Laura Strutt's Blog, page 6

Fab Yarn Friday: Giveaway Winner!

Happy Friday Y’all! I know that this week has been a bit of a whirlwind, what with us UK folks having an extra long weekend, there seems to have been a lot of stuff to cram into four days. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, it does mean that the weekend is right around the corner, and that is never a bad thing!

Last week I ran a sweet little giveaway for some too scrumptious for words Artesano Yarn and I’m stoked that just picture of this yarn got you guys inspired and thinking of knitting and crochet projects to get stuck in to!

I love hearing what other folks are knitting – I am the very worst for deciding what I want to make when it comes to creating something for myself. More often than not I spend an age adding delicious designs to my Ravelry lists…and then not being able to pick which fave to work on next! Are you on Ravelry? let’s be friends, I’d love to see what you’ve been making and what’s on your Must Make List!

So, now is the time to announce the picked-at-random winner of the Fab Yarn Friday Giveaway…

CONGRATULATIONS
Zeta

Please do send over your postal address and I’ll get these glorious yarn sent out to you!

I’m sorry that there can’t be more winners – this yarn is really something else to work with, and the colourways are totally stunning! You can get your hands on this delicious yarn – and many more – over at Artesano Yarns…Psst! That also offers international shipping!

Have a great weekend y’all!

The post Fab Yarn Friday: Giveaway Winner! appeared first on Made Peachy.

Pinterest: What They Did With Chalkboard Lettering

Dr Seuss Framed Chalkboard Print, £18, Sew In Love Gifts

This quote really touches my heart – I gave my soon-to-be husband a card with this wonderful (and so true to us!) Dr Seuss quote in a love letter to for him to read on the morning of our wedding day – I’m 100% soppy and I’m not even sorry!

I don’t get to spend anywhere near the amount of time that is needed to build my hand lettering skills, but that doesn’t stop me from crushing hard on different examples of wondrous drawn letterfroms on Instagram and Pinterest – because let’s face it, that’s the next best thing when you can’t get your real creative fix, am I right?!

One of the styles that has been really catching my eye recently is Chalkboard Lettering. I love the classic style of sign writing scripts, the careful placement and composition, and there is just something so striking about the simple monochrome tones. One thing that I have come to learn (and this came as a huge surprise to me!) chalkboard letting is rather tricky! I remember using chalks as a Little, drawing out picture, games and doodles in the back yard, so surely working with chalks should be a breeze? Well, it takes some practice, luckily there are heaps of tutorials, projects and step-by-step guides out there, so here is a round up of some of my favourite Chalkboards Lettering Ideas from Pinterest!

1 How To Sharpen Chalk ⇒ Elegant Nest

2  DIY Perfect Chalkboard Lettering ⇒ Sincerely Sarad

3 Chalkboard Lettering Supplies Guide ⇒  Jones Design Company

4 DIY Chalkboard Paint in Any Colour ⇒ A Beautiful Mess

5 Amateur’s Chalkboard Lettering Quick Start Guide ⇒ The Happy Tulip

6 DIY Chalkboard Printables ⇒ How To Nest For Less

It’s incredible the range of different effects and makes that you can create with chalkboards -have you hired your hand at chalkboard lettering – I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for success!

Be sure to check out I’m pinning right now!

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Fab Yarn Friday

Happy Friday Y’all!

This week has been one of glorious relaxation – which, let me tell you has been very much needed in the wake of finishing my new crochet book.

It’s strange that sometimes you don’t really realise how busy you have been till you stop. I’ve never been great at relaxing – I have what we call in this house Busy Hands Syndrome, where I can’t just sit and do nothing. I have to be reading, or writing, or making, or creating something. So, when it comes time to down time it is always lovely take some time to reflect. One of the things that I can’t help but notice is how neglected this little place has been, sometimes there really aren’t enough hours in the day. But, plans are afoot my friends, I have new energy, new focus and have lots of exciting fresh ideas, tutorials and projects to start sharing with you over the coming months!

So, as a little thank you to all you guys who have stuck with me over the last few months, checking back to see what (if anything) is new, sending sweet messages and emails, saying hi over on Facebook to Instagram, stopping in at the shows to say hello, and generally being all kinds of rad, I thought I’d run a little yarny giveaway!

Aside from the creative challenge – that gives me a hardcore mental workout – writing books on arm knitting and crochet has given me the opportunity to work with some of the finest yarns on the planet, and I’d love to be able to share some of that with you guys. One of the yarns that I worked with in the last couple of months is the stunning Hand Painted 4 Ply from Artesano Yarns, currently only £4.50 for a 50g skein in the summer sale – this dreamy yarn is the perfect blend of alpaca and wool – giving it both softness and strength, it is light and silky to the touch making it a real joy to work with and results in glorious stitch definition – whether it is knit or crochet!

As a little treat I have three skeins (150g, 550m) of this glorious yarn in the stunning Flowers colour way up for grabs to one lucky Made Peachy reader!

So, how do you enter? Easy – just leave a comment below saying what you would knit or crochet if you won this yarn! This giveaway is open to everyone – yay for international giveaways! Winner will be announced on 4 September – Good Luck!

