This project is finally finished! It took so much longer that I originally thought it would take to finish. I bought a thin black frame from Wilkinsons and it worked quite well. It is a little bit lopsided in the frame but only if you properly look at it.
Hung up on my friend’s wall.
I posted a week ago about some craft ideas I had come across and thought of using cigarette cards. Since writing that post I have tried my hand at a couple of things; I was pleased with the result of one and not so much with the other.
The first idea I put into practice was patchwork harmony’s garland and I was very pleased with the result. It was so simple to do so very enjoyable to make.
My garland framing my window.
Close up. The cards are very detailed and pretty.
The other project I tried out was a greetings card and I wasn’t too happy with the end product. This was mainly because it was quite a rushed job. I think it would have looked better if I had glued the cigarette card onto a yellow-coloured piece of card before gluing this onto the white card just to give a bit more definition and interest to the card.
A questionable greetings card…
After wanting this book for months I finally bought it a couple of weeks ago and have not regretted it. Although I have not actually made any of the projects I have my eye on a couple that I want to try out once I have finished my on-going projects. The book is split into two sections; grid works and free works. Grid works is then further subdivided into cross stitch and needlepoint and free works is subdivided into embroidery and crewel. This gives a great range of projects to try and a number of needlework types to master. Each section details the materials and tools needed such as the different canvases which can be used for needlepoint. There are also some really handy practical points about how to transfer your designs on to material, how to do a range of free hand stitches and how to create your own grid-work patterns using software. This is a great book to have on hand if you are unsure of how to finish a certain stitch when hand-embroidering or how to finish off your finished projects. It was also really interesting to gain an insight into the background and stories behind Anna Maria Horner’s projects and love for needlework. Both her grandmothers and her mum encouraged her to engage with needlework as they used it to decorate everyday household items. I, too, was encouraged to cross stitch by my grandma. Its lovely to gain something so creative from your family.
The pattern I am most keen to stitch up!
One of the crewel projects.
This month’s recipe is for foccacia. I had never made foccacia before and had only made bread once before so this a fun bake to do. I also learnt a bit more about the art of breadmaking particularly in regards to leaving the bread somewhere warm when it is rising.
Foccacia
For the dough
For the topping
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour with the salt and 1 and a 1/2 tsp of dried yeast from the sachet (its best to put them in different sides of the bowl so that the salt doesn’t deactivate the yeast). Stir in the chopped rosemary, then add the olive oil. Using your hand work in enough of the water to make a soft and just slightly sticky dough. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead until very smooth and pliable. This should take about 10 minutes. Return the dough to the lightly oiled bowl and make sure it is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, chop the peppers into 2 cm chunks. Put into a mixing bowl with 2 tbsp of oil and toss until thoroughly coated. Heat a griddle pan and chargrill the peppers over a high heat until speckled with dark brown patches but don’t allow to blacken. Tip back into bowl, add the crushed garlic and add a little salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Punch down the risen dough to deflate, then turn out of the bowl. Set the dough in the centre of an oiled tray and press and shape with your hands to make a rough square. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples, then poke fresh rosemary into them. Leave to rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 220C.
Drizzle the rest of the oil over the top of the bread and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the heated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190C and bake for a further 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
I saw this post on a blog called patchwork harmony and felt instantly inspired, so much so that I began to trawl through ebay looking for some flower-patterned cigarette cards of my own. It took me a couple of weeks to buy a set of cards as it turns out that they are quite popular.
I definitely want to try to make my own cigarette card garland but I also got thinking about other crafts these cards could be used for. The first idea I had was to stick the cards onto plain white cards for simple but pretty greetings cards. They could also be sewn together lengthways which would make a pretty window hanging. The final idea I had was to use metallic thread to sew over and accentuate certain details on the cards taking inspiration from Maurizio Anzeri (see below).
I received a lovely comment from a blog called the thread garden and, after browsing this amazing blog, I came across some brilliant projects. The one that most intrigued me was the Prairie Schooler Alphabet which is made up of 26 separate patterns, one for each letter of the alphabet. I googled The Prairie Schooler alphabet and came across this blog which is devoted to those stitching the alphabet and a place where they can share their progress. This sounded like something I really would like to get involved with but I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to access the patterns as The Prairie Schooler is an American-based company. But after a bit more googling I found a UK-based website called sewandso which stocks the patterns. This alphabet is going on my long list of cross stitch to-dos for sure.
As well as the alphabet patterns I would like to purchase everything! The patterns are so beautiful and rustic yet have a simplistic quality too. I love this “In the Woods” set of patterns and I will definitely be purchasing them when they are back in stock.
Have you ever cross stitched anything by The Prairie Schooler?
