Sunday 27 January 2013

Handmade Monday 101

Welcome to Handmade Monday!

It's been a busy week on this blog!  If you missed all the giveaways to celebrate 100 Handmade Mondays, you can find them by scrolling down while you're on the home page.  There's a giveaway a day for five days - and it's not too late to enter them all!

The lucky winners will be picked on Thursday and Friday, so look out for an announcement.  I'll try to email each winner, but do pop back here in case I can't contact you.  I'd like to say a very big thank you to all the entrants - I wish I had enough prizes for all of you!

the strawberry fabric gets the chop

Apart from giveaways this week, I've been busy turning my lovely strawberry fabric from Abakhan into a picnic blanket carrier for Craftseller magazine - the kind of thing that wraps around a rolled blanket and has a handle to go over your shoulder. I told you I was thinking summer picnics!  Picnic weather would make a lovely change from snow, slush, sleet and hailstones right now.  To be fair, the sun has made a very welcome appearance this afternoon in Cheshire, but it's quite a long way from picnic weather ... the snow has melted and the garden is flooded, yet again!  I'm just amazed we still have grass.

If you want to make your own picnic blanket holder, you'll find the instructions in Craftseller issue 23 if all goes to plan.  Meanwhile, I'll be writing up the pattern and instructions this week!

I couldn't resist adding a felt strawberry on the pocket!
It doubles up as a fastener, with Velcro on the back.

What have you been up to?  Leave your blog link below, then put your feet up to enjoy some blog surfing from the cosiness of your own home - the best place to be on a winter evening!

19 comments:

MadBirdDesignsUK said...

Collage with Vintage Papers and Maps

adaliza said...

Love that strawberry - looks good enough to eat! Not picnic weather here either, but I thought the fields were looking really clean & green after the snow had melted and given all the grass a good soaking. It'll soon be strawberry-picking time again.

Christmas Pie Crafts said...

I love the strawberry on the pocket - very cute. Many thanks for hosting a great week of give-aways - I will be keeping my fingers and toes crossed on the day the winners are due to be announced. Hope you have a good week

Free Spirit Designs said...

oooh a picnic blanket holder... what a great idea!! I'm very tempted to have a go at one of those :) Isn't that strawberry fabric just perfect for it too! I look forward to seeing the end result in its full glory :) x

Anonymous said...

Good luck with all your giveaways! They look like fun. Wish I had a blog to participate with.... Hopefully this will be the year for that! ==¦==. Sylphicdesigns@gmail.com

Myth Illogical said...

There's nothing more summery than strawberries! I love the fabric and the felt strawberry too.

Gertie said...

Can't wait to see the finished blanket carrier.

The felt strawberry is so cute.

Gertie xx

Ginx Craft said...

I will check that out, as my picnic blanket has a very unsatisfactory strap contraption which is really fiddly to get the blanket in.

Highland Monkey's said...

Liking the look of the strawberry. Summer seems a long way still, but hopefully we will have a hot one where we can have picnics.

Wendy said...

Yes to hot weather and picnics - we have waited too long haven't we?

Jan said...

That strawberry looks lush and the fabric is a perfect accompaniment to a summer picnic.

Jan x

Natalie Jones said...

The strawberry is gorgeous! It's blowing an absolute gale here, and drizzling, so summer picnics seem miles away but I can't wait to see the finished article in Craftseller

Ali said...

Thanks for the wonderful giveaways. Your strawberry looks good enough to eat. Stay dry.
Ali x

Susie said...

That fabric is really beautiful, but your felt strawberry addition is the icing on the cake. So to speak! Lovely work. :)

Nicola Ellen said...

Oh I love this fabric! It is stunning and the strawberry embellishment is beautiful! I might just have to hunt down the instructions and fabric for myself hehe xx

Anonymous said...

Another interesting project you are working on! Good way to cheer up the cold windy weather by planning for the summer. Lovely fabric for it too!

Julie Baswell said...

So many pretty projects. Thanks for hosting.

Anonymous said...

That strawberry is amazing. It brings summer images to my mind. More than welcome at this time of year. Thanks for the giveaways. They are truly amazing. Hope you have a slightly quieter week but as productive :)

Unknown said...

http://frugalincornwall.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/facing-financial-challenge.html

last weekend I made a quilt with the fabric from abakhan

i luff that bag!