Wednesday 31 December 2014

Freehand Machine Embroidery Mobile 'Phone Case

Good afternoon all,

This will be my last blog for 2014 and I would like to show you what I have just finished:


A freehand machine embroidery mobile 'phone case.

This fits my 'phone which is a Sony Xperia, it measures 5" tall by 2 1/2" wide and it fits well into the case. There is still some play width ways and a tiny bit lengthways, so I am sure it'd fit quite a few different mobile models. Of course, if there is a specific 'phone case you would like making, you can contact me and I'll do my very best!

This case has double interfacing and double padding to give stability and protectiveness to the mobile enclosed, it has a cotton lining for smooth use, an elastic closing and the best part - it's decorated using my favourite method... Do you like it?

 
 

See it in my Etsy store soon.

Thanks for reading, pass it on if you like or leave a comment. See you next year!

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Tuesday 30 December 2014

Freehand Machine Embroidery Make Up Bag

Evening all,

Just a quick one to show you this:


My latest creation, a Freehand Machine Embroidery Make-up or Cosmetics Bag. As you know, I am in love with this style of hand made item and I finished this yesterday.

It has four flowers decorating the exteriors on cream linen, a denim flat base bottom that makes it stand up when in use and when not, pink piping between the materials, zip tabs with ribbon and a locking zip and the lining is made of oilcloth, so that spills and mess can be wiped out easily.





It stands approximately 7" tall and is 9" wide at the top and would look lovely standing on a dressing table. Of course, it can be used as a weekend bag for holding toiletries or it can used for nail varnishes or whatever you like! The stress areas are re-inforced and is a lovely quality item. See it in my Etsy store soon.



That's all for now, if I don't post again, HAPPY NEW YEAR! And leave a comment if you wish...

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Saturday 27 December 2014

Freehand Machine Embroidery Purse and/or Mobile Case

Evening all, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Or merry day after Boxing Day day... I hope you have all had and are still having a fabulous festive season and that you and your families are well. I have had a lovely time with friends and family and today, I got on with a little work. This is what I'd like to show you:


As the blog title suggests, this is my Freehand Machine Embroidery Purse and/or Mobile Case. And, for those of you who may be observant, you may notice it matches my Freehand Machine Embroidery Bag as written about it my previous blog. :)

I have decided that I REALLY like this method of machining and creativity and freedom and I don't want to stop. So I wont. Teehee.

This purse is fully interfaced for the duel purpose of padding and stability without too much bulk, it is patterned on both sides, it has a denim base and cream Romany style sides, a cream calico interior, pink piping, pink zip, pink ribbon and a denim key loop with split ring. It fits a large mobile easily and can also hold money and cards at the same time if desired. I love it, what do you think?

Over the next couple of days I hope to show you a make-up bag I am working on in the same style, I am working on a theme here...


You will see this in my Etsy shop really soon. Thanks for reading, please leave me a comment if you wish, or Like me on Facebook.

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Friday 5 December 2014

Freehand Machine Embroidery Bag & Double Craft Fair

Long title, huh? Yep.

So, I'll get right on with it, here is the Freehand Machine Embroidery Bag I mentioned:

One Side...
...Other Side
Sorry about the 'not so good' pics, the light is poor here today...

As I have mentioned before, I simply LOVE freehand machine embroidery and for those who may not be aware of what is it, it's using your sewing machine like a pencil, like drawing onto the material. You drop the feed dogs - the bits that push the fabric over the plate - and so you can move your material in any direction you please. You also either remove the needle foot - the bit that holds down the material whilst sewing - to add to the freedom or use a machine embroidery spring foot which gives a little support (I do). And then, wow, once you've found the right thread tension and speed, you just go mad! You can use your imagination to 'draw' whatever you like, in any place, in any direction, any how you like.

This time I designed and made this bag which has many lovely features, nameley 6 flowers of different kinds (3 on the front, 3 on the back), sewn onto cream Romany style material, it has a sturdy denim material base that is boxed and detailed with pink piping, it has padded handles that give comfort to the user and have denim patches added for stability and durability, it is lined with cream calico, it has two internal denim pockets and an exterior key ring. It has a lot going for it! Plus, it is approximately 14" tall, by 13" wide and has 10" long handles. I just love it. What do you think?

Flat Base to hold lots of shopping

Pink Piping detail, perfectly aligned ;)

Internal Pockets for mobiles, cash or cards

I have a double fair this weekend and will be taking it to that where I hope it will go to a good home.

Speaking of which, the fair is Saturday and Sunday 6th and 7th December, at the Bakewell Town Hall from 10am to 4.30pm. If you fancy a day out to Bakewell in the beautiful Peak District, just do it as I know there will be festive cheer in the air and a great atmosphere at the fair. Plus, Saturday is Small Business Saturday and so it would be great for you to do just that and show a little love for the small businesses, like my own, who have had a testing year and would appreciate an easier Christmas.

