Christmas Elf has been Busy with Felt and Leather.

Hello

Happy Christmas, wishing you all the best in very difficult times.

This year I definitely didn't want to go Xmas shopping so more home made presents than ever.

The cottage has had a mouse infestation, this little lot moved into the conservatory for a short while.

I started making felt baubles, got carried away 

For Joss, a couple of teeny horse shoe tree decorations with her ponies' names on.

Had a go at leather work, making key rings, its harder than it looks.  I did buy a stitching "pony" to hold the leather while I stitched which made it easier.

For my good friend Steph,  a new leather "gardening pinny" complete with phone pocket made on the Singer 222K. I did put a pair of garden snips in there.   I use one all the time when I am working, to keep my snips and garden wire to hand to save me from leaving my tools in the gardens.

Scallop shell scented candles - sprayed them silver, added sea glass "feet", melted scented tealights using the wicks.

Then just for fun, tried the same idea with little shells.

Transformed curtain rings into decorations for my tree with felt, gold thread, bell and ribbon.

I've really enjoyed sewing this years gifts, much better than visiting a busy shopping centre (apologies to the shop owners).  Did do a bit of shopping at local garden centre and animal feed shop for toys for the dogs.

Here's to a better New Year.

Take care

Sharon

Garden Sieve Xmas Wreath

Hello

The cottage elf has been fairly busy recently as she doesn't want to go to the shops for Xmas presents.  Will show the results of the Great Xmas Pressy make after the big day.

In the meantime, thought I would show you my very homemade Xmas wreath.  I had collected lots of fir cones this summer after sweeping up a path in one of my work gardens, seemed a shame to put them in the green bin.

I started with a very old bentwood garden sieve which I bought in at an auction years ago.  It was full of woodworm so I treated before painting it.  Each cone was wired on, this took for ever.  Added some gold bells and some shells which I had sprayed silver.  A set of battery powered lights were wound around the cones.

Its hung on my summerhouse as my front door is glazed.

All lit up, the lights are on a timer.  They are surprisingly bright for battery power.

I had a little wire cone shaped plant support which with the same type of battery lights, looks great in the dark.

Take care

Sharon

 

Homemade Present for a new Quilter

Hello 

My friend Joss has taken up quilting so for her birthday treat I made her little gift.

A pressing mat to keep next to her machine, it has the heat resistent wadding in put 2 layers in it, just to be on the safe side. The little bag holds some quilting clips I thought might come in handy for her.  To complete the set, a matching pin cushion.

 All wrapped up with a matching label. 

Singer Sewing Family Mansion

Hello

When you manufacture millions of sewing machines you can afford a house like this.

Found this booklet published by the Council sometime after they bought it in 1949.  

Very grand interior.

The Council still owes it but houses itself is closed to the public.  Apparently the grounds are open and there is a bowls club there.  Here is a link to their website Oldway

Cheers

Sharon

Refurbished Picnic Hamper

Hello

I bought this picnic hamper on Ebay for £10.  When it arrived it was grubby but it cleaned up OK using the steam cleaner.

The lining was a bit boring and showing its age.  I took all the straps off which were held on by rivets which needed prising off, this took forever.

Using screw together rivets I fastened the straps back in place on the new lining.  It was bit tricky because of all the layers, the strap, fabric, foam layer for padding, then thin plywood, I don't think I would have been able to do if I had got the other type of rivets that you bash together.

The fabric came out of my storage, I knew it would come in useful one day!  My vintage china plates and bowls fit snugly in the straps. The coffee cups and flask do not go with the vintage theme but the colours are perfect.

I had a few days off work last week, the sun came out so we had an outing.

This is the view from the bench, we were just outside of Middleham where they train the race horses behind us just up the hill were the gallops.  Naughty Burt the collie took far too much interest in the galloping horses we had to leave, didn't want him to get loose and cause havoc.

The little jam jars that I have been saving came in handy for butter and jam for the scones.

Don't know when it will get used again, Autumn is coming but it will be ready for next summer.

Cheers

Sharon

Catch Up - Little bit of sewing, Vintage car and a newish Dog

Hello

Hope everyone is keeping safe.

I made a gift for a very dear friend, a couple of masks in a pretty bag to keep in her car.

My partner, the Artist bought himself a vintage car, just love the colour of it.

I've been adding to the hexi quilt, its nearly there, double bed size.  Just need to find some fabric for the back was going to get some from the Quilt Show at Harrogate but alas, the venue is now an emergency hospital.

