Edwards Christmas jumpers

 Its being to look a lot like Christmas

The weathers getting colder the heating's on and so I've started to make Grandson Edward his Christmas jumper.

The first one is made from double knit in #King Cole pricewise cranberry red with a penguin on the front, all the yarn is from #Deramore 

This being double knit its lovely and warm to wear when he visits Santa and goes to his playschool christmas party

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. there will be lots of new items to buy

Poppys for the village

 

Remembrance poppys

After the success of the octopus sales for the lifeboat, the next village knit along is for poppys.

These are simple knitted poppys to be attached to a fishing net. 

I've completed about 19 and have handed them over to #Norfolk needlecraft to be added to the rest.

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. there will be lots of new items to buy

Eds new romper

 

Foxy new rompers

As our grandson is now mobile and his wears fun stretch jersey rompers I decided I would made him a pair, I've found some lovely stretch jersey at #Susansworkbasket in Attleborough and picked up a few different one.

As I've never made these before, and didn't have a pattern I drew one up myself.

As you can see I've chosen the fox design for my first try

Using both my normal sewing machine and my over locker for extra stretch I've sewn these pieces together.

An here is the finished item and I really hope Edward enjoys wearing them

 

I'll see how these fit and I might even make a few to sell at my next craft fair.

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. there will be lots of new items to buy

Fabric shopping

 

Today I decided to treat myself to a trip out and I went to a new fabric shop I've found since moving to Norfolk, its called Susans work basket and its in Attleborough, Oh my what a treat, so many fabrics, buttons, yarns and so much more. 

These are poly cotton which I'm going to use to make sundresses and overalls, the snowman material is for my grandson Edwards Christmas overalls

I particularly like this old fashioned rose fabric this will make lovely dresses and the fox fabric I'm going to make into cargo pants 

This is stretch jersey for rompers

I know a certain little someone who will be wearing rompers made from this material soon.

So I cant wait to get my sewing machine out and start sewing.

http://susans work basket

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. there will be lots of new items to buy

Nautical themes

Hello sailor

Since moving to Norfolk, and living only minutes from the sea, I've decided to do a range of nautical clothing, I've designed a pattern with a boat motif on the front which I though I would make in white with a navy blue boat, and also navy blue with a white or even red boat, I've also got an anchor I've designed and I was also thinking of making matching cargo pants and pairing them up as a set !  

Sail Boat

Anchor

I've also got a crab design and fish 

All these will be made using #JamesCBrett super soft yarn and also #Stylecraft yarns #knitsirdar and #Patons in double knit.

All of these yarns were purchased from #Woolwarehouse and #Deramore


I was also thinking of making a few buggy/car seat blankets with the same sort of motifs with contrasting edges using 3 squares by 6 or 9 square with half motifs and half plain in different colours

I was also thinking of matching a jumper with white knitted trousers would make a lovely Christmas present

This of course got me thinking about summer dresses, shorts and tops but that's another blog 😊

All these hopefully will be available at Norfolk crafts fairs very soon watch this space !!!

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. as soon as I've settled in there will be lots of new items to buy.

A new start in Norfolk

A new life

In 1979  as a 17 yr old I decided with my friend Tina to go on an adventure, we left Essex for sunny Caister in Norfolk to work at Ladbrokes Holiday Centre, and what a summer that was, meeting lots of new friends and the holidaying public.

The work was hard and long hours but the social life was wonderful out each night drinking and dancing till late sleeping for a few hours and starting all over again.

Whilst we were there we both met our future husbands !  This year April 2021 we celebrated our 41st  wedding anniversary, over the last 11 yrs or so we've be going back to Norfolk on holiday, mostly with our 2 daughters and their husbands and an assortment of dogs.  Whilst on holiday we made the decision to retire and to move to Norfolk, hopefully this yr.

With this in mind I've been thinking about designing beach inspired sundresses, shorts, babies rompers and knitwear, to sell at craft fairs and I was also thinking of looking into local bespoke children's clothes shops to see if they would be willing to let me have a rail to sell my makes.

For the knit wear I was thinking of boat, anchor, fish and other seaside related motifs to knit onto the front of cardigans, jumpers and hoodies, also jaunty stripes.

For the sundresses and rompers I was thinking of adding appliqué suns, boats and anything to do with the seaside.  

At the moment I'm sourcing new fabric shops near to where we've moved to and I'm really looking forward to going out and buying new fabrics and haberdashery bits, and finding local craft fairs to attend.  

