Laura Strutt's Blog, page 12

Style Sunday: Standard Issue Socks

This last week I have had a spot of free time, now that I have a huge deadline out of the way and before I get ready for the busy show season of workshops, I have sneaked in a spot of selfish knitting – the knitting that is just for me, just for fun – no deadlines, no design brief, no thoughts about anything other than making something I love! Last week I cast on the Caponcho and I’m whizzing through this pattern and loving it so much already. With only a few more rows before I can cast off and get busy wearing this with literally everything I own. So, of course, I’m now thinking about what I can knit for me next!

Spare time is going to be in short supply over the next couple of weeks, so I’m in need of something portable, a pick-up-and-put-down between tasks kind of project. Naturally, my first choice is socks!

These are my fave go-to make for a quick fix selfish knitting project – the super simple design is easy enough for novice sock knitters, and make a great blank canvas for painted, self-striping or patterned yarns.

New to sock making? Don’t let the patterns and the crazy sock lingo baffle you – check out this Anatomy of a Sock to help you understand the finer points of construction!

Are you a sock knitting fanatic? Have you tried my Standard Issue Socks yet?

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Happy Birthday Waffle! Fave Dog Makes Round Up!

Today our little pup turns two – TWO, I can’t quite believe it! I literally feels like yesterday that we picked him up from our sweet friends’ house and brought the little critter back here to his furever home!

I think that y’all know I’m smitten with this little mutt – he has the most enormous personality squashed into this fuzzy little body of his. I know every puppy mamma will say the same thing, but he really is the best dog a gal could wish for!

After years and years of puppy sitting for friend’s dogs, I sometimes have to remind myself that we don’t have to give him back, not ever, he’s our! Yes! I’m feeling rather soppy today – so, you’ll have to indulge me a little while I over share some of my very favourite snaps of Little Waffle!

There are at least eleventy billion more snaps of this dog – if you can’t get enough of his little face check out my Instagram you wont be disappointed!

Looking for something to make for the fuzzy beastie in your life?

How about these tasty Dog Safe Cake Pops?

Or, these Dog Safe Cupcakes?

Why not stitch him up a cozy new nest with this DIY Pet Bed?

Have a lovely Saturday y’all – I’m spending the day with my family and spoiling this little creature rotten!

 

 

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Fab Fabrics: Geometric Bliss by Jeni Baker

Ok – I’m starting to feel like the winter is dragging on. I’m done with dull mornings, cold evenings and wearing boots with everything! Roll on spring, that’s what I say! The latest collection of fine fabrics to arrive at PeachyHQ have really got me into the mood for sun frocks, lazy days in the garden, and getting out in the (warm) fresh air! If you too are starting to feel like the springtime can’t get here fast enough, then this Fab Fabric bundle is for you!

Geometric Bliss by Jeni Baker

Sometimes you want sweet and cutesy, sometimes you want bold and striking. What if I told you you could have both at once, in one fabric collection? Seriously! Geometric Bliss is folksy florals meets edgy geometric, brought together in a delicious range of tonal shades of coral, aqua, lilacs and blues – with just the right about on monochrome to keep thing modern.

I’m pretty sure that this collection will get your creative mojo all fired up and ready to stitch up a storm – check out some of the inspiring designs featured in the Geometric Bliss LookBook!

These glorious print cottons retail at around £12.50 per metre – seek them out from your local stockist!

Don’t these just get you thinking about summertime makes? What I want to know is when can we start stitching sundresses?

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Pinterest: What They Did With…Snail Mail

There is nothing quite as cute as this Love Letter Necklace, £52.69, Maria Allen Boutique – I can’t even!

Let’s talk about Snail Mail people. Last week a sweet friend sent me some adorable snail mail and it reminded me of just how awesome it is to get a letter or package delivered that is not just another bill or something equally dull!

Why not brighten someone’s day by sending something a little lovely to them in the post? Making the envelopes or packaging a bit more fancy is not only a brilliant way to get creative with new mediums, but it is also a fabulous way to make someone feel a little more rad – so, get inspired with these epic Snail Mail Ideas from Pinterest!

