Winter Woollies!

I grew up in an Edwardian sandstone terrace house in Edinburgh. The ceilings were high, there was no double glazing and at times it was a pretty cold and draughty. Admittedly there was central heating, but if you complained of being cold, the standard reply was "well go and put a jumper on!"

As a result, there is nothing that says "Winter" to me like a woolly jumper, a hand knitted woolly jumper to be precise. You see my Mum knitted us the most amazing jumpers when we were growing up. 

I have done my bit over the last couple of years - a knitted jumper for Rascal and then a hoodie for Scallywag and the as yet unphotographed jumper for Mr Tartankiwi.

There's something about this time of year that makes me feel obliged to have something on the knitting needles so I have just started on my next knitting project.

Its a Milo.

The yarn is beautiful! I was lucky enough to be online at the time of a Red Riding Hood Yarns Facebook Yarn Stocking, so I grabbed my chance knowing that it was now or never. I don't regret my decision at all (I just hope I've got enough!)

I'm still doing the yoke part and haven't quite decided whether I am going to be brave and try one of the cable designs. If I can find a decent you-tube video to teach me then I might just give it a go.

It would definitely stop me getting bored with this project!

BUZZZZzzzz!

Having already designed butterfly, and ladybird blocks, it seemed only right that I design a bumble bee too.

Here's what I came up with:

I must admit that I haven't had a chance to make this one up myself yet, but Angela, one of my lovely pattern testers has and here's what she came up with:

Isn't it good that I got it tested as this bumble bee is facing the wrong direction (oops!)

The pattern is for a 12 inch block, but as Angela chose to make it up as a 6 inch block, it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to include formulas so that you can reduce the size if you want.

You can find the bumble bee pattern in my Craftsy Store. It will be free for the first month and then I'll probably start charging a minimal amount for it.

Make sure that you hop over to Dee's blog today for a spot of winter crafting for children

The Little Red Hottie!

I should have been at work yesterday, selling fabrics, but instead I was at home with a miserable little boy who was full of the cold. I just couldn't send him to preschool, it wouldn't have been fair... on anyone!

So instead, we snuggled on the sofa together and I read story after story after story to him.

Then while he slept, I found myself with some unexpected sewing time. Ah the luxury!

I made a start on a project that I have been wanting to get around to ever since I heard about it! A hottie for the Hottie Project. 

I made it using Adrianne's pattern. She has written a great tutorial if you need it too! Its easy to make and creates a cute hottie cover don't you think.

I decided to use this first hottie for quilting practise. I reasoned that the recipient was unlikely to be the quilting police and a small quilt sandwich was perfect to help get my free motion quilting confidence back up. My quilting definitely got better as the afternoon wore on... I think I might just have to do some more quilting practise in the next few days to consolidate the progress that I made.

Last night I splashed out and bought a batch of good quality thread. With that in the house there will be no excuse but to try more free motion quilting (it turns out that my sewing machine is a thread snob and will only do decent FMQ with the most expensive thread- just my luck!)

Right, guess what's next on my makes list?

Yes, you guessed it- more hotties!

Have you been following along with Matariki Crafting. Laura wrote the cutest tutorial yesterday for a hottie dog and Rhiannon has made the most adorable upcycled merino tops today- We have some seriously talented crafters in New Zealand don't you think?!

Quilted Goodness

There's nothing quite like snuggling under a lovely soft quilt on a cold wet winters day!
There's something about it that brightens the world.

Its not just the physical warmth that you get from it.

There's the warmth that you get from knowing that the whole thing was lovingly stitched together piece by piece. The thought that someone spent hours of their time designing, choosing fabrics, piecing and quilting it. 

 Somebody recently said to me that its impossible to put a monetary value on a quilt and they were so so right!

I made this quilt for Scallywag. My intention was to put it on his bed when we are finally brave enough to move him from his cot into a bed (it won't happen any time soon if I have my way, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared!)

I seriously love the fabrics in this quilt. The colours, the designs, the combinations. The majority of the fabrics were bought at the same time but I didn't have a specific project for them and I didn't really intend to combine them all in this way. A few other random fabrics somehow made their way into the mix and we have a great combination!

Even the foxes on the back are amazing!

This is the second tumbler quilt that I have made and as I've said before, I adore this way of arranging the fabrics.
All in all I am really really happy with how will this quilt turned out.

