"We all love figgy pudding

... so bring some right here!"

Christmas Pudding mini make

A ta-dah post for Pickle-Lily's latest mini make  - the Christmas Pudding decoration. In the mini make kit there is felt, ribbon, a button and some seriously glittery felt all cut ready for you to sew into a sparkly Christmas pudding to hang on your tree.
I am so pleased with these that I am going to have a mini giveaway for one.
How to enter

Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.

For extra chances to win you can....

'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on the post there.
Or leave a comment on my instagram post about the giveaway.

Please ensure that I am able to contact you. Pickle-Lily will pull all the names out of a hat on Friday 6th November.

Win me!

Good luck!

This took a bit longer ...

... than I anticipated!
Sorry about the delay between posts, but half term week was very busy and since then school has been even busier and I haven't stopped! I've even tried getting up at 4.30am to add some extra hours to my day!!!! The pictures for the tutorial had to be done in the evening, hence the warm yellow glow.
So - the Heat Me Up Hand Warmer tutorial first, as promised. The name for these came from Pickle-Lily, if you are wondering.

Hand warmer tutorial

You need two squares of brushed cotton 25cm x 25cm, 150g of rice and two lengths of ribbon about 10cm long each if you want tags.
1. Cut the squares in half to create four rectangles.
2. Place one on top of the other to create a double thickness. I used a plain one that wouldn't be seen and a pretty one for the outside.
3. Fold in half to create a four thickness square, pretty side to pretty side, and pin along two open sides.

fold and pin

4. If using ribbon to create a tag, fold in half and pin between the two right sides with the cut edges lined up with the cut edge of the fabric, to create a loop pointing towards the middle of the square.
5. Sew along the two open sides, trapping the ribbon. Leave the third side open. Sew where the pins are in the photo below.

 

 

6. Turn right side out and fill with 75g of rice.
7. Tuck the open edges inside, to create a neat side edge and pin.
8. Now sew all the way round all four sides. Smooth and tip the rice away from the side, before you sew it, turn at the corner, and then smooth the rice away from that side and so on, until all four sides are sewn.
9. Now make a second one or make the two together at the same time.

Heating instructions - pop both into a microwave up to 800W one hand warmer for 30 seconds or both for 45 seconds.

A simple present ready for Christmas, or for now! The lovely brushed cotton came from Cloth Head.
I also need to announce a winner for the kit giveaway and the winner is ...

Gill

 

I am writing this tutorial quite late, so if any of it does not make sense - please let me know!

 

Bags of fun

Hello again to Handmade Mondayers! It is half term this week, so I can join in with everyone.
My dear daughter has finally let me on the computer so I can blog, but I will have to be quick as there is a roast dinner to cook! Mind you, I showed her how to make origami gift bags earlier in the week and they are now taking over the house. I believe a tutorial on them will be appearing on her blog soon.

Baby Christmas Bunting kit

I have had fun creating a new kit for Christmas - Baby Christmas Bunting.
To to launch this new kit I am having a giveaway on Pickle-Lily of one the new kits. With it you can make two metres of felt and pom-pom bunting. Everything you need is in the kit, apart from scissors. I'm also including two gift bags with a surprise in them as well.

How to enter

Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.

For extra chances to win you can....

'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on my blog and on my facebook page to let me know you have done this.
If you already 'like' my FB page then please just leave a comment here to remind me!
If you would like to blog about my giveaway this will give you another entry. Again leave me another comment here on my blog.
I'd like to boost Pickle-Lily's own Facebook page, so for an extra entry, please 'like' her page and  leave another comment on here.
Please ensure that I am able to contact you. Pickle-Lily will pull all the names out of a hat next Monday 4th November.

Good luck!

