Lately..

It's been a little while since I posted so I thought I'd better update on all my recent goings on and makings!

October is birthday time in my family, my dad and sister have their birthdays 10 days apart so at the weekend we had a family day to celebrate their birthdays. I wanted to make some birthday bunting items so I made some cake bunting with matching cupcake flags and a personalised scrapbook for my sister as it is her 21st, and I just think it is wonderful to have a keepsake from big birthdays!

(Sorry if the photos look like they need cropping and editing.. they do.. but I can't get photoshop to work properly to do it, so unedited photos will have to do!)

In other news, I'm back at LCC doing my final year of my degree.. so you will probably be seeing a lot of sketchbooks like this one!

I'm just starting work on my first project, I have chosen to do a self initiated project first and I am looking at the logo, identity and branding of the dance school I used to dance at. I am working with dancers, teachers, ex-dancers and anyone who wants to get involved with the project to try and come up with the outcomes right for the school. I have created a blog for the project so it is easy to share ideas and interact with everyone. To keep up to date with this project visit vgdancedesign.blogspot.com

I'm also still going crazy with the making!

New styles now available in my Etsy shop iheartrosie

Braided fabric bracelet with heart charm

Braided fabric headbands - single or double

I've been making..

Bracelets!

It all started when I read this tutorial on making friendship bracelets by Honestly WTF DIY. I loved making friendship bracelets when I was young, but this particular pattern was one I'd always wanted to make but had never managed to get my head around, so I really wanted to try it.

The tutorial was simple and easy to follow, and although I didn't have quite the right thread to do this, I decided to substitute for a different thread and try it anyway. Getting started was a bit tricky and I think the different thread being too thin didn't help, but here are some photos of the finished bracelets. I am going to give them another try when I get hold of the right thread.

The other pattern is one that I loved making when I was younger and made ALL the time! It's very quick and easy (the chevron one takes quite a long time, let me warn you!) and gives wonderful results! Here is a video of how to make the twisted bracelet, or if you prefer a written tutorial click here.

After making friendship bracelets I decided to try something I have wanted to try for a while now, plaited/braided fabric bracelets. I didn't follow a tutorial for this, but I just used approx 1.5cm wide strips of fabric and plaited them together. I finished it off with a button on one end and a loop on the other to make a simple clasp.

I started experimenting with different colours and lengths, I've only stopped so that I can get on with some dissertation and packing!

Also experimented using denim, which gives a large knot at one end and a rough chunky texture through the plait. The denim was too thick to sew a button onto and make a loop, so the knot at one end and an added cord at the other make up the clasp.

You can now buy the single or double wrap braided fabric bracelet from my Etsy store iheartrosie!

Today I made..

Customised tees!

A family friend in Australia is due to have a baby in just a few weeks and I wanted to make something to send over for the new baby, so I customised some bodysuits! I don't know what sex the baby is so I wanted to create things that could be worn by a boy or a girl, but then my girlyness took over and I made a really girly one with a flower on!

(Please excuse the awful photos they were taken in a hurry!)

I cut out shapes from patterned fabric and sewed them on using a close zigzag stitch. This holds them on well, stops them fraying and looks nice too! I made a star using blue and white polka dot fabric, a heart using purple and white polka dot fabric and a flower using mocha floral, pink polka dot and purple polka dot fabrics.

I didn't want the older kids to feel left out so I decided I would customise some tshirts for them! I bought a grey tshirt for the boy and a purple vest for for the girl (both from h&m, the only place I could find individually sold plain kids tshirts!)

I used the same technique as with the body suits, sewing fabric shapes onto the tees. For the girls tee I chose to sew 9 hearts, all cut from different pink and purple fabrics, and for the boys tee I made 'big bro' from demin, blue polka and blue stripes!

They have come out quite well but jersey material of fabrics is hard to sew onto as it stretches a lot, hoping with a wash and an iron they will straighten out a bit!

Etsy Treasuries.. Again!

I just love making treasuries! I have found so much good stuff over the past few weeks making treasuries!

Today I was inspired to make one about knitted called 'Lets get knitting' (yes still on that obsessive knit phase!) Etsy UK are looking for treasuries to go on the UK Etsy homepage, so I made one that fitted to their guidelines in the hope of making it on the homepage! You can read up about the Etsy UK treasuries guidelines here.

UPDATE: Today 29th September, my 'lets get knitting' treasury is on the Etsy UK homepage! If you live in the UK and want to set your homepage to the UK homepage, at the bottom of the page select English (UK) and United Kingdom.

Lets get knitting

Beautiful Bows

International Rabbit Day

Wintery Whites

The holidays are coming..

Somewhere over the rainbow..

Pink and Orange

Brilliant Bunting

The quick red fox..

Kraft is Key

You can see all my treasury lists here.

Etsy UK Meetup

Last night I attended the Etsy UK meetup at Grand Union in Farringdon. It was great to meet the Etsy UK staff members and also Etsy's CEO, European Director and 2 girls from the Brooklyn office, but also great to meet other sellers, buyers and just general Etsy enthusiasts! I've met quite a few of the Etsy staff before at the Etsy Holiday Party in Brooklyn last winter, but it was great to be able to meet everyone again, this time minus the jetlag and major confusion!


Etsy UK have meetups a few times a year all around the country, and they are open to all to attend! The best way to keep up to date with Etsy UK and meetup and events news is to follow them on Twitter or Facebook. It's such a fantastic feeling to be in a room filled with such hardworking, creative, determined and kind people!


Below are a few photos from the night! (© Etsy Labs) 


Etsy UK flying the flag!

Chad (CEO) and Matt (European Director) make a speech

Look like I'm part of the speech here stood next to Chad and Matt

Question time where people could ask about what's coming next to Etsy and make suggestions of things they would like to see on the site

Chatting with other sellers

Some postcards from the Etsy look book.. There were tote bags too!

All in all a fantastic night (with free wine and pizza!) If you're interested in Etsy or even just meeting other creative people I would definitely advice attending one of these events!