Toadstool tutorial (and some big news)...

This is a project I've been meaning to try for a while, and decided this morning to give it a go and photograph it at the same time.  So, if you'd like to make a little toadstool all of your very own, you will need...

fabric, size 10x8cm for the stalk

circle of felt, size 3cm diameter for the base

2 ovals, roughly 9cm wide by 8cm tall, one in felt, the other in fabric for the toadstool top

embroidery thread

polyfil stuffing

small smooth pebble

selection of buttons (optional)

Take the fabric rectangle, fold in half, right sides together and sew 0.5cm in from the edge, then turn the 'tube' the right way round,

turn the raw edge inwards and pop a little polyfil into the open end to help it hold it's shape,

place the felt disk over the end and oversew with the embroidery thread.

Next, remove the polyfil and replace with a small, smooth pebble wrapped in some more polyfil to weight the base.  Continue stuffing the stalk until it is full.

Now you will need the 2 ovals shapes, cut a small circle in the centre of the felt one (this is for the stalk to sit in)... 

place them together, right sides out, pin and then sew all the way round the edge in blanket stitch.

At this stage, you could add some buttons on the top for decoration.

Turn the toadstool top upside down and stuff with polyfil through the hole, careful not to overstuff as this will make it top heavy.

Place the toadstool top over the tip of the stalk, and attach by oversewing,

you can also add some extra, decorative, stitches underneath...

and voila!

Have fun!

EDIT TO POST, BIG NEWS...

The two latest craft kits I have designed for Anchor are now available to buy,

PATCHWORK ELEPHANT

PATCHWORK OWL

and all going well, and my small owl will also be available as a kit later this year!

If you make something from one of my tutorials please do join the Flickr group, Lucykate Crafts... pattern pieces, to show off your creations.

Kingfisher & Bullrush,

I've had a bad week, anyone who follows me on Twitter will already know I hit myself rather badly on the head with my car door on Friday and ended up in A&E (or the ER if you are American).  That is the closest I've ever been to knocking myself out!.  I think I just have to accept that I am accident prone, coming to that conclusion after sitting down on my sewing needle!

After the head incident, I'd started thinking I must have knocked all the good ideas out too, until a trip to a local charity shop resulted in a couple of illustrated nature books.  That helped get the cogs working again.

Kingfishers...,

such beautifully coloured birds,

and Bullrushes.

Not easy to photograph the two together!

In homage to the Royal Wedding...,

I got up this morning and popped my wedding frock on!

Well, when I say popped, it was more of a wriggling, husband yanking it up, breathing in, sucking the old tummy in and hoping for the best as the zip went up (it has been untouched since 1997!).  And it did indeed zip up, it's fine when I'm stood up, but sitting down is another matter!

I have to admit to not being a royalist, but we will no doubt watch a bit of the wedding, reminisce about watching Charles & Diana back in 1981 and critiscise all the outfits, hats and hairdo's, then end up outside in the street with all the neighbours for an impromptu street party.

Anyone going to join me and fling on their wedding dress?, what was yours like??

New wips...

I have been working on another one of these bags, just got to add the rest of the decoration.  This one is a slightly different shape to the first, curved at the bottom, mainly because I was running out of the felted wool, which is a shame as I do like the mottled background with the burgundy and green flowers and leaves.

Next, will be some stock for the Etsy shop 'Pink' range, which I've started playing around with some ideas for already.  The two little green owls were given to me by my mother-in-law, sweet aren't they?

We had a great trip down to London, although it did make me realise that the last 3 years of being a stay at home mum have left me feeling a bit out of touch.  I came to two decisions on the train on my way home,

1.  I need to subscribe to Selvedge magazine to get up to speed with what's going on in textiles these days, and...

2.  I need to go clothes shopping, there are so many fashion trends that seem to have passed me by!

Thank you for all the get well wishes, they are much appreciated and I am feeling much better I'm pleased to say.  Plus, how fantastic is this?!  A lady called EmilyT left a comment on the eye patch tutorial post...

"You're going to be famous in Cuba!  In a couple weeks I'm going down with our church group, and I had been asked to bring the stick-on patches for four kids in their neighborhood. I hated to bring something that could only be used once and thrown away.

So I took your wonderful directions, translated them into Spanish, added the photos (which are really helpful) and will bring them, together with an assortment of felt and decorations. Folks can make many many of their own.  Thanks, see how your goodness spreads all over!"

Emily, if you see this (unfortunately, blogger has given me no way of contacting you), I am so pleased!, I'd love it if you were able to send me some photographs.

Right, decision time, mop kitchen floor or sew, while Luke is still asleep..., what would you do?!

The eyes have it...

I tend to do the eyes on all of my Softies the same.  A circle of felt attached with a very small (1/4" wide) button.  In the book, at the back there is a list of resources, and these are the buttons which I use,

But, there are a number of ways to stitch the eyes if you don't have any of those buttons to hand...

