My New Super Cute Tee (& how to make it!)

So you know how it goes, you see some gorgeous fabric (on sale!) and have absolutely no idea what you’re going to do with it but buy a meter or two anyway saying to yourself ‘someday I’ll find the perfect project for that’.

That’s what happened here, I knew I loved this fabric but didn’t know what to do with it until I discovered this cool blog, Cotton & Curls, written by a mum who loves sewing, refashioning and upcycling.

 

There are loads of brilliant tutorials on there on how to refashion your old clothes or make totally new ones and they’re all super easy ta boot!

 

I decided that the square top would be perfect for my fabric and set to it, it didn’t take long at all, an hour tops and was ever so easy! So this is the result, cute huh? My top tip when making this top would be to measure across your bust and waist when deciding on the width of your top to make sure it fits over everything (something I forgot to do on my first attempt despite all my years studying fashion!).

 You can find the square top tutorial here.

Right, I’m off to skinny up a pair of old jeans and add a little lace to some collars!

Sonny Storm

My brand new nephew paid us a little visit not too long ago, it was his first trip to Wales and what better place to start than in the beautiful Conwy Valley?

So I decided to take a break from the papier mache marathon that is my new window display and make him a little pressie inspired by his name, Sonny Storm, and my favourite weather, sunshine and showers.

It was pretty easy to make and based on a tin version I made a few years ago for another little lovely. This version is in my new favourite material, felt.

Here’s how to make one for yourself….

You will need:

White, yellow and rain coloured felt (I used a nice mix of greys and blues)

Cardboard, the back of a sketchbook is perfect (you could use stiffened felt and avoid making a cardboard insert if you wanted to)

White, yellow and rain coloured threads

A bit of ribbon for hanging

Needle

Scissors

Fabric glue (optional)

Here’s how…..

Draw your design on paper and cut out the separate pieces needed, I drew a fluffy cloud with the sun peeping from behind it for my design.

Fold your white and yellow felt pieces in half so that you have two layers and pin your pattern pieces to them. Cut around the pattern pieces remembering to extend the sun a little to fit neatly between the two cloud layers (see pic). Unpin the pattern pieces.

 

Now place your pattern pieces on your card and draw around them. Remove your pattern and draw a line about 5mm in from the edge of the shapes you’ve drawn and cut out your card pieces along the inside line. These shapes will help to stiffen your cloud and sun.

Make 5 holes along the bottom of your cloud for attaching your rain drops later.

N.B. when cutting the card for the sun you will not need to extend it to fit in between the clouds.

I cut out my raindrops freehand just by pinning two pieces of felt together and cutting out the shapes I wanted.

At this point it’s helpful to lay out your pattern pieces and organise your raindrops to take a photo to be able to refer back to later on.

Use a running stitch to sew around the edge of each raindrop and put them all to one side.

I used a little fabric glue to stick the card to the inside of my cloud and sun, just enough to stop it slipping about when I stitched them together. Once the glue has dried (if using) use a running stitch to sew around the edge of the sun then slip it in between the two cloud layers and stitch around the edge of the cloud leaving the bottom edge open for now.

To attach the raindrops tie a knot in the end of a length of thread and thread a needle with it. Pass this in between the two layers of one of your bottom raindrops (from bottom to top) gently pulling the knot though to the inside but not out of the top. Tie another knot about four inches from the first and do the same for the next raindrop. Continue in this way until you have a string of rain drops then pass the needle through one of the holes you made in your cardboard cloud and tie it on. Do this for all of your rain drops.

Finish sewing along the bottom of your cloud.

Finish off your weather mobile by sewing a little ribbon loop on the back to hang it up with.

You’re done, stand back and admire your work!

Hey guys, it would be super cool if you could share your pics of your finished mobiles on my facebook page! I look forward to checking them out!

Crafty In Beaumaris

Here it is, better late than never. I have to apologies dear readers, this blog entry is a week late but I have been very busy, I promise you. Whilst at the very fair that I am writing about I got a couple of trade orders that have been keeping my scissors a snipping and my needles a stitching.

We could not have asked for better weather for the Cymru Contemporary Craft Fair, the sun was shining and the sky was clear. And we’ve never had better views from a marquee.

 

We just about managed to set up in time before the crowds rushed in; from then it was non-stop selling, chatting to customers and crafting with the kids. Our jazzy bird’s workshop is brilliant as it really lets the kids get creative.

 

There was a lovely mix of makers there ranging from ceramicists to jewellery makers, furniture designers and printmakers. I’ve added some links at the bottom for some of my fave’s. Ooh and check out the pic of my new ceramic brooch by Pea Restall!

 

We were so tired after day two that we decided to treat ourselves to a nice pot of tea and a sneaky ice cream at the Red Boat Ice Cream Parlour – all I’m gonna say is ‘A-maze-ing, best ice cream ever!!!’

Vanilla Kiln

The Way To Blue

Seren D

Susan Sharpe Ceramics

Sara Lois

Beverley Bell-Hughes

Pea Restall

Lora Wyn

LMG Ceramics

A Little Something To Wet Your Appetite.

After getting my new Sass & Belle delivery yesterday I thought it might be nice to test out one of the products and share the results with you, my lovely customers.

The product in question is a new super cute heart shaped cookie cutter that stamps the words ‘with love’ into your biscuit while it cuts the dough, after a little figuring out I discovered that putting your dough in the fridge for half an hour before rolling helped a lot as well as dipping the cutter in flour before cutting, but these were no biggy and definitely helped to turn out some splendid biscuits!
Of course Jet and I had to taste a couple (or 5!) and we both agreed that they are pretty pretty tasty.

So here they are, super tasty and super crunchy biscuits made ‘with love’ and free to all of my in store customers today and tomorrow while stocks last.

A Bit Of A Blog Reboot!

Hello, I see you’ve found my new blog. Take a look around and make yourself at home!

As this is my first blog I thought I should tell you a little bit about the kind of things I’ll chat about here, mostly crafty bits to do with my little shop, maybe a few craft tutorials and some guest blogs to boot!

Sound like your kind of thing? So sign up already, you don’t want to miss a post do you?

Anyway guys, I need to shoot off for now, I have a craft fair in Beautiful Beaumaris this weekend that I need to get ready for. I’m sure I’ll tell you all about it in my next post but if you’re heading that way drop by and say ‘hello’!

https://www.facebook.com/CymruContemporaryCraftFair

Extra Extra! New shop Cariad in Llanrwst

New shop Cariad in Llanrwst.

 

Just a little piece from this weeks edition of the North Wales Weekly News.

A Great First Month

Well, it’s been a great first month for me here at Cariad.

It’s been a long hard slog to get the shop open on time but with plenty of help from family and friends we did it and now I’ve been open for a month and I’ve had time to settle in to the everyday routine of running my own business.

Despite the terrible weather of the past couple of weeks I have proved to be quite popular in this little market town and already have a few lovely regular customers. It’s lovely to see them come back time and again to buy gifts for the people they love or just a little something to treat themselves.

I now have broadband in the shop so I’m able to keep up with the rest of the 21st century online. I’m also able to update my facebook page and blog with photos of new stock and special offers or events I’m planning on having in store. So keep an eye out!

I’ve also joined a Llanrwst action group. We’re a small group of local people and business owners trying to draw more tourists into Llanrwst for the benefit of the town. Contact me for more information or details of how to join.

Well, that’s it for now, make sure to sign up to my blog to keep up to date with what’s going on at Cariad.