How To... Customised Canvas Bag

If you're anything like me and try to avoid using plastic bags as much as possible you will have an ever growing array of fabric bags to use as project bags, shopping bags, beach bags etc. You may also, like me, have a plain canvas bag that has been languishing in the cupboard not being used because it's just too plain or you may have even made a plain fabric bag such as the Fabric Remnant Tote Bag I made in this How To and it needs some decoration. So, in my latest how to I hope to inspire you to give a new lease of life to your plain fabric bags! This is a thrifty make- as well as saving that bag it's also a great way to use beads and printing inks/fabric paints you may have left over from other projects and a quirky way to upcycle an old belt. Here's the How To...

1) You will need

A plain fabric bag, fabric paint/printing ink, sponge, beads- I used cone shaped stud beads, an old belt, leather punch/poking tool/strong sharp needle for making holes in the belt, needle and thread

2) Draw the shape you would like to print onto a sponge or piece of foam and cut out with scissors or a stanley knife. Practice printing your shape onto some scrap fabric before printing onto your bag to check you are happy with the shape

 3) I always use an ice cream tub lid as my palette! Place some card or newspaper inside your bag to prevent any paint seeping through. Choose your first colour  to stamp with. I've chosen to stamp triangles in two colours across the bottom of the bag but the choice is yours, print whatever shape you wish in a design of your choice

4) Allow the first stamped designs to dry completely

 5) Once dry, stamp the second coloured triangles onto your bag, filling in the gaps between the first triangles

6) Allow to dry completely and then fix the paint according to the instructions on the pot

7) Use a quick unpick to remove the handles from your bag

8) Cut the buckle off of the old belt and cut the ends straight. Cut two pieces from the belt to use as bag straps, using the old straps as a length guide

9) Using the poking tool/leather punch/strong sharp needle, punch holes for stitches at each end of the belt pieces

10) Stitch the straps onto the bag

11) Stitch your beads onto the bag in any design that takes your fancy. I stitched two rows of beads between the handles on the front of my bag

Now all that's left to do is to get out and about with your fab customised bag!

If you have a go at customising a bag, share your photos in the comments below!

Louise Dawson Design Folksy Shop

Things are busy behind the scenes here at Louise Dawson Design- I'm working on a new collection for the Winter and making for several craft fairs that are coming up, but I wanted to let you know that I am re-stocking my Folksy Shop! The first pieces I've added are my Shetland Wool Fair Isle knitted necklaces.

I'm also offering 10% off orders in my Folksy Shop using the discount code "folksycelebration."
Take a peek at my Folksy Shop here

New Products: Denim Button Brooches

I've just added a little selection of Denim Button Brooches to my Etsy Shop! Each one is handmade from upcycled denim and colourfully embellished with recycled fabric pieces. I've been enjoying wearing mine with my favourite denim dress (double denim, haha!). Take a look at them in my Etsy Shop and check out my other upcycled fabric brooches here

The Made In Colchester Summer Fair

On Saturday 4th July I took part in the Made In Colchester Summer Fair at Colchester Arts Centre. It was such a lovely day with a great atmosphere and very busy so I didn't get a chance to take a lot of photos, but I wanted to share a little look back at the day and introduce some of the Collective members and their handmade work, all created in the Colchester area...

Brilliant prints from Lauren Kelly. The hard thing about the day was being tempted by all the lovely work on display!

Ar and illustration from Ella Johnston

Prints, cards, cushions and bags from Daisy Courtauld

A beautiful display from Tracy Owen

Stationery and illustrated gifts by Holly Trill

My display. I'm still enjoying using the vintage suitcases to display my brooches and they seemed to draw attention!

We ran drop in workshops throughout the day and they were all very popular. I taught 6 lovely ladies how to make felt beads- they all said how much they enjoyed it so I got a bit of a buzz from that. It's definitely given me a push to carry on planning a workshop programme- watch this space!

There was live acoustic music playing throughout the day which added to the great atmosphere. The Arts Centre where the Summer Fair was held is a former church that is now used as a music and event venue, so the acoustics are brilliant.

As if that wasn't enough, there was also a pop up cafe run by collective member Caroline Rhys-Lewis, serving lovely homemade cake and savoury goodies. I treated myself to a piece of caramelised apple and ginger cake- it had to be done!

 The Collective members enjoyed the day as much as the visitors and if you came along to support us, thank you very much. I'd also like to say thank you to the founder of The Made In Colchester Collective Lucy Hook-Child and to all the members of the group who put so much effort into making it such a fab day. We're now planning the Autumn Fair for Saturday 19th September!

If you'd like to find out more about the Made In Colchester Collective and keep up to date with news and events, check out our website here

On Instagram in June

June has been beautifully sunny, summery and hot for the most part here in the uk. We're already well into the first week of July so I wanted to share some of my Instagram photos from June before another month flies by! So here's what I got up to in June...