Mixtures

It's been another busy week in the Pickle-Lily house - a mix of  school stuff for me, dancing for Pickle-Lily ( four times a week at the moment) , cadets and a birthday for Pickle (teenage son) and work for Mr P-L. It does mean that not much crafting has been happening here, and my fingers are feeling restless. One thing I know I will do this week is visit the other blogs on Handmade Monday. Pickle-Lily and I have a book to look forward to as we won a giveaway on Wendy's blog, as part of 100 Handmade Monday's. Thank-you Wendy!
I have done a lot of mixing today, as the bottomless pit (son) is home all day, so we have fruit tea bread, lemon drizzle and flapjacks filling the tins at the moment.

How long will these last?

Pickle-Lily is busy making nautical bunting

Ironing to be done

and the boys are watching the rugby, so quite a laid back day today.
When I have had a chance to knit, I've started making bunnies again. I use James Brett merino yarn that is just so soft, and this year we have yellow hoodies as well as lilac and green. I've also made some new dolly mixtures in pinks and reds, with heart fabric skirts and a heart on the their top.

dolly mixtures

The final mix was for the winners of the mini giveaway, a heart kit and an Easter egg kit
and the winners are

Twinkle Star for the Easter egg kit

and Ali for the hearts kit.

Congratulations!

A little giveaway

Heart kit

Happy Handmade Monday! I tried really, really hard to get round to everyone's blog last week (I don't know how Wendy does it), but I know I didn't quite make it so thank-you to everyone who posted on here. The problem is I get distracted, I read a post, I see another, I see one that looks interesting in a side bar and I'm off blog hopping!

I've also finally succumbed to pinterest! I realised that I've bookmarked so many interesting and inspiring things in my favourites folder, that I didn't realise what they were. So now I'm pinning them to my boards so I can see them all, and again it's addictive! I dare you to have a peek!

This week I haven't been busy on the making front - I've been to school (no snow day for me), I've been on a teacher's course and on Thursday I went to the craft4crafters show at Exeter. I had a lovely day morning there and was very restrained with my purchases. 

I have been making up kits ready for my first fair next Saturday, Heart kits and Easter Egg kits. I know it's early, but I am trying to be organised!  So I thought I'd have a mini giveaway...

Easter egg kit

A heart kit and a Easter Egg Kit - you can find out more about them here



How to enter

Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.

For extra chances to win you can....

'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on my blog and on my facebook page to let me know you have done this and say which kit you'd like.
If you already 'like' my FB page then please just leave a comment here to remind me!
If you would like to blog about my giveaway this will give you another entry. Again leave me another comment here on my blog.
I'd like to boost Pickle-Lily's own Facebook page, so for an extra entry, please 'like' her page and  leave another comment on here.
Please ensure that I am able to contact you. Pickle-Lily will pull all the names out of a hat on Friday 8th February. Good luck!

And the winner is .....

Yet another beautiful day in Somerset! Pickle-Lily is at Guide camp, I have been busy sewing and cutting ...

felt flowers

it really is too hot to knit! Son is painting the fences in the back and front garden (I am paying him) so using him as a random number generator - how many panels have you painted so far? The answer has provided me with the winner of the Surprise! Surprise! giveaway.
And the winner is ... Felt by Rae
Thank-you to everyone for all their kind comments about the geek cushions - Mr PL was very impressed and happy with them, and I feel a whole range coming on!

Jo x

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.

Surprise, surprise!

Surprise Surprise!

Well, I spoke too soon didn't I!
I posted on Facebook that everything was now back to normal earlier this week, then Tuesday afternoon a phone call from son, 'Mum I've hurt my ankle playing cricket', so I dash off to collect him from school and off we go to visit the Minor Injuries Unit - again. It's too late for an x-ray so we have to go back next morning and discover he has an avulsion fracture (I think that's how you spell it) so he is now crashing about on crutches with his leg in plaster. Local little hospital have had to refer him to big hospital, so the next instalment is on Tuesday!




This week I treated myself to a cross stitch kit. I haven't done cross stitch for some time, but everyday I pass the one I did for the Queen's Golden Jubilee, so I decided to do one for the Diamond Jubilee.

