Craft Fairs Calendar for Northern Ireland

I have quite a few contacts in the craft fair organising circles in Northern Ireland and have decided to put together a craft fair calendar for any local events.


If anyone would like to add an event please just let me know :) 

The Creative Crafts Show - Kings Hall, Belfast

I was treated to the most lovely day out to the Creative Crafts Show in the Kings Hall today, by my equally craft mad mum! There was a huge array of sparkling beads, woollen bits and bobs, fabrics to die for, highly intricate hand made lace, card making of all sorts, the most fabulous cross stitch and embroidery and a choice of modern or traditional tapestries.  What can I say? I wanted it all! LOL


Every wall and nook and cranny was full of everything imaginable to tempt and inspire the many craft loving visitors.  Unfortunately, but understandably, there was a no photography rule so i can't share the  wonders that were on show, but i did manage to take an overall picture or 2 from the balcony:

I have to say there were a few stands that captured my attention more than others, but every single exhibitor did a fantastic job.  There were lots of workshops going on throughout the day as well, how to make shambala bracelets, lace making, card craft and extreme knitting to name just a few! 


I was particularly impressed by the products on show and being demonstrated by The Stitch Witch - I have a bit of a soft spot for African patterns and they had some stunning ones on show - you can view some of them here.  Also the stained glass window effect quilts were just too gorgeous to walk past and mum decided to treat herself to a few patterns! 


We were tempted too by the beautiful knitted items on show from the Glen Gallery in Cullybackey.  The lovely ladies we were speaking to really sold the shop to us well, without even trying, and i imagine a trip that direction will be on the cards soon enough :) They regularly host workshops by international designers in the Glen Gallery so we might just see about visiting when we can decide which of the many workshops we would like to attend most! 


Finally, I was tempted into a purchase of some Celtic design fabric from Rags for Linda - I have an absolute love for traditional Celtic design and have been talking about doing some work with this myself recently.  Well, when I saw the fabric I knew it just had to be mine:

All I have to do now is decide what I would like to make with it!! Watch this space I guess...... :) 

Patchwork Bag

Patchwork is something i have been meaning to try for quite a long time.  I bought some patchwork books several years ago, and after getting myself confused and frustrated i thought i would just have a go at it myself.  I hardly even remember what it was i used to make my first patchwork attempt, but i do remember it was supposed to be a cushion cover but it came out a bit lopsided LOL! 


This time i actually went to a class......highly recommended i have to say, if you have never done patchwork before!! 


Because i was just starting out and didn't have a lot of different coloured fabrics i opted for buying some mixed squares - ok so it was cheating a little bit as i didn't have to cut them all, but i have learnt how to do that now as well :).


The colour of the project was determined by the colours i got in the pack to a large degree, but i spent some time sorting and matching up what would go together as a theme.  As you can see from the pics below i decided on an autumn colours sort of theme.


The main shape of the bag i got from a pattern book, but i altered it quite a lot, putting my own stamp on it really.  As usual i also decided to not follow the pattern when my head was telling me of another way to do it!! 

 These first 2 pictures were taken after sewing the squares together and adding the wadding which gives the padded effect and gives the bag some form.  On the second picture you can see the quilting that i did on it by sewing lines both diagonally and horizontally just on the inside of the squares.


I lined the bag with a complimentary colour and added both a pocket and a key fob in a colour that provided some contrast on the inside of the bag.  You can see these in the pictures below.

The bottom of the bag, as shown in the next picture, is square which helps to provide space inside the bag, and gives the overall boxy style.

The square colours are completely mixed and so the two sides of the bag are different.  Despite the squares looking like they are randomly placed i did have to spend some time planning where the colours would go to get the best arrangement and prevent there being several dark or light squares together.  I also decided to have a brighter side with the yellows and reds, and a side that was less bright, giving some flexibility with which side would be on show when i was being used as well.

The completed bag has a dark brown tone of edging around the top, which is continued on as a shoulder strap.  This i chose as a way to tie all the colours together, both inside and outside.

I have to say i am rather pleased with the finished bag - it did take me some time to finish it but i think it was worth the effort ;)

Cream Ted - The finished Project

He is here! No longer Headless Ted because he has been transformed into Trew the Cream Ted! Trew used to be a pair of trousers.....that is until i was wearing them one day and my rather unruly bum decided to made a break for freedom!! I was about to get into the car when rrrrriiiiiiiiipppppppp and the neighbours saw a little bit more than either i or them ever expected to see!! 


You know when you have some item of clothing that you just love wearing and even though they had become unwearable you just can't bear to part with it? That was these trousers.  Anyway after sitting in the "i need to do something with these things" pile for just a few weeks i bravely chopped them up and made about sewing and stuffing them into shape until Trew the pudding loving bear was born!!