mind, folding us over in the wrapper, everything is squared up again!!”…”Hey!”….”What??” ….”Look down there 😉 ……Ginger bread folk!!”

After a little super cute creation…who can stop at one??!……………SO……..

Another 42 pieces of felt, 42 beads, some hessian, spotty print fabric, wadding, backing, binding, and, a shed load of  hand stitching….et voila!!…A cute quirky Gingerbread runner too 🙂

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There were a couple of more items done in the traditional colours, not included before…Mini Runners/Large Table Centre Mats…using up the remnants of the Poinsettia and Bow fabrics

Quite a busy week all in all 😉

Dennis?! Dennis?! Who the **** is Dennis???? by Caren Taylor ©

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Alliterated silly stories, Alliteration, Another alliterative attack, Artist and crafter, Artistic moment, Beastie Bugs bounce back, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Courageous Crane Fly, Crazy by character Crazy by creation, Creative crafting, Daddy Long Legs, Dennis, Dennis Dennis Who the **** is Dennis??, Fictional alliteration, Literature, LOL, Original, Silly short stories, Unique, Weird and Wonderful Writings

Dennis?! Dennis?! Who the **** is Dennis???? by Caren Taylor ©

——————————————————————-

…..Dennis dangles dangerously in the dark, dank dungeon…..

…..Dexterity now determines his destiny…..

…..Drop and be……Devoured!…..

…..Down below, deranged dwellers dance and drool…..

…..Dennis deliberates in depths of despair…..

…..Dismay at discoveries down-town…..

…..Distraught with damaged dreams…..

…..Derived decisions from deficient data……

…..Droplets descend downward from the dungeon…..

…..Dripping directly onto a deeply distressed Dennis…..

…..Drenched, he’s drawn directly back to his dilemma…..

…..Dismissing Death ~ Deftness of desire doubles…..

…..Despite disturbing doubts, Dennis detaches…..

…..Diving dizzily with defiance into the darkness…..

…..Driven toward a dash of dazzling daylight…..

…..Dennis departs the dank, dark, dripping dungeon…..

…..Delighted, Dennis, the Daddy, with dangling Long Legs, DID it!!!…..

NB….. Another alliterative attack!!!!….BUT….Definitely, No insects were harmed during the creation of this silly, short story! 😉 …(Booking myself in for two weeks of therapy now though ;-D LOL!!)… I thought it was first brought on by shock of British sunshine…but no!!! It seems, the insane intermittent interlude, is, closely connected with crazy patchwork creations!

Crazy Patchwork Stockings Lovingly Hand Quilted

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Artistic moment, Artsy, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Christmas Patchwork Stockings, Crazy Patchwork X-Mas Sock, Creative craft, Creative crafting, Fun with fabrics, Handmade, Modern Abstract Stockings, Patchwork, Patchwork and quilting, Quilted Cotton Christmas Stocking, Unique, With Love from Santa stockings

Okay…now we are in September, I don’t feel so guilty about showing off Christmassy things LOL 😉

Recipe:  1)Grab a large selection of Christmas cotton fabric off-cuts,  2) Sew any which way (which, slowly, but surely, WILL drive you crazy!!),  3)Trim to desired stocking shape, 4) Sandwich with cotton wadding and backing and then hand quilt, 5)Repeat for reverse of stocking (Or, as I did, reserve a little sanity by doing a plain one with cross hatched quilting, 6) Add hanging loop between front and back pieces, bind, then hand stitched to finish!

A simple, sanity saving, hand quilted plain cream cotton reverse!

If, by this stage, you don’t feel compelled to take yourself off to the local recovery centre….try it all again LOL ….Take two!!

Okay…three solid days of craziness….I’m off to book myself in…right now ;-D !!!

A summer spent SEW nicely!! ;-)

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Artist and crafter, Artistic moment, Artsy, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Christmas Patchwork Mats, Christmas Place Mat Sets, Christmas Table Runner, Colourful Skewed Place Mat Sets, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Cute quirky creations, Fun with fabrics, Handmade, Modern and Traditional Table Mats, Original, Patchwork, Patchwork and quilting, Table Mats and Mug Rug sets, Traditional Christmas Table linens, Unique, X-Mas Dining Place Mats

Not one to renege on my promises…..here is post number three of my get back up to date out of semi-retirement (though, technically if you count the random alliteration post ~ it’s actually No.4 LOL) !!                                                                                                                                              Sew nicely is how I have been spending my spare time, getting stock ready for the Christmas rush (well..I hope ;-)!!) in my little on line Etsy shop . Trying to cater for all manner of tastes when it comes to festive dining??!!….from the traditional, as shown here, in this beautiful hand quilted set of twelve…to many new quirky, colourful, original and unique designs below……

