Exploring the house and garden

Posted on 12 April, 2014 by Crafty Getaways

We are finally here. In France. In the house!

It is all we could have imagined, and much much more… It is BIG and echoey at the moment as there isn’t much furniture in it until the container arrives next week. But that doesn’t matter – it really is one big adventure.

The previous owners are living near by and have been on hand to answer questions about the house as well as living in France. On Thursday we walked around the garden together taking notes of the various trees, shrubs and plants:

Climbers:
– Honeysuckle; Clematis (Montana); roses

Trees:
– Acer; yew; monkey puzzle; hazelnut; acacia; laurel; Christmas; Japenese maple

Shrubs:
– Holly; Magnolia; Lilac; privet hedge; box; copper beach; Rhododendron; roses; lavender; hydrangea; peony

Aromatic herbs:
– Sage; oregano; rosemary; curry plant; chives; mint; bay tree

Fruit trees and fruit:
– Apple tree; Mirabelle plum tree; cherry tree; fig tree; olive tree; grape vine; wild strawberries, kiwi, blackberry bush

Next steps are to draw a garden plan as well as work out where the allotment and compost heaps are going to go. My gardening-mad family arrive next week so no doubt they will want to help out! SCH

The Great British Sewing Bee is back

Posted on 18 February, 2014 by Crafty Getaways

I was really happy to see The Great British Sewing Bee back on our screens this week having recently completed a ten week dressmaking course, and now being in the middle of another term. The programme didn’t disappoint; ten new contestants of varying personalities, sewing experience and creative styles; three different sewing tasks; three types of common fabric: cotton, wool and silk.

Task one: a simple sleeveless, round-neck top in cotton / Task two: repurposing an ankle-length woollen skirt / Task three: making a made-to-measure silk nightie.

It’s amazing how many skills and techniques were covered by those three tasks in week one. Here are just a few that I jotted down:

– Choosing the right fabric for the type of garment
– Understanding how to treat / work with different fabrics
– Measuring models and transferring measurements to patterns
– Accurately marking, pinning and cutting out patterns
– Matching fabric patterns (especially where it meets in the middle of a garment)
– Adding darts / understanding body contours
– Hand stitching (ladder stitch, etc.)
– Understitching (e.g. necklines)
– Rolling hems
– Applying trims (e.g. lace)
– Adding drama/impact
– Following instructions and mManaging your time!

What have I missed out? Next week I’m sure the BBC will up the difficulty level. SCH

Upholstery course: day two

Posted on 1 February, 2014 by Crafty Getaways

This is a progress update on the small stool I began re-upholstering last year (well, dismantling more like)!

I realised quite quickly that we had stapled the webbing to the wrong side of the chair last time round (fine if you are planning to build the seat up without springs – not so good if you have old springs to replace). So I began by taking off the webbing, cleaning up the woodwork and reapplying the webbing to the correct (under)side.

Next it was time to hand sew the springs to the webbing and create a sprung unit from the five springs by coercing them together with string. Then I nailed a layer of hessian to the frame – over the top of the springs – and hand sewed the springs under the fabric by ‘feel’.

That took most of the morning which meant the afternoon was spent hand sewing little cord pockets for the synthetic filling which would be tucked in to create part of the seat padding. The final step was to add another piece of hessian and secure with temporary tacks.

This is as far as I got in seven hours. I am hoping that one more course day may bring me closer to the actual fabric cover! SCH

An amazing find: Singer sewing machine

Posted on 9 January, 2014 by Crafty Getaways

I found a vintage Singer sewing machine in this week’s auction which is in lovely condition and even has the original Singer service label on the handle. It is a manual machine so will only really be practical to use when doing small projects or when you don’t really want to use electricity (e.g. sewing over pins when gathering sleeves, etc.) but I think it will look great in the craft workshop on a shelf. I’ve since discovered that my Mum has two additional machines which are gathering dust so they may also find their way to The Little Grange. SCH

Inspiration for Christmas 2014

Posted on 23 December, 2013 by Crafty Getaways

I’m really enjoying the Christmas atmosphere in the UK right now. Having lived abroad for a number of years it’s great to be in the thick of the build up rather than just parachuting in for a few days… getting down the old Christmas decorations box and sifting through the contents of memories past, making mince pies, dashing out to get those last few presents, catching up with old friends, etc.

The other great thing about this particular year is this: I have time on my hands. I can curl up with a cup of coffee and my iPad and seek online inspiration for seasonal trends and creative projects whenever I feel the urge. Today, for example, I’ve looked at what’s new in the world of present wrapping, sought ideas for a simple yet stunning iced Christmas cake, and sought inspiration for Christmas decorations inside and outside the home.

There are some things that really stand out and I would like to build these into my Christmas theme and ‘to do’ list next year. Below is a selection of images that inspire me (all via my boards on Pinterest). I plan to hit the sales after Christmas to gather some of the items I will need ahead of next year’s Christmas celebrations at Le Manoir and The Little Grange. SCH

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Auction and flea market buys

Posted on 19 December, 2013 by Crafty Getaways

A quick dash into town to do a bit of Christmas shopping between bids was not a smart move today! I got back just as the auctioneer was closing on three fantastic square wicker bread baskets… so frustrating!