 

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Twist it- Special Issue Autumn 2015: On Sale Now!

There hasn’t been a huge amount of relaxing of late, but when this sweet new magazine arrived at Peachy HQ it was time to down tools and grab a coffee!

This knitting special is jam packed with inspirational modern knits – there are shawls, sweaters with geometric motifs, baby knits, knits for him, knits to update your closet. Not to mention, striking home decor items and accessories, and stack of yarny inspiration.

Along side the easy-to-follow patterns, there is also step-by-step knitting guides (most excellent if you’re new to knitting or haven’t touched those needles in some time!), shopping guides and interviews and profiles with some of the best designers out there – including Kerry Lord, Jared Flood, Tina Barrett & Erin Black!

Oh…and there is a sweet little interview with yours truly too!

Plus, you can get your hands on this pattern to make your own two tone arm knitted tote bag from my Arm & Finger Knitting book!

Find me on Ravelry – check out my other designs and come say Hi!

♥ – ♥ – ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get your hands on a copy of Twist it – Autumn 2015 Special Issue, £7.99, online now!

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Pinterest: What They Did With Friendship Bracelets

You know what? I’m still buzzing from last weeks Friendship Bracelet workshop at Foyles, London. So. Much. Fun! The most amazing part of the workshop what seeing how quickly everyone got inspired – as soon as we were all in the swing of knotting out woven bracelets talk quickly turned to changing up the designs on the next bracelet, adding beads, switching colours. I love how getting our hands on materials is a great way to fire up that passion for making and creating.

There were so many great ideas popping up in the session that it got me thinking about other designs. So, of course, like any normal gal I headed over to Pinterest to see what other folks are making and sharing. If you got the taste for creating your own striking and colourful accessories then check out a few of my favourite Friendship Bracelets on Pinterest!

 

1 Leather Wrap Bracelet ⇒ Handmade Jewelry Club

2  Morse Code Bracelet ⇒ Honestly WTF

3 Heart Wire Wrapped Bangle ⇒  Happy Hour Projects

4 Sweet Sailor Knot Bracelet ⇒ Made Peachy Archive

5 Monochrome Friendship Bands ⇒ The Purl Bee

6 Rainbow Loom Band Bracelet ⇒ Made Peachy Archive

Quick to make and colourful too – what’s not to love about friendship bracelets?! So, which is your favourite?

Now…if you can’t get enough of making your own statement accessories, you can check out my fun new book, Arm Candy with 15 step-by-step ideas for friendship bracelets to make and share!

Y’all, be sure to see what else I’m pinning right now!

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Creative Reading: Edward’s Menagerie Birds & Giveaway!

As y’all have probably noticed I’m a little [Read: a lot!] partial to crochet, so when I get the chance to see a copy of a new crochet book, I literally jump at the chance.

Kerry Lord, founder and creative director of The Toft Alpaca Shop, has released her brand new book – Edward’s Menagerie Birds. For fans of Kerry’s other crochet characters from Edward’s Menagerie this collection will not disappoint!

With forty designs to choose from each for a different specimen of bird there is literally something for everyone – from Sophia the Flamingo and Alan the Magpie, to Elvis the cockatoo and Margot the swan, there is a feathered friend that is sure to steal your heart!

Not only that, each of the designs can be made up in four different sizes, so whether you like mini makes or super sized charters your crochet fit will be satisfied! As with all of Kerry’s patterns, the instructions are clearly presented and easy-to-follow even for novices, plus each make is categories with a skill rating to help you identify which birds used which techniques – so you can build your skills as you go!

The only real trouble with this book is deciding which of these feathered friends to crochet first!

To celebrate the launch of this wonderful new book, I have a very exciting giveaway for you crochet fans! How would you  – and your family – like to head over to The Toft Aplaca Shop, take part in a free crochet workshop and meet the gorgeous alpacas on a farm tour? Yes my friends, I have one family ticket up for grabs to go join in the fun and celebrations in Wiltshire with Kerry and the Toft Team!

The family ticket is for 2 adults and up to three children and will gain you entry to the free workshop, meet the team (and most importantly the alpacas!) and take part in the farm tour at The Toft Alpaca Shop in Warwickshire – travel to the event/ accommodation is not included – on Friday the 28th August.

So, how do you enter? Easy! Simply leave a comment sharing why you’d love to win! This giveaway is for UK residents only and the winner will be picked at random and announced on the 25th August – Good Luck!

♥ – ♥ – ♥

Edward’s Menagerie: Birds, by Kerry Lord, £15.99, published by David & Charles is on sale now! Or, purchase Edward’s Menagerie: Birds direct from TOFT and receive ten exclusive  extra patterns for free!

 

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Pinterest: What They Did With Polymer Clay

I have been a long time fan of Louise’s fun and creative Etsy store, , so you can imagine my delight when I spotted this awesome pineapple ring, £14. Artfully sculpted from polymer clay, this got me thinking about all the creative possibilities of this amazing material.

Soon enough I found myself lost in the maze of Pinterest boards, hunting out more ace makes and tutorials, so here is a round up of my favourite Polymer Clay Projects from Pinterest!