Again, quite a traditional set of twelve, though with a less formal theme aimed at the young at heart…of course 😉

Now then!! If you really want to add some colour to your Christmas mealtimes..??…these ”Rockin’ Reindeer” Place Mats and matching fabric Coasters/Mug Rugs,  should definitely do the trick!! Traditional Christmas colours with a modern ”skewed” design twist  😉

Another modern take! Colour themed around the central printed cotton squares, I have selected and added fabric strips in co-coordinating colours to bring the different coloured backgrounds together as a bright bold set, which can be brought out year after year! As all my sets are made from cotton fabrics with a 100% cotton wadding, they can be laundered in a machine (YAY) and ironed…. to have them looking as good as new after every mealtime!!

Having been caught out last year, by a customer who wanted extra to match a set she’d bought from me (which I didn’t have, but managed to make a coordinating set to match in for her)….I decided to make a few more smaller sets, which can either be bought as stand alone or add on sets for larger dining tables!

And, then back to traditional! A beautiful hand quilted Festive Table Runner  ~ and it’s still not quite the end of August ~ so, still time to get a few more Christmassy things done 🙂 

Sew!! Missing I may have been, but, slacking..well, not really! And it’s definitely nice to be back amongst you All !! 😉

 

 

A Crazy woman should show off her skills…right?? Some, Pretty Crazy Patchwork Creations…

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Artist Crafter and Designer, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Christmas patchwork, Crazy Patchwork Creations, Creative craft, Creative crafting, Fun with fabrics, Handmade, Lovingly Handmade and Quilted Fabric Table sets, Patchwork, Patchwork Place Mats and Coasters, Red Green cotton patchwork, Unique

 

Part Two of a little catch up………………………………………………………………………………. As any Patch Worker knows ~ Scraps Grow…unbelievably so!! Before you know it, you are swamped ….AND, can you throw them away???OMGoodness, NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!                         Here I have a beautiful selection of some of my finest bits turned into useful little items for the table;-) Lovingly handmade fabric coasters and place mat sets at give away prices, ideal for little gifts

Perfectly purple!

Snapped up without a second thought!

Going green is the future…apparently……!                                                                                               To create from scratch would cost a fortune in buying such a selection of fabrics! LOTS of Time and effort to work out these creations ~ but much fun too!

A super set of six…..We all know what these colours represent…..right?! OK, on a whim, I delved into my Christmas fabric selection 😉 Should be a definate NO, NO at this time of the year, I know, BUT, What better time to start, as a lonesome crafter with a little on line shop, to stock up on Christmas creations?? ~ LOL…The height of Summer in the UK! This obviously leads on to more creative X-Mas wonders now, especially if you know me of old,  SO, for catch up post no.3……Cracking on with Christmas Creations….! Watch this space………… ;-D

Sorry To Bore you All with my Busy Week…BUT, I Wish I was Here!!!

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Art, Artist and crafter, Artistic, Artistic moment, Arty, Button faced bags, Buttons, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Crafty creations, Creative craft, Creative crafting, Fun with fabrics, Handmade, Origami Fabric folded Tote, Original, Original art, Patchwork, Peg bags, Peg Dolls, Style, Totes/Bags, Unique

Continuing my quest to make ever more, even quirkier, unique Peg Bags….My week started here! After considering where I would most like to take my washing in order to get it dry ~ having no electric dryer (living in the dark ages and all that) I considered it would be very cool to set off in my orange short set and matching hat to a remote, very deserted desert Island to watch my whites waft in the wind!! Hand drawn , cut and appliqued novelty Peg Bag ~ check out my Etsy Shop for more quirky items and gift ideas!

On a little roll of creativity, I got, interjected with…an urgent request from a lovely lady in the UK…..Could I make her…..An Origami folded fabric tote in the ‘little owl’ fabric, the same as I had made my little 8 pocket pouches???? But, Of Course!! I even gave her the option of a bespoke lining colour and wadding effect!! No sooner had I had her reply, I was racing off to the fabric store ~ before it closed to buy the requested colour – Duck Egg Blue!!

Received request…Sourced Fabric…Produced the next day….Listed for sale…and sold!…all within two days ~ shipped… and my lovely lady received it the day after ~ what a turn around in under 96 hours!!! My lady was so please I received this little note…….