A small circle of felt attached with an embroidered french knot, 

also a small circle of fabric again, attached with a french knot will work, although to prevent the fabric from fraying, I'd dab some glue or fray check on the edge.

Another way is to embroider the whole eye.  This one is made by satin stitching a circle (I drew a border with an air erasable pen first), then sewing a french knot in the center.

Similarly, you can stitch a circle using darning stitch (seen in more detail here), and again embroider a french knot in the centre.

The stitched eyes are also safer if you are making a Softie for a child as there's nothing to come off and be swallowed!

I tried one with a bead, but it kind of stuck out from the base fabric a little too much.  Hopefully these ideas will be helpful if you find the buttons hard to get hold of.  Let me know if you can think of any other ways!

Don't forget to leave a comment on my previous post to win a copy of the book.  And follow the rest of the blog tour, 

tuesday 26th april - i heart linen - Rashida has made toadstools!

wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter - that's today

thursday 28th april - plush you 

friday 29th april - allsorts

Title's too long to write...,

  It's the Countryside Softies, book blog tour, book giveaway, live web chat, plus retro Owl post!

Have you been following the tour?  So far it's been to Australia, USA, USA again, the UK, back to Aus, the off to Finland.  Today it's my turn, so, let's get down to business ::

1. Have you got the book?, if not, you can get it either from here or a signed copy direct from me on Etsy.

2. Leave a comment on this post by midnight (GMT) on Friday 29th April, and you will be in with a chance to win a copy.  You can also win a copy at every stop on the book tour and don't forget there is nothing to stop you commenting on every post so you go into every draw.

3. All the book winners will then move onto a separate draw to win the Robin Softie.

4. If you have got the book, please do join the Countryside Softies Flickr group and post your creations.

5. There's also the Lucykate Crafts... Facebook group as another way of keeping up to date with design news etc...

6. This evening (as in easter Sunday), I will be here online from 9pm (GMT), see down at the bottom of the blog, there is a Wibiya bar, click the 'join chat' icon and sign in, this will open up a chat room box which is where I will be (not literally, but you know what I mean)

Don't worry about me being a 'billy no mates' for my web chat.  When I say I'll be here live, it will involve sitting by the computer with my feet up, a bit of sewing on the go, a (large) glass of Pimms and an easter egg with the chat box open.

Talking of sewing, remember my hankering for all things retro, Lucienne Day-ish, and the fabrics which I bought?  Well, here is the result.  Taking a motif from the atomic design era,

and we have eyes,

add a little embroidered cross hatching for a crest, 

and we have an Owl.  A retro Owl.

Although once I'd finished, I wished I'd used greens and browns instead.  Guess that's my sewing for this evening sorted!

Well, if you're around later, I'll see you for the crafty web chat, if not, the there's the rest of the tour to follow, continuing tomorrow with the lovely Manda...

monday 25th april - treefall design 

tuesday 26th april - i heart linen 

wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter 

thursday 28th april - plush you 

friday 29th april - allsorts

Turns out, size does matter,

Why is it that sometimes the smallest of patterns are the trickiest to get right?

A Ladybird should, in theory, have been a quick, easy softie to design and make, but everything about it turned into a right pain in the butt.  Seams split during stuffing, needles got stuck going through buttons, french knots got knotted, thread snapped, and fingers got prodded with needle points numerous times.

I'm putting it down to just having a bad day!

Some tips on building a website...

For a long while now, I've had plans to create a website to run alongside this blog, something with a .co.uk or .com address that looks a little more professional and a little less blog-like, but not really known how on earth to go about it.  Anyway, yesterday I came across a free, online way of doing it and on further investigation, found this site in particular just seemed to make sense to me, so gave it a go.

Here are a few things I discovered along the way...,

Decide how you are going to build your site

If you do it yourself from scratch, you may need to purchase your chosen domain name, ie the url you want the website address to be and also web hosting if it is required.  There are lots of sites online from which to do this, google 'domain name/web hosting' and there are plenty to choose from.  Before making a purchase, it's worth googling for reviews of the site you are going through and read them to do a background check on reliability.  Also bear in mind your country of origin, ie if you are in the UK, buy from a UK based site, if you are in the USA, go through an American based site, that way if you need to, you can telephone to sort any issues promptly.

I paid just over £5 ($7.70) for 2 years ownership of the www.lucykatecrafts.co.uk domain name.
 
If you design it via a software package, the domain name and web hosting side will most likely be included in the purchase price.  Mr Site and Do your own site are both popular packages here in the UK.  There are also many free ones to pick from too, Weebly, Webs and Moonfruit to name but a few.  What you get for free is basic but useful and user friendly.  Upgrades can be bought for additional facilities. 

