International Rainbow Charm Square Swap

This is a heads up about a swap I'll be running in December and the New Year.

The swap is described on the new page I've added to my blog which is in the lefthand blog bar.

Sign-ups don't start until the beginning of December but you can leave me your email address so I can remind you when that comes around.

Questions? They should all be answered on the swap page but leave me a comment if not.

Framed II

I ended yesterday looking for those Bernard labels. It then occurred to me to print my own. While looking for the originals I found a sheet of cotton with a paper backing ready to go through the printer.

Surprisingly easy to do really. And then a rotary cutter and a ruler later...

At Festival of Quilts I got some glue to use with applique instead of double sided fusable stuff and it works really well. The fabric is a little translucent but considering how cheap they are to make I'm not really bothered by that.

Here are all the combinations. This one is for me and actually had an outing last night as a little change purse. The fabric is called "Dysfunctional Family" and I only bought it for this panel, which is one of many.

This one is for a swap.

Then these three are for xmas presents:

In fact...some of these are already finished...

Bet you can't guess what kind of swap it is. And then look how those labels turned out.

Pretty cute huh? I really like making these and can see me making more once I get paid again.

After yesterday's post I decided to be a bit more proactive and so in place of the email Pooch and I met up to talk today. I was not at my best after a fun night out in Richmond yesterday but we had a good talk and agreed a basis on which we can move forward again. We are agreed though that neither of us can go through much more of this stop-start relationship type thing. But then we both want things to work out so we'll see how we get on.

Framed

I got my long awaited delivery of purse frames today. I got them from this Etsy shop which is in China so the usual hand off between price and delivery speed. One is for the U'r Priceless Blog Hop in November but the others are all mine. Well, except that I'm making presents for people. I'll have some WIP shots by tomorrow. Meanwhile some lovely possibilities from flickr...

(Click on the image to find out what they all are.)

I've been cutting out pieces for purses this evening while waiting for an email. I'm wondering why I'm waiting.

I didn't think it was a difficult decision to make but then the thing about thinking time is it works both ways.

Then again...

Meow. I'm really looking forward to spending a week with the cat. 8 days and counting.

Meanwhile I can't find these fecking labels.

The ones that say "Handmade by Bernard". I just can't think what I've done with the bloody things.

Travelling Without Moving

Lots of activity going on chez Byrne while not much actual action is apparent. It's mainly cerebral. All this being in charge of your own destiny stuff is very confusing sometimes. I have been making a few things though. It started with a pin on Pinterest, where else, where the pinner explained how useful this type of keyfob was. You don't rummage for your keys because it's easy to catch hold of the long strappy thing. (The smaller one is for my cupboard at work.)

I've found it pretty useful so have made some more for xmas presents.

It all served to remind me how much I enjoy hexagon patchwork. Plus I have all the papers left from this bad boy...

...(which is still in my WIP pile) AND I've just completed a 2.5" square fabric swap. So when I do a house swap with Mater in a couple of weeks time I'll be taking this pink box with me.

It's what I used for the quilt to keep all my hex's in before making them into flowers. I've decided this time to go smaller - a cushion cover. Meanwhile I have finished a present I can't show, cast on another I can't show and continued with my fairisle mashup. Cue blurry photo.

I'm increasing after the waist at the moment. I'll be taking this away on the house swap too.

I've been looking at crafty things to do while I'm away in Somerset. I am strangely tempted by Cheddar Gorge. Anyone been?

Money's Too Tight To Mention

It does seem like everyone is talking about money at the moment. Namely their lack thereof. Friend at work is considering moving to a smaller house because his income is no longer enough to support a wife and young kids with. Everyone else is broke. I'm not able to save anything any more because of the Relate sessions. I've started wondering whether I really need things I pay for each month.

TV license for instance. I hardly ever watch live TV anymore. But I do record things from live TV with my DVR. I discovered today that Murder She Wrote isn't available on the ITV Player. That's basically a deal breaker. TV license is about £14 a month and the cheapest box set of all 12 series I could find is £61.50 plus postage. Hardly worth cancelling really considering I will occasionally watch Dog the Bounty Hunter or something.

Basically I've been through everything and don't see how I can cut down. Yet at the same time the cost of living is heading ever upwards while pay rises are a hey-I-almost-didn't-spot-you-there 1% when they happen. Bleh. Maybe I should move. I could get a Zone 4 place for £150-200 less a month. But then the travelcard is an extra £500 a year plus extra travel time. Tsk. I used to want to own my own flat so much. In fact what am I saying, I still do. But, I'm pretty sure even one of these is out of my reach at the moment.

And let's not forget what else is coming up:

I believe that is about 11 weekends. I have already started knitting and sewing presents (from stash of course). I don't think any of us are thinking of our stash's as pensions any more. Mine is certainly now a recession buster rather than a pension fund. 

My Greatest Achievement To Date

It is finally finished.

Complete with label on the back.

It really has taken that long to do. Started back here after I'd seen someone else's version of this quilt on Flickr. All the way from tracking down the pattern book, choosing the fabrics, cutting, paper piecing, assembling, arranging, rearranging, sashing to quilting and binding. Phew! And now... this is going to be a long line if pictures of the individual squares.

Mmmmm. Chuffed.

All of a sudden...babies

Not me. People. People suddenly seem to be pregnant all around me and so I am looking to craft suitable gifts. It made me pause and wonder how many of these lovingly crafted items are actually useful to mother and child (and perhaps even the father).

With so many things available for small amounts from places like Matalan or IKEA is it even worth making anything from scratch or is embellishment a better plan?

Bibs for example. Make or buy and embellish? Personally I am a big plan of the ones with "These idiots put my cape on backwards" written on them. I assume you need them to be absorbant so is quilting cotton really the best stuff to use? The matalan ones seem to be vaguely towelly.

I always think you can't go wrong with a blanket.

Has to be machine washable though of course, but then you hit the minefield of colour.

What about toys?

I wouldn't want to put knitting in my mouth but then babies do a lot of things I wouldn't do now I'm a bit more aware. But how do the parents feel about it? Is a sewn toy better?

Then of course you've got to be 100% sure nothing going to fall off or come undone.

I do suspect onesies are always useful.

But even then if you don;t know the gender it could be a bit tricky - and some parents are still rather particular about gender identity.

Pretty much everyone likes cupcakes though right?

What would you all suggest?