Finally, Tina the Tiny Terrier has come to live with us, she came half way through Lockdown.  She couldn't cope at home 24/7 with 2 small children.  Burt is delighted to have a doggy friend even a "feisty" one.  

 

Meet my new gardening dog, she can come to work with me a few days a week, she loves a van ride.  She has started to settle down, we've had a few blips but that is to be expected with a rescue dog.  If you are wondering, she was bought as a small jack Russell terrier but I think someone was telling porkies, if you Google Jack Russell/Yorkshire Terrier this is what comes up.  I think she looks like Gnasher out of the Beano.

Cheers

Sharon

Half Pin Cushion Doll Makeover

Hello

I started a collection of Pin Cushion Dolls many years ago,  picking them up at Antique Fairs and Shops, car boot and more recently the occasional ones on Ebay.  I once bought a job lot at an local Auction house.  My Sister was good at finding them as well.  For those who don't know, these little half dolls were produced from the  1920/30s and were attached to pin cushion skirts, crumb brushes and  tops of baskets.  (The ones on the bottom row are sat on boxes so that they can be seen when the door is closed.)

My neighbour likes the local Auction House and often buys job lots of china.  She came to me, smiling saying that one her lots had a large pin cushion doll complete with skirt. Would I be interested in it, yes please I haven't added to my collection for quite a while.

As usual I forgot to take a before photo, she had her skirt on but I had unpicked her before this photo.

The skirt was silk and very well made but so dirty.  Underneath the skirt was an even dirtier base.

 Not many of my collection came with skirts or if they did, not worth keeping, apart from this little one, she is attached to a power puff.

Seeing as the skirt was so well made a wash was in order, it was soaked in pure soap flakes for a few hours, goodness me the water was revolting.  I rinsed it in clean water for quite a while to make sure all the soap was remove, then it was hung on the line to dry.

The base wasn't something I fancied keeping so made another one with some calico fabric and used new toy stuffing as I wouldn't be using it as a pin cushion.  Instead of putting the doll flange inside the base, I put loops of ribbons through the holes so the doll could sit on the base and the ribbons were sewed down to secure.  This way the doll will not flop about which is a common problem.  Then before she was sewn down, I put the clean skirt back on.

The skirt is faded originally it was pale green but at least its clean.   Won't keep here in the conservatory as the sun will destroy the delicate fabric.

Sharon.

A Sewing Gift

Hello

My friend Sarah was feeling under the weather, she, like me, caught the sodding virus  back in March.  A couple of weeks ago, she had nearly lost her voice so I thought a little gift would cheer her up.

As the shops were closed, I had a rummage in my sewing collections to make a gift basket.  It's got some of her favourite yellow ditsy print fabric, a pair of cute scissors in a handmade case, some vintage buttons and a little patchwork wheat bag with home grown lavender in.   The patchwork was left over from a project, there was enough to make an extra three, which have gone into my fabric stash to keep it smelling nice.

Who needs shops, when you have full cupboards and a sewing machine!

Cheers

Sharon

Sewing Room Tidy UP

Hello

My sewing room aka conservatory has been looking so untidy for absolutely ages, stuff everywhere so I had a bit of a tidy up and reorganise.

I put a larger set of drawers into the summerhouse and was going to throw the smaller ones out but when I shifted them out, decided that they didn't look too bad and moved them into the conservatory.  When I put them in the summerhouse they were light purple but the sun has faded them into a duck egg colour which is handy.  The handles finally came for the other set but thought they would look nice on the smaller drawers.   Eventually I would like a set of vintage drawers to replace these but they will do for now.  Top drawer has all sorts of thread in it, next one has all my rulers (except the larger ones), third one has my covered notebooks in, zipped bags.  The bottom one is for "stuff". 

 

The sewing table is home to my 201K, I use it to top stitch my quilts.  The vintage suitcases hold various unfinished projects, the blue one has my "dear jane" quilt patches which I must get on with.  The top brown one has fabric waiting to be made into a quilt and the leather one at the bottom is full of vintage Singer attachments.

On one of my better days when I was recovering from the virus, I repainted my "doorstop" shoe lasts highlighting the raised names with gold enamel paint.

I've been giving my Singer 222K a run out recently, I like to use all my machines so they all have a go to keep the oil flowing and parts moving.  Will give it a clean and oil before swapping it for one of the 221Ks.

The little sewing cabinet in the corner came out of my dad's garage when we cleared it out, Mum used to use it before it went in there, then I used it to keep my spare horse tack in so it was well bashed before I painted it.  

The room is still crowded and old fashioned, but I enjoy working in there, the birds sing in the garden while I sew. 

Cheer

Sharon