But I did mange to get a painted table that will look good once re-painted in a lighter colour – it was a crazy £3 (£2 is the starting price); there were no other bidders. I also managed to get a piano stool without a seat for a future renovation project at The Little Grange that came with two chairs – the whole lot was a cool £10 before commission.

I remember too that a few weeks ago I went to an indoor flea market and picked up three very handsome prints in gold frames for £5. SCH

The Little Grange at Le Manoir Saint Gervais is (officially) born!

Posted on 10 December, 2013 by Crafty Getaways

The house purchase is complete! The Little Grange is soon to be a living, breathing reality that was barely a dream a year ago.

I signed the deeds in France on very sunny yet frosty afternoon – a glimpse of what’s in store this time next year! It was lovely to be back and also to see the house and area in winter; certainly a huge contrast to summer. The previous owners have permission to stay in the house for the next four months so that they can renovate the barn across the road. So for now it’s a case of taking lots of photos, measuring up, getting quotes for the work that needs to be done and finalising those spreadsheets.

The major renovation work will be to the top floor (attic). It is currently an open roof space with stud walls for two rooms already in place – but it is going to need additional rooms and bathrooms as well as insulation for the roof.

Below are a few pictures of the house before we start work in April next year to turn it into a boutique B&B with vintage crafts workshop. What do you think? SCH

Mirrors galore

Posted on 28 November, 2013 by Crafty Getaways

At this week’s auction I added to my gilded mirror collection by spotting a thin, metal-framed oval mirror which cost me £16 before commission. It is similar to others I have found on my bargain hunts and could make a lovely bedroom addition.

I now have eight mirrors if I include the two I bought some years ago and one my grandmother gave to me. Maybe I should dedicate the entrance hall wall to my collection? Make a feature of them? Do leave a comment if you have seen this successfully done anywhere. In the meantime I will take a look at my favourite app – ‘Houzz’ – which is full of interior photos, design ideas and advice.

What else did I buy at the auction this week? Oh yes, an incredibly practical fold-out table that can be used inside or outside for parties or crafts. It has white legs and a sturdy top which will blend into a room once it has a table cloth on it. Otherwise it can be used in the craft room / workshop as a work station. When it is folded, it has a carry handle and will fit neatly away in the barn, cellar or attic. I paid £30 for the table – one of my pricier items!

The last thing I bought was a little side table for £8. Someone had painted it cream and stuck a piece of modern wallpaper under the glass top. It wasn’t initially to my taste but I figured it would make a useful, neutral piece of furniture simply painted cream. Take a look below and decide for yourself! SCH

This week’s auction highlights

Posted on 7 November, 2013 by Crafty Getaways

Definitely a week that ticked all the boxes!

The normally crammed auction hall was quieter than normal which meant the demand for furniture and sundries wasn’t that high which in turn meant some items were making silly money! At the same time there was a catering auction in an adjacent barn which I thought might be interesting in terms of equipment for the kitchen at The Little Grange: it’s usual to find stainless steel work stations, fridges, freezers, cookers, professional knives, industrial mixers, bulk crockery, glass ware and serving dishes.

Auction successes included:

– A ballon-back chair for renovation (with webbing and hessian only). The perfect re-upholstery project once I’ve finished the little stool.

– A painted wall mirror.

– A selection of wine glasses and baking dishes as well as a range of board and word games including Cleudo, Jenga, Brainbenders, draughts, playing cards, etc.

– A Kilner enamel jam pan with handle.

I paid just over £14 each for the chair and box of sundries; £12 for the mirror and £18 for the jam pan. SCH

Fabric-covered foam cushions for the Adirondack chair

Posted on 2 November, 2013 by Crafty Getaways

I am happy to report that I have finally finished the two seat cushions for the outside chair I began at the beginning of the summer! It wasn’t the mission I had envisaged and of course, afterwards, I wondered why it had taken me so long to get round to finishing them.

Measuring the chair was the first task. I took care to make sure the repeat in the fabric to the front of the arched back matched the sides (it would be easy to cut a piece from the same fabric – in the same direction – only to find it ran the wrong way when viewed from the side). To do this I had to cut two strips along the length of the fabric (vertical) thus creating a seam from front to back along the top of the cushion.

Next I made up the correct length of piping using strips of fabric cut on the bias and piped through with cord. I sewed the piping to the front panels of each cushion before attaching the zips on the relevant rear/bottom panels. Next I sewed the side panels to the front panels (enclosing the piping).

Once the front panels were finished I sewed the remaining piping to the back panels, opened the zips (important!) and then sewed the front sections to the backs (again encasing the piping).

At each step I pinned the fabric in place around the foam and then took out the foam and sewed the pieces in place with my sewing machine. When it came to sewing the front to the back, the zip needed to be open so I could easily fold and remove the foam before sewing the final pieces in place.

Here are a few pictures of work in progress and the finished result:

It’s just a shame I didn’t manage to finish the cushions before Autumn set in. SCH

Le Manoir Saint Gervais

Boutique bed & breakfast in west-central France * sewing & crafty getaways

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