Begin building

The easy ways to do this will have a selection of templates to choose from, and it all works in very much the same as a blog template does, via html coding.  I'm no html coding expert but I can mange to change colours, sizes, borders etc, all of which I've picked up the know how for online since starting blogging, mainly from this site Blogger Buster.  Adding links and images was all very straight forward.

I chose a template which I felt looked the least like a blog, but did personalise it quite a bit.

Going live

The moment of truth is when you click 'publish'.  When I did mine, it automatically gave it a url which included the name of the web building site I used, but there were simple, easy to follow instructions on how to change this so it was linked to the .co.uk address (which was done by adding the ip address of the newly published website into the correct place within the domain name account online), and only took about half an hour after publishing before it was up and running.

The advantages to doing all this yourself is mainly that it's quick and easy to update your site.  Mine can also have E-commerce pages added as it's already linked to Paypal.

www.lucykatecrafts.co.uk

So there you have it, hopefully you will find this a little helpful.  I spent one evening doing this, it's basic but it's a start, although I am also giving I-Web a try at home, and gives me something to build upon that I didn't have before!

edit - feedback is much appreciated, have made a few small changes already, thank you.

Beg, borrow and steal...,

Things are a little slow this week.  The kids have gone back to school, and my three days that I get to work are passing by fast, with not very much done.  This holiday has been nice, albeit tinged with a little sadness due to a close family member being very ill, Lucy, Luke and I have spent a great deal of time together just chilling out.  We've had lots of cuddles on the sofa, watching dvd's while basking in (finally!) a bit of sun flooding into the lounge.  Luke is growing up so fast, he's 4 soon, ...4!

Still don't want anymore though, here's why...,

(warning - this does contain some mild swearing!)

It's not often I borrow from others to blog, but I first heard this song a while ago now, still makes me howl with laughter every time

When is an Otter, not an Otter?

When I was designing the patterns for the book, on the whole they came together very easily.  I guess my 12 years with Coats Crafts UK came in handy here.  There is a knack to putting together a project which is intended to be made by other people, and when I'm doing the sewing part, in the back of my mind I'm making note of how straight forward it is on the basis of if I'm finding it hard to work, then I need to think of a simpler way.

It's not that I'm dumbing down the projects (which, as an aside, I did find the recent 'dumbing down of quilting' debate really interesting, that's a blog post all in itself, maybe next week when the kids are back at school), it's more a case of designing in a way that can be easy to explain in words, in a way that appeals and looks achievable to both novice and more experienced sewers, and in a way that brings each animal to life with a quirky character while retaining some realism.

The Otter was the one I struggled with the most.  It was because of him, the decision was made to code each project with a guide (easy, moderate, slightly tricky).  He's 'slightly tricky'.  Not because the Otter is hard to make, it's just he has more separate body parts, so there is more to join together which means it'll take a bit longer to complete.   When I first began designing him, I went for a horizontal body position,

which once I'd finished, decided didn't work.  He just didn't look Otter-like enough, his face was too narrow which made him look too ratty.  This version has been living on Lucy's bed ever since.

The second incarnation in an upright position, I felt, worked much better.

Have you been following the book tour??

So far, at Whip Up there's the pond pattern, a lovely review from Bari J (how pretty is her blog??), and interview with me by Scott at Blue Nickel Studio's where I use the words 'numb nut', you'll have to go read the interview to find out why, and today there is a very sweet review at Fat Quarterly.  Don't forget to leave a comment on the blogs taking part to be in with a chance of winning a copy of the book and also going through to the draw for the Robin softie.

Follow the rest of the tour here ::

friday 22nd april - ric-rac 

saturday 23rd april - syko 

sunday 24th april - lucykate crafts (that's me, web chat 9pm UK time)

monday 25th april - treefall design 

tuesday 26th april - i heart linen 

wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter 

thursday 28th april - plush you 

friday 29th april - allsorts

ps, I'm going to try and do a trial run of the web chat this evening (as in UK evening), so if you're around on Twitter later, I'll be after some volunteers! 

Stuff...

Terrible title for a post, but I can't think of what else to put, it's been a busy week!.  The tonsillitis keeps coming back, plus I also have a heavy cold, and with it being the school holidays, potty training (which, on our second attempt, is going really well) and Mr LK away, I don't mind admitting I've been pretty knackered!  Shamefully, I didn't even get my act together to sort a wish list for Purl Patchwork while he was in New York, but luckily for me, he took matters into his own hands, and paid a visit to Kinokuniya and came away with a lovely selection of books, which I thought I'd share...

Look at those amazing crochet hooks, where on earth can I get one??!

Some lovely felted bags, I really like the handles on these two,

really nice coaster sets,

lovely corsages,

more felted bags,

and just lots and lots of inspiration in general.

