A Crafty Weekend

I've not blogged for a while. I've been busy though. I was at the SECC hobby and craft show with work at the end of October. It was really good. Managed not to buy anything too!
I was off work most of last week. I hurt my back and could hardly walk and was sick with the pain. Was back in on Friday and now it's my weekend off. I've been busy. I'm spending the weekend crafting :) I was at the post office before breakfast to send my little zombie bunny plushie off to the US, then I made a coin purse and listed it on etsy, sewed a Christmas tree ready to stuff later while watching tv, did some prep for a hand embroidery project and glued together some Christmas light bunting I had cut out while I was off work and fed up.
I got some awesome fabric....again. More zombies, pin-up girls......the usual XD

Here's the purse I made today.

 

It's not all zombies :)

I really need to work on the flat some more and get some pictures up on the wall. I have bought a frame for one, so that's something.

Anyway, There will be more crafting tomorrow :)

All Moved In

I've been in my flat for a month now. It's going well so far. I still have a lot to do. Got to get through some boxes and black bags. Quite a few actually  >.>
I even attempted cooking! I don't cook...well, more don't know how. I made a stir fry, but when I switched to ring on the electricity went off. Once I figured out how to put it back on I went back to the cooker, which was left by the pervious owners, and put the ring back on, the same thing happend. It's just the one ring that does it, so that's not so bad.
I still need to build my TV unit but my last few days off have been spent working on a commission for the shop as I can't get peace to do it there. That and when the guy first came in last month he said he wasn't in a hurry for it and then when he came in last week he said he wanted it for a rally this weekend  ¬_¬ . I also need to finish painting one bit of wall in the sewing room. I have a little bit left but it's not going to be enough for the last coat so I need to get a small tin mixed.
The shop is going to the craft fair at the SECC in Glasgow this week so it's super busy just now, especially with Halloween coming up. Oh, and my boyfriend and I split up about 2 weeks before I moved into the flat but we're still friends.
So, that's where I am just now. I want to start sewing stuff for the flat to make it a bit more homey but I have so much other stuff to do just now. It will be a slow but I'll get there.

Not long to go!

I get the keys to the new flat on Friday and I still have so much packing to do. The last few weeks have been stressfull with a lot going on at home, plus my boyfriend and I split up. We're still friends.....Well, we'll see how that goes.

My phone died last month and I've been using my old one. I miss it, so I've been doing a bit of online window shopping and tried out a Samsung Galaxy Note and Galaxy S3 in a shop. I'm smitted with the Note <3 I'm keeping an eye on ebay to see if I can get a nearly new one at a good price.

As you may have guessed, I've not really had time to do much sewing what with getting ready to move house. I have some white paint for the candy pink bedroom, soon to be sewing room, but I don't think it will be enough. I also need to get the coloured paint. I've got Friday to paint after I get the keys, not sure what time yet, then Sunday. I'm working Saturday as I have 3 classes on and I move on the Monday. My mum is going to give me a hand packing some stuff up tomorrow so hopefully we'll get a lot done.

Packing up

I'm busy packing boxes just now. I get the keys to the new flat in less than 3 weeks, so I've not had much time for sewing. I was going to leave my sewing stuff till the end but I guess I'm not really going to get chance to use it between now and then, although I do need to embroider a towel for someones birthday. Note to self: buy towel.

My friend loved the TARDIS purse I made for her :)

Better get back to the boxes.

I have news......

I'm finally moving into a place of my own! I should get the keys 5 weeks on Friday. It won't come soon enough! It's an upstairs 4 in a block flat wit 2 bedrooms. You know what that means? SEWING ROOM!!! :)  The young couple that have it just now have done a lot of work to it and it's lovely. They have a 4 year old little girl and her room is currenly candy pink. It will be the sewing room, so it's not staying candy pink, but that's all I'll need to do.

In other news, I have most of the Frankenstitchery stuff back up on Etsy. The guy that had the shop they were in has had to close for a bit but he's going to let me know when he gets a new place.

My friend is turning 30 at the weekend. She loves Dr Who so I bought some Tardis fabric and made her this purse to go with her present.

Oh and I got tickets for the band I wanted to go see in Glasgow :)

Been a while

Not had chance to post in ages. I've been really busy with stuff. The Etsy shop was going quite well but I recently deactivated a lot of the listings in order to put it for sale in a local fashion boutique. So we will see how that goes. I need to get some more stuff made up for Etsy though.

I saw some friends last weekend for the first time this year. We danced to 80's rock at Maggie May's in Glasgow then went to see Rock of Ages at the cinema the next day. LOVED IT!!!! I've been listening to Hair Metal ever since and randomly found some really good bands on youtube, then within two days I bought a couple of their CD's and some stuff off iTunes. I never splurge that much on music in such a short space of time XD   One of the bands is from Finland and will be doing a gig in Glasgow in October. Really hope I can go see them.

Not much else been happening. Will try not to leave it so long till my next post.

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!

The Frankenstitchery Etsy shop is now open!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/frankenstitchery

Use the coupon code LAUNCH10 to get 10% untill noon tomorrow (UK time)

Don't forget to hit the follow button for updates on Twitter

Na na na na na na na na.........

