Filo-Faxed...Filo-Fixed...

This is such a 1980's problem -a perfectly reasonable filofax malfunctions in the elastic strappy-thing department. No problem -time for a quick fix!

You will need:
-Sturdy velcro (15cm strip);
-Two contrasting bits of fabric (one sturdy, one not);
-Bondaweb;
-Some ribbon (as long as diary around plus 15cm);
-A chunky button;
-A sewing machine & usual bits & bobs...

How to...

The Making of a Dress...

It was a mission, I'm not going to lie. My Auntie Sue gave me a 1951 Vogue pattern for an evening dress -turns out that patterns made in the Fifties don't have a whole lot of printing on them...The instructions are a little presumptive too; like you're Coco Chanel and this is something you'd do in your lunch hour whilst having a break from the typing pool.

But, after about 3 weeks of working away in the evening, it got done -and bloody chuffed I am with it too. I wore it to the Saffron Walden Rugby Club Ball on Saturday night, and aside from a slightly Marilyn Monroe moment when a gas heater was turned on, stood up to an evening of dancing well.

Would I do it again? You bet, but I've learned a few valuable lessons about vintage patterns:

1: Never assume the sizing is correct. Get someone to measure you, and before you sew, pin the pieces and see if they fit;
2: Always leave enough time to complete the task in small chunks -this isn't the Great British Sewing Bee, and if like me you have 2 kids, you have to work when they are in bed;
3: Bodging is ok -where patterns assume you know how something works and you think you can make it work better, do it. It's okay to go off script, just tack and check before you sew;






Do you want to have a go at this pattern? I'm happy to post it on, just e-mail me jencrumpuk<at>yahoo<dot>com or find me on Facebook @TheOtherMrsBeaton...

My Fabric Family Tree...

I've been tidying and having a sort out recently(were hopefully selling our house) and I realised that I have something of a fabric obsession. It's genetic. Can't argue with it.

Then I got me a thinking about where all these pieces came from, and there were some good times...Some pretty icky screaming baby times too, but I realised I have quite the stash to pass on to my kids and family in the future. Nice thought that.

1. (Mum) Sam's Birth 2008;
2. (Aimee) Hattie's Birth 2012;
3. (Mum) Hattie's Birth 2012;
4. (Me!) Whilst pregnant with Hattie 2012;
5. (My Nan) My Birth 1981;
6. (My Nan) Hattie's Birth 2012;
7. (My Nan) My Brother's Birth 1985 (I think...!);
8. (My Nan) Sam's Birth 2008;
9. (Me!) Sam's first big bed 2010;
10. (Mum) Our wedding 2006:
11. (Mum) Leaving for university (2000).


I'm going to happily add to my collection (of fabric, not children) if it means I have a little story to tell. What's in your cupboards?xx

Teach a toddler to sew...

There's probably an Early Years list of all the things a four year old should be able to do...In fact there is and I haven't read it. But if I was in charge of writing such things, I think this would be on it...It's a pre-cursor to tying your shoelaces and really works on the fine motor skills. Plus it requires concentration which is never a bad thing! This is a cheaper version of the precut threading cards you can buy...My next experiment is to cut out random photo's from magazines, back them onto card and get Sam to thread away...A Boris Johnson one would make me giggle!

You will need:
A hole punch
Sturdy card
A blunt darning needle
Yarn scraps


How to:
This is pretty self-explanatory but hey ho... I got Sam to trace around my hand with a pencil onto the card, then we cut it out. Sam then set to with the hole punch and made lots of holes.
Then, tie one end of a length of yarn through a hole, thread the needle and away they go!

Tip: Tie a small knot to secure the needle (prevents slippage) and never cut more yarn than the distance from your child's hand to their shoulder...seems to cut down on the tangles!

Cover yourself up!

My poor old machine...It comes up against a lot of abuse...The spool holder is repaired with a cocktail stick and I have been woefully neglegent with the oiling of it all. After nearly 7 years of hard graft I thought it about time to treat it to a proper cover. This is how it goes...

You will need:
The old cover (or newspaper to create a pattern if no longer about)
Material (about square metre should do it)
Enough elastic tape (at least half a cm width) to go around the base)
Bias binding tape in a contrast colour
All the usual notions.

