Cross Stitch and Craft Cafe 2025 - come in, sit down and join us!

nmm

Charly, the blanket was for charity, we don't even use it, haha

Knottedskein, it will look like this when finished but i will be adding birth details instead

Coxy11

Hello everyone, how are you all doing??

I have a couple of new makes to share. Firstly a phone cover for my 'new to me' iPhone which isn't the latest model - finding a phone cover was proving difficult, so I sewed one! Really pleased how it turned out and it's unique to me.


Secondly I finally, today, got around to making a covered seat pad for our little pew seat in the hallway. We were gifted the pew when the ILs moved house about 5 years ago. It sat all sad and plain until now. I used a foam pad from Dunelm (£5), a cotton tablecloth I found in a CS (£3) and a piece of hardboard from a bookcase that the school where DH is caretaker were putting in a skip! I cut the foam and hardboard down to size but the tablecloth didn't need any work, just stapling into place. It looks fine, and I'm pleased to have finally ticked that job off my list of 'to dos'. DH hasn't noticed it yet so I'm going to see how long it takes!! 

The WI craft stall at the village fete did okay - think they raised about £125 and we are thinking of doing a Christmas fayre at a primary school too. I need to make enquiries.

The crocheted blanket looks amazing @nmm. My old Knit and Knatter made green squares and made a Christmas tree display by putting them on a cardboard pyramid for the Church Christmas Tree festival. Once over we dismantled and stitched them into knee blankets for the local old folks home. Loving the Tatty Ted design. Do you have any photos of the bollard toppers?

Is it only me that sings the song by The Cure when you mention Love Cats @Charly27? Can't see where you've had to frog - annoying when that happens but hopefully not too much? 

I gave in my notice last week at work. Realised after 4.5 months that it wasn't the role for me after several things happened that drove me insane I only needed to give a week's notice as was still in probationary period so am currently at home, taking some time to catch up on life admin. Have almost finished DS2's bedroom (2nd of 3 we have decorated). Next up BIL will give us a hand with the main bathroom by installing an over the bath shower, tiling and a screen. Once that is all working we can have a go at the en-suite which currently has the only shower and is very dated - 1980's flowered tiles and a jade carpet!!

Take care everyone
Coxy x

Glad

Good morning, I feel like I really have my knitting bug back this week  we’ve just bought a little campervan after a year of looking, and I always said that I wanted to knit some bunting to put around the awning, when we are parked up, so I’ve started this 

Coxy11

That looks lovely @Glad 😊 Not sure I’d be able to do the dotted one though! Let us know how you get on and post photos!!

Coxy

Glad

this many so far

Auti

Finished a free gift from magazine but a bit disappointed as items supplied were not correct - I know it was ‘free’ but was still sad. I have had to find my own felt as the piece supplied was not long enough (still need to trim) and I did not have the same colour so now have to think of a new way to attach to the felt as they used matching colour to attach. There was also not enough thread of one colour and was difficult to work out exactly which shades were to use as a couple were exceedingly close in colour! But I have finished the cross stitch (which I enjoyed) and will now work out how to turn it into a useful needle holder roll. I will never buy that magazine again!

Charly27

@Glad you’ve made a great start. Love the knitted bunting. @Auti cross stitch does look lovely and can see why you enjoyed it. So disappointing to find you didn’t have all you need! 

@Coxy11 funnily enough Love Cats 🐈‍⬛ by the Cure is not the song which goes through my head when I pick it up  it will do now, and maybe that will help. Sorry about the job but it sounds like it’s for the best. 

DH didn’t last long retired. He’s now got a PT job at the famous screw supply place. He’ll love it.

We’ve been in our house nearly a year now. We decided to have the drive replaced and remodelled during the summer holidays as we live near a school. Five more days and it is scheduled to be finished. Should make reversing up it easier. Then I’ll be back in full gardening on a budget mode. Really pleased with how quickly the back came along. Doesn’t take long for the insects to move in. 

My aim is to get LC finished by end of the month so best get on. Have a good week all. 

Charly27

@Coxy11 love the pew seat. Has DH noticed yet?

Coxy11

Morning all,

Lol yes @Charly27 DH did notice the pew but it took a few hours! I think we get blind to things don't we? I hope the driveway is now finished and you're happy with the result. Funnily enough we are opposite the village primary school and have parents parking up to our gate during term time. Not necessarily an issue but did have one park across our drive once so I left a suitably worded note! DH is the caretaker there so does 10 hrs/week and is also the yardman for DS1's company a couple of days a week. The days used to match my part time hours. I might look into volunteering once we're back from our trip in September.

BIL has done a fab job of our main bathroom by tiling it and adding a rainfall shower plus screen. We bought a new bath panel yesterday which he'll fit whilst we are away next week.

The bunting is really coming along @Glad and I love the colours you're using

So annoying about the freebie kit @Auti - yes it's a freebie but you'd think there would be testers who would make sure enough materials are included. I used to knit with a lady who was the tester for Women's Weekly patterns. Fancy having that as a job??!! I love the colour felt you've chosen and it fits the bee theme perfectly. Is this for you or will you gift it?

I went to the library this week and took out a patchwork for beginners book. There was a project for a needle case so I've had a go (photos to follow). It's only for me so I'm not looking for Sewing Bee standards of stitching! My WI are thinking of attending the Knit and Stitch Show at Ally Pally in early October. Do I need anything - No, do I want to go - Yes! Will I - depends on my funds at the time. The tickets are £20.50 plus the train fare from here in the sticks to London c.£30 depending when I book my ticket. That's before I've actually bought anything. When I've been before I've caught a non-peak train from old house (c.£12) and taken a packed lunch to avoid the over-inflated prices. WI ladies are talking about the prosecco bar plus they are all over 60 and live in my old London borough = free travel. I'm going to see how I feel once I'm back from Seattle (we go next Saturday for a week to see DIL's family). 

I've been looking at my list of makes for this year and am pleased with the progress I've made. I still have the Haberdashery Shop to go back to - you may remember that I mis-counted and was either going to frog or try to adapt the pattern. It's a busy piece so frogging may be the way I go, just need to get my head around all the different beiges...... 

This is where I'm currently at for this year:

Etsy shop stock - Santa hats x 6

Etsy shop stock - Elf hats x 3

Etsy shop stock - Beehive teacosy

WI In Stitches Jan - pot holder

Cushion covers from white floral duvet

WI In Stitches Mar - notebook cover

HSC Jingle Bells

Pocket tissue covers x 2

Pen holder for journal

Phone cover

Pew padded seat cushion

Keyrings for WI craft stall

Etsy shop stock - Crocheted heart

Patchwork needle holder Not too shabby. Hope you all have a lovely day Coxy