Author Archives: Katie Thomas

Inspiration

My Craft Space

It wasn’t until our most recent move that I realised how important a craft space was to me. For the first two weeks in our new place I was feeling frustrated and it wasn’t until I sorted all my craft materials that I became settled. Like many of you, I would love a dedicated craft room. This month’s issue of Sew Home & Style has a lovely article on creating your dream craft room and it is my dream one day to have something like this… 13a - Sew Good things come to those who wait. Until then I am more than content with the space I have created. I have divided our lounge into two, with a snug area for the sofa and TV and the other half is my craft space! With the help of my fiancé we built two bookcases to store everything. I also have a beautiful Lloyd Loom ottoman to store larger pieces of materials, wadding etc. Our dining table (now craft table – dinner on our laps is fine!) is positioned next to the double doors letting in lots of natural light. 13. Ottoman I have added a few personal touches with a framed cross stitch by my nan, a beautiful drawing from the lovely @layoutlines and our engagement present from our very dear friend @twoducksdisco. These really do inspire me when I am working.

13. Fox and Bird

I even spent an afternoon going through all my fabric and ironing it all. This means all my fat quarters are now neatly folded and displayed on a shelf. I know I am a saddo but I don’t care, this has made me very happy! I also got A LOT of enjoyment sorting all my buttons into jars. They add so much colour to my book case.

13. Fat Quarters

I love to finally have all my books on display rather than in boxes. I was very excited this week to welcome two new additions to the collection. Both books from the amazing The Great British Sewing Bee series are now brightening up my bookcase. Although I don’t intend for them to stay on the shelf as I am itching to start making my new wardrobe of handmade clothes. 13. Sewing Bee

 13. Books

All my bits and pieces are stored across three lovely sewing boxes. The cream one was a charity shop find and the red with white spots box was a leaving gift from my lovely friends. I also have an overspill of things in two very old tins from both my Nans. 13. Sewing boxes I am really pleased to share my new space with you. Now it’s time to start making :)

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Inspiration

#craftblogclub – Are we creating a craft legacy?

Last night I hosted #craftblogclub and the topic that I set was inspired by my last blog ‘Are we creating a craft legacy through our blogs?’ I hope you were able to read this post. When writing this blog it made me really think about how we inspire with our craft and the legacy we hope to leave behind. I was really keen to discuss this idea with the group. I asked –

Who inspires you?

Who do you hope to inspire with your blog?

Do we worry about certain crafts/art forms being forgotten as new techniques come forward?

What message/legacy do we want to create with our blogs?

It was so great to get so many different thoughts on this. Some expressed a concern that a blog wouldn’t be around forever and so this is not a lasting legacy. One person suggested taking our blog posts and creating a book from them.

On inspiring others @Kay_O really hit the nail on the head tweeting ‘I blog about what I make, seeing the simplicity of the process could inspire others to try in the future! #craftblogclub’

@fizzijayne spoke of the importance of passing on our skills ‘crafts need to be passed down the generations by family, friends, teachers so these skills can go on #craftblogclub’

We ended the chat by sharing special items that we had made for loved ones. It was agreed that these heirlooms are the best way to leave a lasting legacy. @GiftFrippery and @_TheVilla both shared beautiful photos of heirlooms they had made for their daughters.

It was a great chat and thanks to everyone for taking part. I look forward to tweeting/chatting with you all at next weeks #craftblogclub.

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Inspiration, Knitting & Crochet

Are we creating a craft legacy through our blogs?

Three weeks ago today my Nan passed away. My Nan was a creator in many ways having 5 children, 13 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. She adored her family and her football! My Nan was a keen knitter with the family benefiting from many lovingly made items. Her most popular creations were Jean Greenhowe knitted toys. She would find the perfect knitted friend for any occasion. A favourite of mine has to be the football octopus mascot. If only City could have a player with 8 legs!

 12a - Octopus

I asked my Dad if I could have a pair of my Nans knitting needles, as I like the thought of knitting something with them. When I visited my parents at the weekend I was presented with 2 boxes of needles and patterns to look through and 3 bags of wool. As I am sure many of you will have experienced, going through a loved ones belongings brings up many emotions. I had a few tears but I mostly had a smile on my face as I read the notes she had made on the patterns. She would scribble the lucky recipients name next to the pattern along with sizes and comments such as ‘just fits nice but next size up would be best’. One in particular really made me giggle as it was a ladies sweater pattern with my cousin Ian’s name next to it. When I see him next I will be asking if he still has it!

12b - Nans Things

As well as patterns, needles, buttons and wool there were two projects that she hadn’t finished, a half knitted Santa and a baby’s cardigan. Knitting was my first craft but since getting my sewing machine I haven’t picked up my needles as often. These will be the perfect excuse to get me knitting again as I would love to finish them for her.

