One Project A Month 2011 - June - part one

Come in No 5, that's braided rug no 5, I've finally finished it over the weekend, I started making it in October last year, did a bit in January and a bit more in April but last week, I got fed up of seeing a bag full of strips on the kitchen chair so I made my mind up that it would be finished for the end of June. ( pics of when I first started making the rug can be seen here)

The finished size is 34" inches x 19" inches which is the largest rug I've made so far, so that's two old wool blankets used up, recycled (or repurposed) into something that's useful instead of just being thrown away.

I love making my own things because then it's a unique, one off, one of a kind item, instead of buying things from the cloned high street which is full of the latest expensive trends and everyone has the same.

Looks like Millie has decided it's going to be her new rug!

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I've already got some fabric ready for rug no 6, it just needs to be cut up, it will be mostly yellow/beige fabric, the main fabric is a percale duvet cover which I've had for ages and is too good to throw out but not good enough to use any more, so I can't wait to get started on that one as it will be lovely and soft!

Josie x

Sewing - Tea Cosy no 4

Just finished making tea cosy no 4, it didn't take as long to make as the other three, this one took me just over an hour.

Remember the red braided rug I started in October last year when the clocks went back, I was hoping to finish it for Spring ... well slow progress, this is all I've done so far, don't know what it is , I just can't get motivated to finish it. Perhaps I'll finish it for next Spring!


Josie x

This Weeks Stuff....

Hubby:
Had a bit of a scare last weekend, hubby had chest pains and his right arm was aching and his fingers were tingling and numb but the stubborn old so and so wouldn't let me call an ambulance, so he managed to get a Dr's appointment on monday at 7pm, we were in and out in five minutes, the Dr moved hubby's arm around and said go home and take some anadin, but not ibuprofen because of his stomach ulcer (erm, what stomach ulcer?) and all he said about the chest pains, not to worry unless it last for half an hour! Edit: just been looking back through hubby's medical notes we got for the Tribunal stuff and it seems he's had a prepyloric ulcer since 2008!! so that probably explains a few of his health problems so he's now got a second Dr's appointment booked for next wednesday to discuss it.

We came away feeling as though that was a waste of time, so hubby booked another appointment with a different Dr which is a week later (earliest is next monday!) so hubby has still got the painful aching arm and tingling and numbness so yesterday he had enough and we went to local A & E dept, they checked his heart on an ECG machine and took blood tests ( both okay) and examined his arm and it seems he has pulled a muscle doing some gardening last weekend! So he's off work again.

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Sewing & Cats: I've finished braided rug no 4 and the cats love it!
Kitt laid on it straightaway and Millie didn't want to be left out either, which is not surprising as it is lovely and soft because I've recycled five flannelette pillowcases!

so I'm counting this as a finish for One Project A Month for April. Oh don't forget there is still time to vote for Millie and Kitt in the Morrisons cute cat competition, ends 14th April.

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I've also made another shoulder bag (no 9) as well made using some lovely Ikea fabric,all flowers and butterflies, just perfect for spring, this is on sale in my Etsy Shop.

Have a good weekend!

Josie x

One Project A Month - March 2010

Well I've finished OPAM early this month, only because I didn't quite finish this for February even though I've been working on this rug for about a month - here is braided rug no 3. Lovely colours, cotton fabrics in red, yellow and two shades of green and some beige linen fabric, Hand braided then hand stitched together, I think the colours work really well together, just perfect for spring!
I love making these rugs even if it is a bit tedious as times, I've already made a start on rug no 4, recycling some old flannelette pillowcases but this one is for the cats to lie on because at the moment they have taken a fancy to one of my blankets! arrgghh, it's covered in cat hairs!

One of the rare moments when they are together, Kitt was already asleep and Millie laid down next to her, awww.....

Josie x

One Project A Month - January 2010

Well here are my three finishes for January, yes, three, I've finished the wool braided rug quicker than I thought I would thanks to being stuck in with all the snow we've had. I didn't think I was going to finish this till February or even March! The wool scraps are leftover from making mine and my Mum's rag quilts, cut into 2" inch strips then stitched together to make longer lengths, stitched into half inch strips then plaited together and it's only taken me about three weeks to make the rug, the last time I made one it took me six weeks and this one is slightly larger.

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The peg bag I've made as a present, using leftover scraps of 'Aster' fabric from making some seat covers last year and curtain lining to say 'thank you' for something someone gave my son for his flat, her hubby reads my blog but I don't think he'll say anything until after it arrives.

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The cushion cover was an old white pillowcase which is more off-white now and the flower embroidery is an old table cloth which had a few small holes in it.

so all three items are made by recycling old/leftover fabrics and I think they all look great!

Josie x

ps) I've found this great website http://www.thread-bear.co.uk/ for some lovely patterns and great for knitting, needlework, patchwork and quilting!