I absolutely love my new tote and pouch 😊
Thank you it’s very well made and is already in use
It is definitely a talking point
I will remember you in the future for more purchases and recommend you to friends and family
Kind regards…

A wonderful result to make a creative crafter very happy!!!

Whilst on my jolly jaunt to source the Duck Egg Blue, I succumbed to purchase a little ‘Scottie’ Print cotton fabric as well ~ couldn’t resist! SO…

And then…..

Another ‘plumped’ up version…using some more of the Duck Egg Blue cotton fabric for the lining………….

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/280529334/tote-and-mini-cosmetic-pouch-duo-set?ref=shop_home_active_26

If you want a conversation starter…this is a good starter!!

Moving swiftly through the rest of my week…………

I had enough ‘Owl’ fabric left to then combined it with a rich burgundy cotton for the lining for another unique tote creation….check it out……….

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/281068022/owl-fabric-tote-free-shipping-super-cute?ref=shop_home_feat_2

back to where I was eventually in the week….Peg Bags ( with included Peg Doll creations for a lovely unique feature)

…Do you know how difficult it is to fashion Peg Dolls with full length Culottes ??? LOL ~ wish my garden was that tidy btw!!!

 

Another little cutie ~ I hope the little fluffy at the back can keep up!!!?!!!

A change of direction from the previous week’s makes…. having some ‘owl’ fabric left over from the commission and a selection of 8 inch squares hanging around for no apparent reason ~ I combined the two ~ into a simply colourful duo Place Mat Set…

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/294711137/little-owls-patchwork-place-mats-skewed?ref=shop_home_feat_1

…on a ‘skewed’ roll again, rounded my week off 😉

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https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/294299903/set-of-six-coastermug-rugs-pink-and?ref=shop_home_active_3

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https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/280537690/coaster-matsmug-rugs-skewed-squares?ref=shop_home_active_14

Ok!!! I reckon tomorrow is a sewing day off after that week of creativeness 😉 perhaps a little weeding is in order ;-/ ???

From Four Fabrics….to Fine Dining!

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Artist and crafter, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Designer patchwork Place Mats and Runner, Fun with fabrics, Handmade patchwork and quilting, New Modern Patchwork Mats, Original, Quirky, Skewed patchwork squares design, Square quilted Table Mats, Stylish table linens, Unique

Some of you may remember me mentioning four new fabrics I had bought before Christmas, and,  was itching to get my hands on??!…well, this last week I let rip with my rotary cutter….and commenced stitching (did my life depend on it???…well you would have thought so if you’d seen me beavering away ;-/  LOL, Like a woman possessed!!)…Today, I finally finished the first of my New Modern Dining Range, Table Place Mats  & A Runner, with my ”Skewed Squares Design” 😉 

From four lovely new fabrics…to….A stylish new range of Every Day Kitchen/Dining Place Mats AND A Runner too!  Lovingly handmade and crafted with care 🙂

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/264932580/patchwork-place-mats-unique-set-of-eight?ref=shop_home_active_1

I selected four cotton print fabrics three with a print pattern  and one lovely blue (with a slight shadow effect) which picks up so well on the tinges of blue dotted throughout the brown mottled piece, bringing them all together perfectly

From the width of the fabrics, I chopped inch and a quarter strips, arranging them around a central skewed square and repeated the colour process until I got to my desired ten and a half inch square panel. This then allowed for accurate trimming back to a perfect ten inch square. A layer of 100% cotton wadding was then sandwiched behind the little panel and a plain cream backing, before I hand quilted around several of the concentric skewed squares to fix together. Next, I chopped a 2.5 inch strip of the tiny flower print fabric to double over and bind each one, all with a hand stitched finish. To compliment the Place Mats I added in four,  4.5 inch square matching fabric Coasters/Mug Rugs to create a unique Eight Piece Set.

As they all have a cotton wadding layer, they are so easy to wash and iron without worrying about flattening the quilting, and, will look as good as new after every laundry day 😉 !!

So, as I had bought more than enough of the four fabrics, I decided I would also make a matching Table Runner. Repeating the process by making three eleven inch squares and two ‘skewed’ triangle ends for a bit of extra quirkiness 🙂

 

Having made the three main panels, in the same way as the place mats,  I then used 1.5 inch strips of the brown print fabric to join them all together, trimmed it back to a neat finished size of 10.5  x  47 inches before completing with a binding to match the Place Mat Set.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/264824219/table-runner-a-unique-and-striking?ref=shop_home_active_2

Now, having cleared my table, the next exciting thing I need to do…..IS…inspect my newly gifted stash of brand new fabrics given to me by my daughter(such a lovely girl!), masses of fat quarters and lengths of gingham prints, so many goodies she had amassed but never got around to doing anything with ;-/ She just couldn’t let them linger unused any more and asked if I wanted them?????? As if I would say No!!!! LOL

Lovingly Handmade Novelty Tote Bag Creations!