Looking through my Nans knitting collection made me realise the legacy she has left behind. I will certainly remember her for her knitting and will treasure everything she made for me. I believe this is her crafting legacy, as one day I hope to pass on the treasured items as well as the craft of knitting. This got me thinking about the importance of my blog. Social media is so much about the present, the here and now and I have been treating my blog in a similar way. But as I think about my Nans knitting legacy, I realise that my blog is my legacy. As a craft blogger I am sharing my interests and craft that will hopefully inspire others. So when I now write my blogs I am going to think more about who and how am I wanting to inspire and what lasting thought do I want to leave the reader with?

When I think about my Nan she inspired me to make things for the people I love the most. As for a lasting thought, that has to be ‘live life to the full’.

12c - Me and Nan

Tonight I am the host for #craftblogclub from 7pm. This blog post has inspired tonight’s topic ‘Are we creating a craft legacy through our blogs?’ I hope you will all join me and share stories of who inspires you and how you are using your blog to inspire others. Plus, I would love to hear your thoughts on the importance of a craft legacy and are we already doing this through our blogs?

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Inspiration

2014 is certainly here!

A belated Happy New Year to you from Katie Gets Crafty. I hope you all had a wonderful festive break and have braved the cold and rain of January.  Like many of you I spent most of January resting, recovering and planning for the year ahead. Now February is here I feel like it is time to put those plans into action.

Firstly February is my birthday month and on Sunday I turned 29. There I said it, 29! I have had mixed emotions about this but I have decided I love my new age. I am now a proper grown up but I can still, just about, get away with some childish fun behavior. Despite feeling pretty rubbish with a head cold I was totally spoilt and enjoyed a really relaxing day. Check out this fun bag that a special friend got for me. It’s so cheeky and I love it! It’s from the collection of Kelly Connor Designs.

11a. Knitting

On turning 29 I have set myself some personal goals to achieve before the big 30. The main focus of these goals are to push myself more and to not let nerves and lack of confidence get in the way of trying new things. That said I am very excited (and a little nervous) to be helping out the lovely @livepeachy by hosting the occasional #craftblogclub this year. #craftblogclub is a twitter chat that takes place every Tuesday 7-8:30pm for like minded craft bloggers and lovers of all crafts. It’s a fun and really friendly place where we discuss topics and support one another. Make sure you join me on Tuesday 4th Feb as I host for the first time and launch this month’s challenge.

I am so excited to really kick start 2014 and I hope you are too. There are big plans for Katie Gets Crafty in 2014. There is also a move to contend with at the end of Feb so do bare with me if the blog goes a little quiet. But I promise Katie Gets Crafty will be very active this year with lots of new projects in the pipeline. I can’t wait to share them all with you. Wishing you all the very best for 2014! Let’s get to it!

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Inspiration, Knitting & Crochet, Sewing

#craftblogclub Secret Santa

The wonderful Emma from @livepeachy is the host of #craftblogclub and for Christmas Emma had the idea of setting up a secret santa for all #craftblogclub regulars. As Christmas has now come and gone the secret is out so I am able to talk about it!

I was given the lovely Sonia from @layoutlines to make a christmas gift for. I decided to make Sonia some personlised bunting. I was very relieved to read the following tweet that not only had Sonia received my secret santa, but that she liked it! ‘Feeling the #craftblogclub Christmas love, yay, big thank you to my #secretsanta’.

10a - Sonia SSIt was so great watching all the tweets come in with everyone sharing their lovely handmade secret santa gifts. I received my gift on 3rd Jan and I can tell you everyone in the house knew about it! I was running around like a kid on Christmas morning. My parcel had come all the way from America from @teenagebabushka.  I was very lucky to receive not one but two hand made gifts! Check out my headband hat and wrist warmers. I am still feeling the #craftblogclub Christmas love. A big thank you to @teenagebabushka for my secret santa and to all #craftblogclubers for taking part in a very special secret santa.

10b - Secret Santa

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Knitting & Crochet, Sewing

More Christmas Crafts!

I have so enjoyed all my Christmas makes. I can’t share all of them yet as it will ruin the surprise on Christmas day! But I’m pleased that the Santa sacks for my fiancé and brother-in-law are now finished and hopefully they are excited to put them out for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Andy

I have also finished my Christmas bunting. They have been given out as early Christmas presents as I want the recipients to have them hanging up alongside their other decorations.

Bunting

I have also been pom pom crazy after watching this fab tutorial. I will be wrapping my gifts this year with pom poms to make people smile!