The only thing is that its a wee bit narrower than I intended, and, it just so happens to looks amazing draped over the back of our sofa, don't you think?

Please excuse the dodgy photo, it was a pretty grey day today

So here's my dilemma...
Do I keep it for the sofa where it can be grabbed by any small child or adult who feels the need for a snuggle?
Do I store it on the sofa until Scallywag makes the transition to his big boy bed at which time I am big and mature and move it over to his room?
Or do I hide it away for now (to avoid temptation) and follow my original plan to put it on Scallywag's big boy bed when he makes the move?

(If I do decide to keep it for the quilt for the sofa, never fear, I would definitely make a new quilt for Scallywag, I'm not that mean a mum, I wouldn't have the poor boy missing out completely!)

Hmmm decisions decisions!

Don't forget to stop by Make. Life. Beautiful today for the next stop on Matariki Crafting

Just Swanning Around...

While we were in Golden Bay, we went up to Farewell Spit. This is a long narrow sand spit which makes up the northernmost point of New Zealands South Island.

When we arrived it was grey, dull and threatening to rain, but we put on our waterproofs and wandered down to the beach. 

There in the bay in front of us were countless pairs of black swans. I was immediately struck by their beauty and the elegance of their silhouette. The beginnings of a paper piecing design were born in that moment.

That night, I doodled a sketch of a swan (don't laugh, I'm not great at drawing) and then set to work designing a pattern. 

Once the pattern was finished I was really really excited. 

I loved it and without printing the pattern or even really seriously looking at the pattern pieces I sent it to a pattern tester.

About a week later I decided to have a go at piecing it. I printed it and panicked. The pieces were tiny and without sewing a stitch I knew that it would be really difficult to stitch well.

I emailed the pattern tester (keeping my fingers crossed that she hadn't already started on it) and asked her not to start work on the pattern. Luckily she hadn't started.
I set to work redesigning.

This time I didn't muck around and I pieced what I had designed straight away.
I can't help feeling that I didn't have the fabrics to make the most of the pattern, but I still love the results. It needs a bit more texture.

I'm debating what to do with it... I'm thinking that it will probably be turned into another paper pieced cushion to join our kiwi and bluebird.

I have some ideas for the quilting... we'll see if I can achieve what is in my head!

 Although the swan works well on its own, I think it would be even better as a pair.

 

Mr Tartankiwi HATES (I mean REALLY hates) this version, but if you were of romantic disposition you could accentuate the central heart shape in your fabric choices...

I must admit that I'm jumping the gun on this one, its not back from the pattern tester yet... I just couldn't wait to show you all.. I'll let you know when its available, but in the meantime,

What do you think?

Today's stop on Matariki Crafting is The Golden Adventures of a Very Dark Horse. Make sure you don't miss it as Stella has an awesome tutorial to share!

Oops! I almost forgot to say that I am linking up with WIP Wednesday and Show and Tell

Knitted Wrist Warmers

Having as good as finished Mr Tartankiwi's (as yet unphotographed) jumper while we were away on holiday, I found myself searching for new projects to start with a couple of days of holiday left.

The main raw material that I had near at hand was leftover wool from the jumper, so I decided to have a bit of an experiment and design my own pattern for a pair of wrist warmers.

My original intention was to make them for myself, but when Mr Tartankiwi realised what I was doing, he used his logic to point out that it was leftover wool from HIS jumper so anything made with it should be for him!

What can I say, I must've been feeling generous because I caved to his will!

I must admit that they didn't turn out quite as well as I had hoped- they're a bit baggy at the wrist (I won't be sharing my pattern on here any time soon!) But, Mr Tartankiwi has been wearing them and seems happy enough, so I guess they count as a success!

They look so snuggly and warm when Mr Tartankiwi wears them that I am definitely going to have to knit a pair to keep my own wrists warm this winter. The advantage of having generously caved to Mr Tartankiwi's will is that when I make a pair for myself, I can improve on the pattern and get some that really fit properly!

Now before you go, please don't forget to drop over to Big Little today.  The Hottie Project is such a great initiative and I really hope that we see lots of hottie covers linking up at the end of the Blog Hop!

Matariki Crafting... And So It Begins!

Hello and welcome to Matariki Crafting!
Don't you find that during the cold dark days of winter it can be difficult to stay inspired.
Its cold, dark, dull- not exactly inspiring stuff!
But yet, in many ways, Winter is a perfect time to craft.