1 Polymer Clay Faux Stone Pendant ⇒ Tried and True

2  Polymer Clay Braided Bracelet ⇒ Delighted Momma

3 Polymer Clay Stamped Gift Tag ⇒  Poppy Talk

4 Polymer Clay Crochet Hook Grip ⇒ Vicki Brown Designs

5 Polymer Clay Faux Agate ⇒ Fall For DIY

6 Polymer Clay Mini Cakes ⇒ The Adventures of Arcly and Elo

Now, it might have been quite a while since I tried my had and modelling with polymer clay – and Im sure the 12 year old me would be completely blown away by these incredible designs – but this has inspired me to give this another try!

Do you love to work with polymer clay? I’d love to hear about your creations!

For the rest of the day, I’ll no doubt be hanging out on Pinterest, so check out what I’m pinning right now!

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Arm Candy Workshop: 21 August

Today is the day for packing and preparing for my Arm Candy Workshop at Foyles bookstore in Charring Cross! Tickets (£5) are selling fast, but you can still book your place online – if you’re quick!

If you’re thinking of coming along, we’ll be hanging out and learning how to make woven chevron friendship bands – plus, I’ll be sharing a few tips and tricks for creating different designs so you’ll be able to go ahead and create your own stylish collection of friendship bands!

Woven chevron friendship bands are a heap of fun to make  – there are so many possibilities for colour combos, designs and styles – heck, you can even add in beads and bling if you fancy it!

Are you heading to the workshop? Cant wait to see y’all!

 

♥ – ♥ – ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arm Candy: Friendship Bracelets to Make and Share, £9.99, Pavilion Books, is on sale now – so why not grab yourself a copy?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends Stateside, you can get your copy here and, did y’all know this is available as a Kindle edition too?!

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The Week That Was: 17 August: Home & New Projects

While I love to be on the road, heading to creative events and meeting heaps of wonderfully inspiring folks, there really is no place like home.

It is great to be home, but what makes it even greater is to be home and to have finished up a heap of huge deadlines, to be back with a clear head and a clear desk. Ok, the clear desk is perhaps a little of a fantasy and that has been the focus of this last week. Seriously, there has never been a house in the history of all time that has been more jam-packed with yarn than our home for the last 12 months while I have been working on three yarn craft books. [Also – shout out to husbands who greet yet even more boxes of yarn delivers with, “wow! There are some great colours in there!” rather than, “Dude! Seriously! No. More. Yarn!”]

Catching up on emails, getting ready for upcoming projects and clearing the decks for the next wave of creative work. I don’t know about you, but when I’m working on a creative project, especially if it is a large scale one, then it is impossible not to get surrounded by all the supplies that are required. There is a very fine line between creative and inspiring clutter, and an out and out avalanche! The final week of a deadline usually sees me so focused on getting all of the elements finished up and completed that it is impossible to stay on top of all the supplies and materials. So, once it is finally finished there is something rather satisfying to the soul about clearing away all the remnants and surplus supplies and getting ready to start afresh.

I find it wildly inspiring to be able to surround myself with creative supplies, but there can be too much of a good thing, and it can actually suffocate your inspiration. So, for the last week I have been working on taking my own advice and making space – literally and figuratively – for future creative projects. Looking for some tips to help you clear creative clutter in your workspace? Check out these Top Five Tips for Reducing Creative Clutter…You can thank me later!

UFOs are not very common in this house – well, not work related projects, these always have deadlines, so let’s not speak of selfish or personal makes, like the tapestry that I’ve been working on for almost six years! This week I have been collecting together all of my demonstrations samples, setting out items to be laundered, pressed and finished, and starting to think about some fresh new ideas for samples for the upcoming stitching shows later this year.

Here’s to a fresh new week, fresh ideas and new and exciting makes – what does your week have in store?

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Pinterest: What They Did With Sewing Hacks

Being back home after Festival of Quilts I have found myself in that happy head space of being fully inspired and million ideas for new makes!

One of the greatest things about heading to creative events, like Festival of Quilts is meeting with so many crazy talented folks and sharing all the clever tips, tricks and techniques we have picked up along the way. Now, there are a lot of things that we all do when busy with our makes, that we have been taught, picked up along the way or actively sought out to get better results, make things easier and also to give a finish that really wows. Often times we don’t even realise that we are doing something in a super smart way, for us it is just the way, so getting to spend time with other makers is a great way to uncover some stitching strokes of genius!

So, in the spirit of sharing sewing smarts, here are a few of my favourite Sewing Hacks & Tips from Pinterest

1 DIY Stay-Sharp Pin Cushion ⇒ Crafty Pod

2  Super Neat Corners ⇒ Michelle Patterns

3 Beautiful Bias ⇒  The Habby Goddess

4 Super Straight Fabric Cuts ⇒ Make It, Love It

5 Stress-Free Seam Unpicking ⇒ Made Peachy Archive

6 Finding the Grain Line ⇒ Colette

Do y’all have a favourite sewing tip, trick or technique? Be sure to share, I love to hear them! In the meantime, you’ll find me on Pinterest stalking out more clever techniques!

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