Making the most of my wardrobe

 

Sometimes when we wear our favourite clothes, we want an excuse to wear them more often but something holds us back ... like cold weather. I love wearing my linen pinafore dress all year round but it gets cold here so I often have to wear a jumper over the top of it BUT I don't like how it looks with the dress.

So I came across a cute sewing pattern called the Alpine Top that had a curved front so it would actually look like I'm wearing a dress not a skirt when I'm wearing it. So yep, I purchased the pattern, got it printed and also bought some fancy warm material and made it.

I love it.

I struck a few set backs on the way that I vlogged here.... but otherwise the top is awesome! Only three pattern pieces - so easy! I'm definitely going to make myself a couple more!

Do you love layering up your dresses like I do?

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Harry Potter Quilt

 

Oops, I was a bit late getting a quilt sewn for my daughter's 11th birthday (late by a week!) but here it is, all finished!

I cut the squares at approx 8.5" and sewed them together then joined it to a minky backing. Ohmygosh, the minky is so soft!

I filmed it all here:  https://youtu.be/-P6S5BK9zu0

I think I'll pop it aside for Christmas, it'll be mid summer then but I think she'll still enjoy it!

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Sewing a tea towel (dish towel) dress

 

Please be in awe of my latest sewing creation, this fabulous dress made from an old vintage tea towel and the dress itself is made from 90% used (upcycled & free) fabric.

The pattern is the Joy Mini Tea Towel Dress from Afrayed Upcycling. I filmed myself making it & have a major question to ask you, so please click here to see me make it & tell me what you think.

I made a 4xl top with a 5xl skirt. The pattern was super easy to follow, I was originally going to add a ruffle to the length of it but decided to leave it at this longish tunic length. If I find that I'm not wearing it because it's too short then I'll add a patchwork ruffle to make the dress longer.

I'm definitely going to make more of these as it was such a fun sew, I LOVE scrap fabric and using free fabric is even better! If you want to see how I sourced free fabric then I've got a couple of videos up on YouTube here..... so check them out for yourself.

This is what the back of the dress looks like (below) not as cute as the front but still pretty cute! I'm now off to source some more cute vintage tea towels to make lots more!

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

From Zero to Crafty: Essential Tips for Starting a Crafting Hobby **warning, crafting is every so slightly addictive!

Are you curious (or maybe somewhat jealous!) that some people craft. That some people are happy to sit with their hand sewing or think adding stuff into journals is super exciting? Do you want to feel the joy of finishing & then wearing something that you made? Do you want to feel, like me, that the best way to party is to actually stay home & knit! But where do you start? There are so many hobbies or crafty things to do, how can you express yourself in a way that gives you joy & satisfaction?

#1 Discover your Crafting Passion

One of the first things to do is to find out which craft you are passionate about. Crafting includes many things as knitting, sewing, painting, scrapbooking, and lots of other activities. Visiting craft stores, check out the local crafting community, watch online tutorials, and even read a physical book on how to start crafting, the choices are endless. 

Do not limit yourself to just one thing. Try working on a few projects before you find one that resonates with you. This allows you to begin crafting and devote more time and money to enhancing your skills and procuring new tools and materials when you're ready. Just make a start, any start!

Via Pexels

#2 Get the Essentials

When your hobbies become your work, you should not compromise on quality (& yes, work as in fun work). You may initially need to start with purchasing minimal tools and materials based on the crafting you opt for, such as clothes sewing where you require a sewing machine, fabric, needles, thread, and scissors. 

For instance, if you do choose sewing, start by researching the best sewing machines for beginners, this will help you learn faster, work more efficiently and effectively, and be less frustrated due to simpler operations and nothing stops creativity faster than when you don't have the right tools for the job.

#3 Getting Basic Skills and Techniques Right

Before jumping into more complex crafts, it is vital to experiment yourself but also search for easy beginner tips and techniques as there are so many ways to do lots of simple things - you don't have to re-invent the wheel! There are a multitude of resources available to kickstart your crafting journey from online tutorials, crafting books, and local crafting workshops. 

Sites such as Craftsy or YouTube pages can be of invaluable assistance to newbies. You could work along with the tutorial at your own pace without any specific rush. Make mistakes and move on; we all make them; they are part of your learning phase. The more you strive hard; you build up your confidence in crafts together with mastering your skills, thereby, up for some more challenging DIY projects.

#4 Creating a Craft Zone

Setting up your crafting area can improve the overall crafting experience, as it helps in keeping everything well organized, and therefore, inspiring. Choose a place that is well-lit and where you can set up your crafting table to keep your crafting supplies in one place.

It becomes so much better when you have a specific place dedicated to your creative pursuits. Storage selections such as shelving, or pallets of bins and drawers will help keep your material looking neat and attainable. You may like to deck your craft room with decorations to uplift your mood and add flair to your artsy atmosphere, be original in your crafting oasis. Maybe you can choose a theme or colour that makes you feel good. Maybe you just need to clear off the dining table (like me) and force the family to eat in the lounge room in front of the tv for the next month!