This weekend there promises to be stalls of all kinds selling textiles, jewellery, photography, paintings, food items, cards and lots more. Craft Fairs are not just about knitting and tea-cosies these days... Come on, you know you want to.

Anyway, that's all for now, have a great weekend and leave me a comment if you wish. Remember I am on Facebook too if you would like to Like me :)

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Man Cushion? And Craft Fair

Hi again,

I didn't think I would have time to post this tonight - but I do - so here it it, my other invention of today:



An Aztec and Denim Cushion. The fantastic Aztec material was given to me by a good friend of mine, Guy, of Guy Badham Photography quite a while ago and I have made a few small projects with it, but this jumped into my head yesterday and I knew I had to get working on it today. It is from no other that Liberty of London (oh my) and it is such a good quality it makes it easy to work with. The denim is an all time favourite material to work with and I really hoped the two would work well together. They do.

I have made it as a patchwork cushion, it has the Liberty selvedge edge attached and a small detail of the Aztec material as highlights on the denim, it has an envelope back so the form can be removed to wash the cover and it is 16" x 16". I labelled it as a 'Man Cushion' just because of the muted and rustic colours but of course it's not entirely true! This is non-gender cushion and would go in many places of your home.

Liberty of London!

Aztec Highlight

Envelope Back

Fantastic Aztec Material

I am not going to list this in my Etsy store just yet as a I have a fair on Saturday and will take it to that. The Craft and Gift Fair by the way is at the St. Leonards Community Centre in Wollaton, Nottingham so if you are in the area or you fancy a day out, please come along as I know there are to be some fabulous stalls there - Christmas is only a heart beat away...

Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you like.

Julie.
(C) FMN Crafts 2014


Christmas Coasters

Evening all,

Just a little blog to show you my latest item:


A set of 6 Christmas Coasters that are double sided, one red and one cream, adorned with hoilly and berries. They all have towelling in the middle to collect any spills and are approximately 4" square. They are made of 100% cotton too, so will wash easily. And they are wrapped up in a little Christmas ribbon so make great Christmas gifts! And, at only £5.99, what's not to love..?

Because these take quite a while to make (I know, they don't look it) I am keeping these for the Fair on Saturday...which I will tell you about next time.

Thanks for looking, let me know what you think if you like and I'll see you soon.

Julie.
(c) FMN Crafts 2014

Monday 24 November 2014

New Cushions!

Afternoon all,

I have my two latest cushions to show you today:

Christmas Pudding Throw Cushion

Christmas Pudding Throw Cushion Collage

As you can see, this is my Christmas Pudding Cushion and I just love it! I wanted to do a bold and fun cushion that would make people smile, and I really think this fits the bill. What do you think? The material is cream cotton calico and the pudding is all made of felt. I used a mix of regular machine stitching and freehand machine embroidery which I think adds great detail. It has an envelope back so the cover can be removed if it needs to be washed - by hand and with a soft sponge and mild detergent only.

My next cushion is this one:

Trees Throw Cushion

Trees Throw Cushion Collage

This is a fabulous cushion in that is has a multi-purpose. I wanted a cushion that could be great for Christmas, but could also work all year around too and I think this is it. The front is covered in freehand machine embroidered trees which could represent Christmas - or not - and as they are floral, they are more chabby-chic than spruce! Plus there are no signs of Christmas presents or star tops, so it's a Christmas Cushion and a non-Christmas Cushion too. Perfect! It is made using cream cotton calico and cotton floral materials, the back is all floral for a lovely compliment to the front and it has an envelope back too. Oh, and can you see the two tiny birds flying high?

Both these cushions would grace many a sofa, bed or chair and measure 16" x 16" (<40cm x <40cm).

If you look in my Etsy store at the other cushions I have made, you will see that you can buy them as covered cushions or just the cushion cover itself for you to fill once delivered, to make posting easier - the choice is yours.

That's all for now, here's a teaser of what's to come:
Thanks for reading, pass it on if you like or Like me on Facebook.
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Thursday 13 November 2014

New Miniatura Fair

Hi all,

Just a quck one to tell of the next Miniatures Fair we will be exhibiting at. This Sunday, the 16th November, we will be at a brand new fair organised by the people who bring us Miniatura, at Cranmore Park Exhibition Centre. If you are interested in Dolls House Miniatures, this promises to be a great fair with over 90 exhibitors. Click the link above to find out more...


The fair will be open 10.30am - 4.00pm, refreshments are available and the parking is free! The venue address is Cranmore Park, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4LF. Hope to see you there.

Julie.

TOAST and Latest Items

Afternoon all,

So, I told you about my items going to TOAST in a previous post, well I have been sent a couple of pictures and been mentioned on their Facebook page so it all looks good, here are a few of their pictures:

Appliqued Phone Case/Purse and Divided Phone Cases/Purses

Fancy Pegs for Crafts and Notice Boards

Lip Balm/Lipstick Holders (inc. Lipbalm)

One Pound Coin Holders!

Fingers crossed, things will sell well, you should keep an eye on the Facebook page as things are busy in that area...

