Thursday 25 February 2010

More horses!


When we Lockets start a new craft that we enjoy we just don't seem to know when to stop!

More horses started appearing on Sunday and I cut out so many cardboard bodies and legs that I had pains in my right hand and arm for the first half of the week!

The herd have now galloped to the top of the stairs - although we do have two who are slightly confused and seem to be wanting to ride off into the sunset................


The latest additions starting from the top row are:


1. as yet un-named by Fred, but documenting the fact that Roald Dahl's father lost his arm after being treated by a very drunk doctor!
2. Pelly (Dot - from the Giraffe, the Pelly and Me)
3. hasn't been given a name but I'm going to call him "Gipsy" because it says so on his head (made by Dot, I think)
4. Bunty (bunting - geddit?) made by Daisy
5. Sunshine (at least I think that's what Daisy said)
6. Chocolate (Dot)
7. Polar Bear (Fred)
and somewhere else there is one about liquorice bootlaces and Rat-itis.

You may therefore be able to tell that a lot of these new horses have been made from pages out of Dot's old Roald Dahl magazines - although the less decrepit magazines have been passed on to a very happy Fred who is so busy reading them that he has yet another reason for not getting dressed for school in the morning!

I also made my new Cath Kidston bag (from the free fabrics included in her Sew book) on Sunday so I could take it to work on Monday.


I'm happy with how it turned out because I customised the pattern and included a lining with pockets and a very clever zippy closer thingummy that Moogsmum showed us how to do ages ago.


I did feel clever when it worked!

And the lining is made out of the lovely paisley tablecloth I bought at the Country Living Fair in November 2008, when Trashy stood on the table to demonstrate the size of the tablecloths we had all purchased.

ok, so she was standing on the bench, NOT the table, but it sounds better my way!

The only criticism I would have of the bag is that it is FAR TOO SMALL to be much use - and the strap is too short to wear across the body.

As the pieces are pre-cut there is nothing you can do about this and it makes me wonder if the marketing team at Cath Kidston are being very crafty (and I don't mean that in a lets-cut-things-up-and-sew-them-back-together kind of way).

Maybe, by giving us the free material, they are thinking that if we get to see how lovely the fabric is and how nice the bag COULD be if only it were big enough, then we will be overcome with the need to go to the nearest CK shop and BUY MORE FABRIC!

At least that's what I'm wanting to do right now - so if that was their plan then it has worked!


But before I go and sew another bag (out of some gorgeous Vanessa Arbuthnott fabric I have been hoarding for about 5 years) - or wash up in the kitchen - hmmm, tough choice........... I thought I'd show you the rest of my lovely goodies from my very generous 7 Days of Specialness Swap partner Kristy


Fabulous rubber gloves and pretty cloths to make cleaning fun; a beautiful heart plate and heart muffin cases which have been put to good use by Dot with her recent "rocky road muffins"; a lovely toiletry roll and face cloth; and a beautiful vintage manicure set complete with its original box!

Thank you so much Kristy - all my presents are gorgeous and very gratefully received!

Lucy x

17 comments:

Middle Cottage Diary said...

Both you and katie will need to open a stables at this rate! I am avoiding the temptation to make a few....

wonderwoman said...

i remember that tablecloth!!! I think a certain person had one foot on the table!!! love the horses, so much easier to look after than mine!!! I've got that book but have not made my bag yet!

xxx

Quinn said...

Your bag looks gorgeous! I am so impressed by your sewing prowess...even if I bought a kit, it would sit in the cupboard for a year or six while I tried to gather up my nerve!

dragonfly said...

The horses are fab! And so is the bag - what a shame it's too small.

I'm also v.envious of the heart shape muffin cases!

Gina said...

I too remember that table cloth fabric... and still have plenty of it left!

Thimbleanna said...

Oooh, look at all those goodies! Love the new Cath purse -- sorry it's too small. And your horses look very stylish running up the stairs. Did you put hay and oats up there to trick them???

Lina said...

Love the horses Lucy, we have sping break here next week and we might have to give them a try!

French Knots said...

Oh the horses are wonderful, they are on the to do list for the weekend, even if the children don't want to make some!x

Helen said...

Gosh Lucy . . . do you know how expensive horses are to keep? You will have to work forever to feed that lot!!
Love Helen

julie said...

I love all the horsey names - it's certainly never dull at your house! Your new bag is great and I think you've sussed the evil plan to get you to buy more fabric! LOvely goodies from Kristy - lucky you.

Unknown said...

Now you know how to make the lovely bag - so make yourself a larger one and give the smaller to Dot. I'm sure she would love it and not have so many "necessaries" to put in the bag. Oh, also make the new bigger bag with a longer strap. Personally, I like to make a pattern or recipe the first time "just as written" - then be more creative with the 2nd go-round. Have fun.

Kitty said...

Gosh, so much loveliness in this post, Mrs Locket. I particularly like that little CK bag (not Trashy's CK, the other CK ... although perhaps he'd like the bag?!) x

Twiggy said...

Ooo those horses look great. I tried to make the CK bag last weekend and got very cross with it all and had a bit of a tantrum :) Your bag looks great, it is teeny though isn't it??? honestly, we need massive Mummy bags for plastic dinosaurs, half eaten lollipos, toy cars, or maybe that's just me.
have a great weekend.
Twiggy x

ladydi said...

Love your new bag, and am happy to hear that someone else hoards perfectly beautiful fabric until the perfect use for it presents itself. You just need a bigger bag to go with the one you just made. I admit I never travel light; even to work every day I take my purse and tote bag, and when visiting my mom I add my knitting bag to the assorted luggage. I do wonder how the three men in my life manage without even one bag. LOL.

Penny said...

I've ended up with three bags I use on a regular basis. There is the expensive one I bought on holiday which is fractionally too small: you can fit an A5 piece of paper (eg from folding an A4 letter in half), but you can't then do up the zip, so everthing falls out. There is the huge one I use for trips, big enough for a proper folder, but it only has one zip pocket, so everything gets jumbled up. There there is the teeny one, big enough for keys and a bit of cash which I use when I go to the village shop: unfortunately this is now looking really worn and needs replacing.

Michaela said...

Lovely little horses there Mrs Locket. Like the teeny weeny bag too - looks about the right size for some sock knitting to me...

x

sewkalico said...

Love your bag and lining. I have the book and kit, but have only looked at it, but I shall have to try it soon. Ok, soon-ish...