I've been trying to spend as much time as I can working outdoors, walking and making the most of the summer. The countryside is looking so floral and pretty

Evening sunshine through the Wisteria. I love being able to sit outside to eat dinner on summer evenings

Our Apricot tree is laden with fruit this year but they have a tendency to go from rock like to very ripe very quickly, so I've got my eye on them! Recipe books at the ready!

I took this pic during breakfast in the garden. I really would stay out there all day if I could!

I have a fizzy water obsession and lately I've been enjoying it with fresh fruit in my Kilner Jar mug

I've been catching up with friends this month and have enjoyed a couple of evenings outside my favourite pub, which has the best river views

Nelson is loving the summery weather and has been spending lots of time outside chilling in the shade or napping indoors on the sofa. It's a cats life!

Alongside the Made In Colchester Collective I've been taking part in the Bazaar monthy food and craft market at The Waitng Room in Colchester

I'm still working on new Fair Isle jewellery pieces and I've started making some small square designs

I went along to a Fair Isle and Intarsia workshop at the brilliant Make Do and Mend in Chelmsford, Essex. The super cute tea cosy was a gift to Make Do and Mend from a lady who learnt to knit there- it's so cute! Read more about the workshop and Make Do and Mend in this post

Getting in some photography practice

Enjoying the homemade food at Bazaar at The Waiting Room. I couldn't resist a slice of this lime, elderflower and strawberry custard tart and it tasted amazing!

Baking these strawberry and white chocolate cupcakes to make the most of English strawberry season! I shared the recipe here

My day job is close to the Tiptree Jam Factory and I was gifted a jar of this lovely Passion Fruit Curd, so I baked a passion fruit and cream cake!

If you'd like to follow me on Instagram you can find me here. I'd love to follow your page too!

What did you get up to in June?

Made In Colchester Summer Fair, Saturday 4th July!

I love being part of the Made In Colchester Collective and I'm super excited to say we are about to hold our first collective event! Come along to the Made In Colchester Collective Summer Fair on Saturday 4th July at Colchester Arts Centre (behind The Mercury Theatre) and meet the more than 20 artists and makers who make up the collective. Shop for handmade clothes, prints, jewellery, artwork and much more, all produced in the Colchester area. There will even be a pop up cafe and live acoustic music- it's all set to be a great day! 

There will also be free drop in workshops throughout the day. I'm busy preparing the needle felted beads workshop!

11am Card animal making with Hanne Mannheimer

12pm Handmade stamps with Daisy Courtauld

1pm Needle felted beads with Louise Dawson

2pm Monotype printing with Lucy Hook-Child

Find out more about the Made In Colchester Collective and the members on our blog here and check out our interview with Colchester Life!

 Hope to see you there!

Fair Isle and Intarsia Workshop at Make Do and Mend, Chelmsford

Make Do and Mend is a fabulous creative space in Chelmsford, Essex. They have an extensive creative workshop programme offering classes in everything from dress making, crochet, knitting, jewellery making and much more in between! I've been wanting to go along to a workshop for some time so when I heard about the Intarsia and Fair Isle Knitting workshop I took the plunge! 

If you're a regular reader you will know that I'm obsessed with all things Fair Isle at the moment! Having created a hand knitted fair isle jewellery collection and now working on adding to this range I wanted to brush up on my fair isle skills. I have taught myself what I know about fair isle knitting from books but jumped at the chance of the workshop to pick up more knowledge from workshop leader and Make Do and Mend founder Hannah.

We were made at home with coffee, tea (Earl Grey, my favourite!) and biscuits! Hannah told us that the super cute mouse tea cosy was a handmade gift to Make Do and Mend from a lady who learnt to knit there- so lovely!

How cute is the shop front?!

Hannah supplied us with yarn, needles, a fair isle chart to follow and a worksheet to take home

We knitted this Fair Isle sample and I picked up lots of tips that I can apply to my jewellery work. I was heartened to find I haven't been going terribly wrong with the fair isle I've knitted so far and it's given me the confidence to feel I can knit more complex designs

For the other half of the workshop we focused on intarsia knitting, which I haven't tried before. Here we used separate balls of yarn to knit blocks of colour, twisting the yarn together in between to prevent holes

I'd now love to try knitting a picture jumper to these intarsia skills into practice!

The space at Make Do and Mend is well equipped and large enough to cater for groups and even crafty Hen Parties- right up my street!

I came away feeling like I'd really achieved something after a very fun and relaxing morning. Thank you to Hannah for being such a patient tutor, I can't wait to go back and do some more workshops! Check out the Make Do and Mend website here and go and be inspired!