Read on for instructions...

Sheepish Yarn Bombing Day 2 - Share Your Heart

Sheepish Yarn Bombing Day 2 - Share Your Heart


This is a lovely idea and one I'll be having a go at -I'll let you know where they end up!

Share you pics at #sheepishheartbomb

Making a week...

This week has been about the making -I still can't get the balance right between actually producing stuff and blogging/etsy-ing and doing the research you need to get going! That, and I had to remake the little kitty cats made earlier in January as good old Royal Mail has them 'somewhere' over the Atlantic...grrr.

So this is what I got up to...More on certain projects later but happily I have completed some and have some happy ideas underway x

One: a lovely bakery visit (Hitchin) starts things off well -French bread that actually tastes French! If you're in the area, pop in and give it a try;

Two: my lovely friend Sarah passed on nearly 90 Craft magazines that her Grandmother had given her -it was a fabulous surprise and will keep me going craftwise, probably indefinitely!

Three: I learnt to 'ripple' (hurrah!) in crochet, and made my first practise piece into a cushion;

Four: Daffies galore -I have a sneaky idea for spring flowers in tins;

Five: I checked out 'Staffy b' in Baldock which is a covetable interiors shop where they sale substantial offcut bundles for £5...

Six: and then I made some lavender bags out of the bits!

Seven: I'm trying to use up the random tiny balls of wool I have left from other projects and so I've decided the make up lots of diddy circles. Seems to be a quick way of trying out different colour combinations quickly...I feel a reference cushion coming on!

Eight: Sam and I (and Hattie but she was asleep so it doesn't really count) joined the library...Scandalous I know that it's taken this long, but Sam thought it was amazing, and I made him a book bag for the job;

Nine: Today was a pirate party...and 5 mins before we were due to leave, I realised we had no wrapping paper...Jim's idea was ace -brown paper and a quick treasure map doodle!

What were you up to last week? More importantly, in a week of pancakes and love hearts, what will you be getting up to?

An army of cats...

Cats seem to be featuring highly at the moment...and I don't even have a cat? What does it say when most of the lovely people I follow on instagram have cats? And when I get etsy commissions to make cats?...Probably 'get a cat'....can't I have a ferret instead? x

Blind leading the blind!

So Hannah and I set about another project (as if wrestling FOUR kids under 5 on a freezing day wasn't enough)...To whip up blinds for her playroom. Her mum (ace lady of fine ideas) thought this one through -how to make blinds without cords that can cause horrid accidents when kids get involved. We've all seen the stories.

These are basically 'pop-up' blinds using buttons and tabs, with a self-extending pole at the top. This means that they are pretty safe from prying fingers, and can be whipped down and bunged in the washing machine when spills happen/random child explosions. We've all cleaned that mess up.

It took the day, a good deal of head scratching, but we got a good result.

To that end, I've written out the instructions in (hopefully) a user friendly format, as a bit of a tester to start putting these ideas on etsy. If you'd like to sample them, and provide some feedback, I'd be mightily grateful. Just e-mail me at jencrumpuk@yahoo.com and I'll send you over a copy.

Thanks for dropping by!x

Be Mine Valentine...

Just when you thought you uld put away the fabric scraps after Christmas decoration making... Valentines Day gives us girlies the green light to propose...even though I'm married I might just ask hubbie again (he better say yes...).

But why buy a card that ends up being blown off the shelf (i'm sure there's another dodgy parallel there) when you could rustle up a heart from scraps, making something pretty out of the bits left behind (ok, I've gone really Mills and Boon now)?!






Read more for how to make!

From deepest, darkest Peru...

A little while ago I found a pair of kids curtains in a charity shop -pretty old but a lovely Paddington Bear print...a quick wash and they come up lovely, and so far have become several crafty makes.

Two cushion covers brightened up the spare room, and a seat cover for Sam's chair at the dinner table hoped to solve the fidgetty-bum-ness of a toddler. That failed but the cushion looks ace in my kitchen.

This week I've been making plushies for Christmas presents -really sweet little character cut-outs, backed with an old farmer shirt that husband had worn out and some toy stuffing...

I'm thinking a shopping bag for the new year...what would you make?x

Baby it's cold outside...