1 DIY Animal Envelopes ⇒ Minted 

2  DIY Wrap Around Mailer Label ⇒ Post Fabriek

3 Custom Calligraphy Inks Envelopes ⇒ Snippets & Ink

4 Washi Tape Accented Envelopes ⇒ Key Lime Digital Designs

5 DIY Marbled Paper Envelopes ⇒ Fall For DIY

6 FREE Printable Mail Art Envelope ⇒ The Postman’s Knock

I’m besotted with the incredible ways that you can personalise and customise your outgoing mail – check out all the pen friend inspirations I’m pinning right now!

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Knitting & Stitching Spring Show Ticket Winners!

Tuesday, tuesday! Today is my last day at Stitches at the NEC – it’s been a blast catching up with everyone and meeting new folks! But, boy will I ever be glad to get home – its been exhausting, that’s for sure!

So, as my first show of the season is drawing to a close, it is time to announce the lucky five winners of the Spring Knitting & Stitching Show Giveaway! 

CONGRATULATIONS…

Jan Smith

Donna Blowers

Laura Macculloch

Beverley Marsh

Lauren Hawkins

Be sure to email over your postal address so that we can get these tickets sent out to you!

 

A big thank you to everyone that entered – I just wish I could give you all tickets to the show, it’s going to be a rad one!

Are you heading to any of the creative hobby & textile shows this year? Check out the events I’m attending and let me know if you’ll be there!

♥ – ♥ – ♥

The Spring Knitting & Stitching Show takes place at Olympia Central, London

Thursday 5 March: 10am – 7pm

Friday 6 & Saturday 7 March: 10am – 5.30pm

Sunday 8 March: 10am – 5pm

Tickets priced £16 on the door or £13* in advance.

*Please note there is a 95p booking fee per transaction

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Style Sunday: The Caponcho

Sometimes you stumble across a pattern that just demands to be knit. The Caponcho by Emma Fassio is a pattern that does just that! I love ponchos, I love capes so it should come as no real surprise that I would love the Caponcho (Cape-Poncho – see what she did there?).

I can’t remember the last time that I knitted something just for me, so it is high time I crack out the needles and cast on something lovely.

This design is just perfect for a spot of self-indulgent knitting, the simple shaping makes it ideal for a quick garment fix, while also being classic enough to be able to team with pretty much everything already in my closet – this is known as a Double Win! Emma’s pattern encourages you to make this design your own, showcasing the pattern in two different gauges of yarn and in two different sizes. This was all I needed to inspire me to create my own, chunky super cosy version.

I can’t wait to wear an awesome Caponcho of my very own! Tell me knitters – what’s on your needles right now?

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Diary Dates

Welcome to the weekend Friends!

This weekend I am hanging out with all the wonderfully folks behind some of the leading craft and hobby companies at the ICHF Trade Show, Craft, Hobby + Stitch International (Or Stitches, to friends!) This is one of the events in my calendar that I really can’t wait for – its a time when so many of the people I work with, am inspired by, aspire to work with and just plain respect are all in one place at one time. Yup – its something of a frenzy of business cards, busy meetings, frantic note making and gathering inspiration for all around. Bliss for a busy-lovin’ gal like me.

This event also marks the start of my year travelling about attending shows and events around the country, so I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to share with you my Diary Dates for the year ahead!

Diary Dates 2015

The Stitching, Sewing & Quilting Show: 5 – 8 March, SECC, Glasgow

Come along and attend the FREE Vilene Sewing Club Workshops discover new skills with these fun make and take sessions – perfect for beginners and stitching fans alike!

Sewing For Pleasure: 19 – 22 March, NEC, Birmingham

Vilene Sewing Club Workshops

Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts: 27 – 29 March, ExCel, London

Vilene Sewing Club Workshops

Festival Of Quilts: 6 – 9 August, NEC Birmingham

Knitting & Stitching Show: 7 – 11 October, Alexandra Palace, London

Knitting & Stitching Show: 12 – 15 November, Simmonscourt, RDS, Dublin

Knitting & Stitching Show: 26 – 29 November, HIC, Harrogate

Vilene Sewing Club Workshops

I’m super excited to be hosting the Vilene Sewing Club workshops again this year! Last year’s events were so much fun and I got to meet some truly fantastic folks. This year’s schedule kicks off at The Stitching, Sewing & Quilting Show at the SECC in Glasgow. The workshop are free and the places are limited so are offered on a first-come-first-served basis!