On with the surprise - a Surprise Giveaway! Lots of goodies inside an Annabelle bag beautifully made by my friend Claudia.
All you need to do is....

Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.
For extra chances to win you can....
'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on my blog and on my facebook page to let me know you have done this. If you already 'like' my FB page then please just leave a comment here and FB!
If you would like to blog about my giveaway this will give you another entry. Again leave me another comment here on my blog.
Please ensure that I am able to contact you. This giveaway is open to the UK only as it is rather heavy!!!!

The giveaway will stay open until 23rd July and then all the names will be put into a hat for Pickle-Lily to choose from.

Have a good week and I'm off to start visiting all the other lovely blogs over on Handmade Monday.

Jo x




Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

and the winner is.......

Firstly -  an apology for not doing this sooner, but I have been really busy this past week - aren't we all though! As you may know I am a supply teacher with some regular teaching work thrown in, and I have worked every day last week, this week and will be next week - and am very grateful! What it means though, is that crafting has to take a back seat whilst I'm teaching and blogs are far too distracting!
Next - the Birthday Giveaway Winner is ....


Choosing the winner



 ...Twinkle Star.
Thank-you to everyone who entered.
Finally - I had an email last week from a lovely lady who had seen my toys on Folksy and asked if I could knit her a new favourite toy for her son. The old one's yarn had been worn away from so much loving. I recognised the photo she sent me as one from Jean Greenhowe's Knitted Toys book, and set about knitting him. I used some beautiful Adriafill merino in beautiful colours and a real pleasure to knit with and last night he was finished. He is bigger than my usual dolls so took a little bit longer to make. Now I have to make him a sleeping bag for night time snuggles (the clown that is!)

Have a good week-end
Jo x

P.S Pickle-Lily actually picked the winner!
PPS I've been doing connectives all week - can you tell!

Hot Water

Good morning everyone
Especially if you are visiting from Wendy at Handmade Monday .
Not much to report this week on the crafting front as I had four fairs booked and managed to teach everyday.
Unfortunately when I woke up on Sunday morning, bright and early to go to the day's event, I discovered that the hot water tank in the airing cupboard was leaking and all the old towels I stored on the floor in there were absolutley soaking wet! So I spent Sunday waiting for the gas man to arrive (we have one of those home breaksown plans, thank goodness). We need a new hot water cylinder and it can't be fitted until Thursday. I now realise how lucky I am to have hot water on tap and how many times in the day I use it. We are having baths by filling the bath using the kettle, it is incredible how many kettles full of hot water it takes for a couple of inches of bath water! Roll on Thursday!
So to finish off, why not enter my Birthday Giveaway before you leave!

Birthday Giveaway

Jo x

Birthday Giveaway

A year and exactly 100 posts has now gone by in the life of Pickle-Lily, so it is time for a giveaway!

Giveaway Goodies

You could win ...

• a spring coloured fat quarter
• 4m of co-ordinating ribbons - the daisy ribbon is lovely!
• a daisy votive holder
• five balls of white fluffy yarn
• and a chocolate bunny

All you need to do is....


Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.

For extra chances to win you can....

'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on my blog and on my facebook page to let me know you have done this. If you already 'like' my FB page then please just leave a comment here and FB!

If you would like to blog about my giveaway this will give you another entry. Again leave me another comment here on my blog.

Please ensure that I am able to contact you.


I will keep this giveaway open until March 16th when I will then put all names into a hat and get Pickle-Lily to choose a winner!


I will post internationally so all welcome to enter.

Jo x
P.S. I thought you might enjoy my entry photo for the teacher's reading competiotion at school for Book Week!

Not very flattering!

The giveaway is now closed.

Drawing bags

One of my 'best sellers' have been baking bags. These are a little cotton shopping or storage bag with an apron, recipe card, cake cases, rolling pin, wooden spoon, whisk and a cookie cutter.