Pom Pom

Amongst all of this Christmas crafting I had a last minute addition to my list of makes. My fiancés mum had the task of making 6 choir surplice gowns for her schools Christmas carol concert. We had a rather late evening but we did it. I can’t take any credit for them really as my fiancés mum did most of the work, it was a real achievement. The yokes were so fiddly but we got there in the end.  Needless to say when we finished we crashed on the sofa with a large glass of sherry! Sadly I was unable to make it to the concert but I am told they looked fabulous.

Surplice

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Sewing

Christmas Advent Calendar

At the end of the Summer I joined a local craft group that welcomes all different kinds of crafts, especially quilting. I have only quilted once before so I was keen to give it another go. I came across the most wonderful kit for an advent calendar. At the time Christmas was so far away but I knew it would take me a few months to complete. Thank goodness I allowed myself so much time as it only got finished on 2nd December! I am so thrilled with the final outcome. The kit was very self explanatory but having someone to talk me through the fiddly bits was a real help. Here is an example of the kit.

Advent Kit

You cut the strips and lay them over the main piece and quilt. The one that I picked was rather large as you can fit up to 4 sweets in each pocket. I am so pleased with the final outcome. I can’t wait for my fiancé and I to have it hung up for many years to come.

Advent Calendar

As for the sewing group I highly recommend it to anyone. Finding time in the week to craft is difficult but knowing I have 3 hours of dedicated time is great. Plus I have made some lovely friends who really inspire me with their wonderful creations.

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Inspiration

Made London 2013

Last month I headed to London for Made London. As they proclaim on their website the aim of the event is ‘to showcase the very best and most original makers in this country and beyond, exhibiting the highest quality contemporary craft and design’. The quality certainly blew me away! It wasn’t only the exhibitors that blew me away. The venue for this event was Sir John Soane Church. This amazing venue provided such an interesting variety of spaces for the exhibitors. In the crypt they made use of the arches and on the first floor the stands were set next to the stunning alter and stained glass window. I can certainly say I have never been to a craft show in such a dramatic setting.

7b - Venue

I want to share with you my two favourite exhibitors from the day. I absolutely fell in love with the wonderful hand stitched leather creatures and creations of Hetty and Dave. I first came across Hetty and Dave in issue 16 of Mollie Makes. I was so excited to be able to see the products and the detail in real life. The slug doorstops made me smile, but my favourite by far was the foxy brooch and gloves.

I also want to mention the work of Helaina Sharpley. I was totally taken aback when I came across her stand as I had never seen anything quite like it. Helaina is a wirework artist and her 3d artwork is spectacular. Read about Helaina’s approach to wirework here.

I will certainly be looking out for Made London 2014.

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Inspiration, Sewing

Christmas Crafts, old and new

I had the most wonderful weekend of crafting! I completely took over the lounge and dining room to make a start on all my Christmas crafts. Firstly the new project; if you read my blog Stitch, Sew and Hobbycrafts you will have seen some wonderful fat quarters that I couldn’t resist. If I am honest I wasn’t sure what size a fat quarter was but I now know they are usually 18 inches by 22 inches. Fat quarters are fantastic for little projects and quilting. I decided to use my fat quarters to make Christmas bunting! I wanted to make sure I made the most of the fat quarters, therefore I spent a lot of time working out the best size for the flags. I went with 6 inches along the top by 6.5 inches from the point to top. This was the size when the flags were cut, so I did lose a little when sewing.

4e - Christmas Fat Quarters

6 a - Christmas Bunting

6 b - Christmas Bunting

6 c - Christmas Bunting

6d - Christmas Bunting

I am really pleased with my cute Christmas bunting. The fabric is just gorgeous with a traditional but very modern look. Once I have added the binding at the top I will post a picture and let you all know where you can buy them! If you can’t wait until then send me a tweet @katiegetscrafty or leave me a comment.

For my old (faithful) project I used a template for Christmas sacks that was passed onto me by my Aunty Karen. Karen is a wonderful crafter ,with my sister and I benefiting over the years. When we were little girls we would receive handmade dresses, whilst more recently we were made beautiful Christmas placemats and tablecloths. A firm favourite of both of ours has to be our Christmas sack. They play such a special part on Christmas morning. Three years ago Karen was kind enough to give me the template so I could make one for my goddaughter. It went down a treat and I hope it means as much to her in years to come as it has for my sister and I.

So this weekend I dug out the template and got making!

6e - Christmas Sacks 2

6f - Christmas Sacks 3

6h - Christmas Sacks

I am still to add the star to the tree and the name of the lucky recipients. I will post a picture once they are finished. I do hope you like the Christmas sacks and the festive bunting. What are you all making for Christmas? I would love to hear all about your Christmas crafts, old and new.

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