I mean, what better way to spend your time than to snuggle up under a quilt or blanket next to a roaring fire and do a stroke of knitting, crochet or quilting?

What better way to spend your evenings than to have a craft night and invite your friends round for some coffee, cake and crafting?

To me, the key to successful winter crafting more than at any other season of the year lies with the social aspect of crafting, so I thought I'd invite a few friends to help keep you all inspired during the coming winter season. 

We've set up a little blog hop to give you some ideas for winter crafting projects. Make sure you visit the following people on their days:

Tuesday 11^th June- Lisa - Big Little

Wednesday 12^th June - Louana - NZ Green Buttons

Thursday 13^th June - Stella - The Golden Adventures of a Very Dark Horse

Friday 14^th - Nin - Make. Life. Beautiful

We'll have a wee break over the weekend so you can catch up on anything that you missed!

Monday 17^th June - Laura - HOOTNZ

Tuesday 18^th June – Rhiannon - Toast and Life

Wednesday 19^th June - Dee - Dee*Construction

Thursday 20^th June – Miriam – Create Hope Inspire

Friday 21^st June - Leonie – Sunshine x 3

Another break over the weekend

Monday 24^nd June - Roz - Squiltz

Tuesday 25^d June – Holly- Hollymayb

Wednesday 26^th June - Juliet- Right here! Final round-up and Linky Party!!!

Wednesday 10^th July- Linky Party Closes

Friday 12^th July- Prize winners announced

I'll try to keep up the winter theme here at Tartankiwi as much as I can during the blog hop (I've got a few wee projects ready to share with you) and I will post occasional reminders as to where you should be heading each day.

Now once you have visited all those talented people its your turn. 

I am hoping that you will all be feeling super inspired and will have started on your own winter crafting projects.

 I'd love for you to link up and show us what you've been up to and what you are working on.

It can be something that you started from scratch this year, or something that has lain in a cupboard unloved since last winter- I'm not fussy!

Projects should preferably be finished, but if it is a massive project (such as a crocheted blanket or a quilt) and you need some encouragement, feel free to show us what you've achieved so far.

Prizes will be handed out on a random basis to those who link up (so saying that your crafting is "not good enough" is no excuse!). This is about inspiring, supporting and encouraging each other - the more the merrier!

Each person can enter up to 3 projects (of which at least 2 should be finished). They should have been completed recently. Please mention Matariki Crafting in your post so that others can find us and join in the fun too.

By now I guess you are wondering what prizes are on offer. Here's the line up:

Firstly, what better way to start the prizes off than with a great bit of Kiwi crafting inspiration?!
Melissa Wastney of Tiny Happy has generously offered a signed copy of her new book.
(For rave reviews of this book see here and here!)

3 people can win a voucher from The Make Cafe each worth $20

Whatever your creative passion you should easily find something to catch your fancy here- fabric, books and magazines, yarn, general craft and scrapbooking supplies or (if you're based in Christchurch) workshops, yummy freshly baked food and great coffee)

Nicola from Buttons for Benji has kindly donated two sets of her beautiful handmade buttons. 

The winner can choose any two sets from the ready right now section of her site.

Go have a look- she has some gorgeous stock!

If sewing is your thing, then I've got just the thing for you. Lisa from Big Little has offered three people the chance to win one of her beautiful patterns.

Her childrens clothes patterns are so beautiful and inspirational- I know that I for one would love to give some of them a try!

Finally the lovely and multi talented Nin of Larks Wing has put together a gorgeous Winter crafting package to keep you smiling as you craft through the winter! It consists of :

• heart handwarmers (These miniature wheat bags are just the right size to pop into overcoat pockets and hold onto on chilly mornings. They are made of thick wool/polyester blend fabric which is soft to the touch and will stay warm in your pockets for hours. )  
• An upcycled wool/applique pincushion 
• the latest copy of homestyle.

So what are you waiting for? Go and get your thinking caps on, and I look forward to seeing your winter craft projects in a few weeks time. I can't wait to see what you will all get up to!

Everyone is welcome to link up, but prizes will only be sent to NZ addresses- sorry!

<div align="center"><a href="http://craftandnappies.blogspot.com" title="Tartankiwi" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r743/Tartankiwi1/matarikicraftingbutton_zps52228c69.png" alt="Tartankiwi" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

This event is proudly supporting the Hottie Project, a sister winter crafting project which is really really worth supporting.