BATMAAAN!

Got some new fabric through the week. I can't wait to cut into this lot!

I'm off work this week. Hope my new purse fames arrive soon. It's been three weeks since I ordered them. They shouldn't be too far off. Haven't received the book I won yet either.

Going to launch Frankenstitchery in a couple of days, so keep your eye peeled for that!

Iris

I collect Asian Ball Jointed Dolls. I have done since 2005. It was a natural progression from the collectors Barbies and other fashion dolls I have. In August 2010 I received a doll with an Asian face sculpt. I named her Iris and started drafting a pattern for a Chinese dress which I have been working on it on and off ever since. It's just about finished. I just need to sew the studs on the back.

I was planning on making her a wardrobe full of Chinese dresses in defferent colours but I don't think that will happen, though there is a lovely green Chinese satin in the shop...........

Drac in the Bag

So this is the bag I finished off on Tuesday

I started off another one today. When I went to put the frame on I realised it's the last one of this type I have. I've got some coming form China (same as above but with loops for a strap) but they won't be here for a while. I guess I can still make the bags up so they're ready and waiting when the frames get here. It's either that or I do some pattern construction for the different frames I have [groan].

As tomorrow is Easter Monday I have an unexpected day off work, so I will be trying to finish off some doll sewing that I have been meaning to do for ages. There's a doll meet in Glasgow next week so it would be good to have it done for that.

Oh! I won a book! I left a comment on the Mollie Makes site and won one of the giveaways  :)

I made a clip purse on Tuseday and another one today. After umming and ahhing about what fabric to use I settled on Zombies  n_n  Always a good choice!

This is the one I made on Tuesday

I'm now plotting what to make tomorrow :D

Monster Movie Clip Purse

It's been another busy week. Not really had much time for my own sewing, though today I did finally manage to get the purse I had started glued into a frame (had to wait a while for the frames to come from China).

Still not 100% happy with the pattern yet so need to do a bit of tweeking.

The First Block Of The Road

My patchwork book arrived yesterday. I wasn't expecting it for a few days yet. It was surprisingly quick!

It's a lovely book that goes over the basics of patchwork then has 12 project for beginners, confident beginners and intermediate level.

I thought I'd have a play and start with something very basic and it went a bit wonky. Might have helped if I'd have used pins XD

I think I might put some horizontal stripes down one side then frame it with a black binding.

I'm going to have to get a cat next XD

Chasing Dust Bunnies

After the wind and rain we've had over the last week it is now sunny and looks like a lovely spring day. I noticed that some of the cherry blossom trees I pass on the way into town are starting to bud. That's my favourite time of year. When all the pink blossoms are out and it's a nice sunny, but not too warm day. Shame the blossoms only last a few weeks.

Anyway, The Creative Stitches and Hobbycraft show went really well for the shop. Better than we ever thought, especially as it was our first time doing such a big show. I managed to just spend a few pounds but there was so much lovely stuff, I could have spent a fortune.
I've been really busy so I've not had chance to make anything over the last week or so. I have now got 20 draft listings on etsy done. Still need to do more photos. I think it will probably be April before I'm ready, unless I just go "oh sod it!" and hit the publish button.

I spent most of yesterday looking for ideas for new projects for my classes. I found a few good ones so I'll need to get some samples made up. Today I decided I needed somewhere to put my sewing books. My bookshelf is already full so there wasn't much chance of them going in there. Under my printer in my computer desk is a boxy bit that has been piled up with various kinds of printer paper and boxes of floppy disks. Perfect! So I cleared it out and got rid of the dust bunnies and the old magazines from 2006  >.>  So now all my lovely sewing books have a proper home and are waiting for the new arrival.......a patchwork book! Who'd have thought eh! I was never hugely interested in patchwork. I liked the smaller items....wall hangings and the likes, but the thought of sewing lots of little squares together to make a big quilt seemed kinda boring. However, with the classes in the shop, going to the open nights of my workmate, Sheila, (of Bluepatch Quilter,) and seeing all the things her ladies had made, then being at the show last week........I kinda broke and ordered a book. I'd like to make a Wizard of Oz quilt using some of the awesome licensed prints I've seen and there's a few other ideas floating around my head. Ideas that don't in any way involve Zombies. Not at all  >.>    <.<

Going to a Show

The shop I work at (https://www.facebook.com/SewMaterialisticAyr)  is going to be at the Hobbycraft show at the SECC in Glasgow this week. I'll be working on the stand on Sunday. Not going to get another day off till Tuesday, so I have a busy week ahead! Today I finished embroidering a cardigan to wear at it.....and there's not a Zombie in sight!

I was thinking about doing another smaller swallow on the back left shoulder, just on it's own, no swirls. I can add that later though if I decide I do want it.

I've now done 11 draft listing on Etsy and have another 12 things photographed and ready to list. I need to do some more photos of a few other things and once that's all done I should be somewhere near ready for "going live"  :)

Oh and note to self, don't put on the shopping channel because there's nothing else on tv. I don't need a 4 bottle nail varnish set at a cost of £25 just because the colours are inspired by The Wizard of Oz.