A few of you have asked for tips about felting, to be honest, I'm no expert, I'm a chuck it in the washing machine and hope for the best kind of girl, and believe me, there have been a few disasters.  There was one charity shop jumper, it was really nice, tan wool, sleeveless top but it felted and shrank so much that it now looks like a comical hot water bottle cover!.  It will make a nice bag though and quite sturdy too, as it's so thick.  The best advice on felting is from Betz White and in particular this post as she gives before and after examples.

 This week is back to school, so Wednesday should, in theory, be my first proper day crafting in a while, but instead I am off to London with Mr LK for a private view of The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, at the Mall Gallery to see his work on show.  It is the first time in a long, long while I've been able to go, I've either been working myself, or looking after the children.  Now we live closer to London, it is much easier to make the trip, we're not used to going anywhere on our own though without the children, I'll have to remember that this time I don't need wet wipes and chocolate buttons in my bag!

Thank you for all the lovely 'pink cat' comments, and yes, it will be part of the next Etsy shop update, so for now, back to sewing!

Pond pattern,

The book blog tour starts today at Whip Up, with a brand new and exclusive free pattern to make the pond which will go with any of the Riverside Softies from the book.  So hop on over there, all the instructions and templates are on my guest post.

Next stop for the book tour tomorrow is...  the wonderfully talented Bari J.

My sewing room!

When I started this blog, I did decide that it would be kept for crafty things only, but am making an allowence for this. In our new house we have split a large bedroom into two, so I now have sewing room/study all to myself, at last!. It's only little but is big enough for me. The 'L' shaped desk was a good find, just right for my mac and sewing machine, but I think I already need more shelving space, and so far I've only had the room for 3 weeks!.





I really must share this, just as we were starting to decorate, my husband stumbled in the loft and put his foot through the ceiling!. It has been mended as well as it can be without having it re-plastered, and has about 5 coats of paint to disguise it but I think it'll stay as a talking point!.

Etsy Labs, and a monday craft night...,

Firstly, thank you for all the encouraging comments regarding the fox.  I feel embarrassed now for being perhaps a bit over critical of my own work!.  We've been away over Easter weekend visiting family, so crafting has been thin on the ground, ok non-existent!.  But, I did come home to this unexpected piece of news...!

Etsy hold craft nights, in Brooklyn NY, on a monday evening.  On Monday 13th April, Heather Ross was scheduled to be running a class, but due to unforeseen circumstances, had to pull out at short notice.  So, what do you think they did instead?, ...made toadstools from my toadstool tutorial!  How cool is that?!  There are some photo's from the evening on Flickr.

Since we are still in the throws of the Easter school holidays here in the UK, I am feeling my crafting is in need of a kick start.  So, as tonight there is no 'Lost' or 'The Apprentice' on TV to distract me, I'm going to join in with the Crafteroo thursday night project.  For those who don't know what Crafteroo is, it's a new-ish, rapidly expanding UK based online craft forum, I am the Editor of the craft business board, go take a look!

Felt Corsage

Coats Crafts UK have sent me some samples from their new range of 'Printz Felts' to have a go with. There are about 9 different designs, flowers, patterns, check, stripes, I have fallen in love with the spotty one!. Have been busy finishing a rag doll project for a new crafts for kids book due out in october, so have only had time to put together this little corsage. No stitching on it yet, but I suppose it is my 'wip' this week (work in progress)!.

Nice surprise!

Last week, the latest copy of Somerset Life plopped through the door,

 How nice, I thought, assuming as I'd been featured in a sister publication I must be on their mailing list, so flicked through, and spotted this...,

a lovely little article all about my Valentine letter!

 Now, those are the kind of surprises I like!

Blog book tour...,

The book had it's UK launch on Monday at the London Book Fair, so I guess it's time to go global with the blog book tour! 

monday 18th april - whip up 
tuesday 19th april - bari j 
wednesday 20th april - blue nickel studios 
thursday 21st april - fat quarterly
friday 22nd april - ric-rac 

saturday 23rd april - syko 
sunday 24th april - lucykate crafts (that's me!)

monday 25th april - treefall design 
tuesday 26th april - i heart linen 
wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter 
thursday 28th april - plush you 
friday 29th april - allsorts  

At each stop along the way, there is a book giveaway, plus all of the book winners will then go on into a separate draw and win this...

the Robin Softie from the book.

As the tour is running over Easter, I'm doing Easter Sunday and am (if it works, am going to have to give it a trial run!) hoping to try something a bit different.  At 9pm BST, see the Wibiya bar down at the bottom of the blog ↓↓↓, there is a 'join chat' section.  Click on that and a chat room box opens up.  I'll be online for a live webchat to talk about blogging and writing a book, so pop by if you have any questions (or Easter chocolate to share!)

The tour starts at Whip Up with a brand new tutorial, something extra to go with any of the riverside Softies from the book, so look out for that on Monday.