Draught excluders...not the sexiest topic, but might actually save some pennies on the heating bill this year. I made mine in less than an hour a long time ago, and it gets brought out every winter...which says something about the draughty houses I live in I guess.

You will need:
Two old pillows (or you can pick up basic IKEA skinny ones for a couple of quid)
A stretch of fabric to cover the pillows snuggly (an old blanket, cut off trouser leg, pillow cases, you get the idea)
Anything you like to decorate
Sewing bits and bobs.

To Make:
Measure out the fabric against the pillows and cut enough to make a skinny tube. Where as with most sewing you need to leave a seam allowance, with this you need to go at least half and inch smaller all the way around to ensure a tight fit.

Sew up three of the sides to make a tube. If you wanted applique letters or a design added, make sure you do this first on one of the tube sides. Stuff tube with pillows.

With the spare end, tie a big chunky knot.

Chuck down by draught door and feel your bill-budget going a smidge further!

Hawaiian gingerbread people....

Really chuffed as today I finished my first etsy commission -nothing like taking on more projects the weekend before you're due to have a baby (which still hasn't taken the hint). Anyway, I'm happy that they are winging their way across the pond to the USA...that was until the self-doubt crept in!

Anyone else get all excited that a project is done and then worry that it just ain't good enough? Would be great to hear from other humans connected to screens out there that manage this bit of the crafty process...just how do you do it?

Movember -Get your Tash on!

Find this on etsy...

I'm a big fan of the tash -they are comedy facewear that have the added benefits of keeping top lips warm at this chilly time of year, and can raise money for men's cancer charities. If you are a lady like me, and have some difficulty growing a full sartorial effort, why not show your support by crafting an accessory, or making a donation at the link below.
http://uk.movember.com/donate/

The embroidery is listed at etsy.com where £10 from the sale will be donated to the charities supported by Movember UK.

Sewing Essentials...

I have several projects on the go at once, mainly because my concentration varies at different times of the day and I can't do anything complicated when Sam is about or I'm knackered...So I'm forever shifting my basic kit between rooms and baskets of 'stuff'. What I needed was a small pouch I can keep the essentials in (scissors, measuring tape and needlebook) that can keep everything together. This is also handy for putting in my handbag for emergencies (and IKEA/junk shop measuring moments).

I basically made two crochet squares, one side circular (follow the circle guide on the placemat post) and the other striped, out of chunky yarn. I used double crochet as it's dense and the scissors won't poke out the sides. I also picked dark colours so it won't get grubby quick. Then, wrong-sides together I crocheted around three sides, turned the right way in, added a small button loop (about 15 ch, single crocheted up and down twice) and a button (which I think came of a 1970's cardi my Dad used to have...)

Other ideas: Add a long cord, make up in bright colours and this would make a cute purse for a little girl's Christmas present...Make the circle all orange, embroider a pumpkin face and add a cord, and you have a Trick or Treat bag...Use as a gift bag for another knitted item, maybe some snuggly Merino bed socks....

Let it Sew, Let it Sew, Let it Sew...

It's getting to that cheesy time of year, and I have to confess that I am a reformed scrooge...This morning my Christmas cards turned up (more of that next week) which was very exciting, and yesterday I 'helped' (read 'hindered') Han in making some handmade tree decorations. Despite a traumatic sewing history involving lessons at school and sewing herself to her work, by the end of the afternoon, no-one had cried and she had a found her stitchy-groove.

Han had got the initials of key family members printed in a large sized font (I think it was at least 132??!) and then glued them onto a cereal box to make a sturdy template. Cut two pieces of glittery felt (who knew this existed?), ribbon, a simple running stitch around the outside, a smidge of toy wadding and some jingly bells and voila!

These make lovely little presents that can be used again next year, or even gift tags...I like the idea of bottles of homemade sloe gin with the initial of the recipient around the neck...but then I like the idea of sloe gin in general.

Little Miss Party Bags...

Sam's been invited to a party (very exciting) for 4 girls at nursery who are turning 4. The parents are really sweet and said not to worry about gifts as there are 4 of them, but it's nice to bring along something..so...

