Pinterest find: Free Mushroom cross stitch pattern

Pinterst is great for so many reasons but what I love is that if you start following people with similar tastes to you then they find all the great stuff and you can just repin it!

I logged on today and found this gorgeous Mushroom cross stitch pattern....



I just love the bright colours and well we all know how obsessed with mushrooms I am.

You can find the free pattern here.

I think all you have to do is register a username and then you can download the pattern for free.

Happy Monday!

P.S You can follow me on Pinterest here

Mollie Makes.....makes me a winner!

So we all love Mollie Makes magazine and if it is possible I now love it just a little bit more.

A couple of months ago I picked up the latest issue and there was a competition sticker on the front from the New Zealand distributor of the magazine. All I had to do was post in my receipt and details and I would go in the draw to win a $100 Spotlight voucher......

........and I won!!!! What a wonderful surprise to open the courier package today and find that little old me who never wins anything is finally a winner!

Now for all my international readers Spotlight is a craft store chain in Australia and New Zealand and they sell everything craft related you could think of. They also have lovely range of homewares too.

So hmmmm .......what to spend it on..... I will ponder it a bit further and when I have spent my voucher I will let you know.

Lucky me!

Gingerbread Men in polka dot hoops

Following on from my previous post I have been adding to the polka dot hoop collection....

......with Gingerbread Men hoops.

I am now woking on some cute pastel gingerbread boys and girls.

Have you started your Christmas crafts? What are you making?

Christmas Market Part 3. Works in progess....polka dots, hoops and felt

Right so am I getting organised for this Christmas Market you ask?
Well some days I think I will finish all the projects I have planned and other days when mummyhood takes centre stage (most days) I wonder if I will turn up on the day with anything at all!

Thankfully I was so inspired when my red and white polka dot fabric ribbon arrived (and the kiddies decided to have long afternoon naps) that I got cracking.

I originally saw the idea for covering hoops with washi tape on Craftgossip. I tried using washi but I found it didn't go on all that smoothly and the colour didn't remain as intense. So I went searching and found this glorious fabric tape on TradeMe.

Once I had covered a few 4" and 6" hoops in this gorgeous red polka dot tape (sorry hubby had the camera so I couldn't take photos of this process) I had a million (well maybe 10!) ideas of what to put in the hoops and I thought I would share with you how I made one of the mushroom hoops.

I chose my backing felt and decided to make two the same. Here I have put the felt in the hoop but not tightened the top screw as I don't want to stretch the felt too much.

I lay out my pieces. As you can see I have based the design on one of my most popular needlebooks.

I pin a couple of piece on and start sewing using whip stitch. TIP: When stitching white onto to colour always put your needle down through the white. If you bring it up, spots of the underneath colour will show through.

All stitched up and ready to be framed.

I use my usual trick of double sided tape on the outside of the inside hoop and then peel off the backing. I fold the excess onto the edge of the hoop.

The sticky side of the hoop goes down onto the back of the felt. I have 'eyeballed' it to get the image centred.

Flip it over and add the outer hoop and ensure that the mushrooms are centred. Then tighten up the screw at the top as tightly as possible.

On the back carefully trim the excess felt off as close to the hoop as possible. Felt is great because it doesn't fray and therefore leaves a clean and neat finish.

Cut a felt circle to cover up the back stitching. I chose navy blue because I happen to have a lot of it to use up!

Use a small amount of fabric glue or double sided tape and attach the backing.

Add a ribbon or ric rac as I have and you are done. I just love how vibrant they are.

I am also working on some Christmas designs which I will share with you soon!