I had a problem!

I'm hooked on sock knitting!

Just like many crafty people I tend to have several projects on the go - well slightly more than several if I'm honest! At the moment I am knitting Pickle-Lily a scarf and it is perched on the dashboard of my car, for when I have a few minutes of waiting, so I can to do some more to it, but it is not secure there and can fall off! What I needed was a project bag to keep it all safe and clean, not a big knitting bag, just something for this project.
So ... ta-dah!

Project bag with a pocket purse

 It's a tote style bag with proper handles so I can carry it with me, just the right size for a ball of yarn and some needles. I can attach a notions / pocket purse to it for the needle and scrap yarn for the life line to live in (or anything else!). There's a snap closure to stop my knitting from falling out if I need to close the bag.

With a snap to keep it safe.

But as you can see, it's not made to the car for P's scarf, it was perfect my sock knitting, so I'll have to make another one or more!

Already in use!

I've got some lovely fabrics to use, so look out for them in my Folksy shop or on Facebook as I always get carried away! They can also be used for lots of other things - crochet, sewing, packed lunches, books ....

Some bags waiting to be finished

Well to be honest I've got carried away and started some more already!!!

Doodle Bags

Doodle Bag

Introducing my latest creation - Doodle Bags! A bag you can colour in and

Doodle bag contents

inside a drawing pad, felt tip pens, a pencil, rubber, sharpener and ruler.

Designs do vary!

Tidgy Tote Tutorial

Happy Handmade Monday to everyone!
This Monday's offering is a very simple tutorial for a tidgy tote bag that can be made from a fat quarter. Big enough for a knitting project, or purse, phone and keys or just perfect for a little person. You could even use them as party bags.
Pickle-Lily and I started making them to use up leftovers from her cushion making,  the fabric in the tutorial is one I picked up in my travels.
 So here goes ....

 

Cut out from your fat quarter four 23cm by 23cm squares. In my tutorial I've used plain cotton for lining so you can see the different parts, you could do the same or use another fat quarter and make two co-ordinating bags. Fold the rectangle that is left in half to make two handles, short end to short end, and cut down the fold.

Fold and pin handles in half length ways, good side in.

Now seam along the raw edges, turn right ways out (the trickiest bit) and press flat.

Now, lay out the outside bag piece, good side up, and pin the handle 4cm from outside edge on both ends.

Then pin a lining piece on top of this. Do the same with the other outer, liner and handle.

Now seam along the pinned edges, then open out and press seam open.



Now, lay out, one side good side up and the other good side down, with the two fabrics matching, pin and sew around the rectangle, leaving a gap in the lining at the bottom for turning through.
Turn through and seam across the opening. Tuck the lining inside the outer and press flat.

A Tidgy Tote!
Have a good week!

Jo x

P.S. Don't forget to enter the Surprise Giveaway.

Little birdie

Little birdie

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while but last week I had lots of supply teaching work (which is great and I'm not complaining!) and on Tuesday I even swapped schools at lunch time!
I spent the evenings finishing up some old favourites, the mermaids

 and a new bag design for spring - which I am also using for keyrings and needlecases. I made the bags in lovely soft pastel felt using spotty felt for the little bird.

baby blue - my favourite

lilac

and raspberry

Which colour is your favourite?
Now I'm waiting for the scaffolders to turn up, as tomorrow are having free solar panels fitted, so it could be an interesting few days - as well as being half term.
Whilst I'm waiting I'll be visiting all the other blogs over at Wendy's Handmade Monday to see what everyone else is up to.
Jo x
If you want a simple Valentine gift why not have a look at the felted hearts keyrings.

Only 7 to go!

Only seven more followers needed and then Pickle-Lily can draw for the giveaway!

What you can win!

Thank-you for your lovely comments and now to business.
It's been a busy week - as always. Last Tuesday I went to the W.I. where we are making shopping bags out of old t-shirts. They are going to be sold and the money donated to Weston Hospice.

So easy to make

I used my son's old t-shirts as adult ones made ginormous bags that would drag on the ground if filled with shopping. So easy to make - sew across the bottom and cut off the arms and neck to make the handles. There is a demo here .

Ho-ho-ho!

I also returned to the lovely Connies in Weston to make a sock reindeer. Here he is guarding a basket of reindeer food ...

Socket

P has named him Socket - the antlers aren't quite right, they look more like horns so I shall have to rethink them. I met a lovely group of ladies and we had a super evening making our reindeer in a lovely environment. And of course P wants to make one now.

Have a good week - please visit Wendy at 1st Unique Gifts to see what everyone else is up to for Handmade Monday. I am looking forward to Coldharbour Mill Christmas Craft Fair this Saturday and not the hour appointment I have the dentist (again!) later this morning!

Season's greetings!!!