#5 Community

Crafting communities helps in bonding you with others, who share common interests, assign tasks, etc in actuality or also provide a platform for guidance and suggestions. Seek out local craft-based clothing brands or clubs offering workshops, or else there are online communities to look out for such as Forums, Social media groups, etc., where you can discuss, understand, and Grow together. For example, I made my very first real life sewing friend last year and it;s awesome! We sit around a table & sip tea and discuss sewing patterns and cut out fabric, it's so good to find a connection like that. We found each other via a community group Facebook post and just sort of connected from there.

So just jump in & start crafting if that's your jam. Maybe you need more structure and need to research everything before starting, then in that case, do so! Maybe you need to attend a class before starting, then do that too. Maybe you need everything provided in a kit, so do that too. Just be you, be happy and don't afraid to start something new.

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Making the cutest crossbody bag!

 

I just finished sewing this awesomely cute bag for myself. Do you like it?

It's the Orbit Bag from Helen's Closet and you can do it with or without the pieced quilt star front, in fact you can use no patchwork at all. You could just use a decorative fabric panel, maybe an old favourite tshirt that's been interfaced so it's sturdy. You could do any type of quilted panel for the front, maybe your favourite dresdens or you could use EPP too. It's only limited by your imagination.

There are some tips that I have for making this - the perfect hacks to make this sew easier for you, if you'd like to know what they are then just click here...... to go to see them.

I also think this would look equally good done in recycled denim from your old worn out jeans. If the quilting bit puts you off then you can either use pre-quilted fabric or just spray bast the layers together well and sew as is - also perfect for you favourite fabric patch too.

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Crocheting that unused yarn.

 

Some fun smaller projects that I made just to use up some unused, unloved fabric in my stash. 

I didn't use any pattern, I just kinda made them up as I went along. I think my little alien friends turned out ok.

This was the first one I made, I love his big eye! I named him Archie for the arched shaped of this legs/body.

This is the second guy I made, can you see his lil tooth in his mouth? I named him Coney for the cone shape of his body. 

These are kind of addictive and a great way to use up unused yarn in my stash. I think I'll keep going and make more! I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them though, do you think that if I donated them to charity that the kids would like them or would they freak out?

Do you like my lil aliens, did my freestyling, no pattern thing work ok? 

Would you like to see how I made this up with no pattern? If your keen, I can always do a 'how I did this' type thing on my Youtube channel.

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Something for me.

 

I was packing my stuff to head up to my Mum's for the week when I realised that all my pj's were olddddd. Like really old, worn out, faded, holey and stretched out. So I decided to hunt through my fabric stash and came up with some soft cotton, chose an awesome sewing pattern (this one......) and made it.

I even filmed myself making them if you'd like to see the process, click here..... to see it.

I love wearing the top, it's so comfy and I feel pretty wearing it so I'm definitely going to make myself a bunch more as it's a great way to use up that fabric that isn't your favourite and doesn't have a particular project in mind!

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Using not hoarding (or stashing!)

 

I've been moving a big box of yarn around the cupboard for years now but stuff it, I couldn't be bothered finding yet another space for it so I decided to pull it out for good and turn it into something useful.

Hence this gorgeous squishy mixed matchy striped cardigan was born. Also, because the yarn is kinda bulky, I finished it within months not years like normal! Yay! I love it. I added pockets to it as I'm a pocket girl. I bought the buttons from a local button collector. Any scrap yarn that I have left will not go into the cupboard, instead I'm knitting something up for my son!

Yay to making not stashing! Do you like the cardi ...or are you 'old fashioned' and don't like stripes on bigger bodies? Also, I finished it in time for our very cold autumn weather and perfect for the #memademay or even better #memademay2024

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie

Creativity Journal Giveaway

 

Let me introduce you to this idea filled creativity journal called The Big Book of Little Sparks Creativity Journal by Carrie Bloomston & Ruth Burrows.

It's a fun filled way to get the spark going or to unblock any mind barriers that you may have in life. You can use it any way you like - from the first page to the last or just open it up to whatever you're feeling like that day. You'll soon find yourself bursting with creativity and then ideas on how to channel that creativity into something useful and fun.

If you'd like to win a copy of this fantastic journal then either leave a comment here below or head over to Instagram here... and leave a comment on the journal photo in my ig feed. Entries open worldwide.

Entries close 12th February 2024. I'll contact you either via email if you've commented here or via dm on Instagram where I'll only ask you for your postal details (& nothing else, postage will be free).

Good luck!

I'd love it if you popped over to my YouTube channel & subscribed to it & even liked some of my videos. Every like, every follower, every comment is like a great big hug! 

If you need more Crafty Inspo, then check out my shoppable lists here....

I utilise affiliate (aff) links throughout my blog as a way to help me keep crafting. If you click on an aff link, I receive a very small amount from it at NO cost to you. So please help me to keep CraftyRie up and running by clicking on my aff links! Many thanks, Rie