Stitching up this bombastitch sugar skull for a birthday present for my sister. I’m swapping the red in this design for purple as it matches her room better and I’m going to frame it in a wooden embroidery hoop painted black.
Bunting is an excellent way to brighten up a room or a party and can be made relatively cheaply. I made some a while ago and ever since my sister has been asking me to make her some. I have, however, had a lot of university work, work and other crafts which have taken up my time recently. I decided I would teach my sister how to make bunting so that way I could do other things whilst she made the bunting and she would get the satisfaction of making her own decoration.
To make your own bunting you will need the following:
First of all you need to make a template for the bunting. On the scrap paper draw an isosceles triangle (basically a triangle with two side the same length). Our triangle was 14cm across the top (12cm+2cm seam allowance) and 19cm down (17cm+2cm seam allowance). Once drawn cut out and this will be your template.
Decide how many flags you would like your bunting to have. We decided to have 4 of each type of material so there would be 12 flags all together. For 12 flags you will need 8 triangles of each material. Pin your template to your material and cut out your desired number of triangles.
Once you have cut out all your triangles press them flat using the iron. This is to get rid of any creases which will make pinning and sewing them together easier.
After ironing all the triangles pin 2 triangles of the same colour material together, right sides together. Do this for all your triangles.
Sew together using either your sewing machine or hand sew using a needle and thread.
Turn all the bunting flags the right way out and press flat using the iron.
Fold the bias binding in half lengthways and press. The bias binding will be the material you attach all your flags to. After pressing, insert the flags into the biasing binding and pin into place, space them as you please. Make sure you work from the middle out to ensure you have enough bias binding so you can tie your bunting to something.
Attach using a sewing machine or needle and thread. Take care doing this as sometimes to the flags can slip from position.
You should now have your finished bunting!
Framing your embroidery using an embroidery hoop is simple but effective way of displaying your work. Its so easy to accomplish too; in less than an hour you can frame your own work and here’s how.
You will need:
First, if you are painting your hoop, paint your hoop and leave to dry.
Once dry, use the inner circle of the embroidery hoop as a template. Place on the white felt and draw around it twice to make two felt circles. Cut out.
Centre your work in the middle of the embroidery and screw tightly in place.
Next, trim your finished piece down to size making sure you leave enough material so that it can be stuck to the back of the piece.
Place one of the white felt circles onto the back of the finished piece.
Cut a small (1 inch) piece of double-sided tape and stick at the top of the white felt. Peel off the top layer and pull down the material and stick in place. Do this around the whole white felt circle so that the material is stretched tight and stuck down. (As you can see from the picture below I actually did not follow my own how-to; I forgot to place the first circle of white felt on top of my stitching to attach my material to! In the end the piece looked fine but I would advise against doing this.)
Take the second piece of white felt and stick small pieces of double-sided tape around the edge. Peel of the top layer and stick over the work you have just done to cover the messy edges.
The messy edges.
The messy edges hidden by felt.
Cut a piece of ribbon to your desired length and thread through the top hole. Tie a knot to secure.
You should now have your finished work framed in an embroidery hoop!
I always look through my mum’s Goodhousekeeping magazine for recipes as there are always some really interesting ideas. I think I got this recipe from last month’s magazine as I was looking for something to make for Father’s Day. “Grandma’s” Cake, also known as Torta della Nonna, is a traditional Tuscan cake filled with custard. Its called a cake but its actually made out of pastry. It was a fun recipe for my sister and I to try out as we had never made custard or pastry before. We, or rather I, messed up the custard filling first time round as I forgot to add the flour to make it thicken, woops!.
Grandma’s Cake
For the pastry
For the filling
For the topping
Start by making the pastry: put all the pastry ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Next, make the filling. Heat the milk and lemon zest until nearly boiling (there should be bubbles around the edge of the pan). Meanwhile, put the two eggs, caster sugar, vanilla extract and flour into a medium heatproof bowl. Whisk together to combine. Gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture, then scrape contents back into the empty pan. Return pan to the heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick (it will need to boil before it thickens). Take off heat and leave to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out 2/3 of the pastry and use to line a deep, 20.5cm round loose-bottomed sandwich tin. Whisk the filling to break it up and beat out any lumps, then spoon into the pastry base and spread level. Trim the lining pastry so it comes about 2cm above the filling, then gently fold the pastry on to the filling. Next, roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly-floured surface and cut out a 20.5cm round. Lay on top of the filling and press edges lightly to seal. Sprinkle over the pinenuts and press them down gently.
Bake for 50 minutes until nicely golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then carefully remove the outside ring and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Liberally dust with icing sugar.
crossstitchandkeepsakes 