caro-rose-creations

Xmas is comming and the chooks are getting fat....

Yes, advent is on us again.  Each year seems to speed up the older I get.  When I was 6 it was an eternity  from one Xmas to the next.  

So I have 5 chook pin cushions sewn ready for Xmas presents.

I think they look better with tail feathers so I am on the look out for some unusual pins.

 

(You will find the free pattern in the side bar or follow this link)

This year I have decided to include some carols on my blog.  This is a beautiful traditional Swedish Carol and I have included a rough translation into English.

 

Christmas, Christmas, radiant Christmas, shine out over the white woods,

Crowns of heaven with sparkling light, shimmering arcs into all the houses of God,

A hymn which is sung from age to age, the eternal yearning for light and peace.

Christmas, Christmas, radiant Christmas, shine out over the whilte woods.

 

Come Come, blessed Christmas.

Lower your white wings over the blood and clamour of strife,

over all groaning from the human breast,

over the generations who have gone to their rest.

Come, Come, blessed Christmas.  Lower your white wings.

No 23 Pin Cushion - with fabric designed by you

Working with disperse dyes is fun.  Just make sure you make them up using the manufacturers directions as they can sensitize some people.  When working with students I always make them up myself prior to the class and ALWAYS use a mask when doing this.  I only buy 50g amounts of the 3 primary colours, red, blue and yellow and then mix the other colours myself.  I have used about 20g of each colour with over 200 students.  Granted, we have only made small pieces but even so it goes a long way.  Each of those students would have painted an average of 3 A4 pieces of paper each, that is over a whole packet of photocopy paper.

                                Download No 23 Pin Cushion

No 22 - Easy Advent Calender

It may be 12 weeks to Christmas but it is only 8 weeks till the beginning of advent.  Here is an advent calender that you can put together in less than 1 hour.  It is a project that I use with my year 8 students.

You can make all kinds of adaptations to the basic pattern such as adding printed numbers beside each ribbon tie to encourage counting in younger children.  These could be numbered buttons or applique numbers.

Instead of using a single piece of fabric you could patch it using charm squares.  When my children were younger I found that I needed a gift each day for each child.  You can do this by making the hanger wider and attaching another row of ribbons or even wider with a strip of ribbons for each child.

I do not know where the little verse that accompanies this project comes from but who every wrote it thank you.

Download No 22 - Easy Advent Calender

No 21 Thumb Pin - Cushion

I have been very slack with putting up patterns lately, so hopefully I can get a few up over the next few weeks.  There are lots of versions around of this little pin cushion.  They are usually based on a triangle.  I have changed this slightly by curing the sides and rounding the end point.  This gives better coverage of the lower thumb and a bigger surface for embellishment of the fabric.  In these examples I have used patterns on soft furnishing fabrics. (I used old sample swatches.)    In the future I have plans for embroidery for decoration.

Download No 21 Thumb Pin - Cushion

Lenthening a pair of trousers

I came across a shop that was closing down and had slacks at $10 per pair.  Problem was they were too short.  But $10, less than the cost of the fabric.  They had a hem at the bottom but I had to let them down the full amount.  If I used a 1/4" hem the legs would not sit flat.  They would flute out at the bottom.

So I decided to use a bought bias binding as the hem facing. Because the hem needs a little weight to make the leg hang correctly I choose a bias of a 1" width.  (I would use a matching colour but choose a contrast here so that it would photograph.)

When I unpicked the hem I made sure that I only unpicked the hem thread and left the over-locking thread in place.

 After measuring the bottom edge I joined and ironed the seam flat.

To join the bias to the leg edge, butt the edge of the folded edge of the bias against the top of the over-locking stitching and them stitch into place. Lengthen the stitch a little, this will allow for the extra thickness of fabric and aid the flat turning of the hem.

Turn the hem and iron in position.  You will find that the fabric will have a natural turn that will place the bias join just below the fold.

Hem by hand or using the hemstitch on your machine.  One lengthened pair of trousers.

No 20 Felt Needle Case

 Oh boy!  I never thought I would get this one finished.  I have made at least 20 of these needle cases but always stitching them by hand.  Getting the stitch right on the machine was a challenge.  I like the hand stitched ones the best but this will be a good exercise for beginners on the sewing machine.  Either way they make a great gift.
Download No 20 Felt Needle Case

No 19 Crazy Patch Pot-Holder

This is a pattern I saw my Grandmother make for her church fetes, 100s of them.  I have updated the design to incorporate the materials and tools we have today.  It is still a great item for a fete or as a gift.

Download No 19 Crazy Patch Pot-Holder

No 18 Gift Purse

  I designed these little purses for my students to practice sewing near the edge using guides, in this case the presser foot, rather than looking at the needle. Also, how to use the reverse function on the machine. (Without reversing so many times that you get this great lump.) Every one likes to complete a project not just practice on scraps.  This little purse recycles the end of fabric swathes that have the paper stuck on it and are usually thrown away.  I find that once the kids start sewing them they don't want to stop.  Adults like them as well.

Download No 18 Gift Purses from recycled fabric swatches

No 17 Baby Cot Cover Tutorial

I have crocheted since I was about 9 or 10 years of age and had forgotten how hard it was to crochet around the edge of a piece without the 'hole' already in place.  I learnt of course but I have devised a way to machine the edge to put an even line of 'holes' in place.  This was the first crocheted edge my Grandmother taught me and variations of it have been worked on countless edges.  It is still an effective finish and is great for the beginner crocheter.

Download No 17 Baby's Cot Cover

No 16 Corner Tied Hat for Baby

I am busy making gifts for my niece's new baby and after buying some socks and other odds and ends thought that she needed a little hat as the weather is starting to get cool.  So, I designed this easy hat.  I am also going to use it as an introduction to using the Overlocker (Serger) to sew knit fabrics.  There is a straight and curved seam, along with sewing across the stretch.  This can be finished in a 70 min lesson.  When finished these hat will be donated to the Mater Mother's Hospital.

Download No 16 Corner Tied Hat for Baby