Liberty Fabric Handmade Mother's Day Card How To

There's something so lovely about receiving a handmade greetings card. So much thought and time goes into it, receiving one is a gift in itself! Here's my Liberty Fabric, handmade Mother's Day card How To...

1) You will need

A blank greetings card,small fabric scraps (I used Liberty fabric), fabric scissors, PVA glue, small paintbrush or glue spreader, short length of ribbon or rik rak, thread to match the ribbon, green embroidery thread, sewing needle

Optional

Alphabet rubber stamps to spell "MUM", ink pad, hang tag label

2) Cut 5 (depending on the size of your blank card you may need to cut more or fewer tulip shapes) tulip shapes from your fabric scraps. You could draw a template to cut around or cut them freehand

3) Decide on an arrangement for the tulips before you stick them onto the card

4) Stick the tulips onto the card with a thin layer of PVA

5) Knot the end of the thread and add giant stitches underneath the tulips to represent the stems. Cross the stitches over each other to create the effect of a bunch of flowers

6) Tie a small bow in the ribbon or rik rak and stitch onto the card where the stems cross

7) You could leave the card as it is or if you have some alphabet stamps, stamp "MUM" onto the label and stick the label onto the card, or you could write a message

 Happy making and happy Mother's Day!

On Instagram in February

February is the shortest month of the year but I tried to cram lots in. Here's a look at what I got up to via my Instagram photo roundup...

Mr Writer and I visited Greenwich as I've always wanted to go and check out the market. It was bloomin' freezing but the views across the river were amazing. Just love London. Ooh and we visited the Cutty Sark!

Lunch times at the day job often look like this for me

I'm kept company on lunch at the day job by this lovely lady, Mellow the work dog who lives upstairs. I used to have a lovely Black Lab and Mellow reminds me of her. Really hope to have another dog one day

I bought this plaque from Tigerlilly Quinn and I love it. An important sentiment to live by I think

I made this Chocolate Malt Cake with Nutella icing from What Jessica Baked Next. The icing is to die for! Check out her blog, she posts very tempting recipes!

Still on the cake theme, I had tea and scones with a good friend at my favourite cafe. There is a vintage shop upstairs so a visit here is a double treat!

Leave a bag or a box unattended for a second and Nelson will climb in!

He'll also help you with any craft project you have on the go!

But it's ok because if you're this sweet you can get away with anything!

Some new Liberty fabric off-cuts- the one with the animals on is my fave. I'd like to create a Liberty fabric jewellery collection because it's all so beautiful

Working on this How To

At the Minories in Colchester there was a fab exhibition by Clare Sams on throughout February. Clare created a knitted recreation of the true story of a yarn shop in Cumbria that was devastated by floods in 2009. Flood waters broke the window of the shop (called Knitting Fever) and the wool inside flowed out and through the town. Such a clever exhibition

I wear something handmade every day. I knitted this jumper a few years ago in beautiful Colinette yarn and I love to wear it with handmade brooches

If you'd like follow me on Instagram, you can find my by clicking on the Instagram button to the side of the page

What did you get up to in February? Wishing you all a great March!

Make Heart Shaped, Liberty Fabric Scrap Shoe Clips. How To

Valentine's Day will soon be here (already!) so today I'm sharing a How To to make these Liberty Fabric Scrap, Heart Shaped Shoe Clips! Perfect to wear to celebrate on the day but wearable throughout the year too! Here's the How To...

1) You will need

Liberty/fabric scrap of your choice, felt for backing, shoe clips {I got mine from Ebay), thread to match backing, thread for tacking, metallic thread, sewing needle, pins, fabric scissors, heat dispersing pen, heart shape to draw round (or you could draw the heart freehand onto paper and use this as your template). Ooh and some nice shoes

2) Draw around the heart shaped template with the heat dispersing pen. I use a Frixion pen, I love it, so handy!

You need two hearts in each fabric

3)Cut the hearts out and iron the pieces to remove the pen lines if any are still showing

4) Stitch (or glue, if you prefer)the shoe clips onto the backing felt heart

5) Pin and then tack the front and back heart pieces together

6)Over-sew the front and back hearts together using metallic thread. You could use another stitch if you prefer

7) I finished the hearts off with some tiny cross stitches in metallic thread. Again, here you could customise the hearts in any way you wish with pretty embroidery stitches

8)Yay, they are ready to wear! 

If you make a pair share your photos, I'd love to see your makes!

Up-cycling experiments

Experiments with Liberty fabric off cuts, a hand embroidered tray cloth and a stripey sheet! I'm not entirely convinced at the outcome at the moment but it's work in progress- I'm going to try making some brooches in other shapes and experiment with embroidery, beading and perhaps some dying over the top. I'll carry on experimenting and keep you up to date on the progress!