Don't worry, bee happy!

So lovely people, since the last post the sun has been out, I have made more Elderflower cordial (obviously!) and the prototype handmade gifts I mentioned have made their way to the recipient, my sis Heidi-Jo! Thankfully they were very well received!

I was nervous to be honest- she's known me since I was 8 yrs old (that's a very long time!), when she started going out with my big brother, and she doesn't mince her words. in fact, she's a writer! Anyway, I knew that she had been researching bee-keeping and uses for beeswax for the next novel so I decided to hand stitch a little patchwork bag and a teeny notice board for her.

I have never made the bag before and choosing the right fabric took a little while. The original idea was from a patchwork quilting book I recently bought, but I adapted it to make it more individual and added a little key ring with the bee fabric inside it. Through making the bag I learned about English Paper piecing, how to make my own binding, how to make corners so the bag stands up and how to sew a zip on a curve -  a lot of firsts but I enjoyed every one!

Sewing squared-off corners x

The zip, stitched on the curve x

The fabric I used for both came from a local craft centre (the bold brown), the internet (the bee/honeycomb) and my best friend's Grandmother! (The vintage brown paisley).


























The notice board was a total flash of inspiration! I found some beehive templates on the internet and, again, adapted one to suit my design. I then decided to embroider the outline onto the fabric and wadding to give it a slightly quilted look.

The little yellow buttons and ribbon were from my (gradually ever-increasing) stash of craft bits and bobs and I used the brown fabric again on the back. I also had to learn to sew 'invisibly' to give the board a neater finish.

The back of the notice board x 

The 'invisible' stitching on the notice board x

All in all I had a lovely time making these items and to know they made the recipient happy made it even more worthwhile! The new skills I learned and the positive feedback I've received have been a real boost and spurred me on to work on more of my own creations.

The next post will chronicle more learning and show you what I did next...................................

Big Love, Loli B xxx