Summer Sun and simple Kanzashi style flowers

Classes are finished until September. The weather has been very good this summer, the flowers are in bloom and everything seems brighter, even people in general seem happier.
I have been busy working on lots of projects  mainly with a floral theme - crochet, knitting, jewellery, fabric and even playing with resin again. I need more hours in the day!.
Some of my fabric samples from spoonflower arrived the circle fabrics for Kanzashi style flowers there are currently 3 different designs to choose from each a fat quarter - Circles No.1, Circles No.2 and yes Circles No.3. I have been making and teaching how to make different fabric flowers for years and used to paint/ print the colour on the fabric to make the flowers as I could not always get the colours I wanted. Plus it can be messy when you have a very small space to work in and getting the same results each time can take a lot of extra work (although I will still use this method to develop new print designs). Now thanks to digital printing I can get the results I wanted and it is easy and  repeatable, plus others can now also get the same results. I have made up the flower samples and I am very happy with the results. The circles can be used not only to make flowers but also quilting yoyo's (also known as Suffolk Puffs), hair decorations (I am working on a "how to" for that currently) and covered buttons/ beads. If anyone purchases this fabric I would love to know what you make with it :)
The flowers are very quick and simple to make so I have posted the photo "how to's for making the flowers and some ideas for the centres.

Frogs

This week Spoonflower.com have a "Frog" fabric contest - there are lots of entries this time and so many extra cute frogs. This is my entry called "Leaf Surfing" lots of little red eyed and footed tree frogs :)

A free things for the weekend

A quick post this time as thanks to BT I have no phoneline working and no Internet :( so sorry to anyone who has been emailing or phoning me. Emails I am slowly replying to as I get online in various places out 'n' about.
A few things for the weekend Craftsy are giving a free class to new people who sign up with them there are lots to choose from

Don't forget the Eurovision song contest is on tonight (who watches for the singing its so funny) and tomorrow is World Baking Day to encourage everyone to bake something you have never tried before, what will you be making?

Its May and Spring maybe?

Maybe I am speaking to soon but the bitter cold weather seems to have gone. The sun is appearing a little more each day and staying longer so brighter evenings.
Which has got me thinking of all the new colourful flowers now blooming and the insects buzzing about them.

So inspired I have added a new e-booklet to my ravelry and newly re-opened etsy shops. It is called the "The Garden Collection 2” and contains 2 charts “Swirly Snails” and “Fluttering Moths” both charts match the previous garden collection designs.

And while I am in the create making mood I have been cleaning my sewing machine (my poor machine really needs servicing another spring cleaning job to be sorted very soon) ready for my fabrics from spoonflower.com which have just arrived. I have been planning to make a shopper bag for a while but could not decide which designs to pick. So I choose 2 (well you can never have enough bags). I plan to make a lightweight cotton shopper using the "Circle in a Square - small red/ oranges"
" pattern with a peach fabric to line it and a heavier weight bag in cotton/ linen with the "50's Lace" design and a hot pink lining. I will add the finished bags as I make them :)

Waiting for Spring

While I am waiting for the spring to arrive (its still snowing and so cold) some new samples have arrived from Spoonflower, well some totally new including "masks", "Roos" and "Sugar and Spice and all things Mice"






A few re-sized smaller versions (have had lots of requests of smaller prints) of some popular prints


Plus new colour version of the "circle in a square" (looks like granny square) in a blue/ purple tone and "50's Lace.

I have also opened a new shop at Society6 they sell ready made cushion covers, phone covers, t-shirt, art print and much more. I picked them as they do cushion covers in a variety of sizes and their prices seemed good. I have had many people say they like my fabric prints but can not sew or do not have the time to sew and would love a design as a cushion, so I have added my fabric designs from my spoonflower shop and here's a few examples of the cushion covers and phone covers with my designs

It's winter so its pattern writing time :)

Why the cold weather comes as a surprise every year I don't know but its here and with a good coating of snow. I do like the snow it makes everything look bright and clean, but its when it turns to slush I'm not a fan.
An advantage of the cold is staying in keeping warm and completing the patterns I have had on the go for several years. Patterns I keep saying to myself I just have to add the photos or a few lines of text and its ready and which I somehow seem to put aside for another day and start on something new and never finish.Well this year I am determined to finish as many patterns as I can. So here's the completed Celtic Knotwork Hearts Chart Collection It contains eight charts (some can be purchased separately). They are available on Ravelry.com as an E-Booklet and its is at a special price for a limited time.




 I like traditional white and off white filet crochet pieces, but sometimes its also nice to use a colour so here's one of the charts from the Celtic Knotwork Hearts Chart Collection made up using a dark pink cotton :)
The other filet crochet piece is from the first of a new set of booklets I have been planning so several years (hopefully writing what I am planning here will make me complete them quicker) the first ones called Ogham Love Charts. I will post more about it adn Ogham soon.

Happy New Year 2013

A Happy New Year 2013 to all, filled with lots of happiness, good health, prosperity, yarn, fabric and the crafts and things you love.

Am I the only one who thought 2012 went by way to fast?
Lets hoping 2013 is a little slower. My New Years Resolutions this year are the same as last year, finish off the mountain of projects living in assorted bags, including writing up and testing the patterns if needed before starting any new ones and give a little more time to blogging.