I have been busy re-stocking and making some new items, here are a few:

Fancy Buttons

Still on the 'fancy' theme, here are some sets of Fancy Buttons. I have some lovely buttons and I thought it would be really nice to put some out there for people to use on their own projects. Nice.

Cupcake Bunting
A firm favourite at the Craft Fairs and events, but not listed online yet, this is really cute little Cupcake Bunting, made using craft card and twisted twine. They are approximately 26" long and come with 9 individual flags. They look great just about everywhere!

Tea Cups Throw Cushion

Oooooh I love this! I almost kept it... As the title suggests, it is a Tea Cup design Throw Cushion, in chabby chic maybe? Whatever you like to call it, it's a 16" square cushion that could go on a bed, chair, window seat or wherever you like. It has an envelope back and is made of cotton, so it can easily be removed and washed, the tea cups have been attached to cream calico using free hand machine embroidery (which I love!) and I am looking forward to taking it to my next fair. :)

So what do you think? Let me know your thoughts or Like me on my Facebook page please. Thanks for your time.

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Monday 3 November 2014

Make-Up Bags

Afternoon all,

After the slog (in a good way) of getting lots of items together recently to send to TOAST, as mentioned in my previous post, (thanks again for the info Carol) I have been busy on a plan of action for re-stocking and new-stocking (yes, it is a word) and so far...

This is part of my re-stock/new-stock section (yes, they combined, leave me alone):





These Flat Base Make-Up Bags are always a good seller and at only £6.99 it's no suprise really. They are all interfaced making them strong enough to stand up easily, they are all lined, they all have a flat base, they all fold down if needs be, they all have zip tags to add to the quality finish and they all have a little ribbon attached to the zip pull. And they are all made of cotton so can easily be washed (recommended by hand, and dried standing up if needed).


I make these with flat bases so that not only can you get a lot in them, the bag stands up when in use so it's easy to see the items inside :)

I will be putting them in my Etsy store soon... They are lovely as a treat for yourself or make even better gifts. Christmas is coming...

Thanks for looking, please leave a comment if you like or Like me on Facebook when you get a minute.

More soon...

Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Friday 31 October 2014

TOAST and Cushion

Afternoon all....

Some exciting news just in, my items are going to be gracing a shop! And not just any shop, oh no, this is a company in Leek, Staffordshire called TOAST, you may have heard of them before, TOAST stands for Totally Original Artisans Staffordshire. I was introduced to them by a friend, I have been in contact and have just posted a box of my items off to them this morning...it's all very exciting.



Click TOAST and it will take you to their website, this is their Twitter and this is their Facebook.

And for my latest item:


Another of my Freehand Machine Embroidery projects, this cushion is made using cream Calico, it has an envelope back, it has three flowers with stems and a leaf and there are two tiny birds flying in the distance too. It is 16" x 16" and has a polyester pillow form inside.

This is a cushion that would compliment many areas of your home and help to give it that homely feeling, it would also make a great gift...I love it. How about you? This one will be going to my next fair.

That's all for today, remember to leave a comment if you like of visit my Facebook page.

Thanks for reading,
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014

Saturday 25 October 2014

New Items

Evening all,

Just a quick one to let you know off some of my latest projects...

First up, a Freehand Machine Embroidery Needle Case:


I really love using my machine for this tequnique and this little needle book was great fun to design and make. It is made using calico and cotton materials, it has two felt interiors for needles and pins and has a spotty ribbon to tie. So cute! It would grace any sewing kit.

Next up, this Patchwork Throw Cushion:


Although the lighting is not too brilliant in this (just wanted to show you!) you get the idea. It is made using fabulous upholstery materials, and it is embellished with crochet lace and buttons. It has an envelope back with two buttons to close and measures approximately 15" x 16". I really like the choice of materials as not only is it heard wearing, the colours are nuetral so it will go in many rooms. It can be used on a sofa, a chair or a bed, you choose!

Third in line, a cute and colourful Jewellery Roll:


This is an item I have been asked about many times and I have finally got around to designing one. This has a clear pocket on the left with a zip to keep bits and bobs you can see quickly, a middle section to hold your rings and on the left is a section to attach necklaces and little pockets to hold the pendants, so they stay untangled. It can then be rolled up and secured with the ribbon or folded in three - it's your choice.

And finally for today these Fancy Pegs:


Have you ever heard of Washi-Tape? Thats is what these pegs have been decorated with. It is such a versatile material that it can be used on almost anything. They are all different, they are wood pegs with metal springs and they are all adorned with a tiny bow. These pegs can of course be used for your laundry, but they are most suited for craft pojects and notice boards. You like?

So what do you think? Most of these items are in my Etsy Store and will be exhibited at my Craft Fairs. You can keep up to date with Fairs I will be attending on my Facebook Page, please check it out.

Leave me a comment if you wish, I would love to hear what you thing. Thanks for reading.
Julie.

(C) FMN Crafts 2014