Welcome to autumn and what a fabulous week we have just had (and still having)! Although I'm not sure my garden knows what to do, as the apple tree seems to think it is spring as there is blossom on it!


Photo taken on 3rd October

 It has meant that I have found it really hard to get on with making Christmas and winter goodies for Pickle-Lily - so decided instead to make some lavender bags and felt cupcake bags.



I love this pretty fabric



Store in an airtight container

I have dried my own lavender this year - pick nice long stems, put heads down in a paper bag with a rubber band to hold it closed and pop somewhere to dry.

Stripping the heads (pull through your thumb and forefinger into a container) can be a bit time consuming but the smell is gorgeous and invokes thoughts of hot summer days. I make small cotton bags with the lavender in to go inside the 'outer' bag, so it can be re-used again. I'm now trying to work out how to make Christmas bags with all the scents of Christmas inside.

Sorry about the quality of the photo's but Mr PL is in the

Falklands with the main camera - where it is snowing! So, I thinks I have visited every season in one post - hence the title!

If you are visiting from Handmade Monday - please go and enjoy some more blogs.

Jo x



Christening Bags

It has been a busy week here at 'Pickle-Lily Palace' - P has had two friends round to play which has been great at keeping her busy, the plaster came off and then went back on again for another three weeks (so the whole school holiday in a cast for her) and we went and visited a new shop / makery in Weston-super-Mare where Pickle-Lily made a sock rabbit. More about the sock rabbit and Connie's when Mr PL downloads the photos from my phone. Big brother has spent the week on his xbox - I think I have forgotten what my son looks like standing up!


Christening bags in pink and blue

 Sea Breeze ( the shop that now stocks some of my things) asked me to come up with a Christening gift for them to sell. As they were often asked for these sorts of gifts and wanted something different to offer, so I came up with Christening bags. These contain a lovely small children's Bible that has simple stories and illustration - so is suitable for children up to about eight or so. They are made in felt and lines with pink or blue gingham fabric. I took them in last Friday with some more mermaids and they both sold on Saturday! Perhaps it is Christening season. Anyway off to make some more. They are on my Folksy shop if you are interested.
Am at Brent Knoll Village Market tomorrow morning between 10 and noon. Have a good week-end.
Jo x

Bits and Pieces

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while, but time seemed to slip away so quickly last week, and I can't believe it is Tuesday already!


P's felt flowers

 Pickle-Lily didn't go to Guide camp in the end and ended up in a bright pink glass fibre cast on Friday. She spent the week reading and watching a lot of TV. Over the week-end she discovered, thanks to the lovely Jill at Savvy Sisters she can wet felt, one handed! Since then she has been out in the garden making lots of lovely felt flowers  for her friends as presents. P's plan is to write a tutorial for the blog on how to wet felt with the simplest easiest equipment going, so watch this blog!

P and I dragged the Pickle daddy along to Coldharbour Mill for the day on Saturday. We had such a lovely day, that's where we met Jill, sat next to our friend Sara from Sara's Texture Crafts and admired all her beautiful yarn and tops. We enjoyed the sunshine, made new friends and had a lovely day.

I spent the week making extra things as there is now a stockist of Pickle-Lily products. Sea Breeze in Burnham-on-Sea now stocks some of my mermaids, pirates, felt bags, pencil cases, brooches, hairclips and phone socks. If you are in Burnham pay the shop a visit - it is packed with lots of lovely things. I am now making lots more things to sell on my stall, as well as lots of ideas buzzing around in my head with my fingers itching to make them all! Just never enough hours in the day.

I did make this felt bag on commission for some lovely ladies I met at Cannington, and very soon it will be winging its way to New Zealand!

As well as the knitting and sewing there has been lots of the usual everyday stuff washing, ironing, baking and maybe even some cleaning! So not an exciting week but very busy, just like all the other mums, and I do apologise if I haven't commented on your blog lately I 'will do better'!
Have a good week.
Jo x

Folksy and Baking Bags

I have now opened a Pickle-Lily shop on Folksy to sell some of my items. I am sure more will be added as I get the time.

My latest idea is Baking Bags. I have a daughter who loves to 'enclose' things, put them in bags, boxes, whatever she can find or use. P also likes baking. So I have put the two ideas together to create Baking Bags. A cotton bag with an apron, whisk, wooden spoon and rolling pin, cake cases, 2 cookie cutters and a recipe card. Great as a gift or for a child who likes cooking. P had to keep my prototype. I've put them on Folksy and will take them to any fairs I go to. We'll just have to see how it all goes.

Felt bags

green felt bag

P went to a clay workshop this morning and came back full of enthusiasm and now wants to join the art club there. I grabbed the chance to finish this off, inbetween being a chauffeur. P sews the motif and I make up the bag and lining. Problem is P wants it for herself now!