Baking bag

I've made them in all sorts of fabrics and hopefully they'll continue to do well. Last week Pickle-Lily and I created our newest product - Drawing bags. These are a cotton bag with a packet of pencils, sketch pad, palette of paints and a choice of felt pencil case with a pencil set in it. I'm hoping they will appeal as presents or something to take in the car or just for storing all those arty bits in.

Great fabric for the bag!

Some of the pencil case designs.

I've got quite a few events lined up this week, for some reaon they've all fallen together, so I will see how they sell.
Now for something different, I have realised it is our first birthday and the next post will be the 100th, so for the next post we will have a Birthday Giveaway! P and I are busy creating a party bag for the lucky winner, so watch out for the next post.
Inbetween this all I will be visiting all the blogs over at Wendy's Handmade Monday - it usually takes me all week, but I enjoy the later visits as I get to read 'more' blog if that makes sense!
Have a good week!
Jo x

And the winner is ......

...Picto!

Well done Picto

Congratulations you are the lucky winner!

Hi its P here and I would like to thank everybody who followed our blog and left a comment!
You have won...

A beautiful bag made by Claudia from Annabelle bags, from lovely spotty and floral Laura Ashley fabric


... Issue two of Mollie Makes with knot necklace kit

...a ball of Adriafil Impulso trends

.... half a metre of Japanese shopping fabric

... a little box of Lindor chocolates!

I hope you enjoy them!
After lots of paper folding, I picked out a piece of paper to decide the winner, thanks for entering!

No peeping!

I hope you keep following, today I continued with my project-a knitted pompon scarf for mums Christmas pressie- watch this space; and made a trip to MIU after popping my foot!

Mum and I are off to Coldharbour Mill on Saturday for their Christmas Fair, really excited, I wonder if there will be alpacas again?

This is P signing off xxx

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!

Fifty Follower Giveaway

Pickle-Lily is having a giveaway.

 I would like to reach fifty followers so I am having a giveaway. Here is what you could win ...

.. .a beautiful bag made by my friend Claudia from Annabelle bags from lovely spotty and floral Laura Ashley fabric

... Issue two of Mollie Makes with knot necklace kit

...a ball of Adriafil Impulso trends

.... half a metre of Japanese shopping fabric

... a little box of Lindor chocolates

All you need to do is....

Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.

For extra chances to win you can....

'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on my blog and on my facebook page to let me know you have done this. If you already 'like' my FB page then please just leave a comment here and FB!

If you would like to blog about my giveaway this will give you another entry. Again leave me another comment here on my blog.
Please ensure that I am able to contact you.

I will keep this giveaway open until I reach fifty followers on here and FB when I will then put all names into a hat and get Pickle-Lily to choose a winner!

I will post internationally so all welcome to enter

So what have I been up to? Last week I felt rotten, I had my tooth out Friday morning and by Tuesday I was back at the dentist as it had become infected, so I didn't manage to craft much - which is why I decided to have my giveaway instead. This week I am busy again and there will be a Festive Friday so please pop back. So why not pop over to Wendy at 1st Unique Crafts for Handmade Monday to see what everyone else is up to.

Jo x

This is now closed and a lucky winner has been chosen.

a BIG thank-you

Bookmarks - Bookmarkblogs

A big thank-you to every-one who left comments on my last post. I have had real problems with blogger when trying to leave comments, as soon as I highlight google account my comment disappears! I hope to reply somehow to you, but in the meantime Thank-you!

As a thank-you to everyone out there I am going to have a giveaway when I reach 50 followers so keep following please!

I'm taking part in the Great Stocking Swap over at The undomesticated scientist  why not go over and join in too?
Jo x

Button Stash Giveaway

I love reading other people's blogs (as well as writing Pickle Lily) and often happen on them by chance as I did with Bella-Boutique. She is giving away a lovely stash of buttons for Easter including P's favourite kind - chocolate! Why not have a look and enter, there's a link in my blog list.
Jo x