Buttons And Gadgets

One of my favourite things when crafting and creating is spending an excessive amount of time sifting through one of my many vintage button boxes to find the exact button that will marry perfectly with whatever fabric I happen to be using at the time. And when I was making a few gadget/mobile phone/iPod cases I found myself whiling many a minute away selecting the perfectly perfect button.

Here are the combinations I came up with:


Love this big brown button!



A starry affair livened up with a splash of pink wool


Butterscotch button and tweed.

Must start to put these in my folksy and etsy shops too - that's after I've spent another inordinate amount of time thinking up names for them!

Creating Corsages

I love crocheting flower brooches and corsages, and up until recently I'd been making them mainly in one colour, sometimes felting them, sometimes adding a contrasting colour button. Recently I've been inspired by the ever growing collection of coloured balls of wool that lie at my feet each evening to create some multi-coloured ones.

This one is quite chic I think - classic white and slate grey - both fine wools which create a delicate looking flower.



When the light is a bit brighter here I shall take some photos of the more vivid colour combinations I'm coming up with (imagine purples and vivid greens and bight reds and that'll give you some idea!)

Hip Hugging With Belts

Inspired by the large amount of vintage buckles I seem to be accumulating, I decided to start some belt making in order to give at least a few of the buckles a new path in life.

I love knitted wool belts, there's something rustic and textural about them, and I used a pure black wool for these two belts:





Both belts are hand knitted, and both the red and black buckles are vintage too. I've made them long enough to drape around hips too - I think belts look great just slung casually around your hips. These two belts are for sale in my etsy shop, but with the ever growing buckle collection I sense more will be on their way.

You've Got To Knit A Bangle Or Two....

I love wool bangles, wool wrist cuffs, fabric cuffs - there is something earthy about draping textures and fibres around yourself.

Using wool around a plastic bangle is a good way to have that chunky bangle look too - and a super method of upcycling any old plastic bangles that have served their purpose in their fashion life.

One of the problems with making these bangles though is that unless you get the tension and pattern just right, the wool can feel a bit "baggy" and not sit close enough to the bangle. However there is a way to ensure you get a tight fit - a little bit of felting.



I knitted these bangles using pure merino wools, then when finished and attached to the bangle, did a little bit of machine felting. They are now super soft and the wool sits really close to the bangle too. I have a lovely lilac wool in my stash that I think will be perfect for the next bangle too...

Starry Starry Night

I've been a little busy lately with wholesale and custom orders, which has been hectic but enjoyable. I'm working on my 3rd custom order at the moment and it is a great feeling creating something that someone has specifically asked you to conjure up - especially if you've never met that person! It always gives me a glow to open my mailbox and see a message that begins with "would you be able to make...."

However I did get time to photograph this starry clutch bag and list it in my Folksy shop.



It features a handle that I crocheted in a pure Shetland wool, and the fabric is dotted with little black stars. Add a little glamour to a night out! I also pleated the fabric and added a little inner pocket.

Its similar to one I have currently in my Etsy shop too.

Back to the knitting.....

Belt Up!

Along with my button addiction I am quickly developing a liking for belt buckles - particularly vintage ones. There are some good supply shops on Etsy - such as the englishbuttonco - that can feed my habit on a regular basis ( strange things happen to me if I don't get my button fix...)

My last buckle purchase was a selection of blue, red and cream buckles,just waiting for the right fabric or wool to marry to. On a recent trip to Hay-on-Wye I came across a lovely wool shop where I found a pure, unbleached, thick chocolate brown wool and the Belt Idea was born.






The Vintage Buckle Wool Belt is currently for sale in my Etsy shop.

Off The Cuff

"Cuff" according to Dictionary.com:
1.a separate or detachable band or piece of fabric worn about the wrist, inside or outside of the sleeve.
2.to put handcuffs on.
3.Anatomy. a bandlike muscle or group of muscles encircling a body part.
4.off the cuff - extemporaneously; on the spur of the moment.




And so to my own definition of the cuff:
1. wrist cuff - band of wool, hand crocheted by me, in a variety of shades of wool, buttons added too, a unique piece of jewellery.

And these are some of my latest designs:







I've put some wrist cuffs in both my Folksy and Etsy shop and will also be making some new designs for some craft fairs later in the year - perfect little Christmas gifts! (It's never too early to be thinking about Christmas!)

Time for Tea

A day does not feel quite right unless it begins with a cup of tea. Other things I can skip without causing too much discord - toast, cereals, coffee - but tea is an Absolute Must.

So of course when I discovered teapot fabric whilst on one of my many missions to the fabric store, I knew it could be created into something sweet and unique.

Finding the perfect deep pink wool, cutting the fabric so the teapot would be seen in its entirety, lining it in a pure white fabric, and hey presto the clutch bag was finished today.

I've listed it in my Etsy shop too so I shall see if there are any other tea lovers out there.





And of course I rewarded myself with a nice, hot cup of tea.

New Bag New Bag!

So the summer is smiling upon us and I am becoming drawn towards cheerful and bright prints. I loved the colour combinations in this fabric and spent a while debating the merits of a clutch bag or a shoulder bag for it, in the end I plumped for the shoulder bag.


I also, whilst browsing in my favourite fabric store, came across a wonderful electric blue fabric - at the time I had no idea what it would or could be, but once the bag was underway I realised it would make a perfect lining for it.




How nice to have a bright colour to greet you when you're rummaging around in your bag!

My mother also provided me with the lovely vintage button that sits at the front - I so adore buttons - and of course it had to be topped off with a bit of crochet.

Skinny Scarves

Now that the weather here is slowing turning it's face towards the warmer spring vibes, I began to have The Scarf Dilema.

You know the one - "Mmm, I can see the sun but that breeze still feels chilly to me. I don't think my neck is ready to go naked - but am I going to look daft with a thick winter scarf?"

So I crocheted myself a thin little number, using a lovely soft merino/angora blend of wool, and how happy am I with the results!

Wrapped around my neck once, looks like it almost could be there just for decorative effects, yet those cool breezes do not bother me oh no.

And small enough to stash in my bag should the sun shine enough to warrant a naked neck.

So I thought I'd make a few more, and will put them for sale at my sister's craft fair in a few weeks time.
Then, crocheting time permitted (its all go go go agghhh craft fair soon have I made enough things!) I will make some for my Etsy shop.