These little shopping bags are really quick and easy to whip up out of bits and bobs from my fabric box. It didn't really use a pattern -just made sure that any patched pieces fitted to A5 size with a 2cm turn over seam allowance at the top. Piece all the fabric, then before you sew the sides and bottom, make sure you turn over and sew the top seam, add any embellishments that need to be done on a machine, and add handles. The handles are a simple strip of fabric, with seams rolled, pressed and stitched on one side. Easy peasy. Whizz up the sides, turn the right way in, press and add buttons and beads. Smile.

Top Tip: Press, press and press again! Use of a bloomin' hot iron will really make the difference to the overall look and it also makes stitching remarkably easy if everything has been pressed flat.

Here come the boys...

So I've been a little obsessed by gingerbread and Christmas this week, and have actually started talking to the little dudes that have jumbled their way out of my work box...

(Top row from left to right)

Alf is a friendly and dependable type of gingerbread man -a bit shy around the gingerbread ladies but you know he'll always help you out in a fix. Not one for flashy dressing he sports three glass buttons down his front and a functional orange ribbon.This is one Christmas tree decoration that could easily cheer up your kitchen throughout the year...you'll get used to him hanging around.

Rupert is a bit of a wolly -we love him really but he is best described as bounder! He tries hard, but always looks a little awkward-judging by the fluted buttons, if gingerbread men worde shirts, his would be ruffled.Probably best in his role as Hugh's wing-man, you won't fail to love him, exasperating as that might be!

Hugh has a big heart! Quintessentially British, he bimbles a bit and has trouble expressing himself, but once you've work your charms, Hugh will be smitten with you forever.A lover, not a fighter, this little gingerbread lothario really needs to be placed on a tree next to an angel, or fairy, or somewhere his big heart and felty hugs can be appreciated.

(Bottom row, left to right)

An intellectual and dandy, Marcel will bring a touch of something dapper to the Christmas tree with his natty green bow tie and well trimmed moustache. He can get a little above his station and in a previous bakery related life, was known to order the flour and eggs about a bit. But if you have some disorganised baubles and truculent tinsel on your tree, Marcel is the gent to sort it all out.

Clark is a bit of a thrill seeker and would best suit a spot high up on your Christmas tree where he can test his long-standing vertigo to the limits. With his chest emblazoned with an applique white star with gold trim, Clark always has a cheeky smile for the gingerbread ladies, and hopes that they see him as the baking equivalent of Evil Knievel...

Honey I shrunk your jumper...

I have a stash of my husband's jumpers under the spare bed, documenting laundry shame over the past 6 years... Even though every washing machine I've used has a specific 'wool' setting, something comes over me and I am rendered incapable of protecting natural fibres from hot water and inevitable shrinkage...

No matter, all the more for me! A shrunken jumper takes on a felted feel and becomes more snuggly as a result. Add some applique shapes (this time I've chosen autumn leaves) and a touch of embroidery and hurrah, old jumper, new life! At least I'm not chilly...

Marvellous Muzzies...

or, how to make mopping up baby puke slightly more attractive...

I've been going through my old baby stuff and washing up the salvageable bits for this one...and came across a stack of grey, depressing muslins. Functionally, there's nothing wrong with them and I can't really justify binning them all on account of their pallor (if that rule applied to people, I'd have been on the scrap heap years ago), so I needed a plan...

I used Dylon Cold Water Dye tins and followed(ish) the instructions on the packet. It's bloomin' easy to change the colour of muslin given that it's such a basic cloth. If you buy new ones and want to cheer them up/ personalise them as a gift, wash them on a hot cycle first to remove any of the manufacturers finish on the fabric, then dye.

Then, on a plain piece of cotton, I drew out eight 6cm x 6cm squares (making a card template first helped). Make sure you leave enough of a gap around each one to cut and turn the edges when you applique to the muslin. After practising some line sketches, I decided upon 8 designs and embroidered onto the squares -keep it simple and make sure all your loose ends are neatly tied in to prevent little fingers unpicking them!

 Once the muslins were dry, ironed and I had finished stitching, trim out your squares and applique to the cloth. Here, you can either iron all the edges over first, use some Bondaweb to secure your patch or just turn the hem as you go. All depends on the time and skill you have really. A final running stitch finishes them off neatly. Job done! Can't stop your kid puking, but can make wiping up the mess slightly more glam.