L'aiguille en fete Paris, Feb 2010

2 weeks ago I went to Paris for my God daughter's first communion. It was on the Saturday, and I was very lucky because this french show was happening at the same time. I left home a day early, on the Thursday, and spent Friday looking at quilts, embroidery, knitting...kits, fabric, ribbons, patterns, books.

Although books are more expensive in France than in England, because of some protection laws that are supposed to give more money to the authors, but then they sell less books because of their prices being so high !

I didn't buy much : some Liberty fabric that we couldn't name, some japanese jelly roll..

I got some ideas for things I want to make, just need the time.

There was also a speed knittng competition, very relaxed. Everybody could take part, including a teenager who had just learnt.

And there was some massive needles. On the photo below the pieces are on a sofa. The wooden needles would have been the size of my wrist roughly. Knitting becomes a workout.

There were 2 women from the Toft Alpaca with some beautiful alpaca wool. It made me want to start a hat.

I also saw a very interesting demonstration of painting on fabric with some stencils from The Stencil Store

I would like to make some bags using transat toile like the Cabana Creations people did.

And I discovered a man who makes beautiful buttons or pendants in ceramic called Rouge Petit Coeur. I bought a beautiful P on a heart, that I will use on a wallhanging.

Of course there were many more shops, these are just a bit different.

And I did a workshop, but more about this later as I have not finished the embroidery started that day. Isn't that typical.

Knitted Baby cardigan

This had to be kept secret as it was a present for my little niece, now aged 7 months.

I started knitting before she was born, then had a break... and hurried to give it to her dad, my little brother when I saw him a week ago.

I began to get worried it would be too small by the time I finished it, luckily it seems to be too big ! I did it in a size 6 months to 1 year.

The colours are pink and brown, difficult to show them on this photo. I started knitting the neck and got down to the belt level. It is all done in one piece, with just 2 seams under the 2 arms.

It was supposed to be a quick project, and it wasn't, all my fault.

I hope the little J. likes it. She seems to be growing by the minute.

Sketchbook and pencils holder

Another quick project, I know my UFO's are not making any progress meanwhile.

I found this tutorial, tried it once, and then lost my papers, couldn't find the website, but finally here it is. The tutorial was on the blog "Atkinson Designs", and is called an Airplane Art Binder (it is the third from the top). There are lots of useful photos, but you have to change the size of the paper pad as it is an american measure, and the european ones are slightly different.

All in all it was easy to make. I chose more masculine colors as it was offered to my husband on his birthday. And then I had to borrow it back to show it to my patchwork group.

The ladies there expect me to show something every time!

On this next photo you will see the outside completely opened up. The button was homemade with Fimo paste by one of our daughters.

The tie is sewed on the right, left, and on a vertical line in the middle.

There is no quilting as there is no wadding, but interfacing.

So go on and try one.

It makes me think of the phrase written by William Morris “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”.

So instead of having a horrible plasticky object we have a homemade one.

Of course this only works when you have the time to make the object, and it's not going to be ruined, or not appreciated.

Sunbonnet Sue needle holder

I found this tutorial in french on the Frimousse's blog here, and as it doesn't take long to make, I had a go one afternoon.

So it was one quick project but I am not sure it looks finished enough. Maybe I could try again with some thicker cardboard, and with sewing the edges instead of applying glue. But then of course it wouldn't be a quick project any more.

I drew the pattern freehand, as I couldn't find one on the tutorial.

There are 3 pieces of cardboard, cut twice. Two the whole size, two of the head alone, and two of the dress, without the feet. Each is in a thicker cardboard, and one thinner.

Tell me what you think, especially if you try this project.