Coming Soon........Hopefully

I've been really busy since my last post and my Dad is currently in hospital after having a knee replacement on Thursday, but I have managed to do 4 draft listings on Etsy. I'm getting the hang of it. Tomorrow I will be trying to get better photos of stuff and do some more drafts (while the embroidery machine is chugging away of course. Got to stick with the "being more productive" thing). I'm thinking....Do everything as a draft first and when I'm happy do a "launch", rather than adding things in dribs and drabs. I've also connected it to the twitter account. Still not really figured that thing out yet, but I know how to do a tweet, so that's something XD  It's @FrankNstitchery

So, Coming soon......

Etsy - Another Step Closer

On Sunday I did a banner and an avatar for the Etsy shop. Nothing very artistic. I'm not that good with computers and I'm nowhere near finished working on what I wanted to do for the artwork.
Today I set up my account as a shop. There's nothing listed yet but I have done one draft listing to see how it works. I need to get better photos of my items and work on my policies and stuff. Don't really know where to start on that. I'll have to have a nosey at other folks to get a better idea of what to write.
Question: Can you edit a listing once it's published? To add more photos or more places to send to?

Just stitched out this on a tea towel

Productive Procrastination

So, yesterday I spent hours following instructions on making a pattern for a different style clip purse. I made 3 toiles in calico and they didn't fit the frame. Today I ignored the instructions and made it the way I thought it should be done. Finally I got it!

This isn't a finished purse. It's what will be a lining turned outwards and it's just sitting in the frame to see if it fitted. I do really like the fabric with the gun metal frame though. I'll probably make one like this.
While I was procrastinating about what fabric to use in the above test run and whether I should try it in calico first, I made this headband.

I can't get enough of this fabric! It also has Dracula and Frankenstein in the pattern but you can only just see bits of them in this one.  I also made the purple one today in the picture below.

The eyeball one and the Zombies are mine but I have plenty of fabric left for more  ^_^

I need to order more purse clips XD

Clip Purse Trial

I thought I'd have a go at making a clip purse. This was the result......

I've never made one before and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. So much so that I have just finished making a pattern for a differtent style one and I'm just about to go start on it. Fingers crossed it works!

I Moustache you........

Today I made a Valentines card.

Hand stitched with a felt moustache glued on. My fingers are still sore. Just hope he appreciates it XD Now to think of something to write in it.
Not really had much time for anything else this week, though I did manage to get a headband made. Will post more on that another time.

In the clutches of a Zombie

I finished the Zombie clutch bag I was working on! :)

It has a detachable wrist strap and a brain charm on the zip.

I think if I was to do it again I would use a stiffer interfacing, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.

More Moustache

I've had a reasonably productive weekend. Yesterday I did this hand towel.........

I also did a bit more work on the artwork for Frankenstitchery. I can't do arty farty stuff on a computermabob, so I'm going to use the arts I can do :) More to come on that.

Today I was working on a clutch bag that I started a while before Christmas. It had been abandoned because I couldn't decide what fabric to use for the lining. I didn't get it finished today. I would have if I hadn't umm'd and ahh'd about what to do for most of the morning. Started the wrist strap for it but may have to rethink they way I've done it. The bag is looking good so far though

Plagued

Today I made a scarf with a Plague Doctor design on it. My boyfriend picked the design for a shirt some time ago and I wanted to see how it would stitch out. I might give him this. Valetines is not far away after all.

Speaking of Valentines, I made this for the shop window. I need to get some more made up though. Going to do some as wrist pin cushions.

The cogs are turning

Here is a Steampunk style design embroidered on a hand towel. I did this last weekend but I've been busy and not had a chance to post it.

I've set up an etsy account for Frankenstitchery. Not made it into a shop account yet, but I've taken the first step. I need to try and get some artwork done for it. Shame I can't draw XD

The Zombie Invasion Begins

Got another coin purse made today. It uses the 3 fabrics I got to go together for making handbags and things. Thought I'd try them out on something small first.

Yes, I know. It's kinda gruesome, but I'm not aiming for a mainstream market, and with a label called Frankenstitchery what do you expect XD  The "blood splatter" fabric goes really well with the cute/morbid woodland print fabric I have, but I shall have to give some thought as to what to make out of it. I want to fussy cut it to get the best out of the design, but I don't want to waste any by doing so. I need to plan it out.

I also need to get my butt in gear and get things listed on Etsy. This is a leap year so I thought I'd aim for doing it on or before 29th Feb. I want to get a few more things made before I start.

First Thing's First

So, the first week of 2012 is over. I came up with some new projects for classes at work, made some samples and stared back on Thursday. It was my weekend off so I managed to get a bit of sewing done yesterday.

Not only is it my first Frankenstitchery product of 2012, it's the first thing I've made from my new and oh so awesome fabrics. I didn't get to the machine today unfortunately as I had computer work to do. Still, I could have had the embroidery machine running in the background. One of my New Years resolutions is to be more productive. We'll see how that goes.