A Fringe and Bits and Bobs

The rug is now finished with the fringe each end it didn't take long all together to make using up what I had available, wool acrylic and cotton. I made a few crochet lengths then put the motif I had made earlier in the centre to make a cushion, quite colourful I think with floral cotton material on the back. I have begun a crochet shawl, a first for me, with a few pastel colours of cotton mix yarn I had and as I don't like to be wasteful I used them all and will see how it looks as it grows. It has 67 chain stitches, so quick to do, it will be 60" in length. I will probably need to buy more of the same yarns or similar to finish. It is a friendship shawl this is the pattern. I have started filling my new room with a few craft books looks good I think so far.

Two Pairs of Slippers

I have been making these two pairs of easy sixty minute slippers one pair with two strands of multi coloured yarn and red I had in my stash, the red pair with four strands for a more chunky pair. These are for my two daughters Michelle, who wants chunky and Fiona who as long as they don't fall off her feet doesn't mind. I will be taking them up to them in London when we go up there for the Awards Do in January 14th.

Hat and Cowl

I made this hat while on the train going to Epsom Surrey to see my two daughters over Christmas, with this matching cowl, my own design, made whilst there. We had a fabulous relaxing time. The Christmas dinner and all the trimmings prepared and cooked by our daughters. We are going up again in January to an awards ceremony Michelle will receive her MRCP award.

Snowstorm Hat

I liked this pattern Snowstorm from Hooked on Crochet for super warm hats. I chose the colours I already had with a chunky acrylic yarn. It was quick and easy to do and I'm learning new crochet stitches with each new item I make!

Around The World Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog Crafty Bags and my scheduled stop on the Around The World Blog Hop.

Sunflower Tote

 I would like to thank Janine from Rainbow Hare for inviting me to join the Around the World Blog Hop! I have always admired Janine's work, her dolls Plain and Purl with a story! quilting, textile wall art the beautiful crochet flowers throw and gorgeous knitting. And I love her Wool on Sundays. Please go and take a look and see.

Janine has asked me to answer four questions so here goes!
 
What am I working on?

Curtain Material

While out with Mr CB on a trip to Bodmin town to have a look around and to make the most of the late summer sunshine I spied this colourful material in a charity shop window it's two curtains, I think it looks like it could be retro material. I will make two cushions from it, the blue trim I bought the next day in a fabric store, a good match I think. I have made Mandala crochet cushions too which I recently discovered how to do. 

Jacob Fleece Merino Tops Felt Bag

This is the carded Jacob Fleece and Merino Wool Tops leftover from a Sheep to Hat course I did. I made this bag. It will be either a felt bag next or small shawl or scarf using both the Jacob and Merino together or on their own, wet felted needle felted or both.


How does my work differ from others in its genre ?

I started by making bags, all kinds, shapes and sizes and various fabrics and after a while I restarted knitting and crochet and became interested in trying other crafts, quilting, felting, cross stitch embroidery (I like to do more embroidery) and applique so I don't think I have a particular genre.

Two Crochet Throws

Two Knitted Rugs

Crochet Cardigans and Sweater

Quilted Knitting Bag and My First Quilt

Cross Stitch Lavender Sachet

Why do I write/create what I do? 

I just love to create things I just recently really enjoyed using my colourful, fancy scrap yarns to crochet two cardigans in stripes of colour that was easy to do and surprisingly quick, then knitting a sweater this time in blocks of colour. I love making items from something once used into something compleatly different, recycling. And as I make nice things I like to write about them
and share what I have made with others who love crafting and blogging too and I find it interesting to see what others are creating.

 How does my writing/creating processes work?

 I am lucky to live in the amazingly beautiful county of Cornwall in the UK with its magnificent varied scenery all around the many beaches and coves, living here gives me added inspiration to create nice things I think.

I don't use a pattern, I plan out a style of bag in my head and get straight on with it, sometimes I do sketch out an outline of the design to keep me focused. I use the fabrics to hand imagining what type of bag I could make, the lining, then the handles to match. I see colours, patterns I find striking in a fashion magazine and put them together as a bag. I did this with a denim and blue/ white pattern cotton bag.  A bag I made from a multi-coloured cardigan looked lovely and I added a thick cotton shoulder strap. I may see a bag I really like in a boutique and make one similar. I cut out the sheep shapes from a curtain with lots of patterns and stitched them together to make a knitting bag.

Sometimes it is trial and error and a learning process and I start again but find if I take the time to plan it out it is half the battle and usually comes out all right.

I am always on the look out for colourful material it could be curtain material, or off cut remnants as I only need a small amount for a project at a time, I find these aplenty in fabric stores, wool shops, markets, car boot sales and sometimes charity shops.
I love to go to look around a car boot sale near me which also has a market outdoors and indoors too so there is plenty to browse around.

I hope you have stayed with this to the end thank you and because I want to introduce to you the lovely Julia from Horse Fire Textiles who makes amazing rugs from recycled material, wall hangings and art and all really inspiring and colourful to look at too, I am sure you will agree and she will be answering questions on the next blog hop next Monday.

Baby Blanket and a Mandala

I have finished the pinks and cream baby blanket.I like how it turned out. I have added a cream border with the same stitch pattern as the blanket all round and added two cotton crochet flowers in each corner. I have begun making my first Mandala although it became rather wide as I went along. I must learn to count the stitches as I go. It will be a circular cushion with probably a cotton backing. I have two rows more to do. I love the colours and various patterns of Mandalas that came up on a Google search. The green is brighter than it appears in this photo that I took with my iPad camera.

New Summer Bag and Crochet Motif

 I have been following a crochet pattern and made this motif it is just over 14"x14" square.
I will make a cushion with it on fabric with an embroidery design underneath the motif.

I have started embroidering a chain stitch which I find relaxing and I am enjoying seeing the design take shape.

 Flowery shoulder bag made with retro colourful material found at a market.

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crocheting and knitting

I have been busy making two crochet throws and knitting two mats one is a bath mat so have not been making bags. I thought of a colour to use for the bath mat with stretchy material and found what I was looking for instantly on Ebay I bought a few yards.

Except this one recently,I couldn't resist the colours, so summery.

I entered a craft competition to make something animal related this is mine,  please vote for me.
http://pinterest.com/pin/142144931961514249/

Crochet Throw and a Knitted Rug.

I have made all the 196 squares for the crochet throw and all I have to do is put a double crochet edging around.  It won't take long as it is just one row double crochet.

There are lots of colours so I was thinking instead of having a random colour mix I would keep the same shades of colours together.


These are a few layers thick here.

Rag Rug