I have some super cute projects to share with you this year – so be sure to check out the timetable for The Stitching, Sewing & Quilting Show: 5 – 8 March, SECC, Glasgow:

10.15am KNOTTED HEADBAND

Create your own vintage style hair accessory with this beginner-friendly workshop ideal for sewing machine novices.

11.30am BANDANA BABY BIB

Learn how to work with a simple pattern to create your own soft fabric baby bib.

12.45pm FABRIC KEY FOB

Discover how to make the most of fabric scraps with this quick and easy key fob project.

2.00pm QUICK ZIP COSMETIC PURSE

Purse making made simple – learn to create your own cosmetic case with a clever exposed lace zip.

3.15pm RETRO STYLE BOW BELT

Finish your look with this quick and easy bow accent belt in this beginner-friendly workshop.

Want to get making right away? Be sure to check out these Vilene Sewing Club How-To Guides from last year’s events for making your own Peter Pan Collar, Every Day Purse, Simple Baby Bib, Ribbon-Tie Sleep Mask and Log Cabin Pot Holder!

psst! Dont fret if you can’t attend any of this year’s Vilene Sewing Club Workshops – I’ll be sharing all the patterns and How-To Guides after the events!

Are you heading to any of the stitching, knitting or crafting shows or events this year? Hope to see you there!

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Fab Fabrics – Gramercy by Leah Duncan

The weekend is (finally!) within our grasp so how about a spot of eye candy with Fab Fabrics Friday to get your creative vibe fired up? When this stunning modern bundle arrived at PeachyHQ I thought that I had been sent an early Valentine – and quite right too, if this doesn’t make your heart skip a beat then nothing will!

Gramercy by Leah Duncan

Leah Duncan does it again! A collection of designs that pairs rich contemporary colours of marigold, turquoise, peachy-pinks and pops of navy, finished with a blast of jet black. The stylised motifs that lend towards the structure and foundations in arial view of a sprawling metropolis, stylish and striking in equal measures.

The two palettes of Daybreak and Nightfall team so well together – allowing to you create wondrously rich tonal designs from this collection alone. Check out the inspiring designs in the Gramercy LookBook!

These fabulous print cottons retail at around £12.50 per metre – seek them out from your local stockist!

I can’t get enough of the Subway Routes designs – in both the Glow and Dark colour ways – which is your fave?

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DIY Dry Shampoo

Friends, it has been a busy couple of months but I am so glad to have more time to spend here making, sharing and all round having the time of my life.

One of the things that I’ve noticed is that the first thing to fall by the wayside when life gets busy is our hair. C’mon, I know I’m not the only one who, on the mornings when the To List has more items on it than there are hours in the day, opts for a quick and easy (read: messy) top knot.

Coiffed hair sometimes feel like a distant memory – saving the fancy blow out for nights out only, I mean let’s save our arms and efforts for when folks are actually gonna really see it! I’m not knocking casual hair, not in the least, I think I’d have to be a front runner in the contest for most laid back hair styling this last couple of months.

Now, it’s time to talk dirty! Dry shampoo is by far my favourite time saving cosmetic. Show me a gal who doesn’t have this in her beauty arsenal and I will show you a fibber! I’m no suggesting that we out and out ditch personal hygiene, but there is a lot to be said for reducing the amount of times we reach for those chemical-laiden cleansers that are, lets be honest, oh so addictive!

Dry shampoos come in all kinds of different styles – spray, powered – scents and finishes. Im not great with shop-bought varieties – it is all to easy to get a little trigger happy and end up with a dusty-do that can only be saved by a through lathering…defeating the whole point of the exercise.

