Good Friends & Crafting.

Hi my dear friends l would like to say a big thank you for all your kind words they are very much appreciated, a lot has been happening since my last post first there was our holidays that now seem a distant memory we had a lovely time and would like to do it again we then had Tabbethas christening, we had a wonderful time she was a little star and so well behaved considering she is 2 1/2 she kept us amused with her little antics. This is her dressit had to have her name and the date on it

l forgot to take a picture of it before she wore it and l also made her cake ,l tried to do a tutorial on smocking but it didn't turn out too well but l will try, firstly l chose a pattern that l liked ,not easy really as l have so many smocking books the choice is very hard,this is the picture in the book my DD wanted it in pink ,it has a brought collar so l decided to omit the collar, to start smocking you take the material and roll it on a rod l use a bit of sellotape to hold it in place,
once it is rolled on l then place it through the machine and start to turn the handle


as you turn the handle it goes through the rollers and onto the needles and pleating begins

once you have got to the end you pull threads about 3 inches and cut the thread these are the needles in the machine


then l traced the pattern and cut it out


l then do my smocking stitches and block the fabric to match the smocking guide and pull out the threads that the machine put in,after that you mark the armholes and now the scary bit


you cut armhole and then secure by sewing around armhole


then attach piping after that sew on bodice top and finish as you would any other dress

I won a give away on a blog this wonderful little chicken she is so cute and sits on my table while i sew this was my first giveaway l have won and l was so pleased to receive this wonderful present thank you so much to Kim at Heart in the country so sorry it has taken so long to blog about it. I needed a new pin cushion and l saw this at a car boot for 50p and thought it could be quite useful as it is quite heavy and that is what l needed something that would stay stillnd not move as l pulled the pin,s out so l rubbed it down and painted it in my favourite colour l made a cushion and glued it in place added some Ric rac and a bee hive button and voila, l think its great as it,s quite big l can get an assortment of needles in and not get all knotted up as there is plenty of space for each type needle. I have started to make a few presents we have some birthdays coming up and also i thought i would make an early start on Xmas presents as it always has a habit of creeping up on me very quickly,what promoted me was last week me and my sister went to the quilt exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham and l bought this new book it has some wonderful things in and l would love to make them all? maybe one day l can,t show these yet as my DD does read my blog. I am also making Maisey this smocked dress for her birthday next month and hopefully a cardigan too go with it hope to show you when it is finished. Now l would like to introduce Jolliver Monkey Puzzle, Henry for short our new Airedale terrier puppy he is 3 months old We have had him for 12 day,s now and he is settling in very nicely, he and the cat get on quite nicely teasing each other ,there is only a few weeks in their ages and he is a little scamp he keeps me very busy and with all the running around after him when he gets himself into mischief l will soon be down to a size 10 LOL ( l wish ). And finally l have received this wonderful award from Tracy over at Tracy's crafty scraps thank you so much for thinking of me , you are a true friend .


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This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. deliver this award to six bloggers who must choose six more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award. I will pass this award to some of my bloggy friends that I find exceedingly charming…

I'd like to award it to:
Kim at heart in the country
Isabella at Suzys vintage attic
Alex at pink paradise
Josie at Sykesilly site
Rosa at surfer Rosa
Julie at gingerbread