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. as soon as I've settled in there will be lots of new items to buy.

Helping the Mundesley NICU charity knit

 

Charity knitted octopus

Whilst on holiday in May, we decided to have a second viewing of our new home that we should be        moving to soon, which is in the lovely seaside village of Mundesley .                                                            

As we got there a little bit to early we decided to have a wonder around the shops, so we parked up in the public carpark by The beach hut café, and walked through Gold Park towards the shops.

One of the shops there is Norfolk Needlecraft which I'm sure I will be visiting offend.!  

This shop is fantastic, not only does it stock yarn but out the back it has all manner of sewing kits, buttons, beads and so much more.

In the window my daughter pointed out the knitted octopus's and suggested I go in and collect the free pattern to make a few for the shops NICU charity, as I have a large collection of yarn bits and bobs, and as we're moving here soon we thought it would be a good way of getting involved in village life.

So far I've made 6 in assorted colours and multi coloured tentacles here are the first 5 one to finish.

If I get time I'll try to make a few more.

Don't forget you can keep up to date on our new items on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SunshineBabyCrafts. as soon as I've settled in there will be lots of new items to buy.

 

New baby gift set

Baby shower

Now days with the advent of baby showers and reveal parties, I was think of a new all in one present.

My idea was a parcel of hand made items wrapped up in a muslin and tied with a ribbon, in two different sizes.

These will be make from double knit yard from #Woolwarehouse and #Dearmore and will be made from #JamesCBrett, #stylecraft, #Patons and #knitsirdar yarns.

I was going to add baby wipes, but with the government, trying to stop the usage of these I've decided to add cotton wool and baby lotion instead. 

Size one

buggy sized blanket either plain or patterned.

1 cardigan

1 pair of bootees

1 pair of mitts

1 hat

1 bib / bandana

1 teddy

1 taggy/knitted comforter 

1 muslin

2 nappies

Cotton wool and baby lotion

Size  two

buggy sized blanket either plain or patterned.

2 cardigans in different patterns

2 pairs of bootees

2 pairs of mitts 

2 hats

1 bib

1 bandana

1 teddy

1 taggy

1 comforter

1 muslin
4 nappies

Cotton wool and baby lotion

The colours I was thinking of were, white, pale blue, a darker blue, green, yellow, pink, lilac.

I was then thinking of selling these at craft fairs and I was also thinking of approaching bespoke baby and children's wear shops to see if I could rent a shelf or a portion of the shop to sell assorted and knitted baby items 

Sewing room

New sewing room

The  move to Norfolk I had 3 stipulation for our new house.

1)  a large kitchen as I love cooking and baking and intend to make all my own bread, cakes, pies and jams.

2) a large lounge for cosy nights by the fire

3)  a sewing room, so I didn't have to constantly pack everything away every night

So with this in mind I've been looking for ideas for the perfect sewing room

I need a large sturdy cutting table, a sewing machine table and comfy chair, lots of storage for materials and yarns, hanging space for dresses, trousers and knitwear, shelves for folders and books, racks for cotton reels and ribbons, and pin board for ideas and draws for scissors cutting blades and pens pencils and tapes.  Theses are a few ideas I found 

I love this organised cotton reel / tools board

I particularly like this idea to keep my materials nice and crease free

I will defiantly utilise some of these ideas into my sewing room. 

Knitted gifts for Australia

 

Gifts of Amelie

At the end of last summer my youngest niece had a baby girl out in Sydney Australia, but because of the lockdown  so I've been busy knitting a few little cardigans to post to her.  I made them all the same size 18" chest so they should fit her for quite a while.

Just need to add the buttons to the blue shrug and I will be able to post these off to her as a surprise.

A little tummy time

How to make a quilted play mat.

With a bit of time on my hands I've decided to make a quilted playmat for our new grandson Edward.

So I've been looking at different designs and picking the best bits of each one, next I got out my  trusty box of fat quarters to see which ones would be the most perfect baby ones.

Now down for the fun bit, cutting out the basic backing material, also nice thick wading for the middle layer to make the mat lovely and soft,  and now the best part the multi coloured top layer.

First of all I'm going to appliqué animals and flowers onto the fat quarters, adding a little stuffing under neath to squishyness, then I've added ribbons 

   This id the finished play mat and baby 

Edward loves to have a kick and tummy time every day