Friday, 7 February 2020

Maisie Rose Crafts is Live

Hi everyone, as you might have noticed by now I took the decision too shut down my other page - Life and Stuff, really it's something I should have done along time ago.  I keep saying and promising myself every week that I'm going to post new post on here, it's not that I don't want to.
Basically this winter has been a tough one and well, the last couple of years have been tough.  The real reason - my back. I had a bi-lateral spinal fusion that didn't quite go too plan, there were complications.  So now I've been left in a worse state, my back likes too decide to seize up, causing alot of pain and boredom on my part, as it leaves me bedridden for at times, weeks on end, but I'm going to get into the real story why I'm writing this, and stop feeling sorry for myself.



Yeah, you're probably wondering what the title Maisie Rose Crafts is all about, well we took the decision to open an online crafts store.  Believe me this was not just a slap, dash decision, we talked about this for a good while and opening the craft store online was the only way we could afford to do this.  There was no way we could have afforded a bricks and mortar store, we just don't have that kind of finances, but hopefully at sometime in the future, if this store works out the dream is to have a bricks and mortar store.  Yep a big dream I know.

What prompted me to take this decision, well I like to craft, alot, but really I live in a smallish town Newry in Northern Ireland, that has no dedicated crafts store, just a hardware and homeware store that has a few items, really the basics and that's it.
If I want or needed anything else, my only choice was too go online, with no other Choice but too pay their prices and, one of the good stores that I did trust had recently shut down, leaving my choices even more limited.
You're probably wondering why does she not just go to the next town, well the truth is their is not that many stores that are solely craft based here in Northern Ireland, it's a big shame as there is alot of people who do like too craft here, so that was another prompt in making the decision to go ahead and open the store.

Is their a meaning behind the name Maisie Rose.  Well, both of my grandmothers were known as Maisie to all their family and friends, even though my mums, mum real name is Margaret Russell and, my dads mum name is Mary McGahen they were both known as Maisie.  Sadly they have both passed on.
The second name Rose, was done to me.  My name is Roisin which is an old Irish name for Little Rose, so Rose became the second part, in a way it makes me feel like I still have some kind of connection to them both.

I have only opened the store in the last couple of weeks, so I know people have been visiting it, and i know their mightn't be that much stock in the shop at the moment, but we are adding more items in different areas of craft every week.  So if you do go on too the store and search for an item.  I can see what people are searching for, but don't worry it doesn't tell me who you are, but if enough people do search for that particular item or area of craft, we will look into stocking those items.  Here's a sneak peek to what we have in store at present.



I know recently some people have been searching for knitting items and diamante's.  I must admit diamante's and beads I don't really know much about, as I have not really worked with those items in any capacity.  That doesn't mean we won't stock them, we are looking into and researching what the best ones to use are, as we don't want to stock just any old ones, so if there is a particular brand or type you prefer to use, PLEASE let me know.  I won't promise we'll be able to get those ones in, but it will give us an idea of what kind of crafts you like and what brand of products you prefer to use for those crafts.  We won't know unless you tell us.

As for knitting we are already preparing some stock to place on the store.  Too be honest my knitting knowledge is the very basics of cast on, knit, purl and cast off, that's it.  I have been trying too teach myself with no success.  I prefer too crochet, I'm on my second granny square blanket and, well going into the second year of working on it.  This also led to the decision on opening the store, as along with the crochet I like too sew alot, but I'm always left with the same issue of having to order all of my items online.  That alone is a big decision in not knowing what the true quality of the goods are that you are getting.

The website address of my store is www.maisie-rose-crafts.myshopify.com

Yeah we are on the shopify platform, it was the most feasible choice for us at the moment.  We are also on Facebook, just look for the name Maisie Rose Crafts.  If their is anything you would like too see available to buy in the store send me a message, I will get the message on Facebook, through this page or on the store page, I get the alert straight away.

PLEASE SHARE, SHARE my page and the store, we can only keep it open and provide a good shopping environment for everyone if you let us know what you would like to see in the store, or how you think we are doing.  Constructive criticism is always welcome, as long as it is just that.

I will place the shop badge and link onto the page titled links, come and drop by.

Tuesday, 3 September 2019

D.I.Y Dog Blanket


Hi everyone,

This a very simple, quick and easy make that anyone could make.
Well it was made out of necessity, as the weather was cold and Lucy had been sick for a while.  Yeah that's our dog, a German Shepard, she's 12 years old and the kids say she is spoilt more than them and I might agree on that.  She had been sick over her blanket so that was only good for the bin, and I could not find one anywhere that was suitable for her, and the prices off them was ridiculous.

Unfortunately as I had taken my time writing this post, our poor Lucy was getting worse.  We found a lump under her back leg, but as it was beside her teats the first vet dismissed it as nothing, but this lump was getting bigger by the day.  While this was happening Lucy also developed a clicky hip, which was making it hard for her to get up and walk.  We found a second vet who was not pleased with the first vets diagnosis as the lump turned out too be a tumour and had spread throughout, but she had also a heart murmur which the first vet failed to detect.
With all of her problems and the prognosis not being good, actually very bad, we felt it was better to put her too sleep.  Believe me this was not an easy decision, it was the hardest decision we've  ever made.  We had Lucy since she was a 6 week old pup, and my kids were in pieces over it, but we didn't want her too be suffering in pain any longer.  Lucy is so so missed, the house has not been the same without her, I'm just waiting too see how long it takes my hubby to bring home a new pup.

Please, Please no matter what your vet says or how good they are, don't  wait or feel bad just get that second opinion which could make the difference to your pet.



But now onto the tutorial for the pet blanket.


I went to my local store, it sells a bit of everything and this paws fleece fabric was the last off their roll, 3/4m precise, but that was enough for her bed as it's pretty wide.  This blanket really could be made for any pet dog or cat.



To start with measure the length and width off the pet bed, I haven't  given you any measurements as you'll know every dog bed is different, but make sure you measure at the widest points.  You will need these measurements to cut 2 layers of fleece the same size, and a layer of wadding/batting the same size.



Place the fleece right sides together with the fleece on top.





I used a cover stitch on the edges of the fleece just to try and prevent any fraying of the fleece fabric.  You don't need a fancy overlocker machine to do this, if your machine has a cover stitch on it that's good, this was the first time I used this stitch and was so pleased at how easy it was to do.



My sewing machine is a Janome 4300QDC, which has a coverstitch on mode 2- stitch 15.




Your sewing machine might need a coverstitch foot - number M




If you don't have this stitch on your machine don't worry, a simple zigzag will do.




I sewed around all the edges and left a 5 inch turning gap on one side.  I found it was best to leave this gap in the centre on one of the long sides and I double stitched at the beginning and end, just to make sure no stitches broke while turning the blanket through.







Once the blanket is turned through you might need to use a pokey tool too make sure the corners are out fully.  Then you could hand stitch the gap closed using a ladder stitch, but myself just out of speed to get it done, I used a seam roller to press the edges in.  You can use an iron on a low heat if you feel you need to press it.



To finish the blanket off I top stitched around all the edges, making sure the turning gap was folded under enough to be sealed.




Now your pet has a nice new cosy blanket.


Please leave comments and let me know what you thought of the tutorial, or if you think their is any changes that could be made to it.