March Swap - Fat Quarters

And finally.... the last post for today is a picture of the fabric that I received from my swap pal as part of the March swap on the CTnY forum.

I received 3 gorgeous Fat Quarters that coordinate with each other, as well as some pretty beads and buttons keeping with the theme.


Everything was tied up in a pretty red ribbon. The 'sheep' on the tag must be the clue to my spoiler who I think was Franney, but will have to double check.


The little pink and black box is adorable. I'm guessing my pal made this. We've only ever made mini boxes out of recycled Christmas cards so they've never looked that great. I'm really impressed with this little pink and black number so will have to keep it in mind next time I make one.

I was late sending out my package to my swap pal but hopefully it will make it there safely before the end of next week (fingers crossed)!

And now I am officially up to date with all swaps etc..

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Fabric Covered Easter Egg, No2

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was making some 'fresh' fabric covered egg decorations for our home as the last batch I made were about 4 yrs old and a little manky.

As it turned out I managed to make two which I then sent to live elsewhere. The pink & blue egg below was sent to Hanne in Finland, as part of her Round Robin bag for March. It arrived with her a couple of days late for Easter but I think it was still appreciated.


The pink tasselled egg from this post was given to my FILs partner 'C'.

I might have run out of time due to bad planning, but at least I've got a headstart on next years Easter decorations. There's plenty of time and fabric leftover to make decorations for our own home.

How's that for a positive spin. My therapist would be proud!!! ;)

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Fabric Covered Easter Egg

A few years back I began making fabric covered Easter eggs to decorate the 'wiggily' willow branches in our conservatory. It's been 4 years since the last batch which are quite frankly beginning to look a bit tatty. So, time to get the polystyrene eggs out and begin crafting some new ones.

Here's the first one which I made last night/this morning. The egg is about 2.5" tall but the overall decoration measures 10" from tip of hanging thread to base of tassle.


I really like the style of this one. In the past I've used more pins, beads & sequins to hold everything in place - like you do with Pinflair eggs - but I'm very pleased with the outcome of this one. I'll have to make a few more in coordinating colours to use up some of my patchwork cottons!


I didn't have a filigree cap for the top of the egg so I crocheted something similar out of embroidery threads with my wee metal hook! It's only a teeny thing and my eyes were burning while I made it (and that was using the magnifiying glass on my daylight lamp!!)


The tassle was easy enough to make and although this one is less than perfect, it'll do. I used about 1/2 a skein of embroidery thread wrapped around a 2.5" piece of card. There's a wooden bead under the 'bulb' of the tassle to give it its shape which I then covered with a fabric yo-yo (of sorts) and then chain stitched around the edge to tidy it up.



Everything used was from my craft stash, apart from the polystyrene eggs which I bought in January from e-bay.

I've got a few needle felted eggs which Katie & I made in January. I must take some piccies of them and load them up. They're really sweet. Katie is quite the dab hand with a felting needle!

Toodles xx Bernie xx

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Swaps: ISE5 Angel scarf & goodies - piccies!

It's been a busy few days in Casa Craftybernie. In between sleeping as I get over the dreaded 'lurgy and keeping Katie busy during half-term, I've been slowly working my way through all the recent finished projects and swaps, posting photos of everything that I have received or completed.

About 1/2 an hour ago I finished uploading the photos of everything that I received from my amazing ISE5 Angel, Martha.

Check out the results of Martha's hard work starting with this beautiful scarf in Rowan Felted Tweed. The scarf pattern is Eugen Buegler's 'Streaming Leaves Lace Scarf'. And it is DIVINE! It's so soft and squishy. Martha was a little concerned about the alpaca guard hairs but it's not a problem - it feels lovely and soft against my skin. Beautiful! I love it.

Martha also kindly included a second scarf, Edgar from the fall 2005 issue of Knitty knit in Silk Garden Lite, for Katie. I guess I could have claimed it for myself but I will probably end up borrowing it anyway and this way Katie feels spoiled too! She was seriously stunned that a stranger across the ocean remembered her in this way and she asked me to say that she "absolutely loves the colours and the pattern". Thanks Martha (from Katie!)


Another indication of Martha's thoughtfulness, is the undyed wool and Kool-Aid packages that she enclosed so that Katie and I could dye the wool together. How lovely is that!! Katie was very interested in testing the Kool-Aid for herself when I explained that we would be using it to dye wool and not drinking it! "Imagine what it does to your insides", she said! Kids. Lol.

The box was absolutely stuffed full of thoughtful little extras and I know that Martha & her hubby had a lot of 'fun' squeezing everything in. By no stretch of the imgaination was this a small box. There is enough fiber, yarn, beads and more to keep me going for months of projects!

I put together this little photographic collage of the items that my amazing Angel sent me. Working left to right, starting with the top row we have:


1) Clover Natural Wool Roving
2) Bluefaced Leicester
3) Dream in Colour Sockyarn
4) Precious Petals
5) Tubes of Street Bead Connections
6) Naked Cat Fiberworks
7) Edgar Scarf in Noro Silk Lite
8) Patchwork Fat Quarter Bundle
9) a Beautiful Notebook (has graph & plain paper inside!)
10) Sugar'n'Cream Dishcloth Cotton

There's an element of crafty Kharma that goes with being a swap Angel. Stepping in at the last minute to make and send to somebody across an ocean is a challenge-and-a-half, especially when everybody else has had months to get to know their pal and work on their projects. The kindness of our swap Angels is invaluable. It takes a special person to fulfil their duties in a swap, only to do it over again for a second pal.

