More spring floweriness

The current bout of warm (in the day at least) and sunny weather has made the spring flowers bloom profusely, so here's some more flowery photos (these are the earlier ones).

We have:

• blue pansy
• double daffodil
• pink double headed dwarf tulips
• pink primulas
• striped dwarf tulip
• pink double tulip
• white pansy
• magnolia - nothing like the paint colour!

What's flowering near you?

TTFN
Louise

A spot of patchwork

Reading other people's blogs about their patchwork quilting exploits, such as Hen House, Cabbage Quilts and Katy's Arty Bits, had put me in the mood for making a quilt myself as I'd not done one for a while.



I didn't want to make a huge one, so I've made this one about the size of a quilt for use on a cot (the finished size was 64cm x 84cm approx.), or it could be used as a wall hanging.

I chose a selection of blue and green fabrics from my stash and laid them out so that I had a diagonal pattern. I handstitched the rows first, then joined the rows together.

The back is made from a piece of dark turquoise fabric, with the quilting also running in a diagonal, but the opposite way to the patchwork.

I bound the edges of the patchwork with bias binding with a paisley pattern.

I enjoyed myself making this one, so I plan to start another soon.

If you fancy having this patchwork quilt for yourself, pop over to the Elsie May and Bertha shop to purchase it.

TTFN

Louise





Fabric pictures and Mother's Day.

I've been wanting to try to make embroidered/sewn fabric pictures for a while, so I decided to have a got at one for my Mum for Mother's Day.

As it was for Mother's Day I wanted to add a picture of her Mum (the Elsie May in Elsie May and Bertha), so I printed a copy of one I had with my Mum as a baby. I attached this to some plain white cotton fabric with double-sided tape.

I next decided to add one of the embroidered card inserts I'd picked up at the vintage fair at St. George's Hall in February. The embroidery had been done on very fine fabric so I tacked in onto a piece of floral fabric and then attached that to the white cotton.

I then delved into my scraps basket and picked out fabrics with flowers that I could cut out, green fabrics for leaves. I appliqued some of the flowers around the picture and the above and below the sweet remembrance embroidery using either blanket stitch or tiny little stitches. I also added a bit of vintage lace down the right-handside.

Underneath the photo I created a little flower border, with appliqued flowers and embroidered leaves and stems.

I created a little 'plaque' to go on the back of the picture and sewed this onto the vintage fabric I'd chosen for the back.

To make up the picture I placed some cotton batting (it's the stuff that makes a quilt 'quilty') between the front and back panels, then I pinned and sewed pink floral bias binding around the edges.

I added some ribbon to enable the picture to be hung up. In hindsight, what I should have added some card between the batting and the backing fabric to make the picture stiffer, as it sagged when I hung it up. I solved the problem for this one by running a piece of metal wire through the binding on the top.

I also made my Mum a silk lavender sachet using vintage Japanese silk and a peice of embroidery I'd taken off a damage chinese-style cushion cover.

To complete her presents we also gave her a pair of cloisone bead ear-rings and a lovely standing card from Melissa Makes...

... and a vintage handkerchief that I had picked up on Ebay.

I'll be making some more fabric pictures soon as I enjoyed making this one so much.

TTFN
Louise

The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la.

With the weather starting  to become warmer, the trees are starting to burst into life, some with leaves some with blossom, flowering bulbs are coming into bloom and the birds are thinking about setting up home for another year.

All we need now, is for the sun to come out a little more often, and for the air to become warmer still.

I hope you're enjoying your spring.

TTFN
Louise

March edition of the Elsie May and Bertha newsletter

The March edition of the Elsie May and Bertha newsletter is now available.

Published monthly (usually), the newsletters cover:

• what we have been/will be doing, fairs we've been to/are going to etc. 
• any new products.
• a 'Spotlight on' item, which can be a more in depth look into an Elsie May and Bertha product or an interesting topic. For example, in the March issue it's on Mother's Day.
• a 'crafty word of the month'.
• how to find and contact Elsie May and Bertha.

Past issues of the newsletter can be found on the 'Latest News' section of the Elsie May and Bertha website.

TTFN
Louise.

Vintage fair at St. George's Hall - 25 February 2013

Last Saturday, Elsie May and Bertha were at the Liverpool Vintage fashion and home fair at St. George's Hall, held by Decorative Fairs. The building, itself, is beautiful and there was lots of lovely things to buy.

This veil was beautiful even though it was slightly damaged.

St. George doing his killing dragon thing.

This beautiful Edwardian evening dress was on sale for £795.

This lacy Edwardian dress was £365.

If you like vintage clothes this was definitely the fair to be at. There were frocks, hats, shoes, coats, trousers and skirts.Plus all kinds of accessories and jewellery. As well as the clothes, there were also a couple of stalls selling china, linen and cushions etc, the same as we were.

Here's a couple of stall holders with lovely stuff:

• Sammyelizab Greeting Cards - beautiful 40s and 50s style cards all handmade.
• Cool Crafting - based on the edge of the Lake District, as well as selling crafts and kits, they hold a wide range of  crafting and sewing workshops.
• Purlesque - based in the Pop Boutique in Whitechapel, Liverpool, Purlesque sells a mixture of yarn, haberdashery and handmade gifts.

The next fair in Liverpool is on the 6th June.

TTFN
Louise