This is why I collect 'treasure'

I, like many crafters, collect things. Buttons, scraps, beads etc etc. So when my little sister said she was going to buy some sort of belt for the Summer Ball I asked what sort of thing she was thinking and we collaborated to create a belt buckle design for her.

First I sewed a layer of net to both sides of a felt shape using just running stitch and whip stitch. 

Then I sewed on bugle and seed beads (individually was easiest!) And satin stitched the ends with metallic thread.

Then came various buttons to fill in the remaining space

On the back I surrounded corsetry steel with more net and then used that net to sew it to the back. I added two buckles so that it can be put onto a belt.

Et voila! A belt that is inspired by and matches my sisters handbag. Money spent: £0.00.

...She'll probably kill me for putting this in but this is the only picture at the ball that shows the belt! This is past the midnight marker so not so flattering!

Craft Wardrobe

...that DB built :)

I added these additional shelves. Of course, its full now but I haven't yet taken a picture - you can see glimpses of it in the videos I've made recently though! I've also added a few little shelves to the doors since this photo.

New Video - Hardback Art Journal.

I MADE THIS WITH NO COST - just recycling and some glue & thread :)

Second video - I made an art journal hardcover book following another YouTuber's tutorials with some modifications - see the video for how :)

Organised!!!

Yay! I'm finally al organised and back in my nice neat room :) Here is the bed with my grandma's quilt, only very organised underbed storage - I had to do it in the end ;)

Next up is my modified wardrobe. I've put lots of clothes onto a hanging rail in a cupboard in the hall to make room!
Next section - the chest is full of scrapbooking/papercraft goodies and the black box holds cross stitch WIPs/UFOs

My beautiful desk which has some imitation leather underneath the glass which is the same stuff I made cushions for the bed with and covered my notice board so everything is tied in together. The desk gets completely cleared for new projects. On the left is a new white caddy that has six drawers I've organised by colour and I throw anything fabric craft related into the drawers - ribbon, embroidery thread, buttons, ink pads, sparkly things... 

On top and under the TV is a basic IKEA drawer chest which holds what an American lady might call 'sewing notions' :)
I am so so happy to have the feeling of space back and I even managed to finally get around to creating something today. Will say in the next post ;)

Folding gadget

I saw this video on YouTube ages ago and remembered it when I started to fold all my fabrics. The fabric folding has taken longer than might have been expected from my post waaay down there... that's because I got a bit of a guilt trip on and decided to wash and iron every bit of fabric before putting it all away smelling of attic :) So heres the tutorial for folding in a remarkably OCD-style manner :)

You will need... bits of cardboard, craft knife, cutting mat and straight edge, packing tape.
Decide on the finished size of the folded fabric, I've cut these to make 6 inch squares. For 6 inch squares I needed one larger piece, two long pieces 6 inches wide and one 6 inch square.This is the layout it should end up like.Start by taping down one of the longer pieces to the large (base) piece.

Fold it over and tape the edge on the back too.

Measure with the square and line up the second long piece onto the base.Take the square piece awayAnd tape the second long piece front and back. I'd also tape the top if you have a jaggedy edge to stop fabric catching on it.Now measure the square from the top and mark (or hold you finger there :) )Place the square where the mark was and tape front and back.

Thats it finished!! To use it... 

Line your fabric up with the top and the right hand edge
Fold over the edges to line up with the left and bottomFor larger pieces of fabric you might have to start with a folded piece or fold in from all sides.Now using the long edges, fold them over bringing the fabric with it. I tend to place a finger into the fold to help the fabric fold cleanly (I couldn't do this with the camera!).Then fold up the bottom flap
Leaving you with a nicely folded square :)Repeat for your entire stash :)

This is my six inch pile, consisting of fabrics that can only fit one 12 inch square, for fabrics that I could get at least 2 12 inch square pieces out of, I have a 12 inch folder :)
Here are my 12 inch piles, sorted into upholstery weight, curtain weight, heavy cotton, patchwork weight cotton, and lighter than cotton piles :)

Phew! The work was mainly in the ironing though :)

So this is what the room currently looks like. It still looks a mess but is actually now organised. The 'war' pile awaits freshly dried laundry before storage in 'sand' and 'forest' colour combinations. Paperwork awaits valuable time and dedicated phone and internet sessions.The rest is (new) craft acquisitions. Not all bought, some rescued, but still. Hmmm.

Rule 3) Never worry that your 'stash' is too big.

Have decided that my current built in wardrobe might have to become a crafts cupboard and will move unnecessary things like ball dresses and uniform to the store cupboard or the wardrobes in the spare room...
The store cupboard has a large quantity of previous stash too. Definitely re-assign wardrobe.

So now I'm going to spend my evening folding some piles of fabric from this...
to piles like this...

using two cardboard squares of 6 and 12 inch squares as my templates :)
Oh, and this is a dress I hope to make soon. In fact, I'd like to meet my boyfriend when he gets of the plane on return from Afghanistan wearing this and some brown boots and maybe a smart brown jacket :) Still have to decide on wavy hair or straight hair and what make-up to wear!!!!

I would like to make the bottom edge of the dress wavy - planning to do that on the overlocker then attach that 'ruffled ribbon knitting yarn' to the edge
Oh, and here is a leftover picture of yesterday in my sensible tidying foot-attire.
Well, the girls of my friend I went a-visiting yesterday LOVED this :)

Unhealthy Stash Enlargement

Hmmm. I've got my package for the Biscornu Exchange ready (it has been for days), I just need to be able to catch the Army guy who mans the post office for ten minutes every third day. In the meantime... I've been on ebay a *couple* of times and bought quite a lot.

Lace and trim
Mercenised cotton

Procion MX Dye Kit

Seed/Bugle Beads

Mixed Embroidery Skeins

Mixed cushion panels and fabric remnants and bundles

Calico

Wadding

Little Dolls

6mm Ribbon in a selection of colours
Bias Tape

Tubes to store beads and bits
Rotary Cutter

Also from Calico Laine I've bought the metal bits to make fabric buttons and some extra wide satin ribbon,

From Pelenna Patchworks:

From The Tabby Cat:


these are both UK based FQ and quiling online stores :)

I've also been browsing loads and one of the best things ever is typing 'japanese craft books' into Google Images :D

I'm actually looking forward to organising my newly aquired stash and reorganising the stuff I already have - I'll have some time off once I get back from Iraq - bliss!

Photos!!!

I found a computer to add photos with :D

So heres Rose Lady before I went away on R&R...

Heres the stash I bought on R&R, from the LNS in Burford, UK. I bought joblein 28count evenweave in white, off-white and pale blue, some goodies that can be used in exchanging and 365 Alphabets by Kooler Design Studio. It is a gem - full of inspiration and lots of motifs if you just 'extract' them from the letters!

and.... heres Rose Lady!!! Finished apart from a wash, beads and finish-finishing, all of which I'll do once I'm home :) Loving the background of my forest wallpaper, my ironed uniform and the christmas pegs (yes, I'm going to keep them up well into the new year, they actually come in handy)!

up close...

and again...

And here is my new project, Rani, one of the fairies from the Anchor/Disney series :)