Boys Nautical Blue Stripe Bunting

With the Queen's Jubilee next week, bunting seems to be everywhere. Inspired by this and with some left over blue stripe fabric, I thought I would make some bunting for the baby's room. 

It was really simple to make even with my novice sewing skills.

 Using a triangular template, for each piece of bunting, I cut out 2 pieces of fabric.

Placing the two pieces together inside out, I pinned the triangles together and sewed up the 2 sides. ( no need to do the top)

Repeat until you have enough flags for the bunting. I made 11 flags for 2.5 meters of bunting.

I then turned the triangle right side out. And sewed them onto 2.5 metre strip of cotton white fabric.

I love it, it's just so bright and cheery.  I think I'll bring it out for his birthday party next month as well.

And here is the bunting with the matching baby chair.
At some point I will get round to painting some pictures for his walls!

This post was part of Simply Designing link party , Today's Craft Blog, and Someday Crafts

Decorative Black Frame with White Board

The white board is used everyday in our house - whether it's writing the shopping list, using it as a reminder or just a cheeky message to my husband. 

We would really miss it from the wall in our kitchen, so therefore it deserved to be a bit more glamorous, with a decorative frame.

And here it is.........

As you can see here in the before photo, this plain whiteboard served a function but definitely needs to be more attractive and part of our home.

Before

 I found this frame in a local shop and painted it in a black gloss paint to transform my boring whiteboard.

Before

This post was part of Whatever goes Wednesday on Someday Crafts, Simply Designing and Today's Creative Blog Link Party

Baby Bumper/Draught Excluder

We have a very hard and pointy brick edge around our hearth/fireplace, and with a young baby on the move any day now, we need a baby bumper, just in case of any falls!

My solution is a long knitted sausage full of padding to nestle up against the hearth, covering the hard edge.

Here is a picture of our lovely warm wood burner, it's coming to the end of the season of lovely fires and next year we will have to get ourselves a fire guard!

Living in a old cottage, it can be a bit drafty so I may find myself knitting another one as a draught excluder!

If you would like to make one:

1.Cast on 40 Stitches

2.Knit  in stocking stitch ( knit one row, purl one row) until desired length.

3.Cast off

To knit the 2 end pieces.

1.Cast on 4 stitches.  

2.Knit one row. Purl one row.

3.Knit one, and increase a stitch.  Knit until last 2 stitches.  Increase one and Knit one.

4.Purl row.

5. Repeat until you have 14 stitches

6.Knit one row. Purl one row

7.Knit one stitch. Knit 2 together.  Knit to last 3 stitches. Knit 2 together. Knit one.

8. Purl one row.

9. Repeat last 2 rows until remaining 4 stitches.

9. Cast off.

Sew up the main piece along the long side.

Sew one end piece onto the end of the main piece.

Turn right side out

Fill with stuffing.

Sew on second end piece to close up the open end.

Finish.

This post of part of Today's Creative Blog - Get Your Craft on Tuesday and Someday Crafts -Whatever goes Wednesday and Simply Designing

Hand Printed Tea Towel

The baby had an afternoon out with his grandparents which gave me a few hours to get the paints out and have a go at my hand printed tea towel (without any little interuptions!)

I have a long list of things I want to make and this is something I have wanted to do for a long while.  

In the summer I did a few sketches from the fruit and veg patch and this drawing of a tomato caught my eye.....

... I thought it would make an ideal print.

And here is the end result.

My favourite

Tea Towel

Trio of Tomatoes

This post was part of the Sundae Scoop at I Heart Nap Time and Get Your Craft on with Todays Creative Blog

Baby Chair Upholstery Project

I recently inherited a baby chair, that is perfect for my son's room, and decided to recover the cushion in a blue, white and red stripped fabric to match the nautical theme of his room.
I have been debating whether to paint the chair white to match the rest of the furniture, but having completed the cushion I like the comparison.
It didn't take me long (probably because the stitching underneath is a little bit questionable :) but no one will ever see that!) and it now fits in perfectly!

After

Before

This post was part of Get Your Craft on Tuesday at Today's Creative Blog and The Girl Creative 

My mini range of felt bowls

Once I start I can't stop...... I got completely carried away and just loved knitting on the double pointed needles, and as I knitted I kept thinking of little characters to stitch onto the bowls.  I can't decide which is my favourite, I love the colour of the green and white bowls but I keep getting drawn to the cheeky little chicken!

I'd love to know what you think?

This post was part of Weekend Wonders at Mum of All Trades

Knitorama - Bow and Hot Water Bottle Cover.

I was given a fantastically quirky knitting book called 'Knitorama'.  The book is full of unusual knitting patterns such as ham sandwiches, apple protectors and fried egg earmuffs!  I was flicking through to see what I could make with some odd bits of wool and sadly I didn't have the right colours for a ham sandwich.  So, I made a knitted bow to maybe hang around the house, decorate clothing or use as gift wrapping.  I think I prefer the latter!

For gift wrapping

I thought I would also show you another piece I made from this book a while ago - A hot water bottle cover - I just love it's little jacket.

Knitted Cushions

At the rate I knit this felt like a long job, but well worth it, so I made 2!

Tea cosy obsession

I am a novice knitter but this simple knitting pattern, meant I could play around with the colour and design. They are also double lined for extra warmth and cosiness, as I can't get enough of a good cup of tea!