Thank you Martha for being a true Angel. xx

About my Scarf Angel: Martha lives in Vancouver Washington, with her husband, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 1 or 2 of her 3 children.

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Swap: first Craftster swap finished!

I've just finished my commitment on my first Craftster swap - the 'I want what I can't make' swap. It's been torture making things and not being able to share them on here for fear of being found out. It wasn't a secret swap so my pal knew everything about me and I had to keep my gifts on the DL.

So, here's the things I made for my pal. I had a really great time making them and learned some great new techniques in the process. Enjoy!!

BAGSKET: made in canvas and lined with calico. The drawstring top is part of a recycled linen blend fabric. The tutorial for making the bagsket are available on Foofangle with links to the original designer. The embroidery pattern is one of many that is available free on Knitting-And.com.

NEEDLE ROLL: made in canvas and lined in calico (as the bagsket), panel of Amy Butler's Lotus on the front and edged with blue grosgrain ribbon.

MINI QUILT: the flower fairy is a design taken in a book at home (title to follow). I embroidered the fairy onto a piece of recycled white fabric. I felt bad sending just the embroidered panel to my pal so I made it into this little quilt or wall hanging. I'm not entirely happy with it as a quilt but what the hey!

FABRIC POSTCARD: Fabric scraps, heavyweight interfacing, zig zag stitch on my trusty old Singer 507.

FABRIC FLOWER: made using my treasured & favourite fabrics - the tutorial is available on Mollychicken. It's a very simple concept but every scrap of fabric is used up - I even used the very last strip of fabric to make the flower fairy's skirt.

FLOWER FAIRY: made the same as all my other fairies, the hair is mohair that has been twisted around wooden skewers which were immersed in hot boiling water and then freezing cold water. Once the yarn was dry, unwind the yarn from the skewers and you'll have lovely curly doll hair! The skirt is made using the leftover fabric from the fabric flower above.

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Bargain Pins &

Steeee-RIKE! Check out the pins I scored.

I don't know whether to be pleased or worried about my excitement, but I only paid 50p for each of these circs in the Hospice shop in town. I've now got a full range of sizes from 2mm up to 10mm. Me happy! :)

Now I just need to make myself a new needle roll for my circs and dpn needles. :D


Funnily enough, I have just finished sorting out my fabric stash, half of which is featured right, which includes fat quarters from Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Michael Miller.

I'm still deconstructing lots of clothes ready to be refashioned or recycled. News and updates will follow soon. Perhaps I should consider rebranding my blog - how does the name 'Thriftybernie' grab ya? :D

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Sewing: Bags & Pouches from recycled dress & trousers

What can you make with the shirt off your husbands back, a dress and an old pair of pink cargo pants?

Handy little pouches and a hobo bag. I kid you not! The fabric used to make these items was recycled from a Laura Ashley dress and a pair of pink trouser type thingies! The red lining in the pouches is from one of Mr CBs shirts (it was never actually on his back, he never wore it at all)!!!

The little pouches are pretty nifty. They are a lovely size for holding small projects or toiletries, makeup, and even a potted plant! I place a small bag of dried lavender from the garden in one and hang it on the desk near the window where I'm working. Ahhhhhhh.....

I also made this hobo bag (top right) using the same floral dress and the pink fabric. I'm very pleased with the lovely 'dusky' shades in these two fabrics. I wish I had more.... :(

The bright tote bag (left) is made from a big piece of fabric I recently purchased off e-bay for a couple of quid. It looks like it might have been a duvet cover in a previous life but I'm not 100% sure.

Anyway, it made a nice roomy tote for Little Miss CB to take on her hols to Spain. I added a lime green panel on either side of the bag and lined it with some bright yellow fabric from my stash (yes I do have a fabric stash!)

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Stitch Marker & Yarn Swap - goodies arrived

I almost forgot to post a piccie of the goodies that I received today from Monique. I took part in a Stitch Marker & Yarn swap which was arranged by crochetholic Debb. As you can see, I received a couple of balls of lovely cotton/linen yarn, 6 handmade pearlescent & metallic stitch markers in a handmade pouch, some fabric FQs and a handful of bobbins. Thanks again Monique!


I've sent my package to Judy over at JAG bags which she should hopefully receive at the end of this week. Wanna see what I sent? Here are a couple of photos (obviously I had to disguise the contents as we don't want to spoil her fun, now do we?). Once the packet has been received I'll reveal the contents and things that I made:

Add to all this the Lopi, Freedom, and Roving that arrived today, I think it's safe to say that I have had a very good post day!!

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Sewing: Cat Print Fabric for Needle Rolls

Check out these FQs I bought earlier this week from Fiddlesticks Fabrics on e-bay. Aren't these the cutest 'chic' cat prints ever? I should be able to make quite a few needle holders with this pretty lot.

This batch is called KITTY CAT MEOW and is available in the pink/black combo, below, and also a blue/black combo which is equally delightful.


The second theme is called PARIS CATS and is available in the pink/rose tones, below, and also a blue combo.


I would have happily bought them all!!!

The plan is to use a printed fabric for the front of each needle roll, with a plain contrasting fabric for the main lining, using some of the matching/coordinating prints to make the inside pocket! I'm hoping they will make nice presents to include with swap/exchange packages.

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