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Appliquéd duck design tote bag, Applique, Artist, Artist and crafter, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Cotton patchwork bags, Crafty creations, Creative crafty designs, Cute original creations, Dallying ducks day out tote, Designer patchwork bags, Fun imaginative craft creations, Fun quirky creations, Fun with fabric, Handmade and designed items, Handmade tote bags, Imaginative unique designs, Original, Patchwork landscape scene, Quilted by hand, Quirky, Unique, Unique creations, Unique tote designs

…why not?? If they are popular as framed collages…again, why not make them a mobile piece of art too!? Fun, eye catching, colourful creations, bound to bring attention and definitely a talking point…..and, as always, uniquely one of a kind! Taking patchwork to another level of quirkiness 🙂

New Tote designs for 2015!! Quirky, ever so cute and designed to bring a bit of fun to every day 🙂 whether a crafter, a cleric or a chorister if you’ve no inhibitions, this could be for you! Unique and never to be repeated…I just love to recreate my original ideas into a new context! Practical, pretty, and, in this case, pink! A rich, raspberry coloured cotton fabric lovingly hand crafted into a useful tote bag…imagination has no bounds!!! ;-D

A useful multi-pocket inside with the benefit of a zip fastener to secure valuable items

A colour coordinated internal multi-pocket

A simple, but effective hand quilted diamond pattern over the entirety of the raspberry coloured fabric and to finish off, a magnetic clasp topped with a chunky black button!

In these hard times….mine, is to add a little fun to the world!

Happy Easter to each and ALL! 🙂

‘Knitting Sheep in Boots’ My Handmade and Designed Patchwork, Quilted and Appliquéd Tote Bag

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Artist and crafter, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Fun crafty creations, Fun with fabric, Gossiping sheep, Hand quilted patchwork and applique, Handmade fabric bags, Handmade patchwork totes, Imaginative cute designs, Knitting Sheep in Boots creation, Novelty designer hand-crafted creations, Original, Patchwork landscape, Quirky cute creations, Sheep dip, Sheep in boots, Sheep in Boots patchwork tote bag, Unique, Unique patchwork designs

”…..Have you heard the Gossip Doris….?? ”
”I’M on the fence about IT Betty !!”

”…..Have you heard the Gossip Doris….?? ”
”I’M on the fence about IT Betty…..!!”                                                                     Here we go again….with another unique Tote Bag – this time with ‘Knitting Sheep in Boots’ 🙂  …….I’m starting to think, maybe….I need therapy, to move on from my little sheep creations – BUT, on the upside I found another use for some more little coloured wooden flower buttons!! 🙂

If you are looking to ”GO GREEN” …then, this is most definitely a bag for you 😉
The front of this little handy tote has a central patchwork landscape panel with hand appliquéd ‘gossiping sheep’ – both whiling their time away, knitting from the little lamb in the sheep dip – It would seem…..It’s purple season in the sheep fashion world 😉
The addition of some coordinating, little painted wooden buttons, finishes off the cute countryside scene perfectly !

A perfect little novelty bag, especially as the lambing season is only weeks away – It’s sure to put a Spring in Your Step with all its cute colourful quirkiness !! Oh…But I couldn’t leave it there….. A little design for the reverse, and of course, another for my inside multi-pocket 😀

Another captured moment of the little pair- framed within a patchwork hand quilted panel!

My triple internal multi-pocket design (One with a zip fastening for extra security)
As ever, I think the inside is just as important as the outside – so…why not have a little sheep in there too???! 😉

A SUPER CUTE Unique Novelty bag, perfect for all manner of occasions – Or, Just for fun!! Looking for something completely unique, and lovingly handmade ?….maybe, for a knitter/wool crafter’s gift – what better to hold their little projects safe and sound whilst out and about?!… than a lovely quality cotton handmade ”knitting sheep tote” https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/227700377/unique-patchwork-tote-free-shipping-cute?ref=shop_home_active_1

…I might just resort to a self healing therapy!!!….I do have another little sheep project itching to get underway, now this one is finished….maybe, that will cure me ??? 😉