So, I’ve been hunting high and low for a homemade alternative. There are lots of amazing recipes out there – and honestly, we all have different hair types and trying out some different blends till you find your prefect match is surely the best way to go. Homemade dry shampoo will feature a range of different ingredients including baking soda (I found this a little on the harsh side for my hair, but other speak really highly of it!) corn flour, arrow root, cocoa powder, cinnamon…the list goes on! I think I may have finally found the perfect blend for me, so if your interested in trying to create your own, here’s my recipe for DIY Dry Shampoo…

Grab your supplies…

This recipe only calls for three main ingredients

Cocoa powder

Arrowroot

Cinnamon

Essential oil – completely optional, if you fancy adding a sweet fragrance to you locks!

Let me just say from the get go, I (currently) have dark hair, so light and white dry shampoos are super visible on my hair and only draw attention to the fact that I’ve been using it! This blend is ideal for brunettes…but stay tuned fair haired beauties, you can adapt this shampoo to suit your own shade!

After testing out lots of dry shampoo recipes I found that it was best to mix up in a small batch – after all, you don’t want to be stuck with a heap of product that is no use to you. This recipe is measured out in measurements of table spoons – but you can reduce it by switching to teaspoons, or make a super-sized batch (if you love it!) by switching up to cups to measure!

In a bowl, add one tablespoon of cinnamon, two tablespoons of arrowroot and one tablespoon of  cocoa.

Stir through until it is completely blended. Here you’ll be able to see the colour of the dry shampoo that will appear on your hair. If you have lighter hair, switch out the cocoa and simply ad two parts arrowroot. Darker hair? no worries add one extra tablespoon of cocoa and skip one tablespoon of arrowroot. You get it, right? Maintain the overall quantities and mix and match to get a blend that suits your hair colour.

If you’re adding a sweet scent to your shampoo add in a few drops of essential oil – lavender and jasmine are pretty scrum my options. To avoid the mix clogging ip add one drop and stir through before adding another. Don’t go too crazy – remember this is going to be on your head so you don’t want to make the mix too potent.

Add the blended dry shampoo to a shaker or jar and you are good to go!

Don’t fall at the final hurdle, getting the application right is key to using dry shampoo with success. if you’re using a shaker, part you hair at a series of different points and apply sparingly. Or, try using an old (cleaned!) cosmetic blusher brush to apply direct to the roots. leave on your hair for few moments to work it magic – now is a really great time to go ahead and fix your make up! Give your whole head a massage – making tiny circle motions over your scalp to blend in and evenly distribute the dry shampoo before going on to fit your style.

Tah Dah! Ready-to-face-the-world hair in moments!

What’s your fave homemade beauty saviour?

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Pinterest: What They Did With…DIY Valentine’s

Nothing says “I love you!” quite like a zombie apocalypse card, £3.03 BSandRS

It’s that time of year again when we announce, share and spread the love in the day of grand amour that is Valentine’s Day. I’m not one for mass produced V-Day cards, set menus in over crowded restaurants, and bunches of red roses. No sir! I’m more for the hand written love notes, the day spent thrifting or hiking or taking a chilly hot chocolate picnic on the beach. I’m for romance, the custom made kind. So, if like me you want to tell your nearest and dearest just how much you care – without a cheesy card or a naff box of chocolates, then this is the right stop for you! Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day – not Hallmark Day – with these awesome DIY Valentine Ideas from Pinterest!

1 Heart Pie Pops ⇒ The Sweetest Occasion

2  Pixelated Heart Pop-Up Card ⇒ Minieco

3 Surprise Red Velvet Heart Cake ⇒  I Am Baker

4 Free Printable Love Coupons ⇒ Ellinee

5 Stamped Spoon Art ⇒ The Lettered Cottage

6 Mini Message in a Bottle ⇒ Camille Styles

Feeling suitable soppy now? Yup! Me too! Well, Reader, because I love y’all how about a little V-Day Treat from me to you?

Check out this FREE downloadable Valentine Printable exclusively designed by the tremendously talented Kimi from BumbleNBirch…and check these ideas for some creative ways to use your adorable Foxy Printable!

My love affair with Pinterest is not going anywhere anytime soon, so be sure to check out I’m pinning right now!

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